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Protestors take part in the Stop Racism demonstration in London on ‘Punish A Muslim Day’ Photographer: Stephen Lock
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uslims up and down the country have been receiving horrific hate mail warning them of ‘Punish a Muslim Day’ on April 3rd, 2018. The vile letters were posted in London, Sheffield, Bradford ...continued on page 5 and Leicester. ..
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Editor’s Note Hello readers and welcome back to another edition of Asian world Newspaper. We hope you all had a lovely Easter break and now that we are heading into spring, we not only have the beautiful sunshine, but some interesting and gripping stories just for you. In this edition, we discuss the Sri Lankan Muslim riots as well as the ongoing war between Israel and Palestine, where 17 innocent Palestinians were killed. Also this month we do have quite a few Bollywood film releases for any Bollywood fans out there. Including films such as ‘102 Not Out’ which features film legends ‘Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor.’ We even feature a Q/A with the gorgeous Disha Patani and the handsome Tiger Shroff. For anyone planning to move house, we have provided information regarding the fall of house prices and if you are planning on saving money this year, just check out our story on ‘Tricks to get more from your cash and the best rates.’ For any sport lovers, we have an interview with the famous body builder Rahat Shah and Brit-
ain’s First Female Muslim Kickboxing Champion’ and the ‘Pro Nike Hijab.’ So if you are woman who is interested in sports, then we recommend checking out our sports pages, starting from page 50 to page 54. Although, if you are someone who isn’t interested in sports, then perhaps you would like to read our local stories, where we discuss the awful death at ‘star city.’ Please see page 6 for more information. Whatever you decide to do, there is enough stories for everyone. So sit back and relax and grab a copy of our latest issue NOW! Filled with the latest news and gossip! If you would like to advertise in our MAY issue or want to share a story with us then please don’t hesitate to contact us on: 0121 771 4545 or email: sales@asianworldnews.co.uk Have a great read! Editor: Salma Ilyas editor@asianworldnews.co.uk sales@asianworldnews.co.uk Visit us online at: www.asianworldnews.co.uk
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British Asian Woman 10 Arrested Accuses Chain Following Prison Drug Drone Drop Restaurant of Racism
“
Dr. Rajina said of the incident that
It reminded me of things when my parents were young, when there used to be signs on restaurants saying ‘no Irish, no blacks, no dogs.
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arrests have been made T enacross the West Midlands
area following large quantities of drugs being smuggled into UK prisons using flying drones. Raids were carried out by West Midlands police officers across addresses in the Black Country and Birmingham, with eight men and two women being arrested on suspicion of conspiring to drop Class A and Class B drugs
and psychoactive substances over prison walls. The eight men, aged between 20 and 43, and two women aged 34 and 40, were arrested in the early hours of the morning March 14th from addresses across the West Midlands sch as in Coseley, Tipton, Dudley, Oldbury, and Northfield. It has been reported that flying drones were used to drop
Event 1: AGE 28 & OVER EVENT 2: MALES 21-33 FEMALES: 21-30
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the drugs into prisons across the country, including HMP Birmingham in Winson Green which has already been shrouded in controversy following explosive prison riots last year. It’ is also believed that the group may have delivered items like phones and SIM cards too, using drones between April 2016 and June last year. By Furvah Shah
Event 1: AGE 28 & OVER EVENT 2: MALES 21-33 FEMALES: 21-30
11:30AM - 4:30PM 3 COURSE BUFFET MEAL WITH SOFT DRINKS WILL BE PROVIDED ON THE DAY
”
elwyn Garden City branch of Parisian-themed restaurant Côte Brasserie has been accused of racism and discrimination after turning away two British Asian women, then offering them a table immediately after the called up in a posh, “white” accent. Dr Fatima Rajina, who works at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, attempted to get a table for her and her friend on Mother’s Day but were told by a member of staff that they operated on a ‘reservations only’ basis during the busy day. But Dr. Rajina described having an “instant gut feeling” about the reason behind their being turned away, so then phoned the restaurant using a ”white accent” to try and book a table. They say they were then told one would be available in just 15 minutes.
Her tweets about the incident has drawn over 3,000 responses and Côte Brasserie have responded saying that they are “saddened”
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by the event but “strongly deny that there is a policy to refuse guests a table on any basis other than the restaurant being full.”
MUSLIM MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS MARRIAGE EVENT DOCTORS | NURSES | MEDICAL ASSISTANT | PHYSICIAN | PRACTITIONER | RADIOGRAPHER | PSYCHIATRIST | PARAMEDIC | DENTIST | AND MANY MORE
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However, local police advised Mus-
lims to ‘unite’ and ‘carry on as normal. ’ Many Muslims encouraged each other via Twitter, telling each other to remain vigilant and stay safe. Some warned others to stay indoors and look after one other. On April 3rd, 2018, communities in the UK got together to support Muslims during this horrific day. Nearly 100 people formed a human chain outside a local mosque in Newcastle, to fight against racism and Islamophobia. British citizens stood together in solidarity with Muslims on the day which encourages violence against members of the religion. The citizens stated that they are ‘spreading love not hate’ on ‘Punish a Muslim Day.’ Many Muslim women were warned to hide their hijabs and not to walk alone. Families were urged to lock their doors. However, Muslims and non-Muslims united together. Atleast 100 members of Tyne and Wear Citizens had joined forces outside of Newcastle Central Mosque. The Tyne and Wear Citizens group posted on Twitter: ‘Spreading love not hate, building bridges, not walls. We are proud to be part of the human chain of solidarity stretching around Newcastle Central Mosque.’ Many events also took place across the country, which encouraged Brits to say NO to Islamophobia. In Edinburgh, an anti-racism campaign group have held a protest against the ‘Punish a Muslim’ hate campaign. The campaign was called ‘Stand Up To Rac-
ism Edinburgh.’ The protest was aimed to counteract the disturbing social media and letter hate campaign, which allocated points for
crimes against British Muslims. A spokeswoman said: ‘We are asking for supporters to post positive messages to Muslims on social media throughout the day. During the event between 5.30pm and 6.30pm, Leith Labour councillor Gordon Munro and Scottish Trades Union Congress President Satnam Ner, gave a speech on anti-racism.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, condemned the hate campaign after Labour’s Anas Sarwar said Scotland would stand united against it. In London, people united together and protested throughout London city centre, to stop spreading racial hate. Chama Bouanik and her daughter Aisha, aged 14, attended a rally in London. They both wore hijabs, despite many warnings that it is not safe to walk around wearing a hijab. 100 demonstrators joined the protest, many also wearing hijabs. “I’m here to show the racists I am not afraid,” Mrs Bouanik told The National. “I stand by my faith, and I’m happy to see other people here who are supporting us from other faiths here.” As the demonstrations took place in London, a Somalia immigrant, Nur Mohammed, handed out badges in north London that said, ‘We Stand Together.’ He said: “I wanted to voice my feeling of repugnance at anyone naming a day
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‘Punish a Muslim’ day. I feel quite shocked about it.” Throughout various parts of the UK, Citizens sent out letters of encouragement, which says ‘Love a Muslim Day.’ The letters were sent to spread love and hate throughout the country, and promised rewards to anyone who smiled or threw beautiful flowers at Muslims. 2500 points were given to anyone that brought a Muslim family a trip to Mecca. A counter Hashtag was created for #PunishAMuslimDay which was #LoveaMuslimDay, as well as #WeStandTogether. The hashtags are trending on Twitter, with more than 42,000 tweets, as many have urged Muslims to ignore the violent threats. Police are currently investigating on who sent these horrific letters. These letters boast about offering rewards to people if they carry out sick attacks on Muslims, including, burning down mosques, torturing Muslims and throwing acid in people’s faces.
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April 2018
Media personality becomes new Patron of the Asian Women’s Resource Centre
The Asian Women’s Resource
Centre is delighted to announce that Radio DJ; TV presenter and entrepreneur Noreen Khan has accepted our invitation to support our organisation as a new Patron.
We are a charity based in Harlesden in the London borough of Brent, which has been serving the local community and offering Pan-London services since 1980. As a charity we provide invaluable services to all women and their children who are fleeing from domestic & sexual abuse, honour based violence, forced marriages, FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) and trafficking. Speaking about her new role as Patron, Noreen Khan said; “I am honoured that I have been asked by the Asian Women’s Resource Centre to become their Patron, a position which I accepted without hesitation. The Asian Women’s Resource Centre have been providing vital services to women, girls and children for over three decades and during this time they have developed an expertise in sup-
porting BME women affected by VAWG. I wholeheartedly support the work that the Asian Women’s Resource Centre do in order to eliminate violence against women and girls and I am proud to stand alongside them. I am committed and passionate about ending violence against women and girls and I am looking forward to working with the Asian Women’s Resource Centre.” Noreen Khan Expressing her delight, Sarbjit Ganger, Director of the Asian Women’s Resource Centre said; “We at the Asian Women’s Resource Centre are really excited and thrilled to have Noreen Khan as our Patron. Noreen Khan will help raise not only our profile but highlight the importance of BME specialist organisations that provide lifesaving services for women experiencing VAWG.”
Haroon is a “Good Citizen” of Coventry
P
enny Appeal Fund Raising Manager Haroon Mota has been chosen to receive the Coventry Good Citizen Award for his work with the charity. Haroon has made an outstanding contribution to deprived communities around the world, helping to provide them with necessities such as clean water and electricity. He has achieved this by climbing mountains and run-
ning marathons in memory of his late father. To celebrate his win, which is awarded by Coventry City Council, Haroon was chauffeured from his home to have lunch with The Lady Mayoress in her Parlour, before receiving his certificate and citation. “I was stunned and delighted to have received this accolade,” said Haroon. “To be recognised for my work in my home town is a real honour.” One of his biggest challenges was to run four marathons in just four weeks, with the goal of raising £20,000 to build a solar water power centre to provide both water and electricity to poor and needy people living in The Gambia. His final fundraising total for this was £28,000. “I decided to embark on the challenge in memory of my late father who was tragically killed in a
car crash,” Haroon explained. “This challenge seemed a fitting honour to his memory, he was my motivation. “We often take the blessing of water for granted. In Africa, dirty, diseased water is a real killer. Running all of those miles in training and in the marathons was extremely tough, but the struggle for life without water is nothing in comparison. My goal was to provide the gift of water, and I’m so pleased that the construction of the clean water project is already underway. It will make a huge difference.” Also this year, Haroon, who has raised more than £1m so far for Penny Appeal, has led 27 people to the roof of Africa when the team tackled Kilimanjaro, raising a further £150k to build water wells and, he even lead a team of 70 people to take part in the Coventry half marathon, before taking part himself in the Palestine Marathon followed by a trek to Everest base camp in December. Locally, Haroon has also been instrumental in feeding homeless and vulnerable adults in Coventry, after setting up a partnership with North Point Church’s food bank in the city centre, ensuring thousands of hot meals are provided throughout the year on a weekly basis.
Man Dies in Freak Accident at Star City
A man has died after a freak
accident involving an electric chair occurred at Vue Cinema in Star City in early March. The accident occurred when the cinema goer attempted to retrieve his phone from between the Gold Class seats in the cinema, where the electric seat’s footrest reportedly clamped down on his head causing serious injury. The victims partner and staff attempted to release him, the seat’s
footrest was eventually broken and he was quickly taken the Heartlands Hospital. A spokesman for Vue Cinema stated: “Following an incident which took place on Friday 9 March at our Birmingham cinema, we can confirm that a customer was taken to hospital that evening. We are saddened to learn that he passed away on Friday 16 March. A full investigation into the nature of the
incident is ongoing. Our thoughts and condolences are with the family who have our full support and assistance.” Head of Environmental Health at Birmingham City Council, Mark Croxford, said: “The City Council’s Environmental Health team were notified of this incident and a Health and Safety investigation has begun. We are unable to comment further at this stage, as the investigation is ongoing.”
‘Random’ attack on schooL boy stabbed in Small Heath
A schoolboy was stabbed in
the head outside a Birmingham mosque in a random attack by a man carrying a knife, a court has heard. Dominic Palmer also carried out a vicious second attack on a woman on her way to work in the street hours later, it was alleged. The 29-year-old, of Herbert Road, Small Heath, has denied two charges of attempted murder and two of wounding with intent. Stephen Linehan QC, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said: “This case is about two attacks carried out on two streets in Small Heath on the same day on two people but some hours apart. “The man who carried out the attacks used a knife and his intent was to kill. “Mercifully he failed and they survived.” Mr Linehan said the first victim was a 15-year-old, who along with his family, had attended the Idaara Maarif-e-Islam mosque in Herbert Road for a Muslim
festival. They left but he and his father returned at around 1 am to pick up an older brother, said Mr Linehan. “Unknown to them the defendant had left his flat armed with a knife and gone in the streets of Small Heath looking for a victim,” he said. Mr Linehan said Palmer had walked down Herbert Road and then “without warning” attacked the teenager. “There is no evidence to suggest these two had ever met before or knew each other in any way. The teenager was simply a victim chosen at random. The same applies to the next victim some hours later.” Mr Linehan said Palmer stabbed the 15-year-old a number of times, twice to the front before “driving the knife through his skull and into his brain”. “He was screaming and his father and others came to help. When they got to him he was lying on the floor unconscious. The defendant had run away.”
The victim was rushed to the hospital, where doctors saved his life. Police arrested Palmer at his home later that morning and officers found a pair of bloodstained tracksuit trousers and trainers, he said. They were unaware at the time that, at around 5.45am, he had carried out another attack on Mitzie Harper, a woman in her 50’s who had been on her way to a cleaning job, said Mr Linehan. Palmer brushed against her as she was walking down Cyril Road, the court heard. “Something about the look on his face made her feel uneasy and she turned to look back,” Mr Linehan said. She saw him walking away but he then came back up behind her and launched an attack, with the knife causing “nasty wounds.” In a recorded interview, Mrs Harper said the main thing she remembered about her attacker was his “scary eyes”. By Zakaria Abraham
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Precious Homes are Pinders’ Champions for second year running!
University welcomes guests to celebrate Sikh Guru’s 350th birthday
This week, Independent Social Care Provider, Precious Homes, won Best Regeneration Project at the 2018 Pinders Healthcare Design Award Finals in recognition of their flagship three tiered service and social enterprise in Birmingham ‘Swan Court’.
The team joined healthcare design finalists from across the UK, at the Pinders Healthcare Design Awards lunch held at the Royal Lancaster London, and were named winners in the category of ‘Best Regeneration Project, with judges recognising their innovative and bespoke approach to healthcare service design for the second year running. The Pinders Healthcare Design Awards aim to promote and recognise the very best developments in all types of carerelated property. ‘Swan Court’ is a re-development project from a previous older person’s sheltered housing scheme into a three-tiered residential and supported living service with social enterprise for younger adults with complex needs to become significantly more independent and confident at home and in the community. The overall aim was for the design of the new service to maximise safety and space, incorporating the design team’s innovative ideas and the creation of three innovative services with a social enterprise as separate entities but ensuring natural integration and a seamless transition of services within the complex. A key design feature are the communal spaces and cafe which include new and upcycling projects. Examples include pallets used to decorate the café and a pool table re-designed into the café counter. Greg Lapham, Precious Homes’ Chief Operating Officer, said: “I remember the first time I walked around the original property and immediately saw
the potential – truly envisioning that something very special could be created. The design and layout was down to partnership working and communication with our Operations Team and Host Local Authority about how best the three tiered service could work and flow and incorporating the very best design features and concepts. After a huge amount of work from all involved we opened a very well thought out and forward thinking service and the feedback and response from all the people we support, their families, professionals and visitors has been extremely positive. “Being National finalists three years in a row and winning the Pinders Design Award two years in a row is a fantastic achievement and I am extremely proud of what we have achieved. What really drives me to achieve this quality of service is creating the very best possible accommodation for those that we support and for our organisation to be known as an influencer in the adult specialist healthcare sector.” Mitesh Dhanak, Precious Homes’ Managing Director, said: “I am delighted we have won the Pinders Award 2018, this is a testament to our ability to deliver high quality, innovative and modern facilities in the heart of the community for the people we support. This is the second year in a row that we have been awarded the Pinders Design award and a true demonstration that our team continue to push the boundaries of architectural design to deliver first class, homely, and safe environments for the people we support.’
The University of Birmingham and the Consulate General of India joined together to mark the 350th birth anniversary of one of India’s most revered Sikh leaders - Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. More than 500 people gathered in the University’s historic Aston Webb building to take part in a seminar on the life and philosophy of the tenth Sikh Guru, featuring a keynote address by the former Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar who focused on the Guru’s message for the modern world. Hosted by the University’s Edward Cadbury Centre for the Public Understanding of Religion, the event also featured a panel discussion including Mandeep Kaur, Sikh Chaplain to the British Armed Forces. Dr Andrew Davies, from the Edward Cadbury Centre, said: “We are delighted to welcome so many people to the University of Birmingham to celebrate the life of this revered leader of one of the world’s great religions. “Guru Gobind Singh Ji was a spiritual master, warrior, poet and philosopher who made many notable contributions to Sikhism. He founded the Sikh warrior
community called Khalsa and introduced the five articles of faith that Khalsa Sikhs wear at all times. “He continued the formalisation of the religion and wrote key Sikh texts, but his declaration of the Sikh holy book as his successor ensured the Guru Granth Sahib remains the Sikhs’ guide and is as relevant in our society as it was in the 17th century.” Bhai Sahab Mohinder Singh Ji, Chairman of the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewa Jatha, in Birmingham, also gave a speech on the Life and Philosophy of the Guru in today’s context. Mr. D.P.Singh, from the High Commission of India, London, also delivered a speech. The event was supported by the Nishkam School, in Birmingham with students reciting Sikh poems accompanied by sitars. It also featured an exhibition featuring art and images depicting the Guru’s life. Consul General Aman Puri said: “I am delighted that Consulate of India and University of Birmingham co- hosted a grand concluding event of the year-long celebrations of the 350th Birth Anniversary of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the
revered tenth Sikh Guru. “I am particularly pleased that Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar , former Chief Justice of India, travelled all the way from India for this event as the Key Note speaker, and shared his thoughts on the current relevance of the Guru’s message for humanity. Bhai Saheb Dr Mohinder Singh, OBE KSG Chairman of GNNSJ also shared his views on the message of Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji for the world. Sikhism as a religion has its roots in India, but it is widely practiced in most parts of the world, and has enriched local communities. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Indian diaspora, especially those in Midlands and North England region for supporting this event , and our earlier events. Finally, I would like to convey my special thanks to Dr Andrew Davies, Edward Cadbury centre for Theology and Public Understanding of Religion for making this event a huge success, and hope that we would be collaborating in future, as well, with the University of Birmingham for many such joint projects.”
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April 2018
FACE HAS THEIR FACE FALLEN ON ONE SIDE? CAN THEY SMILE?
ARMS CAN THEY RAISE BOTH ARMS AND KEEP THEM THERE?
SPEECH IS THEIR SPEECH SLURRED?
TIME IF YOU NOTICE ANYÂ OF THESE SIGNS MAKE THE CALL
Jaswant Naker STROKE SURVIVOR
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April 2018
Council house waiting times in Birmingham
Birmingham council house
applicants are spending on average a year and three months on the waiting list before getting a home, new figures have revealed. There are 9,917 applicants on the list who spend an average of 66 weeks from the date of registration to when they are housed. There are mitigating factors to be considered such as the type of property, area, special needs and the number of bedrooms wanted by the tenant effect how long an applicant spends on the waiting list. The number of ‘bids’ placed on a house also affects how quickly people are housed. No money is exchanged in these bids, but they are the official way to register your interest in a council property when it becomes available. Many council properties get huge amounts of interest. In houses which have become available in the past 90 days, some have received over 100 bids. One two-bedroom house in Acocks Green got 214 bids.
Another four-bedroom house in Soho got 242. The waiting list has a ranking system in place. There are four priority bands from one, which is the most urgent need, to four. The following system was introduced in April 2017. Band 1: People whose existing homes are being demolished, who are currently overcrowded needing three or more extra rooms, who live in an unsafe private property (ie because of flood or fire), emergency medical reasons they cannot stay in present property, moving from care at 18 and where a child is at immediate risk in their present location - such as fleeing domestic violence or gang activity. Band 2: Less serious conditions than the first band such as being overcrowded and needing two extra rooms, or property being demolished in next 12 months. Also where there is a risk but it is not immediate. Also included is someone who does not have essential facilities kitchen, bathroom and no chance of one being fitted in six months.
Band 3: Again less serious needs such as overcrowded and needing just one extra room. Also, those who have made themselves ‘intentionally’ homeless and are not a priority. Band 4: Includes people over 55 waiting for a sheltered home. If you don’t agree with the band in which you have been placed, there is a right of appeal and a number of organisations like the Citizens Advice Bureau, local councillors or other groups can help. If the appeal fails then legal action will be required. Those on the housing register can seek alternative accommodation in both the private sector or with another social landlord such as a housing association. Once registered, you will have access to the list of available properties. You can select areas you would prefer to live and types of property needed. You can bid but are likely to face fierce competition for homes in popular areas.
Autism and cultural issues
Alongside the daily challenges faced by a family affected by autism many families experience a great deal of stigmatisation and disapproval from the Asian community, who have often been quick to judge and form opinions based on misconceptions and ignorance and having little or no knowledge . Anna Kennedy OBE Autism Campaigner throughout the years has spoken to many families who are experiencing Cultural stigmatisation and this is unnecessary family pressure and an additional strain placed on parents that is unjustified and unfair. Recently at an event of 150 women from the Asian Community Anna asked if anyone in the audience had a family member diagnosed with autism. Not one person raised their hand. Later on in the evening 8 parents approached Anna and her team at the event highlighting they were parents and struggling and felt that they could not speak in front of the group for the fear of stigmatisation. Mala Thapar Charity Champion from AnnaKennedyonline and mum to Arun who has a diagnosis of autism shares “It’s so important to reach out to the Asian community to recognise and accept all the challenges and inspiration that a child with Autism can bring to your life. There are families out there that do not know what to do and whom to contact, this will give them the opportunity and also to educate the community rather than ignore this. There has to be a much better understanding of Autism and to learn about it, embrace it and perceive this as a positive. Since being part of the Charity Anna Kennedy Online I now feel part of a supportive network. Mala shares since my son was
diagnosed with Autism and subsequently myself being very vocal about Autism after meeting with Anna Kennedy, it was very difficult and astonishing to experience the negative attitudes, ostracization and ignorance from a society and culture that were meant to be supportive. Almost overnight those whom I thought would stand by us, disappeared, and suddenly no longer existed and realised that sadly, due to the mentality and lack of understanding about Autism as being a hidden disability became an impossible hurdle and breaking away led to a huge relief. Through these experiences, we have learnt to live a different way of life and feel that there should be much more awareness surrounding mental health
and disabilities within ethnic minorities. Many parents from various backgrounds have contacted AKO and by reaching out could open up a whole new chapter and meet a new network of people that understand. Tally Nothey parent of Taran also shares ‘Life for a child with any disability can be demanding on so many levels, but I’ve discovered that some of the most difficult and challenging aspects come from the people who should be offering support and love unconditionally. And that’s
family and community. I have been blessed with the most understanding and supportive family who love my son who has Autism and my daughter equally, but I have also witnessed prejudice, a lack of understanding and awareness of autism within society. Many Asian people with a disability are treated as second-class citizens by their own families. They are hidden away from society, ashamed of the stigma. On many occasions, my son’s Autism has been described as ‘a punishment for something I had done in my previous life’ How can anyone argue with someone who holds such ridiculous views in this day and age? I am so proud that as part of the Anna Kennedy Online Team as a charity we believe that all people, regardless of disability, deserve the opportunity for a full life in their community where they can live, learn, work and play alongside each other throughout their lives and one day remove disability stigma and this culture of shame’. Anna Kennedy says a few years ago I spoke to a mum from Pakistan who was so inspired and felt empowered after speaking to Anna she qualified as a Speech and Language therapist and set up a classroom for children on the Spectrum, instead of hiding her child as her husband demanded. There is nothing to be ashamed of being a parent of a child on the spectrum . My sons have taught me so much and given me strength and skills that I never even knew I had within me. Please get in touch with us at Anna Kennedy Online and always remember you are not alone and we are a Charity that care.
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MOTHERS AGAINST RADICALISATION Bradford group celebrates completion of groundbreaking empowerment programme
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has successfully concluded its inaugural Mothers Against Radicalisation programme, a 4-week training course designed to both educate and empower mothers to stand up to radicalisation and grooming. Participants were exposed to both Islamist and Far Right extremist narratives, exploring what makes young people vulnerable and how best to protect them. In an increasingly digital world, the programme focused on the benefits and dangers of the internet. The 4-week training course, run over the past year in partnership with Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Police, concludes today with an awards ceremony at Bradford City Hall. The project worked with a number of mothers; from those directly affected by extremism, to those whose work is to safeguard vulnerable children.
Sofia Mahmood, Founder and Director at Empowering Minds, said: “Mothers Against Radicalisation provides mothers with a safe space to be able to hold difficult conversations without feeling judged or intimidated. Extremists don’t come from one religion or background and this course exemplified that, empowering individuals to stand up to radicalisation and grooming in all its forms. We hope that the open and encouraging atmosphere has left mothers who took part feeling equipped and supported in safeguarding their children.” Councillor Abdul Jabar, Bradford Council Executive Member for Neighbourhoods and Community Safety, said: “Mothers are in a unique position to know what is going on in their children’s lives and this training course will give them an extra insight to help protect them against malign influences from various sources, including the internet.”
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Man who drove at Muslim women and schoolgirl is jailed for 20 years
A hit-and-run driver has been jailed
Bradford-based Empowering Minds
April 2018
for life after he purposely ran down a Muslim women as ‘revenge’ for the London 7/7 bombings and the Parsons Green Tube station. The driver, Paul Moore attempted to kill, 47-year-old Zaynab Hussein with his Volkswagen, in Leicester and also nearly missed a 12-year-old girl. Zaynab Hussein, aged 47 was hit once in Acer close and then driven over again moments later. The 21-year-old driver was seen laughing as he told a relative that he intended to target Muslims. He then tried to harm the 12-year-old girl by driving towards her on Butterwick Drive, because he wanted to ‘do the country a favour.’ Paul Moore, from Letchworth Road, Western Park, Leicester, was convicted by a jury, for attempted murder, attempted grievous bodily harm with intent and dangerous driving. During the court case, which took place at Nottingham Crown Court, Moore flanked by the four dock officers and looked up at the ceiling as the sentence was passed. The defendant was supported by four family members, two of whom who left the court as, Moore was handed a 20-year minimum jail sentence and a lifelong disqualification from driving. At the court case, Mr Justice Soole told Moore: ‘The courage of your victims, and the compassion and courage of all those who came to the aid of Mrs
Hussein in different ways-and who notably come from across the diverse range of this local community – stand in stark contrast to your wickedness that morning.’ “All pedestrians were at risk from you that morning. However, the fact remains that you ultimately launched your assault on those who were in Islamic clothing. “Your intention to kill Mrs Hussein was underlined by your wicked decision to return for a second assault with the car. It was only luck and her quick thinking that saved your second intended victim from injury. “In circumstances where you have shown no remorse and where there is a reason to believe that you may have taken satisfaction from what you did, the alternatives of an ordinary determinate sentence or an extended determinate sentence would provide inadequate protection to the public.” Court Prosecutor Jonathan Straw read out Ms Hussein victim impact statement. He said that, the woman was bedbound since the incident. The statement read: “I have limited mobility. I can only get to the toilet with the assistance of a walking frame. “I feel I have lost my independence. It is not something I am used to, and I do not
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want to be dependent on others. “This is really upsetting and hurtful - it is affecting my happiness. “My younger children come into the room and ask, ‘when are you going to start walking again?’. “I physically cannot go outside, but even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t. “I don’t understand why someone would want to hurt me - especially somebody I have never met.” Steve Newcombe, defending Moore, said: “There is nothing in his background to suggest that he has held a grudge against Muslims and people of any other faith.”
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April 2018
Khaksar and Jallianwala Bagh Massacres: The Bloodbaths that Ignited the Freedom Movement
By Nasim Yousaf
British Muslims in International Peace Initiative
British Muslims joined fellow believ-
ers around the world to celebrate the birth (mawlid) of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Messenger of Allah was sent to establish the religion of Islam some 1400 years ago in Arabia. As part of the celebrations, British Muslims have coordinated a unique worldwide initiative which has come to be known as Mawlid in the City. The objective is to engage with local communities in city centres by promoting dialogue and spreading peace and understanding. The very simple concept of offering chocolates along with a rose themed card as a peaceful gesture to people has certainly gone from a very local idea to something which has become a national and international event. Some of the other aims and objectives of the initiative include: • Coordinating events worldwide to spread an awareness of the true message • A worldwide phenomena taking place spreading love, happiness and peace • Discussions to allow the public to have a better understanding of the Final Messenger.
A coordinated event initiative, born in the UK in 2012 has now spread across the world and is a global phenomenon. Over 100 locations are scheduled to take part with towns and cities as far as
New Zealand and Canada joining a substantial number of UK cities and towns in this international effort for spreading true Islamic values. Events were held simultaneously and all coordinated via social media and through the group’s central hub in Birmingham. Muslims all round the world walked into city centres, villages and towns giving roses, chocolates and cards containing messages of peace. The project, now in its fifth year of running, also visited 10 Downing Street as one of the many locations visited throughout the day. Greeting cards were delivered to the home of the British Prime Minister along with 12 roses symbolic with the Islamic date coinciding with the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The project has already achieved international acclaim with Capstone Publishers publishing a section on the project in the United States in an edition of a children’s book. This will aid in educating a entirely new generation of children on the shared human values of peace and mercy. The organisation is a network of “Mawlid Makers” around the world seeking to inspire other Muslims to engage in such efforts. The aim being to encourage Muslims everywhere to lead a peaceful revolution across the world in some of the most difficult social times faced by mankind. The network aims to achieve its lofty ambitions with the proliferation of the true message and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), known to Muslims as a mercy to the worlds.
The cold-blooded
massacre of Khaksars in Lahore and the Jallianwala Bagh incident in Amritsar took place on March 19, 1940 and April 13, 1919 respectively. The two tragedies occurred in cities in Punjab that are only 31 miles (50 km) apart. The Khaksar and Jallianwala Bagh massacres not only brought countrywide resentment against the British Raj, but also sparked the Indian sub-continent’s (now comprised of Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh) freedom movement, which led to the fall of British rule in 1947. On March 19, 1940, a uniformed contingent of 313 members of the Khaksar Movement (Khaksar Tehrik) marched in protest against restrictions imposed on their activities. Despite the fact that they were parading peacefully, police - headed by Donald Gainsford (Senior Superintendent of Police, Lahore), P. C. D. Beaty (Deputy Superintendent of Police), and Frederick Chalmers Bourne (District Magistrate) – showed up to stop the protest. Gainsford “slapped Inayat Shah [the Khaksar contingent’s leader] in the face” for not following his orders to abandon the protest march. Deputy Superintendent of Police Beaty then shouted “Maro, Fire Karo” (attack and fire). The police then opened fire and, according to witnesses, indiscriminately killed over 200 Khaksars (the official figure intentionally underreported the death toll to be in the 30’s) and injured many others. According to the police station clerk’s (Moharir, who is required to record all happenings) register, 1,620 rounds were issued to the police force under Beaty on March 19, 1940 and only 1,213 returned, which in itself speaks to the tremendous number of martyred and injured Khaksars. This Khaksar massacre took place at a pivotal moment in the sub-continent’s history, as Allama Mashriqi was on the verge of toppling British rule. The police actions were considered to be an aggressive and brutal maneuver to try and stop Mashriqi and the Khaksars. In the afternoon of the black day, a heavy contingent of police, accompanied by army soldiers, raided the Khaksar Tehrik’s Headquarters in Lahore. They threw tear-gas grenades and arrested Khaksars. One of Mashriqi’s sons (Ehsanullah Khan Aslam) was injured by police and later died on May 31, 1940 (over 50,000 people attended his funeral). Allama Mashriqi, who was in Delhi at the time, was also arrested and taken to Vellore Central Jail, where he remained for almost two years without trial (upon his release, restrictions were imposed on his movements). Following the massacre, heaps of bulletriddled Khaksar bodies were heartlessly dragged and whisked away in police trucks. In an attempt to quell public reaction, no funeral processions were allowed for the martyred Khaksars and their bodies were buried in the darkness
of night. News of the tragedy flashed around the world (from Australia to Germany to India to UK to the USA). In order to minimize the tragedy in the public eye and justify the killings, the Government continued its massive propaganda campaign against the Khaksar Tehrik (which had began even before the incident), utilizing both the press and other avenues to further this agenda. The media negatively portrayed the Khaksar Tehrik and tried to falsely brand the Khaksars as terrorists (even though the organization did not believe in killing innocent civilians and had no record of doing so) or fascists. For example, The News from (Adelaide) Australia published the headline “India’s Three [over Five] Million Lawful Fascists” on Sep. 19, 1944. Despite the media coverup, the public was outraged by the death of innocent Khaksars and the arrests of Mashriqi, his sons, and followers. The Viceroy of India Lord Linlithgow and Governor of Punjab Sir Henry Duffield Craik did not issue any apologies. The Government’s strong reaction and negative propaganda campaign confirmed that the Khaksar Movement had become the most powerful private army in British India. And the massacre only strengthened the public resolve to obtain freedom. The Khaksar massacre had many similarities to the incident at Jallianwala Bagh. On April 13, 1919, a crowd of thousands gathered at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar. Brigadier General R.E.H. Dyer considered this a defiance of his earlier proclamation to the city banning public meetings and gatherings. Dyer ordered the troops of the British Indian Army to begin indiscriminately shooting. 1650 rounds were fired and many people were killed or injured. No authentic count of the dead or injured is available; the British estimate of the death toll was 379, while Indian estimates were much greater. In both the Khaksar and Jallianwala Bagh massacres, the Government setup inquiry commissions to pacify the public. For the Khaksar incident, a High Court Inquiry Committee was formed under the presidentship of Sir Douglas Young, but the final report was never released for public consumption. In the case of Jallianwala Bagh, the Hunter Commission (under Lord Hunter) was formed and a report was later released.
In both incidents, the public was outraged. Following the massacre, the Khaksars continued with their civil disobedience movement in protest of the Government’s actions. They used the Wazir Khan and Golden Mosques as their bases of resistance, but did not resort to any violent activities (such as destroying government property). In the case of Jallianwala Bagh, people reacted as well and some resorted to violent activity. In closing, both the Khaksar massacre and the Jallianwala Bagh incident are of great historical importance. In the case of Jallianwala Bagh, the Indian Government and historians have kept the incident alive. Many dignitaries such as Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prime Ministers Tony Blair and David Cameron, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan have visited the memorial at Jallianwala Bagh to pay obeisance. But in the case of the Khaksar massacre, the Governments of India, Pakistan, and Britain have not yet taken any concrete action - whether visiting the site of the heartbreaking tragedy to pay homage or building a memorial or members of parliament seeking the British government’s formal apology. Filmmakers and historians also need to come forward to enlighten the public about this important incident. The fact of the matter is that the Khaksars laid their lives for the sake of freedom. And their blood was not in vain, as the Indian sub-continent obtained its independence when Pakistan and India emerged in 1947. The incidents on March 19, 1940 and April 13, 1919 are amongst the greatest stains on the reputation of the British Empire. These brutal bloodbaths shook the people of the sub-continent and built tremendous resentment against the British government, ultimately leading to the fall of British rule in 1947. ............................................................... Nasim Yousaf, a grandson of Allama Mashriqi, is an author and researcher who has spent two decades extensively researching the freedom movement of the Indian subcontinent, particularly the role of Allama Mashriqi and the Khaksar Tehrik in obtaining independence. His depth of knowledge on the subject comes not only from secondary sources, but also from the family members and Khaksars who were directly part of the freedom movement.
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April 2018
Labour Party Ex-gang member shot pledge to end by armed police during rough sleeping if siege to sue force re-elected in May
A man who was shot by armed police
during a siege in Birmingham is planning to sue the force. Sharif Cousins, 41, was the first person to be shot by a West Midlands Police officer for 17 years. The ex-gang member claimed he was unarmed at the time, and no charges were brought against him in relation to the incident. Now Mr Cousins, who was in an induced coma for three weeks after the shooting, has said he planned to take legal action against the force. He had previously spent 15 years in prison, including an eight-year term for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life for pointing a gun at a police officer. He is now a youth worker and maintains he has stayed out of trouble since coming out of prison in 2011.
The shooting happened in Hereford Close, Rubery, last July when Mr Cousins was in a house with another man watching music videos. He said he left to get cigarettes for his girlfriend and, when he returned, was confronted by armed police in an alleyway. He told BBC News: “At that point police have just run out in the alleyway, out of nowhere - and said ‘Stop, put your hands up’, or something like that. So we’ve put our hands up and then I just heard a bang.” “I’ve looked down at my chest, obviously, and my chest is smoking and stuff. “I’ve seen the flash of the gun but I didn’t actually believe it happened. “I’m looking at the policeman saying ‘You actually just shot me?’” Mr Cousins said he still suffered pain, could not lift his arm fully, was on four different medications and suffered from panic attacks. The man he was with at the time was arrested for previous unrelated offences on the night of the shooting and later sentenced to 16 years in prison for drugs and firearms offences. “My life has been ruined because of this
episode... I’m taking four medications. I will probably never be the same person again,” Mr Cousins told the BBC. Mr Cousins said he regretted his crimes and felt “totally remorseful” about pointing a gun at a police officer. “I’ve got eight-and-a-half years’ prison for that. I’ve done my time, I have changed my life since coming out of prison and I’ve been away from the law,” he said. In a statement issued after the interview was aired by the BBC, West Midlands Police temporary assistant chief constable Kenny Bell said: “We are awaiting the outcome of the Independent Office of Police Conduct’s investigation into last year’s firearm discharge. “As a result, we are unable to comment on elements of their investigation however what we would like is to be able to give some clarity to local people that we serve across the West Midlands. “We respond to every individual on a case by case basis – we use all information available to enable us to provide an appropriate police response. “For example, if we have information that someone has access to firearms or has used a firearm at any point, that individual could face a response from armed officers. “The public would expect us to respond to a potential threat in an appropriate and proportionate manner. “We have a duty, not only to protect our officers but also local communities.” By Zakaria Abraham
Got a good news story? contact us
Birmingham’s Labour party have said
that they will help all rough sleepers to find homes if re-elected to run council in May 2018. The pledge was made in a new homelessness policy manifesto from Birmingham’s Labour party, as they bid to take back control of the city council in the May 3rd election. The party have also promised to end the use of ‘unsuitable, unsafe and insanitary properties’ for temporary accommodation, by displaying a new quality standard for properties that are used by the city council. Another proposal could also see a new corporate social responsibility that will be applied to organisers of commercial events in Birmingham, such as festivals, markets and promotional activity, which would then be used to support the homeless. Unlike the Conservative Party, that will use expensive bed and breakfast accommodation; Labour will look into ending the use of expensive accommodation and will be working alongside the West Midlands Mayor and Combined Authority to lift the housing scheme. However, the Labour party also warns that Government benefit policies and ‘draconian’ sanctions, including Universal Credit, will hit Brummies hard and a number of people will be forced out of their home. Labour’s homelessness spokeswoman, Cllr Sharon Thompson, said: “We are working hard to reduce homelessness within the city but are restricted by underfunded services as a result of Government cuts. “Cross-sector cuts, restrictive housing
policies, Universal Credit requirements which delay payments are some of the systemic issues putting more citizens at risk of homelessness. “The Government is increasingly pushing the financial burden of austerity onto local authorities who are already underfunded and struggling to deal with this national crisis. We will not stand by silently on this agenda. “We are committed to creating better outcomes and lobbying Government for properly funded initiatives to help people back into sustainable permanent homes. Our MPs are committed to challenging Tory Government broken policies and unfair cuts.” She also added that, rough sleeping has risen in the city, in the last seven years and she blamed the austerity cuts since 2010. Hodge Hill Labour MP Liam Byrne added: “Birmingham is facing a homeless crisis made in Downing Street. Eight years of savage spending cuts, failed housing policies, wage freezes, soaring private rental costs and brutal welfare changes perpetrated by the Tory Government have plunged hundreds of our fellow citizens into crisis.” The Labour Party have pledged that if they run Birmingham City Council then, they will ensure that no one sleeps rough, there will be enough bed spaces and shelter for anyone who needs it, they will continue to support outreach services and work in partnership with health policy as well as working with partners to prevent homelessness and ending the use of unsuitable, unsafe and unsanitary properties, by introducing quality standard of properties with temporary accommodation.
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April 2018
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GLOBAL
US denies entry to son of former Sri Lankan president
A controversial Sri Lankan
opposition legislator said that US authorities; prevented him from taking a flight to Texas from Moscow. He was on his way to carry out his duties an observer for the Russian presidential election. Mr Namal Rajapakse, son of former strongman president Mahinda Rajapakse, said the airline had been instructed not to allow him to board the flight to Houston. Mr Rajapakse said on Twitter that he had been informed by Emirates Air that “I won’t make my Houston Flight as #US Officials instruct them to not let me, on board”. “Sure it has nothing to do with my name, being part of lka opposition or my travel from Russia.” The 31-year-old was invited by the Russian government to be a monitor of the presidential elec-
tion won by Mr Vladimir Putin. US authorities do not comment on individual cases, but official sources said his name was likely on a travel watch list as a result of money laundering charges he faces at home. Mr Namal Rajapakse and a sibling have been charged with money-laundering. Other family members also face corruption allegations. Sri Lanka has announced it will set up special courts to investigate billions of dollars of corruption under former president Rajapakse who was defeated in 2015 elections. His successor Maithripala Sirisena has said as many as half of all public procurement contracts under the Rajapakse administration were corrupt. Former president Rajapakse is not under investigation and denies wrongdoing. By Zakaria Abraham
U.N. official says violence and torture continues on Rohingya
Crimes verging on genocide
were being committed against the Rohingya minority in Myanmar, and those crimes bore “the fingerprints of the Myanmar government and of the international community”, the United Nations special adviser on the prevention of genocide said. Adama Dieng spent a week in Bangladesh to assess the condition of the almost 700,000 Rohingyas who had fled across the border from Myanmar, and he said during his trip he bore witness to “terrifying stories.” “Rohingya Muslims have been killed, tortured, raped, burnt alive and humiliated, solely because of who they are,” Dieng said in a prepared statement. “All the information I have received indicates that the intent of the perpetrators was to cleanse northern Rakhine state of their existence, possibly even to destroy the Rohingya as such, which, if proven, would constitute the crime of genocide,” he said. He called on the U.N.’s Security Council to “consider different accountability options.” Myanmar’s national security
adviser, Thaung Tun, last week said his government did not support such atrocities. “It is not the policy of the government, and this we can assure you,” he said. “Although there are accusations, we would like to have clear evidence.” Myanmar has not allowed U.N. investigators into the country to investigate. Another U.N. investigator said that Myanmar had launched new military operations against the Rohingya. Heavy artillery was being used in the offensives, U.N. Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee told the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. Dieng also blamed an international community that “has buried its head in the sand” for the campaign against the Rohingya. During a press conference in Dhaka, he called on neighbouring powers China and India to “show not only political or economic leadership” but also “moral leadership.” “The world,” he said in his statement, “needs to show that it is not ready to tolerate such barbaric acts.” By Zakaria Abraham
T: 0121 771 4545
www.asianworldnews.co.uk
Bangladeshi Airlines defends pilot after Deadly Nepal crash
A Bangladeshi airline said staunchly defended its two pilots aboard the plane that crashed in Nepal killing 49 people. The airliner had said both received special training to land at Kathmandu airport and had successfully handled previous flights. The airline and airport authorities in Kathmandu have blamed each other in the aftermath of Monday’s disaster. It was the Himalayan nation’s worst fatality involving an airliner since the 1992 crash of a Pakistan International Airlines aircraft killed 167
people. Flight operator US-Bangla Airlines said it was too early to make either party culpable, after a transcript of the pilots’ radio conversation with ground control in Kathmandu revealed confusion over the designated runway. Captain Abid Sultan and copilot Prithula Rashid died when their plane crashed short of the runway, breaking into pieces and catching fire, officials said. “Sultan was experienced, quite familiar with the airfield and the aircraft,” US-Bangla spokesman
Kamrul Islam said. “Rashid was also specially trained to make landings at the airport. This is mandatory for any pilot to fly over there. She also made landings at the airport before.” Investigators have retrieved the flight data recorder from the wreckage, said Raj Kumar Chettri, the airport’s general manager, and an investigation had begun into the cause of the crash. The Bombardier Q400 series aircraft was carrying 71 people from the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka when it tried to
land in visibility that weather officials said exceeded 6 km (4 miles), with cloud at one end of the runway and a light tailwind of six to seven knots. A Nepali army official said one of the 22 survivors being treated in Kathmandu hospitals was to be discharged on Tuesday. Families of some of the victims mourned outside the hospitals. There were 33 Nepali passengers, 32 from Bangladesh, one from China and one from the Maldives. By Zakaria Abraham
Maldives lifts emergency a day after charging expresident with terrorism
Maldives President Abdulla
Yameen lifted a 45-day state of emergency imposed amid political upheaval on the Indian Ocean island chain. “Though there still exists a diminished threat to national security, because the nation can now continue without further losses incurred, and upon the advice of the Security Services and in an effort to promote normalcy, the president has decided to lift the state of emergency,” his office said in a statement. Maldivian authorities charged former strongman Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and several senior judges with “terrorism” for attempting to topple President Abdulla Yameen. Eighty-year-old Gayoom and 10 others - including the sacked chief justice Abdulla Saeed were charged under the state of emergency laws imposed in the
paradise tourist island last month. Mr Yameen declared the laws in February in a bid to prevent himself from being impeached by the national parliament after he lost his majority following a Supreme Court ruling. The Prosecutor General’s office said on Wednesday that Gayoom, who ruled the country for 30 straight years until 2008, had been charged with attempting an “act of terrorism and obstruction of justice”.
Gayoom’s legislator son Faris Maumoon and son-in-law were also charged, along with another judge. The 11 are accused of trying to topple Yameen who came to power following a controversial election run-off in November 2013 when he narrowly defeated former president Mohamed Nasheed. Yameen declared the emergency on February 5, curtailing the powers of the judiciary and the
legislature, after the country’s Supreme Court ruled to quash criminal convictions against high profile opposition politicians. The ruling would have allowed Nasheed - who lives in exile in London - to return to the archipelago and challenge Yameen for the presidency. Mr Yameen refused to carry out the court order and instead arrested the chief justice and another Supreme Court judge. The remaining judges revoked the earlier decision to release the MPs while Mr Yameen also stripped parliament of its power to impeach him. He has resisted international calls to end the state of emergency, release all political prisoners and restore the rule of law. The crackdown has dented the nation’s image as a popular tourist destination. By Zakaria Abraham
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Collecting Birmingham Who Is Birmingham?
April 2018
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Now Open Free Entry
The final exhibition from the Collecting Birmingham project. Discover objects and stories from Birmingham people: working lives, community activism, protest movements and more. This exhibition will showcase objects celebrating untold Birmingham stories, including a restaurant booth, protest banners, and photographs from celebrated photographer Vanley Burke. People’s lived experiences, their achievements, their struggles and the histories that have been written-out of the popular historical narrative are an essential part of what the Collecting Birmingham project has learnt and collected.
birminghammuseums.org.uk Funded by: Image: Boy with the Flag (1970) Š Vanley Burke. From the Birmingham Museums Trust collection.
Visit the exhibition and share your Birmingham stories. @CollectingBham
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Sri Lanka to lift social media ban
SMILE TRAIN CELEBRATES THEIR 500,000 ‘SMILESTONE’ IN INDIA
“
Ian Vallance, Fundraising Director, Smile Train UK, says:
The joy of witnessing a child’s first smile is priceless, so we’re absolutely delighted to be celebrating our 500,000th cleft repair surgery in India this month. I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported Smile Train, past or presently, and allowed us to create this many smiles. Your generous donations not only enable us to provide life transforming surgeries, but also help us train doctors, surgeons and nurses to provide safe, highquality cleft care for children in, even the most remote parts of India. Every year we strive to reach the millions of children in India, and other developing countries across the world, who are still living with untreated clefts, in order to give them the power of a new smile. With your continued support, we look forward to creating even more in the years to come!
”
The Smile Train – the internaSri Lanka is likely to lift a ban
on social media networks this week, a government minister said, almost a week after blocking access to prevent the spread of communal violence. At least two people were killed in clashes in early March when Sinhalese Buddhists, angered by a killing of a driver, attacked mosques and Muslim-owned properties in the central Kandy district, a popular tourist destination. Some of the violence was instigated by postings on Facebook threatening more attacks on Muslims, according to the government, which on cut access to Facebook, Viber and WhatsApp. It initially said the ban would last for three days, but users say the services have remained blocked, indicating that in practice the ban has been extended. Harin Fernando, the telecommunication minister, told reporters that senior Facebook company officials were expected to visit Sri Lanka on Thursday and the government was likely to lift the ban on both Facebook and WhatsApp access. “Once we discuss with the Facebook officials, the ban is likely to be lifted on Friday,” he said, adding Facebook had been ‘slow’ to address the government’s concerns. The government said in a separate statement it would lift the ban on Viber from midnight on Tuesday. The government will lift the ban on WhatsApp from midnight, Austin Fernando, the head of the telecommunications regulator, said on Wednesday. Communal tensions have grown
over the past year with some hardline Buddhist groups accusing Muslims of forcing people to convert to Islam and vandalizing Buddhist archaeological sites. Muslim groups deny these allegations. Fernando said authorities would closely monitor the networks for any hate speech that could damage ethnic harmony. He said without elaborating that two state-run institutions would be directly working with the Facebook company on the monitoring. He added that the government could not control hate speech and fake messages on Facebook by both “extreme” Buddhists and Muslims and it had become a major menace to national security. “We have seen the destruction due to Facebook messages. We have requested the Facebook to help us to stop hate speech and the problems those messages have created,” he said. In a statement to Reuters, Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, said it had clear rules against hate speech and incitement to violence. It was responding to the situation in Sri Lanka and was in contact with the government and non-government bodies to support efforts to identify and remove such content, it added. “We are concerned with the way access to the internet is being restricted and depriving people of important connections and expression, and we hope that access will be restored soon,” it said. U.S. ambassador Atul Keshap said on his Twitter feed that the longer Sri Lanka’s social media
ban persisted, the greater the damage to tourism, the information technology sector, business, and its reputation for freedom and openness. “So many Sri Lankans also rely on social media to connect with loved ones overseas,” he said. Police are investigating whether 10 suspected ringleaders of the wave of attacks on Muslims had outside funding or foreign help. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara told Reuters that the police’s terrorism investigation unit had found more than 10,000 leaflets aiming to instigate communal clashes from one of the suspect’s offices in Kandy. He also said 280 people have been arrested so far and the police have been able to find seven petrol bombs from the information supplied by some of those among the 10 arrested ringleaders. A police curfew in Kandy was lifted, but since then two isolated attacks on Muslim-owned properties have been reported from the country’s South and North Western district. Sri Lanka’s Muslims comprise about 9 percent of its 21 million people and mostly live in the east and centre of the island. Buddhist Sinhalese account for about 70 percent and ethnic Tamils, most of whom are Hindus, about 13 percent. Some Buddhist nationalists have protested against the presence in Sri Lanka of Muslim Rohingya asylum-seekers from mostly Buddhist Myanmar, where Buddhist nationalism has also been on the rise. By Zakaria Abraham
please register at
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tional children’s charity which empowers local medical professionals to provide free cleft repair surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children around the world – is celebrating creating their 500,000th smile in India. Smile Train has helped children in over 85 developing countries, and have been present in India since 2001. Over this time, Smile Train has helped to give 500,000 Indian children their forever smiles. Smile Train’s sustainable model provides the training and resources to empower local surgeons to provide free cleft repair surgery and the essential treatments needed beyond surgery - such as nutritional support, orthodontic care, dental care, and speech therapy. From their humble beginnings in India 17 years ago, Smile Train’s local medical partners now perform over 40,000 cleft repair surgeries each year. In celebration of this ‘Smilestone’, the organisation launched an event in India earlier this week, which was hosted by Bollywood Actress and long-term Smile Train Goodwill Ambassador, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Aishwarya joined 100 doctors and former Smile Train patients, as well as their families, at the event in Bandra, Mumbai,
in celebration of the 500,000 cleft repair surgeries that have been undertaken. Also tying in with this momentous occasion, and to demonstrate the lifechanging work carried out within the region, Smile Train have recently launched two new 360° virtual reality videos which offer a glimpse into the world of two Indian children with untreated clefts, Vikas and Nisha. Within the videos, viewers are invited
to follow Vikas and Nisha on their cleft journey, as they each receive life-changing surgery and the opportunity to live health, productive lives. In countries such as the UK, children born with cleft lips and/ or palates are typically treated at birth on the NHS. As a result, the general public may not be properly educated about clefts, including the serious health implications and social stigma a cleft can have on a child when left untreated. Smile Train’s virtual reality technology transports viewers into the world of a child living with a cleft in India, making them feel as close to the experience as possible without actually being there. This allows Smile Train to reach people not only in the UK, but all over the world, helping them to better understand the many challenges that children with untreated clefts are facing and bring to life the change that Smile Train is driving.
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April 2018
Novice Pakistani politician appointed Senate chairman
By Zakaria Abraham
A little-known politician beat the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to become chairman of Pakistan’s Senate, in a vote the PML-N said was a stitch up by opposition parties. Sadiq Sanjrani, a senator from a remote part of the southwestern Baluchistan province, was a compromise candidate backed by opposition parties in a rare show of unity. PML-N officials, who allege elements of the military are trying to weaken their party, accuse Sanjrani of being a “proestablishment” candidate. Sanjrani denies being a military stooge and the army has rejected claims of meddling. Sanjrani won 57 votes in the 104-seat chamber to beat PML-N candidate Raja Zafarul’s 46, according to presiding officer Sardar Yaqoob Nasir. “The face of this house is blackened today,” said Mir Hasil Bizenjo, a government minister and ally of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif who was ousted by a Supreme Court ruling last July that his party suggested was influenced by the
powerful military. The military, which has ruled Pakistan for nearly half of the time since independence from British colonial rule in 1947, denies interfering in the judicial process. “I appeal to the institutions, I appeal to the political parties that for God’s sake let this country take its right course. Let this
country take its democratic path,” Bizenjo told the Senate. PML-N displaced the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) as the single biggest one in the upper house in elections. But the secret ballot of members of the four provincial assemblies and the federal parliament was marred by allegations of horse trading and
seat-buying. The PPP has a long history of battling military dictatorships under the leadership of Zardari’s slain wife Benazir Bhutto and her late father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and it has denied cutting a deal with the military. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party which joined the PPP in backing the new Senate chief, has also rejected claims of military involvement, with party leader Imran Khan tweeting that Sanjana’s election would “strengthen the federation”. “We are happy for the people of Balochistan & for the Federation of Pakistan,” Khan tweeted. In a lighter moment, all senators clapped and banged tables in appreciation when a new member, from a marginalised Hindu caste, entered the chamber. Krishna Kumari’s election was seen as a breakthrough for her Dalit community, who are the lowest rung on the caste ladder and are often referred to as the “Untouchables”. Pakistanis are due to hold a general election in mid-2018.
Fugitive Pakistani policeman face extra-judicial killings inquiry
A senior Pakistani policeman, accused
of a role in police killings surrendered to the Supreme Court after two months on the run, media said, in a case that has stirred anger about extra-judicial killings. Rao Anwar, the senior superintendent of police in the port city of Karachi, was suspended on January 20 after four men were killed in a shoot-out with police. Police initially said the men were suspected Islamist militants but later suggested the incident may have been an extra-judicial killing. The shoot-out, in which police gunned down aspiring model Naqibullah Mehsud, has also brought to the fore the issue of racial profiling of Pakistan’s Pashtuns, who say they are targeted and harassed because
many militants hail from their communities close to the border with Afghanistan. “Take Rao Anwar into custody,” Chief Justice Saqib Nisar ordered police after Anwar appeared in court, the Englishlanguage Dawn newspaper said. Television channels earlier broadcast
images of Anwar, wearing a surgical mask and flanked by policemen from the AntiTerrorist Squad, walking into the Supreme Court without handcuffs. Anwar’s arrest came after Facebook photographs of militant suspect Mehsud, posing with long-flowing hair in trendy clothes for amateur fashion photo shoots, cast doubt on police claims that he was a hardcore Islamist. The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the formation of a team led by police officers, to investigate the killing of Mehsud. It has also unfrozen Anwar’s bank accounts to ensure his children do not struggle financially, Dawn said. Since Mehsud’s killing, the issue of “police encounters”, a euphemism for extra-judicial killings, has gained media
coverage amid growing anger from the Pashtun community, which says its young men are unfairly and disproportionately targeted. Police data from 2011 reviewed by Reuters show that at least 450 people have been killed in 200 clashes with police that involved weapons, during the seven years Anwar has been in charge of Karachi’s Malir district. The data does not detail the circumstances of the shootings, but the district has a large Pashtun population. In January, Anwar told Reuters he had done nothing wrong, saying the investigation into his officers’ actions could allow the Pakistani Taliban militants to regain a foothold in ethnic Pashtun parts of Karachi.
The Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar (Burma) is regarded by the United Nations as one of the world’s most persecuted communities. Thousands have been killed and more than 500,000 forced to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh in the latest bloodshed which has seen their villages burned, their homes destroyed and their families torn apart. In total, more than 1 million Rohingya refugees are in Bangladesh where they are struggling for the basics of life like food, water, shelter and medicine. With the distribution of emergency aid inside Myanmar prevented by a government crackdown, Islamic Help is concentrating its efforts on supporting tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. We have been providing relief aid to the Rohingya community at refugee camps in and around Cox’s Bazaar for the last two years. As previously, our field office, partners and volunteers are distributing desperately need emergency supplies to help those who have fallen victim to the latest crisis. However, we need your support to do that. Please donate to our Rohingya emergency appeal today. Call 0121 446 5682 or online at islamichelp.org.uk “I had no knowledge of Naqibullah Mehsud,” Anwar said at the time. “My staff told me that he is a militant with a criminal history.” By Zakaria Abraham
India, Azerbaijan commit- MYANMAR TO TAKE ted to strengthening ties BACK LESS THAN 400 After calling on Azerbaijan Presi-
dent Ilham Aliyev, the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj stated that two countries were committed to strengthening ties, which include trade, investment, connectivity and transport and culture and tourism. She also held talks with Mammadyarov and is expected to represent India at a ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement, which will be her first bilateral visit to the country. According to Swaraj, she said that: “We had fruitful discussions that brought out the high-level of commitment on both
sides to strengthening the relationship for the mutual benefit of the peoples of both countries,” After holding talks with her foreign affairs, Swaraj has stated that two countries had taken stock of progress in bilateral relations and had even spoken of regional and global issues of mutual interest. He said that: “India and Azerbaijan enjoy warm and friendly relations based on historical and cultural ties. Our countries share the values of democracy, respect for plurality and multiculturalism.” Bilateral trade between India and Azerbaijan has increased from around $50 million in 2005 to nearly $460 million during 2017. Azerbaijan invited many Indian firms to set up joint ventures within the country for production of pharmaceuticals and medical products. The countries claimed that since the opening of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) Indian oil companies have been
buying substantive quantities of crude oil. When it comes to international issues, Swaraj stated that these two countries share the same view that terrorism in all its forms is a “global scourge that requires global action in the spirit of ‘zero tolerance’”. They also suggest that the need for concerted efforts to deal with climate change and other common challenges. With regards to moving forward, India and Azerbaijan have expressed their interest to partner in the field of agriculture. Before Swaraj’s departure from New Delhi to Baku, the Ministry of External Affairs had said in a statement that, “The External Affairs Minister’s participation in the NAM Ministerial Meeting will underline India’s continued active and constructive engagement within the movement. To further strengthen solidarity and cooperation among the member states.”
ROHINGYA REFUGEES
Myanmar has said that it is willing to take back less than 400 Rohingya refugees out of the 8,000 who have said they would voluntarily return to their home country from Bangladesh. These figures are minute in comparison to the 700,000
Muslim Rohingya refugees who currently living in Bangladeshi refugee camps after fleeing a targeted campaign of graphic violence by Myanmar’s army in the Rakhine State region. The conflict began in August 2017 and is believed to have left thousands of people dead and even more homeless and traumatised. U Myint Thu, Myanmar’s permanent secretary for foreign affairs, has said that his country has deemed only 374 people eligible for repatriation out of the thousands who were submitted by the Bangladeshi government, and the progress is likely to be slow after two stalled efforts to return refugees in December and in January. There are also concerns for the safety of the Rohingya and the conditions that they will return to, amid reports that their villages have been bulldozed by the military. By Furvah Shah
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ROHINGYA EMERGENCY APPEAL THE ROHINGYA MUSLIMS IN MYANMAR (FORMERLY BURMA) ARE THE WORLD’S MOST PERSECUTED MINORITY. ABOUT 500,000 ARE INTERNALLY DISPLACED AND IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS MORE THAN 650,000 ROHINGYA REFUGEES HAVE FLED TO BANGLADESH, ONE OF THE WORLD’S POOREST NATIONS.
Islamic Help is on the ground in Bangladesh and works with partners in Myanmar (subject to restrictions imposed by the government of Myanmar) to deliver life-saving emergency aid to Rohingya communities.
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April 2018
Security SALMAN KHAN JAILED FOR officials FIVE YEARS accused of B joining Sri Lanka’s anti-Muslim riots ollywood superstar Salman Khan has been sentenced to five years in jail, for poaching rare antelope back in 1998. An Indian court in Jodhpur also fined him 10,000 rupees (£109) for the crime. It was revealed that, Khan had killed two blackbucks, which are a protected species, in the western state of Rajasthan while shooting a film. Four other actors, who also starred with him in the movie, have also been charged with the offence. The 52-year-old actor, can appeal against the verdict in a higher court. Correspondents have said that, Khan will be spending a few days in jail. This is the fourth case that has been filed against the actor, in connection with poaching animals, during one of his hit movies in 1998, Hum Saath Saath Hain. In 2006, the actor was convicted of two cases of poaching and was sentenced to five years in prison. However, the Rajasthan high court suspended the sentence in 2007 and eventually acquitted him in 2016. The Indian state government has appealed against the order during the Supreme
Police and politicians backed
by the country’s former President Mahinda Rajapaksa joined anti-Muslim riots that rocked Sri Lanka’s Kandy district this month, according to witnesses, officials and CCTV footage reviewed by Reuters.Scores of Muslim mosques, homes and businesses were destroyed as mobs ran amok for three days in Kandy - the central highlands district previously known for its diversity and tolerances. The government declared a state of emergency and blocked social media platforms for a week to control the unrest.The role of police and some local Buddhist politicians suggests the Sri Lankan government lost control of elements of its security forces, and that the violence was more than a spontaneous outbreak fuelled by fringe Buddhist extremists and hate-speech spread on social media.Rajapaksa has denied that he or other leaders of his party were involved. Police said the allegations against officers and politicians were being investigated.Victims and witnesses, whose accounts were partly backed by CCTV footage seen by Reuters, described members of an elite paramilitary police unit, the Special Task Force (STF), assaulting Muslim cleric and leaders. Local STF commanders declined to comment.“They came to attack,” said A.H Ramees, a cleric at a mosque where worshippers say they were beaten by police who were supposed to be protecting them. “They were shout-
ing. There was filthy language. They said all the problems were because of us, that we were like terrorists.”Ruwan Gunasekera, a spokesman for the national police force, including the STF, said a special investigation unit was “probing the deficiencies of the police in the incident”. A second unit was examining the role of political actors, he said. The riots were the latest example of rising Buddhist nationalism and anti-Muslim sentiment in the region and have unnerved Sri Lanka’s multi-ethnic coalition government, which ousted Rajapaksa in an election in 2015, according to analysts and two sources familiar with the government’s deliberations. Buddhists make up about 70 percent of Sri Lanka’s 21 million people. Tamils, most of whom are Hindu, account for 13 percent while Muslims make up about 9 percent of the population.Sri Lanka’s Law and Order Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara have said the violence in Kandy was “well organised” and pointed the finger at members of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), a political party backed by Rajapaksa that scored a huge victory in local elections last month.At a press conference flanked by senior leaders earlier this month, Rajapaksa said the accusations were politically motivated. In fact, the government fuelled the violence to “get the Muslim vote” and to distract from its inadequacies, he said. By Zakaria Abraham
Court. The case against him was filed by the local Bishnoi community, who worship the blackbuck. In December 2015, Khan killed a homeless man, during a hit and run case and injured four people. However, he was cleared from this case. It was alleged that he ran them over while they were sleeping in the street, in the western city of Mumbai. During the trial, Khan claimed that his driver was the one behind the wheel. However, the judge
said it was the actor who was driving and had been under the influence of alcohol. Atleast seven months later, the Indian high court acquitted him after there was not enough reliable evidence. In January 2017, the actor was acquitted in another case that charged him for using illegal firearms to kill blackbucks. Salman Khan is one of Bollywood’s biggest actors and has appeared in over 100 films. He has a huge fan base following him in India, including middleclass English-speaking audiences and poor slum dwellers.
The actor is well-known for his romantic roles as well as action films. He has won several awards for his contribution to Indian cinema. Khan is the eldest of three sons and is a hit on social media, as he has over 36 million fans liking his facebook page and has 32.5 million Twitter followers. Many fans have tweeted about how this case has gone on for years. The hashtag #BlackBuckPoachingCase is trending on Twitter in India as well as the hashtag #Salman Khan.
Indian cricketers hit back at Shahid Afridi over Kashmir tweets
Indian crickets have hit back
at Afridi over his tweets on the Indian administrated Kashmir. Shahid Afraid tweeted ‘Appalling and worrisome situation ongoing in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. Innocents being shot down by oppressive regime to clamp voice of self determination & independence. Wonder where is the @UN & other int bodies & why aren’t they making efforts to stop this bloodshed? The tweet met with fierce response’s from many Indians as well as famous Indian cricketers
such as Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Kapil Dev and Suresh Raina. Sachin Tendulkar was critical of Afridi by saying “We have got capable people to manage and run our country. No outsider needs to know or tell us what we need to do,” the legendary batsman retorted. Virat Kohli was softer in his approach to criticising Afridi by stressing that he could “never support” anything that harms Indian interests. “As an Indian, you want to express what is best for your
nation, and my interests are always for the benefit of our nation. If anything opposes it, I would never support it for sure,” he said. “But having said that, it’s a very personal choice for someone to comment on certain issues. Unless I have total knowledge of the issues and the intricacies of it I don’t engage in it, but definitely your priority stays with your nation,” he added. Former captain Kapil Dev wondered why Afridi was being given importance. “Who is he? Why are we giving
importance to him? We should not be giving importance to certain people,” he said. Shahid Afridi did have support coming from Pakistani cricketerturned-politician Imran Khan who in a similar tweet said ““The people of Pakistan stand with the Kashmiris democratic struggle for self-determination. The apparent reason for Afridi’s tweet came after the Indian military announced that they had killed 12 ‘terrorists’ in a recent operation in which four individuals were killed.
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April 2018
Fate of ‘disappeared’ stirs anger among Pakistan’s Pashtuns
Upon hearing his nephew had been picked up by Pakistani security officials in Karachi, Mohammad Ayub Khan had feared the worst. Not least, because it evoked painful memories of another nephew who had gone missing in eerily similar circumstances years before. Khan, an ethnic Pashtun, says he had been calling at army and police offices seeking news of Haji Akbar since his nephew was ordered off a bus by uniformed soldiers seven years ago during a security alert in the northern Swat Valley. Then last year his second nephew, rickshaw driver Abu Ghurera, was detained by plainclothes men as he waited for a fare in the country’s biggest city, according to witnesses.“I have knocked on every door but have not gotten any answers,” said Khan, who blames government security agencies for both men’s disappearances.“Tell us where our children are so we
know if they are alive. And if they are dead, at least return their bodies.”Rights groups say such cases have been common for the past decade. But the simmering resentment of the Pashtun community boiled over in January when a young Pashtun man was gunned down by police in Karachi in an incident an inquiry has since ruled to be an extrajudicial killing.The killing, initially described by police as a shoot-out with terrorist suspects, sparked peaceful protests across the country by members of the 30 million-strong Pashtun community, who say hundreds of their young men have mysteriously been “disappearing”.The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), which organised the protests, has compiled a list of approximately 1,200 missing persons after speaking to families.A preliminary list of 315 names has been seen by Reuters. Relatives of 20 of those listed
were contacted and confirmed their family member was missing.Amnesty International said that a UN working group on enforced disappearances had 700 pending cases from Pakistan and urged the authorities to do more to resolve them.PTM leaders say stories of Pashtun disappearances have been largely ignored until now, especially ordeals suffered by families from the tribal belt bordering Afghanistan, including thousands who moved to major cities to escape a near-decadelong insurgency by Islamist militants.The Pakistan Army’s public relations department did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the military has in the past said it does not detain individuals without evidence. Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior did not respond to requests for comment. By Zakaria Abraham
who said it was part of a campaign by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to silence the opposition. “It is an unprecedented order in the judicial history of Bangladesh. We think it is not the decision of the top court, rather it is a government decision,” one of Zia’s lawyers, Sanaullah Mia, told AFP. Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary general of Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said the order was a “reflection” of the government’s desire to keep Zia confined during the election, which is widely expected to be held in December. “We’ve repeatedly said people are not getting justice in the country and the judiciary is controlled by the government,” Mr Alamgir told AFP. The 72-yearold BNP leader was jailed for five years last month on charges of embezzling money intended for an orphanage.The three times
former prime minister, now being held in a special jail, has consistently dismissed the charges as politically motivated.The BNP wanted Zia freed pending appeals before a high court so that she can lead the party’s election campaign. Violence erupted in cities across Bangladesh after the guilty verdict on February 8 as BNP supporters clashed with police and ruling party activists. Zia, who entered politics in the 1980s after her military dictator husband was assassinated in a failed coup, also faces dozens of separate charges related to violence and corruption.Her party boycotted a 2014 national election in which Ms Hasina was re-elected. The BNP is expected to contest the upcoming election, however.Zia and her son were detained by an army-backed government in 2007 and spent a year and a half in detention pending trials for alleged corruption. By Zakaria Abraham
High court cancels bail for Bangladesh opposition chief Zia
Bangladesh’s Supreme Court
halted the release of opposition leader on bail, deepening a political crisis ahead of a national election due in December. The top justices suspended a lower court’s decision to grant Zia bail until May, prompting a sharp reaction from her lawyers
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Reuters reporters in court 100 days after their arrest in Myanmar
Two Reuter’s reporters ap-
peared in a Myanmar court for marking 100 days since they were arrested in December and accused of possessing secret government papers.The court in Yangon is holding preliminary hearings to decide whether reporters Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, will face charges under the colonial-era Officials Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.“We have spent 100 days in prison,” Wa Lone told reporters during a break in proceedings. “Our journalism spirit was never down even after spending many days in there.”Wa Lone’s younger brother Thura Aung, 26, gave testimony on, describing a police search of the family home on the evening of Dec. 13, the day after the journalists were arrested.Thura Aung said that police who searched the house in north Yangon did not show a warrant, identify themselves or explain the reason for the search, during which a laptop, charger and bag, a hard drive and an old notebook were seized.His testimony contradicted Police Major Soe Aung, who told the court two weeks ago that police had presented a warrant to Wa Lone’s family when they arrived. Defence lawyer Than Zaw Aung told reporters after the hearing that under Myanmar’s Criminal Procedure Code police must identify themselves and explain the reasons for their search.
“In the criminal procedure, the searching officer must show the search warrant at the search place,” he said.Lead prosecutor Kyaw Min Aung left the court building before Reuters was able to put questions to him after the hearing. At previous hearings, he has declined to speak to reporters.Government and police spokespeople have declined to comment on the case, citing the ongoing court proceedings. The date of the next hearing was set for March 28.The journalists have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some rolled up papers after being invited to a restaurant by two police officers they had not met before. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had been investigating the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men in a village in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state during a military crackdown in August.The crackdown, which the United Nations has said was ethnic cleansing, has sent nearly 700,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh.After the arrests of the reporters, the military admitted its soldiers took part in the killing.“They have been detained in Myanmar since December 12 simply for doing their jobs as journalists,” Reuters President and Editor-inChief Stephen J. Adler said in a statement.“Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are exemplary individuals and outstanding reporters who are dedicated to their families and their craft. They should
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be in the newsroom, not in prison.”Judge Ye Lwin declined a defence attempt to submit the Reuters report describing the killings at the village of Inn Din as evidence, citing a decision at an earlier hearing not to admit the story at this stage in the proceedings.Senior United Nations officials, Western nations and press freedom advocates have called for the release of the journalists.The U.S. Embassy in Yangon tweeted: “Today is the 100th day in detention from reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo. Freedom of the press remains critical for Myanmar’s democratic transition.”Diplomats from countries including the United States, Canada, Sweden attended Wednesday’s hearing. The Danish embassy, which has closely monitored the case, said the pair had spent “100 days behind bars for ensuring the public’s right to information”. A statement from Sweden’s embassy said: “We believe they have done nothing wrong and that the charges against them should be dropped immediately.” EU Ambassador to Myanmar Kristian Schmidt, asked about the journalists’ reporting of the Rakhine crisis, said it was imperative to establish what had taken place there.“We all want to find out the truth of what happened,” he said. “I fear for the moment we have not seen the full truth of what has happened.” By Zakaria Abraham
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April 2018
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India’s airports are struggling
to cope with a massive surge in passenger numbers, and billions of dollars must be spent to boost their capacity, analysts have warned. The country is witnessing a huge boom in air travel as its growing middle class increasingly takes to the skies, but experts say the infrastructure is failing to keep up. “There’s an urgent need for capacity building in major Indian airports as they are bursting at the seams and close to saturation,” said Mr Binit Somaia, South Asia director at the Sydney-based Centre for Aviation (CAPA). The country has witnessed a sixfold increase in passenger numbers over the past decade as citizens take advantage of better connectivity and cheaper fares, thanks to a host of low-cost airlines. Indian airports handled 265 million domestic passengers in 2016 and the figure this year will cross 300 million, according to Capa. The country’s entire airport network is capable of handling only 317 million passengers, it says. According to data compiled by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, an Indian regulatory body, there were just 44 million Indians travelling by plane in 2008. Now Capa predicts that India will overtake Britain as the world’s third-largest market by 2025 and will have 478 million air travellers by 2036. Aviation experts say the government faces a race against time to
build the infrastructure to handle the soaring congestion. “Some top airports have reached saturation. In the next five to seven years, the top 30 to 40 airports in India will be performing beyond their capacity,” said Mr Somaia. Flights have increased by around 20 percent every year over the past three years, stretching many airports to a breaking point. Travellers can snap up tickets sometimes for as little as 1,000 rupees (S$20) - cheaper than many fares on the country’s rickety train network. Ten Indian airports - including Dehradun, Jaipur, Guwahati, Mangalore, Srinagar and Pune - are already operating beyond their capacity, Capa said in a report released last month. Others are nearing their limit. The aviation body predicts that Indira Gandhi International Airport in the capital New Delhi and Chennai International Airport will reach their handling capacity within four to six years. The situation is, even more, pressing at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA). Capa says the airport is at 94 percent capacity and is “close to saturation”. Earlier this year, the airport said that it had broken its own world record for handling the most number of arrivals and departures on a single runway in one day. About 980 flights landed and took off within a 24-hour period. Domestic travellers flying into India’s financial capital regularly complain about flights having
to circle for up to half an hour before the plane is given a slot to land. CSIA is surrounded by slum settlements, making it almost impossible to increase the number of runways and highlighting the problem of acquiring space for infrastructure projects in India’s heavily congested cities. The government is building a new airport at Navi Mumbai, 30km away, to ease the burden. Work has been repeatedly delayed because of land disputes and the airport is now scheduled to open in 2023. “The situation at CSIA will worsen until the new airport is operational,” said Mr Amber Dubey, India head of aerospace and defence at global consultancy KPMG, describing the delays as “unacceptable”. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made making air travel accessible to all a key priority since his election in 2014. He recently launched a scheme to connect remote regions of the country by air. In the nation’s Budget last month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley allocated US$613 million (S$806 million) to the Airports Authority of India to expand facilities. Capa estimates that India needs to invest US$45 billion by 2030 to keep up with demand. “The government needs to ensure that we have the infrastructure to manage the growth rate,” said PwC infrastructure expert Manish Agarwal. By Zakaria Abraham
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China and the European Union
believe the Taliban should seize Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s offer to recognise the movement as a legitimate political group, the EU’s special envoy to Afghanistan said. Ghani proposed a ceasefire and a release of prisoners among a range of options, including new elections involving the militants, and a constitutional review for a pact with the Taliban to end a conflict that, last year alone, killed or wounded more than 10,000 Afghan civilians. The Taliban have not yet given any formal answer to the offer, but U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday during an
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April 2018
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EU,China urge China’s HNA Taliban to in talks to seize offer sell stake in for talks Hilton Grand Vacations – EU ambassador C
unannounced visit to Kabul that the United States is seeing signs of interest in talks from elements of the insurgency. “China and the EU believe that this is an offer that is meaningful. It is an offer that presents an opportunity and a window that should be seized by all parties across the conflict lines,” EU Ambassador Roland Kobia said after meeting his Chinese counterpart, Deng Xijun, in Beijing. “We, as the EU, very much hope that the Taliban will respond to that offer to start the discussion,” Kobia said. “In these kinds of scenarios windows open very quickly but they can also close very quickly,” he said.
Kobia added that China had various contacts with the Taliban, but he was not aware of the details. Taliban fighters still control large parts of the country and any new battlefield gains by the U.S. and U.S.-backed Afghan forces cannot promise to overcome Afghanistan’s yawning political divisions and entrenched corruption. Western diplomats and officials in Kabul say contacts involving intermediaries have been underway with the aim of agreeing on ground rules and potential areas of discussion for possible talks with at least some elements in the Taliban. However, the insurgents, who seized a district centre in western
Afghanistan this week, have given no public sign of accepting Ghani’s offer, instead issuing several statements suggesting they intend to keep fighting. China has worked with Pakistan and the United States to broker peace talks to end the conflict that has raged since the Taliban were ousted by U.S.-backed forces in 2001. China has long been concerned that instability in Afghanistan could spill over into its violenceprone far western region of Xinjiang, home to the Muslim Uighur people, where hundreds have died in recent years in unrest Beijing blames on Islamist militants. By Zakaria Abraham
hinese conglomerate HNA Group is in talks to sell some or its entire 25 percent stake in Hilton Grand Vacations Inc (HGV.N), the timeshare business spun off last year from Hilton Worldwide Holdings (HLT.N), the Wall Street Journal reported HNA would sell its shares into the open market instead of finding a direct buyer, the report said here, citing people familiar with the matter. While an announcement could come as soon as this week, HNA’s plans could still change, the report added. HNA bought a 25 percent stake in U.S. hotel chain Hilton Worldwide from Blackstone Group (BX.N) in 2016. Thanks to that deal, the Chinese firm built similar stakes in Hilton’s two spun-off units — Park Hotels and Hilton Grand Vacations. The Journal’s report comes days after Park Hotels disclosed HNA’s plans to sell some or its
entire 25 percent stake in Park. HNA’s 25 percent interest in Hilton Grand Vacations is worth more than $1 billion, according to Reuters calculations. HNA, an aviation-to-financial services conglomerate, is racing to raise cash following a $50 billion acquisition spree over the past two years. It could make a profit of nearly $570 million on paper from selling its stake in Hilton Grand Vacations, before accounting for leverage that could further boost its gain, the Journal said. HNA did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment outside regular business hours. Hilton Grand Vacations declined to comment. By Zakaria Abraham
One of Nepal’s last dancing bears dies after rescue One of Nepal’s last known
dancing bears that were recently rescued has died after being transferred to a zoo, an animal rights activist said blaming the death on “negligence”. The two sloth bears were rescued in southern Nepal in December last year from a pair of itinerant street performers who used the animals for entertainment. Shortly after their rescue, the bears, 19-year-old male Rangila and Sridevi, a 17-year-old female, were transferred to a zoo near the capital Kathmandu where they were put in cages on display. A few weeks later, the female bear died. “We were told that she had some problem in her liver and that it was jaundice,” said Niraj Gautam of Jane Goodall Institute
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Nepal, who was involved in the rescue of the bears. “These animals should have been thoroughly checked. There was nothing. That’s the negligence we want to point out.” Gautam said that the bears should have been given special care and medical attention to help them rehabilitate after years of abuse as performing animals. The bears were kept in small cages that were not properly cleaned and were displaying behaviours that suggested they were distressed, Gautam added. “It feels like all our work was in vain,” he said. The government defended the care the bears have received, saying the zoo is the only facility in Nepal able to house them. The Jane Goodall Institute and the World Animal Protection rights group are lobbying Nepal’s
government to have the surviving bear transferred to a special sanctuary for rescued dancing bears in neighbouring India, where the tradition of using the animals for entertainment was only finally stamped out in 2012. “There are legal hurdles in transferring the animal to another country and the zoo is the only facility we have,” said Gopal Prasad Bhattarai, deputy director of Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. “The zoo is giving the best care they (are) capable of (giving) to the bear.” Nepal outlawed the practice of performing bears back in 1973, a year after it was officially banned in India, but the tradition lingered on in parts of the country’s south By Zakaria Abraham
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April 2018
Billionaire philanthropist David Rockefeller dies, aged 101
By Zakaria Abraham
Pakistan FDI seen surging, as Western investors fret over Chinese influence
By Zakaria Abraham
Pakistan expects net foreign direct
Billionaire philanthropist David Rockefeller, former head of Chase Manhattan Corp and patriarch of one of the most famous and influential American families, died, a family spokesman said. He was 101. Rockefeller, who reportedly gave away nearly $2 billion in his lifetime, “died peacefully in his sleep” of congestive heart failure at his home in Pocantico Hills, New York, spokesman Fraser Seitel said in a statement. One of the few remaining links to the US “gilded” era of robber barons, he was the son of John D Rockefeller Jnr, who developed New York’s Rockefeller Center, and was the last living grandson of oil tycoon John D Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil and the family dynasty. He also embodied an era when globetrotting bank chiefs worked with the world’s most powerful politicians. During his time as head of Chase from 1969 to 1981, Rockefeller forged such a network of close relationships with governments and multinational corporations that observers said the bank had its own foreign policy. The Rockefeller name came to symbolise unpopular US banking policies in debtor countries, and Rockefeller was scorned on the left for working with Chile’s Augusto
investment (FDI) to jump about 60 percent in 2017/2018, the chairman of Pakistan’s Board of Investment said, but some Western investors appear to be put off by China’s growing Pinochet and the Shah of Iran. influence in the South Asian nation. He has been viewed with anger also on the Chinese companies are building right for pushing to open trade with China and the Soviet Union during the cold war. The roads, power stations and a deepwater port in Pakistan after Beijing Trilateral Commission, a group Rockefeller offered more than $50 billion in founded in 1973 to foster relations between funding for Pakistani infrastructure North America, Japan and Western Europe, came to be a regular target of the far-right and as part of China’s vast Belt and Road conspiracy theorists, who said it was trying to initiative. Chinese investment has helped create a one-world government. David Rockefeller spent his childhood in New spur Pakistan’s economic growth to more than 5 percent, its highest York City and at the family’s estates, and in a decade, while also increasing recalled meeting such luminaries as Charles Beijing’s clout in Pakistan at a time Lindbergh, Admiral Richard Byrd and Sigwhen Islamabad’s relations with mund Freud. the United States, a historically, are His ties to the internationally famous continued throughout his adulthood, symbolised by fraying over Pakistan’s handling of Islamist militants and the conflict in his famed 100,000-card Rolodex, housed in its own room next to his office in Manhattan’s Afghanistan. Naeem Zamindar, a state minister Rockefeller Center. The site of the nine-storey mansion where he responsible for promoting foreign was born, then New York’s largest residence, investment in Pakistan, said some Western investors appeared reticent is now part of the Museum of Modern Art, because of an incorrect perception which his mother, Abby, helped found in that Chinese companies would get 1929. Rockefeller’s wife, Peggy, died in 1996. They “exclusive advantages” and concessions that would not allow for an had six children and 10 grandchildren even playing field.
“A perception was created that the Chinese are taking over. The fact of the matter is that this is not true,” Zamindar told Reuters in his office in Islamabad. “Pakistan’s government is very clear about it: we want investors of all hues to come in and participate in building this economy - whether American, English or Japanese.” Zamindar said some Chinese companies building power stations had obtained soft loans but that was because the money was provided by Beijing, which made such terms a condition of its financing for projects that were part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a key leg of the Belt and Road infrastructure network. But for the second phase of CPEC, in which a series of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) will be set up to boost Pakistan’s industries, Chinese companies will not receive preferential treatment, Zamindar added. “That is completely non-discriminatory,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s Special Economic Zones Act stipulates no country or company will get preferential treatment within the SEZs. “The (SEZ) concessions are published and are on the website, open
to all.” Zamindar said net FDI for the financial year 2017/2018 (July-June) is expected to reach about $3.7 billion, with Chinese companies providing up to 70 percent of the new investment. Net FDI has been gradually rising since 2014/2015 when it plummeted to less than $1 billion. It rose to $2.3 billion last year, according to central bank data. Foreign direct investment is separate from the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor investments. More than 20 CPEC projects worth nearly $27 billion is currently being implemented, a senior government official told Reuters, meaning either work has begun on the projects or financing deals have been completed. Zamindar said militant attacks were sharply down in recent years and security was much improved, but some investors are unaware of this and had an outdated “negative image” of Pakistan.Yet overall interest in Pakistan had jumped, Zaminder said, and he would tour Britain, the United States, France and Saudi Arabia in coming weeks to promote the opportunities available in the country of 208 million people and a fast-expanding middle class.
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House prices fall in 42% of London postcodes
Houses prices are
decreasing in atleast 42 percent of London’s postcodes, and according to reports, it is believed that the house prices will fall across the whole of London by summer 2018. While the capital just about kept its head above water, with the annual house price growth of 1 percent, many cities throughout the Midlands and North will see a mini-property boom. Hometrack have claimed that cities such as Leicester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham all have price inflation of over 7 percent. London house prices have seen a small increase in seven years. Annual house price inflation in London has tumbled to 4.3 percent in 2017, with a 1 percent rise representing the smallest increase since 2011. Hometrack have stated that the decline in the capital was due to the Brexit uncertainty, tax changes for property investors and stretched affordability. It has also been said that the proportion of boroughs, recording declines was at its highest since the financial crisis. The house price inflation across
the UK’s top cities has accelerated to 5.2 percent from 4 percent in 2017. Hometrack have stated that half of the 20 UK top cities have seen prices grow faster in 2018, while the other 10 cities saw house price inflation ease. The pick-up in regional cities stands in contrast to London, but also to other southern cities, such as Bristol and Southampton, which have also seen a decrease in growth. Cities such as Bristol, have recorded house price growth of 4.1 percent compared to 7.7 percent in February 2017. However, Southampton prices had fallen from 5.8 percent to 2.8 percent. Cambridge and Aberdeen were the only two cities to see prices fall, although Hometrack has said that more cities across the UK will see house prices fall. According to insight director at Hometrack, Richard Donnell: ‘We expect the balance of
markets registering price falls to increase over 2018 as prices continue to adjust to what buyers are prepared to pay.’ In London, house prices are continuing to increase for 58 percent of postcodes, but this percentage has decreased since the past two years, and if the current trend continues, then the rate of growth in London is set to fall by mid-2018. Richard Donnell also stated that: ‘The weakness in London’s housing market has been building since 2015 on the back of numerous tax changes aimed at overseas and UK investors and growing affordability pressures facing homeowners.’ ‘Sales volumes are first to be a hit when demand weakens, and housing turnover across London is down 17 percent since 2014. Sales prices are next to follow, but with few forced sellers the level of price falls remains low.’
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April 2018
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Restricting migration after Brexit
Restricting migration within Britain will be likely to lead to lower output and the growth of employment. According to a report by the British government, there have been warnings that many firms were not prepared to tighten their labour market. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) said: “Lower migration would very likely lead to lower growth in total employment and lower output growth.” The migration committee focuses
by more than 400 businesses and industry bodies. However, the MAC did not make any policy recommendations. The final report is due to be published in September 2018. The report also suggested that the firms did not seem well prepared towards changing and tightening the labour market. Britain has negotiated a transition deal with Brussels which will effectively retain the benefits of the EU membership and sus-
on migration from the European Economic Area. The migration report was first issued by the government in 2017, to help to design an immigration system once Britain leaves the European Union in March 2019. The original findings were based on evidence that was received
tain free movement of workers, until the end of December 2020. The British government has given itself more time to devise a new immigration system. Although ministers haven’t said much about the kind of system that they want, to replace the EU’s freedom of move-
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ment rules, that is said to leave companies and workers in limbo, forcing them to make alternative plans. A report stated that: “This sense of pervasive uncertainty came across strongly in many submissions and during our stakeholder engagement.” Also, concerns over the longterm social and economic impact of immigration has helped to drive the 2016 vote to leave the EU. The government is looking to bring net migration into Britain below 100,000. The government have claimed that they are committed to having a controlled and sustainable migration and the new system would be based on evidence that would be included by the MAC. A Home Office (interior ministry) spokesman added. “The British people want control of our borders, and after we leave the EU, we will ensure that we can control immigration to Britain from Europe, putting in place a system which works in the best interests of the whole of the UK.”
India warns against social media data misuse ahead of national, state elections
Virtual India’s Information TechnolMinister warned against Offices ogy any abuse of social media in From
£29.99 per month
elections, following reports that a British consultancy improperly accessed information on millions of Facebook users to target US voters. India is due to hold a national election in 2019 and there are several states electing new assemblies this year and the next. “Abuse of social media, including Facebook, cannot be allowed to impact the fairness of elections,” Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters. In the wake of recent data theft from Facebook, let my stern warning be heard across the Atlantic, far away in California. Any covert or overt attempt to misuse social media including Facebook to influence India’s electoral process through undesirable means will neither be tolerated nor be permitted.” An India-based spokeswoman for Menlo Park, California-
headquartered Facebook did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment. Cambridge Analytica has denied media accusations and said it deleted the data after learning the information did not adhere to data protection rules. Facebook has said it has
tightened its controls on such practices since it discovered the alleged abuses by Cambridge Analytica in 2015, but the issue has continued to rock the companies involved, as well as some political parties across the world. By Zakaria Abraham
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April 2018
Tricks to get More from your Cash and the Best Rates
Do you have a savings account which pays just over 0.05 percent interest a year? If so, then it is time to move. You can easily squeeze hundreds of pounds of annual interest from your nest egg, without any risk and even if you do not have any savings, then there are rich rewards for making your money work harder. After nine years of record lowrates, things are finally looking up for the 44 million savers in Britain. Rates have increased, which widens the gap between the best and worst payers. If you are looking for the best interest rates, then head towards a new bank, as your money is no less safe than with older firms or building societies, rather than traditional high street banks. It’s here where the rates have increased as big banks are still paying savers, a pittance. Most people tend to open their first savings account with the bank that runs their current account. However, nearly £9 out of every £10 of cash savings are currently sitting in easy-access accounts. Halifax and Lloyds pay as little as 0.2 percent, HSBC pays only 0.05 percent, and Santander pays 0.25 percent. Newer banks pay just 1.3 percent, giving you an extra £125 a year on each £10,000. Anna Bowes, director at advice website Savings Champion, who regularly switches savings accounts, says: ‘Big banks don’t need to pay good rates to retain money. ‘They rely on savers’ inertia and the fact they are well known. A switch should be straightforward.’ Although Kevin Mountford, chief executive of Raisin UK, which helps new banks raise money from savers, says: ‘Most people rely on the big banks. This is a mistake if you want a good rate of interest.’ Check your rate and move if it’s less than 1 percent and as soon as your fixed-rate deal ends, don’t simply stick with your current provider, as you could easily raise your rate from 0.4 percent fixed for one year to 1.8 percent from new banks. Rachel Springall, from data, monitors Moneyfacts, says: ‘You might expect any rise in base rate to be passed on in full automatically, but this no longer happens.’ Savers face a huge choice of more than 166 easy-access
accounts. Ignore the top payers which limit you to a certain amount of withdrawals, especially if you want to dip into your money at any time. Some accounts let you withdraw money only once a year, while others only three or six, so this is ideal, for anyone who is prepared to move their money annually. Before making any rash decisions, as a saver, you should first pay off your most expensive debts. Then you can look for a rainy day fund to cover emergency costs if you have an easy-access account. Virgin Money Regular Saver pays 2.25 percent on savings between £1 and £250 per month. If you are planning on saving more money, then we suggest looking for top payers such as Ford Money Flexible Saver (1.22 percent) or RCI Bank Freedom Account (1.3 percent). Justin Modray, of independent advisers Candid Financial Advice, says: ‘As a rule of thumb you need three to six months’ income in an easy-access account, just in case anything untoward happens.’ Under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), up to £85,000 at any one firm is safe in the event of it going bust. With joint accounts, you can get £170,000 protection, and the limit covers banks and building societies that are registered in the UK, as well as the Swedish bank Ikano. With RCI, you can get a €100,000 of cover, which exchanges to £89,000 under the French Scheme. Although with National Savings & Investments, 100 percent of your money is guaranteed by the Government. Once you have saved up enough, be clear of your aims and if you want to keep building up your savings, check to see what your current account offers. For example, First Direct pays 5 percent of £25 to £300 a month. Make sure your savings to a betterpaying easy-access account, after the 12 months of your fixed rate account is up. KEEP SWITCHING TO BEAT BANKS Often, providers raise rates for
new savers, leaving loyal customers with poorer rates. If you are happy to go online, then we recommend switching your nestegg to a top rate, such as Ford Money’s Flexible Saver, which rates at 1.22 percent. It may not be the top rate saver. However, it will keep up with the general level of savings. If you don’t want to run your account online, then you can head towards your local building society or smaller banks with branches, such as Virgin Money or Kent Reliance, where you can earn up to 1 percent. Smaller building societies that pay competitive rates include National Counties at 1.01 percent on its Branch Saver. Although if you don’t live near a branch like Virgin Money and Coventry BS, then top rates such as NS&I (direct saver at 0.95 percent) will let you open an account over the phone. FIXED RATES ARE WORTH A GAMBLE If you have a sufficient amount of easy-access money, you can turn to a fixed-rate bond to earn more interest, however only do this if you are sure that you don’t need the money over the period. Patrick Connolly, of advisers Chase de Vere, says: ‘You need to make sure the difference between a variable and fixed rate is wide enough to make it worthwhile and that you don’t need the money. We don’t know what will happen to interest rates so tie your money up for a maximum of two years.’ The top easy-access rate is currently 1.3 percent, compared to a top one-year fixed-rate of 1.8 percent, which gives you an extra £50 on each £10,000. New fixed-rates deals can change from time to time, but once you’re locked in, your return shouldn’t change for the duration of your term. The question for many savers is will they miss out if interest rates rise? This is unlikely to happen, as your easy-access rate would need to rise by more than one percentage point after six months. Recently, experts suggest that the Bank of England’s base rate will rise by 0.25 to 0.75 percent in May 2018. Although predicting interest rates can be extremely difficult.
China gives Rs.48 million assistance to Nepal
By Zakaria Abraham
China today agreed to provide Rs 48 billion assistance to Nepal for development, including postdisaster recovery plan for the strategic Tatopani border point that was damaged in a devastating earthquake in 2015. China and Nepal have been stepping up efforts to improve road connectivity while speeding up plans to build a railway line connecting to Nepal’s border after a Transit Trade Treaty was signed in 2016 with Beijing. The Government of China has agreed to extend the assistance to Nepal for the projects on postdisaster recovery for Tatopani border point, the hospital reconstruction in Sindhupalchowk and reconstruction of Jiri Secondary School, Nepal’s Ministry of Finance said in a statement. The Tatopani border point, a major trade route between Nepal and China, has remained closed since the 2015 earthquake, that killed nearly 9,000 people and injured nearly 22,000 after it suffered massive damage. Since Tatopani could not function, the Kerung port, also known as Rasuwagadhi, has been in operation for the cross-border trading and tourism. The project includes repairing of
buildings, establishing protection measures to prevent from secondary disasters, including debris flow and landslide, and improving trade clearance capabilities. The Chinese government has pledged to provide Nepalese Rupees 48 billion in grants for the purpose and an agreement was signed was signed today, the Ministry said in a statement. Finance Secretary Shankar Prasad Adhikari and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong signed the agreements on behalf of the government of Nepal and the Chinese governments. “I am confident that the econom-
ic cooperation between Nepal and China will help especially to overcome our infrastructure bottleneck and improve connectivity,” Adhikari said. “The Chinese government has been making positive effort to reopen the Tatopani port. We will carry out work of disaster treatment and road repair on the Chinese side. Considering the construction of border inspection station, both the countries have been discussing the reconstruction of the border bridge,” Yu was quoted as saying by China’s state-run Xinhua news agency.
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April 2018
AW
Rani’s letter on her 40th birthday Race 3 reveals first look
british asian festival 2018
Q&A with Disha Patani and Tiger Shroff
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April 2018
BESTSELLING AUTHOR, FILM UK Musician Raxstar Teams PRODUCER & WOMEN EMPOWup With Amar Sandhu ERMENT CHAMPION TWINto Release “Rewind” on KLE KHANNA AMONGST THIS Saavn’s Artist Originals YEARS’ RECIPIENTS OF FICCI FLO ICON AWARDS Award winning author, film producer and female empowerment champion Twinkle Khanna was amongst ten coveted winners at the 34th annual FICCI Women’s Group FLO (FICCI Ladies Organisation) Awards, which took place at the Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi in the presence of Guest of Honour President Ram Nath Kovind. Twinkle was awarded the FLO Icon Award for Excellence in Conscientious Cinema as a reflection of her endeavours to raise awareness of menstrual hygiene, as co-producer of this year’s silver screen smash hit Pad Man. Other notable award recipients included Ms Missile Scientist Dr Tessy Thomas, Director, Advanced Systems Laboratory, Namita Gokhale, Author & Director of the Jaipur Literature Festival and Falguni Nayar, Founder & CEO of the beauty empire NYKAA. Pad Man created a wave of intrigue across the globe thanks to its unconventional take on the menstrual hygiene crisis in India.
Starring Bollywood heavyweights such as Akshay Kumar, Pad Man was written by R. Balki and co-produced by Twinkle through her production company, Mrs Funnybones. The film received critical acclaim internationally and was commended for providing an entertaining, yet educating and emotive comedic masterpiece, citing the struggles faced by menstruating women in India. With statistics showing that menstruation leads to 20% of girls dropping out of education and 10% of girls in India believing it is a disease, Pad Man sought to raise awareness and destroy the stigma attached to the subject. Twinkle’s unrelenting commitment to tackling prominent social issues, using her credentials as a producer, author and all-round activist, has resulted in her being recognised as one of the most distinguished female empowerment champions in India. The FLO award marks the latest accolade for Twinkle, who
enjoyed a successful 2017 in which she was presented with the Celebrity Pioneer Award at the United Nations Headquarters in New York and was named India Today’s Women Writer of the Year. with her second book the Legend of Lakshmi Prasad selling over 100,000 copies and pitching in at number two on the Amazon bestseller list for Indian female authors.
UK-based rapper, Raxstar has released a new track and video, in collaboration with Punjabi artist Amar Sandhu. “Rewind” is Raxstar’s first release through Saavn’s Artist Originals (AO) program, giving him a wider reach and global audience, while still appealing to a core South Asian listenership. “Rewind” is the latest release to come out of AO, the artist development program from global music streaming service, Saavn. AO releases and markets tracks and albums by South Asian artists, songwriters and producers from around the world. With lyrics in both Punjabi and English, “Rewind” fuses Punjabi sounds with British rap for a catchy interpretation of long-lasting relationships with a rich history. “Rewind” celebrates the experience of loving someone who feels like a true partner-incrime, a theme that is consistent with Raxstar’s previous work. He first came to prominence in 2005 with his producing partner Sunit with their breakout single, “Keep It Undercover.” Raxstar went on to create songs like
“Jaaneman,” “Sun Raha” and “Ankhiyaan,” drawing from the influences of Bollywood and the smooth R&B records he grew up with. The mixtapes Lost Ones (2008), Spring Cleaning (2010), About A Girl (2011) and Late On Time (2012) continued to showcase his work ethic, versatile subject matter and lyrical
prowess. “Working with AO has been a great pleasure. We have been encouraged in our creativity and supported by the powerhouse that is Saavn to push ourselves to our full potential. I wanted to create something that was anthemic in nature and can transcend genre boundaries. The world is a lot smaller now, thanks mostly to the internet, so creating a sound which is representative of who I am and where I am from was imperative. It’s exciting to partner with Saavn with their global reach and integrity to allow our song to connect with such a large potential audience,” Raxstar says. Raxstar has toured all over the UK, as well as internationally. And with a wellrespected reputation as the goto-guy for rap features, Raxstar has collaborated with over 100 artists, including Badshah, Zack Knight (whose chart-topping single “Bom Diggy” was also released with AO) and Mickey Singh.
BRITISH ASIAN FESTIVAL 2018 FriDAY 4th to SunDAY 6th May 2018
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Rifco Theatre Company and Watford Palace Theatre present the British Asian Festival 2018, three days celebrating British Asian arts, culture and talent. Curated by Rifco Artistic Director Pravesh Kumar, the festival will be held at Watford Palace Theatre, Friday 4th to Sunday 6th May 2018. The festival lineup features exhibitions, stand-up comedy, new plays, spoken word, writers’ events, children and family activities and film. Day One of the festival kicks off with a rehearsed performance of new play Southall Park by Amarjit Bassan from Rifco’s talent development programme Rifco Associates. There will be a comedy night hosted by Pinky (Vedi Roy) and Preetho (Harvey Dhadda) from last year’s production Miss Meena & the Masala Queens. The line-up includes comedians Sukh Ojla, Sunil Patel, Kai Samra, Ahir Shah and Sindhu Vee. On day Two festivalgoers are invited to get creative with The Make Escape and a Bollywood inspired craft workshop. There will be fun dance sessions for young
children with Bhangra Tots. In the evening, performance poetry company Apples and Snakes, bring together acclaimed and emerging spoken word talent. Hosted by Shagufta Iqbal and Sophia Thakur, there will be performances from Nafeesa Ahmed, Zia Ahmed, Ronak Patani, BananaSharma and Zahra Sheik. After its sold-out run last year, Rifco Associate Sukh Ojla’s bittersweet comedy Pyar Actually returns to Watford Palace Theatre for two performances. On the final day of the festival, there will be short story readings from past finalists of The Asian Writer prize, Meera Betab, Mona Dash, Farhana Khalique, Shibani Lal and Jocelyn Watson. This will be followed by a writing
workshop, giving attendees a chance to pen their own short story. During the afternoon Desi Tea will be serving a unique British Asian afternoon tea experience in the theatre’s café and Green Room. The festival closes with a screening of English Vinglish in honour of Bollywood actress Sridevi whose work inspired British Asian cinemagoers for over five decades. Throughout the festival artist MrASingh will be displaying two collections of his intricate and colourful art and Dotty Art will be exhibiting a collection of his vibrant oil paintings around the building. There will be South Asian food from Gupta’s Bombay Street Food, and light snacks and drinks will be available to purchase at the Watford Palace Theatre Café/ Bar. Rifco has been Resident Company at Watford Palace Theatre since 2011 and regular coproduction partners. Recent co-productions include Miss Meena & the Masala Queens, Laila The Musical and The Deranged Marriage.
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102 NOT OUT TRAILER WILL LEAVE Brand new Mumbai based Netflix show YOU SPELLBOUND! Sacred Games
The bond between
a parent and child is unique, but there is nothing quite like that of a larger-than-life 102 year old father and his cranky 75 year old son. Here’s presenting to you the official trailer of 102 Not Out, released today! The sensational duo of Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor are back on the silver screen for the first time in 27 years, for their first collaboration since working together in ‘Ajooba’ almost three decades ago, this time as father and son to give a whole new meaning to love and family in this age-less comedy. The highly anticipated trailer of 102 Not Out takes viewers on a roller coaster ride, showcasing the various emotions that the duo go through. The father,102 years “young” Dattatraya Vakharia (Amitabh Bachchan), lives a life full of fun and harbours the dream of breaking the record for the world’s oldest living man, but thinks
his grumpy 75 years “old” son Babulal (Rishi Kapoor) is a going to slow him down with his drudgery old ways. Billed as the most unusual father and son love story, the movie is based on playwright Saumya Joshi’s well known Gujarati play by the same name and has been adapted into a feature by him. With 102 Not Out already having generated immense buzz and intrigue, the trailer is sure to heighten the excitement surrounding the SPE Films India, Treetop Entertainment and Umesh Shukla’s Benchmark Pictures’ production. The team also initiated the unique activity of hatching an egg which garnered 1 million pokes in less than 20 hours! Epitomising the intrigue surrounding the film, the activity was a huge success and saw vast participation from people all over the world. The egg was hatched when the trailer activity reached 1 million.
A brand new Netflix original
series called Sacred Games is set to be released in June! Set amid the chaos of Mumabi, the epic and gritty series explores the corrupt underworld lurking beneath India’s economic renaissance. The series is based on the critically-acclaimed best-selling novel Sacred Games by author Vikram Chandra and focuses on Sartaj Singh, a seasoned and cynical Bombay police officer, summoned by an anonymous tip one
morning, a voice which promises him an opportunity to capture the powerful Ganesh Gaitonde, criminal overlord of the GCompany. As the stakes mount and Sartaj seeks knowledge of his prey, it becomes clear that the game the two players thought they were engaged in is, in fact, part of a much larger scenario, one that expands beyond their city. Sacred Games, directed by Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap, will be available exclusively on Netflix.
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Pakistan’s superstar Mahira Khan’s first character poster of upcoming flick 7 Din Mohabbat In is out now
SHARE YOUR STORIES WITH ASIAN WORLD TODAY
Q&A
Disha Patani & Tiger Shroff
Q1. Sajid Nadiadwala is known for giving the best launches – Tiger Shroff and Kriti Sanon. How does it feel to be a leading heroine of his banner? I feel very fortunate. I know he really takes care of his artists and treats you like a family. When I met him I felt so protected as he takes up all the responsibilities and makes sure you are on the right path. So, I feel very fortunate and lucky that I have Sajid sir, the same mentor, as Tiger has. I have always wanted to work with Sir especially the way he moulded his career in Heropanti and Baaghi. Sir has a knack for getting right with everything and is extremely encouraging. He takes charge of everything and encourages you to do the good work Q2. He is also known to give his heroines a huge marketing platform and present them in a very special way. What do you have to say about it? Yes of course! I remember Priyanka Chopra as she did a film with Sajid sir called Mujhse Shaadi Karogi and how famous she became after that film. I love Priyanka Chopra, that’s why I am talking about her. For sure, he takes charge of everything and wants everything to be perfect which includes everything. He is a businessman. He wants you to come out as a star as well as an actor. He does not concentrate or focus on one thing; he wants you to be a package. This is a special trait of him and I am lucky to be with him because now I don’t need to stress about
anything. I just need to work, give my 100 percent as things are taken care of. Q3. Baaghi was a huge success and loved by the audience. How does it feel to be a part of the sequel? I loved the film and its action. I have watched it so many times especially the climax and the fight sequences. Now in the sequel, I can’t reveal much, but it’s a completely different setup and the story. And it’s a very special story. When I heard the script I was thrilled! My character is something that I would love to do. I think Baaghi was kind of a revolution in terms of action, like nobody has made an action film like that. We have had many action films, but Baaghi was very different in terms of physical action and not using body double or even a harness. Q4. What would you like to say about Tiger Shroff? He is a perfectionist. He is a focused man and is someone who in-
spires me. Whatever he does, could be dance or action, he gives his 1,000 percent. I have worked with him on an album and it was so hard for me to even stand next to him when he is dancing. He goes into a different zone and is very passionate. We are very good friends as well. So I think for us it will be easier to work together as we used to dance together. So there is certain kind of understanding that we have. I know for a fact that I have to really work hard to be able to match up to him or to be able to just stand next to him.
Resleasing worldwide this Eid-ul-Fitr The actress posted the first look poster of the film, on her Instagram page, where she will be playing the role of a joyful and frivolous girl called Neeli. A poster of actor Sheheryar Munawar’s character was revealed. The film follows the story of a young man on a quest to find his true love in a crowded Karachi neighbourhood. The romantic comedy releases on Eid-ul-Fitr this year.
Q1. How do you feel when you see the audience’s excitement for the trailer for your new film Baaghi 2? I would like to thank everyone who has shared their love
with us even before the trailer was released. Now that the trailer is out, I am just overwhelmed with the audience’s response. It’s because of their reactions that we strive to make films like Baaghi 2 to entertain them. Q2. Your fans and audience always expect a level up from your previous performance. How do you manage their expectations and prepare for it? I have been preparing for this since my childhood (laughs). It has been my dream to become an action hero. That being said, it is definitely challenging to do better and better every time but this is my passion and this is what I want to do. I had a dream so I
made it my goal to achieve it. I want to give credit to Master Shifu, our action consultant, who has been instrumental for the
action in this film as well as my training. I would also like to thank Ahmed sir (director). People just know him as a choreographer but after this film everyone is going to be shocked. He is a choreographer, director, actor, and action choreographer – an all-rounder. I feel absolutely blessed to be working with him. And of course! My father figure in the industry Saajid sir (Producer) who has taken me under his wings making me feel unstoppable. Q3. Is the central character same as Baaghi 1 or have you changed the character in Baaghi 2? It is a completely different film and different from the first. You will be watching a fresh new film with great visuals along with a very good story. It is a sequel but nothing to do with part 1. Q4. What is your favourite dialogue from the film? Could you please act it for us? The film has no punchline as such but there is one line “yeh jo tera torchure hai na wo mera warm up hai”(Says in the character) meaning what you think is torture, is in fact to me just a warm up.
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FATHER AND SON KEBI DHINDSA AND RICKI DHINDSA HAVE RELEASED A TRIBUTE TO SHAHEED BHAGAT SINGH
Kebi Dhindsa and Ricki Dhindsa have released a single track dedicated to Shaheed Bhagat Singh on Yaar. 23rd March 1931 marks the day Shaheed Bhagat Singh was executed in the name of honour and freedom. Bhagat Singh, the Last wish produced by Ricki Dhindsa, a young 19 year old musician and vocalist teaming up with his father a known and experienced vocalist Kebi Dhindsa. Ricki born and raised in Leicester, currently studying Creative
Music Technology Degree (BA Hons) and has been influenced by music since the age of 3. The young musician has had formal music and classical music training by Ustaad Tarlok Singh Ji Lotay from a young age learning, Tabla, Harmonium and vocal training. Ricki has already achieved and made his mark having performed for the Royal Family at Loughborough College and already hit the stage globally with his father. The lead vocals by Kebi Dhinda who has a successful history of
Shah Rukh Khan to remake Aww! Akshay Kamal Haasan’s Hey Ram? Kumar FulHey Ram co stars Shah Rukh Khan and
Kamal Haasan had a fantastic reunion a few days back. The duo met during Christopher Nolan’s talk in Mumbai and we have to say they had a gala of a time. However, little did anyone know that Kamal Haasan would make an exciting announcement. The South megastar revealed that Shah Rukh loved their film, Hey Ram so much that he has bought the official remake rights of the film recently. Does this mean King Khan is planning for a Bollywood remake of the classic? Well, we don’t know that, but it would be really exciting if he did remake it, wouldn’t it be?
filled His Promise to Twinkle Khanna After a Whole Year!
musical hits and stage shows has been singing for over two decades performing worldwide. Last Wish is another collaboration from the father and Son Duo who have teamed up and recreated history with an epic video filmed in their village in India, Dhindsa Pind. The song has been released on their own label, Yaar Records which will be looking to sign new artists by the end of this year. Bhagat Singh, Last Wish is available to download NOW!
Race 3 Reveals First Looks
Akshay Kumar has finally fulfilled his promise
to his wife Twinkle and ended a controversy that started over Twitter last year. It was in August 2017 last that Twinkle Khanna got slammed for tweeting how she found people defecating in the open during her morning walks. Now, Akshay has finally ended that whole controversy and inaugurated a row of bio-toilets sponsored by him for public use on Juhu beach.
Actor Salman Khan treated his fans this week to
the first look from his much-anticipated film Race 3. He will be seen as racer Sikander, who has been described by the filmmakers as smart, emotional but also mysterious. Jacqueline Fernandez’s character Jessica is all about raw power along with Bobby Deol playing the role of Yash. The makers of Race 3 introduced actress Daisy Shah’s character Sanjana today. The movie is Directed by Remo D’souza, Produced by Ramesh S Taurani and is set to release on 15th June 2018.
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Varun Dhawan’s biggest Hichki stage fright
One of the biggest young
superstars of the India, Varun Dhawan is a proven actor having worked magic in front of the camera in varied roles, a darling of media and audiences due to his confidence and charm. The actor, who can also dance like a dream, had a Hichki that will definitely make you pause. Going onstage for the first
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Akshay Kumar
Rani Mukerji shares a heartfelt letter on her 40th birthday
SASSES UP THE COVER FOR GQ INDIA
time as an actor, Varun faced his first major hiccup - he had stage fright. His Hichki was powerful enough to make him freeze and also, made him speak rapidly while talking to the audience. The makers of Rani Mukerji’s Hichki are promoting the film uniquely by asking prominent personalities to share their untold weaknesses and how they eventually converted them into massive strengths and Varun just told us his.
Varun reveals,
When I walked up onstage for the first time, I just froze. Seeing Madhuri Dixit, the late Sridevi ji and so many cinema idols in the front rows, I lost my tongue for some time. And when I did speak, I spoke so fast that I was barely coherent. Since I had never faced issues while facing the camera, this Hichki came up quite unexpectedly. I decided to address it by listening and observing my idols. It didn’t quite work immediately. But gradually, I did learn how to tackle this challenge. I practised on it and eventually, could perform and speak onstage well. Setting your mind to it, I think, all of us can overcome all these Hichkis.
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Priyanka’s
Bollywood Comeback Priyanka Chopra is back in Mumbai and causing a stir about her potential Bollywood comeback following her last film in 2016, Jai Gangaajal. The 35-year-old actress, who has had immense international success In recent years with big budget projects like Baywatch and Quantico, is rumoured to return to the Indian screen alongside Salman Khan for
new movie titled Bharat, as reported by DNA. Salman, who is currently wrapping up the last schedule of Race 3, is said to begin shooting for Bharat in mid 2018. “The fact that their jodi is coming together after such a long time will surely be exciting news for their fans,” added the source. If things go as planned, Salman and Priyanka will be seen together on the big screen after a gap of 10 years as the last time they shared the screen space was in 2008 film God Tussi Great Ho!
I
nternational megastar Akshay Kumar, the most bankable actor in the industry, has been featured on the latest issue of GQ India magazine. Akshay Kumar – the futuristic hero of Bollywood with amazing tales to tell - is every bit sartorially aligned with the theme of magazine. On the cover he has donned a Nivedita Saboo Couture Suit, a zip up jumper from Missoni and finished his look with Carrera sunglasses. In the interview Akshay Kumar candidly discusses Bollywood, marriage and why natural is sexy.
JACQUELINE BURNS THE DANCE FLOOR
with the remake of the iconic track ‘ek do teen’!
Mohini is back and is ready to steal
your hearts once again in the form of Jacqueline Fernandez. Recreating the queen of all dance numbers, audiences have been anticipating the track ever since the announcement was made that Jacqueline will be filling the shoes of the legendary Madhuri Dixit. Giving it a modern day masala twist, audiences
will be not be disappointed by the talented actress’s dance moves and expressions. Recreated By Sandeep Shirodkar and sung by the melodious Shreya Ghoshal, the hot track will definitely be a smash it and will surely be making its way to every party playlist this season. Sharing the anticipation and excitement with the fans, Jaqueline expressed her feelings on twitter. She tweeted, “I hope you love it as much as I do. #EkDoTeen watch it now! Baaghi 2 is an action film produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and directed by Ahmed Khan. A Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment production, presented by Fox Star Studios, the movie stars Tiger Shroff & Disha Patani in lead role. The film releases worldwide in end of Match 2018.
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HEALTH
T: 0121 771 4545
More strokes are now occurring at an earlier age
Public Health England’s statistics
show that over a third (38%) of first time strokes happen in middle aged adults (between the ages of 40 – 69). More first time strokes are now occurring at an earlier age compared to a decade ago andSouth Asian people are at a greater risk of experiencing a stroke at a significantly younger age. Stroke survivors, Amit Amin and Ranj Parmar both had a stroke in their late thirties. Amitsaid “Although I had seen the Stroke Act F.A.S.T adverts I never thought it would happen to me. I was a young man, I led a healthy life – I didn’t drink or smoke and was not overweight. It was a huge shock to my family and I.” Amit experienced weakness on his left side and he couldn’t raise his arms. His speech was slurred too, he said “I sounded as though I was drunk but I hadn’tbeen drinking.”
Amit’s fiancé noticed these signs and acted FAST, “When I got to the hospital I was quickly seen to by a nurse and
neurologist. I had a brain scan which revealed a blood clot on the right side of my brain. It was then I knew I had a stroke.” He goes on to praise the NHS team that treated him “They were brilliant. I was helped by stroke specialists, nurses and psychologists. I also had speech therapy and physiotherapy. I made a good recovery, regaining my motor skills and ability to speak which is amazing. I had issues with my memory but that is getting better.The only residual issue I have is impaired vision which means I can’t drive.”At the time Amit wasn’t aware that South Asians were at a higher risk of stroke and were more likely to have a stroke at a younger age than the white population. Neither did he know how important it was to act FAST when you notice any one the signs of stroke. Nowhe strongly advocates the importance of South Asians being aware of the signs of stroke and acting FAST “Because of the heightened risk within our communitywe need to be more aware of the signs of stroke – facial weakness, arm weakness and slurred speech. Calling 999 as soon as you see even one of the stroke signs in yourself or others is essential. Speedy treatment will help prevent deaths and disability.” Ranj Parmar said “At the time I didn’t know how serious stroke was until it happened to me and I certainly didn’t think I could have a strokein my thirties.“The day I had a stroke I was walking around the shops and suddenly it felt like someone hit me at the back of my head with a club. I felt an intense pain and started to lose mobility in both arms and neck. It was a terrifying experience.“I was rushed to hospital where I had a brain scan that revealed that I had a stroke. Like Amit his experience of the NHS team was positive “They were great, the way they quickly got me the medical attention I needed. Nineyears on, he
said“To look at me now, I look normal. I socialize, play light sports and can do most things I want to but the road to rehabilitation was challenging and took a lot of time and effort.”
Following his stroke Ranj co-setup a support group for other stroke survivors and their families – Different Strokes Southampton, affiliated to the national charity Different Strokes. He is committed to raising awareness of the disease“Stroke is still one of the leading causes of death in England. It’s often associated with older people, however the latest research from Public Health England and my story shows that people are having strokes at a younger age. Everyone needs to be aware of the signs.” “Every minute counts when you have a stroke and calling 999 straightaway can make a significant difference to someone’s recovery and rehabilitation.”For more information on stroke visit nhs.uk/ actfast Public Health England (2017) ‘Estimated first incidence of stroke in England, 2007 – 2016’
www.asianworldnews.co.uk
MRI scans increase prostate cancer detection and reduce overdiagnosis - study
A large international study conducted in collaboration with the University of Birmingham has found that an MRI scan and targeted prostate biopsies are significantly better at making a positive prostate cancer diagnosis than standard biopsies. The PRECISION trial randomly allocated 500 men with suspected prostate cancer from 23 international centres. The trial found that using MRI to perform prostate biopsies lead to more of the harmful prostate cancers, and fewer harmless cancers being diagnosed, than the standard way of performing biopsies. Researchers, led by University College London, found the MRI approach can also reduce the number of men undergoing biopsy by 28%, as men who do not present with abnormal areas in the prostate may be able to avoid biopsy altogether. This is particularly important as over one million men in Europe undergo biopsy every year and biopsies can be uncomfortable, costly, and carry a risk of infection. Currently men who have suspected prostate cancer typically undergo a standard biopsy test called a TRUS (TRansrectal UltraSound guided prostate biopsy). However, TRUS biopsy has been known to have limitations and can both miss harmful cancers, and also diagnose harmless cancers that don’t need to be identified. PRECISION is the first international multi-centre randomised trial to show the benefits of using MRI at the start of the prostate cancer diagnosis process. The University of Birmingham’s Test Evaluation Research Group assisted in the design of the PRECISION trial and completed the analysis of the results. Professor Jon Deeks, Head of the Test Evaluation Research Group and Deputy Director of the Institute of Applied Health Research at the University of Birmingham, said: “Assessing which of two different medical tests is best for patients is challenging. “Good medical tests must not miss patients who have disease, and should identify patients early in their disease. This is so patients can be given the treatment they need, and get treated
before disease becomes more serious. “But the same tests may also wrongly suggest other patients need treatment, or refer them for unnecessary further investigations which are uncomfortable, expensive and inevitably create anxiety. “Medical tests can harm as well as help, and it is essential to properly evaluate the good and bad ways that they impact on patients when deciding which tests should be used.” Chief Investigator, Dr Veeru Kasivisvanathan, from the UCL Surgery and Interventional Science, funded by a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Doctoral Fellowship, presented the results of the PRECISION Trial at the 33rd European Association of Urology Congress, Copenhagen, with simultaneous publication in the New England Journal of Medicine. Dr Kasivisvanathan said: “In men who need to have investigation for prostate cancer for the first time, PRECISION shows that using an MRI to identify suspected cancer in the prostate and performing a prostate biopsy targeted to the MRI information, leads to more cancers being diagnosed than the standard way that we have been performing prostate biopsy for the last 25 years.” Dr Caroline Moore, Reader in Urology at UCL and senior author of the study commented: “We compared standard prostate biopsy to the use of MRI, offering targeted biopsies to only those men who had a suspicious MRI. “The MRI pathway detected more harmful cancers that needed treatment, and it reduced overdiagnosis of harmless cancers, even though fewer men had a biopsy in the MRI arm.” Professor Mark Emberton of University College London commented: “This study was the first to allow men to avoid a biopsy. If high quality MRI can be achieved across Europe, then over a quarter of the one million men who currently undergo a biopsy could safely avoid it.” The PRECISION trial was funded by The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the European Association of Urology (EAU) Research Foundation.
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One in six Britons alive today will live until they are 100 years old
According to new figures, 10 million British people alive today are set to live until they are 100 years old. Despite there being just 15,000 centenarians alive today, the population aged 90 and over has grown more rapidly than other age groups in recent years with one in six Britons now expected to reach triple figures.
The revolutionary findings have prompted the Government to invest over £300m in developing the technologies needed to support an ageing population with Ministers saying that they need to “revolutionise” the ways in which people get older, ensuring that they remain healthier and independent for a longer amount of time.
The products of the investments are set to include the developments of innovative diagnostic tools, medical products and treatments, regional centres, genome sequencing and healthy ageing programmes – all aiming to help people live healthily and in their own homes for longer.
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BENEFITS OF DRINKING WARM LEMON WATER EVERY MORNING
Drinking a cup of warm lemon water every morning is one of the simplest, most affordable and natural ways to improve your health which has incredible benefits on your health. Energises your Body It gives your body a lasting boost of energy, making it a healthier alternative to your morning tea or coffee. Healthy Digestion The minerals and vitamins found in lemon juice encourages healthy digestion, reduces heartburn and bloating by loosening any toxins trapped in your digestive tract. Rich Source of Potassium Lemons are also a great source of potassium which helps keep your heart healthy, build muscle, and aid the body in breaking down and using carbohydrates. Relives stress and uplifts the mood The scent of a lemon helps clear the
mind, reduces feelings of stress and uplifts our moods while also aiding feelings of depression and anxiety. Curbs Hunger Lemons can help curb feelings of hunger throughout the day making it easier to resist temptations and reduce snacking on fatty foods throughout the day thus aiding in weight loss. Boosts your Immune System Vitamin C found in lemons is great at boosting our immune system. It is also a great option as compared to an orange since it has less sugar thus making it a great alternative. Improves the Skin The antioxidants found in lemons help rejuvenate the skin and prevent wrinkles, blemishes and frees it from radical damage by purifying the skin, removing toxins and killing bacteria to reveal clear, glowing skin.
in some sport or outdoor life will often make you feel less depressed. If the depressive feelings are more serious, some appropriate treatment can be necessary.
ers, or perhaps some people have more receptors with the ability to get trigged by nicotine, and this is inherited in the genetic code.
SMOKING ADDICTION
To some extend the habit of smoking
is a product of socialization. Socialization is simply the tendency to repeat patterns of behaviour one sees other persons in the society exhibit. Socialisation is one major way children and young people learn social skills. Children and teenagers learn skills necessary to live and work in the society by a socialisation process. Unfortunately also bad habits and bad ways of thinking are learned the same way. If one lives or works together with other smoking individuals, one will more or less automatic adopt these individuals’ smoking habits. If one then tries to break out of the social structure, one will feel anxiety for not being accepted any more by the social group one is a part of. If the other individuals also make moves to threaten or freeze out an individual trying to break this bad social standard, the difficulty of breaking out of the habit will be even greater. The threatening actions may not even be very serious to frighten a person from
braking out of such a socially standardized habit, and may not even be meant as a threat. THE NEED FOR SUCKING AND CHEWING Every person has a need for sucking and chewing. This need is necessary in early infanthood, but it also persists into adult life to some degree. Some persons use cigarettes or other smoking devices and the smoke as a means to satisfy this need. There is a hypothesis that this need is greater by some adults then by others because this need, or some other similar basic need, has not been fully satisfied in early infanthood. If you want to stop smoking, you can try to satisfy this need by other means, for example by always keeping something in your pocket that you can put in your mouth to chew at when the need for smoke appears. AUTOMATIC REPEATING When a person have done something many times and frequently enough, there will be created a pattern of
automatic repetition of that particular behaviour. This is especially true if the particular action is done in a distinct recognizable situation. The pattern of automatic repetition also have the effect of making a person feel safer in the daily life and routines. Such a pattern of automatic repetition is always a component in the smoking habit. It you want to quit smoking, you should make an investigation to find out in which situations and which environments you usually take a cigarette. Then try to avoid these situations or environments where you use to smoke, or to deliberately alter these situations. NICOTINE USED AS A SELF MEDICATION Nicotine has a tranquilizing effect upon nervous feelings. At the same time it has some anti-depressive effect, at least in the short run, and it makes a person feel more awake. A person suffering from nervousness or from depressive symptoms may feel that the smoking helps him against his mental symptoms. However, gradually there will be a need for steadily higher doses of nicotine to give these good effects, and if there is a lack of nicotine in the body, the nervous or depressive feelings will be greater than before. This gratification, but with the need for steadily higher doses to get the good effects is a major incentive for the smoking habit. You should consider if this anti-depressive or tranquilizing effect is a reason for your smoking. Then you should try to find other ways to achieve the same effect. Engaging
THE PLEASURE COMPONENT There is to some degree a plain and direct pleasure connected with smoking. This pleasure is in itself a good effect. This good effect is probably in most cases too small compared to the painful effects of smoking, but will gives a temptation for an individual to continue the habit. However, also this pleasure effect will gradually be difficult to obtain without increasing the doses. If the plain pleasure of smoking is a main reason for your habit, then you should try to find other sources of pleasure instead, for example some good food, some good music or some erotic action. THE GENETIC COMPONENT Not all people get equally easy dependent of nicotine. There are factors yet not fully understood that make some people more easily addicted than others. Perhaps some persons have receptors on their nerve cells that more easily get trigged by nicotine than oth-
THE NERVOUS MECHANISMS WORKING BY ADDICTION The normal brain has signal substances with a tranquilizing effect, and substances with a stimulating effect upon nerve cells. Like most narcotic substances, nicotine act like a signal substance by fitting into receptors on some brain cells. Nicotine attaches itself to some receptors and thus gives the nerve cell having these receptors a signal. The cells getting such a signal from nicotine, will react by secreting another signal substance, dopamine that influences still other cells. Dopamine will tranquilize some brain cells and stimulate others, and the total effect of this is the pleasurable effects of smoking. However, when nicotine steadily induces dopamine release, the brain will gradually decrease the production of dopamine when nicotine is not present, and the brain will feel a steadily greater need for nicotine to work normally and feel well.
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April 2018
OLD RED DYE SHOWS PROMISE AS SOUL HEALING AND INTEGRATION NEW CANCER FOE
Modern cancer drugs supercharge immune systems, target specific gene mutations and pack modified viruses into vaccines. Amid the increasing sophistication, one investigational treatment stands out for its simplicity. Rose Bengal, a cheap industrial chemical that turns yarn and food bright red has been used as a diagnostic staining agent for some time. Now, some scientists are looking at its potential to fight various forms of cancer. At the forefront is Provectus Biopharmaceuticals Inc, which is testing a reformulated version of the industrial dye on melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. The Knoxville, Tennessee, company reported promising results in a small melanoma study. While some doctors are encouraged by the research, government approval is years off and not guaranteed. The company must replicate its early results on a bigger scale, and a US Food and Drug Administration decision is not expected before 2019. Rose Bengal’s potential against
cancer was discovered by accident. The salt was first patented in 1882 as a wool dye and has been used for years as a diagnostic stain in tests for jaundice in newborns and to detect eye damage. In 1998, scientists who later founded Provectus were looking for a safe photo reactive agent to use in an investigation of lasers against cancer. Rose Bengal fit the bill. As it turned out, the Rose Bengal solution appeared to work on its
own to dissolve tumors when directed injectly into them, recalled Provectus Chief Technology Officer Eric Wachter, a former scientist from Oak Ridge National Lab who co-founded the company. “It made the lasers obsolete.” In a study of 80 people with advanced melanoma, half of the patients who had all of their lesions injected appeared cancer free after an average of two months. A year later, 11 percent continued to show no signs of cancer, ac-
cording to a report published the Annals of Surgical Oncology. The lesions were destroyed from the inside with no apparent harm to healthy tissue, researchers said. Reported side effects included injection site pain and blistering. Final results from an ongoing 225-patient melanoma trial of the experimental drug compared to chemotherapy are expected in early 2018. The hope is that the drug, known as PV-10, will prevent melanoma from progressing beyond Stage III, in which the disease has spread but not yet to other organs, and allow patients with more advanced cancer to live longer. “This is one of the really neat examples of what we call repurposing, taking drugs that been around for years … and suddenly realizing that they may have an oncologic value,” said Dr Vernon Sondak, head of cutaneous oncology at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. Sondak has been running clinical trials for Provectus
TO BE IRRITATED BY THE IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME
Irritable bowel syndrome or more commonly, “IBS,” as it is known, will affect nearly one in five persons in the United Kingdom at some stage in their life. So what exactly is IBS and what can we do to tackle this menace of a condition? RECAP ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. The Digestive Journey of your food starts from the moment you place it in your mouth to the time it leaves the Body in the form of a Stool. On the way, this portion of food is subjected to numerous digestive Juices, acid within the Stomach to break it down, digestive enzymes in the First part of the digestive System called the small Intestine. The food then enters the last stage of its journey within the Large intestine to undergo transformation into a Stool Bulk and is further transformed with the help of bacteria in the intestine and further absorption of Waste products from the rest of the Body, to render This Food Particle a matter, composed of Waste Material, that should be Eliminated from the Body. THE SYMPTOMS OF IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME Pain and discomfort may occur in different parts of the tummy. This form of pain usually comes and goes. The pain often eases when you pass stools or pass wind. Many people with IBS describe the pain as a spasm or colic. The severity of the pain can vary from mild to severe, both from person to person, and from time to time in the same person. Bloating and swelling of your abdomen
may develop from time to time. You may pass more wind than usual. There could be associated changes to your stools such as: Some people have bouts of diarrhoea, and some have bouts of constipation. Some people have bouts of diarrhoea that alternate with bouts of constipation. Sometimes the stools become small and pellet-like. Sometimes the stools become watery or looser. At times, mucus may be mixed with the stools. There may have a feeling of not emptying the back passage (rectum) after going to the toilet. Some people will experience a symptom called urgency, which means they have to get to the toilet quickly. A morning rush is common. That is, they feel an urgent need to go to the toilet several times shortly after getting up. This is often during and after breakfast. Other symptoms which sometimes occur – include: Feeling sick, a person can suffer from headache, belching, poor appetite, tiredness, backache, Muscle pains, feeling full after eating, Heartburn can take place too along with all the above symptoms. WHAT CAUS-
ES IBS? The cause has not yet been established although, there are a few theories. One theory is that. It may have something to do with over activity of part or parts of the gut. The small and large bowel, are parts of the gut inside the tummy. Food is passed along by regular squeezes (contractions) of the muscles in the wall of the gut. Pain and other symptoms may develop if the contractions become abnormal or overactive. The area of over activity in the gut may determine whether constipation or diarrhoea develops your bowels if not daily, on an alternate day basis. This will encourage the Bowel to be stimulated regularly. And thus lead to a regular routine .Regular Exercise such as Fifteen Minutes of Brisk Walking can help with Bowel movement regularity and is overall good for the circulation, promoting increased blood flow to the intestine, thus improving overall Natural stimulating movements of the gut which helps to promote a good regular digestion and bowel movement. MANAGING SYMPTOMS OF IBS there are a few facets
to attempting a good control of symptoms in people who suffer from IBS. In any of the following management strategies, lifestyle changes such as Exercise. Regular exercise is known to help to ease symptoms. Managing stress levels. Stress and other emotional factors may trigger symptoms in some people. So, anything that can reduce your level of stress or emotional upset may help. Keeping a symptom diary. It’s not a bad idea to keep a symptom diary for a month or two on how many times you have had abdominal pain, bloating, Diarrhoea or Constipation. You could then take this diary to your GP to analyse and help you develop a management plan to tackle your symptoms. DIETARY CHANGES there are current national guidelines about IBS include the following points about diet, which may help to decrease symptoms: Have regular meals and take time to eat and complete your meals. Avoid missing meals or leaving long gaps between eating. Drink at least eight glasses of fluid per day, especially water or other non-caffeinated drinks. This helps to keep the stools (faeces) soft and easy to pass along the gut. Restrict tea and coffee to three cups per day (as caffeine may be a factor in some people) it also contributes towards Constipation as it can make you pass urine more often. Restrict the amount of fizzy drinks that you have to a minimum. Don’t drink too much alcohol. (Some people report an improvement in symptoms when they cut down from drinking a lot of alcohol.)
Most of you will wonder what soul healing is. How can our own soul heal every part of us and remove all our blockages. Yes our soul is the most powerful energy within us which is infinite and is aligned with our own divinity. There are many times if any part of your life is not in alignment with your soul purpose, the soul can block it if it’s not on track. What it wants to attain in its journey through our body till it’s in the earthly realm. You will know the potential of your soul when you tune into yourself and silence your mind for few moments every day through meditation or by being out in the nature. Our soul can expand our awareness in multi dimensional ways in various planes of existence. It can connect us to our Guardian Angels and Spirit Guides, heal our karmic patterns. We can dismiss our soul contracts just before our birth we made in this present life time with our free will and make new contracts. Soul healing is a more expanded version when we remain limited with our orthodox way of therapies or treatments. It works in mental, emotional, physical and spiritual levels. I have made my soul my best partner in my day to day life. When I feel I need to struggle sometimes with certain situations in my journey of my life, I just tune within me and ask my Higher intelligence of my mind , body , soul and Spirit to help me and it feels so blissful . The situation is brought into alignment and the work is done. Our soul within is clairvoyant. It can see, feel, listen to a higher frequency which we in our physical body can’t. The funny part is most of the time whenever I do my grocery shopping or I want to even do interior designing of my home or which dress to wear in my day to day life events, my soul interferes to push me to choose certain colours and things which are in alignment . I have to at times tell my soul to keep quite as a best friend as I like to execute my free will but yes I do take my soul suggestions too. Besides it’s interesting to take out some time and do some serious discussion with our soul. With process of time eventually, it will reveal itself more freely. Sometime I get very annoyed with my own soul if it blocks any path I would like to take like choosing a particular relationship or a pro-
ject and I find it’s being blocked. I ask my soul using my freewill to unblock it and instead help me. Why does the soul block or give diseases to the body? It does so because it wants to ignite and evolve by balancing our karmas by various experiences in this vast infinite consciousness in a very limited time in the earthly realm being in our physical body. The tougher you experience, more insightful you become to evolve and grow. So at times we don’t understand our circumstances of any situations; why it didn’t go well despite putting in so much effort or some events just turns out to give excellent result effortlessly. Every soul is vibrating in different frequency energetically. There are younger souls and others are old souls which have incarnated in many life times. But there is a part in our soul energy which has a pain body. Our soul suffers and feels the pain too if any life experiences is not in alignment with it. Most people suffer in relationships and soul energy is damaged and they feel lost as well as feel extreme vulnerability or go into depression. In such situations, it’s always better to tune into Angelic energy and God to heal the pain of the soul. Our soul is the light and force which is part of God’s energy. You can easily open your channels to the portal of God’s energy through your soul’s help. Whenever you pray, you need not connect to an image or idea of God but instead just pray to your own higher self which has a direct link to the higher intelligence within you which knows everything about you in all dimensions. God’s energy which I experience is very high vibration Love and Light energy. Connecting this way you can alter many patterns, soul and karmic contracts , programming’s from the deep cellular memory to your DNA structure because in every atom of your cell has a vast Universal consciousness.Besides we can do soul to soul telepathic connection and transmit or exchange messages or information with other souls too. To conclude our soul plays a greater role in our day to day life by expanding our awareness and guides us with intuition as well as to live morally with grace and compassion.
LOCAL 2-15
GLOBAL 16-21 16-23 16-19
BUSINESS 22-28 24-28 20-26
GLAM 29-37 27-35
HEALTH 38-41 36-39
Travel 42-43 40-41
TECH 44-45 42-43
Motoring 46-47 46-49 44-47
FOOD 48-49 50-51
SPORTS 50-56 52-56
April 2018
HEALTH ISSUES IMPORTANT TO YOU
Feeling tired all the time? The Physical reasons for feeling tired are many and if addressed correctly, can subject an individual to a new leash of energy release.Are you getting enough sleep? : It is recommended an individual gets up to eight hours of sleep a night. Stress, Alcohol, pain and digestive problems can all contribute to a disturbed sleep amongst many other conditions. Try to eat your evening meal at least two hours before you sleep. In the same way, taking pain relief on time and ensuring you eat light at night; will help to promote a good sleep pattern.Are you drinking enough? Being dehydrated or not consuming enough fluid can give rise to headaches and fatigue. Other problems associated with this are constipation, urine infections Dry skin conditions. One should aim to drink at least eight glasses of water a day. It’s easy to calculate and manage this by having two glasses of water after every five hours. Do remember that, caffeine based fluids like Coffee and Tea can cause you to pass urine more often and Aggravate dehydration!Medical related problems: People who suffer from underlying Heart disease, Lung problems, Anemia, Kidney problems and Diabetes will more than often present to their GP,
with tiredness as their initial presentation. Feeling short of breath, Dizziness, light-headedness, can all be a sign of these underlying conditions. Many of the above are stabilized with adequate dosages of medications, with associated lifestyle advice. Moderate exercise in the above can all improve a person’s ability to feel more alert and reenergized. The more isolated medical problems associated with Tiredness are : Lack of Iron – Not ingesting the recommended seven pieces of fruit and vegetables a day can lead to iron deficiency. Women who have heavy blood loss during their period, or bleeding from elsewhere can lead to a lack of Iron which is important in the production of Blood cells . A deficiency of Iron can lead to Anemia associated with shortness of breath , fatigue and tiredness , palpitations and dizziness , Iron is found in foods such as Red Meat , Dairy products , Green vegetables , Apples . You may find you are given a course of iron tablets to help bring your levels up to normal if your iron is found to be low in a blood test . Thyroid Problems: The Thyroid Gland sits in the middle of the neck at the front and is responsible for overseeing every single chemical reaction in the
body . It regulates our temperature , the rate of digestion , keeps energy levels up amongst the many other functions it has . The Thyroid gland secretes the Thyroid hormone that is involved in kick starting these various reactions in the body . If you feel colder more than normal, find yourself fatigued and tired , sleepy , gaining weight, having heavy periods in women , as well as hair loss
and some memory loss, you may find it useful to ask your GP to perform blood tests for your Thyroid gland . If you have an underactive thyroid you will usually be placed on a medication for life, to reverse the symptoms you are suffering from. Some people, if diagnosed with an underactive Thyroid may be at risk of falling into a coma if they do not take medication properly ,
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or take none at all . Liver Conditions: Checking the Liver Enzymes for abnormalities can usually pick up any signs of alcohol abuse in a person who takes the exceeded recommended amount of alcohol and feels tired all the time . The recommended intake is 14 units a week for men and women both .Vitamin D deficiency: On the rise now in the UK, people with vitamin D deficiency will complain of Fatigue and often aching limbs. It is usually women of child bearing age . This is most commonly due to a lack of Calcium in the body which is converted from Vitamin D to support healthy Bone strength. One natural source is sunlight, Oily fish, dairy products and Pulses also have high reserves of Vitamin D . In pregnancy, Women dilute their own calcium levels towards healthy bone formation in the fetus, They also become deficient whilst breastfeeding.If you feel you may suffer from any of the above symptoms or signs, get going to see your GP today. It’s a very common problem feeling tired all the time. And most cases don’t need any intervention at all. Why wait? When you can make a difference to your health and life. Your new beginning should start now!
WHEN IT’S A QUESTION OF CONSTIPATION
Every one of us has been troubled by Constipation at some point in our lives. The Digestive system is a wonderful Intertwined Network of Tubes, Cavities, Pouches and a Pipeline which secretes Juices and Chemicals to help break down all that you consume throughout the day. To be released in the form of a Bowel Movement or Stool as it is most appropriately referred to.But what happens, when you realise that Things aren’t working in the Digestive Department the way they should be? You begin to open your Bowels with difficulty, often having to Strain and pass Hard Stools which can be painful to pass and lead to a number of Problems down the line?The answer is: You have become constipated. And if you’re Bowels don’t have the same efficiency you would like to have. Going to the Toilet can be a painful visit or Experience, It needs to be sorted.WHAT IS DIGESTION ALL ABOUT? The Digestive Journey of your food starts from the moment you place it in your mouth to the time it leaves the Body in the form of a Stool. On the way, this portion of food is subjected to numerous Digestive juices, acid within the Stomach to break it down, Digestive enzymes in the First part of the Digestive System called the small intestine. The Food then enters the last stage of its journey within the Large intestine to undergo transformation into a Stool Bulk and is further Transformed with the help of Bacteria in the intestine and Further absorption of Waste products from the rest of the Body, to render This Food Particle a matter, composed of Waste Material, that should be Eliminated from the Body. The one Entity that ensures the above Processes to take place smoothly and effectively with efficiency is: “FLUID”THE START OF CONSTIPATION AND A VICIOUS CIRCLEBusy working Lifestyles , more Sedentary ways of getting to and from work , Fast Food , Convenience
food , preservatives , Processed foods and lack of adequate Water, or Fluid intake, all lead to a Sluggish Digestive Process . Inadequate fluid Content in turn leads to Stool which becomes hard and bulky, Difficult to pass and can be painful. The Part of the Large Intestine known as the Rectum, begins to Distend (Widen) and accumulate Stool matter, which can become hard, as reabsorption of Water from the stool takes place. When the Stool is finally evacuated, the Rectum is left floppy and will not push out the Stool matter again, until it is filled up enough. This can then lead to a Long standing Problem which causes ongoing Constipation. This could lead to Weeks and Months of treatment to Rectify. Other underlying Disorders such as having an Underactive Thyroid Gland,
some Bowel Conditions, malabsorption Syndromes, being on certain Medications such as Codeine for Pain, Or the Medications that slow down the movement of the Gut, can also cause Constipation.WHAT CAN BE DONE TO AVOID CONSTIPATION? Fluid, Fluid and More Fluid. The recommended daily intake of eight glasses of Water is mainstay in treating Constipation. Be wary of not including caffeinated Drinks such as Coffee which encourage the passing of more Urine and can lead to Dehydration. Including a Good amount of Fibre in your diet such as Bran in Cereals. The Skin of Apples contain a Good amount of Fibre as do many other Fruit and Vegetables.Why not make a Habit of Incorporating two pieces of fruit containing a good amount of Fibre Daily.
An Apple and Pear for example, Two Clementine’s, a small bowl of Dried Fruits, Dried Apricots and Raisins contains much roughage that is necessary for Digestion.It may take a few weeks for your Bowels to get used to the change in Approach and you may experience Bloating at First. Supplementing this, with plenty of water, will ease bloating and discomfort associated with Increased Fibre intake.ESTABLISH A GOOD BOWEL MOVEMENT ROUTINE Along with opening the Bowels, aim to choose a particular time of the day whereby you are able to give time and sit on the Lavatory to open your Bowels. The best time for Children to do this is in the Mornings. And for Adults is preferably the evenings, considering the rush most Adults are subjected to
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in the Mornings. From then on, try to make this the time to open your bowels if not daily, on an alternate day basis. This will encourage the Bowel to be stimulated regularly. And thus lead to a regular routine.Regular Exercise such as Fifteen Minutes of Brisk Walking can help with Bowel movement regularity and is overall good for the circulation, Promoting increased blood flow to the intestine, thus improving overall Natural stimulating movements of the Gut called “Peristalsis” WHAT HAPPENS WHEN NOTHING SEEMS TO BE HELPING?That’s when Medication may have a role in Helping Alleviate Constipation. If nothing else is working, by way of Diet or Exercise, You will need to see your GP incase there is any underlying Cause for your Constipation.He or She may prescribe you Medications called Laxatives which work in Different ways: Osmotic Laxatives draw fluid from the Body into the Intestine to help Soften the stool. Stimulant Laxatives help to increase movements of the Bowels to help flush the Stool out. Whichever Medication is prescribed to you, Please Remember to consult with your GP before buying any such medication over the Counter. A Pharmacist may be able to help in this Regard too. COMPLICATIONS If constipation is left untreated, this could lead to further complications such as piles, a small tear in the back passage known as a Fissure which can make opening the bowels painful and can lead to Further constipation. It can also cause other long standing bowel problems such as Impaction and Blockage.Constipation is often considered to be the cause of many other Digestive Problems, so why not make a change to your lifestyle and Diet today and beat the bloat and unpleasant symptoms associated with this very common condition.
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April 2018
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CRUISING ON VENTURA
Travel editor David Powell has taken a short cruise break on P&O’s Ventura with London based chocolatier Paul A. Young onboard! By David Powell | Travel Editor
If you’re looking to get away for a few days on
holiday then short break cruises are an excellent alternative to a hotel and city stay and ideal for those who have never cruised before. You can explore a city with a day of sightseeing and then enjoy everything the ship has to offer from fine dining, pampering in the spa, cocktails in the bar, entertainment in the lounges and theatre or dancing in the clubs. My wife and I recently joined Ventura on a 4-night cruise from Southampton. On board was the London based chocolatier Paul A. Young who has a reputation as an incredibly creative flavour alchemist and is a regular on British TV screens with appearances including This Morning and Sunday Brunch, The Apprentice and Junior Masterchef. Ventura is a ship where something is always happening, an ideal backdrop in which to enjoy your ‘this is the life’ holiday. One of the larger, family friendly ships, Ventura has a capacity for 3078 guests and 1205 crew. Perfect for families and great for adults. For families you can enjoy age specific kids clubs, a night nursery for under 4’s and dedicated family restaurants and early eating times creating a perfect balance. For adults there’s delicious fine dining, wine bars and an abundance of space and places to relax and unwind. Leaving Southampton on a Monday (a great way to start the week) we were soon heading around the Isle of Wight into the English Channel and after a while taking in some fabulous views of the White Cliffs of Dover before dinner. Our cabin, a Superior Balcony Cabin on deck 9 was very comfortable and well appointed and our hard working cabin steward ensured everything was ship shape and to our satisfaction throughout the cruise. Tuesday was a day at sea and time to meet Paul A. Young and listen as he shared his insight into the
world of chocolate with a Question and Answer session and book signing in the Tamarind Club. Later in the day we attended a chocolate master class. This was an intimate, ‘hands on’ class with Paul sharing the secrets of temuring and moulding chocolate with plenty of tasting opportunities! Ventura has outstanding facilities for guests. The theatre and show lounges are amazing and on our cruise we were entertained by tribute acts, bands, disco’s, new movies, quizzes, comedy and dancing. We found a super sail-away and pre-dinner drinks venue – the Metropolis, right at the top of the ship with a huge panoramic video wall featuring
a different skyline each evening. Ventura also has a well-equipped gym, sports court and four pools, one with a retractable roof so you don’t have to worry about the weather. If you feel the need for pampering then the Oasis Spa on deck 16 is the place to go with many luxurious treatments on offer. It’s fair to say that dining is a priority for most cruise guests and Ventura keeps up the excellent P&O standards. Whatever your mood or taste buds dictate there’s eateries to suit. In addition to the main three dining rooms there’s a number of select dining venues to choose from including Atol
Kochlar’s Sindhu at East; The Glasshouse, a wine bar and restaurant created in partnership with Olly Smith; The Epicurean at The White Room and one of my favourites The Beach House on deck 15 where the baby back ribs and steak on a stone were superb, followed by a choice of desserts such as hot fruit sizzlers and warm chocolate fudge cake! Wednesday morning arrives and we are in the official capital of the Netherlands – Amsterdam. Ventura, here for the day, is docked close to the historic city centre and we had a choice to explore on foot or take a guided P&O tour such as a ride on one of the canal boats or a visit to Anne Frank’s house. Tours even included the opportunity to venture further afield to visit the famous town of Edam. Arriving in the port of Zeebrugge the following day many tours were on offer including Bruges, Ghent and Brussels. We were back on the chocolate trail however, with a P&O tour of Ghent with Paul A. Young and a visit to a Belgian chocolate shop and factory. Here we saw chocolates being created, and had the opportunity to ask Paul and our Belgian host questions on the art of chocolate making not forgetting of course the opportunity to purchase from their delicious range and additionally spoil ourselves with genuine Belgian waffles and ice cream in an adjacent restaurant! CONCLUSION All too soon we were back in Southampton, full breakfast of course and then disembarkation. Thank you P&O Cruises for creating yet more memories on this wonderful short break holiday — yes, this is the life!
LOCAL 2-15
GLOBAL 16-21 16-23 16-19
BUSINESS 22-28 24-28 20-26
GLAM 29-37 27-35
HEALTH 38-41 36-39
Travel 42-43 40-41
TECH 44-45 42-43
Motoring 46-47 46-49 44-47
FOOD 48-49 50-51
SPORTS 50-56 52-56
April 2018
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48 HOURS IN THE COTSWOLDS
By David Powell | Travel Editor
The Cotswolds covers an area of 790 sq miles in
the upper part of the southwest region of England. An officially designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty since 1966, here you’ll find wonderful countryside, gentle hillsides (wolds) and delightful villages and typically English market towns where it seems time has stood still. In fact the whole area is characterised by attractive villages built of the instantly recognisable Cotswold stone, a warm yellow oolitic limestone. BOURTON-ON-THE-WATER Of the many Cotswold villages I decided to start my visit at Bourton-on-the-Water. Known as ‘the Venice of the Cotswolds’ it’s here you’ll find the river Windrush meandering through the centre of the village and the arched bridges which allow you to wander from one grassy bank to another whilst admiring the architecture. Regularly voted one of the prettiest villages in England, Bourton-on-theWater has more than its fair share of Cotswold houses and cottages many dating back to Elizabethan times. Apart from a most relaxing day walking
through the village and browsing the interesting local shops, I found that there’s plenty to see and do here. Bourton Model Railway Exhibition I found this wonderful model railway exhibition quite by chance in the centre of the village and here over 40 British and Continental trains cover three major displays with one of the layouts having a unique visitor control function – I was able to press buttons and start the trains rolling. The trains run through excellently designed scenery. You can find out more at www.bourtonmodelrailway.co.uk Cotswold Motoring Museum & Toy Collection My next stop, and across a little bridge, takes me to this museum which is ‘overflowing’ with vintage and classic cars, motorcycles, original enamel signs and a 1960’s/1970’s exhibition. There’s plenty of other attractions including the Equestrian Centre, Sphere Mania, Bird land Park and Gardens, The Cotswold Perfumery, Model Village, Cotswold Pottery and the Dragonfly Maze. You can find out more at www.bourtoninfo.com
THISTLE CHELTENHAM HOTEL Bourton-on-the-Water is only 18 miles from Cheltenham where I had arranged accommodation and dinner. This is a contemporary four star hotel set in beautiful grounds near to Cheltenham Racecourse and only 10 minutes from the historic town centre. There’s 122 bedrooms including suites, 15 meeting rooms and the Otium Health and Leisure Club which includes a heated swimming pool. There’s plenty of on-site parking and I found this hotel welcoming, with friendly helpful staff and a great place to relax. There’s a choice of rooms with all the modern facilities you would expect from a hotel of this calibre. There’s a large comfortable lounge and bar conveniently located on the ground floor, perfect for a drink, snack or light meal. Close to the bar is the Burford Room Restaurant, where I had dinner booked, with vibrant contemporary colours, ambient lighting and a great menu! The restaurant staff were pleasant, professional and very helpful; a super dining option I can recom-
mend! More at www.thistle.com/cheltenham GLOUCESTERSHIRE WARWICKSHIRE RAILWAY (GWR) The following day, after a hearty breakfast, it was off to the nearby and famous Cheltenham Racecourse. Through the Racecourse to GWR car park for a great day out! Immaculately kept steam trains operate regularly from the Cheltenham Station to Winchcombe via Gotherington Halt and a 693 yard long tunnel at Greet. This is a nostalgic 14 mile round trip with spectacular views of the Cotswolds, the Malvern’s and the Black Mountains beyond. GWR hold a variety of special events during the year. More information on this and the railway itself can be found on their website www.gwsr.com CONCLUSION I hope my ‘taster’ of the Cotswolds has given you some inspiration to visit the area, It’s another excellent short break UK destination with much more to see and do.
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TECHNOLOGY
T: 0121 771 4545
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With New Delhi choking on air pollution
140 air purifiers installed in Indian government offices
As pollution has choked In-
dia’s capital New Delhi in recent years, a total of 140 air purifiers were purchased for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s offices and at least six other government agencies, according to previously unpublished government data. The purchases came as Mr Modi faced staunch criticism for not taking effective steps to improve air quality in Delhi, one of the world’s most polluted cities. Delhi’s Chief Minister, who belongs to an opposition party, called the city a “gas chamber” last year as levels of airborne PM 2.5, tiny particulate matter; that can reach deep into the lungs, far exceeded levels classified as “hazardous”. A British medical journal, The Lancet, has estimated air pollution was responsible for almost
10 percent of the total disease burden in India in 2016. Each year, when pollution levels shoot up in the winter months, the capital’s schools are often forced to shut. Last year, all schools in the city were closed for five days. A federal body that manages more than 45 government schools in the capital said it had made no purchases of air purifiers and had no plans to do so. “Offices are generally airconditioned, so air purifiers will function. Our schools aren’t air-conditioned, windows are open, so air purifiers won’t make a difference,” said Mr Santosh Kumar Mall, commissioner of the body, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan. The World Health Organisation has recommended keeping win-
dows closed when air pollution is high. It also says air conditioners should not be used if they draw air from the outside. Asked if any steps were taken to safeguard school students from Delhi’s dirty air, Mr Mall said: “I don’t think so when pollution increased a lot, our schools were shut.” As per Reuters. The federal government, however, spent 3.6 million rupees, or about S$72,700, to purchase air purifiers for Mr Modi’s offices and at least six federal departments between 2014 and 2017, according to government data reviewed by Reuters. Besides Mr Modi’s offices inside Parliament House, the agencies included federal economic planning think tank NITI Aayog and the ministries of health, agriculture, tourism, home affairs
and foreign affairs. “This initiative is like giving gumboots to city officials when the drainage system collapses and the city is covered in muck,” said Mr Oommen C. Kurian, a health researcher at the New Delhi-based think-tank Observer Research Foundation. “This is just not the response we are looking for.” A government spokesman directed questions on the subject to the federal Environment Ministry, which did not respond to a request for comment. Air purifiers are devices which operate using filters to reduce indoor air pollutants. Such machines are beyond the financial means of a majority of people in India, where the annual per capita income was US$1,709 (S$2,249.39) in 2016, according to the World Bank.
Still, air purifier sales have been surging in Delhi, a city comprised of in excess of 20 million people. The sale of such units at Amazon.com Inc’s India website grew by more than 3.5 times in 2017 over the previous year, the company said. The Home Ministry spent about US$20,000 in the last three years to buy 44 of the devices, while Mr Modi’s Parliament House offices accounted for 25 units, which cost about US$11,000, the data showed. NITI Aayog, which also spent about US$11,000 on air purifiers, said the devices were “issued to officers at the level of joint secretary & equivalent and above, as per their requests”, according to a right to information response. A senior government official familiar with Mr Modi’s pollutioncontrol planning said there
was no federal policy allowing officials to buy air purifiers and such purchases were made only if departments received requests from bureaucrats. “Ideally, no one should need air purifiers and we’re trying our best to ensure that,” the official said, referring to the government’s attempts to improve air quality in Delhi. After years of criticism that Mr Modi’s government was not doing enough, this year’s federal budget outlined a scheme for pollution control that will include spending US$177 million on reducing crop residue burning - one of the main causes of pollution. Mr Modi’s Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan last month said pollution was “now linked to our national image”. By Zakaria Abraham
LOCAL 2-15
GLOBAL 16-23 16-19 16-21
BUSINESS 24-28 20-26 22-28
GLAM 29-37 27-35
HEALTH 38-41 36-39
Travel 42-43 40-41
TECH 44-45 42-43
Motoring 46-49 44-47 46-47
FOOD 50-51 48-49
SPORTS 52-56 50-56
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by Khalid Karim Technology Correspondent
Supercharge Your LinkedIn Profile Turn Your LinkedIn Profile Into a Sales Funnel LinkedIn is a fantastic resource for anyone looking for a job, career change or to expand their professional network. But if you don’t know how to put up a good LinkedIn profile, you won’t be taking full advantage of it. You need to be able to be found or show up in more searches? Show up in the right searches and get more people to take action. These LinkedIn profile tips will help you increase your LinkedIn profile views in 2018. As long as you have the basics in place like having a professional photo and making sure your information is always up-to-date, here’s how to maximise your profile. Specialise in Your Field to Stand Out Since there are millions of people on LinkedIn, how do you stand out? Instead of being a generalist, show that you are a specialist in a particular field, niche down. Instead of pitching yourself as a manager, focus on presenting your profile as that of an IT Manager. Or go one step further, an IT Manager with expertise in health and safety. The more specific you are with what you do and what you’re looking for, the more likely
you are to be found in the searches. Granted there will be fewer people looking at specific niches. But those people are also much more likely to want to hire (or at least get in touch with) you. This approach of being laser targeted has been recommended by many experts who say that it will improve your search views as well as the quality of people who find you. Treat Your LinkedIn Profile as a Sales Page This is possibly the most important tip. A potential client, employer, or business partner isn’t interested in your skills and experience they are more interested in what your skills and experience can do for them. And you need to be able to sell that. While your LinkedIn profile does serve as a glorified online résumé in part, it needs to be more than that if you want to attract key people of influence who will become your customers or business partners or potential employers. In principle, your profile needs be a good sales page to attract views and get people interested. The better you understand who you’re selling to with your LinkedIn profile, the more effective it will be.
Always keep in your mind who you’re writing for and what they want. Tell Your Story Once you’ve figured out who your target audience is and who is captured by your LinkedIn profile, it’s time to start crafting a story. This is one of the most important parts of creating a great LinkedIn profile, and it’s also one of the most difficult. Effective storytelling, engages people in a way that a simple showcasing of your qualifications won’t. If you can create an emotional connection with your audience, the effectiveness of your LinkedIn profile will be propelled. Three key questions you need to ask: What are your pain points? How can you help ease that pain? What will your reader feel like once you have? If you can incorporate those three things into your summary, be a problem solver and you’ll have a profile that stands out from the rest. Use these sure-fire tips to help create demand with your story, and your profile will become very irresistible.
Add Call To Action You will be surprised how many people forget to add any kind of call to action in their LinkedIn profiles. They put out a bunch of information, and then leave it up to the reader to do something about it without any instructions. ................................................... “If you want to increase your profit through efficient tax savings then get in touch. Send me an InMail or email me at abc@abc.com. I’m always open to chat about potential contracts, interesting projects, writing in general, and—when at all possible—golf.” ................................................... It tells the people looking at my profile, what they can get from me, and how they can start the process. It makes it very clear what I’m looking for. You can also list qualities that make a great call to action: brevity, strong action words, a value proposition, and contact information. Finally, you can also include these calls to action in your experience entries. Don’t overwhelm your reader with demands to connect or email you. But make sure that they never have to look very far to figure out how to get in touch.
Don’t be afraid to spice up your profile with media. You can include media in your summary and experience entries that show the kind of projects that you have worked on. It could be a link to an article that you published. Or a local news story covering the work your company does. It could even be a photo of you speaking at an event. You can upload videos too, which is a great way to start establishing a personal connection with your readers before they even get in touch and it helps to raise your profile and brand reputation. It’s another great way of showcasing your expertise and what you can do for your prospective customers. And last but not least, this might help your profile directly but it will lead to more profile views and better search rankings. The more active you are on LinkedIn, the more you’ll improve your profile visibility, and the more likely people are to find you. Whether it’s because you’re connected to their connections, they see a comment in a group that you’re in, or you sent them a message a while back, your activity makes you stand out.
5 tools to change the way Snapchat adds you use Gmail 16-person group video calls
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f you only use Gmail to send and receive emails, you’re barely scratching the surface of what it actually does. Here are some tools that will help you integrate multiple cloud storage providers, enable experimental ‘labs’ options and adding super-cool features by third-party developers and much more. So, over to 5 tools that will change the way you use Gmail. MailTrack: Know when your email was read You’re probably using WhatsApp ¬- you get two little tick marks on your message once it’s been delivered and they turn blue once your message has been read. Wouldn’t it be great if you could find out when your email has been read in the same way? You can do this with a free Chrome extension called MailTrack. Once you install it, you’ll get free email tracking, desktop and email notifications and a history (data is stored for 6 months). The only catch is that there’s a ‘Sent with MailTrack’ signature added to all your email. If you’d rather not have
that, you can upgrade to the pro account for $3.50 per month. This also gives you unlimited history and the ability to track if links in your email were clicked. Dmail: Self-destructing email It’s the stuff of science fiction and action movies ¬ send your message (which is encrypted, by the way) to the recipient and you can choose when it ‘self destructs’. After the message destructs, the recipient will no longer be able to read it ¬ it will just read like garbled text. Get the free Dmail (Delicious Mail) Chrome extension. The service is currently in beta stage and completely free. In every message compose window, you’ll see the toggle for Dmail. You can revoke access to any mail, you’ve sent, at any time. It’s important to note that the recipient does not need to have Dmail installed. Once it goes out of beta, there will likely be some paid plans with extra features ¬ a basic service should remain free though. Mail2Cloud: Schedule your email The free Mail2Cloud extension on Chrome adds a small button to your compose window -¬ right next to the send button. Just compose an email like you normally do. You can then choose a date/time when to automatically send
it. The Save & Share feature can make a PDF of any email and save it to your cloud storage box. Third, you get features like email tracking and self destruct. And for anyone who’s using Gmail for work, you can do stuff like set reminders for follow up email and set a timeout (be notified if an actionable email hasn’t elicited a response). This is free for 10 users while plans start at $2.50 per month. Rapportive: Get more info about your contacts Not everyone uses a detailed signature. Rapportive is a free add-on for Firefox and Chrome that gets information like a photograph, alternate email, Twitter ID and so on (basically whatever information they add to their public LinkedIn profile) -¬ and it adds this information in a box where the ads normally appear. That’s a double advantage: The ads are removed and you get useful information right alongside the email. Cloudy: Enable all the Cloud providers What if the files you want to attach are saved on cloud storage? What if you want to attach multiple files from different cloud service providers — all in the same mail? A free Chrome extension called Cloudy can help — it integrates with SkyDrive, Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, SkyDrive, Github and Gmail itself. If you like, you can also attach photos from Facebook, Instagram, Flickr or Picasa (these will be real attachments — not just links to those photos. This means your recipient will instantly see the attachments). If you use Evernote, you can also attach notes and if you need to attach images from the web, you can search and attach right within Gmail -¬ rather than search, download and attach individually.
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napchat is one of the most top used social media app today. They have launched a feature on their app, which enables up to 16 people to take part in a live chat together, either using their voices or through video. The social media app, allows you to tag anyone else, by their username, using the @ symbol in their posts. The new feature will be released over the next few weeks, according to the firm. Snapchat came under fire recently for their recent redesign of the app layout. Many users created a petition which attracted more than 1.2 million signatures. The petition was set up, to get as many signatures as possible, to change the design back to its original format. Snapchat have already aired its first TV advert in the US. Viewers noted that the advert seemed to strike a family-friendly atmosphere. “Snapchat’s early growth has largely been built on attracting a strong youthcentric audience,” commented Jack Kent from IHS Markit consultancy. “To grow the user numbers it needs to broaden its appeal to a wider audience. “The key challenge... is how to add older users without losing the cool factor that helped fuel its early growth.” “Snapchat is the place where you trade dumb jokes with your friends, non-
essential thoughts, or show off the trashy nights you don’t want preserved past a five-second timer,” wrote Megan Farokhmanesh. “Its feeble attempts to win over everyone either misunderstands its own product at its core, or signals a desire to re-frame that product as a second-string replacement for platforms that already exist.” Snapchat had recently faced criticism in recent weeks after (£1b) was wiped off Snaps stock market value, when reality star Kylie Jenner tweeted that she would no longer be using the social media app. Snapchat also apologised after they displayed an ad, which appeared on its platform for a third-party game, which asked users if they would “rather slap Rihanna or punch Chris Brown.” Chris Brown was convicted in 2009 after he assaulted the singer.
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MOTORING
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Motor Ombudsman is Easier and Quicker for Consumers to Rate and Review a Garage
The Motor Ombudsman,
the automotive dispute resolution provider, is pleased to announce that it has upgraded its online consumer reviews tool on its Garage Finder (www. TheMotorOmbudsman. org/garage-finder). The refreshed design and layout makes it easier and quicker for any customer to express their opinions and evaluate a Motor Ombudsmanaccredited franchised dealer or independent garage following a vehicle purchase or service. Using the “Rate” button on a garage’s profile, a customer can select the relevant Code of Practice survey, namely Vehicle Sales, after buying a new or used car, or Service and Repair after having any work carried out on their vehicle. They are then able to score different aspects of their experience of the business based on a one to ten star rating. These include the booking process, the quality of work, as well as the likelihood of recommending
the garage to others. Furthermore, individuals have the facility to openly leave comments on a trader, which are subsequently displayed on their Garage Finder profile in addition to their overall star rating and the proportion of people who have recommended the business. Any customer who rates a garage is eligible to enter The Motor Ombudsman’s quarterly prize draw to win £500 in lifestyle vouchers. The reviews provided by motorists
are invaluable for Motor Ombudsman-accredited businesses, as they can be used to further improve and refine internal processes in order to deliver even higher standards of workmanship and service. Similarly, it is an effective tool for garage owners to highlight positive performances to staff, or conversely, where something can be changed for the better. Bill Fennell, Chief Ombudsman and Managing Director of The Motor Ombudsman, said: “In the digital age, consumers often consult reviews and the views of others as a first port of call before making a decision about where and what to buy, especially if it’s a big ticket item like a car. We therefore wanted to create a one-stop, easy-to-use survey tool where motorists can share their thoughts about a business. This, in turn, creates an impartial and transparent picture for fellow consumers so that they can make a fully informed choice as to which garage to go to.”
UK’S MOST POPULAR DREAM CAR REVEALED BY TRACKDAYS
The Lamborghini Gallardo, favoured by celebrities such as David Beckham and Pierce Brosnan, has been revealed as the nation’s favourite supercar. The newly released data from
TrackDays.co.uk, which offers a huge variety of the most desirable models, reveals the Gallardo is the supercar that Brit’s most want to drive given the chance. Indeed, like the awesome power of the car itself, driving experience
bookings for the Gallardo are off the scale compared to other popular models such as the Nissan GTR, Ferrari 360 and Aston Martin DB9. The Gallardo actually takes almost a fifth of driving experience bookings with TrackDays.
New Laws on Car Tax and Passport Fees
A raft of new laws have come into
effect, starting from April 1st 2018. From new rules on car tax to passport fee hikes. There a number of changes being made to car tax rules which are aimed to reduce pollution, that can lead to an increase in bills, by atleast £500. These rules, will mostly affect drivers of new diesel cars, which will go up a tax band if they fail to meet the latest Euro 6 standards under ‘real-world’ testing. Currently, there are no new diesels, so the extra fee will apply to all new diesels sold. Diesel cars that issue an excessive level of pollution, which is measured against the Euro 6 standards, have to pay an extra tax fee. This can range from £15 to £500 in the first year. After, there is a flat rate, depending on your vehicle. • 140 a year extra for petrol or diesel vehicles • £130 a year extra for alternative fuel vehicles (hybrids, bioethanol and LPG) • £0 a year for vehicles with zero CO2
co.uk, well ahead of its nearest rival the Audi R8 with 12 per cent of bookings. Dan Jones, operations manager at TrackDays.co.uk, said: “While it has always been popular with A-list celebrities, the Gallardo would also be
emissions The car tax increase will be applied to new vehicles bought after 1 April 2018 and not those registered before, so drivers with existing diesel cars will not pay more. The costs of new postal applications has increased by atleast £12.50 to £85. The post office’s send service now costs an extra £9.75. Those who apply online now, are paying 4 percent more, which rates from £72.50 to £75.50. From May 2018, atleast 293,000 cars in Britain will be exempt from having an MOT test. Under new plans, 40 year-old cars won’t need to take the annual road safety test. This suggests that 1.5 percent of cars will not have an MOT certificate, but will be road legal. In 2018, the UK government will be introducing new laws, which mean that users will need to take a basic online safety test and will need to register their drone in order to use it legally. The test is said to be similar to a driving theory test. the supercar that most Brits want to drive if they had the opportunity. “No surprise given its jaw-dropping looks and incredible performance figures with a top speed of more than 200mph and being capable of 0-62mph in just over three seconds!” It’s also a double celebration for Lamborghini as it also tops the bookings for the ‘Supercar Choice Experience’ when customers can select the manufacturer experience they want, as opposed to a specific model. Dan added: “We all dream of owning a supercar and it is the Lamborghini, and the Gallardo in particular, that most Brits see as their ultimate dream car. With as few as 14,000 models ever built, and with some models still costing more than £100,000, taking one for a blast around a race track is the closest that most of us will get to enjoy its awesome looks, performance and handling. “And while the Gallardo is beyond the reach of most pockets you can get to own one, albeit for a few hours, by booking a driving experience from as little as £39!”
LOCAL 2-15
GLOBAL 16-23 16-19 16-21
BUSINESS 24-28 20-26 22-28
GLAM 29-37 27-35
HEALTH 38-41 36-39
Travel 42-43 40-41
TECH 44-45 42-43
Motoring 46-49 44-47 46-47
FOOD 50-51 48-49
SPORTS 52-56 50-56
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ROLLS-ROYCE TO GRACE THE SLOPES OF COURCHEVEL AND ST. MORITZ
T he ongoing relevance of Rolls-Royce is built on an unrivalled dialogue between the marque and
its patrons. The world’s leading luxury house has a profound understanding of the lifestyles enjoyed by its clientele, and attends some of the world’s most desired locations during the season to keep in close touch with them. After a highly successful summer in elite island hotspots Porto Cervo and Ibiza, as well as the French Riviera, Rolls-Royce has decamped to the slopes of Courchevel and St. Mortiz to provide an elegant backdrop to its clients’ winter season. The marque will grace both luxury Alpine resorts, inviting patrons to experience every expression of the brand. Alongside Dawn, Ghost and Wraith,
Rolls-Royce will offer drive and chauffeur experiences in the multi award-winning New Phantom, which continues to be revered by the cognoscenti as “the best car in the world”. For those possessed with a darker, more restless spirit, Dawn Black Badge will make its European debut alongside Ghost Black Badge. With every possible concession to comfort and warmth considered, patrons will be encouraged to lower the roof of the Dawn drophead and survey Courchevel’s incredible vistas in the very finest style. Julian Jenkins, Regional Director Europe, RollsRoyce Motor Cars, says, “On behalf of the team I am delighted to welcome guests to our luxury venues in these prestigious winter destinations as they enjoy their winter season. At the Home of
Rolls-Royce, our aim is to ensure that our existing and prospective Rolls-Royce owners have the opportunity to experience our models at a time and place convenient to them. Our presence in the Alps for this extended period offers a unique opportunity to engage with Rolls-Royce.” Courchevel This year, the marque will return to the exquisite Le Lana Hotel from where guests will be able to drive, or be chauffered, in the entire RollsRoyce range. Patrons will also be able to begin their Bespoke journey at a commissioning suite situated at the nearby Six Senses Residences. This extraordinary venue will also play host to lounge spaces in which clients can socialise and examine collectables curated by the brand. Supported by
Rolls-Royce London and Rolls-Royce Monaco, representatives of the marque will be present during the key weeks of the European winter sports, 8th – 27th February. St. Mortiz Concurrently, the marque will also be at the iconic Badrutt’s Palace Hotel in St. Moritz, remaining there up to the 28thFebruary, coinciding with the town’s key social dates. An elegant lounge at Badrutt’s will function as a social hub for patrons before they depart for their Alpine experience in a Ghost, Wraith, Dawn or Black Badge motor car. Those who wish to arrive on the slopes in the ultimate style will of course be chauffeured to the bottom of the piste on request.
NOBLE M600 CARBONSPORT CONFIRMED FOR BUILT IN BRITAIN AT THE LONDON MOTOR SHOW 2018
A 2018 British Racing Green Noble M600
CarbonSport will be at The Confused.com London Motor Show this May, taking pride of place on the all-new Built In Britain feature. Designed, engineered and manufactured at Noble’s Leicestershire base, the twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 M600 CarbonSport is poised to be one of the stars of the show at London’s ExCeL in May. The car boasts a power output of 662bhp, resulting in a top speed of an estimated 225mph and a 0-60mph time of just 3.5 seconds. It weighs in at just over a tonne with a dry weight of 1198kg.
The team at Noble has invested five years of extensive development into the M600 CarbonSport, which earns its name from the abundance of fully exposed carbon fibre throughout. Handcrafted to the highest standards in the industry and built to the customer’s specification, the M600 CarbonSport offers bespoke detailing that can go beyond unique aesthetic details for customers in order to provide a driving experience like no other. The CarbonSport is primarily designed for speed and handling however this is not at the expense of either comfort or practicality, with a cabin which
features a traditional bespoke British handbuilt finish. Carbon centre console, door cards and gear knob, hand turned knobs and fine quality wool carpets bound to the edge with leather are also fitted. In keeping with the carbon fibre theme, the seats are of lightweight carbon fibre composite construction which can be bespoke to individual requirements. The all-new ‘Built In Britain’ feature will display the very best of British automotive manufacturing and motoring, with a host of vehicles from wellknown brands, commemorating the nation where vehicle design and production all take place.
Alec Mumford, Chairman of The Confused.com London Motor Show, said: “The Leicestershirebased Noble Cars is truly a British institution and we are delighted to have the 2018 M600 CarbonSport at the London Motor Show. In what is a major feat of British ingenuity, nouse and sheer brilliance, this car produces over 660bhp and is an absolute testament to this country. A beautiful car which is deserving of its place on the Built In Britain feature, which is sure to capture the the heart of visitors at the show.”
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MORE THAN 2.5 MILLION BRITS HAVE MISUSED A DISABLED PARKING SPOT Findings from a new survey
by on-line parking portal YourParkingSpace.co.uk indicate that more than 2.5 million Brits are flouting the use of disabled parking spots. Among the excuses given by motorists were that they were in a rush, they thought no-one would notice, they didn’t care and even that they felt there should be no special parking for Blue Badge holders. However, the most common reason was that they simply did not realise it was a disabled parking spot, indicating that more prominent signage might be required at many places. And according to the survey, there could be even more
misusing these spaces than those admitting to it, as results also show that nearly two-thirds of people have seen someone else doing it. But it’s not all doom-and-gloom, as more than a quarter of brave Brits would confront a disabled parking space offender. Harrison Woods, managing director of YourParkingSpace. co.uk which conducted the survey, said: “It is shocking to think that there is a significant number of Brits who believe there’s nothing wrong in parking in a disabled parking spot when they have no right to. “Not only can this lead to a fine but it is also very inconsiderate to disabled drivers who might be forced to park somewhere else if
CUTTING CORNERS
Scores of parents are cutting corners on safety when driving with their kids, according to a study.The research of 2,000 mums and dads found 34 per cent have allowed their children to travel WITHOUT a suitable child restraint. And around 37 per cent have driven with someone else’s child as a passenger despite not having a suitable child seat for them. Worryingly, it also emerged one in 10 have, or would travel a short distance, without their child or children safely secured in the vehicle. Shockingly, 16 per cent revealed their little ones have travelled while sat in the BOOT and more than one fifth have perched them on a cushion instead of a suitable car seat. The study also found 32 per cent have driven with their children sat on someone’s lap and 20 per cent have ‘squeezed’ their kids into a backseat containing four or more passengers. Commissioned by mifold (corr), a grab-and-go portable child restraint, the study also found ‘pester power’ is one of key the reasons why parents don’t always take in-car safety into account. Other factors include not having access to suitable child car seat and a lack of understanding of the rules and regulations of travelling with
kids in road vehicles. Father-of-four, Jon Sumroy, who invented mifold, said: “There’s certainly confusion among parents about what’s required to keep their children safe. “A car seat belt chest strap must lie on the clavicle (collar bone), over the edge of the shoulder and the lap belt should rest on the bones of the hips. “When a child is too small for a seat belt, as is
the space is wrongly taken.” As well as harsher financial penalties, including increasing the maximum fine to £5,000 to misusers of on-street disabled parking spaces, almost a quarter of those surveyed wanted a further punishment of three penalty points on a driving licence, while more than 1 in 10 backed the idea of community service. There was also strong support that offenders be sent on a disability awareness course, with backing from almost a third of people, while a temporary driving ban of 3 months or less was welcomed by just under 5 per cent of respondents. Harrison added: “Another excuse given by offenders was that the case before they are 135cm tall, it can cut into their face or neck and ride up onto their soft stomach - this is incredibly dangerous in the event of a collision.”It also emerged one in four parents didn’t know it’s potentially dangerous for kids to use a standard seat belt without a suitable child restraint – even in the back of the car. Furthermore, more than half didn’t know kids could slide under a seatbelt in the event of a crash – if the lap strap is too high over the
the disabled parking spot was the only space available. Those drivers who feel that this is a justifiable reason should plan ahead so they aren’t parking where they are not allowed.” Meanwhile, Philip Connolly, Policy Manager of Disability Rights UK, commented: “One of the most important questions we can ask ourselves as human beings is what is it like to be someone else. For example, what is it like to be a blue badge holder in any town centre. My guess is that just to ask the question is to know that you don’t want to park in a disabled parking space if you are not disabled yourself.”
abdomen. The research also found a whopping 85 per cent of parents believe the Government should do more to raise awareness of the dos and don’ts of in-car safety Amid this, 27 per cent fear they have inadvertently broken regulations relating to travelling with children in vehicles and 54 per cent worry they might in the future and not know it. Despite this, 38 per cent said they believe there may have been times when others have
BEAST FROM THE EAST REVEALS ITS TRUE COLOURS
Halfords Yuasa Racing’s newshape Honda Civic Type R showed off its true colours for the first time at Donington Park as its distinctive livery stole the show at the traditional Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) Season Launch. In a fiercely competitive series in which nobody stands still, Halfords Yuasa Racing’s 2018 challenger has been one of the most eagerly-anticipated new arrivals in years. Already spied testing at Parcmotor Castellolí in Spain and back on home soil at Rockingham and Brands Hatch, the Civic Type R (FK8) had only been spotted in stealth mode.
Sporting the same striking blackand-orange combo as it has since 2016, Honda’s title hope will be piloted by three-time champion Matt Neal – the most experienced driver on the current BTCC grid – and series newcomer Dan Cammish, who comes with a glittering résumé having won back-to-back Porsche Carrera Cup GB titles on the TOCA support package in 2015 and 2016. Both Neal and Cammish will take to the track alongside their 30 rivals at Donington Park as the first shots are fired in the quest to clinch the most coveted crown in British motorsport.
“
Matt Neal: I’ve had the pleasure over the years of driving some truly special cars for Honda in the BTCC, but I have to say, I’ve genuinely never felt as excited heading into a new season as I do right now. We’ve had a solid testing programme with the new Civic Type R and put a number of miles on the clock, and now we’ve finally been able to show this little beauty off to the watching world! To my mind, it’s the bestlooking car on the BTCC grid, and you know what they say about a car that looks fast...
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Dan Cammish: I must say, I’ve been a bit blown away by the level of interest and excitement surrounding the official unveil of our new Honda Civic Type R – but then when you look at it, you can clearly see why. Honda is one of the most successful manufacturers in BTCC history, and Team Dynamics has a proven record of producing race-winning cars – so I can’t wait to get out there and show just what we’re capable of this year. I’ve got a lot to learn, but I’m confident of hitting the ground running at Brands Hatch next month.
driven their kids somewhere and broken car safety laws without realising it. A spokesman for road safety charity, Brake, which has partnered with mifold, said: “Child safety is paramount and too many children are being affected by road crashes, devastating families and ruining lives. “Parents need to take responsibility for keeping their children safe, whether in their own car or in vehicles driven by other family members or childcare providers, by using appropriate restraints at all times. Carried out through OnePoll. com, the survey also found that four in 10 have had to lug around a child car seat on the off-chance they might need one for their little ones. Perhaps eager to avoid carrying a seat around one fifth would allow
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their children to travel in a taxi without being strapped in and one in 10 would do the same if travelling overnight. Jon Sumroy added: “I invented mifold which is an incredibly compact child restraint, when I realised my own children were being put at risk in frequent car sharing. “It became more and more difficult to ensure they were safely seated in a car that could not accommodate more than two high back seats. “I wanted to find a safe, practical and portable solution that would keep my kids safe no matter whose car they were in. “Mifold is for those scenarios where children might have to travel using the standard car seat belt, such as unexpected quick trips in secondary cars, using hire cars, taxis, car sharing or on play dates with friends.”
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SMALL HELPERS WITH BIG EFFECTS Seeing all around the car and manoeuvring safely with Area View and Rear View • Four cameras provide a 360-degree view of the vehicle’s surroundings from a birds eye perspective • The front camera shows cross traffic even before it becomes visible to the driver • The Rear View camera offers a good view rearward A good all-round view is a prerequisite for safe parking. In parking situations, in particular, it is often difficult for drivers to get a comprehensive view around their entire vehicle. A small helper that produces big effects in such situations is Area View. A total of four cameras – installed at the rear, in the exterior mirrors and in the radiator grille – acquire images of the entire surroundings and project a live image in the cockpit display from a bird’s eye perspective. Other views can be shown according to the specific traffic situation and the purpose. This makes it easy to recognise potential obstacles in a timely way. A typical scenario for the extended use area of Area View includes courtyard entrances,
garages and tight parking spaces. Visualisation of lateral distances to obstacles makes it easy to avoid minor scrapes and dents. Area View also enables the driver to literally look “around the corner”. That is because the camera in the radiator grille is located far forward, and it can acquire images of the zones to the left and right sooner and better. It shows a live image of approaching cross traffic on the display before the driver can even see it. While the front camera is located in the radiator grille, the rear camera is in the hinged Volkswagen logo or is integrated into the rear lid handle. Small cameras in the exterior mirrors round out the innovative system. Here’s how it works: the wideangle cameras scan the area around the vehicle, within system limits, so that the “blind spot” can also be seen. The Area View system was first installed in the Volkswagen Touareg. The all-round view is implemented by four cameras which are inconspicuously integrated into the vehicle. Each camera has an aperture angle of 190 degrees, and the
system acquires the entire vehicle surroundings. By way of comparison: the visual field of a human – when looking in a relaxed, straight-ahead manner – is only around 175 degrees. The images of each individual camera are compiled into an all-round view of the vehicle that is shown in the display. The Rear View system enables a view behind the vehicle, thereby indicating whether the rear zone is clear. For the first time in the Golf Mk 6, when reverse gear is engaged, the rear camera mounted in the hinged Volkswagen logo is automatically activated. The lines showing the driving path on the display offer additional orientation. They are shown differently for different systems and are based on the steering wheel angle. For instance, the system can also assist in coupling a trailer to the vehicle by showing a driving line to the towing bracket on the camera image in the trailer view, so that the driver can guide the vehicle precisely to it. Pinpoint accuracy in steering and avoiding obstacles is also made easy in reverse gear.
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ONLY HALF OF CARS CLAIMING TO TAKE THREE CHILD CAR SEATS CAN FIT THEM IN
•What Car? tests find that even bigger cars designed for families, including the largest seven-seat SUVs, can’t accommodate three child car seats •Only one of eight SUVs can fit a trio of child seats in, as well as 66% of MPVs •Audi Q7, SEAT Alhambra and Volkswagen Touran among the best cars for families with three or more children Only half of the cars claiming to accommodate three child car seats at once can actually fit them in, according to new research by What Car? One in seven families in the EU (13%) have three or more children and, in the UK, 180,000 families have a third or fourth child every year. By law, children must use car seats – whether secured by seatbelts or Isofix brackets – until they are 12-years-old or 135cm tall, meaning that the size and type of child car seats used for three children can vary considerably in size and style. Despite being the fastestgrowing family car sector in the UK, only one of the eight SUVs tested by What Car? – The Audi Q7– was able to fit three child car seats across a single row of seats. Four of the SUVs tested couldn’t fit in three seats at once in any configuration.
TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR CONCOURS OF ELEGANCE 2018
The MPV category proved to be the best performer, with four of the six seven-seat cars tested able to accommodate three car seats across the middle row. According to the new What Car? New car buying marketplace, the best deals on MPVs include a £21,799 price tag for a Seat Alhambra 1.4 TSI S and £19,590 for a Citroen Grand C4 Picasso 1.2 PureTech. Discounts on the site run as high as 26.7% on a Citroen Grand C4 Picasso and 22.1% on a Volkswagen Touran.
Tickets to the Concours of
Elegance 2018, a world-class display of the finest cars ever produced, are now on sale. Held from the 31st August to the 2nd September, the Concours of Elegance is uniquely hosted in the beautiful and historic gardens of Henry VIII’s former home, Hampton Court Palace. The Concours of Elegance’s main display of around sixty vehicles will be the focal point of the event, telling the story of the motor car from the 1890s right through to the modern day. Picking out the finest examples from the worlds most iconic and legendary car brands, the event is a celebration of rarity, craftsmanship, design and endeavour in the automotive world. On display in the perfectly manicured gardens of Hampton Court Palace will be exceptional Rolls-Royces, complete with Figoni et Falaschi bodywork, rare vintage Bugatti prototypes and Ferraris once owned by icons of Hollywood. Many of the cars on display will be taking part in moving parades over the weekend, including a trip to the event’s new central stage. Featuring commentary and interviews with some of the world’s foremost motoring experts, the stage will provide a focal point for all visitors to the Concours of Elegance.
A hatchback and an estate with three Isofix points across their second seating row were also tested - neither were able to fit in three car seats side-by-side. What Car? tested 16 of the bestselling cars in the UK and used the same three children – aged seven, four and 11 months – in every car; the youngest was in a Maxi-Cosi Pebble infant seat secured by the seat belt, while the older two were in Britax Romer Kidfix II seats with Isofix points.
As well as the cars in the main display, visitors will also be treated to a range of ultra-exclusive supercars, a variety of displays from the nation’s best car clubs and stands from the Concours of Elegance’s luxury partners. Adult tickets for this year’s Concours of Elegance start from just £25, with concessions from £17.50. Children under five and carers can enter free of charge. Visitors are able to purchase a luxurious picnic with delicious three-course meal provided by the Royal Warrant Holders, or can purchase bespoke hospitality packages, including VIP parking, three-course lunch, drinks reception and cream tea. • Tickets are on sale for the Concours of Elegance, heading to Hampton Court Palace from 31 August - 2 September • The rarest and most important cars ever produced, from the 1890s to 2018, will gather in the beautiful gardens of the Palace • The Concours of Elegance will also welcome the nation’s top car clubs and a number of luxury partners to the lawns • Nearly a thousand exotic vehicles will gather at Hampton Court Palace over the course of the weekend • Tickets can be bought from www. concoursofelegance.co.uk/tickets
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Kitchen
Coconut Pachadi must try once!
If you like side dips and raitas, then you must try the south-Indian equivalent. Pachadi, made by combining thick curds with vegetables, is tempered to add irresistible aroma. Try out our coconut and
curd pachadi with added zing of ginger and green chillies. Preparation Time: 10 mins Cooking Time: 1 mins Total Time: 11 mins
Ingredients: * 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut * 3/4 cup beaten fresh curds (dahi) * 2 tsp finely chopped green chillies * 1/2 tsp finely chopped ginger (adrak) * salt to taste * 2 tsp coconut oil * 1/4 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson) * 5 to 6 curry leaves (kadi patta)
Method: Step 1) Combine the coconut, curds, green chillies, ginger and salt in a deep bowl and mix well. Keep aside. Step 2) Heat the coconut oil in a small non-stick pan and add the mustard seeds. Step 3) When the seeds crackle, add the curry leaves and sautĂŠ on a medium flame for a few seconds. Step 4) Pour the tempering over the coconut-curds mixture and mix well. Step 5) Refrigerate for at least an hour.Serve chilled.
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Chocolate Cheescake Soft & creamy chocolate cake
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Ingredients:
* 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs * 2 tablespoons sugar * 3 tablespoons butter or margarine melted * 2 pounds cream cheese * 1 cup sugar
* 8 ounces sour cream * 1/4 cup cocoa * 2 eggs * 1 cup flour * 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Method: Step 1) In a 5 quart mixing bowl place 2 pounds of cream cheese and 1 cup granulated sugar and mix on low speed until cream cheese is softened and smooth, place in bowl 8 ounces sour cream and continue mixing until well blended, at this time add 2 eggs, mix for 2 minutes then add 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup cocoa, and 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, mix on second speed until smooth and creamy. Step 2) At this time your cheesecake mixture should be fluffy like ice cream as it comes out of the ice cream machine. Prepare your 10 inch x 2 inches spring form pan, in a large bowl place your graham cracker crumbs and 2 tablespoons sugar, and your melted butter or margarine, then with
a wire whisk, whisk them together until well combined, brush onto the sides of your spring form pan a little softened butter so the crumbs have something to hold to, place the crumbs on the sides and bottom of the pan. Step 3) Preheat your oven to 275 degrees and not more, when your oven is hot place the cake in it and bake for 55 minutes then shut off the oven and let it in there for 3 hours, at the end of this time you should have the most beautiful cheesecake you ever seen, let the cake on the table for 1 1/2 hours then place it in the refrigerator for about 2-3 hours. Now remove it from the pan and enjoy. You can put a coconut pecan topping on it if you like.
Organic Juices For Constipation Apples and Apple Juice
Apples are good for eliminating constipation because they are high in pectin, a soluble fiber, have many minerals, and contain sorbitol – a natural sugar, which stimulates peristaltic action. Pectin helps to detoxify the intestines and promote regular bowel movements. The fiber in apples adds weight and bulk to your fecal matter and helps draw water from your colon into the fecal matter keeping the stool from becoming hard and thus preventing constipation. Apples are one of best fruits to eat because they are high in minerals, which provide alkaline electrolytes to your body. What electrolytes do is neutralize acids that are created during illness, anxiety, anger, exercising, breathing pollution, and improper eating. Body acid is a major reason we get deadly diseases as we age Make eating apples or drinking fresh apple juice a daily habit. They are also effective in liver and gallbladder problems.
Here’s what to do.
Use crisp and hard apples such as granny smith, Fuji, or gala apples for juicing. Drink three glass of apple juice during the day – morning, noon, and evening. In combination with drinking fresh apple juice, eat 3-4 apples each day to get fiber. The combination of eating and drinking apples juice will activate your colon to start moving stagnant matter.
One-day apple and apple juice fast
You can also do a one-day or two-day apple and apple juice fast by, eating 3-4 apples during the day. Drink apples juice every two hours. Don’t eat anything until the next morning. Then, start changing your eating habits as listed in some of my other articles.
Organic fresh made juices have cleansing and laxative action, which will help you eliminate constipation. Taken regularly they will help you have daily bowel movements. Organic juices contain loads of mineral, bioflavonoids, vitamins, enzymes, antioxidants, and other nutrients. Citric fruits have citric acid and the more tart they are the more acid they have. Fresh juice is a fast way to get all types of nutrients into the blood quickly. As juice
nutrients get into your blood, they suck out toxics and build up tissues. In your colon they destroy bad bacteria, feed wall tissue, pull out toxins, and have laxative action. Even though juices provide helpful action throughout the body, it is best to limit their use and drink them in larger quantities only when trying to accomplish certain health benefits. If you use natural foods with laxative effects, their laxative effect diminishes after long-term use.
If you have diabetes or adrenal fatigue, limit your use of fruits and juices when you first wake up in the morning. However, exercise in the morning will help you tolerate drinking some juices in the morning When juicing fruits and vegetables, the more fiber that is left with the juice the better results you will get with your constipation. It is always best to use fresh juices, but as a last resort using packaged juices will be better than not drinking anything.
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Islamabad United crowned PSL kings in Karachi
The stands of Karachi’s National Sta-
dium roared with chants from a packed holiday crowd as international cricket returned to the Pakistani metropolis after a nine-year break with the final of country’s Twenty20 league on 25th March 2018. The Pakistan Super League (PSL) final - in which Islamabad United beat title holders Peshawar Zalmi by three wickets - is seen as a major step towards reviving international cricket in the country, suspended since 2009 attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore. The attacks left Pakistan cricket forced into exile, with international teams refusing to tour the terror-hit country over security fears and the national team left to play its home matches in United Arab Emirates (UAE). The first 31 matches of the PSL were again played in Dubai and Sharjah before the two play-offs in Lahore, highlighting the improvement in security situation after military operations in the troubled north-west of the country. Islamabad, who won the title in the inaugural year in 2016, rode on a brisk 26-ball 52 by Luke Ronchi spiced with five sixes and four boundaries which anchored his team’s successful chase of a 149-run target in 16.5 overs.
Ronchi also finished as top run-getter with 435 runs in 11 matches. Asif Ali smashed three sixes in his 26 not out. Peshawar Zalmi faltered in their batting after winning the toss as their top scorer of the league Kamran Akmal managed just one off nine balls. Chris Jordan top-scored with 36 while Andre Fletcher scored 33 and Wahab Riaz made 28 not out. Spinners Shadab Khan took three and Samit Patel chipped in with two wickets. Karachi became the second major venue to host international matches after Lahore hosted five international matches against Zimbabwe in 2015, as well as the PSL final in March last year, three World XI, matches in September and one against Sri Lanka a month later. Sunday’s final was watched by a packed 33 000 crowd, including Pakistan’s prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. It will be followed by three T20 internationals against reigning World T20 champions the West Indies on April 1, 2 and 3 - all in Karachi. PCB chairperson Najam Sethi said more cricket will follow. “It’s a historic occasion as Karachi is hosting a match after a nine-year gap,” said Sethi before the final Giles Clarke, director of International Cricket Council (ICC), praised Paki-
stan’s efforts. “Sethi is very courageous in his decision making,” said Clarke, also the head of Pakistan Task Team formed to help revive international cricket in Pakistan. “Let this final be successful and we look forward to more matches. It’s great that West Indies are coming here and that was important and I look forward to more teams coming and more grounds hosting matches in Pakistan.” Fans weathered suffocating security arrangements, with 8 000 policemen and paramilitary staff guarding the venue and the various check posts in and around the stadium. “Today is a historic moment for us that the cricket has returned to Karachi,” said Saqlain Sher, an employee at a telecommunication company. “This match will send a positive image of Pakistan across the world.” Another fan Rida Waqas was elated as she walks across the walkthrough gate. “I am so happy that so many people have come and the security is good too,” said Rida. “We invite everyone to come and play in Pakistan.” The last match Karachi hosted was a Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in February 2009, a week before the visitors were attacked in Lahore.
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Nike’s Pro Hijab
By Ambreen Mahmood
Nike has launched its Pro Hijab. It
will be on sale in spring 2018, in three different colours. This is a collaboration between Nike and Muslim athletes in the Middle East. However, they aren’t the first to bring out a sports hijab, and with Nike being one of the biggest sports brands in the world, it is a surprise they didn’t bring it out earlier. Nike have even released a new advert with women from North Africa and Middle East. The video on the Nike Women YouTube channel has gathered over 1.5million views. Sporting examples who have been seen wearing the new design include Emirati figure skater Zahra Lari and Egyptian athletics coach Manal Rostom. Nike’s worldwide known ‘swoosh’ is displayed on the side of the lightweight breathable headscarf. Nike spokeswoman Megan Saalfeld explained that the Pro Hijab was made “as a direct result of our athletes telling us they needed this product to perform better, and we hope that it will help athletes around the world do just that.” Nike isn’t the first mainstream sports
company to make a sports hijab and it is a shame it has come so late. In 2016, Oiselle designed the same uniform by hijabi sportswomen Sarah Attar from Saudi Arabia, who competed in the 2012 London Olympics. This move was followed by Danish company Hummel who released new football kits for Afghanistan’s women’s football team in the same year. Hijab in sports is not a new idea. Women have been wearing hijab for a very long time. Smaller companies such as Capsters started selling sports hijabs all over the world since 2001, and Canadian brand Resport also designed a scarf for Muslim women to wear. This inspired both, the international taekwondo federation and Fifa to overturn hijab bans, allowing Muslim women to compete in sports events in 2014. These smaller companies fought for diversity and won when big names like Nike and Adidas were just thinking about the idea. Nike aren’t the first or the last to implement the sports hijab, however the future certainly does look bright for current and future hijabi sportswomen.
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India’s Female Dynamic Pakistan’s Duo on Commonwealth ban from Games 2018 international football lifted by FIFA Pakistan’s ban from international soccer has been lifted by FIFA following the end of “undue third-party interference” in the country’s football federation (PFF), the world governing body said. The ban, in force since October, had barred Pakistan’s teams, including the senior national side, from playing in international competition while the PFF was denied access to FIFA development and training programmes. FIFA said it lifted the ban after an administrator appointed by the Lahore High Court was directed to hand control back to the PFF. FIFA said the PFF had “successfully tak-
en back control of the PFF offices along with the PFF accounts on March 1” and added that it was still closely following the situation at the federation. According to FIFA records, Pakistan, 203rd of 211 teams in the world rankings, have not played a full international since a 0-0 draw with Yemen in a World Cup qualifier in March 2015. Pakistan has never qualified for the World Cup. FIFA’s statutes rule that all member federations must be free of any government and judicial interference in their respective countries. By Zakaria Abraham
Pakistan’s Ace Bowler
In the sport of badminton, Saina and
Sindhu are India’s female dynamic duos. They are persistent and are striving for the gold this coming Commonwealth Games. Saina is a young and talented badminton player. However, she has sustained several bouts of major injuries in the span of her sports career. From uncooperative healing of her blisters with groin injuries from the Australian Open Super Series in 2014, which withheld her from participating in the Glasgow edition to suffering from Achilles tendonitis. However, after these injuries, Saina arose and won the Australian Open. The
most recent injury that she dealt with sent her to the operating theatre after the Rio Olympics Games where she had an intra-articular right knee injury that needed to be fixed. This aspiring young rising star went through many setbacks, including the physical injuries which forced her to rest after her win of a bronze medal during the 2012 London Olympics. At the brink of giving up in 2014, Saina found the motivation to keep pressing on with the help of Vimal Kumar in Bangalore after the Uber Cup. Her performance accelerated and resulted in new wins at the 2014 China Open and 2015 India Open. Also, Saina worked her way all the way
up to the final at the All England and World Championships in 2015 where she was titled World Number 1. Saina attributed her achievements to “excellent coaches”, as quoted by her. To name a few, Mohammed Arif, Goverdhan Reddy, Vimal Kumar, Puella Gopichand and other foreign coaches and staff. Together with Sindhu, who won the bronze medal in the Glasgow edition where she replaced Saina because of her injuries and, a silver medal in the Rio Olympics in 2016, are set to win big for their country India. By Zakaria Abraham
Virat Kohli to get a Wax Figure at Madame Tussauds Delhi
Having carried the Pakistan cricket
team for years, 25-year-old Mohammad Amir has decided to take a step back. As a professional left-handed fast bowler, injuries are part and parcel, however, Amir has resolved to listen to his body and give it adequate rest it needs. Fans can still expect their beloved bowler in full-capacity action in the test cricket games, however, not as often as previously. Amir will still be playing in the foreseeable future, although to do so he has to be selective on which games he will be participating in. He has previously stated that he would want to be in the best condition physically and mentally for the World Cup Games in 2019. Sports superstar Amir said, “Cricket is different since 2010, and if you look back I have lost five precious years of my career. If I had played in all those years, the count could have been 70-80 Tests till now.” Being cognizant, of how
age together with continuous play will be detrimental in the long run, Amir, the MVP that helped the team win Pakistan’s Champions Trophy with a tough battle against India in 2017, has found an agreeing point with head coach Mickey Arthur on a rotation policy. Other teams from England and Australia have already adopted such a system, and Amir is an advocate on it. He mentions that not only does this allow the players to recuperate physically and mentally to bring their A-game to every match but, allows other competent players to experience, practise and have an equal chance as well. It’s a win-win situation. Amir is concerned with taking good care of his body so that he will be able to serve the national team to his fullest ability and a fit body with a healthy mind are the keys for an excellent performance. By Zakaria Abraham
Found in Hollywood
and Bollywood, Madame Tussauds is famous for their scarily realistic wax figurines. They aren’t just any wax models; those who made it there are notable for something great such as sportspersons, historical or political figures. Captain of the Indian cricket team, Virat Kohli is having his very own wax figurine procured and placed alongside with other renowned sports stars like Lionel Messi, Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev. Virat Kohli was ecstatic upon hearing the news and felt truly honoured to be part of this. The whole team from Madame Tussauds went down to take down measurements of Virat Kohli, and he was ever so grateful for their patience
as they jotted down over 200 measurements. He was so enthusiastic and exuberant throughout the entire process and, extended his gratitude and appreciation on this monumental moment for him and many others. He said “It’s a great honour to be chosen
as one of the figures at Madame Tussauds. All thanks to the Madame Tussauds team who were extremely patient during the sitting sessions and for giving me a lifetime memory.” The young cricket superstar is not just a high achiever in the sport – making a splash in the scene in 2006 for his first-ever game, claiming the champion in Under-19 World Cup, clinching the Arjuna award, ICC World Cricketer of the year, three-time BCCI International cricketer of the year awards and, being captain to the Indian cricket team. Not to mention being recognised by the Government of India with receiving a Padma Shri. He also possesses the true nature of an Indian. By Zakaria Abraham
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Britain’s First Female SHAHID HUSSAIN Muslim Kickboxing PULLS OUT OF BAMMA DUE TO HIGH Champion BLOOD PRESSURE By Ambreen Mahmood
British Bangladeshi woman, Ruqsana
Begum, standing at just 5ft 2in, overcame a strict conservative upbringing, a catastrophic arranged marriage, and dealt with a crippling health condition - all before becoming kickboxing champion of the world. “I had a very strict Muslim upbringing,” she said. “My family were very protective of me. So I felt like I couldn’t tell them I was training in combat sports, because I thought they wouldn’t allow me to. I was worried I would have to choose either the sport I fell in love with or my family.” Fifteen years ago, during her university years, Begum found a way to express herself through Thai boxing. By the age of 19, she had won her first competition. However, she hid this from her family for five years. She said: “When I was younger I used to make sure all the house chores were done, keep my mum happy and then ask her: ‘Mum can I go to the gym for an hour?’ “Then I’d rush to the gym, get my training in Muay Thai done and run back home. My family didn’t know what I was doing there.” 202
“Once I finished university I had an arranged marriage which failed miserably,” she said. “That led me to a low patch in my life and at that point I felt like I lost my identity.” Her fighting career suffered a further setback in 2010 when she was diagnosed with ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), an illness she says she has been able to manage with a strict diet and training regime. “My coach told me to see a specialist when we realised after one good training session I’d be in bed for a month,” she said.
“After my arranged marriage ended, I decided to take my parents to the gym without telling them where I was taking them,” she said. “They felt guilty about what happened to me in my marriage. From there, I continued my journey as a Muay Thai kickboxer.” In 2016 she made history, defeating Sweden’s Susanna Salmijarvi to become the first British Muslim woman to win a kickboxing world title. Now aged 34, she decided to make the switch to professional boxing. After signing with former heavyweight champion David Haye’s Hayemaker Promotions, Begum drawed her first professional boxing match aired on Channel 5. Begum says she wants to be a part of the uprising women’s professional boxing scene, so she can continue to inspire a new generation of young British Muslim women fighters. “I didn’t have any doors open to me, it was a hard, long struggle over 10-15 years,” she said. “As a female, being able to do something and give others hope that nothing is set in stone and you can get through anything.”
Shahid Hussain has revealed his decision to pull him out of a fight with Nathan Jones on BAMMA. The 38-year-old mixed martial arts star intended to make a statement on the show at the Wembley Arena, which is said to be his return to the promotion after a seven-year absence. Although, the martial arts fighter has been ruled out of the fight after the doctors found that he has high blood pressure. It is believed that Shahid is disappointed with the decision to have been cleared to fight with Nathan Jones; however, he is hoping that his medical issue will not rule him out for long as he plans to return to the sport. Hussain mentioned to the Observer: “It is not something I would have preferred, but it’s one of those things. GPs are medical specialists and mine would not sign me off. “GPs can 100 percent be funny people sometimes. It would have been my 25th professional fight, and I’ve been signed me off before, so why not now?” He added: “I was told it was a precautionary measure and had to do another test. It was tight time-wise, but I thought let us see what happens.” “I was told if I do the test on March 1 the results would not come back until the 6 or 7 and that would not be fair to the opponent. Shahid also went on to say: “The promotion would rather pull the fight than look for a replacement and I can understand
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that. Hopefully, the fight will be put on another card.” “I’m gutted but know that medical assessments take priority. I didn’t want to take it any further even though I had been signed off before.” “I had loads of people that would have been going with me; there would have been an army of people turning up. Some of them attended anyway because it was such a good card.” “I was so disheartened I could not be bothered to go because I would have had to explain myself to everyone.” Hussain explained: “My blood pressure is borderline so I have to have it monitored for 24 hours, but it’s not as straightforward as that.” “They work out an average over seven days and will only send you to one clinic.” “There’s nothing else to it, but it’s always on the high side during my training camps because I’m training five or six times a day.” “I will do the tests but on the NHS even in the results don’t come back until a few weeks later.” “I will keep on training, keep the weight low and look at a possible return in midMay. Whether or not that will be on the BAMMA show, I’m not sure because I observe Ramadan and that kicks in on the 17th, so I will not be fighting then.” “I will back with the BAMMA promotion in the future, and even other promotions have contacted my manager to ask about my availability.”
Award Winning Body Builder Rahat Shah
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Mission statement
I see boys in the street, drinking, smoking with not much to occupy their minds. My mission is to engage with the youth & allow them to prosper in the world of bodybuilding which allows you to achieve a healthy body & mind. I would like to open my own gym one day with the aim of improving & inspiring the younger generation into the vast world of fitness.
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Interview transcript by Zakaria Abraham 1. How tough is it to become a professional bodybuilder? “It is very tough. Once you get on the stage that is the time to really enjoy yourself and show off the hard work that has been put in. Discipline is a key factor in the bodybuilding profession and for me makes up roughly 80% of your work. After that you must of course observe a strict diet, get ample sleep and ensure your prepping all your meals correctly.” 2. What fulfils you most; the financial reward or the satisfaction of competing? “There are financial rewards which can come from sponsorship via entering & winning competitions but my main motivation is not money. Every time I step on stage, I am representing my country, my family, my community so when I win it is not just a victory solely for myself. These are the real rewards for me. After month of strenuous training & preparation a win at a major competition validates the effort put in.” 3. Who were your inspirations for initially getting involved in the sport? “My initial and biggest inspiration was my daughter. It was her who filled me with the drive and passion to better my physique and in turn make her proud of her father. I began training at the age of 21, closely studying Arnold Schwarzenegger; how he trained, dieted, competed and paid close attention to all general aspects of his profession. Even to this day Arnold says he is learning new techniques from young competitors and this in turn gave me a hunger to learn more and to never stop learning.” 4. What was your first competition like? “My first competition was done without the
help of a coach and this was a massive learning curve for me. I was practicing posing in front of the mirror on daily basis late at night, watching YouTube tutorials on how to correctly shape my body etc. I didn’t achieve my best finish but I learnt extensively about the semantics of professional competition and the dearth of talent and obstacles that I had to successfully hurdle in order to then myself win competitions. This set me in good stead for my other competitions of which I entered 7 in total in 2017.” 5. If you could give 3 words of advice to upcoming competitors what would it be? “A winning mentality is key. Market yourself & your brand accordingly. Set yourself a goal & execute it.” 6. Importance of sponsorship? “Bodybuilding as a profession is an expensive sport and can be financially taxing on an individual. Sponsorship can be vital to a new competitor/athlete & winning a big competition such as (The world Championships in Barcelona) in which I achieved a top 10 finish, sponsorship is likely to arrive from such exposure. In Barcelona I saw professionals who had been competing for 10-15 years and it was a massive step up for myself. I had to quickly adapt to my surroundings and was forced to become fiercely competitive. I learnt a lot from Barcelona; with my execution and posing the main improvements I had to work improve on. My posing coach James Alex who himself is an (WBAF competitor and bodybuilding champ) was pivotal in helping me improve on these key aspects. Without the help of seasoned professionals like himself I would not possess the confidence I wield today.”
Key statistics: • Competed in 7 competitions in the calendar year of 2017 alone achieving successful winning finishes in 4. • Received top 10 finish in Barcelona World Championships. • James Alex posing coach (WBAF competitor & champ).