Asian world feb 18 by asianworld.khi

Dine in

20% OFF

AdvAnce TAble bookings only T/c applies

Indian Restaurant

5pm - 11pm

See Page 3

February 2018

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Issue 123

0121 357 1897 Walsall Rd, Great Barr, Birmingham. B42 1LR. www.badshahpalace.co.uk

Secure English Language Tests for British Citizenship, Settlement and visa applications English language tests approved by UKVI

Secure English Language Tests (SELTs) for to fulfil UKVI A2 requirement New SELT available 0333 358 3183 Free student and teacher resources available online British Citizenship, Settlement and visa applications trinitycollege.com/SELT

Trinity has 10 SELT centres across the UK with tests available 7 days a week

UK Vis Immig as and ration

India on track to overtake china in economic growth

Rohingya Emergency Appeal Donate Now 0121 446 5682 islamichelp.org.uk See Page 15

he Indian government has been hyper active with its economic reforms and developmental plans ever since Narender Modi, head of Bharatiya Janata Party, took charge as Prime Minister of India back ...continued on page 5 in 2014...

SUNDAY 4TH MARCH 2018

BIRMINGHAM CONFERENCE & EVENTS CENTRE OPP NEW STREET STATION, NEXT TO HOLIDAY INN

WWW.NATIONALASIANWEDDINGSHOW.CO.UK

OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNERS

February 2018

LOCAL

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Asian World’s – Hot Picks LOCAL

GLOBAL

Mehmood Sultan mingles with stars

Zainab’s Murder: Riots in Pakistan

ith an astonishing blue silk suit, Mr Mehmood Sultan had been witnessed on the red carpet of the upcoming thriller ...... Page 06

ainab Ansari, a seven-year-old girl, living in Kasur, Pakistan, was abducted while going to attend her Quran class and was raped and murdered...... Page 18

BUSINESS

GLAM

SPORTS

Interview Eurozone’s Nadia with Fleeting Nadim, The boom in an Sensational Superstar Harshdeep illusion Striker Kaur

t’s no news anymore that there has been mismanagement in the economy of the UK over the past years ...... Page 25

ensational Harshdeep Kaur with an exclusive interview about her successful journey...... Page 36

ot many footballers have had a hard start in life the way Nadia Nadim has, an Afghan Danish footballer who now plays for Manchester City women’s team.... Page 53

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

Editor’s Note Hello readers and welcome back to another edition of Asian World Newspaper. In this edition we discuss a whole range of stories that are occurring in 2018. We discuss Mr Mehmood Sultan’s success in acting, if you would like to learn more about Mr Sultan than please turn to page 6. We’ve even discussed the horrific story of the teenage girl known as Shahida Shahid who died after eating a burger and the death of the 8 year old girl called Mylee Billingham, tragic news. For more details on these stories then please check out page 8 and page 14. For all you sport lovers, we discuss Nadia Nadim, The Superstar Striker and the Bradford Beeni Brothers, for more sport stories check out the sport section in our newspaper. We even discuss the justice for Zainab Ansari’s murder as the murderer Mohammad Imran has been

arrested, for more information please see the global section on page 18, where you’ll find many more interesting reads, including the 10 Most Powerful Intelligence Agencies around the World! There’s so much to choose from, all you need to do is 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 March 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

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

Get in Touch: NEWS

news@asianworldnews.co.uk

ADVERTISING

Salma Ilyas sales@asianworldnews.co.uk

WRITE FOR US

editor@asianworldnews.co.uk

SOCIAL MEDIA: > Follow us

February 2018

AW Team: Ambreen Mahmood Mohammed Ilyas Uzair Janjua, Fazilla Shujaat, Katie Henry Azhar Khan Hasnat Minhas Furvah Shah Syed Tauqeer Hussain Zaidi

Co-editor

Mehrunnisa Ahmed

Columnists

Mohammed Zafran Khalid Karim Reema Sarin

Facebook Groups Asian World Media Group 530,000+ followers Asian World Business Group 134,000+ followers Asian World Health Group 171,000+ followers Asian World Music Group 345,000+ followers

Contact Details: Asian World Rapyal House Small Heath Business Park 4b Talbot Way Birmingham B10 0HJ

Head Office: 0121 771 4545

E-mail:

news@asianworldnews.co.uk

Currency: 1 GBP=

Designers:

Country JAN DEC

Nadir Sharjeel Shaikh Tarandeep Singh

USA

To Advertise with us, please call

0121 771 4545 www.asianworldnews.co.uk

1.21 1.27

Europe 1.15 1.18 Dubai

4.46 4.67

India

82.78 86.42

Pakistan

127.34 133.08

Bangladesh 95.67 101.02 Sri Lanka

182.11

188.59

February 2018

Eight People Arrested for the Murder of Ibrahim Ismail Eight people have been arrested

for the murder of a 23-year old student, who had been stabbed to death after a violent clash broke out in Moseley Street, Highgate. Among the accused, there are seven men and a woman with charges of conspiracy, violent disorder and murder. Ibrahim Ismail, a Syrian native studying in Solihull, died in the deadly clash that broke out. The attackers stabbed Ibrahim a number of times, causing gruesome injuries. He died as a result of a stab, which tore into his heart. His body was found lying in a pool of blood outside a Shisha lounge. His devastated mother had issued a heartfelt appeal via a national newspaper to help find those who were involved her son’s death. The men have been identified as Shabaz and Rebaz Kamal, aged 24 and 32 from Westminster Crescent, Handsworth; Abdullah Alshameri, 21 from Churchill Road, Handsworth; Adam Rasol, 24 from Queens Head Road, Handsworth; Awaas Aftab, 23 from Hobs Maot Road Solihull; Tabean Abdullah, 19

from Beech Avenue in Birmingham; Adam Ijaz, 24 from Burnham Road Great Barr; and Shabana Bibi, 32 from Station Road, Witton. All the accused will appear before Birmingham Magistrates on February 14. Rebaz Kamal, Aftab and Abdullah are facing additional charges of possessing deadly weapons. Inspector Caroline Corfield, who is in charge of the investigation, said: “Clearly, this is a significant development in the case, but this is still very much a live investigation into Ibrahim’s murder. We are determined to get justice for Ibrahim’s family.” She further added, “We know we have not traced everyone, who was at the scene that night and I would ask anyone who was there to get in touch. Last month we released images of people who were there, and if anyone recognises someone from those CCTV stills, I’d urge them to make contact.” “These are people who could hold valuable information. I hope those people can find it in their hearts to come forward now to help us seek justice for Ibrahim’s family.”

Service • • • • •

Wedding Stages Walima Stages Mehndi Stages Chocolate Fountain Fruits Display

• • • • •

Fruits Thaal Sweet Candy Cart Candy Floss Ferroro Rocher Stand Paan Supari Table

• • • • •

Canopies (Finger Food) Dessert table Pakistani & Bangladeshi Catering House lighting Tent hire

• • • • •

Centrepieces Walkway Guest Book Table Decor Mocktail Bar

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

India on track to overtake china in economic growth T he Indian government has been hyper active with its economic reforms and developmental plans ever since Narender Modi, head of Bharatiya Janata Party, took charge as Prime Minister of India back in 2014. With the flagship slogan “together with all, development for all” of Modi’s government, the country was in spotlight at mega events like World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, introduced economic reforms like demonetization and GST harmonization, and is expected to win back the title of “world’s fastest and largest growing economy” from China. The once implemented policies of demonetization and GST had adverse effects on economy. In light of these economic reforms, the International Monetary Fund Bank (IMF) lowered the country’s growth rate to 6.7 percent back in October of 2017. It became a turning point for China as it logged a faster growth of 6.8 percent in the same year. However, it is now expected to fall behind India in the coming two years with its GDP decelerating from 6.6 percent to 6.4 percent in fiscal year 20. The United Nations has put

out a report titled World Economic Situation and Prospects 2018, saying that Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.2% in 2018 and 7.4% in 2019, provided that the global conditions remain in favour of the country. With this growth rate, India will be one step ahead of China in the race of GDP growth,

hence beating China. There are multiple factors involved in India becoming the fastest growing economy, each having significant importance of its own. Country’s investment plans, debts and deficits, rapid population growth and gender inequality all strongly contribute to the bigger picture here.

India, a country with one of world’s largest military, also successfully paved its way into the top 100 of World Banks Doing Business in 2018 for the first time in the country’s history. It is being reviewed as a product of its economic reforms by other world leaders. However, India still falls behind 22 places than

China. The fact that it came up 164th in enforcing contracts highlighted its inefficiency in legal system. India can and needs to do better to maintain its new title which is yet to be regained. The well renowned risk monitoring agency, Aon, highlighted its severe concern for China in its recent political newsletter. It says that the tightening policies of country will put a strain on its growth within and outside of China and its strong emphasis to grow with businesses like construction is increasing the economy’s reliance on credit as a result of which economic policies are being tightened. This strategy, consequently, exposed an economic volatility as service costs for debt increased and so did political grievances. India holds a noticeable position in world now and aims to do more in future. Its economy is large, more competitive and at its boom. It is expected to be the world’s most populous country by 2040 as forecasted by United Nations. Given the circumstances and competition it has blown past, there is no stopping India in becoming a significant voice of world in few years

FIND e TRIBE! at

6 jan - 25 feb wmsp.co.uk/earlyman IN CINEMAS JANUARY 26

February 2018

Full House for One Mr Mehmood Sultan mingles with film stars Day in the Haram on the red carpet

With an astonishing blue silk suit, Mr

Mehmood Sultan had been witnessed on the red carpet of the upcoming thriller ‘LIES WE TELL.’ The 66-year-old, Mehmood, from Chellow Dene, appears in some scenes of the northern noir which includes big names like Oscar-nominated Harvey Keitel and Golden Globe winner Gabriel Byrne. The film was produced in Bradford. The production time revealed at the world famous Raindance film festival, and Mr Sultan was one among the casting team.

He seemed to be very happy and proud. He will be taking his family to see the movie once it is released. Being a grandfather, Mr Sultan looked very energetic on the red carpet as he portrayed his role during the interview. Mr Sultan was embraced by the kindness and love shown to him in the sets. In one scene he conducts a Muslim wedding. “Bad things happen in the film”, he added, which casually gives a tip of a blockbuster. A billionaire boss dies, and his chauffeur is given one final job to wipe out any evidence of his boss’s

relationship with his mistress. These kind of thrilling and killing scenes are part of this movie. These types of scenes will make the movie more interesting. The locations and dimensions which have been shown in the trailer are devastating. That is why Mr. Sultan seems to be excited. The excitement and amount of interest shown by Mr Sultan in this film shows the intensity of the movie, and it’s surely going to be the blockbuster of the year. The film has been shot at various locations of Bradford, and it has been a tremendous experience says the production team. When it comes to the production team, the main theme of the movie should reflect to the audience of all the ages and that has been taken care in this film, they

added. The crew is confident of the blockbuster, as Mr Sultan an experienced 66-year-old actor is excited for the release of the movie.Yorkshire has been named as the fastest growing region for TV and film in the country during last summer. The growth has been tremendous throughout Yorkshire than any part of the country. It’s been a great run for the Bradford film industry as it has seen enormous growth by means of communication.

L L I W T A H W

Y OU DISCOVER

Full House for One Day in the Haram

A Birmingham charity has hosted the UK premiere of a ground-breaking documentary which gives a unique perspective on the heart of the Muslim world. Islamic Help organised the screening of One Day in the Haram with its UK premiere at the Genesis Cinema in London, followed by another screening at the Odeon Broadway Plaza in Birmingham the following night. The shows, which also included a Q&A with the documentary’s director Abrar Hussain, at the 500seat Genesis and the 355-seat Broadway Plaza cinemas were sold out. Further screenings are now being planned in a number of other cities. The 1 hr 20mins long documentary is a behind-the-scenes feature about the Haram in Makkah, which is visited by millions of Muslim pilgrims every year. It is the direction towards which Muslims pray daily. The film is centred around the inner workings of the Haram, as seen through the eyes of the army of workers who maintain the complex, during a one-day period. It is the first time cameras have been allowed such access and the film shows the work of the different departments

of the Haram including its social media team, the cleaners, the Imams, the dispensers of ZamZam water, maintenance crews and the specialists who weave and care for the Kiswah cloth that covers the Kaaba. It took Abrar Hussain over a year of research for the documentary. He said he hoped that as well as Muslim audiences, it would provide a unique and valuable insight for non-Muslims. “It was great to see that the screenings were sold out. I feel privileged and honoured to be part of this historic film and the audience feedback was really amazing,” he said. As well as the documentary, the events included fund-raising for Islamic Help’s Umrah for Orphans programme which has so far taken more than 1,500 Palestinian orphans on Umrah to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. Islamic Help’s campaigns manager Toyris Miah said: “Islamic Help was delighted to have co-ordinated this ground-breaking event. Everyone who saw it was hugely impressed. We are proud to have worked with Abrar Hussain to deliver such a great service to the community.” Call 0121 446 5682 or online at islamichelp.org.uk

BIRMINGHAM MUSEUMS?

Loads to see and do this February half term. OPERATION EARTH Thinktank

COLOUR AND CREATE:

great fire

Museum & Art Gallery

Blakesley Hall

RAINBOW MAGIC

of london

birminghammuseums.org.uk/whats-on Funded by:

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

THE LARGEST SELECTION OF WALL & FLOOR TILES THROUGHOUT THE UK

upto

% off all tiles

BIRMINGHAM

WEST BROMWICH

0121 328 8938

0121 520 0600

267 Bromford Lane Ward End Heartlands B8 2SG

CANNOCK

173 Walsall Road Bridgtown Cannock WS11 0JH

01543 469400

Units 3/4 Queens Court Trad. Est. Greets Green Rd. B70 9EG

LICHFIELD

13 Titan Way Britannia Ent.Park Lichfield WS14 9TT

01543 264795

COVENTRY

NORTHAMPTON

02476 662301

01604 582112

14-20 Bell Green Road Bell Green Coventry CV6 7GP

Unit 20 Saddleback Road Westgate Ind.Est NN5 5HL

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

PERRY BARR

Unit D 75-97 Walsall Rd. Perry Barr B42 1TX

0121 344 3959 BURTON

Derby Road Burton Upon Trent Staffordshire DE14 1RY

01283 567574 KETTERING

4 Linnell Way Telford Way Ind.Est Kettering NN16 8PS

01536 511881

BILSTON

WALSALL

WOLVERHAMPTON

01922 746666

01902 715482

01902 405526

DERBY

BROMSGROVE

KIDDERMINSTER

01527 882333

01562 825720

Birchills House Birchills Ind. Est Green Lane WS2 8LE

Unit 2/3 Ascot Drive Osmaston Park Industrial Estate DE24 8ST

01332 784556

Carvers Littles Lane Wolverhampton WV1 1JY

Unit 8a Aston Fields Ind. Est. Sherwood Road B60 3DR

CORBY

SHREWSBURY

01536 403337

01743 464565

Unit 3 Cronin Rd Weldon South Industrial Estate NN18 8AQ

7 Millfields Road Bilston Wolverhampton WV14 0QJ

Unit 6 Easter Park Worcester Road Kidderminster DY11 7AR

Unit B&C Arrow Point Retail Park Brixton Way SY1 3GB

freephone 0800 1 560 560

If you are looking for an up to the minute design for your kitchen, bathroom or en-suite, traditional style or a modern and contemporary design for your lounge, hallway or conservatory. Tile Choice can meet your every requirement at exceptional prices.

www.tilechoice.co.uk

February 2018

From Senior Police Officer to International Life Changer A former senior police officer has turned from leading staff in policing to transforming lives of people around the world.

From the age of ten, Kul Mahay held

a deep-set passion to become a police officer. Growing up in the terraced streets of Wolverhampton. Just a few hundred yards away from the Molyneux stadium, home of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, he was one of seven children. Whilst the overriding interest amongst his siblings was to pursue medical careers, Kul chose to sneak out of the house every Saturday morning, when there was a football match on, and sit on a wall at the end of his street. From there, he had a prime view of the thousands of fans walking towards to football ground. Impressing as that scene was, his focus was always on the people guiding the crowds, wearing the proud uniform of the UK Police Service and everything it stood for – protection, stability and responsibility. He decided, from that age, that he was going to become a police officer himself. Over the next several years, this became his singular dream and vision. At the age of 16, he applied to 26 police forces across the UK to join the full time police cadets and 26 times he failed. Such was his conviction that he continued to apply and on the 27th attempt he received that one letter that changed his life. It started as, “We are delighted to inform you that you have been accepted.” This is how he is journey began with Derbyshire Constabulary. The next 32 years saw Kul following his dream job as a police officer. In those years, he practically did everything that a police officer could reasonably be expected to do. He relished his role and recognised the immense responsibility on his shoulders as a role model in society and as one of the first Black or Asian police officers in his Police Force. In his career, Kul’s infectious enthusiasm was recognised and he was encouraged to apply for promotion. He spent two thirds of his career in leadership positions. He rose to the highest rank of Temporary Chief Superintendent. In his time, he headed up to specialist departments across the Police service, from strategic planning to managing serious crime. On top of that, Kul was also a trained strategic commander in a number of highly specialised policing areas, including Public Disorder, Critical and Major Incidents as well as Homicide Investigation. One of his roles saw him to be one of very few senior officers who were regularly responsible for the policing of football matches. On reflecting upon his police career, Kul says, “The one thing that I learned about my journey was that, when you hold a passion so deeply within you and take consistent action towards your dreams, you simply cannot fail. Eventually the dream becomes a vison and vision becomes a reality. All it takes is determination and resilience.” On making the decision to leave policing to pursue this new journey Kul says, “About 7 years ago, I had a conversation with myself. I asked myself whether I was still fulfilling what I believed to be my purpose and passion. I realised that, whilst I was affecting the lives of people, I wasn’t ‘transforming’ lives. Much of what I was doing was reactionary. I was responding to circumstances after they had occurred. I was responsible for finding justice for those that had been hurt. I wondered if I could reduce that if I could change the way

people think in the first place.” “All we need to do is access this inner power consciously and it would transform the way we live our lives and change our experiences. All it requires is for us to challenge our inner thoughts and existing beliefs that are holding us in the cycle of events that we experience.” Kul spent the last several years of his policing career developing his skills and qualifications for his new role in life. “I wanted to be able to continuously develop my leadership skills and understanding so I could constantly show up as a better version of who I was. I teach this very same principle of developing a growth mindset to my clients around the world,” he says. On waking up after his last day as a police officer, Kul created his business and had his first client who suffered from chocolate addiction. Kul used his skills in hypnotherapy and coaching to reframe how this client thought. Since then, he has gone on to work with clients suffering from all sorts of habits. His simple philosophy is that all habits start in the mind. He is the author of the popular book, ‘Smash the Habit’ which describes the simple processes he has followed in letting go of several habits overnight in his own life, such as drinking, smoking, eating meat and stopping drinking tea or coffee, or

sugary drinks. “Your body craves those chemicals that we feed it on a regular basis and consequently we will have the withdrawal symptoms. But when we give into those symptoms, that decision comes from the mind” says Kul. Kul’s global clientele is more focused on the business and senior leadership sectors. He says “I enjoy working with leaders, whether that is in business or organisations. It’s because I resonate with them. I know how lonely the job of being a leader can be. Whilst others look at your status and perhaps you wealth and define you by that, very few recognise that you are also a human being, struggling with the same limiting beliefs about yourself as anyone else.” Kul is now recognised as one of the top leadership coaches and keynote speakers in the UK. In the past 3 years, Kul has worked with coaching clients and organisations across the world. His passion is to create what he refers to as a new kind of leadership. “If you look at leadership, we have been led to believe that leaders need to think and behave in certain way. Most organisations across the world feel comfortable with developing hierarchical leadership structures where, depending upon your position, you can have a certain level of influence,” he says. “My belief is that we can do things differently. If we truly want to get the best out of everyone in our organisation or life, we need to learn to create a culture of empowerment where everyone is considered equal (in fact I think society could benefit from this belief too). It’s just that some have different responsibilities to others. It is a brave decision for any organisation to implement this culture but when they do they have the potential to create a sustainable environment that delivers powerful results”. Kul’s passion for creating leaders has led him to develop a powerful inner leadership event called, ‘Ignite Your Inner Potential’ which is a public event. The passion behind this was to create a movement across the UK of positive thinking across communities. In its first year, 4 events were held which have gone on to transform hundreds of lives. He has developed two offshoots from this event – ‘Ignite Your Inner Potential Youth’ and ‘Ignite Your Inner Potential Corporate’, both of which have become his signature training programmes to help organisations and young people to go through powerful transformational changes. 2018 sees Kul now developing two powerful international projects that will see him launch his philosophy and thinking into several key countries, including India, Singapore and USA. Kul is widely known as The Immersion Coach. When asked about this he simply says, “Everything I do comes from a place of passion. I recognised early into my policing career that when I ‘immerse’ myself into learning that is when I get greatest depth of knowledge. I simply apply that to my clients. I help to reshape their thinking and create roadmaps towards their own goals through a very intense, all-day process of immersion coaching.”

Juvenile teen dead due to an allergic reaction

The teenage girl from Manchester would indicate her allergies to staff before purchasing any dish.

Almost Famous, Manchester’s trendy burger bar became the last spot for Shahida Shahid to visit after which she collapsed and died due to an allergic reaction caused by consuming the meal. The incident took place in January 2015. She was reported to live no longer than an hour before she left the world. Shahida Shahid, a math student at the University of Manchester, was out with her friends on an evening as she was celebrating finishing her first term at university. A probe into the death of the 18-yearold revealed that the staff of the cafeteria recommended chicken burger to the girl after she flagged her allergies to dairy products like egg, milk, and butter. The cause of her death was the marination of the chicken burger in buttermilk, which she was highly allergic to, that the staff mistakenly failed to inform her about. Shahida suffered irreversible brain damage. She collapsed on her way to The Printworks. The young girl died after spending three days in hospital. The inquest was informed

by Shahida’s elder sister, Dr Sharma Shahid, that she had been the victim of Eczema and milk allergy since her childhood and with time, developed allergies to egg, fish, and nuts. Dr Shahid included that their mother was laboriously vigilant about the diet of Shahida. She would make sure that Shahida does not consume any dairy product inadvertently. Shahida was also suffering from Asthma. Dr Shahid said her sister was strong enough to go out regularly and cope up with her condition. She added that her family would “double check” any food that was served to Shahida in every restaurant. They were persistently conscious about her allergies. To be on the safe side, Shahida always preferred chicken or meat and would inquire about any un-named butter used in it. She would not take for granted any meal that was not certain to be free of dairy ingredients. If she was told that, she would leave, added Dr Shahid. A full inquest into the death has been heard before Assistant Coroner Sally Hatfield at Manchester Crown Court.

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

Tomahzza Atta-Plastic-Free & Trustworthy By Ambreen Mahmood

Chapatti flour also called “Atta” in the Indian subcontinent is a huge part of the South-Asian cuisine. The flour is used to make chapattis and parathas which are staple foods in the cuisine. They are usually eaten with dishes. Chapattis are the centre of the traditional South Asian diet and is enjoyed by South Asian families every day. When it comes to chapatti flour, everyone has their favourite type. Ranging from medium, wholemeal, brown or fine white chapatti flour, there is a type to suit everyone’s chapatti needs. After many videos were posted online showing plastic Atta, customers are wary now of whether they are eating genuine Atta or not. People have experimented to see whether it’s real or fake Atta by kneeding and then rinsing it completely to see whether the end-product is Atta or not Both, Elephant Atta and East End Premium Gold chapatti flour have responded to the claims by saying that it is gluten and not plastic in the

videos. They further went on to say that gluten is present in the wheat flour, and it is the gluten that gives the dough the ability to extend and stretch into chapattis, flatbreads and biscuits. Consuming plastic could potentially be fatal. The best thing to do is to buy a brand that you can trust. That is where Tomahzza Atta comes to the rescue. Made out of the finest whole wheat flour, Tomahzza is the brand that you can trust. 100 per cent genuine asli Atta, plastic-free and trustworthy. Tomahzza Atta delivers both taste and nutrition. It is a perfect blend for both, light and fluffy chapattis, and big round rotis. This Atta could quickly become your favourite to use with dishes. As a trusted local brand, Tomahzza caters for your home or business needs. Pick your Tomahzza Atta up today at Matco Megamart at the right price. Don’t delay and try Tomahzza Atta today! see last page for more details

February 2018

Many Rivers to Cross’: Stop the Speeders: Project to record Eddie Hughes MP calls for action against local history of ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech killer drivers A

Walsall North MP Eddie Hughes submitted an application to Parliament for a thirty minute suspension to debate the sentencing of individuals convicted for causing demise by hazardous driving. It is on the back of a campaign initiated by the Express & Star calling for tougher action against assassin drivers, which Mr. Hughes, voted in the previous year, has openly. The campaign, containing a petition about 2,000 signatures, was set up after two individuals were jailed for 8 years each for slaying victims on the road in the Black Country. Since the story, crime was voiced by individuals including Darlaston Councillor Doug James and the families of individuals who had lost their lives due to hazardous drivers. Mr. Hughes told that the issue would have been raised during a suspension and be put to a minister on behalf of the Department for Justice that is accountable for the courts. It arises as legalisation has been planned by the ministry to enhance the maximum punishment for hazardous drivers who had killed from fourteen years to life in prison. A petition asking for altering law or Government policy needs 10,000 backers to get a response from the Government, and 100,000 to permit a debate in Parliament. Mr. Hughes told that by bringing it to Parliament also he hoped to further raise the profile of the problem, not just in the Black Country but across the country. It was 2 weeks before Craig Edwards and Kade

Scrivens were jailed for less than 8 years each for slaying behind the wheel. 29 years old Edwards, of Cumbarland Road in Walsall, was fast-moving when he slew grandfather

John Hickinbottom in Walsall last June. He was over the drink drive limit. Scrivens, 24, on the same day of the sentencing, of Booth Street, Handsworth, was jailed for slaying 59 years old Nicholas Harrison. Scrivens lost control at a roundabout in Darlaston while fast-moving and smashed Mr. Harrison on November 22, before escaping the scene.

project documenting the local impact of Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech is to be launched by the University of Wolverhampton thanks to a £9,400 National Lottery grant awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). April 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the controversial ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech. Claiming to speak for his constituents, Powell’s speech pushed the Black Country town of Wolverhampton into the national spotlight. Now a major new National Lottery funded project is set to address the impact of the speech in Wolverhampton and particularly how ethnic minority communities within the area responded. Led by Research Fellow Dr Shirin Hirsch, alongside two leading artists Anand Chhabra and Jagdish Patel, the project will create an exhibition at Wolverhampton City Archives drawing out photographs and media material connected with the Rivers of Blood speech. This will be digitalised for a new website. Two volunteers will be trained in oral history to document ethnic minority memories of the speech in Wolverhampton. A collection will be created which will be used as a school resource for local secondary schools to allow students to engage with their own local histories. In close collaboration with Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Anand Chhabra and Jagdish Patel will respond to the speech visually with an exhibition. In addition, photographs of ethnic minority experiences in Wolverhampton in 1968 by renowned photographer Vanley Burke will be featured in this display. On Saturday 21 April 2018 a half-day conference will also be organised, to be hosted by the Heritage Centre, once the Conservative club, in Whitmore

Amir Khan has signed a deal with Eddie Hearn’s A mir Khan signed a three-fight deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing Barry Hearn, father of Eddie Hearn, who was the founder of Matchroom Sport. Eddie Hearn, as a managing director of Matchroom Sport, is looking forward to the fulfilment of company’s boxing deal with Sky Sports that is going to be exclusively televised until 2021. With this deal, 20 live shows will be broadcasted annually. Birmingham boxer Khalid Yafai and champions like Anthony Joshua are also promoted by Matchroom Sports director Eddie Hearn. Besides these renowned professional boxers, the list includes, Anthony Crolla, Callum Smith, Scott Quigg, Ryan Burnett and many more. The stable also rustled Dereck Chisora, Joshua Buatsi, Ricky Burns, Luke Campbell and Sam Egginton. A significant deal has been made between contraries Amir Khan, who made an appearance on the ITV programme I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here, in the past, before rejecting the latest offer made to him by the broadcasting company. After signing the deal with Matchroom, Khan will be working for someone he has evidently despised before. He has been persistently irritated

by Hearn’s efforts to persuade him to fight with his long-term rival, Kell Brook, and many others of the club. Khan has said that: “I would take a fight with Brook on a condition that he leaves Eddie Hearn” while discussing with the promoter during the build-up to Floyd Mayweather’s fight with Conor McGregor in August from Las Vegas. “I don’t feel positive about him.” “I have constantly been telling him to set the terms with my adviser Al Haymon, however, whenever the talk about our fight (Khan and Kell Brook) took place, he has been ill-mannered in this aspect and has never been clear with me.” “It has been one of the main reasons I try to avoid Eddie Hearn and his shows.” The agreement between Khan and Matchroom is expected to prepare the platform for the fight with Brook. However, Kell Brook signed up for a light-middleweight division which will possibly delay the ultimate clash. The astonishing contract nevertheless means that after his stoppage defeat by Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in May 2016, his wearisome hand injury and disputes in his personal life since then, Khan will proceed with his career, as he has long desired to do.

Reans in Wolverhampton. The conference will allow local residents to reflect on the legacy of the speech and the ways in which people in Wolverhampton have organised anti-racism movements in the past. Dr Shirin Hirsch, who is publishing a book on Enoch Powell and Wolverhampton, said: “We are grateful to National Lottery players for this funding which will enable us to document the hidden stories of immigrant communities who lived through Enoch Powell’s Rivers of Blood speech of 1968. “Powell’s speech is remembered by a whole range of different voices, but particularly for Black and Asian immigrant communities who had been targeted in the speech, the impact was felt strongly. We are interested in remembering the ignored, local stories within Wolverhampton and discussing new forms of racism but also anti-racist politics which intensified following the speech. “Through our Many Rivers to Cross project we hope to preserve a long term accessible historical record on the impact of the speech on Black and Asian people in Wolverhampton and to generate new discussions on the legacy of Enoch Powell in Wolverhampton today.”

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

Is the Scottish Party ready for a Brown, Pakistani Muslim?

A Labour councillor informed Anas Sarwar that he would not back him in the Scottish party leadership contest since Scotland was not ready for a “brown, Pakistani Muslim”. Another Labour member told the MSP she might not upkeep his leadership proposal after she saw a photo of his wife wearing

a hijab. Mr Sarwar was defeated by Richard Leonard in the leadership contest which was generated by the resignation of Kezia Dugdale. The MSP does not consider he was defeated due to his ethnic background but has spoken out to nurture awareness about Islamophobia and racism. Mr Sarwar, a former deputy leader of the party, told that the first incident happened as he was campaigning support from senior Labour members. Mr Sarwar claimed that a leader of the Labour council group said that he might not support him in the leadership election, and in his words; Scotland wasn’t ready for a ‘brown, Pakistani Muslim’. After I challenged him on that, telling him it was a racist, Islamophobic remark, he said that it wasn’t his opinion; it was his fright about what his constituents believed. Mr Sarwar said that his wife wore a hijab and a Labour member said that she couldn’t vote for him in the leadership election. Mr Sarwar said that his wife is no doubt a Scot in every way possible and that her identity is much more than what she likes to wear on her head. The former Scottish Labour launched a Scottish parliament cross-party group on tackling Islamophobia. Mr Sarwar said that general people in the Scottish society observe past an individual’s faith and country of origin. He also added: “What we have to challenge here is institutional Islamophobia, institutional racism, institutional sexism and homophobia. It is these institutions that need to be challenged openly.” Other members have supported Mr Sarwar for communicating out, with Transport Minister Humza Yousaf MSP tweeting: “Absolutely shocking. Sorry to hear. Anas Sarwar and his wife Furheen had to ensure this.

New plans for Birmingham HS2 rail project

Parliament has made progression in agreeing

to the second stage of the HS2 rail project, and plans for the new HS2 Birmingham Interchange train station are set to be unveiled. This will move Birmingham one step further to becoming better connected to large cities like London, Leeds and Manchester in a faster time and giving our city fuel for the future. Phase 1 of the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail network, from London to the West Midlands, has already been confirmed by Parliament with Phase 2A, from West Midlands to Crewe, being discussed by Parliament in due time but is unlikely to change significantly. Alongside this, updated plans for one of the two new Birmingham train stations, loosely named HS2 Birmingham Interchange Station, are set to be revealed in Cannes at the Mipim Developer Conference in March. Urban Growth Company (UGC), the body leading the project, are promising “significant” and “bolder” changes to the original plans. Phase 1 of the £55.7 billion train line is due for completion in 2026 and Phase 2A in 2033; and the Interchange train station, set to be allocated at Arden Cross on the outskirts of Solihull, is having its plans adapted to help “link in to the wider growth agenda, regeneration, business and development opportunities in the central hub area” as said by UGC managing director Huw Rhys Lewis. Alongside the updates on the HS2 Interchange Statement, plans for the redevelopment of Birmingham International Station will also be announced. The station is set to undergo a £280M transformation to and will incorporate an automated people

February 2018

mover, which will connect it to the HS2 station. A large train station on Curzon Street has also been proposed in conjunction with the HS2, but not confirmed. The plans for the HS2 rail are building excitement are being generally well-received as the project will slash journey times between Birmingham and London from one hour 21 minutes to just 49 minutes, Birmingham and Manchester will be cut from one hour and 28 minutes to 41 minutes and Birmingham and Leeds will be cut from one hour 58 minutes to 57 minutes. This will help maximise opportunities for the people of Birmingham by making us much better connected with other large cities, and this is not the only benefit. With our city being located in the heart of the HS2 network, Birmingham will reap the economical rewards of the major project and the idea is echoed by the Government and supporters of HS2, including large businesses and local politicians. They say it will help Birmingham’s economy by attracting more corporations, creating potentially thousands of new jobs and further developing the skills of the line’s workforce. This influence is already being seen with a recent increase in Birmingham’s economy, and large corporations such as HSBC and Deutsche Bank clearly understand this too, as they have both been hinting about expanding their locations to Birmingham, which could potentially create hundreds of jobs solely through the city’s association to the well-interlinked HS2. Overall, HS2 is set to potentially bring 36,000 jobs, build 4,000 homes and boost the city’s economy by £1.4 billion a year.

February 2018

Uber Driver Refused Blind UK rules out being in a Customs Union Man With Guide Dog with the EU

According to Prime Minister Theresa

An Uber Driver in Birmingham

refused a blind man and his guide dog to get into the taxi. Mohammed Waqas was charged with an offence against the Equalities Act 2010 of being the driver of a private hire vehicle and failing to carry out a booking made by a disabled person as the customer was accompanied by an assistance dog. The 29-year-old pleaded guilty, claiming that he had a phobia of dogs after being bitten by one more than two years ago. The incident occurred after a registered

blind man ordered an Uber through the app to pick him up at Queen Alexandra College in Harborne. When the driver pulled up, he refused to let the blind man and his dog in because of his fear, which led to the man recording their conversation and saying he would be reported. Syma Akhtar who took the prosecution described how Waqas was asked if he knew the law surrounding guide dogs which he replied he did, as well as not having an exception certificate which excluded drivers for carrying dogs due to medical reasons.

Birmingham City Council officials interviewed Waqas, as he said he’d received Uber training for carrying assistant dogs, but still refused to take them due to a profound fear. Waqas has apologised to the blind man for his inappropriate treatment and said that he should have required an exception certificate. Following the incident, he was suspended and then dismissed from Uber, and the court fined him £250, as well as £614 and £30 victim surcharge and a further £60 compensation for the victim.

May, Britain has ruled out of being in a customs union with the European Union after Brexit. The extent of any British post-Brexit involvement in the EU’s customs union has become an issue of contention within Theresa May’s government and her Conservative party. Membership of the customs union prevents London from striking any trade deals with countries outside the EU. The division over the customs union has revealed disagreements over Brexit within the government. There are those that want as little disruption as possible to Britain’s relationship with the EU, and there are those who claim that one of the main benefits of leaving the bloc will be the ability to strike trade deals with other countries around the world. “It isn’t our policy to stay in the/a customs union,” a Downing Street official, who spoke on condition of anonym-

ity, said. “Our policy was set out very clearly in the summer in our customs future partnership paper: we are proposing either two models - a customs partnership or a highly streamlined customs arrangement.” The British Industries Confederation has called for Britain to stay in a customs union. Britain and the EU are due to hold their first formal discussions about the future of Britain, and it’s relationship with the EU. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier met with his opposite number, Brexit Secretary David Davis, in London for the first time since EU leaders told Barnier, where they negotiated a postBrexit transition period to ease Britain’s departure. Britain is looking to secure a tariff-free access deal on trade with the EU. However, Theresa may disagree’s with the EU insistence on the continued freedom of movement for the EU workers.

Laboratory says ‘it did not authorise’ use of name on Zam Zam Water Bottles A company has stated that they

did not authorise the use of their names on bottles of Zam Zam water being sold to members of the public. Dr Wyndham Johnstone of LPD Lab Services has disputed the use of their names on bottles of Zam Zam water. The bottles are being sold in local cash and carry’s with shopkeepers being shown a certificate of authenticity and sheets from a report which had been carried out by LPD Lab Services. A report of the water content was carried out by the LPD Services after a request was made by AG Wholesale Limited who are said to be supplying the water in the UK. According to reports, LPD Lab Services Ltd did not give permission for their name to be used on the label of Makkah Zam Zam water. Makkah Zam Zam Water had stated that they were a social enterprise with offices in Jeddah and the UAE. Reports have stated that AG Wholesale UK are the sole suppliers of the water in the UK and a laboratory test was conducted before they started supplying the water. A statement from the company read, “There has clearly been a misunderstanding on whether they were able to use LPD Lab services name on the

labelling. “Had AG Wholesale UK approached LPD Lab Service Ltd with a copy of the text currently as it appears on the label of the Makkah Zam Zam water, LPD Lab Services Ltd would have refused to have its name on the label.” To which Makkah Zam Zam Water said, “With regards to the values, these are current values from a lab report carried out recently. All the original bottles sold did have the values from LPD report and were updated by the graphic design company who produce the labels.” The Zam Zam well is located within the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The Zam Zam water is said to be a miraculously generated source of water which appeared thousands of years ago when Ibrāhīm son Ismāʻīl was left with this mother Hājar in the desert. Hundreds of people visit Saudi Arabia and return with the water. However, they are only permitted to bring back five litres of water per person. Although it is possible to export Zam Zam water to the UK from Saudi Arabia. However, you can also have the water dispatched directly from Saudi Arabia and delivered to your address in the UK.

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

Worried you have an urgent medical concern? CALL 111

February 2018

Homeless Man in Sparkbrook is Given a Fresh Start

Our fully trained advisors will help you get the right medical attention when you urgently need it, 24 hours a day, and can put you through to healthcare professionals.

Shezad Zaman, a local man, living in Birmingham, would pass Kriss Wilkes

every day after work. Kriss was experiencing homelessness until garage owner Shezad decided to make a difference. He decided to help Kriss get back on his feet after he found Kriss begging on the street in Sparkbrook. Shezad gave the 23-year old a two week trial at the DAC Car Wash and offered him a place to stay. Shezad said: “I saw Kriss on the street right outside the garage when I used to finish work. “He would be collecting money by the traffic lights, and I said to him, ‘you’re a local lad, you don’t need to be doing this, come and work for us instead’. “He came in for a two-week trial and worked hard and showed me he was capable of doing what we do. He now works part-time, and I have found him a room in one of my son’s houses. “Kriss has had a lot of setbacks, but I wanted to give him a chance to make something of his life. “He’s happy and enjoying working with us.” Kriss is currently working part-time at the garage, where he is detailing cars, which involves cleaning, restoring and finishing vehicles. Kriss said: “I was a homeless man a few months ago, I was addicted to drugs, but

now I’m clean. He said: “When my dad died I came back and my head was a bit gone. “I used to sit at some traffic lights on the Stratford Road in Birmingham and beg until one day when my gaffer, Shezad, came over and gave me a chance. He got me a room sorted and got me a job. “He got me fresh clothes, trainers, shoes and basically I’m living alright, and I’ve sorted myself out, and I’m getting there.” Kriss was originally from Walsall but moved to Blackpool before returning to the West Midlands. Staff at the car wash carry out charitable missions during Christmas time. This involves providing food for the homeless in the city centre. However, this year Shezad decided to do something different. Shezad said that “Kriss was literally right opposite the garage and I thought I would give him a chance,” he said. “We have to help each other, and I thought if I wasn’t going to help him, who else would? “His father passed away when he was young, and he moved to Birmingham. “A lot of people let him down, and he couldn’t claim Jobseeker’s because he was homeless. “He’s been an amazing part of our team, and we want him to be successful because he’s got his life ahead of him.”

February 2018

South and City Appointment of College Birmingham Sara Khan as Head

of New Extremism Commission

South and City College Birmingham is one of

the largest general further education colleges in the country following its merger with Bournville College in 2017. The College delivers a wide variety of vocational and academic courses to young people and adults and offers full-time and part time courses, Apprenticeships and university level courses. The ethnically diverse student body comes from a wide range of social backgrounds, with over 60% of students and 40% of staff from black and minority ethnic groups. The College has a good record in supporting students to achieve their full potential and continue on to higher education. Many students are the first in their family to access higher education and the College actively supports the widening participation agenda.

The College is committed to ensuring that students have the relevant skills, qualifications and experience required for their future careers, whether that is to seek employment or continue their education at college or university. There are 8 campuses in Birmingham, all within easy access with locations in Bordesley Green, Digbeth, Hall Green, Handsworth, Longbridge and Small Heath. We have exceptional facilities which we continue to invest in, including two purpose built construction centres, hair and beauty salons which are open to the public, music and sound recording rooms and an industry standard auditorium, a fine dining training restaurant and much more.

The college is actively involved with local businesses and has excellent links with industry. Our expertise and resources are valued by leading employers, public sector organisations and small and micro businesses from all sectors who we work closely with to recruit, retrain and upskill their workforce. Q/A with Principal Mike Hopkins Asian World had the pleasure of meeting College Principal Mike Hopkins, at South and City College, where we conducted an interview with Mr Hopkins who has been principal for more than 10 years. It was an absolute privilege to meet with Mr Hopkins himself. What is the philosophy of the college? We are a local college for everyone in the Birmingham area. We are about students as individuals and we work with businesses and people within business. The majority of what we do focuses on individuals. We have a school provision where we recruit different types of students that will benefit from the college environment from the age of 14. We try to provide students with social skills and qualifications that will benefit them in the future and provide support to each student as we try to point them in the right direction. How many campuses are there in Birmingham? We have eight campuses around the city. We use the Bournville college name as a brand. What makes your college unique? The students and commitment of our staff and the fact that we provide so much support to our students. We do a lot of work with young people in particular who do not engage in education and we provide them with training and support by providing different activities to keep them on the right track that will allow them to get a job. We are a local college for local people – an inclusive college for all of the communities and the economy of Birmingham. What direction do you believe the college is heading? We are expanding our provision to meet the needs of the local economy. This includes new courses in Engineering, expanded range of university higher education courses and we will be expanding our 14-16 schools provision. Our development will be on the current and future job and skills needs within the city.

The Government appointment of a prominent

campaigner to lead a fresh drive to tackle extremism has been branded “deeply disturbing” by a former Conservative minister. The Home Office announced that Sara Khan will be heading up the Commission for Countering Extremism. Sara Khan, who is a counter-extremism and women’s rights activist, has stated that she was honoured and humbled. Former Tory chairwoman Baroness Warsi described it as “a deeply disturbing appointment”. She wrote on Twitter: “Sara has unfortunately been a strong advocate of the Government’s policy of disengagement; a policy which many, including members of the police and intelligence services, consider has damaged the important battle to engage Britain’s Muslim communities.”For the Commissioner to be effective the person had to be an independent thinker, both connected to and respected by a cross-section of British Muslims. “Sara is sadly seen by many as simply a creation of and mouthpiece for the Home Office.” Sara Khan, who has the official title of lead commissioner, is the co-founder of campaign organisation inspire. Ms Khan’s websites describe her as “one of the UK’s leading Muslim female voices on countering Islamist extremism and promoting human rights”. Ms Khan, who is also the author of The Battle For British Islam, has said that “I recognise the scale of the challenge we face in confronting extremism and I am deeply committed to this role.”I will create a

commission that is forthright in challenging extremism in the name of our shared values, fundamental freedoms and human rights.” The Muslim Council of Britain expressed “grave concerns” about the appointment. The secretary general, Harun Khan, said that “The fight against terrorism requires an equal partnership between all parties, including Muslim communities.”This appointment risks sending a clear and alarming message that the Government has no intention of doing so. “Sadly it will be seen as a move to placate those small sections of society who see Muslims as foreign, alien, rather than as equal citizens in this country.” Announcing the appointment, Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: “The Commission for Countering Extremism will form a crucial part of this Government’s work to stop the scourge of extremism in all its forms, and Sara Khan is expertly qualified to lead its important work. “She will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the commission which will prove vital as it works to identify and challenge extremism and provide independent advice to the Government.” Responding to criticism of the appointment of Sara Khan as head of the Commission for Countering Extremism, a spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May told a Westminster briefing: “Sara Khan is expertly qualified to lead the important work of the new Commission for Countering Extremism, and she will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the commission.”

To Advertise with us Please Call

www.capitalbusinesshub.co.uk

0121 771 4545

or email: sales@asianworldnews.co.uk

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

Birmingham’s Biggest Car Boot Sale Closes for Renovation

FOOD 48-49

The huge car

boot sale that has been taking place for 40 years has been closed. The market has been taking place every Sunday on Pershore Street near the Bullring, where hundreds of thousands of people would go for the bargain items. Some days there would be over 300 stalls, selling everything from clothes, shoes and toiletries to microwaves, kids’ bikes and power tools. Now the market area is being closed for regeneration and development by Birmingham City Council. People are devastated by the news as many see it as a social occasion and have many memories to it. Dave Mitchell who has run a stall for ten years said “I’m absolutely shattered by the market closing. It’s putting hundreds of people out of work. It’s a tremendous market and a real loss of a community.” Tom Regan who grew up in Aston and has

SPORTS 50-56

Thousands of motorists might be uninsured due to ‘ghost’ policy scams

Police have warned that a large

been coming to the market for many years said “I love it here. I’ve met a lot of people here. It’s a lot smaller now than it used to be, it’s been gradually run down. I don’t like phones and eBay; I’d prefer to come and talk to people and sit and have a cup of tea with friends.” The Wholesale Market will be moved to The Hub in Witton during the renovation although it won’t be a car boot sale. Birmingham Museums Trust is supporting an exhibition about the market for Friction Arts, collecting stories from people who visited it.

February 2018

number of motorists in the UK might be driving uninsured vehicles without realising it due to scams by ‘ghost brokers’. The City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) has launched a national campaign to make the public familiar with con merchants who are utilizing social media to trick motorists into obtaining fake insurance policies. The national fraud and cyber-crime reporting centre, Action Fraud, run by the City of London Police, obtained more than 850 reports related to ‘ghost broking’ between November 2014 and October 2017. People and organisations lost about £631,000 over the period, with each target being deceived out of an average of £769. The IFED took step against offenders in 417 of the stated cases, including an individual who made 133 fake policies and another who earned £59,000 as an outcome of ‘ghost broking’ Nonetheless, the department thinks that the number of unreported cases might be higher, as an outcome of

motorists being unfamiliar with their illegitimate policies. An inquiry by the IFED also exposed that individual aged 20 to 29 were most probable to be targeted; with contact through Instagram and Facebook, the most common techniques the fake policies were being created.

According to IFED head Detective Chief Inspector Andy Fyfe, ghost brokers entrap victims with deals of heavily discounted car insurance, leaving them with an insurance policy that is not worth the paper it is written on and exposed to the harm that arises with driving without valid insurance. Mark Godfrey, managing director of RAC Insurance, told that this was a very disturbing crime, which took advantage of young male drivers who were obviously keen to take out lowcost car insurance as they were paying the highest premiums in the market due to the higher risk.

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

February 2018

Drivers called Mohammed are charged more for car insurance Insurance companies today have denied claims that drivers named Mohammed are charged more for their car insurance. An investigation suggested that some of Britain’s largest insurance companies are charge less for a driver that has the name ‘John Smith’ According to reports, a driver with the name of John Smith who lives in Leicester had paid less for the same policy than a man who had the name, Mohammed Ali. A John Smith living in Southampton paid £992 insurance for his 2009 Renault Clio. However, a Raj Singh who lived at the same address would have to pay £1,023, which is £31 more even though the details are the same. However, one company said: ‘We do not and never have used a customer’s name or any other piece of information to rate on race. The insurance quotes were not like for like.’ UK drivers are currently paying £827 on

average for their car insurance, according to confused.com’s latest car insurance price index. The index reveals that prices have accelerated by 8%. However the driver savings site state that it is important that drivers are checking what they paid last year before they renew for another 12 months. Motorists are already feeling the pinch following a rise in car insurance prices. Louise O’Shea, chief executive at Confused. com, says: ‘It looks like the average cost of car insurance is going to be over £900 in 2018 - the highest ever. ‘The good news is that insurers now have to show us what we paid for car insurance last year. ‘Therefore, it’s never been easier for drivers to check what they paid then and compare it to what they are asking you to pay now. ‘January is always a difficult month after the excess of Christmas, and that is true for drivers’ wallets too.’

Large Fire Engulfs Stratford Road

Ten fire crews tackled the large fire which broke out across shops and flats on the busy Stratford Road. The blaze in Sparkbrook was first reported shortly before 2pm with multiple 999 services tackling only 3 minutes after. No one is believed to have been seriously injured, and the

incident is not currently being treated as suspicious, but the origin of the blaze remains a mystery. West Midlands Fire Service Group Commander Martin Ward-White, said: “We received a call at 1.50pm to reports of a building fire, above a row of shops on Stratford Road. We attended

in three minutes and two seconds, and immediately started fire fighting actions. We prevented the spread of the fire to other businesses and buildings near to the scene, ten pumps and a hydraulic platform were used.” One business affected was that of the iconic Vale Onslow, an 80-year-old

family-run motorcycle business, which moved from Stratford Road to Bordesely Road previous to the fire occurring. Shocked onlookers were quickly moved on by police at the time of the incident, with some describing the fire as “terrifying” and “dangerous”.

Student Accuses Teacher for Allegedly Training him for Terrorism

A young boy has claimed to have been

pushed-forward by his teacher to carry out acts of terrorism. Umer Haque, 25, purportedly planned an attack with fellows at a mosque, targeting Big Ben, the Queen’s Guard, Westfield shopping centre and many other crowded spots. Juror heard the religious mentor, relating his ties to Islamic State, persuaded a group of 30 boys by stating the significance of battles and wars in Islamic history and that they were going to be handsomely rewarded for participation. Some of the boys were as young as 11. He also guided them in situations where they will be using different weapons and how to respond to the chaos. His target was to recruit 300 jihadis. The young student said: “Umar told us if we fought for Allah, we will be granted bounties on the day of judgement. Fighting is good.” “He has been training us in how to fire weapons, increase physical strength and he was about to attack London within next six years.” “He aims to recruit 300 like us. Most of us are teenagers so that we become strong enough at the time of the attack.” He said the boys will be disguised as cops and civilians. A bomb will go off, followed by an attack on the police and their backup as they arrive. “He motivated us for the attack by showing us videos in which Great Britain helped Americans in dropping bombs in Syria. He said it is time to avenge your Syrian brothers.” A boy, undisclosed for security reasons, said: “He took an oath from us that we would not even tell our parents otherwise we will be expelled from the group.” Haq intended to storm London with such attacks in the name of IS, the prosecution alleged. Abuthaher Mamun, 19, Muhammad Abid, 27, and Nadeem Patel, 26, are accused of helping him in various ways. Haque and Mamun are accused of preparing acts of terrorism. Abid is accused of possessing information about Haque’s plans. The defendants, from east London, have denied the charges. Haque has admitted to the charges of holding terrorist information and a further charge of dissemination of a terrorist publication. Patel confessed to the ownership of a prohibited weapon.

Sikhs Celebrate 350th anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh A major Sikh event was organised in Cardiff to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the birth of Sikh Guru Gobind Singh. Several dignitaries from Wales were in attendance of the 350th Pratash Utsav event at the Sikh Gurdwara on Pearl Street, Cardiff, including the head of the Sikh Council of Wales Gurmit Singh Randhawa MBE, the Indian Honorary, General Raj Aggarwal OBE DL and Mr D.P. Singh from the Indian High Commission. Local dignitaries included HM Lord -Lieutenant Morfudd Meredith, Deputy Lord Mayor Daniel De’Ath, and Matt Jukes the Chief Constable of South Wales.

The event started at 10.30am and children from various Sikh temples in Wales performed Kirtan (chanting), Kavita (Hindi poetry) and Sakhi (recounting of events in Sikh history). There was also a Dastar (turban) tying competition for the children. Over 500 people attended the free event which was open to the public, and there was a speech by Raj Aggarwal and the Anand Sahib prayer read by Bhai Satbir Singh Ji followed by a Jatha (parade), and a well-attended meal laid on after the ceremony. Gurmit Singh Randhawa, Chairman of the Sikh Council of Wales

said: “The message on the day was simple, it was one of the communities coming together and celebrating the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the common and most respected Guru who stood for the poor and down trodden people, while upholding the principles of justice, equality and freedom for all.” Indian diplomat Raj Aggarwal said: “It was a beautiful ceremony and celebration of the Sikh tradition. The Sikh community in Wales are hard-

working, prosperous and are an amazing asset to the country. “This was a huge anniversary for all Sikhs in Wales, and it was especially fantastic that it is open up to people of all religious faiths to come and share such a joyous occasion and for all communities in Wales to come together to enjoy our wonderfully diverse and inclusive society.”He also added: “There have been huge celebrations organised all over the world for the 350th Pratash Utsav and all of India and the world will share with the joyous celebrations of this amazing landmark.”

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-52

February 2018

Birmingham Hosts 1050th Performance of Award-Winning International Play

Having captivated audiences of over half a million people in over 300 cities around the world in just over one year, the city of Birmingham was proud to host the 1050th performance of ‘Yugpurush – Mahatma’s Mahatma’, an award-winning play about Mahatma Gandhi and his spiritual guide Shrimad Rajchandra. As a culminating highlight of the High Commission of India’s successful ‘India-UK Year of Culture’ the play was staged with the support of the Consulate General of India (Birmingham) represented by Mr Manohar Lal together with prominent community leaders including the Vice Lord-Lieutenant Dr Beverly Lindsay OBE OD, Gurpreet Bhatia DL and Executive member of the Sant Nirankari Mission, Mr Narendra Patel of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh UK, Mr Hamid Malik Founder of the Federation of Indian Muslim Organisations, Dr Peter Rookes Secretary of the Birmingham Council of Faiths and Mr Bipin Shingadia on behalf of BAPS Birmingham. Representing diversity of the community in which they live, the audience reflected an important theme of the play - unity through understanding, tolerance and compassion.

The performance warmed the hearts of a delighted a multi-cultural audience at the Crescent Theatre. Gandhi is known as an inspirational leader and an icon of peace and non-violence but to reveal that he too was inspired and guided by a great spiritual master, Jain saint Shrimad Rajchandra, is one of the many facets of this fascinating account of an untold story in Indian history portrayed in the play. Vice Lord-Lieutenant Dr Beverly Lindsay OBE OD expressed her appreciation of this element of the play stating that, “I think it was a very powerful play. I felt as if I was having a history lesson and religious lesson at the same time. I think I was ‘edutained’ tonight. I learned so much”. Dr Peter Rookes, Secretary of the Birmingham Council of Faiths has studied the philosophy and life of Mahatma Gandhi but stated, “I had no idea of where his thoughts and inspiration originated. It has been a complete revelation…When there is so much violence in the world, to understand that there is a different way of dealing with differences is important”. The net proceeds of the play will fund a 250-bed multi-speciality charity hospital in one of the poorest rural regions of

left distraught after his shop went up in flames. Many witnesses stated that they saw a group of men setting fire to the shop, while a petrol bomb was reportedly through the shop window. A BMW was parked outside the sweet shop which was also torched, while a 78-year-old woman next door had to be rescued by neighbours as the fire broke out. The sweet Treat shop has been running for three years. The shop is owned by Mehtab Hussain, aged 23. According to reports, Mr Hussain was left heartbroken by the recent arson attack on his business. Mr Hussain said: ‘I closed up at 10apm and went home. I got a phone call saying the shop was on fire I said, ‘what are you on about the shops on fire?’ ‘I headed straight back. It was total fire. There were people standing outside and fire in the car and fire in the shop. ‘I was heart-

www.shrimadrajchandramissiondharampur.org

Gujarat, India. Dr Satya Sharma MBE DL, Chairman, Promoting Organ Donation Group UK, spoke about the need for organ donation in the UK and was particularly impressed with the cause of the play, “to have a hospital built out of some humble donations by us is absolutely superb. An impressive play and an impressive cause…it’s a double whammy for humanity” Awards and Accolades Yugpurush has taken cities across the world by storm, running to full houses and standing ovations, watched by over 650,000 people. The artistic merits of the play have been endorsed by multiple awards and accolades by the Indian performing arts industry, namely the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Award for ‘Best Drama’ and the Transmedia Gujarati Screen and

Arson Attack on Sweet Treats Dessert Shop

Mehtab Hussain of Sweet Treat has been

broken. I was in tears thinking why would somebody do this to me? ‘I am a young lad, 23, who has got his own business. Everybody in the community gets along with me. ‘I have had the shop for three years and have had no trouble with anyone.’’ Mr Hussain also stated that lives were put at risk. He said: ‘My priority was to get the elderly women out. I didn’t know she was out when I got there. The scary is it could have happened five minutes before I closed.’’ Mohammed Ahmed, 22, said: ‘I was working and had a phone call from my uncle saying the shop next door was on fire. ‘He’s a friend of mine, and since it’s been open, I have been in to show my love and support. ‘It’s not fair; he has put his heart into it.’ Mr Hussain has even stated that he is considering giving up on the shop. He said: ‘My family are saying don’t give up but what’s the point in carrying on?’

Stage Awards for the Best Drama, Best Director and Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The Play gained two entries in the Limca Book of Records which is the Indian equivalent of the Guinness Book of World Records. Firstly, for the most varied languages performed of one play, and secondly for the most performances of one play in a single day. About Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur (Producer of the Yugpurush – Mahatma’s Mahatma): Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur (SRMD) is a global movement that endeavors to enhance the spiritual growth of seekers and benefit society. With its international Headquarters at Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram, Dharampur, the Mission has 103 Satsang centers, 41 Youth Groups and 227 Children Value Education centers, across the globe in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and

Australia. SRMD is playing a key role in universal upliftment by actualising its Mission Statement – Realise one’s True Self and serve others selflessly. Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care (SRLC) is a social initiative of SRMD to offer service and bring joy to the lives of the underserved sections of society. Inspired by Shrimad Rajchandra and guided by Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai, SRLC’s holistic, multi-pronged community support and development programmes are powered by genuine empathy, and the love and care of highly motivated volunteers. SRLC constantly strives to deliver high quality, charitable and sustainable initiatives for the welfare of mankind, animals and the environment. SRLC has touched over 2.3 million lives, across 50 cities worldwide, through a holistic portfolio of over 50 charitable initiatives.

Man Brutally Beaten to Death in Small Heath Bedsit

Over 350 Knife Crimes in Birmingham and Black Country School

New reports show that there have been

352 knife-related crimes occur in school across the Birmingham and Black Country, with West Midlands Police saying that there have been 260 incidents where children were caught in possession of a bladed article in schools. These articles found on pupils range from screwdrivers to knuckle dusters, and machetes and pupils as young as 10-years-old have been found with these items, causing police offers and the Council to work together in tackling the issue. West Midlands Police knife crime lead Supt Ian Parnell said: “The consequences of carrying knives can be catastrophic. The people

we find most often in possession of a knife are young men aged between 15 and 19. We are working to deter young people from carrying knives through our Precious Lives project. Hundreds of thousands of school pupils have now seen the hard-hitting presentation.” A spokesman for Birmingham City Council confirmed that the Precious Lives Project had covered schools in Birmingham and that it was the largest local authority included in the police report. Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Solihull, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton were all included in the report, with Birmingham schools having the most bladed articles brought in by pupils in their schools and Wolverhampton following second.

A murder inquiry has been launched after a man was

found beaten to death in a bedsit in Mansel Road, Small Heath. Officers were called to an occupancy property made-up of several bedsits - at 7.10pm, following reports of a ‘fight’. The victim was discovered badly beaten and unconscious at the scene, and he later died of his injuries. Now, officers are calling for witnesses who may have any information regarding the murder to get in touch urgently. Detective Chief Inspector Edward Foster from West Midlands Police said “clearly we are at an early stage of

the enquiry, but we understand there was a fight inside the address that led to a man suffering fatal injuries. We have identified significant witnesses and are conducting quick-time enquiries, but we are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time and heard a disturbance or perhaps someone running from the scene.” A number of officers and forensic investigators remained at the scene. A police van blocked the entrance to the road close to the George and Dragon pub and the Alaturka restaurant. The murder scene is just yards from Small Heath Park and off the busy A45 Coventry Road.

February 2018

GLOBAL

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Zainab’s Murder: Riots in Pakistan Zainab Ansari, a seven-year-old girl, living in Kasur, Pakistan, was abducted while going to attend her Quran class and was raped and murdered and thrown into a trash heap. The whole nation was shocked and protested against this brutal and atrocious outrage, and in the riot, two people have lost their lives. The police have released a sketch of the murderer, and now the recent report says that the murderer has been caught and killed. But can that innocent child come back to life? Will the grieving parents ever see their darling daughter? Who can console them for their irretrievable loss? It is really surprising that such a thing has happened in Pakistan where corporal punishment is heavy and deterrent. Even when women cannot come out of their houses either for shopping or some business, without a male escort, so how is it that a small girl was allowed to go alone to her class? But we cannot blame the parents because they might have taken it for granted that all men are good and virtuous. But there are snakes in the grass. Lust and greed are still making us animals. Even old men are not free from lust and greed. It is reported in the newspaper that an old man in a hospital was often groping the nurses and offered money for sexual favours. In India, such child abuse is daily reported in the newspapers. A step daughter is molested by her step father. A drunken father sexually attacks his daughter, with the permission of his own wife. What could be the reason for such beastly deeds? Are we going to gloss over such child abuses as occasional aberrations? Our lethargic indifference to such abnormalities will tell bitterly upon our social life. In our greed for seeking more and more money, we are gradually losing our sense of morality and human values like love, kindness, pity, affection at all. We are losing our sense of what is right and what is wrong. Instead of seeking real happiness,

we are running after easy pleasures when we forget values like unselfishness, sacrifice for others, earning money by hard work, well, the animal in us comes to the fore ready to pounce upon any prey. It does not distinguish between, daughter, mother, sister, aunt and other respected women. It is, therefore, our important duty to take care of our children who become an easy victim to lustful animals. We should not allow them to go out alone without some escort. Zainab fell prey to such a beast. We can only shed tears and extend our condolences to her parents. Zainab will repose at the feet of the almighty she worships.

Zainab Ansari’s Killer Arrested by Security Forces of Pakistan

A man, responsible for rape and murder of 7-year-old Zainab Ansari along with seven other murders has been arrested by Punjab security forces. The tragic incident of Zainab Ansari in Kasur caused protests throughout the country which concluded in a search operation for the criminal. The suspect, Mohammad Imran, 24, was arrested near Kasur which Punjab Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif, identified him as the perpetrator, in a news conference in Lahore. Mohammad Imran is likely to be punished by death if found guilty. Similar incidents had taken place in the locality, in a region of 3km radius, in which a child akin to Zainab would disappear near their homes and

please register at

www.Capitalbusinesshub.co.uk

and be part of UK’s best business network

then, later on, found in a rubbish dump. 10 such cases were revealed by the police officials that were recorded in the past 12 months. With Zainab’s case brought to headlines in the media, countrywide protests were held by the population who demanded justice for the innocent child. Mr Imran is still searching for the lawyer. Forensic labs studied 1,150 samples of DNA before an arrest warrant was issued for Mr Imran, said, Shahbaz Sharif. Mr Sharif Said: “The monster had no choice but to confess his crimes after his DNA was matched with the samples from the crime scene.” Ameen, Zainab’s father, demanded public punishment, for Mr Imran in order to

thwart other such criminals for pursuing their malevolent desires. It would serve as a brutal lesson for anyone committing such crimes. Shahbaz Sharif requested to Lahore High Court to take the proceedings swiftly so that beasts like Mr Imran could be eradicated as soon as possible. If found guilty, he would face a death penalty. “My yearning is to hang such a monster publicly if the law and court contain any such clause. I am sure that no such incident will take place owing to the fate of the perpetrator.” Zainab’s father sat next to the chief minister at the news conference. He expressed satisfaction with the investigation.

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

KODO

MON 5 FEBRUARY 7:30PM SYMPHONY HALL

SATINDER SARTAAJ SAT 3 MARCH 7:30PM SYMPHONY HALL

BANGLA NEW YEAR: POHELA BOISHAKH SUN 22 APRIL 6PM TOWN HALL

SHREYA GHOSHAL LIVE WITH SYMPHONY

BOOK NOW w ww.thsh.co.uk Box office 0121 780 3333 Find us on Facebook Badge

SAT 5 MAY 7PM SYMPHONY HALL

CMYK / .ai

Town Hall Symphony Hall @THSHBirmingham

townhallsymphonyhall thsh_birmingham

Funded by

Town Hall renovation also funded by

February 2018

The dreaded ISIS executioner is back The dreaded ISIS executioner, notoriously known as “White Beard”, is back on the streets—however, his facial hair has been removed. The fundamentalist made his way out of jail by unfair means. Iraqi security forces have Photographs of the radical cleric showing his infamous beard trimmed off and guarded by a security officer. The images were released to show that he is still in custody. The extremist was an easily distinguishable person belonging to one of the terrorist groups. He would preside over the events of inflicting punishments for charges of homosexuality and stoning to death for minor offences. His ID picture was also uploaded by the officials. He has lost considerable weight after his arrest yet shows drastic resemblance to the White Beard. His identity was revealed as Eiz Aldin Taha. However, local sources have been known to call him Abu Omer after his arrest. The White Beard has conducted many killings in the stronghold of the terror group in Mosul, Iraq. Anti-ISIS groups rejoiced after receiving the news of the

arrest of the infamous leader by the Iraqi security forces. However, disappointment stroke them when it was revealed that he made his way out of captivity instantly after handing over $7,500 to the officials. It signifies the sheer failure of Iraqi judicial system.” He was released from a police station in Mosul, an official Zuhair Hazzan el-Jaburi reported. “A man was arrested after the intelligence reported him to be of vital importance,” said elJaburi, “it was disclosed after interrogation that he was a mufti—an ISIS member. We asked people about his real identity, and they attested to his connection with ISIS. ‘As we inquired about it, we came to know that he was released after he handed a stack of 75 notes to the police station official.’ The White Beard was seen in many daunting execution videos that were filmed before the collapse of the selfproclaimed caliphate in Syria and Iraq. One of them showed three men bent on their knees and beheaded and other pics shows him to be inspecting a pile of rocks before public stoning.

Imran khan Comments on Trump Imran Khan, a world famous Pakistan cricketer turned politician with a huge following of his own has recently made an unacceptable scathing attack on the US president Trump, which runs counter to international political decency. Trump has rightly said that, though the US has given billions of dollars to Pakistan to contain terrorists, Pakistan has practically done nothing and instead, it is deceitfully encouraging terrorism and harbouring them with impunity. It has become a rouge country where terrorism flourishes without any check or control. This glaring fact is perceived by all the other countries, which are now happy that Trump has learnt a bitter lesson and is going to withhold monetary help to Pakistan. Trump in his own innocence or without consulting his own political advisers might have believed that Pakistan needs help to eliminate the Taliban’s and so might have sanctioned billions of dollars. Now he has realised that Pakistan has cheated on him. Without controlling the Taliban’s, Pakistan has so far been telling ‘lies and deceit’. In a reasonably resentful mood, he is going to withhold all monetary help. The whole world has heaved a sigh of

relief. But Imran Khan who is nursing an ambition to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan has made an attack on the world’s most powerful president calling him “ignorant and ungrateful”, in order to win the favour of his countrymen. This vilification is unjustified and unwarranted. Of course, Pakistan has been an ally to the US in the affair of wiping out Talibanism in Afghanistan. But it has practically done very little to help the US. But Imran ridicules Trump saying that the most powerful military US force has failed to finish off Talibanism in Afghanistan. But Pakistan, he says, is doing its utmost to battle against Taliban’s and the other terrorists in their own country. However Imran’s jingoism betrays his “ignorance and ungratefulness” he had better mind his words, as Trump is also notorious for using strong terms. Talks across the table go on with the US secretary of state and its defence secretary but it is very difficult to bridge the chasm, and the white house press secretary says that she is expecting more specific details about the funding of Pakistan. Will Trump climb down? The world is watching with abated breath.

10 Most Powerful Intelligence Agencies around the World

Intelligence agencies are the silent

backbones of any country. A countries dependency on its Intelligence Agency is very crucial as these agencies work to collect all the data regarding security threats and secrets. These agencies have ears on every wall as they can know the in’s and out’s of a person’s daily life. This is what makes them dangerous, and at the same time, it is essential to monitor every single person in the nation, to avoid any security threats. Let’s see the top 10 Intelligence agencies across the globe. 1. ISI (Inter-Service Intelligence) PAKISTAN: Yes, Pakistan. You read that right. Pakistan’s ISI is often being considered as one of the top Intelligence agencies around the world. ISI is in Shahrah-esoharwadi in Islamabad and founded in 1948. It is the backbone of Pakistan as it has been the brain for all its triumphs over the years. 2. Mossad, Israel: Established in 1949, headquartered in Tel Aviv, Mossad is amongst the top-secret agencies. Entebbe rescue is its masterpiece work. The way the mission was handled was interesting as Israel soldiers disguised themselves as Ugandan soldiers for a secret mission to free all the kidnapped Israelis. 3. RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) India: Established in 1968, headquartered

in New Delhi, RAW’s main duty is to monitor the neighbouring enemies China and Pakistan. RAW has been very effective over the year to keep the nation at peace. It also maintains the secrecy of the all the nuclear researchers made in India. It plays a crucial role in Bangladesh’s independence as well. 4. CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) USA: This secret agency was founded by US President Harry Truman in the year 1947. The main agenda of this agency is to provide intelligence to the President and the Cabinet. CIA has been the key to all the success of USA over the years. Osama Bin laden’s encounter was one of its greatest triumphs. America remains as a superpower and has one of the most powerful secret agencies in the world. 5. MI6 (Military Intelligence Section 6) UK: Being one of the oldest Intelligence agencies, MI6 was founded in 1909, headquartered in London. The main theme of this agency is to coordinate with Intelligence committee, the internal security service and the government communications. 6. BND (Bundesnachrichtendienst) Germany: Established in 1956 and headquartered in Pullach, BND is the best regarding surveillance system. It takes care of all the security threats over the country through its intelligence. Wiretapping and electronic surveillance have been

their key work to get intelligence information. BND agents are spread across the globe. 7. GRU (Glavnoye Razvedyvatel’noye Upravleniye), Russia: Russia’s main intelligence agency GRU was founded in 1918 and headquartered in Moscow. This agency was formed as the Soviet Military Organisation, and it only engages in foreign activities. GRU is the backbone of Russia, and it has become a big threat to countries like America. 8. ASIS (Australian Secret Intelligence Service), Australia: Founded in 1952, headquartered at Canberra, The Australian agency observation is all over the world. The agencies existence itself was not known for nearly 20 years and has been recognised first in 1977. 9. DGSE (General Directorate for External Security), France: Founded in 1982, headquartered in Paris, the DGSE has the recognition of stopping nearly 15 terrorist attacks in France after 9/11. The countries defence ministry controls this agency. Monitoring internal terrorists and monitoring around the borders of France is the main agenda of this agency. 10. MSS (Ministry of State Security) China: Established in 1983, this agency’s main agenda is to eliminate the enemies of the Communist Party of China. It is known as the replica of Russia’s former agency KGB as it is responsible for all the counter-intelligence, foreign intelligence and political security.

Aziz Ansari Denies Allegations of Sexual Assault

Comedian and actor Aziz Ansari denies the allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman while he was on a date with her. The Master of None star clarifies that whatever happened between them was “completely consensual” and later apologised to the lady. The woman referred to the date as a “violating and painful” night. She alleged that during the encounter, she had on and off indicated her discomfort through verbal and non-verbal

signs. However, Aziz Ansari paid no heed to them and continued to quench his thirst recklessly. It had taken her quite a time to validate his actions as sexual assault. The woman was furious when she came to know that the 34-year-old appeared at the Golden Globes, raising his voice in favour of the movement against the sexual harassment, where he won an award for his Netflix series. Ansari expressed his regret in a text message, in which he acknowledged his inadvert-

ence during the moment and was sorry for the inhuman behaviour. Conversely, Ansari said that he had been astonished and concerned when the woman told him about her discomfort the next day. “I took her words to heart and responded privately after taking the time to process what she had said,” he said. “I continue to support the movement that is happening in our culture. It is indispensable and long overdue.”

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

EMERGENCY

WINTER APPEAL

Millions of refugees risk freezing to death this winter due to a lack of proper winter clothing, heating and food.

Help us provide winter aid to Rohingya, Syrian and Palestinian refugee families as well as orphans in Pakistan and households in Gaza.

Donate today.

DONATE A WINTER PACK TODAY FROM ONLY £30 islamichelp.org.uk/winter DONATE ONLINE • PHONE • BANK TRANSFER

0121 446 5682

islamichelp.org.uk Charity Number 1160490

February 2018

BUSINESS

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Embracing the future will deliver a high-tech Brexit

Considering the huge elevation in UK exports and inward investment, it wouldn’t be wrong to assume that the next 12 months will be taken with high importance for Britain’s investment relationships and trade. China has been chosen to be the first country to be visited since it has been able to retain its spot as a valued partner on the UK’s trading list. Although its exports to China have gone up by 32pc in the last 12 months and have made transactions worth over £59bn, there is a great tendency for the continuation of this opportunity and partnership, which will further prompt the launch of the great Innovation Festival and also promote the UK to play the lead role in technology and innovation across the world. The Hong Kong festival brought together government ministers, business leaders,

experts from the UK and China, and other current technologies across Asia to discuss the pattern to which operations will be carried out in the future. Apart from the fact that the Festival will serve as a shop window that’ll expose UK innovation and creativity, it’ll also show forth its core content in Asia. Over the years, the UK has been able to set a standard as one of the most innovative, dynamic and open economies in the world, also as a country with more top institutions than the rest of Europe and that has broken new grounds for large structural adjustments and innovations. If there’s a distinctive character the country exhibits to remain as a global leader, it’s how the government and people are always willing to share the strategies they adapt to learn. As of today, more educational services

are now being exported over insurance, the school-level curriculum retains the top spot on a global level with just five countries that haven’t been introduced to British higher education. The fact that Britain’s capability or power to create an innovative world or lead one is indisputable makes it one that will be achieved over time. Many historic contributions have been made and recorded over the centuries, from the introduction of the internet and creation of modern science, from Charles Darwin to Tim Berners-Lee and Alan Turing, and Issac Newton to Rosalind Franklin. Putting the right application to use, shows that it wouldn’t be wrong to conclude that the UK has the capability to combine the power of Innovation and invention to deliver a high-tech Brexit.

CREDIT CONTROL AND CASH FLOW

Companies do not realise that the concept of cash flow is as important as creating new business. Once the business has been created and delivered there needs to be a process to collect the cash and in a timely manner. 90 day terms for smaller transactions is simply not acceptable. Pre or part payment is the ideal scenario, if that is not possible then one needs to stick as close as possible to net 7 as one can. Admittedly most clients are on a net 30 payment basis, however for larger and more lucrative deals businesses can allow net 45/60. The problem really arises when a net 7/14/30/60 is not actually what it seems. A net 30 can easily be stretched out to a net 50. This is a well known trick and will only serve to put high levels of pressure upon your organisation. Companies tend to string it out deliberately and this becomes a negative cycle as companies invariably do it to their suppliers and it becomes a chain with people who end up suffering incredibly. Allowing late payment then becomes a habit and soon enough you become the bank for your own clients. The net effect of this is the pressure on the cash flow and cash cycle for your own business. We remain so eager to please our clients that we forget the negative impact of late payments and a lack of credit control. The net effect of not controlling our business cash flow and credit control will mean serious issues on ones business. Cash is needed for various aspects of any business and slowly things start to become very tight unless cash is collected and controlled efficiently. Banks in particular want to see a positive cash flow and in particular a company that manage the process effectively. When seeking to factor debts (which is necessary for certain growing businesses) the bank will not only assess the cash flow, but seek to micro manage it on a monthly basis.

Human vs Robot with Living Wage Rise

Top 5 tips for Credit control and Cash Flow Management: 1. Project your figures on a monthly basis and asses your cash flow monthly. 2. Get an external eye on your figures and debtor days on a quarterly basis. 3. Set out a rigid process of collection of cash on a monthly basis, proactively dealing with ‘problem companies’ 4. Have in place statistical data to analyse the way in which your business runs from a financial perspective. 5. Put the companies’ needs before your own! Without the company there is little left!

there is a very high chance of automation coming into play. The government has to think over the minimum wages of the employees with respect to the living wage. Industries are focusing more on automation

the minimum wages that are equally likely to be the living wage. If this situation goes out of the hands, then human beings will start behaving like machines with no sense. Unemployment is a very huge threat for humans as it may lead to serious damages for our social and economic life. On the other hand, automation makes work look easier and faster. But when it comes to clarity or quality, there should be an efficient operation of human intellect. After all, automation is done by a machine. Human life should not be replaced by a lifeless machine. Clerical jobs, transportation and support, manufacturing, healthcare and hotel management, are a few of the sectors which are more likely to be automated by 2020. A machine may be able to do these jobs with greater ease than the fellow humans. But these may cause serious damage to the social life of humans, which is not at all a good sign in the history of mankind. With the steep increase in living wage, the word “AUTOMATION” appears to be a huge villain for humans in the upcoming era. The government has to give more attention to the living wage rise in order to eradicate this problem.

People have started worrying about the unemployment issues with the tremendous development in technology. Robots are likely to replace the human force in most of the industries. The living wage rise has a huge impact on this replacement of humans. Many industries have already started thinking about automating the works with robots. As the technological development rate is more in rhythm with the rise in living wage, the unemployment rate would love to join hands with them. The gap between living wage and employment wage has been growing more and more over the years, and it has to be filled somewhere. Britain is trying hard to fill this gap, but it seems to be out of everyone’s hands. As the living wage is increasing rapidly,

than human force these days. But, there are few sectors which cannot be automated so easily. The government has to be more careful in setting minimum wage in these sectors so that it doesn’t affect the normal livelihood of the people belonging to these sectors. Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) has predicted that this issue could be worse by 2020 as the living wage would have a huge contradiction with the minimum wage of the labours which could ultimately end up in automating the jobs. Governments had been showing their interest in this issue by passing a few schemes. But those schemes don’t really seem to be fruitful for this giant unemployment issue. The primary aim of any Government must be to keep their fellow citizens employed with

DOWNLOAD NOW!

aSIAN woRLD mOBILE APPLICATION

and stay updated with NEWS around the asian world

Available at

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

TOOLS TO HELP BANISH GOVERNMENT NEEDS THE ‘NEW JOB’ ANXIETY TO BE MORE CREATIVE Have you ever gone through a whole night

worrying about your new job, tossing and turning while your over-worked mind broods over a million things all at once: how well will you perform in your new job or if the new colleagues will respond to you well or are you good enough for the job. It’s pretty scary stuff- walking through the doublesliding doors on your first day, and there it is- that shrinking fear clouding your mind from thinking clearly and positively. But it’s normal to feel high levels of anxiety in situations like this because your about to enter a whole new territory bursting with new energies that you’re not yet familiar with, and the work dynamics probably may not be compatible with your old job. And that’s sometimes a lot of information to digest overnight. But the sooner you can banish those fears, the sooner you can start to be successful in achieving your goals, and let that boss of yours see you shine like the bright star you are. Here are some few useful tips and tricks to help you reinvent your confidence in a new job role and nip that fear in the bud for good.

Breathe

Breathing is the most important tool for your mind, body and soul. Your body’s a great mirror for how your mind operates, and if your mind is not doing so good, it will be reflected in your body. It’s as simple as that. So when you walk through them double-sliding doors stop and take a minute to inhale deeply and exhale. Keep doing this for at least a good few minutes, till you feel the tension drain from your body. Not only will paying attention to your breathing effectively loosen up tight muscles, but this new sense of calmness will help you overcome the mental blocks standing in the way of your success. It’ll be tough at first but if you hang in there and commit yourself to practising these steps, you’ll have a friend in need for life. Remember whenever life gets a tad too stressful, all you have to is breath.

Turn to the people you love

Sometimes all you need is a few words of encouragement. Support from family and friends can truly help combat your worries about a new job, and also restore your confidence back. Confide your worries and fears with them, pinpointing exactly what it is about the new job that is making you feel this way. This exercise will be useful in dealing with the true nature of your worry and will also help you come to peace with it. Every so often accepting the thousand things that we don’t like or make us feel scared can help us move forward and become stronger, both in the mind and heart. And fear is healthy. “Fear doesn’t shut you down, it wakes you up” Veronica Roth.

Don’t forget the dream

The horror of starting a brand new job in an unknown location, full of strange-looking people can make you forget what you’re doing there in the first place. So it’s helpful to get in tune with some of those good feelings that help you remember why your there. Make a list of questions, such as, why am I here, what will this new job bring me, is this the path that I want to pursue etc.., and answer them honestly, taking your time with each question. Do this exercise in the morning before you start out for the first day at your new job, then repeat it again in the evening, but this time write down the first thing that pops into your head. Compare the answers and see what’s different about each of them. This will help you realise what’s important and what isn’t.

The knitty gritty side of starting any new job can often keep you from knowing what’s really important- and that is your goal. Once you aware of what that is, the anxiety will slip away some place for itself.

Self-talk

Self-talk is a great healer. Believe it or not, it helps you sort through all the clutter in your head and teaches you how to dispose of mental waste- which grinds you to death- safely and quickly. Self-talk is especially helpful in stressful situations like starting a new job, for example. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you should be roaming the many communal areas of your work place talking to the air and drawing unwanted attention. It’s just means that before you grab your brief-case, lock your front door, and chase the street for the bus your about to miss, remind yourself of all the wonderful things that make you the person you are and the many great talents you possess, and if that doesn’t help, ask yourself this- why your boss cherry-picked you, among all the hundreds of applicants. Remember you’re a super-star and don’t forget to remind yourself once in a while.

Trust the universe

Ever hear that expression ‘we live at the mercy of fate’. Believe it or not, you weren’t given the job you spent endless nights dreaming about because your luck suddenly changed or because the universe decided it was time you got your big break. You got this job because you have what it takes and your new boss knows it. In any new role, it’s normal to be swept away by the pressure to perform, whether that means getting everything right, impressing all the right people, or learning the ropes from when the boss says the word ‘go’ But perhaps you don’t need to know all the answers straight away. Remember a new job is sort of like a baby walking for the first time. You don’t want to rush it, it’s all about taking your time and learning at the pace that suits you. At the end of the day, your here to progress and evolve, and these processes can sometimes take longer than we expect them to. But that isn’t always a bad thing. In any case, it’s a good thing because it prevents you from making sloppy mistakes that you wouldn’t normally make. The key to any new job- is to develop trust in your abilities and allow yourself the patience and grace to navigate uncharted waters.

Normalise the new

Simply put, new is scary. That’s just how it should be. If it wasn’t scary, it would mean you were no stranger to fear and you wouldn’t get that adrenaline rush you get when facing fear and then kicking it out of your life. I mean, where would the fun be in that? Your brain lights up like a Christmas tree when you’re in new situations where the outcome is uncertain, so the shrinking fear you feel when starting a new job is just another one of those things your brain is supposed to do. Reassure yourself that feeling anxious and scared is nothing to feel alarmed about, as it is perfectly normal for your brain to behave abnormally. Of course you’re going to find tons of new information heading your way, and being the eager bunny you are, revving up your brain, and expecting too much in too little time won’t do you any favours. At least not good ones anyway. So here’s a tip to ease you into your new role- instead of driving your mind into a frenzy, put the world on pause for a second, reassure yourself that you’ve made it this far and that you’re not going to die, and normalise your new fear. I promise, like the last of autumn leaves fall away, so will your fear.

The government needs to be more creative to encourage businesses to take on apprentices which will be a timely intervention to reduce the region’s unemployment according to West Midlands business leaders. The president of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce said the Government must look at making it easier for SMEs to take on 16 to 24-year-olds by introducing more tax breaks and giving golden handshakes. He said: “Businesses also need to be convinced of the benefits of taking on apprentices who will usually work harder and stay longer. “Unemployment is likely to be long-lasting, and youth unemployment figures need addressing.

• YEAR END ACCOUNTS • SPECIALIST IN TAXI DRIVER ACCOUNTS • BOOKKEEPING SERVICE • BUSINESS CONSULTANCY • BUSINESS PLANS • CORPORATION TAX • COMPANY FORMATIONS • COMPUTERISED PAYROLL SERVICE

“Job Seekers Allowance claimant levels in the West Midlands are one per cent above the national average, and for every vacancy on their books, there are 7.1 applicants. “The Government needs to make it easier for companies to employ apprentices who will play a critical role in tackling unemployment.” Mike Ashton, the spokesman for West Midlands Chamber of Commerce, said: “In the West Midlands the IT sector is the fastest growing, with BT’s £2.5 billion roll-out of super-fast broadband. This is the sector which should receive more encouragement to invest in apprenticeships for 16 to 24-year-olds.”

• LIMITED COMPANY ACCOUNTS ACCOUNTS • RENTAL INCOME ACCOUNTS • SOLE TRADER AND

partnership accounts

• SUB-CONTRACTING • TAXATION/VAT • SELF ASSESSMENT TAX • RETURNS & ONLINE FILING SERVICE

sponsorship paper work for all immigration purposes

February 2018

Inaugural Asian Restaurant and Takeaway Awards launches National Nominations Parliament plays host to public call to nominate favourite local Asian eateries for pioneering award ceremony

House of Lords played host to the nominations launch for the inaugural Asian Restaurant and Takeaway Awards (ARTA), the most prestigious celebration of South Asian cuisine in the UK will pay homage to the achievements of the British Asian catering industry at the finale award ceremony in London on 30th September 2018. The nominations launch was hosted by Baroness Uddin and attended by MPs including Rushanara Ali MP, Paul Scully MP, Lucy Frazer MP and Rupa Huq MP; VIP’s such as former England cricketer Devon Malcolm; and key members of the Asian restaurant and catering fraternity. The launch event activated a rigorous selection process led by the UK public, as ARTA will honour the best chefs and service staff; their unprecedented artistry and culinary skills; and the environments they create for diners and lovers of the nation’s favourite dish – the curry – in restaurants up and down the country, as selected by the diners themselves. Powered by online booking system, ChefOnline. com, the concept of ARTA and its journey begins and ends on a customer level. Galvanised by the technological platforms at their disposal alongside a clientele base of over 100,000 active customers, the dedicated frequenters of curry houses on the streets of Britain are now invited to put forward their favourite Indian restaurants. The process of nomination via online applications and websites will create an authentic list of the nation’s most cherished Asian eateries, based on the opinions of local residents from 15 regions across the UK and Ireland. Following the nominations launch, ARTA will categorise nominated restaurants across 15, distinct regions in the UK and Ireland in order to distinguish the Top 30 South Asian restaurants in each region – from Edinburgh to Southampton, from Belfast to Cambridge, and everywhere in between. A formal assessment will then be conducted to determine the leading culinary establishments based on criteria such as quality of service; quality of product; value for money; and food hygiene ratings in tandem

with the number of nominations provided by the public. Regional heats or cook-off’s will be hosted at local colleges and universities, where restaurateurs will have the chance to earn the accolade of being among the region’s top dining establishments. Following the completion of the regional cookoffs, the Top 10 restaurants from each area will be invited to the Grand Finale ceremony at InterContinental London – The O2. The prestigious occasion on 30th September 2018 will witness the presentation of 15 Regional Prizes, the Newcomer of the Year Award and the Champion of Champions Award in honour of the most outstanding Indian restaurant in the UK. The Asian catering industry is valued at approximately £5 billion. Even so, over the years the industry has witnessed a steep downturn. This decline is largely attributed to the shortage of skilled workers in the hospitality sector, from a lack of talented chefs all the way through to front of house staff. This is due to the UK’s stringent immigration policy relating to skilled workers from outside the EU, coupled with a palpable sense of disinterest among younger people or job seekers with regard to the hospitality sector as a potential career path. The ARTA initiative involves addressing this insufficiency. Through reaching out to current and prospective students at the regional cook-offs, ARTA aims to establish a program of youth engagement that will revitalise the food industry by targeting a demographic that is crucial to the future prosperity of the sector. As ARTA proceeds to work with businesses, colleges and universities nationwide, it will introduce the industry and prospective workers to one another, inspiring a symbiotic relationship whereby the image of the culinary sector is enhanced. At the nominations launch event, ARTA Founder Salik Mohammed Munim said, “It is our maiden journey and we are hopeful that, with everyone’s help and support, we can really engage the industry, truly recognising the people that work hard day

and night, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Our mission is not only about an award, our mission is to introduce the industry to the regional colleges where we have staff shortages. We’re hopeful that we can get the colleges engaged with the industry. If we work together, it can help the industry by engaging youngsters with the Asian restaurant trade.” Rushanara Ali MP said, “I want to start by congratulating everyone who has brought together this event. These are the inaugural Asian Restaurant and Takeaway Awards and the nominations are coming from the consumers, customers – that’s fantastic! It’s the tireless, dogged work that has built a phenomenal industry and I know that you all, in different ways, have contributed to making sure that that contribution is significant for our economy and for jobs at a time when there are huge challenges. With uncertainty around Brexit it’s really important that, here in Parliament, you have a strong voice among members of the House of Lords as well as members of the House of Commons, so our commitment is that we make sure we advocate and champion the things that matter to you.” Paul Scully MP said, “The curry industry is an

China’s Dalian Wanda Group

China’s Dalian Wanda Group is thinking of a Hong Kong auction for its sports properties as an attempt to restructure its scope of operation which might also consist of one or two sales. The group of companies in the previous month notified investment banks for a possible Initial public offering of its sports enterprises, as reported by three of the sources that are well informed about the situation. Citic Securities, China’s biggest brokerage, is among the banks included. Wanda’s businesses consist of various operations such as real-estate, football and also cinemas however due to government-led crackdown on foreign deals and high influence, these businesses have been rattled. The organisation is owned by one of China’s wealthiest men named Wang Jianlin. Three out of the five people familiar with the issue reported that a Swiss sports marketing company named Infront Sports and Media AG also the World Triathlon Corp, the organiser, and promoter of the Ironman race would be included as an IPO of Wanda’s sports property. Both properties were procured in 2015 for $1.2 billion and $650 million respectively.

The public offering will consist of things like Wanda’s smaller sports assets in China, which includes cycling and basketball leagues. The public offering does not comprise of Wanda’s 20% share in the Spanish football club Athletico Madrid, worth 67 million Euros after the latest capital increase, the source stated. According to individuals familiar with the situation, Bankers have firmly suggested a U.S. listing, but the IPO might take place in Hong Kong. Wanda is also looking to independently sell Sunseeker International. Wanda has also refused to say anything as regards these claims. The people identities could not be disclosed as the plans are kept secret. In the past five years, Wanda’s desire for assets such as sporting and entertainment businesses which accounts for more than $13 billion of its transaction was faced with challenges from public contentions last year at the time Beijing declared overseas deals in those categories as “irrational”. The Wanda’s holdings also consist of the cinema

establishment named AMC Entertainment Holdings together with a movie studio, Legendary Entertainment. The organisation is also taking into consideration the merits of a pre-IPO funding stage for the sports unit, as reported by one of the sources. However, the entire arrangement remains at a preliminary phase as Wanda is looking to get a chief financial officer for the sports business to steer the fundraising efforts. The basis of the Wanda Empire is made up of a wide range of assets that are well-known across China. However, this also has placed pressure on Wang’s business. Last year banks were instructed by Chinese regula-

industry that is so dear to my heart because I see the 11,000 or so entrepreneurs around the country that have done so well over the years and the people that you employ and that’s why, when I was asked to support ARTA, I was really happy to do so because you’re offering something different. What it’s doing is actually looking at the industry in a really holistic way, bringing in customers, bringing in supporters to nominate restaurants, nominate people, nominate the skilled people that you have across the industry, not just in the kitchen itself and that’s really important. I think it’s going to be the FA Cup of curry awards. I know it will be a really prestigious thing for people to be holding up that cup, cherishing for that year that they are the very best in the country. It is right that we celebrate the very best and inspire the next generation to make sure that this industry not only survives but thrives.” tors to seize from providing funds for most of the foreign acquisitions as Beijing try to control the Associate’s offshore buying spree. Soon after Wanda sold a collection of hotels and tourism properties, consisting of 13 theme parks for $9 billion to Guangzhou R&F Properties and Sunac China. Five flagship international developments in London, Chicago, Los Angeles, Sydney and Australia’s Gold Coast are also in line for sale.

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

Eurozone’s fleeting boom is an illusion

It’s no news anymore that there has been mismanagement in the economy of the UK over the past years. In the light of this, it obviously needs radical change to investment from consumption in order to curb certain relative effects that may cause the country to fall behind Asia’s rising power and the US. However, there still remains a particular problem that is yet to be considered. After numerous analyses were carried out, it was estimated that the area’s speed limit had not exceeded 1pc. Also, it was discovered that the eurozone had been able to grow over twice the normal rate without any difficulties because of the legacy output it had to cover. The UK is known to be ahead in the cycle. After an extreme liquidity experiment, the European Central Bank experienced a highly effective recovery which drew

their interest rates at (-4pc) and (-2pc) in real terms. Not only that, it has been able to acquire ( £53bn) €60bn of bonds- down to €30bn just this month, and this has moved its balance sheet to about 41pc of GDP, a bit higher than what the US Federal Reserve has ever thought to give a try. With the purchase of €130bn of corporate debt in the credit markets, one can be sure of a quick turn-around in no time. However, this phase of growth will only continue for a short time if the eurozone refuses to make use of the favourable circumstance to deal with dysfunctional and incorrect pathologies- non-performing loans, product markets and rigid Labour, warped welfare incentives, and to rebuild workable foundations with respect to currency union before another

February 2018

Post-Brexit farming funding

Michael Gove has set out the most important plans on farming subsidies that has to be dealt with post Brexit. Farmers are the backbone of any country, and it is not an exception for UK. Mr Gove has addressed a few important trade deals of Britain which have become a controversy. His interest in preserving the environment has been welcomed by most of the environmental specialist. But, when it comes to the trade deals, the UK’s future farming industry seems not so impressive. A promise had been made by Mr Gove that farmers will receive the subsidies at the same European Union level postBrexit. This subsidy system will remain till the next elections. Meanwhile, the government has ideas to import food products at lower and

cheaper cost. This comes under the trade policy of Britain’s post Brexit which most of the environmentalists are worrying about. This low-cost import may affect the domestic farmers badly. Permitting import of foods with lower standard is not all a good sign for the future of UK’s farming industry. On the other hand, Mr Gove says that the standard will never be compromised at any cost. He looks forward to innovate the payment system to the farmer’s postBrexit. ‘USE PUBLIC MONEY FOR PUBLIC GOODS’ looks to be his new mantra for the upcoming trade policy of Britain. ‘Farmers who preserve their lands carefully and bring back the evergreen natural environment will be rewarded accordingly’ he added.

Adding to that, He is very confident in making his farmer’s world-class competitors in food production. He wants his farmers to produce the best food in the world. The new trade deals with the foreign countries would be a gateway to provide our best food to the outside world, he added. This transition period of Britain’s farming industry may seem to be uncertain with the trading policies, but Mr Gove is very confident about the growth of the farming industry post-Brexit. However, Mr Gove’s trade policy has left so many blank spaces and so many questions unanswered. Many environmental analysts have been

arguing that the environmental policies of EU is of no use. The environment has seen the worse with these useless policies of EU, and they feel this is the right time for Mr Gove to rewrite it in a better way. It may change the business model of the farmers of Britain, upside down. However, they will have to be alarmed by the changes. Farmers hope that the new policies will shed light on them. Now Britain has the huge responsibility of saving their farming industry postBrexit. The new trade policies should have a very high priority on saving the basic needs of the farmers rather than fancying about delivering the best food in the world.

crisis occurs. There are indications from IMF officials that a country like Italy will soon have to face an asymmetric shock with the EMU system being unworkable. With no fiscal union and genuine or instant backstop required to cut-off any chances of bank/sovereign “doom-loop” that surrounded EMU over five years ago, it seems like a hit to look up to if no action is taken. Such brutal conclusion should not be considered a looming threat for the year, but as a story for the coming global downturn. High debtors may have to face the pain and consequence of the ECB shield removal. If you still have the notion that Britain appears like the sick child of Europe at the moment, you only have to wait for a few months to see rivals coming up.

Spotify makes Private filing for U.S.

Spotify, a digital music streaming service provider, has registered with the U.S. regulators privately for an initial public offering which is focusing on a direct listing in the first part of 2018 to enable some old investors to cash out. In some case, Spotify which has been valued at around $19 billion in the previous year, proceeding further with its plans, it will be the first big establishment to conduct a direct listing, an unusual approach to pursuing an IPO without looking for new capital. The importance of a direct listing is to basically abolish the necessity of a Wall Street bank or broker to underwrite an IPO coupled with a lot of additional expenses which might change the method companies use in selling their shares to the public. Axios a news outlet was the first to originally disclose the private filling, but the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission now permits every company, to document an outlined IPO registration statement privately before

they present their financial statistics. Spotify is the largest worldwide music streaming company, and it regards organisations like Apple Inc and Amazon Inc as it, major competitors. Spotify were sent to court by Wixen Music Publishing Inc for apparently making use of a large number of songs without permission and remunerations to the Music publishers. Wixen is also looking to get a reimbursement valued at $1.6 billion. In spite of the court case, Spotify intends to continue with a U.S. direct listing. Reports also added that Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs

and Allen & Co are all assisting in planning the listing. Luke DeMarte, a copyright legal practitioner at Michael Best and Friedrich, claimed that the court case is probably not going to bear any significant effect on Spotify’s IPO. He also stated that he is expecting Wixen to resolve its lawsuit for much less than the reimbursement it is looking to get understanding that it is not likely that any of the publisher’s lawsuits reach the trial stage. DeMarte also stated that charges by Wixen against Spotify are not to halt or rather cause any havoc to them since it seems to be the Key music streaming service provider in town. Spotify declared that it already acquired over 140 million active subscribers while listing over 30 million songs while the company had previously announced a mouth-watering success of over 60 million paid subscribers, twice as much as that of its arch-rival, Apple Music.

February 2018

SUNDAY 4TH MARCH 2018 BIRMINGHAM CONFERENCE & EVENTS CENTRE

HILL STREET, BIRMINGHAM, B5 4EW | 11AM - 7PM OPPOSITE NEW STREET STATION, NEXT TO HOLIDAY INN

EUROPEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LARGEST ASIAN WEDDING SHOW

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

Is it possible?

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

TEN TIPS ON HOW TO CONVERT A LOFT

The usable space in your loft is the area with headroom of 2.2m or above between the top of the ceiling joists and underside of the rafters. By the time the floor is strengthened and the ceiling insulated, this will give around 2m of headroom and above. Headroom below this level where the roof slopes down to the floor starts to get tighter but is still useful for positioning furniture, storage, beds, a bath etc. If there is little or no room in the loft because the roof slope is low you would need to alter the roof to get an additional storey. If there is space but it is limited you can expand it by altering the roof design.

Structural alterations

The lofts of pre-1960s houses are typically easy to convert because the roof was usually cut to size on site and assembled with relatively large timbers with lots of clear space. Often only relatively minor alterations are required to create the clear space needed for a loft conversion. Post-1960s homes built with modern prefabricated roof trusses – a web of thin timbers typically with W-shaped struts held together by metal plates – require more work as the roof structure needs to be altered to strengthen it, but it is still possible to convert, usually with the additional of steel or aluminium beams.

Energy efficiency

A loft conversion will require the roof to be insulated to meet the current building regulations by placing insulation between and under the rafters, or if the roof is being stripped or rebuilt, between and over the rafters. Either way, a house with a loft conversion is likely to be significantly more energy efficient if the existing roof is not insulated, as 25% of energy is lost through the roof. A loft conversion is also an opportunity to upgrade the existing boiler, heating and plumbing to a more energy efficient system, such as a condensing combo boiler, or condensing boiler and mains pressure cylinder. This will also eliminate the need for the header tanks in the attic for gravity fed plumbing systems, freeing up more space. Other obstacles like TV aerials or even redundant chimneystacks can be removed. Converting the loft can also be a

good time to add renewable, such as solar panels.

For a loft conversion you have three main options:

You can commission a local architect to design your conversion produce drawings and get planning permission and building regulations approved. These drawings will then be sent out to builders to find the best value price. You will also need a structural engineer to oversee some of the more technical aspects of the job. You can hire a design and build contractor that specialises in loft conversions to be in charge of the whole project. This might limit the architectural choices for your conversion; however this type of company will be able to deal with planning permission, building regulations and engineering on your behalf. In addition, this route will offer you a fixed price package from the design stage, so you know what to expect. Finally, you can opt for a pre-fabricated loft conversion which is made in a factory and then craned onto your roof, fitted and made weather tight within two days. This is known in the industry as the “remove and rebuild” option. It is ideal for urban sites where site space is limited.

Types of conversion.

All loft conversions are different and will largely depend on the type of roof you have. Rooflight

conversion: This is the most cost-effective as is involves converting just the existing loft space with no additions and there is very little alteration to the roof space apart from the addition of roof windows set into the slope of the roof, insulation and strengthening of the floor etc. Dormer conversion: This is the most common type of loft conversion. Dormer windows are added to increase the volume of the roof space with full headroom. Dormer windows are usually added to the rear, side or both. Gable-to-gable conversion: This is a variant of the dormer roof conversion where the dormer window stretches the full width of the house, from gable end to gable end and tends to look more sympathetic than a very large ‘box dormer’. Sometimes it involves building up the gable end walls to ‘bookend’ the new space at either side. Hip-to-gable conversion: This involves one or more of the hips (where the roof slopes in from the side(s) as well as front and back) being replaced with a gable wall. The roof is then extended over these gables to add extra space with full headroom. Mansard conversion: This involves one or both slopes of the roof being replaced with a new structure with very steep sloping sides (almost as steep as the walls) with an almost flat roof over the top. This design is used where the original roof had little or no headroom and creates sufficient volume for an additional storey.

Floor joists

The floor of your new loft conversion will have previously been the ceiling for the storey below and so will need to be strengthened to take the additional weight. The alterations to the roof structure will also need to be calculated to ensure the roof remains strong enough to withstand all weather conditions. You will need a structural engineer to design this detail and produce drawings and calculations to comply with the building regulations.

Stairs

A space efficient staircase design is key to making

a loft conversion work. A single room loft conversion can have a loft ladder or space saver staircase, but larger conversions with more than one room require a full staircase. The minimum ceiling height above the stairs is set at 1.9 metres (1.8 metres at the centre under a sloping roof) and this often dictates where the new staircase can be positioned to ensure there is sufficient headroom. The ideal location is within the existing hall or landing area so space is not lost from existing rooms.

Planning permission

Most loft conversions do not require a planning application providing the design complies with the rules for permitted development (these do not apply in ‘designated areas’ such a conservation areas or National Parks so always check with your local authority). The rules allow 50m3 of additional space to detached or semi detached house and 40m3 to a terraced house, providing the additions do not face the highway or are any taller than the existing roof. You can also add roof windows to the front elevation. Listed buildings may still have permitted development rights, but listed building permission is required for any material alterations. Larger loft conversions or those with dormers to the front, or in designated areas can still be converted subject to grant of planning permission.

Fire safety

Any habitable rooms in the loft conversion where the floor level is more than 4.5m above external ground level will require a window large enough to get in and out of in the event of a fire and the whole structure, including a staircase route to an external door, must be able to resist for 30 minutes to allow safe escape. You will also need a hard wired smoke alarm system. For open plan houses where the stairs land in a room as opposed to an enclosed hallway, a fire suppressing sprinkler or misting system can make a loft conversion viable without having to change the open plan layout.

How much will it cost?

The cost of a conversion will vary depending on the type you choose, the level of work involved, and the cost of materials and fittings. For a simple rooflight renovation you can expect to pay around £1,000-1,250/ m2 plus VAT. Average costs for a dormer conversion are higher at £1,200-1,400/m2 plus VAT. The more alteration work is required to the roof the higher the cost, so a new mansard roof conversion would cost £1,400-2,000/m2 plus VAT.

SHAHID KHAN BILLIONAIRE FROM LAHORE

The 1950s saw the birth of Shahid Khan who was bought up in a middle-class family in Lahore, today he is a US national, and ranked very highly in Forbes’ list of America’s billionaires. Shahid Khan lives in Southwest Florida’s up market beach town of Naples. Mr Khan owns auto parts supplier FlexN-Gate and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He ranks 179th on the Forbes list with an estimated net worth of $2.5 billion, which is approximately £1.3 billion pounds. Mr Khan’s life and education began from his childhood home in Lahore, Pakistan. Forbes magazine claims his family was in the construction business in Lahore when he moved to the United States at the age of 16 to study at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. During his early days in the US, the magazine quoted Mr Khan as saying that he spent his first night in a $2 per night room at the Champaign YMCA. His first job in the US was washing dishes for $1.20 an hour. He graduated from the UIUC School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering with a BSc in 1971. He proved to be a successful entrepreneur when after his university education. Mr Khan invented a new truck bumper design that shaved weight off for fuel ef-

ficiency considerations. He never looked back and soon built his company with his $16,000 saving and a bank loan. Soon he developed the company into a $3.4 billion manufacturing juggernaut that supplied the biggest automakers in the world. Shahid bought the Jaguars, fulfilling a long time dream to own an NFL franchise. Mr Khan is focusing on giving back to his adopted country. He donated $10 million to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Back in Lahore, very few people are aware of Mr Khan’s place on the Forbes list of the 400 billionaires. “I only know that he is a Pakistani and he has purchased a football team in the US,” said Fawad Asghar, a sports journalist. According to Muhammad Imran, a business graduate, Mr Khan is a perfect example of brain drain for Pakistanis, and a proof of American dream. He said Mr Khan was giving back to the Americans since the US gave him a lot. Shahid Khan has really achieved the American dream, and gives hope to millions of Pakistani’s in his birth town, that you can achieve your goals and live the dream.

February 2018

The Magic Money Tree!

Whatever politicians might say, there is a magic money tree. It is the truth that few politicians like to leave unspoken: the UK does have a magic money tree and, over the past ten years, it has produced almost £550bn - out of thin air. That is sufficient to pay for the NHS for about four years. Or to fund the UK’s defence forces for over ten years. So where was all this magic money spent? And why aren’t we all a lot richer? The money tree is held under strict security in the dealing rooms of the Bank of England. Bank officials inform that no journalist has observed it before. Sarah John, the Bank of England’s head of sterling markets said that it’s amazingly cool to operate. With the help of a standard laptop computer, Ms John demonstrates the procedure. Hermes Investment Management is one of the various large institutions that sold gold and got money

in return. According to Hermes’ chief executive Saker Nusseibeh, the most long-term investors, such as pension funds or insurance companies, having sold their gold, need to reinvest the proceedings. He explains,” The gold gives them a solid income that comes in every year and finds what they have to pay out”. Saker Nusseibeh says, because of the need to reinvest, much of the money the Bank of England produced ended up increasing the price of assets such as bonds and company shares or commercial property to all-time highs, despite forming a new activity in the real economy, greater growth and jobs. Mr Nusseibeh says, “Since it raised the prices of assets up, poorer individuals, working individuals, lower-middle-class individuals, and young individuals from all classes, who do not own assets, suffered”. The individuals who performed the best out of it are those who possessed the most assets. Andy Haldane, The Bank of England’s Chief Economist, admits that the young may have fared less well. Mr Haldane says, “Their revenues have suffered more than the old”. Houses are more costly, and they’re not starting in the position of possessing assets in the first place, so there is a generational problem here. Mr Haldane says, “Young individuals may have lost due to a higher cost of a house, or a lower rate of income increase.” But those individuals who hope the Bank of England could start directing any money it produces to fight future crises is set for a disappointment. Chief economist Andy Haldane says, “That is outside our responsibility”.

MyBuilder and Rated People Website Profiles Create Issues

On setting up a website and email address, a

reporter gained a handyman profile on MyBuilder and Rated People. He was also capable of pretending to be one of the clients and submitted good reviews for more credibility. MyBuilder depicted that it would review its methods, with Rated People calling its screening procedure a “top priority”. The websites provide a platform of companies and people rendering a variety of services such as roofing, plumbing, bricklaying and landscape gardening. Users may screen results by their location and may also read reviews and ratings forwarded by the tradesperson’s former clients. Since many similar websites needed a face-to-face meeting and references or proof of public liability insurance, the reporter was capable of starting advertising as a handyman on the two sites with relative comfort. Rated People did not ask for insurance, references or request any standard checks and MyBuilder’s property maintenance questionnaire was delivered to search the internet for the right answers. With the support of comrades and fabricated email addresses, anyone can set up fabricated work, apply for it, and create themselves a reliable profile with-

out moving a finger. MyBuilder and Rated People had said that they hope to inspire property owners to organise their own homework and check reviews before employing. But so many people come to reliable trader websites assuming a large part of the homework has already been accomplished - a doctrine for someone that’s turned out to be a big mistake. Rated People told that tradespeople looking to register were scrutinised with a credit agency, scam prevention organisations and it “regularly reassesses all members”. Accreditation is needed to be authenticated “where official government accreditation is offered”, but “no formal qualifications or criterions exist” for a handyman, a representative said. MyBuilder stated that it turned down 40 percent of all applications, with each trade category assessed differently due to fluctuating requirements. The handyman assessment is “the most convenient to pass” as trades in the category are “comparatively low skilled and low risk”, comprising of bringing together flat pack furniture or hanging pictures. In spite of this, the company told that it would still be “doing a detailed review” of its handyman assessment.

LUNAR NETWORK - MUSLIM PROFESSIONALS NEW YEAR DINNER BIRMINGHAM

The city of Birmingham held its Professionals Networking New Year Dinner on Saturday 27th January at the Mailbox, Birmingham City Centre. Lunar Network is a recently formed group brining together the Professional Muslim Community in and around the Birmingham area. The Networking Group was formed by Rosie, a Banking Professional in Birmingham, who came up with the concept of bringing similar minded people together on a regular basis to network. The group provides many benefits to the community and allows guests to expand their professional circles, form new friendships and learn knowledge on useful topics which would help them in their professional careers as well as for personal development. It is a great platform especially for young professionals to integrate into the community, and for people to raise their personal profiles outside of their workplace. The theme of the event was ‘Invest in Yourself’ and the guest speakers for the event were carefully selected to contribute towards sharing knowledge for self-development. The evening was enjoyed by a room full of professionals coming together for the first time from different professional backgrounds. Guests enjoyed a lovely 3 course meal at Café Rouge overlooking the Birmingham Canals. There was plenty of entertainment during the course of the evening to keep conversations flowing, with live instrumental music by Omar and Angela, as well as facilitation from the hosts of the event Rosie and Sak. The main sponsors of the event were Gatehouse Bank. Umar Farooq, Head of Home Finance delivered a fantastic presentation simplifying the origins of Islamic Banking, how it meets all faith requirements and the changing face of Islamic Banking in the Western world.

This was an eye opener for guests who had very little knowledge of Islamic Banking and something to take away to share with their friends and families. The second part of the evening continued with the theme of investing in yourself and consisted of an interactive session with Public speaker, Billal Jamil, on strategies to accelerate your personal impact on and off stage. Both sessions were a fantastic way for guests to interact and share their thoughts with one another. Feedback from guests has been overwhelming. Read some of the comments below and on Facebook; “What an amazing event held by Lunar Network. Perfect way to spend the evening meeting new people. Honestly speaking, I have met some amazing people tonight and learnt a lot of new skills”, Saba. “Working with Lunar Network was a pleasure and we certainly will be supporting Rosie in future. The event was extremely well organised and the people attending were extremely professional and open to conversation for future networking and business opportunities. At Gatehouse Bank we pride ourselves on promoting the flexibility of Islamic Finance in the UK and were delighted to present ‘The Basics of Islamic Banking’ to the attendees. I would certainly recommend this event to Professional Muslims looking to meet likeminded people. Thank you to Rosie and Lunar Network for your kind invitation and look forward to your next invitation.” Umar Farooq. Our next event will be a showcase of Female Entrepreneurs and Leaders, for our International Women’s Day Event on 25th March. Should you wish to join us at the event email us at hello@ thelunarnetwork.co.uk.

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

CHECK OUT THE LATEST GLAM GOSSIP

The battle to stardom ‘asha j’

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

Interview with Twinkle Khanna

Q&A with R Balki

February 2018

A sha J also known as Asha Jassal is a songwriter, performer, model, and actress. The

Ambassador for World Peace was born and brought up in the UK. She is taking the music/ model/film world by surprise with her sutras sexy Bollywood, Hollywood diverse looks and multi talented skills by singing in three languages Hindi, Punjabi and English. She has already attracted mainstream Ripper productions and Sony Music Remixes who had a hand on remixing her song Diwana, in 2010. They are the official remixes for Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and Britney Spears just to name a few. Coming from a musical background with family ties to the music industry, Asha J was encouraged to sing and perform with family members at gatherings and having renowned Ghazals singers attending family homes, it acquired her love and passion for Music. Her father a keen actor himself attended acting school and also sang with the harmonium at gatherings. The inspiration and input from her father, cousin’s and uncles who since went on to become Pioneers of the ‘Punjabi Bhangra Music Industry’, which Asha J decided to quit as she wanted to earn her achievements through her own merits as becoming the only girl to take a step forward, she started to embark her new journey and began writing at the tender Age of 15 and sending recorded demos a few years later. Her luck began at a former records company that she had began working at as the break times song writing skills was being recognised by renowned reggae artists attending the company. This is where she was to make her first connections and lead to a record first single ‘Break loose’ Later connecting with ‘Bally Sagoo’s’ company her next Single ‘Kubh Milanga hum’ cover of reggae song ‘Silly Game’s by Janet Kay was in discussion after submitting her translation and recording but she wasn’t quite ready at this point to persue. Feeling confident she continued writing and shooting videos and promoting at this point. Through trials and tribulations and conquering battles of heartbreak and dismay of her

own through personal life and relationships, having had moved away from home in the earlier years of her life and without support of family networks, her mother remained her rock and stability to persue and she still stands by her today proudly. Gave her more passions of encounters and the life challenges that lay before her and nothing stopped the young soul from writing from the heart as life experiences made her more determined to bring comfort towards her songs. A will to live and aspire her dreams, knowing that she will reach that goal regardless of sailing alone. She went to record her first experimental album ‘Yours Truly ‘ with the likes of Pioneer Bhangra Music producer ‘Kuljit Bhamra’ who worked on one of the songs with her and later released the album on his label. There were bigger movements in place as a few years later she met her former group lead singer ‘Stereo Nation ‘known as Taz who heard her vocal by chance at a club they were performing at as she was introduced as a singer by former friend and club owner. The big bang happened as a few days later she was to receive a call on her coming on board to perform at worldwide events by rocking the stage with her sizzling dance moves and lead vocals. Asha J went International and was grateful for the big break and recognition. Meanwhile she was coming home to record the Album ‘Diwana the Album’ releasing in 2009 nominee at the Punjabi Awards in West London. She then went to perform at all the events listed below throughout the UK. A brief 2 year break was taken to revamp herself as she turned her attention on her passion on also helping others which was a natural way of life for her as she earned a distinction qualification as a ‘Life coach practitioner’ which opened the door to help people lost in life and find their way back, as she was once lost herself and now she has become an inspiration. Picked up by charities across the world to represent them as ‘Ambassador for World Peace’ as ‘Beauty speaks for peace’ projects and ‘foundation against Thalassemia’ India.

She went on to support community voluntary organisations in her spare time, giving up so many hours in a week just to make a difference. She came back with a bang as ‘Bobby Bola UK’ Bhangra Awards Organiser’ gave her a platform for her return scheduled for 2018. The timing was perfect as her first entry into the Bhangra Industry with new song ‘Party girl ‘ which was greatly received, drawing In the audiences from Birmingham and other cities and the new doll left a place in people’s hearts. The world waits eagerly for her new releases. The latest vocals and dance moves at events have attracted new projects and her personality as humble and charitable giving her a new wave into new collaborations and proposals of work from renowned famous artists. Legendary Artists are in projection for the coming months and it’s sure to come in with a bang! Very exciting times for Asha J singer/songwriter/actress/model Film work is also on the cards as Bollywood sets eyes on Asha J and to sing for Bollywood will be mission accomplished. The humbleness to make others happy through what she does sails on and she says it’s been worth the struggles as she inspires others to never give up!

tHE Golden Child The battle to Stardom Asha J

Image Credits: HMUA: Harveys Hair & Bridal Academy Outfits: Silons Jewellery & Anees Malik Photography: Hiten Ondhia & Snap Makadia

Mukkabaaz actor Vineet Kumar Singh wants to support struggling boxers in India

ASIAN WEDDING EXHIBITION LEICESTER TIGERS RUGBY CLUB

SUNDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2018 Welford Road, LE2 7TR

Showtime: 11am - 6pm

1 0 0 + W E DDI NG SPECI A LIST & BRE A KTA K I NG FA SH ION SHOWS E X H I BI T ION PROMO T OR S

FOR I N FO :

I N A SS O C I AT ION W I T H

0796 0336780

F OR

F R E E

E N TRY

R EGI ST ER

A S I A N - C E L E B R A T I O N S . C O M

Actor Vineet Kumar Singh, who is playing a struggling boxer in filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s forthcoming movie Mukkabaaz, says he wants to help real life boxers who are struggling in India. Asked if knowing the sport closely brought any changes in his mind, Vineet told a reporter: “Of course, I would love to contribute something to them. In the ‘akhada’ (wrestling arena), where I used to practise, I saw so many boxers.” “Some, who are struggling even though they are champions, and some are forced to retire, some are the victim of politics. I also made friends with them. So I want to help them with my limited capability so that awareness can be created.” In the film,

the actor fought with some of the real boxers and that made him think like a boxer. “In the film, there was no action choreography and I fought against some of the boxing champions like Neeraj Goyat, Deepak Tanwar and Sandeep Yadav. So yes, I want our country to have more such champions, and as an actor and sports enthusiast, I want to support these kind of sports individuals who have always been ignored,” he said. Presented by Eros International and Aanand L Rai and produced by Colour Yellow in association with Phantom Films, Mukkabaaz directed by Anurag Kashyap also features Zoya Hussain, Jimmy Shergill and Ravi Kishan.

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

■ After Cheeni Kum, Paa, Ki and Ka, you’re carrying forward the tradition of telling unusual stories with Pad Man... Tackling subjects that haven’t been touched upon before has always been the biggest motivation for me. Filmmaking is a laborious process. If you have to spend one year on it, it better be something that has never been done before. ■ In some parts of India, women aren’t allowed to enter temples and even the kitchen when they are menstruating. Will this film help change such obsolete practises? The film doesn’t preach, it’s an entertainer that talks about beliefs and rituals that have been followed for years without much thought while menstrual hygiene has been ignored. We are creating awareness about that. ■ Did Twinkle Khanna, who debuts as a producer with the film, offer any inputs? A film is made by a team of people. Twinkle was the one who first met Arunachalam Muruganantham (the real-life Pad Man) and thought it was a good idea to make a film on him. I had never done a biopic before but I like writing my own stories so I figured I could at least write a script based on the idea. Swan and Kirkire and I have co-written the script. ■ Let’s flashback to your first meeting with Arunachalam Muruganantham? It was hilarious. I wish I could make a seven-hour movie to incorporate all his stories. He told us about his struggles and there were so many lateral thoughts. He’s a very simple man. Akshay spent a lot of time with him too, but he didn’t ape Mr Muruganantham’s mannerisms, choosing to interpret his personality in his own

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

Q&A with R Balki

way instead. That is Akshay’s remarkable achievement - he’s given it a new feel without losing the spirit of the character. ■ The trailer shows Akshay trying on a sanitary napkin. It’s very unusual to watch a mainstream hero attempt something like that. Nobody was willing to try his pads, so Mr Muruganantham decided to do it himself. It’s a part of his story and we had to dramatise it to capture it in its full glory. ■ What was it like shooting in the small town of Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh? It’s beautiful and wonderfully maintained, including the Ahilya fort and Narmada river. It is a worthy role model for other Indian villages and small towns. We wrote the film there and have shot it in the interiors. ■ Why Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte for the female leads? People see Sonam as a fashion diva, but here she plays a character that is possibly the most difficult one in the film because it demanded tremendous sacrifice in terms of helping the protagonist. Radhika is already known as a great performer and in real life, she’s the opposite of the conservative woman she plays. For her to get into the skin of the character was a revelation. Both Sonam and Akshay bagged National Awards while shooting for this film, It was the second last day of our shoot and all of us ate a lot as part of the celebrations. ■ In the film, the protagonist has been put into a North Indian milieu as opposed to the real-life South Asian stories. Any particular reason behind transplanting the story?

I fictionalised it because it would be difficult to have a South Indian man speak pure Hindi. It would have been equivalent to mocking the language. Pad Man is not about South or North, but about a person’s achievements. ■ Amitabh Bachchan has been a part of all your films. Is a reunion on the cards soon? He has played a cameo in this film; it is an important part.

■ Back when you made Cheeni Kum, risqué subjects were few and far between. You are still on that brave and bold path. With these films, especially Pad Man, we are trying to remove the shame attached to themes like menstruation. But at the same time we are not trying to make it ultra-cool.

February 2018

Rani Mukerji to meet everyday champions during Hichki tour

Rani Mukerji will travel the length and breadth of the country to promote her forthcoming film, Hichki. The acclaimed actress will focus her efforts to take the film’s positive message of turning weaknesses into strength to audiences. Hichki applauds the positivity of the human spirit and the will to never succumb to social stigmas. So, as part of the film’s promotions, Rani will interact with real life people who have overcome great difficulties like discrimination, prejudice, social stigmas, social estrangement to achieve success. Rani has always been a people’s person, easily connecting with audiences and fans and everyday champions. Her ability to connect with people has been the driving thought for this idea. A source says, “Hichki talks about treating any difficulty like a hiccup and moving forward to achieve your goal. Rani is keen to meet, interact with and highlight those who have overcome real difficulties in their lives during Hichki promotions. She has been deeply moved while shooting for her character who has Tourette syndrome. She has been inspired by people who live with their weaknesses every day and record victories against them every single day. She will meet such people across the country while touring for the film’s promotions.” When contacted, Rani confirmed saying, “Hichkis, or challenges, are a part of everyone’s lives. It’s something that all of us have to deal with every single day. Prejudicial treatment, discrimination, social stigma that can arise because of our identities, our weaknesses can be very difficult to handle. That people have battled these hichkis successfully, and achieved their goals, is inspiring for me and I want to bring out their stories for everyone to get as inspired. I think such stories should be heard and told, and celebrated. I hope to interact with some of such real heroes, and hopefully, bring attention to their incredible journeys.”

Rani plays the character of Naina Mathur who has a nervous system disorder, Tourette syndrome that forces an individual to make involuntary repetitive movements or sounds. Hichki focuses on turning disadvantages into opportunities and staring down at challenges that life throws at one and ultimately winning over them. It is also a subtle reminder about discrimination that exists in our society and has become a part of our daily lives. It highlights this through the story of Naina, who faces discrimination from our society that firmly believes she cannot be a teacher because of her disorder. Directed by Siddharth P Malhotra and produced by Maneesh Sharma, the movie is set to touch the hearts of audiences when it releases on 23rd February 2018.

Writers Wanted!!! Join the multi-award winning team of Asian World Email: info@asianworldnews.co.uk

Interview with

Twinkle Khanna!

1) What inspired you to produce a movie like ‘Padman’? I was researching the topic of menstruation for my column in the Times of India when I came across the extraordinary story of Arunachalam Muruganantham. I was instantly gripped by his journey and from then on I knew it had the makings of a great film. But what’s more, I knew it was a story that needed to be shared with households all over the world. I had featured Arunachalam in the final short story of my second Novel ‘The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad’, which was hugely successful, but I always knew that with the way our era is shaping out audiences are more inclined to watch rather than read. It was for this reason that I knew that to spread the vital messages behind Pad Man to as many people as possible, it had to be through the medium of cinema.

detach from this as soon as we go home to our family. Akshay has been great throughout the whole process, and has really expressed a commitment to learning of the plights women have to face. The role of Arunachalam may have seemed risky on paper for an actor of Akshay’s stature, purely because of the stigma attached to the subject of the film. But he has shown a bravery to discard any taboos attached to menstruation to become a key focal point in the fight to raising awareness.

I find Arunachalam’s story to be incredibly inspiring. For a man of humble origins to risk everything as he did for his wife and hundreds of thousands of women around the world - even in the face of the huge taboo surrounding menstruation.

6) Are you planning to produce any more movies in the future? I am always brainstorming, and I have plenty of ideas in my mind. People always ask me if I would consider doing another film with the remit of raising awareness for important issues similar to menstruation in Pad Man, and I always say that if there is a subject I feel strong enough about to want to implement change then why not? As I said, I want to feel like I have had a positive impact on the world and I find filmography to be a brilliant vehicle for raising awareness through the art of entertainment. But for now, my efforts are fully devoted to Pad Man, and the core messages we are trying to voice.

2) Your book is turning into a movie. Does that inspire you to try your hand at scriptwriting? I wouldn’t rule it out, but I can’t say there is any immediate desire to turn to scriptwriting. Back when the idea of Pad Man was merely a brainstorm, I was introduced to R Balki and we discussed how best to get the story heard. Balki wrote and directed Pad Man and I think it was apparent that there was nobody out there better for the job. I’ve seen how his sensitivity and understanding of women shines through in his films and Pad Man is the latest example of this. I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the production of Pad Man, and I think this is the way forward for me when it comes to films. 3) Do you plan on acting again if an opportunity presents itself? Or would you rather write and produce? I would definitely rather write and produce than act, purely because I’m better at it! I have no plans on acting again because my heart was never truly in it – it’s what my parents had always wanted me to do. My philosophy is to try to leave the world in a better place than the way I found it, and I feel I have a greater opportunity to do this through writing. It’s the same with producing – I have been talking about the subject of menstrual hygiene for more than 3 years, but it’s through producing that I’ve been able to bring the story to a global audience. 4) How is it handling a production company with your husband? I think we work well together! Obviously, running a production company is a different dynamic to our everyday relationship as husband and wife, but we are able to

5) Are you currently exploring anything new at the moment? After Pad Man I go back to working on my next book. It’s far too early to say anything about that however, so stay tuned for more details!

7) What message are you trying to send across, with the movie ‘Padman’? We are trying to remove the stigma and taboos surrounding menstruation. Women have been made to feel embarrassed about something that is a natural part of every female body. Pad Man aims to be the catalyst for discussion, starting a conversation about menstruation in every household. Men really aren’t aware of the problem, either through choice or lack of education, and thanks to Akshay we are able to spread the message to them. It’s only when you are aware of an issue that you can take action to change it. 8) Was Akshay Kumar your first choice to play the lead role in the movie ‘Padman’? Akshay has teased me for this – but no, he wasn’t! It was only when R Balki suggested him that I realised that Akshay, as someone who is idolised by fans across India and around the world, could have a real impact in breaking the taboos simply by holding a sanitation pad. No one else could have played the role! If men see their idol talking about sanitary pads, they are sure to open their minds to discussing it too.

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

British Pakistani Superstar Singer MAZ BONAFIDE teams up With Peshawar Zalmi

After the previous success of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Hadiqa Kiyani, the Pakistan Super League champions Peshawar Zalmi have signed up the UK Pakistani Singer Maz Bonafide for a two song deal. The award winning singer, Maz Bonafide has already recorded the two songs for the PSL Champs. They are called ‘Zalmi Zalmi’ and ‘Yellow Storm’. The songs are very catchy, motivational and perfect for the crowd to sing along with. Both songs will be accompanied with music videos and will be released prior to the start of this year’s PSL edition which begins on Feb 22 in Dubai. As well as YouTube (and all other social media), the videos will be aired on major Pakistan TV channels including the Peshawar Zalmi media partner the PTV network. Before his solo success, he began his music career as part of the UK Bhangra fusion duo ‘Bonafide’ hence the name Maz Bonafide.

Blue Mink Bouquet

Grey Daisy Bouquet

The chart topping artist has performed in many countries worldwide and already has 8 Number 1 singles on iTunes World charts. He also broke the record by becoming the first artist to hit number 1 purely based on pre orders with his hit single ‘Jaan’. ‘I’ve always been a big fan of Pakistan cricket so I was very excited when I got a call from Javed Afridi (PZ Owner). It’s a pleasure for me to work with Peshawar Zalmi. I really enjoyed working on the songs. I wanted to create anthems for the fans to sing along with. I’m also looking forward to attending the PSL and performing them live for the fans’ Maz Said. The entrepreneur and PZ owner Javed Afridi said ‘We wanted to work with Maz as he is a very talented artist with a unique sound. We were confident he would give us the anthems we are looking for. Due to our growing global fan base, we specifically asked Maz to make one song in English lyrics too. We are loving both of the songs. Maz captured the feel of the songs we were looking for perfectly. We’re looking forward to blasting the songs at our matches’. Connect with Maz Bonafide on social media: Instagram: @MazBonafide Snapchat: MazBonafide Twitter: @MazBonafide YouTube: BonafideWorld Facebook: MazBonafideMusic

The Cake cast reveals the truth behind the film’s title

ince their upcoming film is titled as such, the Cake cast is not holding back on declaring their love for cake. “There is a lot of cake in the film, but I never get to eat it. I make a mess of it,” laughed actress Sanam Saeed. Regarding the film’s connection with the dessert, Sanam simply revealed, “Cake is a universal symbol and its present on all occasions.” However, actress Aamna Sheikh was able to put the matter to rest by revealing that her character spends a lot of time with cakes in the film. “Zareen is an aspiring baker,” she explained. “She has a lot of love but she’s got a lot of issues. The film will unfold her personality and the relationships around her.” Speaking about the director and his unusual approach to filmmaking, Aamina explained her decision to join the cast. “This was a page-turner script for me. Also, Asim (Abbasi) brings a fresh new perspective. He hasn’t been in the industry, so it hasn’t moulded him. So he’s doing everything very differently. But he’s very much rooted here as well. So the language, nuances, and relationships – all of them have been treated with a lot of sensitivity.” Director Asim Abbasi said, “The film does have something to do with cake but that’s not why we named the film Cake,” he revealed. “I was sick and tired of very obvious and on the nose titles. For me, it marks the passage of time. Cakes are present on a lot of occasions in the film; they’re there at weddings and birthdays etc.” The filmmaker also shared his insight to the film’s marketing. “It was deliberate – one has to stand out from the clutter,” he said. “Every film is different, thus the marketing approach is separate. The response has been great. We took some risks with the character posters that came out. A lot of people told us not to do it, that people would want to see the faces, but we trusted our gut instincts and it paid off.” Directed by Asim Abbasi, the family drama stars Aamina Sheikh, Sanam Saeed and Adnan Malik. Cake is scheduled to release in cinemas on 30th March 2018.

BASMATI BLUES

Red Rose Bouquet

Linda Watt (Brie Larson) is sent to India by her CEO where the colours and rhythms cause her to fall in love despite the trouble she finds herself in. Linda Watt is a sheltered but brilliant young scientist who is plucked out of her company’s lab and sent to India by her CEO (Donald Sutherland: The Hunger Games) to sell “Rice 9,” a genetically modified rice she’s created. However, unbeknownst to her, the rice will destroy the Indian farmers she thinks she’s helping. Upon arriving in India, Linda is overwhelmed and culture-shocked by the barely controlled chaos of India. She is introduced to an ambitious young bureaucrat, William (Saahil Sehgal) who, along with his mother, decides that they are an excellent match. Linda then meets Rajit (Utkarsh Ambudkar: Pitch Perfect, The Mindy Project), a rebellious college student forced to drop out by lack of funds, who questions Linda’s motives. Despite their playful antagonism, or maybe because of it, she starts falling for him. He ultimately opens her eyes to the fact she has unknowingly become part of a destructive plan. Basmati Blues pulses with the vibrant colours and rhythms of India and features original songs written for the film by global artists Pearl Jam, Sugarland, Goldspot, Dave Baerwald, and Sonu Nigam and also stars Scott Bakula (American Beauty, Star Trek: Enterprise) and Tyne Daly (Cagney & Lacey, Judging Amy).

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

Sidharth Malhotra turns rockstar After the romantic tracks Lae Dooba and

Yaad Hai, Aiyaary new song titled Shuru Kar is out. Featuring lead actors Sidharth Malhotra and Rakul Preet Singh, the song is a soft rock number that sees Sidharth and Rakul channel the rockstars in them. Penned by Manoj Muntashir, the lyrics urge the audience to begin a story. The inspirational lyrics are a wakeup call for those who

Bajrangi Bhaijaan to be released in China

Yash Raj Films’ Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra

are going to gatecrash a wedding while being on the run in their next film Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar. The two will shoot an out-and-out high energy dance number and director Dibakar Banerjee sure seems to be in the mood for some quirk as he has interestingly named the song Faraar in keeping with the theme of the film and predicament the lead actors of the movie find themselves in. A catchy title, being Faraar or being a runaway seems to be critical to the plot of this film. A source says, “Arjun and Parineeti gate-crash a Kumaoni wedding. Actually, it’s more like a bachelor

The two-year-old film Bajrangi Bhaijaan

which starred the superstar Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor is all set and ready to be released in China. The producer of Eros International has confirmed that the film will be shown at 8,000 cinema screens all over China. The film is hoping to achieve the same benefits from the recent China box office success of Bollywood films like Dangal and Secret Superstar. Bajrangi Bhaijaan is set to release on March 2nd, 2018. It released in India and other parts of the world in July 2015. Bajrangi Bhaijaan was directed by Kabir Khan. The story was about a six-year-old mute girl who was originally from Pakistan but ends up in India. Salman Khan played a very religious Hindu character who was obsessed with Hanuman. Expectations are running high as there is an interest to see Bajrangi Bhaijaan, as other Bollywood films have also been very successful in China. The film is beautiful as it promotes kindness along with both India and Pakistan shown to be united as one. Both countries are shown to be positive, and there are no negative elements in the film. The movie is full of emotions and many comedy scenes.Dangal was a big hit in China and earned a whopping $196 million. Secret Superstar followed and earned $27 million within three days. Eros could of not have picked a better film for China.

The acclaimed actress starts prepping for her

next with Varun Dhawan as she starts workshops to learn the craft of embroidery. Anushka Sharma is no stranger to taking up roles that are challenging and exciting at the same time. In Sui Dhaaga, Anushka will be seen transforming herself again to play the role of a self-reliant embroiderer and she has already started workshops to perfect her character before she starts filming. Anushka is paired with Varun

don’t realise their own worth nor muster the courage to express themselves. Taking to his Twitter handle, Sidharth shared the song with a caption that read, “The time is always now and the place is here! Inspire your own story by listening to #KoiKahaniShuruTohKar”

Sui Dhaaga time for Anushka Sharma

Dhawan for the first time and this fresh pairing is certainly the most exciting one of 2018. Producer Maneesh Sharma says, “We wanted someone who could effortlessly transform herself into a character who is intelligent, strong and expressive even in her silence. Anushka brings in the authenticity and resilient spirit as a performer and a star. Today, moviegoers want to discover and love characters that they connect with. They want to identify themselves with the story and see how convincingly and truthfully actors translate it.” “I was surprised how quickly Anushka picked up the craft of embroidery. When I saw stuff she has embroided, I thought someone has helped her. Later I found out that her preparation is not just limited to the workshop space, she is taking

material home to get better at the craft. The finishing touches is the thing that gives away that you are not trained at the craft but she realised that much before I could bring it up. It feels great to see actors taking interest in things beyond what the film requires”, says director Sharat Katariya. Sui Dhaaga, a film inspired from the visionary nation-building thought - Make in India, also stars superstar Varun Dhawan. This is the first time Varun and Anushka have been paired together, making audiences hugely anticipate this fresh pairing. The film also reunites the National Film Award winning team of producer Maneesh Sharma and director Sharat Katariya. Sui Dhaaga - Made in India is set to release on September 28, 2018.

party that they happen to enter while trying to escape those who want them dead. Arjun and Parineeti use this wedding to hide from the people chasing them. So, it has been aptly titled Faraar.”The source adds, “It’s an incredibly high energy dance song. Arjun is definitely the item boy in the song. His character ends up taking centre-stage in the big dance number. Like the Chokra Jawan song from Ishaqzaade, Arjun will pull off some high voltage dancing. Parineeti adds the masti in the song. She is a livewire dancer and the two will bring the house down in this song. Parineeti plays up the oomph quotient of the song.” Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar reunites Arjun and Parineeti onscreen after their mega-hit Ishaqzaade. The much-awaited entertainer is set to release on August 3rd, 2018.

February 2018

Q/A with “Mehmood Sultan”

1. How does it feel being a part time actor? It is difficult being a part-time actor, I have to juggle my hours and continue to work as I need to earn a living and support my family. I would prefer to be a full-time actor given the chance. 2. If your acting career takes off even further, will you leave your day job? Acting is my passion and in my blood; if my acting career takes off I would give up my day job. 3. How did your family react towards your acting career? My interest has been in acting since I was in college in Pakistan, I started off performing on stage, and then in movies. Due to my marriage I left my acting career behind in Pakistan but the passion for acting remained. During my years here, I started out working as an extra in English dramas. My granddaughters’ are very proud of me and they love going to the movies with me. My granddaughter, Madheeha attended a Pakistani movie screening I appeared in called Actor in Law and she loved seeing me on the big screen. I also worked in a Bollywood movie called Welcome to Karachi, and a couple of English films like The Lies We Tell which is releasing 2nd February 2018. My family have always supported me and allowed me to follow my dreams. 4. Is there any actor who inspires you? The actor who has always inspired me is Mustafa Qureshi (Pakistani Actor) since the 1970’s. 5. What are you currently working on? I am currently working on a tele film for Venus T.V. and there are two films in the pipe line this year. I will soon be working on a Pakistani drama which will be produced/ directed by Sohail Qamer. 6. What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced while acting? I have struggled for a very long time to get work in the acting field. Living in England made it harder due to the language barrier and not knowing the right contacts. 7. What can we expect from your new series ‘Taj War’? The story is set in a village in Pakistan. The main character is Taj War (Choudary of the village) who helps everyone in the community. He has two sons; the younger son is studying in Germany and the elder son who lives with him, who does not agree with his father helping the members of the village.

Interview with the Sensational Harshdeep Kaur

1. How old were you when you decided to take up music seriously? I was 5 years old when I started singing. I started learning Indian classical music at the age of 7. It was then that I decided I want to become a singer when I grow up. 2. What is the biggest lesson you have learnt throughout your career in music? Hard work and talent are very important factors in becoming successful. Music is a gift and one should always be grateful for it and keep nurturing it. 3. Which musician would you love to collaborate with and why? I’m lucky to have already collaborated with a lot of my favourite composers and singers. But someday I would love to meet Celine Dion and sing with her. 4. We are aware that you sang a track for a Bengali film called Bangla Naache Bhangra. Have you considered continuing your association with the Bengali industry? I like listening to music from different cultures/ languages. Bengali is a very sweet language and I have sung a few more songs for Raja Sen for an upcoming Bengali movie and I also did a Bengali jingle for Coca Cola Bangladesh.

5. What are you currently working on? I’m currently working on composing my own independent songs. I’m preparing a lot of music for my YouTube channel too. A lot of film songs are releasing this year too. 6. Do you have any advice for young Sikh girls who are considering pursuing a career in the music industry? I feel in our culture, Gurbani is the first musical introduction to children. When I was little I used to sing shabads in my school. Our gurbani is based on musical ragas. So one can always begin with that. But my advice is not just for Sikh girls but for all girls that if they want to pursue music as a career, then taking training in classical music is very important. 7. You’ve been in the music industry for 16 years. Are you planning to continue working in the music industry? I’ve been in the industry since the past 16 years and I will continue singing till my last breath. 8. You have sung so many devotional songs. Do you believe to be quite spiritual? Yes. I am a very spiritual person and believe that God is always watching over us. For me Humanity is the biggest religion. We should always spread love and peace. And Music is a great way to bind people from different cultures and walks of life.

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

The Perfect Bridal Hair Style

Your wedding day hairstyle is just as important as your bridal make-up.

All women want to look like a princess on their wedding day and your hairstyle plays a vital role in your whole bridal look. The perfect bridal hairstyle is one which makes you look and feel complete as a beautiful picture. Your wedding should be your day, a day where everything runs smoothly without stress, and you can fulfil your dreams of having a perfect wedding. So looking like the perfect bride is a big must and of course a lot of pressure comes with that. It is always good to have some ideas beforehand. Try and choose hair styles which suit your height and face shape. If you are not very tall it is a good idea to go for a hair style where the fringe part is styled quite high, this should add on an inch or two to your height. The perfect magical and elegant wedding hairstyles do come in a range of different cuts and styles according to what suits you. This is why it’s important to do some research beforehand. You should be involved in the hairstyle as much as what make up look you decide to go for. The princess look goes amazing if you want the complete fairy tale atmosphere and effect. Open beautiful curls, or you could have your hair half up with the perfect hair piece. Even flowers look nice if put on one side of the hairstyle. Usually one big flower does the job. If you do not want the princess look then you cannot go wrong with having a classy and elegant look. A perfect round bun with some hair floating around looks beautiful and magical. Again it all depends on your face shape and what theme your wedding is. The most favourite hairstyles of course are the traditional ones. Mostly everything is tied back and you cannot see the hairstyle due to the bridal heavy scarf which is placed on the head. You can have a side style which also looks very pretty, especially if flowers are used or hair pieces to decorate the hair along with a little glitter. If you decide to have a modern look then why not be adventurous and leave it to the make-up artist to decide for you, and do a hairstyle which is more in fashion. Then again it depends if you want to take that risk by leaving the style in somebody else’s hands and not having any input in any of the styling decisions. Remember it’s your special day and you need to have the hairstyle which suits you and your personality and last but not least do not be afraid of experimenting to get the final look.

Top Makeup Products for a Glam Glow Highlighted and glowing skin is one of the most popular beauty trends at the moment in the makeup industry, appearing on high end catwalks and all the way to beauty blogs. This sought after look is easy to achieve with the following products.

1. Iconic London Illuminator Drops - £30 Almost every famous beauty blogger or reality star can be seen holding and wearing this liquid highlight from Iconic London, including the Kardashians and Zoella, and rightly so as it works perfectly to give the skin a glamorous, high shine look with just a few drops. It can be worn all over your face under your foundation to give a more intense, overall glow or just on the high points of your face to accentuate those features. It also comes in three shades to suit different skin tones and create different looks. The price is somewhat high, however, so a good alternative could be the Makeup Revolution or NYX liquid highlighters which are priced at £6 and £8.

2. Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighters - £26 Rihanna’s new makeup line, Fenty Beauty, has caused a storm in the makeup industry with her extensive shades and high quality products selling out and getting rave reviews. In particular, her range of highlighters have received praise for their intense pigment and shining finish. The shade ‘trophy wife’, a bright yellow-gold is becoming somewhat of a cult product due to its unique look but she also

had more wearable shades such as ‘metal moon’, a white-gold or the duo of ‘girl next door’ and ‘chic phreak’ which are both pink toned.

the need to spend higher amounts. Also, Superdrug often do 3 for 2 offers on their cosmetics so it would be a good option to look out for their offers and see what else you can get your hands on. Deepika Padukone’s shines bright on Indian Vogue

3. MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighters - £3 Despite its highly affordable price, these highlighters don’t lack on quality at all. The buildable pigment and soft, glowing finish that these highlighters give make them a great product for those on more of a budget who still want to follow this popular trend. These highlighters also come in a range of shades to suit various skin tones, including gold, pink, amber and lavender and when used with a slightly wet brush, the finish is even more intense.

4. Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Highlighters - £7.99 This highlighter from Maybelline gives an on trend metallic and highly pigmented glow, it comes in two shades in the UK for light to medium and medium to deep skin tones and it is again, within a lower price range for those who don’t want or feel

Ahead of the release of her new film Padmaavat, Deepika Padukone starred in Indian Vogue’s February cover titled ‘the happy issue’, where she is wearing a colourful, sequined shirt and bright red lip, looking just as happy to match her look. She opened up about her struggle with depression and wanting to bring an end to the stigma surrounding mental health, a new as-yet-untitled film with Vishal Bhardwaj and the happiness that family time and Asian food bring her. Padmaavat’s success brings its lead actors together

At a special screening of the historical film, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor took to some cake-cutting in celebration for the success of the film with Sanjar Leela Bhansali. The lead actors looked ecstatic about the overwhelming response to this much-awaited project. The cast also met with directors like Imitiaz Ali, Nitesh Tiwari and Aanand L. Rai who also attended the screening and rejoiced at the film’s success.

Despite only being in theatres for a week, Padmaavat has made a whopping INR 128 crores with all eyes now set on the 200 crore mark, and the film is reportedly heading to become the highest grosser of all time, outside ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’. Local Cyrille Regis’ emotional memorial celebration A public memorial commemorating and celebrating the life and football career of Cyrille Regis took place at The Hawthorns on Tuesday 30th January where family, friends and fans of the much loved player came together to pay their respects. Regis, a member of FA Cup winning team of 1987 Coventry City and a pioneer for black footballers in the game, passed away on January 14th following a heart attack at aged 59. The celebration event attracted over a thousand of Regis’ fans, with his family and friends delivering touching eulogies and speeches to the crowd of the stadium where he made his name; his wife Julia paid tribute to her “loving, caring, amazing husband”, his son Robert described his father as a “living, walking superhero” and his daughter, Michelle, said “I couldn’t be prouder just calling you my dad”. The family, who planned the event to be a celebratory occasion for Regis’ life, are said to be overwhelmed by the support they have received from fans all around the world. Brendon Batson, who played alongside Regis and Laurie Cunningham at West Brom said at the event that “he had a calm presence and a ready smile” and he referred back to the vile abuse that they received as black players, but said that “Cyrille never lost his cool. You could not intimidate Cyrille Regis.”. Regis, Cunningham and Batson were dubbed by their then manager Ron Atkinson as “The Three Degrees” and the trio were all subject to racist abuse during the 1970s. They are due to be honoured with a 10ft statue in West Bromwich, and Atkinson has called on fans to make donations towards the commemorative statue that is yet to be completed. The celebration included hymns, prayers and music from singers Beverely Knight and Carl McGregor and some famous faces that also came to pay their respects included John Barnes, Carlton Palmer, Ron Atkinson and Les Ferdinand.

February 2018

HEALTH

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

HOW TO MAKE THIN CHOLESTEROL HAIR LUSH AND THICK CONTROL E N ven people with thinning hair dream of having lush, thick and healthy locks to set off their complete look. For most people with thinning hair, though, all of their styling endeavours are met with frustration and a resulting style that falls short of the image that they had envisioned. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Thinning hair does not sentence you to a life of dull and unstylish tresses. In fact, there are several things that you can do to make your thinning hair look stunning. And the best part is that these thinning hair options won’t take a great deal of your time or money either. The first thing that you need to do to make your thinning hair look fabulous is to find the right stylist. Search for a stylist who has other clients with thinning hair and is fluent in all of the right styles and techniques to both protect thinning hair and make it look thicker than it really is. You can do this by asking for referrals from friends who also have thinning hair but always seem to look like they have just left the salon. Once you have found the right stylist, together you can begin to examine your options for making your thinning hair appear thick again. Since there are many different ways to thicken up your locks, it is very important for you and your stylist to talk about each thinning hair option together so that you pick the right techniques that are perfect for you and your thinning hair. Here are just a few of the ways that you can make your thinning hair appear lush and thick: Cut and texture- One of the best ways to conceal your thinning hair is to find a cut that adds a lot of texture and movement to your style while at the same time makes your hair appear

thicker. Since long hair tends to draw the eye to the reality of thinning hair, shorter hairstyles are often your better bet. Choose styles with a lot of layers and textures ends that will create movement and interest to your thinning hair style. Adding texture through soft curl can also be a great way to make your thinning hair look its best. Colour- Not only does colour add more body and thickness to your thinning hair, it can also be used to draw the eye away from particularly thin spots. Using

combination

of low-lights, high-lights and colour accents, your stylist can do wonders for your thinning hair with a colour brush. Products- There are a wide variety of products on the market that can be used to conceal thinning hair. Products such as thickening shampoos and conditioners can do a lot for the hair. Also be conscious of what types of styling products that you use on your thinning hair. Use lighter products such as mousses and pomades over heavy products like gel and spritzs. As you can see, none of these thinning hair remedies are complicated or expensive. Simply by learning how to best style your thinning hair and learning to use the right products can do a great deal to make your hair look like it is both chic and thick.

ewspapers have reported on the drawbacks of having a diet high in fat. High-fat diet has been linked to high cholesterol and ultimately to heart attacks. Hence, people have started avoiding beef and eggs. But cholesterol is not bad. Our body needs it to protect nerves and build new cells and hormones. It is only when we include foods like pizzas, burgers, ice creams, steaks or any food containing animal product that the problem starts. Excess cholesterol settles along the walls of the arteries and can clog them thus, restricting blood flow. This gives rise to angina, heart attack or stroke. It has also been shown that high cholesterol leads to gallstones. There are two types of cholesterol called good cholesterol or HDL and bad cholesterol or LDL. LDL is the cholesterol that clogs the arteries and should be lower while HDL scours the artery walls and removes the harmful LDL and should be higher. Doctors recommend reducing and avoiding high-fat diets containing meat, eggs and dairy products. But you can use the following home remedies for treatment: • Increase the intake of Vitamin E: It is advised to increase your intake of Vitamin E to 400 international units to prevent the oxidation of bad cholesterol where the cholesterol hardens into the arterial plaque thus giving rise to heart attack. It also raises the level of HDL. You can include Vitamin E as dietary sources or include vegetable oils, nuts or grains in your diet. • Eat your breakfast: People who skip the breakfast have higher cholesterol levels than those who have breakfast every day. This is because they tend to eat unhealthy foods which are high in fats. • Eat small meals frequently: Large meals have been shown to release a large amount of insulin, which in turn stimulates the production of the enzymes that increases cholesterol production by the liver. But eating small frequent meals without increasing

the total calories will limit the insulin production and thus controls the cholesterol and in turn heart diseases. • Add Vitamin C to your diet: Though other vitamins and minerals play an important role in the cholesterol production, Vitamin C is the most crucial vitamin for cholesterol control. It increases HDL levels and is very beneficial if you get it from fruits and vegetables, since they have a special fibre called pectin. It surrounds the cholesterol and flushes it out of the digestive system before it gets into the blood. Include fruits like citrus fruits, tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, apples and spinach which are rich in vitamin C and pectin. • Increase garlic intake: Taking seven cloves of garlic a day will reduce cholesterol levels significantly. If you cannot stand the normal garlic, then you can opt for odourless garlic pills, which are available in local health stores. • Skip decaf: Avoid decaffeinated coffee since it has been shown to raise LDL levels. This is because the beans used for decaf are far stronger than the normal beans. • Munch grapes: Grapes and their products have a compound which lowers cholesterol significantly. So you can increase your intake of grapes, grape juice and wine to decrease your cholesterol level. • Have grapefruit: Grapefruit contains pectin which reduces cholesterol significantly. Hence, people who consume grapefruits show a marked decline of cholesterol over 7 percent after two months of consumption. • Eat beans: Lima beans, kidney beans, navy beans, soybeans and other legumes have been shown to lower cholesterol as they have a high amount of pectin. Research has shown that people who consume about 11/2 cup of cooked beans a day have decreased their cholesterol levels by 20 percent within three weeks. • Splurge on carrots: Carrots have plenty of pectin, the most useful type of fibre for lowering cholesterol. Having about 2 to 3 carrots a day will reduce cholesterol levels by 10 to 20 percent.

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

ALTERNATIVE REMEDIES TO HELP BACK PAIN C ome to think of it, a lot of people suffer from back pain these days without finding any cure with orthodox medicine, maybe because of incorrect diagnosis or ineffectiveness of the prescribed drug or drugs, so the pain becomes a part of most people’s lives. However, for a lot other people who have not been able to obtain a exact diagnosis of their back pain problems, seeking alternative means of obtaining relief has become their immediate concern. It is becoming a big problem finding solution to back pain with orthodox medicine, back pain treatments are no long yielding the results that are expected. So the none-medical alternatives are coming to the rescue as follows: • Acupuncture: Acupuncture is an alternative treatment for back pain that has been in existence for sometime now. Rooted in ancient civilizations of Asia, acupuncture involves the insertion of needles into specific parts of the body for the purpose of taking away the pain. Acupuncture has been proved to work for chronic pain. It has provided short term relief from

back pain for a great deal of people. • Massage therapy: The art of massage has been used for years as a tool of relief and relaxation. An experienced masseuse can massage the points of pain in your back, especially if it is caused by a strained muscle. People have been known to attain a state of painlessness after undergoing a well executed massage therapy. Some people argue that acupuncture or pressure point massage may be more effective than Swedish massage. • Physical therapy and exercise: Under the keen eye of a licensed physical therapist, you can stretch and exercise your back pain away. Exercise and physical therapy as a whole has been known to work well with chronic back pain sufferers than with acute back pain sufferers. Most back pain sufferers have also found relief from the education of the psychosocial factors of back pain. You can end your suffering from back pain by finding a cure with alternative medicine because of incorrect diagnosis or ineffectiveness of the prescribed orthodox drug or drugs, so that the pain does not become a part of your life.

REDUCE ACID REFLUX OR HEARTBURN

do you know the signs of a stroke?

Actors Sanjeev Bhaskar and Bhasker Patel urge community to take part in stroke survey

Heartburn and acid reflux are

typically treated with over the counter products or drugs that reduce stomach acid or block the excretion of stomach acid. It would appear that if our stomach acid needed to be diluted by antacids, our body would be smart enough not produce such a corrosive liquid in our stomach. That fact is that we need a highly acidic condition in our stomach to properly digest protein. Using drugs to suppress this stomach acid is not the correct way to deal with acid reflux or heartburn. If you do go this route, you will be facing many disease as you get older. There are many reasons you might have acid reflux. One reason is a weakness in the Lower Esophageal Sphincter valve, LES. LES is a valve between your stomach and your esophagus. When your LES valve is weak, it can allow acidified, partially digested food to flow back up into your esophagus. The acid in the food will burn the lin-

ing of your esophagus causing the so called “heartburn…” Here are some natural steps that you can use to strengthen your Lower Esophageal Sphincter valve: These foods can weaken the LES valve – coffee, peppermint, spearmint, sugar, chocolate, onions, and alcohol. Once you have strengthened your LES, you can return to eating these foods in moderate amounts. Eliminate those foods that are known to create allergic reactions such as cow’s milk, wheat, white flour, diary products, and other foods. Avoid overeating and having a large amount of food in your stomach. Excess food in your stomach can increase your stomach gas pressure and force your LES valve to open. Avoid using certain drugs, although this might be impossible. If you take drugs perhaps you can start looking for and start using some natural remedies so that you can lessen the use of drugs.

Here are some of the drugs at cause LES problems – NSAIDs, bronchodilators, channel blockers, beta-blockers, anti anxiety drugs, and nitroglycerine. These drugs relax the muscles around the LES valve causing them to open during normal stomach gas pressures. Watch how you do certain physical activities, such as waist bending, staining during bowel movements, coughing, and lifting heavy objects. This increases the pressure in the stomach, causing the LES valve to open. After a meal do not lie down. This causes food to flow back towards the LES valve putting pressure on it. So it is a good reason to eat your last meal around three hours before bedtime. There you have it, some natural remedies and activities that strengthen or weaken your LES valve. Just applying some or all these will result in reducing the frequency of your acid reflux and heartburn.

Actors Sanjeev Bhaskar and Bhasker Patel are calling on South Asians to participate in a new survey by Public Health England (PHE) in conjunction with Asian and black media, to understand the current levels of knowledge about stroke. The survey is designed specifically for Asian and black communities and will run during PHE’s Act F.A.S.T. campaign. Stroke is now the fourth largest cause of death in England and South Asians are at a higher risk than their white counterparts due to high blood pressure and diabetes being significant factors. Actor Sanjeev Bhaskar who is committed to improving the community’s understanding of the risks and signs of stroke, said: “The Asian community is at a higher risk of having a stroke and are more likely to have a stroke at a younger age therefore it’s important we recognise the signs and know how best to respond when we see them in ourselves or others so more lives can be saved. “I would urge the Asian community to take advantage of this unique opportunity to play a direct role in

helping PHE to understand whether the message is getting through to our community.” Actor Bhasker Patel who is featured in the stroke Act F.A.S.T. film adds: “The stroke Act F.A.S.T. campaign reminds people of the key signs of stroke and the importance of calling 999 immediately if they notice any single one of the signs in themselves or others. This survey will make us all think about what we know about stroke and hopefully will encourage us to find out more information that we can share with our family and friends. All you have to do is answer a few simple questions, it only takes a few minutes.” Professor Julia Verne, Public Health England Director, said: “We are committed to ensuring that those at risk of stroke recognise the signs and know what to do if they notice any single one of the signs so that we can improve chances of survival. We’d like to encourage as many South Asian people as possible to complete the survey to help us understand current levels of knowledge of our Act F.A.S.T. messages.”

February 2018

A LOOK AT OBESITY SOUTH ASIANS If you thought being obese is being the target of fun, it only tells the part of the story about dangers and predicaments obesity exposes you to. Obesity is no more a simple result of overeating-lead-to-overweight case. To quote the American Obesity Association’s words, “It is now recognised that obesity is a serious, chronic disease. No human condition — not race, religion, gender, ethnicity or disease state — compares to obesity in prevalence and prejudice, mortality and morbidity, sickness and stigma.” Obesity is a trojan horse. It brings a battalion of ailments, which are most detrimental to our health. To name a few, following are the complications that could arise out being obese. 1. Hypertension 2. Diabetes (Type-2) 3. Coronary heart disease 4. Stroke 5. Gallbladder disease 6. Osteoarthritis 7. Asthma 8. Sleep apnea and respiratory problems 9. Some cancers (endometrial, breast and colon) 10. High levels of cholesterol This is an unending list, where each of the above ailments are capable of creating other complications, where no medication without side effect, could be comfortably used. Prevention is the best cure for obesity. How to achieve this? Shake Your Head A doctor once told my friend, who is obese that it is very easy to lose weight. My friend became very interested and asked him to suggest a way. The doctor calmly replied that just shake your head from left to right, maybe ten times a day! My friend became very curious. What is the idea behind this? He asked. Doctor calmly replied, “Whenever anyone offers you something to eat, shake your head from left to right”. Simple, isn’t it? It is simple, but it requires discipline, which is not simple. But then, habit makes discipline. Avoiding junk food and fast food must be done with a discipline. Is Being Overweight Obesity Obesity is not just due to eating disorder unlike overweight.

Obesity is hereditary and it is measured by Body Mass Index or BMI. Adults over the BMI of 30 Kg/m2 is considered are considered obese and any one with reading between 25 and 29.9 kg/m2 is overweight, not obese. Obesity is posing the biggest threat to Americans and the numbers are rising with each year. There are around 35% obese Americans according to a survey. This is also draining the state exchequer heavily to the tune of $25 billion a year. What Causes Obesity There are more reasons than one. Having obsession to eating more calories than you can burn off, how active are you, what you eat and whether you have an inherited streak in your genes, all these determine your chances of becoming obese. In any case it is due to the over accumulation of fats.

Is There An Anti-Obesity Plan? There are many quick-fix plans being promoted by the so called dieticians which are not regulated by FDA. However, burning fat by increased physical activity and a changed lifestyle in addition to changed eating habits to healthier foods must gradually show results. Although fat at hips is not quicker to harm you than the accumulation around waist, there is no guarantee that you are absolutely safe. Talk to your trainer and dietician, pullup your socks and get going. After all, it’s your life.

VITAMIN VAPE

“This B12 Vaporizer is the answer for health fanatics who want the easiest, most-efficient and cost-effective way to extract the nourishing qualities of vitamin B12, without the pain and costs associated with injections. Now, a boost of energy can be yours with just a few puffs,” says George Michalopoulos, CEO and founder of VitaminVape, Inc. Vitamin B12, also known as cyanocobalamin, is a watersoluble vitamin that is part of the B vitamin family. These vitamins help support adrenal function, help calm and maintain a healthy nervous system, and are necessary for key metabolic processes. According to the National Institute of Health: “Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that helps keep the body’s nerve and blood cells healthy and helps make DNA, the genetic material in all cells. Vitamin B12 also helps prevent a type of anemia called megaloblastic anemia that makes people tired and weak.” Unlike other vitamins, vitamin B12 is not sensitive to the heat associated with vaporizing – making it the ideal vitamin to inhale without losing its compounds. Studies have shown the body only needs a small amount of vitamin B12 every day, which equals to

10-20 puffs daily with VitaminVape. As comparison, vitamin C would require thousands of puffs to get its recommended daily intake (RDI). The VitaminVape B12 Vaporizer is a quick, convenient and cost effective way of absorbing vitamin B12. Each VitaminVape B12 Vaporizer contains 14 energy shots, or 8,000% daily value. It consists of all-natural ingredients; no nicotine, no diacetyl, no caffeine, no sugar and no calories. Each vaporizer contains an internal atomizer, cartridge and battery. Also, an LED indicator is built in to help indicate when the vaporizer is depleted. FACT SHEET World’s first disposable B12 Vaporizer 14 Energy Shots in each vaporizer with 8,000% Daily Value No Nicotine, No Sugar, No Caffeine No Calories No Diacetyl No Propylene Glycol (PG) Studies on the effectiveness of B12 inhalation goes back to at least 60 years

MUST TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR HEALTH

South Asians must change their diet and take control of their health in order to pre-

vent heart disease and diabetes according to Dr Viswanathan Mohan, a leading health expert based in Chennai, South India. Speaking ahead of the HEART UK – The Cholesterol Charity – Annual Conference, Dr Mohan warned that South Asians in Britain and around the world must do more to combat the risks factors that can shorten their lives. Dr Mohan said: “South Asians have an increased susceptibility to both coronary heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes and they must take control of their health and make significant changes to their diets in order to combat heart disease. “Despite lower rates of obesity, they tend to have increased waist-hip ratios (the classic apple-shape) known to be less healthy and low ‘good’ HDL cholesterol. They are also known to have lower muscle mass and Vitamin D. We aren’t sure exactly what the cause is, but a high carbohydrate load in the diet and decreased physical activity may provide some explanation. “It’s vital that South Asians reduce their saturated fat and carbohydrate intake, do more exercise and maintain their ideal body weight which studies show can have a significant impact on the chances of getting heart disease or diabetes in future. That requires communities to work together to change longstanding habits to improve their wellbeing and those of their families.” HEART UK Expert Dietetic Adviser, Baldeesh Rai agrees with Dr Mohan and added: “The food choices South Asians make can have a significant impact on reducing the risk of heart disease. “Replacing saturated fats such as butter and ghee with unsaturated fats such as rapeseed/olive or ground oils can help to reduce blood cholesterol and cutting down on salt can help to lower raised blood pressure. Chapatis, rice and potato curry are all high in carbohydrates and just by reducing portion sizes and increasing exercise can help with weight management.” HEART UK encourages a diet that is low in saturated fat, but rich in whole grains, whole fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans and pulses – all of which contribute to dietary fibre intake and do not contribute free sugars to the diet. This includes avoiding full fat dairy products such as ghee, cream, cheese, paneer and yogurt and desserts made from them. Cutting down on processed foods which are often high in saturated fat and opting for lean cuts of meat or chicken or fish can also have benefits.

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

Sampurna Kerala Ayurveda Centre Kerala Ayurveda Spa Clinic (KASC)

Kerala Ayurveda Launches A Level 1 Course Ayurveda is all about the Art of Living Healthy and the Rebalance of the Mind Body and Soul. When we are afflicted, it is not just about the disease but also about the individual as a whole. It is about preventative measures and aids in the restoration to health. The principles of Ayurveda promote self-esteem, happiness and harmony through healthy living. diet, habits, mental, physical and emotional make-up, these are all factors that are considered carefully during a consultation with an Ayurvedic Vaidyar in order to determine the root cause of any ailment before any recommendations can be made. About Us KASC situated in Birmingham is a traditional Kerala Ayurveda Clinic; it is a Natural Holistic Healthcare Centre where other complementary therapies are also practised. Established for nearly seven years it has served over 11,000 individual clients and is always willing to work with the patient’s primary Healthcare providers. As a genuine Ayurvedic Clinic the B.A.M.S. qualified Vaidyars (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) offer AYURVEDIC CONSULTATIONS, DIETARY ADVICE, HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS, DETOX, THERAPIES and THERAPEUTICAL YOGA & MEDITATION. The Relaxation Centre offers Aromatherapy, Hot Stone Massage, Massage & Reflexology, Massage & Steam and Swedish massage. The Natural Beauty therapies offered are Facials, Facial Marma, Manicure & Massage, Deep Clean Pedicure and Body Exfoliation/Scrub.

A Spa, Ayurveda Clinic & Ayurveda Institute

719 Stratford Road, Sparkhill, Birmingham, B11 4DN,

Facebook—@ayurvedaspabirmingham Twitter—@AyurvedaBrum Email—info@Keralaayurvedaspaclinic.com Website— www.keralaayurvedaspaclinic.co.uk/

AYURVEDA & ABHYANGA LEVEL 1 COURSE This course will be accredited by BSS and CMA, successful participants will be offered the opportunity to take up membership with CMA and BAAAP. This course is designed to introduce the world of Ayurveda and its timeless remedies to the seekers of nature’s answer on how to redress the imbalances in our lives. The course will enable the participant to understand the origin, principles and concepts of Ayurveda and become proficient in full body Abhyanga Massage suitable to the Ayurvedic body-type. Venue – Kerala Ayurveda Spa Clinic, 719 STRATFORD RD, Sparkhill, B11 4DN, Course Structure The course will be conducted in English by Kerala, South India, Ayurveda University Qualified and Experienced Practitioners with BAMS (Bachelor in Ayurveda and Bachelor in Surgery) Certificate. Each course will comprise of 8-10 students working in groups of two, the course is conducted using Training Manual & Education Pack, Charts, Training Videos, Demonstrations and Practical Training. Participants having a

February 2018

basic knowledge of Anatomy and Physiology will be at an advantage. Course Duration - Each course will be conducted over a 10 week period as follows; 1st 5 weeks – Theory, Next 4 weeks – Practical and Clinical experience 5hours/week for 3 weeks as per arrangements with tutor followed by a 2 Hour Theory and 2 x 1 hour Practical Exams The papers will be sent to Kerala for BSS to issue the Certificate upon successful completion and attendance. Appropriate Clothing and Footwear needed plus, file, clip board and writing material PAYMENT - COURSE COST £650 Full payment is required to book your place. Payment is non-refundable and is usually requested to be paid at least 1 week in advance of the starting date. Cheques should be made payable to Sampurna Kerala Ayurveda ltd JOB OPPORTUNITIES – Sampurna can offer post course job opportunities at the Clinic or refer to other Ayurveda Clinics upon satisfactory completion.

February 2018

TRAVEL

10 city breaks in Europe Valetta

The tiny capital of Malta, Valetta, founded by St John in 1565 for soldiers returning from Crusades, contains some spectacular spots for tourists which includes Malta’s oldest fort St Angelo and a marvellous burial complex known as Hal Saflieni Hypogeum. For food lovers, the unpretentious Da’ Pippo Trattoria serves the most delicious Italian cuisines of the region.

Wroclaw

The passionate Polish city on the Oder River, Wroclaw, has some unmissable charms like Market Square which comprises of elegant townhouses and a spectacular fountain. Wroclaw is host to Europe’s many cultural events like summer concert with Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour.

Marseille

Marseille, the southern coastal attraction of France, is adorned with some alluring historical sites like Notre-Dame de la Garde, a neo-Byzantine church, in parallel with independent cafes and shops around such as La Grande Savonnerie.

Dubrovnik

Girona

Unlike congested of tourists Barcelona during peak season, Girona offers the visitors the culture of Catalan. Being just an hour drive away from Costa Brava, Girona is home to indulging restaurants like El Cellar de Can Roca and dancing platforms such as Sunset Jazz Club.

Bologna

If you have a penchant for cultural events then the Bilbolbul international comic festival in Bologna, which may take place in any sort of venues including museums and homes, is the place which is not to be ignored for a memorable break.

Brno

While the swarms of tourists flock the city of Prague by default. The second city of Czech Republic, Brno, allows you to take full advantage of its placid atmosphere. Moravian Karst and Caves is a network of underground labyrinth which is more than a thousand in number.

Tallinn

The main set location for Game of Thrones, Dubrovnik is a must-to-see spot in Croatia fronting the Adriatic Sea. The luxurious cocktail hangout, club Banje, is the first preference of most visitors in the region. The trip can be topped up with culinary indulgences in restaurants like 3600.

The city of Tallinn lies at a converging point for Scandi, Russian and Baltic cultures, housing the onion-domed St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral which is a major quaint of the region for tourists. The city’s most interesting district is Kalamaja where repurposing of abandoned places takes place such as occupation of factory complex by cafes, restaurants, and exhibitions.

Sarajevo

Graz

Sarajevo, located on Miljacka River in the heart of Bosnia, contains museums which commemorates local history including the precipitation of World War 1. The city is comparable to Istanbul in certain aspects of food, serving slow-brewed coffee and burek (stuffed pastries), and environment, having cobbled streets and wavy terrain.

Located in the southern state of Styria in Austria, Graz has a strong cultural heritage. The list includes the unique Museum of Perception and Island in the Mur. The city provides an active nightlife as indicated by the higher number of students living in the city.

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

WALES ON THE RAILS

Breathing in the cool mountain air as our tiny

train snaked left, then right and then left again, slowly plodding to the clear summit of Snowdon. Certainly taking the 30 minute train option to the top is vastly quicker than the three or four-hour hike to its peak via six possibly different routes, which those fitter do equally well but at a somewhat slower steady pace. My excuse was that ‘time was of the essence’ but in reality I had for years dreamt of making the unique cog rail ride to the top of Wales’s highest mountain. The huffing puffing steam engines of a bygone era are the number one choice for the thousands of visitors that make the trip every year. The diesels in my opinion do come off second best but if you are lucky enough to get a steam engine pushing you to just under the 3,500foot summit, do take it! Powering my ascent was a delightful green as the valleys engine named without the use of any vowels until the last letter Wyddfa! However the engine bumped and rattled my fellow 33 passengers and I for around half an hour with almost a maritime sea saw action both ways on the steep gradient. The Snowdon Mountain Railway is not alone in this area of North Wales where heritage railways seem to come along like the proverbial buses, three at a

time! The Welsh Highland Railway, the Festiniog Railway and the Llangollen Railway all provide very different experiences, some being like Snowdon narrow gauge and the one standard gauge of the Llangollen where you can even have a go on the engine for an additional pre booked fee. Packages can be taken with Great Rail Journeys or Rail Discoveries which in my case based at the family run, Danoon Hotel in Llandudno where a hearty welsh breakfast starts the day and excellent 3 course dinner ends it. Both companies offer inclusive breaks where it’s possible to experience all of those railways on just one holiday package. The Welsh Highland Railway was a new kid on the block, where passengers were concerned as it opened its narrow gauge service from Caenarfon to Porthmadog in 1923 but was never really viable and closed again in 1937. Like many of the other heritage lines in the early 1960’s it was brought back into use by the huge efforts of rail enthusiasts and volunteers who by 2003 had 13 miles of it was back in use and today the line runs all the way to Portmadog. Caenarfon station is currently being modernised so

TRAVELLING TO INDIA It would seem that money is what makes every-

thing tick. Without it, you can’t do a lot of things, like travel overseas. If you have plans to travel to India, make sure that you have enough money to finance your travel expenses. Travelling to India is made easier and affordable by the many travel agencies. They have experienced tour operators who can assist you in your travel. If you try to check out the different travel agencies to India, you can surely find a suitable tour package that is cost effective. The internet is the best way to check if you can save in your India travel. By conducting a bit of research, you can determine the best tour package offers in the market. Beforehand, you must know your requirements and the places that you want to visit. This way, it will be easier to choose a package that is affordable and one that meets all your travelling needs. Travelling is not all that costly especially if you know how to look for affordable tour packages. India is a complex and very old country. If you want to be surprised with the magic and timeless historic fervor, India is the best place you can visit. 5000 years ago, the country stood witness to the greatest of civilizations. By travelling to India, you will enjoy the alluring and exciting tours. The different regions of India are unique in their own way. If you plan to stay in India for a short while, you have to choose which wonder spots to visit. You see, you can find majestic monuments

in India, and one of the most famous is Taj Mahal. Aside from that, you can go trekking in the Himalayas, hike dense forests, take idyllic walks or visit exciting wildlife, join safaris, engage in adventure sports, awe at the majestic seas and eternal rivers, swim in the golden beaches with rippling waves and walk on shimmering sands, travel blazing deserts, witness colourful festivals and fairs, and experience friendly hospitality from the India locals. By choosing the right travel agency, you can join day trips that would take you to cities like Agra, Delhi, Jodhpur, and Jaipur. You can also travel to North India to visit other picturesque places. Kerala and Goa are exciting places to visit as well. Check if the tour package you choose will take you to these places. Give yourself enough time to choose a tour package that can meet all your travelling needs. Sometimes, rush bookings can become very costly. Plan your trip in advance; let’s say a couple of months before your planned departure. This will give you time to prepare your things, get travel insurance, prepare your trip budget, and other important matters that you need to take care of. If you know how to plan your India travel, the entire trip is not that costly. But of course, you still need to spend a certain amount of money, and that is expected once you decide to travel abroad. All you need to do now is to take the necessary, costeffective measures to cut down the trip costs.

February 2018 in 2018 the new station buildings should be ready for the new tourist season and being the longest heritage railway in the UK 25 miles long it will be one of the smartest and up to date too. If the Welsh is the new kid then the Festiniog is the old sweat. The world’s oldest narrow gauge railway can chart its history back 200 years. The 13mile route from Portmadog to Blaenau Festiniog to the slate mining capital was the very reason for it being built in the first place. Now its passengers can enjoy a journey back in time as the ride takes you 700feet above sea level into the mountains, where this black gold was hewed from the quarries around Festiniog and protected roofs and buildings all over the UK and the world. Winding around very tight curves and through narrow cuttings, this ride gives great views of the area around Snowdon and its forests, waterfalls and lakes. Also you do not have to leave your seat or miss any of the views as a seat buffet trolley service will bring you snacks, refreshments and is licensed too!

With these two railways of the Welsh and Festiniog both sharing an interchange at Porthmadog, it’s a really excellent place to make the most of two railways in one and again you wait and then two come along! In 2014 this station was improved to allow cross platform access for all passengers. Some rail enthusiasts adore narrow gauge some prefer the big stuff, that is standard gauge. For them the choice would be Llangollen as it’s the only standard gauge heritage railway in the North Wales area. Travelling along the Dee River valley for around ten miles to the town of Corwen. The station at Llangollen is very typical in the GWR style. Great Western Railway or as some would say: ‘Gods Wonderful Railway’. The volunteers have created a station that echoes back to that period when steam train rail travel was at its peak. Stacks of old suitcases trolleys, antique lights and signage help make the experience very much a history lesson for those that are too young to have known of steam. Although for those of a certain age it brings waves of nostalgia sweeping over them when they first felt the breathing. Included on some of the inclusive holiday packages are some other non-railway excursions like that to the Italian inspired village of Portmeirion. Now a hotel and holiday cottage complex, it became hugely famous when the 1960’s cult TV programme ‘The Prisoner’ was filmed there. Actor and Director Patrick McGoohan used the complex as a huge film set pretending it was a

village where people like himself ‘No6’, a former intelligence agent found themselves after they resigned from the secret service. He never really knew if, he was being held and questioned by ‘his side’ or the other side. He spent much time trying to escape from the famous balloon guards. Architect Clough Williams-Ellis from 1925 until 1976 constructed the collection of whimsical buildings, with an enforced break during the Second World War. The mix of styles from the Palladium through to Arts and Craft with aged focal statues and items placed into various setting as he felt suited the aesthetics of each view. As well as its starring role on TV it was once all hired out to Beatle George Harrison who was celebrating a birthday with friends and family. Film stars such as Gregory Peck, Ingrid Bergman, and Noel Coward have stayed. More recently musician Jools Holland has been a regular visitor to one of its palladium style houses. Another charming diversion is that of a ride on horse drawn barges at Llangollen. From the many horsepower of a steam engine to that of one horsepower and a gentle glide in horse towed a barge along the Llangollen Canal taking in the views of the famous International Musical Eisteddfod site in the town and the pretty countryside around. Using their travel knowledge Great Rail Journeys and Rail Discoveries put together excellent inclusive packages of quality hotel accommodation, food, transport and ticketing, leaving you free to enjoy that special rail experience you can treasure. Geoff Moore MORE INFORMATION Great Rail Journeys, from £675pp for the 6-day Railways & Castles of Wales www.greatrail.com See a video of Geoff’s journey at www.YourHolidayTV.com Rail Discoveries, from £465pp for the 6-day Railways of Wales www.raildiscoveries.com GRJ Independent for a tailor-made holiday – price on request www.greatrail.com/grj-independent Hotel: www.dunoonhotel.co.uk Free time dining recommendation: Wildwood Restaurant Llandudno www.wildwoodrestaurants.co.uk

February 2018

TECHNOLOGY

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

HACKERS STEAL $400,000 YouTube’s OF CRYPTOCURRENCIES Strict Policies

Anything and everything that’s online

can be hacked. Cryptocurrencies are not an exception. Thousands of dollars worth of cryptocurrencies have been stolen by the hackers. • What are cryptocurrencies? Cryptocurrencies are digital money or virtual money. It has no physical existence. You can use this type of cryptocurrencies to buy a product. Many firms have already started accepting cryptocurrencies like Bitcoins. However, there are still some strict regulations in a few countries.

Owners of these cryptocurrencies keep the money in a digital wallet. This can be transferred to another wallet to purchase something without the interference of a bank or a third party. The payment process is very easy and much quicker than any other payment systems available. It uses a technology called blockchain, where every transaction is recorded in blocks of chains that are attached together. • Stellar Lumen There are more than 200 cryptocurrencies and Stellar Lumen has become the

victim among them recently. Stellar is one of the cryptocurrencies used to transfer, buy and sell a product with ease. The group hijacked the server that hosts, Black Wallet, a web-based application that stores Stellar Lumens use of blockchain technology and the group has stolen 1000’s of dollars from the server. Stellar Lumen is considered to be the eighth popular cryptocurrency in the world. The hijackers have stolen the lumens and converted them into another cryptocurrency using the same blockchain technology. However, blockchain technology is considered to be very robust, and any fraudulent activities can be identified with ease. This provides the owners of Black wallet with some hope too, identify the culprits and recover the money. Stellar Lumen is currently worth much less than the top cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Bitcoin and Ethereum owners must be careful as the hijack of a Bitcoin, or an Ethereum server can happen anytime.

In this Digital Era, there are a number of ways to make money online. Jobless fellow degree holders, students, parttime workers and many kinds of people rely on online works. YouTube is one of the platforms to make money online by simply creating interesting videos. Yes, you can earn money through YouTube by creating a channel and uploading interesting, creative, useful videos on your channel. “But why do they pay for my videos?” If your channel has more viewers, YouTube puts an advertisement in your video, where the advertiser pays for the ad. A part of the payment goes to YouTube, and another part goes to the creator of the video. Now YouTube has changed its policies of the adverts which have become very difficult for the online workers to earn money through YouTube. In its previous policy, an advertisement will be placed in your video if you receive 10,000 views on your video. A significant amount will be paid for every 1000 views after that. However, the new policy states that your channel should have a minimum of 1000 subscribers in order to receive payment. In addition to that, 4000 hours of your channel videos should have been watched by other audience in the past 12 months. These two strict rules have made by YouTube.

This strategic move by YouTube is to avoid spammers, impersonators and other poor video makers from affecting the revenue of other good YouTube account. This, in turn, will raise the standard of YouTube dramatically. This move by YouTube involves a manual review of videos. More than 10,000 people will be reviewing every video that has been uploaded on YouTube. This intervention will stop many poor, low quality, anti-social, inappropriate and negative videos from making money. This time, with the policies being made very strict with reviewers, it is going to be a tough time for the video makers to earn through YouTube.

There have been a few controversial videos on YouTube, where popular YouTuber’s like Logan Paul had to be excluded from Google for uploading an extreme content in his YouTube channel. He uploaded a video of a dead body hanging in a tree in Japan’s forest. Google had no other choice than to exclude Mr Paul. With strict policies, will YouTube be able to maintain its market?

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

How to Engage on Twitter

People trust people, not default profile images. Use a real picture of yourself and make your bio that is unique to you and stands out from the crowd. This generates interest and encourages people to not only follow you but relate to your passions and ideas. It then allows people keep an eye on your tweets which also helps with retweets. Make it personal; the best engagement is sometimes a simple response. People you follow get excited when you devote time to interact with them. It’s a sign of respect and appreciation. As humans, it’s natural to seek validation, so retweeting your followers’ posts shows you recognise the value of their content. Let them know that what they’re saying or posting online matters. Also, ask and answer questions. By asking your followers a question, it sparks a conversation and is a great way to engage with them (you also get some valuable information in the process.). But if you want your followers to engage with you, you need to engage with them. Answer their questions, impart your wisdom, share your knowledge

and participate. Also, consider engaging in chats, there are plenty of chat hours #BrumHour is an example which is held weekly. Twitter becomes more beneficial to you when you provide value to others. Connect with people in real life and in

other social media platforms; it encourages them to follow you. When you are seen to be connecting with others, your followers take notice, and your credibility goes up. People are more likely to engage with you. By the same token,

February 2018

by Khalid Karim Technology Correspondent

be generous and promote others, make sure you retweet your most passionate and engaging followers. Thank them and link them to their social media properties. Use #FF and #Recommend others and their work, this will be recognised, and they will return the favour. Use relevant hashtags too #SaveLunchBreak or follow the trending hashtags and use them to your advantage. It’s important to be sure to always acknowledge people who shared the information with you, even if they shared it through other means. If that person has a twitter handle, it’s good etiquette to credit them as a source. Return the favour, follow people back. This allows them to connect with you personally through DMs. And this way, you can expand your social network. I’ve made many invaluable contacts just because I was open to new connections. You can connect with me and the Asian Word News team here: @Khalid_Karim and @AsianWorldNews

HOW AIRTAME IS CHANGING THE ART OF STREAMING

by Uzair Janjua Technology Correspondent

In this age, the art of streaming has gotten more popular with everyone that uses any form of gadgets. We have been contented with the fact that we can stream our favourite contents on our devices that have rather small screens. We also had to depend heavily on a wired transmission of images onto a projected surface during conferences and presentations. Technology has its esteemed place in every field of life, and thus this problem has been one of deep concern for us all. The good news is that there is a solution. The gap has been bridged, and we are no longer left hanging. Airtame was introduced into the technology market in Copenhagen, Denmark via the Indiegogo fund-raiser platform. It presented a long-sought solution to seamless wireless streaming from one device to another. The beauty of this device is that it is compatible with almost all devices and works efficiently with all platforms. The makers created this masterpiece to aid businesses, companies, and firms. It was made to help presentations and meetings more productive. Airtame enables you to transmit media content from a device with a smaller screen to one with a bigger one wirelessly. This can be done

by plugging Airtame to a display and completing the connection with an app. No cables and no wires. How splendid is that! Airtame offers a full mirroring feature aside from the wireless streaming feature. The device is plugged into your projector or TV via the HDMI port. Your presentation slides can now be streamed live on your device to the screen using Airtime. It allows you to convert your files into a PDF form that can be accessed online and presented at your speed. Another excellent feature is that it will enable you to stream to multiple

screens simultaneously. The official website is https://airtame.com. There is a discount price for ordering more than one Airtame. The Airtame device comes with a micro USB cable to power it, an HDMI cable, an EU, UK, and US power adapter. With Airtame you can choose what to display on your screen when you are not streaming instead of leaving it blank. Every Airtame you have can be connected and controlled by the cloud. Another feature of Airtime is Pin Code Connect that allows you control what screen you stream on and when you begin streaming

by using a 4-digit code. Airtame is customizable to suit your needs at any given time. If you still desire to work with a wired connection, Airtame supports the use of an Ethernet adapter. However, it remains wireless from the computer to the big screen. Airtame supports WPA2 Enterprise, 2.4 and 5GHz networks, DVI or VGA projector. After purchase, you have a 30-day window to try the product to ascertain if you like it, no strings attached. Every company needs an Airtame to improve staff presentation during meetings, keep staff informed on relevant

Whatsapp Scam

hatsapp users have been warned of a con that is aimed to steal people’s bank details. Attackers try to get your bank details by charging for a free service application. Users have been receiving messages like “your subscription to free service usage of WhatsApp is over and you have to pay to continue the services”. This kind of message has been threatening many WhatsApp users. The attackers have been trying to get people’s bank details by passing this kind of messages to the users. The scam charges Whatsapp users for the lifetime subscription. The message contains information that provides lifetime subscriptions at lower rates to trick users into giving their payment details. Cyber crime has warned the users not to fall for the scam. They provided users with an email link to get the subscription. Once the link is clicked, it infects your system with malware. The link redirects users to a page where you have to pay your subscription fee for the continual usage of the application. Facebook which took over WhatsApp in 2016 has already made it clear that its application never charges a single penny. Meanwhile, the attackers try to hack the computers, mobile phones and trick the users to get payment details. With billions of users, WhatsApp is providing some extraordinary service to the users to stay connected with their family and friends. This is not the first time a hoax message is spread through WhatsApp by the e-attackers. There has been a number of messages every day to trick the users to get their payment details. Users should be very careful before clicking on these types of links. Attackers have been scamming users through messages, email, calls etc. Users should try to be aware of these types of emails and messages. Before opening an application, users should carefully read the terms and conditions. Without knowing the terms and conditions of an application or a software, we will never be able to know whether the emails or messages are a scam. and updated data and improve information transmission. It is a fantastic way to enhance your staff response to the company’s growth. It is an excellent solution to streaming media content on bigger better screens. You can’t go wrong with this one. In conclusion, technology has indeed spoken for itself by creating this masterpiece. Airtame can also be purchased on Amazon, Troxell, Shi, Staples, PCM, Office Depot and CDW-G. Make a move today, order one and experience the awesomeness of this product yourself.

February 2018

MOTORING

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

HYUNDAI INTEGRATES HOME, HEALTH AND MOBILITY Hyundai Motor highlights new technology concepts at CES 2018, all focused on connecting future technology with evolving mobility solutions, and will share its latest achievements to advance its future mobility vision – clean, connected and freedom in mobility. Under the theme of “Connected to Future Mobility”, Hyundai will present its next-generation fuel-cell electric vehicle, a vision for hydrogen-powered life and an artificial intelligence-based personal cockpit concept. The name of Hyundai’s newest fuel cell SUV, the NEXO, introduces a suite of advancements in autonomous driving capabilities all packaged in an eco-friendly powertrain as a testament to fulfill its ”Clean Mobility“ vision announced last year at the CES show. In addition, Hyundai is also showcasing the “Hydrogen Life Vision” featuring home applications for hydrogen power that move sustainable transportation advancements into even more everyday uses. Also displayed is its concept for how future vehicles will be controlled via the “Intelligent personal Cockpit” that voice-enables virtually every command. The concept showcases how the cockpit serves as a personal assistant and even checks the driver’s vital signs so the vehicle can take action if the driver is stressed. “While it’s difficult for a single company to predict how all these latest changes may impact the future of our industry, we all understand that technological challenges and innovations are a never-ending process that will continue until we realise a mobile society of maximum convenience, zero accidents and no emissions,” Dr. Woong-chul Yang, Vice Chairman and the head of R&D, said during the press conference. As part of efforts to realize its vision of ‘Freedom in Mobility’, Hyundai has also announced a strategic partnership with Aurora Innovation, a renowned autonomous-driving start-up, to bring Level 4 autonomous driving Hyundai vehicles to market by 2021. The two parties have agreed to begin their pilot tests with the newest fuel-cell SUV, NEXO. Hyundai NEXO: Autonomous Driving Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle The newest model in Hyundai’s eco-vehicle portfolio is called NEXO, and it takes the spotlight in the Hyundai display at CES 2018. NEXO, equipped with a revolutionary fuel-cell system and intelligent Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), is truly a glimpse at the future of transportation. The zero-emission FCEV runs on hydrogen and proves that even an eco-friendly powertrain can fully support the energy demands of autonomous driving. NEXO features significant advancements in automated driving. In an industry first, NEXO debuts Blind-spot View Monitor (BVM), which shows drivers the rear and side view while changing lanes in either direction. The technology will allow the driver to focus on the road

ahead even while changing lanes without turning their heads. In a first for Hyundai, NEXO features Lane Following Assist (LFA), to help keep NEXO centred in its lane of travel. LFA can keep NEXO centred at speeds between 0 and 90 miles per hour on both highways and city streets. When paired with Hyundai’s Highway Driving Assist (HDA), which utilises sensors and map data to ensure safe operation as well as automatically adjust speed in limited environments, drivers will be able to traverse long distances with greater ease and improved safety. NEXO also includes Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) that enables the vehicle to autonomously park or retrieve itself from a garage or parking space with or without a driver in the car. RSPA can even back a NEXO into a perpendicular parking spot while the driver stands on the curb and pushes a button on the key fob. NEXO is Hyundai’s second-generation mass produced fuel cell electric vehicle that will be available in select markets around the world starting in 2018. Improvements in the air supply system performance at high altitudes and refuelling times, along with overall efficiency and fuel economy put the NEXO in a class all its own, with an estimated target range of 500 miles NEDC. NEXO will help to fulfill Hyundai’s goal of introducing 18 eco-friendly models to global markets by 2025. Hydrogen Life Vision: Zero Emission Power from Mobility to Home Applications In addition to the latest vehicle technology, Hyundai connects progress on hydrogen-powered mobility to hydrogen-powered applications in the home via a section of the booth dedicated to the Hydrogen Life Vision. The distinct zone within the display demonstrates Hyundai’s vision for a hydrogen society. The zone features a NEXO supplying electricity to a conceptual household to illustrate the capability of a fuel cell powertrain that extends well beyond the conventional application of driving. Many household items found in the kitchen, home garden and living room can be powered by a fuel cell electric powered vehicle. The Hyundai booth also demonstrates NEXO’s ability to provide pure water to grow vegetation because fuel cells emit only water (or water vapour) as a by-product. While conventional vehicles with internal combustion engines can only minimize emission, NEXO can produce water for multiple uses. In Hyundai’s vision, the zero-emission energy source is not confined to travel; it is equally useful in providing energy to everyday home applications. The Hydrogen Life Vision removes stress on the electric grid, provides assistance during peak demand periods and assures home owners their appliance and electronic needs will function smoothly as long as their hydrogen tank is full. This concept truly puts the vehicle at the heart of the home.

Another benefit of NEXO displayed in the Hydrogen Life Vision zone is its air purifying capability. As fuel cell systems require highly pure air to operate, NEXO removes 99.9 per cent of fine dust from the air as it goes through the system’s filter. As NEXO continues to travel, therefore, the driver of the vehicle can be confident that he/she is improving the environment around them. Intelligent Cockpit and Wellness Care: Caring for the Driver as well as the Vehicle Rounding out Hyundai’s future technology demonstrations is a re-imagined view from the driver’s perspective inside the Intelligent Personal Cockpit. The Intelligent Personal Cockpit showcases Hyundai’s progress in connected car technology development. The cockpit employs multiple cutting edge technologies ranging from voice recognition Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IOT) technology and even driver stress detection. New voice-recognition technology from Sound Hound allows drivers to voice-control frequently used in-vehicle functions such as airconditioning, sunroofs and door locks, but that’s just the beginning of an entire suite of new voice-control capabilities inside the Intelligent Personal Cockpit. Car-to-Home IOT capability extends the reach of the driver’s voice beyond mobile applications and into the home environment. With voice commands, a driver can not only play music in the car, but also turn on the lights at his/her home and stream that same song right to their home audio system for a seamless transition from driveway to living room. The Intelligent Personal Cockpit goes a step beyond most other voice recognition technology with the ‘multiple-command recognition’ function. For example, when the user says, “Tell me what the weather is like tomorrow and turn off the lights in our living room,” the system recognises two separate commands in the same sentence and completes each task separately. The Intelligent Personal Cockpit also acts as a proactive assistant system, predicting the driver’s needs and providing useful information. For example, the system may give an early reminder of an upcoming meeting and suggest departure times that account for current traffic conditions. Yet another important technology embedded in the Intelligent Personal Cockpit is Wellness Care. The function utilizes two sensors placed on the steering wheel and the seat. The steering wheel bio sensor and seat heart rate sensor monitor heart rate for sudden changes and may detect driver stress level. If the sensors detect stress, the system is equipped to take action and provide access to online visual consultation with a doctor or simply turn on a soothing playlist while dimming the cabin lighting for a more soothing driving experience.

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

COMPREHENSIVE MOTORSPORT PROGRAMME

Championship winning tyre manufacturer Yokohama is set for one of its busiest and most comprehensive motorsport seasons ever, supplying drivers and teams in 28 race series across the UK in 2018. The varied list encompasses Yokohama’s diverse product range of competition products covering rally, rallycross, circuit racing, stock cars as well as re-entering sidecar racing where it held a dominant position throughout the 90’s and 2000’s In rallying, Yokohama will continue its support with selected drivers throughout the ranks on gravel, tarmac and forest stages. At entry level, Yokohama will continue to support the Formula 1000 championship. It will also continue its support of former Next Big Step Award winner and last year’s BTRDA Championship winner Ed Fossey who will be competing in 2018 in a Peugeot 208 R2 rally car. Further up the championship ladder, Yokohama will also support Daniel Harper driving for the MiniSport Yokohama WNT team in the Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship in their Mini WRC. Following on from their success in last year’s Wales Rally GB, Yokohama will also provide support to the J&J Rally Team competing in their Hyundai i20 R5 piloted by John Wink. Reinforcing its innovative approach and backing for talented young drivers, Yokohama will also support the Renault Zoe eRally team, which made its competitive debut last year. The unique car which is the first pure electric rally car to compete against traditional combustion engine cars, will run on a number of events in 2018 at the hands of former two times Formula 1000 champion Cameron Davies. Meanwhile in rallycross, Yokohama will once again continue its support of the UK’s largest rallycross class, the Swift rallycross Championships as well as the Rage RX150 Championship. Circuit Racing In circuit racing, Yokohama will also supply tyres to a number of drivers and one-make series including the SEAT Super cup Ireland championship

and Patrick Sherrington in the Open Sports car Championship. A major development for Yokohama in 2018 will see the manufacturer become the official tyre supplier to the brand new TCR UK series. Sidecar Racing In another highly exciting development for Yokohama in 2018, the company will return to sidecar racing supporting Dave Molyneux, the most successful sidecar competitor in the history of the Isle of Man TT having achieved 17 TT victories. Stock cars

Meanwhile in BriSCA, Yokohama has been working closely with championship organisers, resulting in even more thrilling and spectacular racing. Speaking ahead of the season, Yokohama’s head of motorsport, Mark Evans said, “2018 is set to be one of our busiest and most exciting years for quite some time; eight championships will be taking one of our newest tyres, giving competitors a whole new level of performance. Our return to sidecar racing with Dave Molyneux is sure to be one of the highlights of the year, and we have lots of activity in rallying and circuit racing too. We cannot wait

for the season to begin and we’d like to wish everyone competing on Yokohama tyres the very best of success.” • Competitors in 28 series to race on Yokohama tyres in 2018 • Extensive support across rally, rallycross and circuit racing • New TCR UK series to race on Yokohama tyres • Yokohama returns to sidecar racing supporting 17 times Isle of Man TT winner Dave Molyneux

THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR SEVERN TOLLS

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has welcomed the news that sees the beginning of the end for crippling year on year toll increases for users of the two Severn Bridges on the M4 and M48. However, the Association has urged the government to confirm the date by which tolls will be removed from the bridges altogether, in order to provide a vital boost to the economies of South Wales and the South West of England. Ian Gallagher, FTA Policy Manager for Wales and the Southwest said: “Today marks a turning point for users of the bridges, although the reduction by the rate of VAT has little impact on the business community which, in many cases, can reclaim this cost. The intended removal of all charges on the bridges by the end of this year is a welcome boost to logistics businesses in both the South West and South Wales already facing serious financial pressures. With the uncertainty of Brexit looming, anything which can help to boost business revenues is great news to keep economies on both sides of the Severn estuary trading effectively.” The control of the bridges will come back into public ownership and become the responsibility of the Government owned body, Highways England. At this point the charges will be reduced by the level of VAT, which will see the rate for crossing the bridge reducing to £5.60 from £6.70 for car drivers, £11.20 from £13.40 for van operators and £16.70 from £20.00 for Large Goods Vehicles. The Freight Transport Association and its member-

ship has lobbied constantly for the removal of tolls on the Severn crossings, work which cumulated in July 2017 with the welcome announcement by the Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns that 2018 would indeed see an end to all tolls. And as Gallagher continues, in addition to saving FTA members millions of pounds, this is money which can be reinvested into UK businesses to upgrade fleets or up skill staff: “At such an uncertain time for the logistics industry, the injection of capital previously used for the payment of tolls will go a long way to future-proofing those businesses which keep Wales and England trading. What’s required now is a commitment from Highways England to a date in 2018 when all charges will go, and for any business looking to invest along the M4 corridor, a guarantee that charges will not be reintroduced at some point in the future.” FTA is the only organisation in the UK that represents all of logistics, with more than 16,000 members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods. Established in 1889, FTA’s members operate more than half of the UK’s HGV fleet, are responsible for more than 90% of freight moved by rail, and 70% of the UK’s sea and air freight. The UK logistics sector employs more than 2.5 million people (almost 10% of the UK workforce), and by Keeping Britain Trading directly impacts every aspect of daily life.

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

Known for some of the most familyfriendly cars in the business, ŠKODA has taken things a step further with the creation of a special one-off Karoq made entirely from cardboard. The handmade ‘Kid Karoq’ has been designed as the perfect play area for those who aren’t quite old enough to enjoy the many grown-up toys available in the brand’s all-new compact SUV. The life-size cardboard creation took 10 weeks and more than 600 hours to construct by British design studio, Lazerian, and has been built to the exact scale of the real Karoq: 4.4 metres long and 1.6 metres tall. Commissioned by ŠKODA UK to celebrate the launch of the new compact SUV, the brand drew inspiration for the cardboard version from 1,000 kids aged 6 to 11 - who told ŠKODA what features they’d pack into their perfect car. Among the highest polling responses from the kids’ survey were the ability to play music of their choice (42.5%), a tablet to play and stream programmes on (67.6%), and an integrated movie projector (35.4%) – ideal to watch family favourites. The research further highlighted that kids’ imaginations are as active as ever - almost three-quarters (73.5%) of children surveyed said that they have built their own cardboard creations. Inside, the Kid Karoq has everything the children asked for – plus some additional goodies. Mini-motorists can climb into a hand-crafted driver’s seat and play with a portable games console installed in the dash display. The cardboard centre console also houses a digital tablet that controls a set

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

SKODA CREATES THE WORLD’S MOST CHILD-FRIENDLY SUV

of wireless Canton speakers, and mirrors many of the features found in the real Karoq’s 9.2-inch Columbus infotainment system. This means they can choose the music without pesky grownups changing the track. In the absence of the LED ambient lighting found in the real Karoq, children can dance the day away under a multi-coloured disco ball.

A slide and ball pool takes pride of place in the Kid Karoq; containing over 1,500 balls – the precise number of balls that fit into the real Karoq’s cavernous 1,810 litre boot space. Other features include WiFi hotspot, a film projector, play-time bean bags and a toy box. The design team even managed to create a secret den underneath the bonnet where

DEKRA NAMES ITS TOP 10 SHOWROOM “SECRETS” With the 2018 sales market promising to be tough and competitive, all new car sales dealers will be aiming to make the most of every sales opportunity coming their way. DEKRA have been working closely with many franchised dealers to optimise sales opportunities and have created its top ten sales methods that lifts the lid on how the new car buyer has changed. This “insider knowledge” can help avoid potential pitfalls to ensure sales success in the showroom. This “warts and all” research from car buying customers shows how much customers can dislike the sales process, in fact millennials say they would rather clean their house or have root canal treatment than visit a car showroom! This research has been collated by DEKRA who have direct involvement with dealers and market research of new car sales customers and prospects. The statistics quoted are derived from research into missed sales opportunities as reported by new car sales prospects. 10 94 % of new car shoppers conduct on line research before buying. Customers expect the dealer to be as well informed as they are about the product! 9 70% of millennials cite technical innovation and infotainment as “must haves” in purchasing a car. 8 Research shows that up to 50% of car sales go to the dealer who responds first. 7 4 times as many consumers would prefer to watch

a video about a product than to read about it. 6 32% of buyers post a review now on social media. 67% look at reviews before buying. 5 75% of millennials would rather communicate with a car dealer digitally than talk to someone. (by 2020 Millennials will make up 40% of the new car market) 4 87% of customers dislike something about car shopping at dealerships. Over 50% of new car shoppers feel anxious or uncomfortable at dealerships. 3 Over half of consumers would pay a premium to buy from a dealer that offers their preferred experience. 2 Only a third of buyers want to talk to a salesperson about a product. 1 A dealer who responds within 1 minute of an online enquiry is 390% more likely to convert the lead to sale. Commenting on these statistics, Strategy Director Alex Underwood at DEKRA said, “It’s clear that dealers who know their product, respond quickly, succinctly and in a straightforward manner are far more likely to sell a car to the new tech savvy group of car buyers then by keeping to the traditional sales methods. Training is key to this as 40% of employees who receive poor training will leave that company within a year Those dealers that provide thorough training and a fast response will guarantee sales success in the modern car showroom.

children can keep an eye on the outside world through cleverly disguised spy holes. Although the one-off Kid Karoq is not for sale, the real Karoq is starting from £20,875 OTR and sets new standards for connectivity, practicality and comfort in what is one of the most competitive sectors of the new car market.

As with its larger sibling – the sevenseater Kodiaq – the Karoq delivers the perfect balance of practicality, comfort and value. Striking looks and a raft of new driver assistance systems and in-car technology are the hallmarks of ŠKODA’s growing family of SUVs.

DOVER TAX

The Road Haulage Association has reacted with incredulity to the proposal from a Kent councillor to introduce a congestion charge of £1 for all HGVs using the Port of Dover. Commenting, RHA chief executive Richard Burnett said: “This is a ridiculous idea. We are led to believe that the money raised will be used to regenerate Dover’s town centre. But without HGVs, responsible for moving 90% of the UK economy, the town centre would struggle to support a business of any size. “These proposals amount to little more than Dover Council deciding to bite the hand that is, in effect, feeding it. Do they have plans to tax the town’s other suppliers in the same way?”

Open for Entries RHA 70th Annual Lunch Awards

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the prestigious RHA Annual Lunch and it’s given us even more call for celebration! Proudly sponsored by Michelin, it’s the ideal opportunity for you to hear from industry leaders and experts, network, catch up with friends, entertain clients and make new contacts. We are delighted to announce that Chris Grayling, Secretary of Transport, is already confirmed as one of our speakers. Held at the exclusive London Hilton, Park Lane, enjoy a champagne reception followed by a delicious three-course lunch. 70th RHA Annual Lunch will run as follows: • 11.45: Champagne reception • 12.35: Opening address and Speeches • 13.05: Lunch is served and awards ceremony • 15.30: After lunch speakers, kicking off with Chris Grayling, Secretary of Transport • 16.05: Bar opens Up and down the country we know there are many hauliers and their employees who everyday go above and beyond for the industry. And, this is what the RHA Awards are all about; celebrating the fantastic contribution to the country which RHA members make. To commemorate this special 70th anniversary, the association is launching the RHA Annual Lunch Awards! This is the chance for our RHA Members to demonstrate and celebrate the role you play in the haulage industry. Ensure sure you enter by 30th March. Date: Thursday 12 July 2018 Venue: London Hilton, Park Lane

February 2018

FOOD

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

AW’S

Kitchen

Valentines Day Desi Dessert

Saffron and lemon Shrikhand doughnuts I

Shrikhand filling: Note: Shrikhand is sweet Indian yoghurt with saffron and cardamom. It makes a great filling for these eggless doughnuts. 1) Tip the yogurt into a clean muslin cloth and tie it up tightly with a piece of string right above the top of the yogurt, so that the water can drip away. 2) Tie the muslin somewhere where it can hang suspended, with a large bowl underneath to catch the water, and leave it for

Doughnuts: 24-48 hours. Keep tipping away the liquid as the bowl fills up. 3) Remove the yogurt from the muslin and place it in a large bowl. It should be very thick and crumbly. Add the sugar and mix well. 4) Press the yogurt and sugar mixture through a fine-holed sieve to remove any lumps. 5) Mix in the cardamom powder, saffron, mace and pistachios. Chill in the fridge until you’re ready to serve as it is or stuff into the

1) In a small saucepan, heat the milk until it reaches around 32C on a candy thermometer. Add the yeast and whisk vigorously for a minute. Set aside for 5-10 minutes. 2) Sift the self-raising flour and bread flour into a large bowl. Add the sugar, butter, milk, sour cream and lemon zest. Use your hands to bring the mixture together into dough. At first it will appear sticky but continue kneading for around 2 minutes. Stop kneading for 1 minute to allow the dough to relax, add the saffron and then knead for a further 2-3 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and soft. You could also use a dough blade for this if you have one.

ngredients: * For the Shrikhand (sweet yogurt) filling * 1kg plain natural yogurt * 220g icing sugar (or more depending on the sourness of the yogurt) * 1/2 tsp cardamom powder * Pinch saffron * Pinch mace * 1 tbsp lightly crushed pistachios * For the doughnuts * 350g self-raising flour * 100g bread flour * 230ml milk * 60g sugar * 45g salted butter, melted * 9g instant yeast * 1/8 tsp saffron * 2 tsps lemon zest * 1 1/2 tbsps sour cream * Oil to deep fry 3) Grease a bowl twice the size of the dough with any flavourless oil and place the dough inside. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rise in a warm place for around 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. 4) Once the dough has risen, knock it back with your fists to remove all of the air inside. If you’re making small doughnuts, divide into 30g portions and roll into 28 balls. If you’re making larger doughnuts, roll into 14 balls, about 60g per piece. 5) Place onto a greased tray, leaving room around each piece as it will rise again. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rest in a warm place for a further 50-60 minutes.

6) Heat enough oil in a pan to deep fry the doughnuts. Fry small doughnuts at 155C until golden, and larger doughnuts at 140C until golden. Fry a few at a time, trying not to overcrowd the pan. Keep agitating the doughnuts to ensure they are evenly coloured all over. 7) Drain doughnuts and coat in a mixture on sugar and crushed pistachios. Allow to cool slightly. 8) To serve, cut a doughnut widthways and pipe with the sweet yogurt mixture. Alternatively, pipe the yogurt directly into the centre of the doughnuts as you would with regular jam doughnuts. Pipe with the yogurt mixture immediately before serving.

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

My Spicy Chicken Baguettes

I know what you’re thinking, I have a strange obsession with Chicken! I’ll admit, it’s my favourite protein because it’s both so versatile and easy to cook with, but this dish was a happy accident. Wanting to try and create something tasty, flavourful and exciting I brought my idea of Spicy Chicken Baguettes to life. This dish is a great idea for lunch or dinner. It’s easy

to make and packed full of flavour and the best part? It beats grabbing something from a takeaway any day! My husband loves his takeaway but luckily he concedes when it comes to this and I feel a little easier knowing he’s eating something good and wholesome, even if it is a bit of a naughty dish (especially if you serve it with freshly cooked chips or fries!) This week I suggest you forget the takeaway and give this a try!

www.marias-kitchen.co.uk

Ingredients:

* 3 Chicken Breasts Diced into small pieces * 1 Tsp Crushed Garlic * 1 Tsp Crushed Ginger * 1 Bottle Garlic Chilli Sauce * 2 Tsp Dark Soya Sauce

Method:

1) In a bowl mix together your Garlic Chilli Sauce, Soya Sauce, Garam Masala and Salt. 2) To this, add in your chopped chicken and mix thoroughly. Leave to marinate in the fridge for a few hours or overnight preferably. 3) Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and line a tray with foil. Your medium Baguettes will be too big for one serving (but keep it that way if your happy!) half it in the middle and then slit each half to create an opening – this is where your filling will go in. 4) Butter each of your baguette halves and put in the oven for approximately five to ten minutes until the baguettes get a nice light brown shade. 5) Add some oil into a large pan, and warm on a medium heat. To this, add in your marinated

* 1 Tsp Salt * 1 Tsp Garam Masala * 4 Medium Uncooked or Cooked Baguettes * 1 Thinly Sliced Onion for Garnish * Oil for Frying

chicken mix. Fry the mixture until the chicken is cooked through. Your sauce should, during the process get nice and thick reducing significantly. Keep going until the chicken is nice and browned. This entire process should take around 20 minutes but keep and eye on it, cook for a little longer if you feel as though it needs it. 6) In a separate small pan heat some oil and on a medium heat fry your sliced onion until dark brown. 7) Fill your Baguettes with some freshly chopped salad, add in your cooked chicken and garnish with the fried onions and enjoy! 8) Serve with some fresh chips, fries or onion rings and why not try with some of my homemade coleslaw too? Trust me, this beats a takeaway every time!

February 2018

SPORTS

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

MMA: Wolverine Calls Out Singh For #PakVsInd

It has been a great start of the year for Pakistan Mixed

Martial Arts with Muhammad Imran competing at ONE Championship for the first time putting up a praiseworthy performance against Indonesian fighter Stefer Rahardian. Recently, Pakistani MMA fighter, Ahmed “Wolverine” Mujtaba called out India’s Rajinder Singh Meena to fight him, prompting a potential Pakistan vs India showdown in the ONE Championship cage. The Pakistani fighter Ahmed said that he had his eyes set on a clash with Singh since the very first day he signed his contract with ONE Championship. “I would like to request all my friends, supporters and all countryman to share this post and show support towards making this #PakistanvsIndia fight happen in ONE

Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane says his groundbreaking Indian Premier League deal will allow him to play alongside the best cricketers in the world and promote the sport in Nepal. Lamichhane, 17, became a star overnight after becoming the first cricketer from Nepal to be picked in the IPL by the Delhi Daredevils. Nepal’s Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba tweeted, “Not just me, but the entire nation is proud of you.” Dubbed as the “Shane Warne” of Nepal; “If you get the chance to play in the IPL, lots of players will be there who are very experienced guys and I think I will learn a lot,” Lamichhane, the son of a railway worker. A few of his teammates include Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and pacemen Trent Boult (New Zealand) and Kagiso Rabada (South Africa). Nepal are the only South Asian nation not to have Test, one-day or T20 status, with the exception of Bhutan. He gives due credit to Nepal´s senior cricket players for making

the sport popular in a footballfanatic country. “The senior guys have done something for the new guys who are coming right now into the teams, and their contributions have made our country a cricketcrazy nation,” he said. He captured the attention of Australian legend Michael Clarke, when he played alongside Clarke in a T20 tournament in 2016. Clarke then invited him to train at his cricket academy in Sydney. Lamichhane described his experience, “Playing with a player like Michael Clarke is such as a big thing. It was amazing and sharing a dressing room with him and getting experience from him, it was something like a dream come true.” Back home in Nepal, many hope his success story will redeem the country´s controversial history of cricket. “(Lamichhane) is a young talented cricketer and an impressive leg spinner,” Lama from the Cricket Association of Nepal said. “ If he gets good guidance his future is very bright. He will lead Nepali cricket to new heights.”

Championship. I hope this post can get 100,000 shares to spread awareness and gain support. I hope we can make this fight happen.” Ahmed wrote on his Facebook page. Ahmed Mujtaba is originally from Quetta, Balochistan, and holds a 9-1 record, the best in Pakistan. Singh recently won against a fighter from China at ONE Championship in Manila. He has more than 15 fights under his belt and is the current holder of the SFL lightweight title. When asked why he wants to fight a more experienced Singh, Ahmed replied that to fight an Indian opponent who has

more experience and greater achievements, inspires him. “I will train harder than I ever have before and when I get my hands raised and when I will raise the green flag in front of a filled arena at ONE Championship for my country it will be the best feeling in the world,” Wolverine stated. He further went on to thank ONE Championship and Mr Chatri Sityodtong for his support. Mr Chatri is the founder of Asian MMA and he has provided the Asian fighters with a much-needed stage to compete at. By Ambreen Mahmood.

Introducing Nepal’s “Shane Warne.”

LOCAL 2-15

GLOBAL 16-19

By Reema Sarin

BUSINESS 20-26

GLAM 27-35

HEALTH 36-39

Travel 40-41

Bollyfit with Reema Sarin

TONE YOUR ARMS I

t is important to work out your different arm muscles to get that complete ‘fit’ look. Arm exercises are part of our upper-body workout. These exercises help stabilize your shoulder joints, improve posture, and build that strong, toned look you are after. For these arm workouts, use two to five-pound weights, perform 24 reps of each exercise, three times a week. ELBOW LATERAL PRESSES Hold a pair of dumbbells and stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Keep your arms at a perfect right angle. Now open both arms wide till your shoulder blades, and close them back together, in a controlled movement. Repeat the move for the 24 reps. ELBOW VERTICAL PRESSES Hold a pair of dumbbells and stand with your legs, shoulder width apart. Keep your arms at a perfect right angle together in a closed position, and push your arms in an upward position, in a double speed count. Repeat the move for 2 sets of 24 reps. BICEPS CURL Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides, palms facing forward, and keep your back straight and chest up. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the weights toward your shoulders. Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position, straightening your arms completely. TRICEPS CURLS Lie face-up on a bench and hold a pair of dumbbells above your head, arms straight and palms facing each other. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows to lower the dumbbells until they are at either side of your head. Pause, then lift the weights back to the starting position. LATERAL LIFTS Hold a pair of dumbbells and stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees bent. Bend forward at the hips and let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders, palms facing. Raise both arms out to the sides as you squeeze your shoulder blades together, and bring the arms back down to the starting position.

Writers Wanted!!! Join the multi-award winning team of Asian World Email: info@asianworldnews.co.uk Tel: 0121 771 4545

TECH 42-43

Motoring 44-47

FOOD 48-49

SPORTS 50-56

February 2018

Girls Cricket- From Bradford To Lords

Cricket players from a Bradford girls’ team are now stars of a new film, documenting their rise from just about throwing a ball four years ago to playing cricket at Lords, hoping to inspire the next generation of girls to play cricket. The girls are breaking down barriers and freeing the shackles of society young British South Asian girls go through whilst playing sports. One of the girls, Zainab said; “We didn’t realise the enormity of what we were doing,” she said. “What society says is that South Asian girls aren’t supposed to play cricket and when they say that, our dreams are crushed. “When we first walked into the competition, the room went silent. You could hear a pin drop because when we walked in, it was all elite grammar schools there and we turned up with our headscarves

and our mismatched equipment and people were laughing. “We were invited to Lords and when we got there it was like a dream come true.” Currently, the girls are balancing their training with their GCSE studies. They spend their weekends’ training at the JMS cricket centre in Keighley for free, thanks to the owner, Humayun Shahzad. The girls also receive extra support from Adil Rashid’s Academy. Cricket coach at Carlton Bolling College, Zaheer Jaffary, said: “We hope to inspire and empower other young women to achieve their goals and aspirations, and show that no one should be confined by their gender or background. “The girls in our team have shown tenacity in pursuing the sport they love despite some saying they to sport and the passion, courage and shouldn’t play. determination shown by these girls, “No one should be denied access should be held up as an example and

should pave the way for others to follow.”

By Ambreen Mahmood

Nadia Nadim, The Superstar Striker

Not many footballers have had a hard start in life the way Nadia Nadim has, an Afghan Danish footballer who now plays for Manchester City women’s team. Born in Afghanistan, her father was murdered by the Taliban when she was 12. She left the country along with her family heading to the UK but ended up in Denmark instead. The family settled in a refugee camp, Nadim stumbled across the local football team Gug Boldklub

and quickly became obsessed with the beautiful game. She said with a smile, “It became an obsession really fast. From then to now, I feel the same way. I love the game and I love the feelings that you get, especially when you score a goal. At the young age of 18, IK Skovbakken gave Nadim her first professional football contract. She has also played professional football in the USA, playing for teams such as Sky

Blue FC and Portland Thorns. During her education, she discovered another dream. The dream to become a surgeon, as she balances her medical studies with football. She spoke about her studies, “I feel I have the skillset and as a doctor, I think I’m going to be able to touch a lot of people’s lives and help them.” She is also a polyglot who speaks nine languages fluently: Danish, English, German, Persian, Dari, Urdu, Hindi, Arabic and French.

Nadim has made 74 international appearances for Denmark with 22 goals, including two in Denmark’s Euro 2017 campaign where they finished as runners-up. “I hope that at the end of my career, I have shown some people that anything is possible,” she adds. “It doesn’t matter where you come from or what you’ve been through. It just takes hard work and a belief in yourself and dreams do come By Ambreen Mahmood true.”

February 2018

International Hockey Returns To Pakistan

International hockey returned to Paki-

stan for the first time in a decade when a World Eleven side defeated the national junior team 5-1 in Karachi. The visiting team was made up of recently retired players countries such as Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Australia and Argentina. “The main thing is that we have finally managed to make this World Eleven tour a reality and now we can approach sponsors and corporates to support the

game,” Pakistan Hockey Federation President Khalid Khokar said. No international hockey match has been hosted in Pakistan since 2008 with teams refusing to tour the country due to security concerns. Pakistan has dropped sharply in the world rankings recently, affecting the popularity of hockey in the country massively, despite it being the national sport. Khalid Sajjad said it is heartening to witness World XI playing in Pakistan and it will just be the stepping stone to a long path of reviving the game here, aswell as organising the Pakistan hockey league in the next coming months. “Our dark nights of hockey are finally over, after the tour of World XI we will be starting our preparations for launching our hockey league and there will be no looking back as far as resumption of international hockey is concerned”, he said. President of PHF continued to say that it is important for Pakistan hockey to organise international events more regularly in the country to show the whole world that the people of Pakistan are peaceful and love sports very much: “The future of our hockey also depends on participation in elite hockey events and with the start of our hockey league, we will be able to find new hockey talent to expand the base of the game and to re-start our hockey journey for achieving excellence in the game,” he said. By Ambreen Mahmood.

London Mayor & Bollywood Star Partner Up With QPR FC

Young talented footballers from India

will be coming to London to train with Queens Park Rangers. London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, read out the list of the successful players at the start of his trade mission to India. Sadiq attended the finals day of the Mumbai Soccer Challenge and watched a challenge match to win the inaugural Mayor of London Cup. He confirmed that, for the first time in the scheme’s history, two girls and two boys will be heading to London. On finals day, Sadiq was joined by Bollywood actor and co-owner of Mumbai City football club, Ranbir Kapoor, as well as the Chairman of Queens Park

World’s Tallest Cricketer Rejects USA Basketball Offer Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad

Irfan has said he rejected an offer of playing basketball in the United States, choosing his international cricket career over USA basketball. After the final of Departmental One-day Cup at UBL Sports Complex, Irfan said that he received an offer from the US basketball federation, but he rejected it because he wanted to continue playing cricket for Pakistan. “Pakistan is my first priority and I will keep on playing for my country,” he stated. He said that there was a time when he enjoyed playing basketball and has even represented the Pakistan Army basketball team. “They told me that they wanted a tall player; that is why they had contacted me,” he said. Irfan said basketball was a very exciting game

and great for a player’s fitness. He plans to go to the US for training after the PSL to improve his fitness. Irfan spoke about his hard work on the way to a potential comeback to the Pakistan team: “I am performing at my full capacity and I hope that soon I will make a comeback.” Irfan is looking forward to the third edition of the PSL starting this month with a new team this time and hopes that he will play a vital role in his team. “I am really excited. I am now part of my home team, Multan. It’s like a dream come true,” he said. Irfan played the first two seasons of PSL with Islamabad United, who won the first edition. Check out Irfan aswell as other talented players in the Pakistan Super League starting this month. By Ambreen Mahmood

Rangers, Tony Fernandes. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “This initiative is another example of the close links between India and London. The power of sport in bringing people together and encouraging healthy competition is a wonderful thing. “It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from, once you’re on the pitch, on the court, in the ring or on the track how well you do is down to the drive and talent of the individual and their team – and those valuable lessons are transferable to so many other situations in life.” Bollywood star, Ranbir Kapoor, said: “This event has given a platform to kids who love football. As an owner of ISL

Mumbai FC, we will explore avenues to partner with QPR Mumbai Soccer Challenge. It’s great to have Mayor Sadiq Khan with us today.” Around 6,000 girls and boys from various different backgrounds took part in the South Mumbai Junior Soccer Challenge. The event concludes with a grand finals weekend. QPR have been a long-term partner of the event. After their time in London and on return to Mumbai, the players are given support when they competing for places in professional teams at city, regional and national levels. By Ambreen Mahmood.

FIFA World Cup Trophy Visits Sri Lanka By Ambreen Mahmood.

A rare opportunity to see the FIFA

World Cup Trophy was given to Sri Lankan footballers and football fans in Colombo’s Independence Square. “We couldn’t sleep all night” expressed Sri Lanka’s international player Nipuna Bandara. “Even if we cannot win this but we got this opportunity to see this from close quarters and clicked photos that will stay with us forever in our lives,” Aswell as the trophy, the Sri Lankan football team had a photo opportunity with the 1998 world cup winner French player Christian Karembeu. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe officially inaugurated the world tour of FIFA World Cup

Trophy from Colombo. Football only comes after cricket followed by Rugby and Baseball in the country. More than 1000 supporters attended the local conference centre as Karembeu shared details about his title-winning experiences with France. South Asian nations; India, Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh are not included in this year’s tour. These countries were included in the list of 77 in the last World Cup trophy tour when Brazil hosted the marquee football tournament. The 18-carat gold plated, 36.8 centimetres high and 601.75 kgs heavy trophy was first inaugurated in 1974 and features the names of all the winners

imprinted on it. Coca-Cola’s Debabrata Mukherjee highlighted the importance of such tours by saying “The kids will feel the passion for football. They will start watching football and play too. Some of them might even play for their country.” Karembeu had a message for Sri Lanka and South-Asia, “Football is not a property of any class, country or social order, this is for the whole world. The world cup trophy represents so many dreams and sacrifices by peoples related to it. Love football. Play football. One day you will be able to win the world cup and lift this trophy.”

Bradford Beeni Brothers Become World Champions

Two brothers from Bradford are rejoicing after one became the new world champion and the other successfully defended his world title in a form of South Asian arm wrestling called Beeni. The eldest of the two, Nazam Khan became the new world middleweight champion. At the same event, his younger brother Umar Khan successfully defended his world heavyweight title. Beeni, famous in South Asia, involves two fighters forming a special grip, and in a four-round bout having to either break free from their opponent’s hold or stop their opponent from escaping the hold. Fighters have three chances to break the grip in each round, and points are awarded for breaking free or stopping the opponent from escaping. In September 2016, Umar Khan became the sport’s youngest ever world heavyweight champion aged 22. On Sunday, his older brother Nazam, aged 25, joined his

brother at the top of the sport by winning the world title. Mr Khan spoke about how he first got into the sport training with his brother three years ago: “I just wanted to follow in my brother’s footsteps. We have been all over the world training and competing, and now I am the middleweight champion.” The brothers will travel to Pakistan for exhibition matches in March, and for Umar’s title defence. Mr Khan spoke about his passion for introducing Beeni to more youngsters from Bradford: “A lot of youngsters have been following us and our success and we have seen a big development in the number of people coming to the sport in Bradford, which we have never had before, and that is mainly down to the work of my brother and I. “We have got between 50 and 100 lads training with us regularly now, and in the competitions now about 85 per cent of the people taking part are British Asian which is great to see.”