Asian World Jan20 by asianworld.khi

DINE IN

20% OFF Dine in

20% OFF

advance table bookings only T/C Applies AdvAnce TAble bookings only applies 5pm T/c - 11pm

Indian Restaurant

5pm - 11pm

See Page 3

January 2020

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

available at selected

Issue 146

1897 Walsall Rd, Great0121 Barr,357 Birmingham, B42 1LR Walsall Rd, Great Barr, Birmingham. B42 1LR. www.badshahpalace.co.uk | 0121 357 1897 www.badshahpalace.co.uk

stores

Birmingham Muslims Help Homeless this Winter

Rohingya Emergency Appeal

Donate Now 0121 446 5682 islamichelp.org.uk

See Page 9

s temperatures continue to drop this January, rough sleepers will now be given shelter until the cold spell passes.... ...continued on page 5

January 2020

LOCAL

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Asian World’s – Hot Picks LOCAL

GLOBAL

BUSINESS

GLAM

SPORTS

People Number of MPs May be Hrithik Recruitment Protest Jailed for Roshan against Lying to Companies Crowned Indian Public ‘Sexiest has Citizenship Skyrocketed Man’ of the under a since 1999 Law New Law Decade

emocracy activists claim it should be illegal for MPS to lie, both in Parliament and in public....

Page 10

he people of India have raised concerns over a new citizenship law based on religion, which has caused protests over student campuses.... Page 13

he number of recruitment companies in the UK has grown by a staggering 500% in the last 20 years.... Page 21

rithik Roshan has been awarded the title of ‘Sexiest Male 2019’ by film fans around the world. Page 25

Interview with Cricket Legend Monty Panesar

e caught up with the former cricket star to discuss his career, match day experiences and recent community projects... Page 47

Muslim Labour Candidate Raises Fears over her Family Fleeing the Country Muslim ex-candidate says her cousin is considering leaving the UK after Boris triumph

Faiza Shaheen says various individuals have disclosed to her they are thinking about leaving the nation A previous Labour representative says that after Boris Johnson’s political win, one of her own family members is among individuals who are thinking about leaving the UK over feelings of anger at the standardization of prejudice. Faiza Shaheen was a parliamentary competitor in the area of Chingford and Woodford Green, where she wanted to unseat the previous Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan-Smith. After the political election misfortune, Ms Shaheen says that she has had ‘five distinct families talk about their UK leave plan with me on the off chance that bigotry deteriorates’. She included that it was ‘alarming this is the place we are’. When questioned on his previous recent remarks, including mention of women wearing hijabs resembling ‘bank robbers’, the PM says his words were taken outside the realm of relevance. Boris Johnson also claims he was protecting the privilege of Muslim ladies to wear what they like. He has additionally been reprimanded over his treatment of Islamophobic episodes in his cabinet, in which individuals who shared far-right presents and alluded on Muslims as rubbish, were not

quickly suspended, with others permitted once again into the party. Despite the fact that Mr Johnson apologised for Islamophobia in the Conservative Party, calling it deplorable and vowing to hold an independent investigation into all types of bias, Ms Shaheen says many dread for their security. She noted that it was Muslims as well as individuals from other ethnic minority groups who are likewise thinking about leaving the UK. Ms Shaheen included that one of her acquaintances was additionally worried about the fate of her kids, given the now lethal environment. The previous Labor campaigner, who is a Muslim herself, said she thought the PM was ‘Islamophobic’, however, there was an apparent chain of intolerance towards black and Muslim people in the Conservative party.

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

Editor’s Note Hello to our readers and welcome to another edition of Asian World Newspaper! We hope that you’ve all had a fantastic New Year and your resolutions for 2020 are on track! With not only a new year but a new decade ahead, we know you’ll want to know about the upcoming developments and projects coming to your area. So read on for the latest news and articles hot off the press! In this edition, we will be discussing the disturbing story of a Muslim Labour candidate raising fears over her family fleeing the country after the Conservative Party election win last month. Faiza Shaheen says her cousin told her that he plans to go back to Pakistan due to fears surrounding the standardization of prejudice in England. For more information, please look across onto page 2. We have also been praising Saudi Arabia’s first female CEO for making the Forbes 100 Most Influential List. For the full story, take a look at page 12. In our Glam section, we have the most exclusive beauty product reviews from the hottest market trends, as well as our usual celebrity gossip. For a complete guide to the much-talked-about and blogged magnetic eyeliner and lashes, flick through to page 28. Want to see which Bollywood Blockbusters are

due in the cinema soon? Take a look at page 23. New year, new you? Want to switch up your habits to eating healthy, but you’re always in a hurry? Why not try Birmingham’s favour Pan-Asian noodle bar, Chopstix? With a new Pumpkin Vegatsu option as well as Tofu Thai Curry toppings, you won’t even have to stray from your Veganuary pledge. For more on this feature, turn to page 41. Want some guidance on how to cook your own healthy meals or eat better when you travel? Take a look at the rest of the Food section for the best fresh food inspirations! Whichever page you turn to, there’s a story for everyone. So, fold up a copy of the West Midland’s No.1 South Asian paper, make yourself that super healthy smoothie or protein shake and put your feet up for a minute. Take a look at the rest of this issue NOW! For the latest and most exclusive advertisement offers for 2020, please don’t hesitate to Contact us on 0121 771 4545 or email: sales@asianworldnews.co.uk Have a great read! Editor: Manisha Bhanot editor@asianworldnews.co.uk Visit us online www.asianworldnews.co.uk

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

Advertise in AsianWorld Wedding Section for as little as

£15 per month

January 2020

AW Team: Manisha Bhanot Rida Khan Priyanka Dutta Tauseef Asif Will Rymer Charlie Murray Grace Lea

Columnists Mohammed Zafran Muhammed Nadeem Jahangir Sarah Ali

for more info and bookings

0121 771 4545

or sales@asianworldnews.co.uk

Designers Nadir Sharjeel Shaikh

want a FREe review ?

Do you have a business in Birmingham or the West Midlands? Want us to give you a complimentary featured review?

Is it a restaurant, hotel or spa?

Get in touch today to book yourself a visit from our press department. We can give you an exclusive editorial write up, plus website + social media coverage! Email: editor@asianworldnews.co.uk or call 0121 771 4545 Now!

Contact Details:

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

To Advertise with us, please call

0121 771 4545 www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Currency: 1 GBP= Country JAN DEC USA

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

January 2020

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

Birmingham Muslims Help Homeless this Winter

Front page story cont’d... Several Muslim charities and institutions have joined together to tackle the homelessness cause in England’s second city of Birmingham this season. Green Lane Masjid and Community Centre (GLMCC), the As-Suffa Institute and Muslim Aid have joined resources and workforce to get rough sleepers off the streets.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad

Inside the new shelter on Lionel Street

(peace & blessings of God be upon him)

said: “He is not a believer whose stomach is full while the neighbour to his side goes hungry.”

The As-Suffa Institute has hosted a four-day soup kitchen regularly since 2012, as well as a sleeping shelter during the cold weather since 2016. They also give out free food to the homeless from the new shelter four times per week. Recently, warm dishes, hot drinks, as well as a chocolate fountain with fondue, have been made available to the city’s less fortunate. A representative from As-Suffa and organiser of the shelter informed

Attendees receiving free food during the evening hours Asian World News that the shelter feeds the homeless around 4 times a week, from Wednesday to Friday and on Sundays between the hours of 7:30 and 8:30 pm. Although the shelter will only be open through the months of January and February, it is customary during the Muslim festival of Ramadan for the institute to feed rough sleepers daily within the 30 day period. A large number of local volunteers have been giving up their valuable time and effort in setting up and running the new shelter unit on Lionel

Street, close to the City Centre. The project will accommodate up to 25 men in made-shift beds up until March. Many other charities struggle to run long-term projects such as this one due to their restricted budget and resources. However, those contributing to the cause hope to spread out the costs and hardships of running the shelter by not letting them fall on to a single organisation. It is also hoped that the project will help the homeless navigate the benefits system and get them into

council housing so they can be off the streets for good. This scheme is especially prevalent during this time when homelessness in Birmingham and deaths on the street are rapidly increasing. Statistics from December 2018 have demonstrated that 2,627 have died on the streets during the previous five years. Around one in 10 of these deaths were caused by self-inflicted harm, showing the deterioration in mental health of people on the streets and a lack of help and resources available to them.

Almost 1000 deaths were the consequence of drug abuse and accidental overdose. Also, around 282 people died from illnesses such as flu and pneumonia, 24 from assault, highlighting the unsafe and unclean conditions on the streets. The North West was the highest region outside London with the most deaths of the homeless with a total of 119 casualties in the year 2017 only. Moreover, February proved to be the most difficult period on the streets, resulting in 253 deaths in total. Kamran Hussain, from GLMCC in Small Heath , said: “It’s important that faith and community groups do their part to help those in need. As an Islamic faith institute, we are required to take care of the poor and less fortunate.” Altaf Kazi, Muslim Aid’s Head of UK Programmes, stated: “God reminds us repeatedly to feed and look after the poor and needy. As Muslims, we must fulfil our obligations.

AW Facts Did you know? The Hippodrome is the busiest UK theatre and has half a million visitors annually

BO OK ON LI N E SAVE U & P TO

25%

January 2020

Freya Mangotra, the child genius from Moseley

A primary school girl has achieved the highest score in Mensa IQ test, beating the late Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein. Freya Mangotra, from Moseley, took the test when was just ten and a half years old. Freya’s proud dad Kuldeep Kumar said that his daughters result of 162 in the Cattell III B test – which examines verbal reasoning, means that Kuldeep’s only daughter is officially ‘a genius’ according to officials at Mensa. “They said it’s the highest you can get under the age of 18,” said Dr Kumar, a psychiatrist. “I don’t want to put too much pressure on her, but we knew from an early age, two or three, that she was gifted.” “She grasps things very fast. She can concentrate very quickly and remember things; she only needs to read or do something once to remember.” “We are blessed.” Her dad also explained that she

Taekwondo. Bollywood dancing and swimming are a passion, and the young girl does an activity every day of the week. And what does the child genius want to be when she grows up? “It changes,” laughs Dr Kumar. “She wanted to be a doctor but then went off it.

is a voracious reader just like he and her mother, Dr Gulshan Tajuriahe, who is studying for a PhD in child development. The family are often found with their heads buried in books. The dad stated that his daughter was just eight when they both had a competition to see who could read all of the

seven Harry Potter books first. “She beat me,” he chuckled. “We have to put a limit on her and say at 10 pm she has to stop reading. But she doesn’t need lots of sleep; she’s up easily at 6.30 am for school.” Freya’s hobbies include writing stories, drama and chess. She also has a black belt in

‘Waterproof Wudu Socks’ Sold Across the World

Waterproof Wudu Socks are being sold to Muslims across the world. The Bolton company called DAKY socks are said to be an alternative to the leather Khuffain which is worn by some Muslims, as they are required to wipe over them, rather than washing the entire foot. The company stated that these waterproof non-leather Khuffain are completely compliant with the Islamic rulings. The DAKY socks are now being sold in Canada, Australia, Zambia, USA, Trinidad and across Europe. Ismail Sidat said, “We usually find ourselves rushing for prayer, especially in the winter months when one salah is quickly fol-

lowed by another. “For your average 9 to 5 office worker, it becomes really cumbersome to go and do Wudu in the workplace washroom, especially washing the feet in the small sink. Not to mention the fact that you’re in a rush as time is ticking away for prayer and others are waiting to use the sink after you. “Furthermore, you end up putting your wet feet back into your shoes making your shoes all damp and soggy, tip-toeing out of the washroom with your pants rolled half way up to your calves while of course, leaving a messy wet floor behind. “The leather Khuffain have been

the only solution to this issue, and they’ve been around for centuries, and they will be around long after we are gone, but unfortunately the ones we have today are not ideal in the busy corporate, business world.” They decided to produce a sock that would solve the issue for all Muslims in the modern world. Mr Sidat, Co-founder of DAKY International, said, “Our socks are completely waterproof, and they have been rigorously tested by Scholars to ensure that they abide by all the rulings according to Islam. “We wanted to produce something 100% authentic and 100% shariah compliant.” He added, “Our team designs every one of our socks here in the UK and we’re continually striving to improve our products. One important strategy we adopt is to take feedback from consumers and use this feedback to make positive changes to our products. “For example, we have overankle socks for women and summer wear as this was what our customers were asking for; and we duly obliged. We are also the only waterproof designer socks with anti-slip grip technology.” The company have said that they will be selling other products like DAKY shoes, DAKY pashminas and DAKY wallets in 2020.

“She wants to write, she likes stories, but she also wanted to become a film director. “She’s in the drama club at school, and she directs plays at home. She’s still very young, though.” Freya attends the Blue Coat School in Edgbaston, where she is Head Girl.

The ten-year-old girl has also been offered a scholarship to attend top private school, King Edward VI High School for Girls’ in Edgbaston. She has also passed the entrance exam to King Edward VI Camphill School for Girls’ in Kings Heath.

Artist who Defaced Banksy Mural Says He Does Not Regret It The graffiti artist who vandalised Banksy’s mural on Vyse Street has made headlines In early December, Banksy created a new rendition of art next to the Jewellery Quarter Railway Station in Birmingham. The piece featured two of Santa’s reindeer pulling a real-life homeless man on his bed. The man, who has been identified as Ryan, was asleep on a bench nearby. The culprit who vandalised the artwork is a 25-year-old that goes by the name of Hers. There was substantial public speculation after news got out that he grafitied over Banksy’s work. In a photograph taken by an onlooker, Hers was seen sitting on the bench at the scene with a can of red spray paint in hand. Shortly afterwards, he shouted “Shall I tag it?” to by-standers, before jumping the barrier onsite and spraying two red noses on both of the deer. Some people condemned Hers for his actions online, saying he had spoiled an important piece of artwork worth millions of pounds. However, others praised him for his free-thinking and stated Banksy’s artwork was a form of vandalism in itself. Hers, from Quinton, hit back out to critics after he said he had only offered minor alterations to the artwork because he thought it needed a ‘subtle change.’ He also said he did it as a form of retaliation against the amount of money that was being used to protect the mural, instead of raising awareness of the homeless community in the area. To continue his essential work of protesting for rough sleepers in the city, Hers has now created his own artwork for auction. It depicts a homeless man looking up at two red dots in the sky, which he has named ‘Seeing

By Manisha Bhanot

Red.’ When asked for his opinion about the media attention Banksy’s original work, has received, Hers said: “It should all be about the homeless issue which was Banksy’s aim. That’s why I decided to create my own canvas work linking into the Bansky mural Christmas theme and homelessness. “I am auctioning off the canvas on Ebay, and everything I make will be handed to homeless charities in Birmingham.” When the reindeer mural first appeared at Vyse Street, it was almost cleaned off by Network Railway staff in a moment of confusion. Dennis Culey, a member of the clean team at the railway station, said he took

a huge sigh of relief when it was unveiled the mural was by Banksy. It meant that he would not have to spend the majority of a Monday morning washing the huge work off of a brick wall. His primary thought was: “I’m glad I didn’t.” The artwork was verified as being created by Banksy when he posted it to his Instagram account with the caption ‘God Bless Birmingham.’ The work has since been covered by a huge Perspex sheet to protect it from further damage. Network Rail is planning to sell Christmas Cards with the mural stamped on the front at the station, in a bid to raise money for those without a home in the city.

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

UKVI-approved tests for visa applications Trinity has once again been appointed by the Home Office to deliver Secure English Language Tests (SELTs) in the UK. We’re looking forward to expanding our test centre network and to building upon our high standards of customer service for people who need to demonstrate knowledge of language to the UKVI for the purpose of settling, working or studying in the UK.

◗ We are the UK’s leading provider of SELT speaking and listening tests ◗ Trinity has a proven track record of providing Home Office-approved secure English language testing services in the UK since 2011 ◗ Trinity GESE speaking and listening and ISE reading, writing, speaking and listening SELTs are available at Trinity SELT Centres across the UK See what test takers typically say about their Trinity SELT experience on social media:

Staff were very professional — explained everything. Makes you feel calm and welcomed. Thank you! Elina, Facebook 2.10.19

100% positive experience. What amazing staff! Thank you! Henriett, Facebook 3.10.19

I am very happy and grateful for their dedication, time, consideration, professionalism and humanity! Valentina, Facebook 29.10.19

Find out more about Trinity SELTs and about becoming a Trinity Listed SELT Course Provider at trinitycollege.com/SELT /TrinitySELT

@Trinity_SELT

0333 358 3183

trinitycollege.com/SELT

January 2020

Malabar Restaurant Burglary

By Grace Lea

Restaurant Praised for Good Deed, Then Racially Trolled Online

By Charlie Murray

Saeid, 27, said that he felt “sickened” after reading these reviews, and told Black Country Live, “It’s crazy to see such comments about different businesses within the area and the contents which it was used.” He also said that he was “baffled” that someone would go to such lengths to “damage a well-respected business and its reputation.”

Days after being given encouraging amounts of praise for giving away food to a rough sleeper, a restaurant in Kingswinford has been subject to horrific racist abuse online. The restaurant, Robby’s Indian Fine Dining, gave away the food of a customer who tried to underpay their delivery driver. This good deed resulted in many people commending the actions of the driver and the restaurant’s owner, but the restaurant has since been hit with a string of racist TripAdvisor reviews by a troll. The four reviews, claimed the business to be a “terrorist front” that was used by a “grooming gang”, the restaurant owner Mohammed Saeid told Black Country Live, who decided not to print the abusive reviews. Other reviews personally attacked the business and the staff. The incident which initially sparked praise for the business occurred beforehand. It involved a customer drinking at a local pub who knew her order would be over £20, but she pulled out a handful of coins and told the driver, “There’s

roughly about £10 here so take it or leave”. The driver, who delivered to her even though the kitchen was closed, left with the food, which was later given to a rough sleeper on Soho Road. Saeid said that the rough sleeper was “a lot more grateful and thankful than someone who thinks we work hard to be insulted.” He also said that the incident by the customer highlights a dirty tactic that damages the hospitality business by wasting companies’ time and efforts. The post about the incident was shared dozens of times, with many people taking to the restaurant’s Facebook page to commend the actions of the owner and driver. One person said, “Well done for giving the food to someone more deserving. So glad you didn’t give that horrible person the food. See you soon.” Another commented, “I’m really glad you didn’t give her the food, and you gave to someone else for free. People like her are vile; you’ve got her phone number – ban her.” TripAdvisor has now deleted the racist reviews.

Outcry over Customer who tried to Underpay Indian Fine Dining Eatery A woman who tried to fleece takeaway owner Mohammed Saeid is yet to be named and shamed Dozens of locals have called for the identification of a customer who attempted to short-pay Robby’s Indian Fine Dining in Kingswinford. The owner was forced to give away the unpaid-for food to a homeless person as a result. Mr Saeid, the 27-year-old business owner, said he received a call close to midnight at the Townsend-place based establishment from a woman in a nearby pub. However, when she came into the takeaway, she attempted to cover the cost of her order with online a £10 note. This mis-encounter occurred even

By Manisha Bhanot

Just a few weeks ago, the Malabar Indian Restaurant on Penn Road, Wolverhampton was broken into and burgled during the hours of 11.30 pm, and 4.55 pm the following day. As the restaurant was closed to diners, the building was empty, leaving it vulnerable. Furthermore, Malabar is located within the WV4 postcode of Wolverhampton, in which burglary is a common crime. According to UK Crime Stats, burglary is the fourth most common crime in the area, making up 11% of over 2000 incidents that have happened in the past year. In this area, the restaurant was at risk. Malabar is a popular location for Indian cuisine within the area, having been awarded a Certificate of Excellence in 2013 and Asian Curry Award in 2012. It is also home to the best Asian & Oriental Chef of the Year and was named the Best Asian Restaurant in West Midlands for 2019. Therefore, Malabar is evidently a well-liked and

high-quality restaurant. Unknown as to whether this made it a target of theft, it was either a pre-meditated business burglary or a random choice, and this will remain unclear. Exactly what was stolen from the restaurant is still unspecified; however, it was made public that a significant number of alcohol bottles and an unknown quantity of money was taken. The PSCO who first responded to the incident stated that the offenders had somehow ‘gained entry’ to the restaurant but exactly how they entered was not released to the media. The police are investigating the incident and are now appealing for witnesses on the police online alert system, WMNow. Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward and help with the investigation, live chats, phone numbers and anonymous websites have been published to alert witnesses on how to stay in contact with the police.

though she knew the order would be more than £20. According to Mr Saeid, the customer said: “take it or leave” when she tried to hand him a handful of coins. She was turned away without her meal and made to leave the premises. Since the food was made fresh on her count, the business lost a valuable amount of income from the produce used in the order. Mr Saeid later gave the food to a rough sleeper on Soho Road. Many loyal customers of the takeaway turned to Facebook to share their disbelief over the incident. Michael Luke said: “Should have chucked the food

over her head and gave the homeless guy the coins.” Tom Brooks commented: “Respect to the manager making that decision. I hope the customer enjoyed their pot noodle.” While Leon Baugh added: “Should 100 per cent name and shame if have a name.” However, another Facebook user, Waqar Ahmed, stated that this type of attitude was common in the taxi-business. He described the trade as being notorious for short-changed customers. He said: “They were a lot more grateful and thankful than someone who thinks we work hard to be insulted.”

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

WINTER APPEAL Millions of people in need risk freezing to death this winter due to a lack of proper winter clothing, heating and food. Help us save lives this winter. 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

January 2020

Teenage Gang Targeted Grindr Users in Bid to Rob and Humiliate Gay Men MPs May be Jailed for Lying to the Public under a New Law Democracy activists claim it should be illegal for MPS to lie, both in Parliament and in public. Compassion in Politics group have drafted a new bill that would male dishonest politicians being punished by jail sentences, whereas speaking fibs would become a criminal offence for them. In the most recent election campaign, the Conservative party caused fury when they changed their Twitter handle to “FactcheckUK.” Despite public outcry, they then began to create a fake labour manifesto to make a joke out of their rival party’s pledges. The Liberal Democrats have also been chastised for creating election leaflets disguised to look like legitimate newspapers. Democracy campaigners responded by appealing for the ‘unprecedented level of lies’ these parties produce being stopped. Jennifer Nadel, Co-Director of Compassion in Politics, said: ‘This has been the most divisive, deceitful, and disrespect-

ful election campaign in living memory. ‘The tone many political leaders have set is entirely at odds with the caring, compassionate, and respectful Britain that most of us believe in. ‘We cannot undo what has happened in the last six weeks but we can learn from it and make changes to the law and to our politics that will prevent it from ever happening again.’ Parliament members who speak in Commons and accuse one another of lying are often asked to take back their accusations by the speaker. This is because the word liar is condemned as ‘unparliamentary.’ The Compassion in Politics bill has been introduced after 20 leading democracy organisations created an open letter to the new government, pleading for electoral reform. The groups stated this was the sole solution to addressing the UK’s ‘democracy crisis’ – but that it had been ‘dangerously absent’ from main debated taking place in Commons.

Victims were coaxed to Bordesley Green Park by teen thugs before they were mugged and assaulted

The four men who were attacked were left fearing for their survival after they responded to an ad posted by fake accounts on the dating platform. All of them had their ordeals video recorded, and they were forced to complete humiliating tasks in order to degrade them on the basis of their homosexuality. Mohammed Khan of Hay Mills, Mohammed Umar from Bordesley Green and Qaasim Ahmad from Small Heath, all aged 18, planned and took part in the horrific schemes. They were found guilty of conspiracy to rob and falsely imprison. They were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison each. A total of three of the four victims were bound by hand and foot. One was made to walk through dog excrement, another had a pair of socks stuffed into his mouth, and two were urinated on. The mobsters trailed at Birmingham Crown Court. Judge Heidi Kubic QC stated that the case victims: “had the courage to come forward and publicise their ordeal. You subjected your victims

to serious physical assaults, and you threatened them with various weapons, including a large hunting knife, a screwdriver and you used a metal bar to inflict injuries.” The judge also explained how the victims were made to come to secluded areas and dragged into bushes. They were threatened into handing over their mobile phones, car keys, wallets and security numbers. The perpetrators of the attacks regularly took advantage of the spoils of their crimes, booking lavish hotels rooms and the like.

One victim was informed told he deserved to be robbed since he was a “white man responsible for attacks on Muslims in New Zealand.” Another had a severe wound inflicted on him; whilst a third had his jacket stabbed and was threatened to into having a screwdriver plunged into his eye. Miss Caroline Carberry QC, prosecuting, made the following statement: “These were well planned, violent and degrading crimes which deliberately targeted gay men who they viewed to be soft targets.”

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

Man jailed following death of Zahir Visiter in St John’s Wood

A man has been jailed following the death of Zahir Visiter in St John’s Wood

Kamal Hussain, 22 of Sutherland Avenue, Maida Vale was found guilty of manslaughter following a trial at the Old Bailey. He was sentenced at the same court in December, to 15 years imprisonment, of which he will serve a minimum of two thirds, with a further two years to be served on licence upon his release. The court heard how 25-year-old Zahir was stabbed to death on Cunningham Place, NW8 at around 18:15hrs on Thursday, 28 March. Zahir had left his home a few minutes earlier and told his family he was going to a meeting near his flat in order to hand over some money; he left the flat

with about £280 in cash. A matter of minutes later Zahir had been stabbed four times, one wound was to his back and another on his arm, thought to have been made when Zahir was trying to defend himself. However the other two wounds were to his chest and both caused fatal injuries. Zahir was first seen injured by members of the public who saw him lying in Cunningham Place. A blood trail indicated he had been able to travel a short distance from near his home, before he collapsed. Members of the public, including an off-duty paramedic and GP, tended to him at the scene.

However, Zahir’s injuries were not CCTV enquiries located Hussain at 18:08hrs travelling on a rented bicycle survivable and he was pronounced dead in the general direction of Zahir’s adat 19:19hrs at St Mary’s Hospital. dress. He can then be seen travelling A post-mortem examination confirmed past the road that the two stab where Zahir was wounds to the upper chest were “The impact of this crime is waiting for his the fatal injuries, chaos and true heartbreak. meeting, before immediately reboth entered the The pain is immeasurable. turning to Zahir’s right lung and It has destabilised what location by a difone had pierced ferent route just the aorta. These was a happy and wounds would over a minute contented family unit. later. both have Not a day passes without Minutes later caused massive Zahir emerged blood loss leadthe dreadful memory of ing to death. that fateful day when my onto CunningIt was also noted ham Place having son was so cruelly taken been stabbed four by the patholoaway from us”. times and then gist that all the collapsed. wounds had Extract from the He was closely been delivered personal impact followed by Huswith considerstatement by Zahir’s sain who looked able force. A search of towards him as father, Leo Visitor. he was injured Zahir’s clothing with his hood showed that the over his head. One witness told the court money he had taken to the meeting was now missing. Hussain put on a balaclava to disguise

his appearance and that although he moved away, continued to watch as others came to Zahir’s aid. He then walked away, following a pathway running alongside the Regent’s Canal to Lisson Grove. A knife was subsequently found in this stretch of the canal and at an adjacent position on the towpath, police recovered an abandoned balaclava. As a result of information, Hussain’s details were circulated and plain clothes officers on patrol spotted someone matching his description crossing the canal near the Lisson Green Estate. He fled from officers, running to the Central Mosque which he entered via the underground car park. He then made his way to a washroom where he discarded his outer clothing. A pair of trousers left behind at the mosque were found to have a trace of Hussain’s DNA. Shortly after midnight on Wednesday, 3 April, Hussain was arrested and taken to a north London police station where he declined to answer questions but provided a prepared statement denying responsibility for the killing.

Pilgrims Lose Thousands after Cancelled Hajj Trip

By Manisha Bhanot

Muslims families have been left out of pocket after a travel agency in Small Heath suddenly closed down Up to 20 worshippers who were customers of Taha Travel on Whitmore Road in Birmingham have lost substantial amounts of money. The loss in revenue was a result of the Small Heath firm shutting up shop after clients had already booked their trips abroad. The bookings that members of the Muslim community had made were Hajj packages for July 27th which were sold at approximately £4,300 per person. Many people had been saving for several months, even years for the occasion. However, those who purchased a pilgrimage travel pack to Mecca, Saudi Arabia were told their trip was cancelled. The cancellation occurred just 24 hours before they were supposed

to be flying out of the country. The company director, Jameil Kendawi, informed his customers by text that the issue was to do with their visas, and that he would refund them ‘within 40 days.’ However, since the shop has closed down, ex-customers have not had a penny refunded to their accounts. There remains a shutter on Taha Travel’s old shop premises. The owner’s phone number I now unreachable. Mohammed Asif Qureshi, 61, paid over £20K for himself, his wife, brother and sister-in-law to participate in the holy pilgrimage. He said: “We got a text saying it was off, that was hard to take. When I broke the news to my wife, she was in tears; she was so upset, it’s not been easy. I never thought this could happen; this is something that is a religious duty.” Many customers of the Travel Agent cannot afford to re-book their trips to Mecca. Some only booked because they were guaranteed the specific pilgrimage dates they requested. However, it is always encouraged to go to agencies who are ATOL protected.

January 2020

GLOBAL UK Citizen Victim of Identity Theft Held in UAE

London-born Atif Khalique used to work as a taxi driver in the UK back in 2016 when he came across an advert online for a job in Dubai. Always on the lookout for new opportunities, Atif contacted the recruiter and before he knew it, he was on his way to the UAE for a job interview. The 36 year old Atif was planning to marry in the coming months, and he was feeling hopeful about a future in Dubai with his new family and a new career. The interview went well, and he was told the job was his; he just had to fill out some paperwork and provide extensive personal details to allow the company to run a background check. He returned to the UK to await further arrangements from his new employers. Weeks passed, then months; Atif assumed he had failed the background check for some reason and didn’t get the

Atif, wife Claire and 2 year old daughter Arianna

job. In March, however, the company contacted him again, and again he flew to the UAE to fill out more paperwork, “They told me that the original documents had been misplaced,” Atif explains, “I had no idea what they were really doing with my personal information.” Once he returned to the UK, he never heard from the company again, but he soon discovered that the whole hiring process had been a charade. “They took my personal details in order to steal my identity and obtain bank loans and credit cards in my name,” he relates, “I started getting contacted by debt collectors about defaults on loans in Dubai that I had never taken!” A bank in Dubai hired Coyle White Devine to seize Atif’s assets through a

court in the UK to pay back one of the fraudulent loans. He was preparing to fight this claim and clear his name once the case was scheduled to be heard next year. Amidst the stress, Atif decided to take a brief holiday from the telecom company where he then worked, so he travelled to the UAE on September 3rd to watch the UFC fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Poirier in Abu Dhabi. What he didn’t know was that several cases had already been taken out against him by defrauded creditors, and he had already been tried in absentia, with at least one case carrying a sentence of 2 months. Atif was immediately arrested upon arrival, taken into custody, and only released on bail after two days, with police keeping his passport. Atif’s short holiday has turned into an

almost 4 month nightmare. Though he is free on bail, he is not allowed to leave the UAE. He has lost his job at a telecom company, and the unplanned indefinite stay has drained his savings down to nothing. “I have spent over £20,000 since this all began on legal fees and accommodation,” Atif says, “The police confiscated my passport, and that makes it very hard to book a hotel room. I have been moving from place to place for months now, and I have no income. I am a father now, with a two year old daughter; my family is struggling. I am struggling. The Public Prosecutor has seen all the evidence and they know I am innocent, but still I am stuck here.” Atif’s wife Claire, 32, tried to get the FCO involved but she was told they “cannot intervene in legal matters”. “I thought they were supposed to help British citizens in trouble overseas,” She says in frustration, “Everyone knows Atif is an innocent victim, but even the British government is not helping. It is impossible to explain to Arianna, our 2 year old daughter, why Daddy isn’t home; we try to FaceTime as often as we can just so she can remember his face and feel his presence” CEO of Detained in Dubai, Radha Stirling explains that UAE banks have become exceedingly aggressive in pursuing debtors abroad, and she has frequently found herself across the negotiating table with Coyle White Devine in particular as they pursue debts on behalf of Dubai. Stirling stated that she plans to contact Coyle White Devine to clarify Atif’s case with and seek withdrawal of their UK court application.

Saudi Arabia’s First Female CEO makes Forbes 100 most Influential Women List

Rania Nashar, Samba Financial Group CEO. RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s first female Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is named in Forbes 100 most influential women on the planet for a second time running. Rania Nashar, Samba Financial Group

CEO, was positioned 97th in the rundown that additionally included 16-year-old environmental change lobbier Greta Thunberg. The rundown additionally incorporated the United Arab Emirates’ Raja Easa

Al-Gurg positioned at 84. The Emirati, who is a Board Member of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was likewise included in the rundown in 2017. The main 10 in the rundown included

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Christine Lagarde, who was recently named leader of the European Central Bank (ECB). Nashar was designated CEO in 2017, turning into Samba’s first female CEO and at the same time, the principal female CEO of a recorded Saudi Arabian bank. Nashar landed in the post with 20 years in the financial division having filled in as a board worker from Samba’s worldwide markets backup and a Pakistani unit. Samba is Saudi Arabia’s third-biggest bank by resources with more than $61bn in resources under administration. Nashar has accomplished a few ‘firsts’ at Samba. She was the primary female Chief Audit Executive; the principal female Compliance Head of a bank in the Gulf Cooperation Council; and the main Saudi Arabian lady ensured as an AntiMoney Laundering Officer. In her time with Samba, she has chipped away at its merger with United Saudi Bank, regulated the advancement of its computerized administrations and afterward helped the progress to a completely Saudi foundation following Citibank’s choice to pull back its managerial agreement. Samba Financial Group is Saudi Arabia’s third-biggest bank by resources. Nashar attended King Saud University and graduated with a degree in Computer Science and Technology.

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Pakistan ExMilitary Leader Given Death Sentence by Court

After years of delays to legal proceedings and no-shows at hearings, General Pervez Musharraf has been given the death sentence by his country’s highest court. The ruling was delivered in Islamabad, in his absence. Gen Musharraf was given a high treason charge in 2013 which had been pending for six years. He was found guilty of over-ruling the country’s constitution; he had tried to induce an emergency-rule thereafter. This crime is an act punishable by death in Pakistan. The accused took power during a military operation in 1999. He was also the country’s 10th President from 2001 to 2008. He broke the law more than a decade ago in 2007 and has been on self-inflicted exile to Dubai since 2016 when his travel ban was lifted for the sake of medical treatment. Musharraf was found guilty with a 2-1 verdict by a three-man court. However, his sentence is more likely symbolic by nature as it cannot be carried out since he is out of the country. However, his sentence does mark the first time an ex-leader has received such a serious treason charge. The former military officer was a noshow at one of his proceedings in 2014. His convoy was strangely re-directed to a military hospital after he complained of chest pains. However, many people think he staged his illness as a hoax and the army protected him from prosecution. He has failed to return to his home country for the trail after previously promising to do so. Musharraf holds the charges against him as baseless and untrue. He states that the entire case is politically aggravated and he was given permission for his actions by the cabinet, however, they have disagreed with his claims. Musharraf recently released an emotive video from his sick-bed in Hospital abroad where he says: “I have served Pakistan all my life, and I am being tried for treason.” Much of the public has responded to his sentence with shock and disbelief.

AW Facts Did you know? All 14 of the tallest mountains on Earth are in South Asia

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

People Protest against Indian Citizenship Law across Campuses The people of India have raised concerns over a new citizenship law based on religion, which has caused protests over student campuses. Protestors have claimed the Hindu nationalist government is pushing a biased agenda in conflict with the country’s founding as a worldly republic. Students threw stones at the police, who have locked up the gates of a college in the northern city of Lucknow, to prevent them from protesting onto the streets. About two dozen students at another colleges in the city have sneaked out to protest. Anger has been directed towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The PM was accused of initiating police brutality at Jamia Millia Islamia University. When officers entered the campus

in the capital New Delhi, they fired tear gas to break up a protest. At least 100 people were injured. There were similar scenes at the Aligarh Muslim University in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, where police also fought with the protesters. Under the law passed by the parliament, religious minorities such as Christians and Muslims from the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Pakistan will have to prove they are living in India on legal grounds. They are ordered to give evidence if they entered the country prior to 2015. Critics have said that the law weakens India’s secular foundations. The head of Jamia Millia claimed an investigation into how police were allowed to enter university campuses would be

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

By Tauseef Asif

undertaken. Mr Najma Akhtar told a news conference that it is not expected of the police to enter the university and beat up students. Students said that the police fired tear gas and windows were broken in the library. They ducked under desks and

switched off the lights as advised by the teachers. Hundreds of people gathered outside the New Delhi police headquarters to protest against alleged police brutality and the detention of students. Police said that they went passed their limits.

Mr Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the main opposition Congress party, said the Modi government was dividing up Indian society through the citizenship law and a plan to launch a national citizenship register. He also mentioned in a tweet referring to the strategy of passive political fighting advocated by the independent leader Mahatma Gandhi. He wrote: “The best defence against these dirty weapons is peaceful, non-violent Satyagraha”. The most violent protests during the past few days took place in the northeastern state of Assam, where gangs torched buildings and train stations, angry that the new law would help thousands of immigrants from Bangladesh become lawful citizens. During the protest, at least two people were killed.

Bangladesh Editor Arrested and Office Vandalised After Controversial Headline

By Charlie Murray

The editor of a Bangladesh newspaper has been jailed after reporting on an executed Jamaat leader and referring to him as a ‘martyr’. After the headline of a front-page report by Bangladesh newspaper Daily Sangram referred to executed opposition leader Abdul Quader Molla as a martyr, protesters stormed the newspaper’s offices and handed editor Abdul Asad over to the police. Daily Sangram, which tends to be perceived as a mouthpiece for the Islamist party, published the headline, “Today is the sixth death anniversary of martyr Abdul Quader Molla”. This led to protesters gathering in front of the newspaper’s office in Dkaha, Bangladesh’s capital, the next day. They later went inside to vandalise it, burn copies of the newspaper and put a lock on the office’s main entrance. Journalists of the newspaper said Muk-

tijuddho Mancha men forcefully entered Asad’s office and broke furniture and computers. They also brought the editor in front of TV cameras and made him apologise. Later, he did apologise on television for his use of the word ‘martyr’ to describe Molla. These protests were launched by mem-

bers of groups such as Muktijoddho Mancho (Freedom Fighter Platform) and Bangladesh Chatra League, the student wing of the ruling Awami League party. Asad was arrested in a case under the Digital Security Act, and a court in Dhaka placed Asad on a three-day

remand under police custody. The Digital Security Act, which was protested against in 2018 for being anti-free speech, allows punishments for people spreading “negative propaganda” about the country’s 1971 war of independence. As a consequence of breaking the law, police are allowed to arrest journalists and confiscate their equipment without a court order. Abdul Quader Molla was the assistant secretary-general of the Jamaat-e-Islami party. He was convicted for the murder of hundreds of villagers in a Dhaka suburb during the Bangladesh Liberation war in 1971. He was known as “the butcher of Mirpur”. On December 12th, 2013, he was hanged for crimes against humanity committed during the war. This included the massacre of unarmed civilians and the killing of intellectuals in 1971. He was the first man convicted of war crimes in the country.

Mozammel Huq, the Minister of Liberation War Affairs AKM, said that calling Molla a martyr was a “repulsive” act by Daily Sangram and that legal action will be taken against the newspaper. Furthermore, Md al-Mamum, a Muktijuddho Mancha leader, told Al Jazeera that the newspaper’s description of Molla could be called “blasphemous” because “calling him a martyr not only acts against the spirit of liberation war but also shows disrespect to the court.” He also threatened more protests if authorities did not take action against the newspaper. However, journalist Nazmul Ahasan warned that justifying these types of behaviours, such as the violent protests and handing over the editor to the police could result in more newspapers suffering the same fate for petty crimes such as “opposing the development of the country”.

January 2020

Asian World – 2019 in News Re-cap

January

Wave of Car Jacking Targets Victim’s Homes, as Masked Men Turn-Up on a Young Family’s Patio

February From Far Right to Follower of Islam

5 LGBT Protest Spreads Nationally

Sikhs arrested in Birmingham during Probe into Terror Offences

Father of Shamina Begum Says she made a Mistake and Must Come Back

Birmingham Mosques Vandalised by Sledgehammers

June

August

March

April

4 May £140 Million of Asian Gold Stolen in the UK

7 9

July

UK’s first Muslim head teacher, follow her journey through education

8 September Sajid Javid named chancellor by new PM Boris Johnson

October

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visit Africa’s Oldest Mosque

November

11 MCB Calls for the Suspension of Local Conservative Party Following Resignation over Islamaphobia

MP Keith Vaz Caught in Drug and Sex Scandal

December

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

Following Onions, Potato Prices Surge in India by 75% Sources claim that unexpected rains in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal since October have done substantial damage to the potato crop in these major growing regions. Onion prices increasing due to regional floods and scarcity of the plant have also caused major concerns for the country’s government. During this time, the government is

also attempting to keep a check daal prices. Officials recently announced the release of 8.5 lakh tonnes of pulses via buffer stocks to regional markets at standard rates. “Unseasonal rains in October had damaged the crop and also slowed down sowing of the new crop. This had resulted in prices moving up. Things were getting normalised since

the beginning of this month. But again in the last three to four days, there has been a downpour which has affected harvesting. However, we are hopeful that things will improve over this week and arrivals will increase” said Arvind Agarwal, secretary at the Cold Storage Association of Uttar Pradesh.

Sri Lanka’s De-Humanised Bhikkuni Nuns and their Fight for Recognition

The sale prices of potatoes have skyrocketed in the Indian capital of New Delhi. The cost of these vegetables has now increased by approximately three-quarters of what it formally was last year. This increase is being struggled to be reigned in anytime soon. Despite the news, authorities claim potato prices are set to decrease by the start of 2020, especially during the first ten days. In certain cities like Varanasi and Jaipur, prices remain at Rs 10 to Rs 15 per Kg. However, cur-

rently purchasing costs for the public have doubled in places like Kolkata and other big cities as well. Despite the reports, in Delhi, potatoes are still being sold at Rs 32 per Kg in some instances. Industry experts claim the cost rise will only be temporary. Although, the importation of potatoes has shot up from 355.5 tonnes to 1,284 tonnes from November of 2018 to now. But there has been a marginal gap of their arrival in India this season.

A personality card is vital to life in Sri Lanka, required for everything from casting a ballot to opening a bank account or getting a visa, going for a job interview, or sitting tests. Be that as it may, one branch of female Buddhist monks is not qualified for a personality card. That privilege was detracted from women like them in 2004 when the nation’s persuasive prelates advised the legislature to quit giving them identity cards as “Bhikkunis”, or just not to acknowledge them anymore. From that point forward, Buddhist Bhikkunis - what might be compared to Christianity’s nuns - have been caught in limbo: cherished by the networks they serve, however without similar rights. For over 1,000 years, there were no Bhikkunis in Sri Lanka: their line had ceased to exist following long stretches of oppression on account of the principal Hindu southern Indian lords who had battled against the island country. And afterwards, in 1998, the main new nuns in a thousand years were appointed.

Before the year was over, there were 150. Today, it is thought there are more than 4,000, some as young as just six. In any case, not everyone was glad. The chief prelates contended that the Bhikkuni Order couldn’t be restored until the following Buddha made an appearance, as there are no nuns with a higher appointment in the Buddhist community in Sri Lanka; and some restricted their very presence. After six years, their privilege to an identity card was removed. Despite the fact that there’s no lawful prerequisite to look for counsel from chief prelates, the convention has become the law. This was after court decisions over specific disagreements. What’s more, it is to the courts since the nuns are turning: they have looked for legitimate review through petitions to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (NHCSL) and to the Supreme Court. Truth be told, the NHCSL has just decided in 2015 that the Ministry of

Buddhist Affairs disregarded Sri Lanka’s constitution. Be that as it may, so far nothing has changed.

January 2020

Tallest Contemporary Stone-carved Pillars in India Installed The new art works are Inspired by the Indus Valley Civilisation Stone Oasis has designed and installed

four 12m (41ft) high monumental pillars for a project commissioned by IIT Ropar. The project, supported by the

“

Our initial plan for the pillars was mosaic work with motifs from the Indus Valley Civilisation. However, there was a proposal to also explore the alternative of stone. We looked at the option suggested by Amit Sharma from Stone Oasis, we decided that stone carving was more apt for the location as it reflected the timelessness of the wisdom of the land that it sits in and also the craft performed by the people of the earliest civilisation known to man. Amit and his team did a very thorough job in their research and execution of the project. I think that the juxtaposition of the carved pillar with the molecular forms on top gives an impression that ‘On the base of a great civilisation we’re building modern science’ which is a unique statement for an IIT. This could possibly be the largest work of art undertaken in a university campus!

Professor S.K Das, Director of IIT Ropar

Images courtesy Stone Oasis.

“

Archeological Survey of India, serves as homage to the intellectual progress and excellence achieved in the land of

2 Million Pollution Deaths a Year in India – Study Finds According to a recently published report, India suffers the most deaths linked to pollution of all countries, with approximately 2 million Indians a year losing their life to pollution-related factors. China and Nigeria follow India at the top of the list, with Chad, Central African Republic and North Korea having the highest number of pollution deaths per capita. The report was carried out by the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) and concluded that pollution is currently the largest environmental cause

of premature death on the planet, causing 15% of all deaths (around 8.3 million people). Both large wealthy countries and poor smaller countries are among the top 10 sufferers of pollution-related

deaths since 2017 (the most recent year for which this data is available). The report drew its results from considering four risk factors: air (household/ outdoor contaminants and ozone), water

Rupnagar, which houses the new IIT campus and stands over the roots of the great Indus Valley Civilization. The pillars, which took over a year to complete, mark a list of firsts that includes being the tallest stone-carved panel in India, and one of the largest works employing bas relief carving outside the sphere of temple carvings. The visually commanding installation spreads over 1,600 m 2 of area and consists of four 12m (41 ft) high pillars with 16 facades in total. Each facade carries bas relief carvings depicting a unique story built around central figures unearthed from the ancient Indus civilisation; such as the iconic Dancing Girl or the figure often referred to as Pashupat i, likely the earliest depiction of Hindu god Shiva. The labour-intensive carving on the pillars is inspired by the narratives and techniques used by this ancient civilisation. These seemingly ancient pillars, however, fashion a metallic molecular structure on top of each of them, highlighting the fusion of contemporary knowledge with the ancient site. The installation was supported by efforts from the Archeological Survey of India, Director of IITRopar Professor S.K Das and the CPWD team. It was executed completely in-house by the Stone Oasis team with the assistance of several Jaipur-based master craftsmen and artisans as well as architects and art historians. (unsafe water and poor sanitation), lead (exposure to legacy emissions from leaded gasoline) and occupational (carcinogens, second-hand smoke, particulates, gases, and fumes). India and China recorded the highest number of deaths, with about 2.3 million and 1.8 million respectively, followed by Nigeria, Indonesia and Pakistan. Meanwhile, five nations in the Arabian Peninsula ranked among the ten countries in the world with the lowest death rates from pollution, with Qatar reporting the most moderate. Rachael Kupka, acting executive director of GAHP, has said that “The report reminds us all that pollution is a global crisis,” and “It does not matter where you live. Pollution will find you.” In some of the poorest countries in the world, where pollution-related death rates are the highest, lack of water sanitation as well as contaminated indoor air contributed heavily to the death toll. On India, the report revealed that the nation “has seen increasing industrial and vehicular pollution from urban growth while poor sanitation and contaminated indoor air persist in low-income communities,” The report named ambient air pollution as the cause of 40% of all pollution-related deaths, led by China and India, both at 1.2 million. The number of global deaths linked to pollution exceeds those from tobacco use, which stands at about 8 million. It is also higher than the number of deaths from malaria, high-sodium diets, HIV, alcohol and drugs, TB, and war. These terrifying statistics show the escalation of pollution, which is killing the planet, its people, and is exacerbating the climate crisis. Governments must act.

By Will Rymer

Pakistan Races Spain to Become World’s Largest Olive Producer By Manisha Bhanot

Experts have argued that Pakistan is home to more land suitable for olive growth than Spain. The latter country is currently the largest olive producer in the world. However, it could soon be left behind as Pakistan’s plans for cultivation develop. Pakistan’s primary source of income is its fertile agricultural industry. It is now paying more attention to the olive growth trade to create a more substantial amount of revenue and help the country’s economy to rebuild itself. Agriculture expert Kamal Haider said: “Every year Pakistan imports over $2 billion worth of edible oil”. He also claimed that the country’s farmers are now discreetly planting olive branches in contribution to a silent revolution which is underway. The result will hopefully be billions of imports of cooking oil. As part of a tree-planting campaign last year, approximately 120,000 olive trees were rooted in the Pakistani province of Balochistan last year. Half of these had been imported from Italy and in total; the plantation area covered 14,000 square acres. Before this, the Punjabi Government launched an initiative to convert Pothohar into an olive valley in 201516. Since then, one million olive trees have started growing in the area, and 750 farmers have reaped the rewards of the project. The Olive tree has been named as a beneficial crop in Pakistan as there are limited water sources in some of its regions. The plant also helps to mitigate climate change and battle the effects of global warming. Pakistan has 3.5 hectors of land suited to olive tree growth, in comparison to Spain’s 2.4 million, which is a smaller country overall. Officials hope the new scheme will put the Asian country on the map for edible oil-exportation, and raise revenue for poor farmers.

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

Bangladesh’s most Affluent Men

By Manisha Bhanot

The country’s top 10 richest in 2019. Bangladesh is a developing country located in South Asia. It has a measured value of 7.3% GDP growth. Most of the country’s income is generated through exports in textiles, seafood, and leather goods. However, much of the region is still stricken with poverty, which places a considerable divide between the country’s rich and poor. Bangladeshi millionaires overstate the real economic conditions of Bangladesh, and the most prominent of them are listed below! 1. Moosa Bin Shamsher

2. Salman F Rahman

3. Sajeeb Wazeed

4. Syed Abul Hossain

5. Ahmad Akbar Sobhan

Known as the richest Prince of Dhaka, Moosa has generated a total of over 1.5 billion dollars from his immigration business. He currently resides in a bungalow in the country’s capital city, often making media headlines for his overly flamboyant lifestyle. Early Life Moosa Bin Shamsher was born on October 15th 1945 in Faridpur, Bangladesh. He father was Shamsher Ali Molla. Mr Molla served as a first-class officer in the British Indian Government. As a student, Mossa demonstrated strong potential. He went on to graduate school and study at Faridpur Rajendra College, before getting into California State University to study Economics. Career Moosa set up DATCO; a manpower exporting company. It remains an essential company in exporting labour. Aside from exporting man-power, Moosa began investing in the weapons and arms business. The venture quickly added to his wealth. His net worth is over $12 billion.

Salman is a very well known businessman in Bangladesh, and unliked by some for his alleged participation in share market looting. In recent years, he has held his ground in remaining one of the country’s richest.

Sajeeb Wazed is Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheik Hasina’s younger son. He runs the Bangladesh Government’s Digital Bangladesh program, developed to integrate digital technologies in the country’s citizens’ lifestyle.

Syed is a business mogul, and member of the Bangladesh Parliament, where he is the wealthiest MP. His wealth massively progressed after he joined the government.

He is the Chairman and founder of one of the most esteemed companies in Bangladesh. Many important organisations seek his involvement in the country’s business activities.

Early Life Salman was born on May 23rd, 1951. In 1961, he and his brother overtook the running of the family’s Jute Mill and began producing its products. The Mill was nationalised after the Bangladeshi liberation war in 1971.

Early Life Sajeeb was born on July 27th, 1971. His grandfather was the so-called founder of the nation, and his father was a nuclear scientist. He studied at Harvard University.

Early Life Sayed Abul Hossain was born on October 1st, 1951. He graduated with a Bachelor’s and Masters from Dhaka University. He is a member of the current ruling party in Bangladesh, the Awami League.

Early Life Ahmad Akbar Sobhan was born on February 15th in 1952. Ahmad started to be a participant in enterprise, businesses and commercial trading under East West Property Development (Pvt) Ltd.

6. Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir

7. Ragib Ali

Career A year afterwards, Salman and his brother founded the Bangladesh Export Import Company BEXIMCO. Under its jurisdiction, they started exporting a multitude of products to Europe. Today his chain companies transport agricultural, and pharmaceutical items overseas. He is also an esteemed Politician. His net worth is $1.4 billion.

Mohiuddin became a laughing stock in his home country after he speculated members of the opposition party were involved in tearing down Rana Plaza.

He is nicknamed the ‘richest tea-gardener’ and also has a reputation as the wealthiest industrialist in Bangladesh. His contribution to the local economy and industry is astounding. Early Life Early Life He was born on March 1st in 1942. He Ragib was born on October 10th, 1938. has a PhD in Economics from Boston Although he is Bangladeshi-born, he University. The prominent figure has completed his higher education in the many talents; he is an economist, writer United Kingdom. He started as an and civil servant from Bangladesh. ordinary waiter and made it to be a big entrepreneur and philanthropist. Career Career Mohiuddin is a Member of Parliament. Ragib is known for his various tea He has been given numerous administra- estates and properties in Sylhet. He tive roles as part of the Awami League of has also founded multiple schools Government. His net worth is priced at and colleges across the country. He is $400 million. also Chairman of the South East Bank Limited in Bangladesh. His net worth is valued at around $250 million.

Career Ahmad is currently Chairman of the Bashundra Group, and one of the top magnates in the country. The industries he owns deal with food and beverage, sanitary products, iron, pipelines, cement and much more. His net worth is over $500 million.

Career He currently works as an IT Advisor to Bangladesh Government. His source of income is also questionable and subject to controversy. He is rebuked often for using his mother’s influence to gain financial power. His net worth is $1 billion.

Career Syed has been serving as a member of the parliament since 1972. He is the founder of SAHCO International Limited, which deals with foreign investors who transfer money to Bangladesh. He has been accused of numerous corruption offences while serving as a country communication Minister. His net worth is almost $1 Billion dollars.

8. Iqbal Ahmed

9. Giasuddin Al Mamun

10. Tarique Rahman

Iqmal is also a Bangladesh-British entrepreneur. His business empire is based around Manchester and specialises in shipping. He is also the successful owner of various shipment companies.

Giassuddin has largely taken advantage of political favouring in the past. He is named as the country’s richest timberman.

Nobody knows what the net worth of Tarique Rahman is to date. Some people state he’s worth $1.5 billion; others contest he’s worth $1 billion. Although, it goes without saying he deserves a position in the richest Bangladeshis’ list. Early Life Tarique Rahman hails from a political dynasty. He is one of the sons of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, ex-Bangladeshi Prime Minister. His father was also the 7th President of Bangladesh. He graduated from the University of Dhaka. Career Tarique is Chairman of his home country’s Nationalist Party. He now resides in London. Much controversy follows the source of his income. The Anti Corruption Commission in Bangladesh filed a total of 12 cases against him thus far.

Early Life He was born on August 4th, 1956. He moved to the UK at age 15 and attended the City College in West Minister. Shortly afterwards, he joined his family business situated in Oldham. Career Iqmal is the owner of the Seamark and INCO seafood processing companies. His businesses originated from Sylhet city. He is globally renowned in the marketplace abroad and has a net worth of $250million.

70%FF

Early Life Little is known about this Bangladeshi businessman’s early life. He has a brother named Hafiz Ibrahim. He is also a member of the Bangladeshi Nationalist Party. Career Giassuddin is one of Tarique Rahman’s business partners. He has taken loans from financial organisations with little to no interest. He has several corruption charges against him. His net worth is $150 million.

upto

advertising

Tel: 0121 771 4545 Email: sales@asianworldnews.co.uk Web: www.asianworldnews.co.uk

January 2020

BUSINESS

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Freelancers’ Mental Health at Risk from Badly Behaving Clients we’re sort of the team for people without a team”. The community has also produced free resources such as an ebook published earlier in the year: “How you doing?” with practical tips on looking after yourself when working for yourself which is featured on the Mind UK’s “Wellbeing at Work” portal; hosted a global “Work Together” for Mental Health awareness day in October where people all over the globe met and worked together for the morning; have launched a podcast, and

New research suggests nearly half of freelancers are struggling with poorer mental health as a result of clients not taking consideration of their extended workforce’s mental wellbeing. Leapers, a community group supporting the mental health of the self-employed, asked over 500 UK freelancers about the relationship between their work and their mental health, and discovered some of the biggest stressors are not about working on your own, but rather issues such as not feeling talented enough (74%), lack of control over their working schedule (47%) and 71% are stressed by their clients ghosting them. Despite large positive steps towards supporting the wellbeing of employees in recent years, the growing proportion of the UK workforce who are selfemployed, over 5m the UK - means an increasing number of people are working without support for their wellbeing - a number which is set to rise again in 2020 - and a big concern for the Matthew Knight, founder of the Leapers community, is how few businesses

are actively considering how to work well with freelancers - in order to get them on-boarded, support them whilst working together, provide feedback, and invest in the growing talent pool. Indeed, this concern is reflected in the research, with only 38% of the group feeling their clients have their mental wellbeing in mind. “Freelancing is an attractive option for many people - control over how they work, when they work and work they do are the top motivations for becoming self-employed, but there is an inaccurate narrative presented about how freelancing means freedom - with many people not considering the impact it could have on their stress levels.” Knight explains, after gathering the insights from research run this summer. The study also showed that 46% of the group felt that freelancing had an overall negative effect on their mental health. “Everyone understands that there’s no regular income when you’re freelancing - but you’re also stepping away from having a team, people around support you, to bounce ideas off, or even just have a cup of tea with. This can lead to many freelancers feeling like they’re having to deal with the stresses of running a business, dealing with clients that go quiet, dealing with lack of direction or feedback. It’s a far cry from the image of working from the beach, taking off all the time you like, and being paid more than everyone else. That’s why we’ve created a community of support -

are increasingly turning their attention to working with the employers to help develop ways organisations can support their external talent - with guides, tools and support for businesses who recognise the future of work needs to include a better way of working with those who aren’t employed, but are still critical to an organisation’s success, 40% of the UK’s businesses work with freelancers in some capacity - a number which is only set to increase in 2020.

The Healthy Approach to Building a Business… Without Sleazy Sales Talk!

A new book that busts marketing myths and sleazy sales tactics holds the key to success for therapeutic businesses. I’ve Got Your Back (Rethink Press) by Helen Bullen, an award-winning clinic owner and qualified Osteopath, teacher, and experienced business mentor, explores five key principles to help therapists turn their passion into a money-making business. Helen said: “I have a passion to help as many therapists as possible continue doing the job they love while making an income they want. I learnt early on that most of us, as therapists, are given little to no training when we complete our respective therapy qualifications, and often it can feel like you have been left to work it all out for yourself. I also know that many therapists have little interest in business, but the fact is we all need some knowledge to make it in the therapy world.” Helen speaks from direct experience of starting her own successful business from scratch, with no experience of sales or marketing and feeling incredibly uncomfortable about some marketing techniques. She added: “It is tempting to look for a magic template which will attract a steady stream of clients. But some marketing methods can feel like you are tricking, even forcing your client into buying from you. Not a nice way to

feel. I certainly had to wrestle with my misconceptions on marketing before I started to get results.” Helen’s answer to this marketing dilemma is her own five step system called Commit to Achieve. These are five clear principles based on self-care, understanding why you want to run your business, releasing any self-limiting beliefs around success, understanding how to make your business work for you and taking effective action. Helen added: “Quick-fix methods will not guarantee you more clients. In fact, quite the opposite. There is no secret method to make the clients just roll in. Instead, there are methods that work. Methods that will take action from you for the lifetime of your business, both consistently and persistently. These methods are what I have used to create my own successful business and now I want to help other therapists achieve the same.”

What can businesses do to better support freelancers? Leapers explain three simple things to reduce stress for your freelancers. 1. Speak to your freelancers and ask what they need from you. At the very least, they’ll know you want to help, and you can start a dialogue. 2. Point them in the direction of support communities like Leapers, so they know they can access resources and support, as well as any internal support resources which are available to them. 3. Review your processes for on-boarding, communicating with and paying freelancers on time, and consider giving someone internally the role of “Freelance Experience Manager” who can be a main point of contact and review how you’re working well with others.

“We can’t fix everything” Knight concludes, “but if we can support those who join our community within Leapers, if we can raise awareness that mental health at work within the self-employed community is a shared responsibility of the individual and the client, and we can encourage organisations to consider everyone they work with - regardless of employment contract, we’ll be able to make some difference.”

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

Business Owners More Worried about Rising Cost of Energy than Brexit

Energy companies failing SMEs: businesses forced to cut jobs and scale back opening hours to make ends meet

• Nearly half of micro-businesses (48%) have slashed staff working hours to pay for rising energy bills • More business owners are worried about the rising cost of energy (50%) than they are about Brexit (44%) • One in ten (9%) have seen their energy bills jump by a massive 500GBP or more per year The energy market is failing Britain’s small businesses, as a new study reveals businesses are even scaling back

staffing costs to compensate for rising energy bills. The data also revealed SMEs are more concerned about the rising cost of energy and its impact on their business - than they are about the potential fallout of Brexit. More than three quarters (77%) of 1,000 small businesses

surveyed have seen the cost of their energy supply rise by at least 100GBP per year – with one in ten (9%) forking out an additional 500GBP or more, according to an independent survey commissioned by UTILITA ENERGY. Its third annual Powering the UK High Street Report, look-

ing into the treatment of small businesses by energy companies, also found more than a third of microbusinesses (39%) have been forced to make staff redundant to reduce the cost of running their business with half (48%) reducing staff hours to pay for their energy. Utilita specialises in providing tailored energy packages for small businesses; customers won’t be turned down for low credit ratings and are charged no upfront deposits. Despite Ofgem’s announcement of its strategic review of the micro-business energy market, two thirds of micro-businesses (66%) say they are still caught out with unexpected terms and conditions or costs when signing a new energy deal. Shockingly, more than a third (37%) are still asked to make large upfront deposits to secure their supply or are being placed on high tariffs (34%) as they’re seen as a credit risk. Utilita CEO, Bill Bullen, said: “We commissioned our first annual Powering the High Street report in 2017 as we knew many micro-businesses found it hard and costly to engage with suppliers to find a better deal on energy. “We’ve learned 68% of businesses surveyed do believe their provider gives them a fair deal. Let’s hope this is a sign of things to come. “But there is a lot of work to do - it’s still concerning to see so many businesses worried about the cost of

their energy rising and payment pressures and how this impacts their workforce. Further still, almost a third (29%) of businesses are tackling inflexible payment terms and a quarter (24%) are asked to pay crippling rates. This just isn’t fair.” Utilita is one of Britain’s largest independent energy suppliers, now supporting more than 800,000 domestic and commercial customers across Great Britain. Bill continued: “The country’s micro-businesses have a lot to contend with in today’s uncertain economy as business rates continue to climb and the power of the pound isn’t what it was – it is concerning that access to energy is such a huge concern for many.” Utilita commissions its annual Powering the UK High Street report to understand the barriers microbusinesses are faced with in running their enterprises. The report questioned 1,000 microbusinesses in ten regions of the UK, including cafes, pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, convenience stores and other retail outlets. There were 5.7 million small businesses in the UK last year, accounting for 96% of all businesses. This population fell by 0.5% from 2017 reflecting closures of smaller, non-employing businesses. This decrease in the business population is the first fall in these records, which began almost 20 years ago in 2000, and reflects the state of the UK’s high street today where business collapses and closures are rife.

January 2020

New Research Reveals the Best Way to Pay Call Centre Workers

People are not machines and according to new research from the UCL School of Management, a proper way to motivate call centre workers is to strip away their hourly wage.

According to Assistant Professor Dongyuan Zhan

“

Call centres currently use incentives which are effectively redundant. By simply offering rewards for the amount of calls they make, call centre employees are often ringing customers just to hang up on them. Encouraging workers to work as fast as possible also means there is likely to be a larger number of mistakes, whilst being too slow results in a loss of productivity.

“

LOCAL 2-11

As well as the errors in motivating staff, the researchers found that the allocation of calls, and staffing in call centres are also ineffective. “In the current model, customers are placed in a queue, and their calls are routed to the next available employee. This is the starting point to study more complicated systems with multiple types of customers and employees in the future, rather than customers queuing in a single line, assuming the company has exactly one service.” says Zhan. Call centres are not listening to their customers and are not solving their problems effectively, this research shines a new light on why they are failing and how they can improve the staffing and compensation scheme for their employees. The results come from over five years of theoretic research and were published in the journal Operations Research.

AW Facts Did you know? ASDA is a subsidiary of the retailer Walmart

January 2020

Technology in Marketing

The internet has a major impact on marketing. You can get access to millions of information worldwide.

Technology is something that has evolved rapidly. In marketing, it consists of web, social media, mobile phones and many more… It helps in any business to prosper and improve the value of organisations. Marketing agents are viewing technology as being a vital factor for development and progress. When it comes to technology, it is regarded as an important strategy in marketing. This boosts up the general productivity. The Internet has a major impact on marketing. You can get access to millions of information worldwide. Groups get more information, more online places to connect with consumers for instance; blogs social networks, YouTube videos, etc. You can have a variety of options to get through your audience to communicate. Few examples are; • Banner ads; • Smartphone ad formats;

• Blog posts and web development; • Search engine results; • Social networks -paid and organic; and • Online reviews. New technologies in online marketing — Smartphones, CRM systems, and social media — can aid marketers in reaching new and existing customers. The use of technologies in marketing and research are broadly used. Internet advertising, text messaging, emails, newer ones consists of social media, Smartphone applications and GPS. These are also vital for marketing. There are also two main factors which are customer relationship management systems and social media marketing. Customer relationship management: This system makes use of technology to manage and computerise business practices. Customer relationship management helps the enterprise to aim for potential clients to boosts up sales in the organisation. The key to marketing experts is to be able to track multichannel campaigns. This is by social media, telephone and emails. Social media marketing: This is defined as the method of gaining website traffic via social media sites. It also involves

in creating brand personality. This is a good way to encourage creating their own content. This means that the organisation writes content that attracts the audience. Hence, It means it produces results in earned media instead of paid media. Below are some examples of popular social media sites: Facebook- This allows photos, videos and adds which can be a form of marketing. The organisation can also create pages where social media users can share their views by commenting or reacting. For example, Magical Vegas Casino is on Facebook to create a sense of community among its fans. Feel free to check out the casino promotions at MagicalVegas.com by visiting its Facebook page. Twitter: This promotes the product on an individual level. The product is explained in

short and simple messages to capture the attention of people. What can also be done is to link

the product’s website to another website on Facebook. By doing this, the individual spends more

time knowing the product and it leads to a bigger advertising opportunity. LinkedIn: This site is more of a professional business-related networking site. It helps companies produce profiles for themselves for other business. This promotes a variety of social networking activities for instance blog notes to be used for their product pages. LinkedIn also offers the opportunity to create sales leads and affiliations.

Quarter of Millennials take Unapproved Absense During the Festive Period

New research finds that santa delivers stress & sick leave to uk workers as they juggle demands of care, health & family at christmas It may be billed as ‘the most wonderful time of the year’, but for many UK employees the pressures of juggling family, health and care demands alongside work commitments are a cause of major stress, anxiety and unplanned absences from work, according to new research from Benenden Health. Although a quarter of employees (25%) said unapproved absences from work had been down to over indulgence and the aftermath of the Christmas party, sick days were more widely taken to manage a variety of childcare, personal health and family commitments over the yuletide period. According to a survey of 1,000 employees and 1,000 UK SMEs undertaken by not-for-profit corporate healthcare provider, Benenden Health, one in eight UK workers (13%) say they have taken unapproved leave at Christmas to manage personal health and family care commitments, and one in five (20%) lied to their employer about the

reason for doing so. The data revealed that the youngest generations were most likely to take unapproved leave at Christmas, with a third of Generation Z workers (31%) and a quarter of Millennials (23%) revealing they have done so in the past compared to just 2% of Baby Boomers. One in five workers (20%) who have taken unauthorised leave did so as the only way to secure a GP appointment, 18% took days to look after an elderly parent and 16% resorted to sick days to look after their children during school closures. More than one in seven (15%) of those absent took time off specifically to manage mental health and anxiety issues heightened by the pressures of Christmas, with Millennials suffering the most of all generations (19%). According to the survey, less than half of all workers (44%) have access to support and flexible working over Christmas to help them cope with the heightened demands of family, health and care commitments. One in seven (15%) businesses confirmed they have experienced greater levels of unapproved absence at Christmas, with some of the most creative reasons given by employees including ‘eating too much Christmas pudding’, ‘thinking they had the week off after the Christmas party’ and ‘losing car keys in the snow’. According to the survey data, more than a quarter (28%) of employees say their most desired workplace benefit is

flexible working, with this topping the wish list for Generation Z, Millennial and Generation X employees. However, only 38% of SMEs offer this - and more than half of all businesses surveyed revealed they have never consulted employees about what they would value in a benefits package. Helen Smith, Chief Commercial Officer at Benenden Health, said: “We associate Christmas with joy and celebration, but in reality, it can be a really stressful time at work, especially when employees have a significant amount on their plate both inside and outside the workplace. “By listening to workers and catering for their unique needs – in this instance, offering flexible working over the festive period, especially for younger employees, or having a suitable healthcare policy in place to allow for easy access to medical appointments and GPs for all the family - can minimise stress, absenteeism and ultimately increase the productivity of a workforce and overall performance of a business.” Benenden Health is a not-forprofit society with a UK-wide membership of over 815,000, founded in 1905 to bring people together to help pay for medical care when they might need it. Today, it has a mission to support businesses by providing affordable healthcare that helps keep employees healthy and valued and businesses thriving.

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

Number of Recruitment Companies Workbooks has Skyrocketed 500% since 1999 CRM Study:

The number of recruitment companies in the UK has grown by a staggering 500% in the last 20 years, according to

an analysis of the sector by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. According to a comparative analysis undertaken for the International Confederation of Private Employment Agencies by Deloitte, there were an estimated 6,500 private employment businesses in the UK in 1999. However, in 2019, there are 39,232 recruitment agencies trading in the UK, according to figures from Companies House. This growth has increased

Many Tax Breaks are Pointless

Tax concessions amounting to billions are not effective and should be abolished, according to research by the University of Cologne.

The study, conducted by FiFo Koln, ZEW Mannheim, ifo Institute and Fraunhofer FIT, evaluated a total of 33 German tax breaks that add up to 7.4 billion euros. Tax benefits are important, broadly applicable and potentially efficient instruments for creating incentives for private activities and for promoting policy objectives. However, Dr Michael Thoene, Head of the Fifo Institute for Public Economics at the University of Cologne, says, “of the 33 tax breaks in Germany, 10 measures got an overall rating ‘weak’ because they were found to fall short of their expected objectives, therefore, they need to urgently be fixed or abolished completely.” “The tax losses examined for the individual measures range from just under one million

to well over one billion euros a year,” says Sven Stoewhase, head of Fraunhofer Institute’s quantification team. The tax breaks mainly include reductions and exemptions that are provided for energy, electricity, car and income tax and they were rated against a framework that assesses them

for: relevance, effectiveness, sustainability, transparency and monitoring. The authors suggest that tax benefits must be monitored with particular vigilance to ensure that they don’t miss their purpose or lead to deadweight effects. Otherwise governments are losing billions unnecessarily.

More than half of British Small and Medium Businesses have Changed CRM Supplier

“ A CRM project requires a

focus on technology, people and processes; only when all three are in harmony will you truly maximise your ROI

“

The number of recruitment companies in the UK has grown by a staggering 500% in the last 20 years

particularly rapidly over the last decade, with 84% of company registrations in taking place from 2008 to 2018. In fact, in 2018 alone, 8,488 agencies were registered with Companies House. Commenting on the analysis, Ann Swain, Global CEO at APSCo, said: “It’s fantastic to see the continued growth of the staffing sector, which has been flourishing despite the rise of job boards and social media– which many felt would negatively impact recruitment firms. At APSCo, we’re proud to have played our part in supporting the sector over the last 20 years.” “With a change to working attitudes and cultures, the fourth industrial revolution, and Gen Z entering the workforce – recruitment companies will need to be as agile and innovative as ever to ensure that they continue to add value and remain competitive for the next 20 years.” “The fact that the sector has grown so much, and now employs over 115,000 people, makes it more important that high quality and standards are upheld across the board. At APSCo, we have made great strides in ensuring the professionalisation of the sector – introducing the first ever Executive MBA in Human Capital for example, and will continue to do so for the next two decades, and beyond.”

More than half of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UK have changed customer relationship management (CRM) supplier according to the State of the CRM Market 2019 Report from Workbooks. The company also found that a quarter of SMEs have yet to be persuaded of the benefits of CRM and have not yet bought any system at all. The research found that the main reason for changing supplier was a poor fit in terms of the business requirements – 48% of respondents thought this was a problem. “The responses show that there is much to consider when looking at CRM including business strategy, technology, budget, change management etc,” explains John Cheney, CEO and Founder of Workbooks. “A CRM project requires a focus on technology, people and processes; only when all three are in harmony will you truly maximise your ROI.” Related to this were the 38% of businesses who thought that their chosen CRM system was not able to scale according to their needs. The issue of cost was a less significant factor with 28% of respondents having changed CRM software because the cost was too high, the same proportion that switched because their choice didn’t integrate with other business applications. There were some concerns around cost, however. The Workbooks survey revealed that SMEs found it difficult to ascertain the return on investment of their CRM applications: three-quarters of British companies surveyed found it impossible to quantify the value of their CRM investment. US companies found it even more difficult: 85% of them couldn’t accurately calculate their ROI. “Very often companies find it difficult to measure ROI as CRM allows them to do things they never could before. There is no baseline to compare activity against,” explains John Cheney. “Companies can see it has made the business better, but find it difficult to quantify. While it is great that so many SMEs appreciate what CRM brings to their organisations, there does need to be more work to ascertain this value.” There was widespread appreciation of the benefits of CRM: even among those companies who had not chosen a CRM system at all, 46% said that they intended to at some time in the future. Reasons for not adopting CRM included the belief that it would not be an effective way to manage customers and failure to provide value for money. “Supercharging the adoption of CRM is an important element to the digital transformation of all industries and sectors and key to increasing overall productivity and economic growth across the UK. The good news is there continues to be a steady flow of organisations beginning to recognise the value of CRM. However, many that still have not. We must do more to promote the positive benefits and opportunities of CRM technologies while also continuing to identify and overcome remaining concerns and barriers to adoption, such as data migration and user resistance.” concludes Katherine Mayes, Programme Manager, TECHUK.

Magnetic Eyelashes Review Lena Halal Nail Polish TRIED AND TESTED Exclusive interview with Priti Sinha, Mrs India UK

AW Facts Did you know? From 1940-1960 was known as The Golden Age of Indian cinema

hrithik roshan Named “Sexiest man of the decade”

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

AMAZON PRIME VIDEO PRESENTS: THE FORGOTTEN ARMY

Following the widespread international success of Amazon Original Series such as The Family Man, Made in Heaven, Mirzapur and the Emmy nominated show Inside Edge, Amazon Prime Video is gearing up for the worldwide streaming launch of its highly anticipated web-series The Forgotten Army to be released early January to mark, the Republic Day of India. The Forgotten Army chronicles the dynamic story of Lieutenant Sodhi and his army of heroic men and women fighting for Indian Independence during World War II as part of the Indian National Army led by the charismatic Indian leader Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The Forgotten Army brings to life the story of Lt. Sodhi’s daring group of men and women fighting for the liberation of their country from the grips of British colonial ruling in the 1940’s. The series is a well-crafted and gripping tale of India’s battle under historic Indian nationalist Subhas Chandra Bose, whose defiant patriotism made him a hero in India but whose attempt during WWII to rid India of the British rule

opening film of the 33rd Cairo International Film Festival, 2009, and was also screened at the Pusan International Film Festival. Khan has also directed Bajrangi Bhaijaan, in 2015 which had been the third highest-grossing Indian film globally. Through The Forgotten Army, Khan seeks to bring to light the courageous plight of Lt Sodhi’s soldiers, who were forged as a result of the British defeat in Singapore during the second World Wat. The 5 episode limited series has been tipped to be one of the most engrossing narratives of India’s modern history and Britain’s colonial history, for which the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn have recently vowed to bring to the fore of the educational curriculum in the UK.

with the help of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan left a troubled legacy. The Forgotten Army is the first story which will be depict the journey and sacrifice of the Indian National Army from the

Salman Khan Poses Shirtless in Dabangg 3 Poster

With the release of Salman Khan starrer Dabangg 3, fans have been quite excited to see their favourite superstar on the silver screen once again as the witty Chulbul Pandey. While the leading actors of the film are busy promoting the film, fans have gone crazy over the new poster of the film. Taking to Instagram, Saiee Manjrekar, who is all set to make her debut with Dabangg 3, shared a new poster of a shirtless Salman from the climax scene of the film. The third instalment of the popular franchise will also see south superstar Kiccha Sudeep going face to face with the Bhaijaan (big brother) of Bollywood in the film’s climax which is touted as the decade’s biggest and baddest fight ever. Directed by Prabhu Deva, the film will also see Sonakshi Sinha and Arbaaz Khan reprising their roles from the previous instalments which is also the reason why fans are excited about the film. As per reports making rounds on the Internet, the climax scene was shot for more than three weeks and Salman will be clashing with Kiccha aka Balli and his men.

point of view of its soldiers. The series is being directed by Kabir Khan who is one of India’s most successful filmmakers. The Forgotten Army marks the digital debut for Khan who is

a two-time National Award winner (the highest film honours in India) and has directed the globally acclaimed New York, a film based on the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. New York was the

For more updates, stay connected with Amazon Prime Video India on ► Facebook: www.facebook.com/PrimeVideoIN ► Twitter: www.twitter.com/PrimeVideoIN ► Instagram: www.instagram.com/primevideoin

Ajay Devgn & Saif Ali Khan battle it out in upcoming Tanhaji

Yash Raj Films presents Bunty Aur Babli 2

Biographical period drama Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior in cinemas on 10th January 2019 The trailer for the highly anticipated Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior has been released and promises to be a powerful and impactful film with its story, cinematic shots and use of CGI. Ajay Devgn plays Maratha warrior Tanhaji Malusare, Kajol plays Tanhaji’s wife Savitribai Malusare and Saif Ali Khan plays Udaybhan Singh Rathod. Set in the 17th Century the trailer shows Tanhaji Malusare, who was the leader of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s army; lead his men into battle against the Mughal army led by Udaybhan for Kondhana fort. Tanhaji also marks actor Ajay Devgn’s 100th film in Indian cinema. Directed by Om Raut and produced by Ajay Devgn, Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar, Tanhaji releases on 10th January 2020.

It’s official! Yash Raj Films is making Bunty Aur Babli 2 and it has completely rebooted the film to be set in today’s day and age. The much-anticipated sequel will see a huge time leap of 10 years and introduce an incredibly fresh pair as the talented conmen Bunty and Babli. YRF have revealed that Siddhant Chaturvedi, the Gully Boy hunk who played the role of MC Sher with elan, is the new Bunty and YRF is launching a new heroine to watch out for with this franchise. Babli will be played by Sharvari, a stunningly gorgeous girl from Mumbai that YRF discovered last year and has been grooming her since then. YRF has always opened its doors to welcome supremely talented artists like Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma and Bhumi Pednekar, launching them with films that went on to become cult classics. Sharvari, naturally, becomes a talent to watch out for. YRF has also always launched several new directors under its banner and Bunty Aur Babli 2 will be directed by Varun Sharma, who was an Assistant Director on YRF’s biggest blockbusters Sultan and Tiger Zinda Hai.

January 2020

CHHAPAAK TRAILER

A TALE OF THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE

Special offer for upcoming artists, in Music fashion & Acting

Help with your professional portofoilo Looking for a manager to handle your bookings? 0121 400 0065

info@starfuzion.co.uk www.starfuzion.co.uk

Malti’s journey from trauma to triumph is nothing short of remarkable. Catch #Chhapaak - an inspiring story in cinemas on 10th January, 2020. Deepika Padukone (Padmaavat, XXX: Return of Xander Cage) is back on our screens, but in a role you have never seen before. The much-awaited trailer of Deepika Padukone’s Chhapaak is out now and it will leave you definitely give you goosebumps. Deepika Padukone plays the role of an acid attack survivor in the film, which “makes an attempt to understand the on-ground consequences of surviving an acid attack in India.” The trailer released on the same day as UN Human Right’s Day, and gives a short insight into the emotionwrenching story. Lasting little over two minutes long, the trailer provides glimpses of the harrowing images and scenes to be expected in this emotional rollercoaster. The trailer shows Malti’s (played by Deepika Padukone) broad daylight attack, her dramatic facial reconstruction, battle to come to terms with her lasting injuries and her truly inspirational journey to put an end to acid attacks in India. There are between 250 and 300 acid attacks reported in India every year, despite laws restricting the sale of acid or other deadly chemicals, according to Stop Acid Attacks. The trailer follows her journey from a girl next door to a feisty acid-attack survivor and shows how she won her battle against the heinous crime. Announcing the trailer release on Twitter, Deepika Padukone explained why Chhapaak is special for her: “Rarely do you come across a story where you do not need an entire narration to decide if you want to be a part of a film or not.What is even more rare is to not be able to articulate and put into words what you feel for the film and its journey... Chhapaak is all of that and more for me...” Chhapaak is a film that looks at Acid violence through the lens of Acid survivor Laxmi Agarwal’s story. As Malti in the film, she comes from a humble, unprivileged background. Malti was attacked with acid on a street in New Delhi, in 2005. Her assailant was a man twice her age, whose advances Malti had clearly declined. Through Malti’s story, the film makes an attempt to understand the on-ground consequences of surviving an acid attack in India, the medico-legal-social state of affairs that transpire after the acid has been hurled and the face is irreparably burnt. As we closely follow Malti’s life over the years from her attack, we journey with her through her rehabilitation, her facial surgeries, her legal battle against her attacker and her constant struggle to become economically independent. In this time, Malti also joins a campaign against Acid violence and comes across other victims of Acid attacks as well. Here she also meets Amol, the founder of the campaign. An emotional attachment forms between the two – an inexplicable bond, free from the conforms of society. But it is Malti’s game-changing PIL in the Supreme Court of India, with

her lawyer Archana Bajaj, that inspires the Judiciary to amend to the laws on acid violence in 2013. Acid attack is granted its own legal section in the Indian Penal Code (Section 326 A, IPC) and the sale of acid is also regulated in the country, as a result of Malti’s PIL. All these narratives inter-

twined, make Chhapaak a gritty investigative piece – interspersed with a compelling courtroom drama and woven together around a deeply emotional core. Above it all, Chhapaak is a story of triumph… of the unquashable human spirit.

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

w e i v r e t In Priti has worked with big industry names like - RK Studios, David Dhawan, Vikram Bhatt, Yash Chopra and leading actors like - Govinda, Saif Ali, Kajol, Rishi Kapoor. Some of her popular roles are in hit movies like – Rajababu, Bambai Ka Babu, Aag, Premyog, Yeh Dillagi and Barsaat. Priti Sinha is definitely a star act. January 2020 will see Priti Sinha compete in Mrs Classic Universe in Sofia, Bulgaria, representing the UK. We got the chance to ask her some quick questions below. 1) Thank you for taking the time to Interview with us, tell us about yourself. I am a full time home-maker from London and have been living in the UK for fourteen years. I am proud to say I am also a successful part time model and acted in several big banner Hindi films in Bollywood, in past in India. 2) What makes Mrs India UK different from other competitions? It’s an amazing showcase and platform to encourage Asian women to bring their best out. It can provide an opportunity to carry on their charity and mentorship objectives further! 3) What inspired you to enter the pageant? I viewed the program as an amazing opportunity to channelize my energies to carry forward my ideas, and give a public forum to support causes and charities I strongly feel for! 4) Please tell us about the process you had to go through to get to the finals The Mrs India UK pageant was a 6-month long journey of multiple evaluation and training and mentorship sessions. It enabled a level playing field across all the participants and allowed them to do their best in the final rounds of evaluation. We were assessed for personality, social commitment, communication, public speaking, cat-walk and of course presence of mind! 5) What were the main judge’s question’s which stood out to you? The question which I was posed by the

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

PRiti sinha WINNER OF MRS INDIA UK

judge was “how will I use this platform and carry the responsibilities it offers further?” My response was on the lines that, given the diverse roles and responsibilities of a home-maker and a full time mom, devoted to multiple causes, I am confident of already bearing an invisible crow and hence capable of managing these further responsibilities effectively. 6) Which part of the competition was your favourite? I really enjoyed the photo shoot and the catwalk sessions as it brought back amazing memories of being in front of the camera and of my past modelling background. Of course winning the gold award for the best catwalk was the most satisfying and motivating part as well. 7) Which part of the competition would you say is most difficult? Given that all the participants had put in tremendous effort, the final award and selection ceremony was a bit emotionally demanding as we felt everyone is truly a winner. Hence, calling out just a few was not fair for the other participants who had equally committed themselves to the process. 8) What was your onstage strategy to win the judges over? Presence of mind, good posture and a smiling and optimistic presence. 9) Behind the scenes of a competition is a whirlwind atmosphere. What has been your most nerve wracking moment during the competition? Waiting for the final selection and awards evening was a nervous and nail-biting time for most of us, however I was the first one to be called out for a gold-award and that provided a huge relief. 10) After returning from Bulgaria what is your main mission? My mission would be to get involved in programs supporting Asian women in UK and provide them with ideas and motivation to come out of their shell and take forward their talent and their rich experiences and ideas back into the betterment of the community. I also want to take forward the model of taking charity at the grass-root level to enable young children to value the cause of charity as to create a stringer future generation.

January 2020

Bollywood Star Hrithik Roshan Crowned ‘Sexiest Man’ of the Decade

Hrithik Roshan with his wax figure at Madame Tussauds

Hrithik Roshan has been awarded the title of ‘Sexiest Male 2019’ by film fans around the world. The Bollywood star now ranks number one on this year’s 100 sexiest actors list, as released by UK-based Eastern Eye. The 45-year-old topped the newspaper’s 16th edition and won a double whammy, by not only securing sexiest man of the year but of the decade as well. The ‘Super 30’ and ‘War’ actor has achieved profound success with his new releases earlier in the year. Many have assigned the reason for Hrithik’s success as his well-rounded career, good physique and humble personality. He has made a name for himself in the film industry and is also the most voted for star since the Sexiest List was founded 16 years ago. Previous 2017 winner Shaid Kapoor came in second place on the list. In third place, Vivian Dscena was awarded as not only second runner-up but as Sexiest TV Star of the year and decade as well. Roshan’s ‘War’ co-star Tiger Shroff got a place in the list for the first time and made an impressive first-time entry at fourth place. Singer and former One Direction member Zayn Malik was in fifth place. Speaking about his win, Hrithik said: “I would like to thank everyone who feels so and has voted for me; I am flattered.” He emphasised that he did not view his victory as an “achievement”. He further commented: “Just a person’s looks are not relevant in the larger scheme of things. I don’t judge people by the way they look. Similarly, I don’t judge myself either by the way I look. “What is attractive in a person is his/her story, journey and the way that person has dealt with situations in his/her own life. Looking a certain way for my characters is just a part of my job, which takes a lot of effort and hard work.”

January 2020

Suneeta London Review

By Manisha Bhanot

Suneeta Cosmetics are a familyrun business based in London. Their product ranges are a breath of fresh air in the beauty industry, and are created to be completely natural, vegan, and chemicalfree with 0% waste. The company’s hard-working founder, Suneeta, hand-makes every single item put up for purchase in her small workshop, with love and compassion. The goodness filled bottles of creams, oils and lotions are then sold in markets all over the city. Locals adore the products, and beautylovers travelling over from all parts of the country for their cruelty-free, organic and un-refined appeal. Suneeta Cosmetics are a welcome range of skin and bodycare products in households up and down the UK. They are safe for use by both adults and children of all ages, and appeal especially to sensitive skin due to their free-from Parabens, Preservatives and GMO ingredients formula. So you can rest assured you’re enjoying nature’s soothing botanicals without the catch! With courtesy, Suneeta sent us some of the best products in her face and hair-care range, designed to purify and pamper the body, to try and test for ourselves. Details can be found be-

low: • Sleep Mask with Frankincense and Myrrh A gel-based cream for bed-time. It has carrot seed oil to shield the skin from the pollutants caused by living in modern-day society. This mask also has a spa-like scent that helps you drift off at night. • Lime and Turmeric face Mask A healing face mask perfect

for spot-prone skin. The special blend of natural ingredients helps to heal and soothe the complexion; it helps to fade scars or marks as well. • Beard and Facial Oil The delicious midnight musk scent will have you smelling great throughout the day while nourishing your facial hair and offering a healthy sheen. It prevents ingrown hair and encour-

ages growth as well. • Golden Turmeric Skin Cream for Face and Body A soothing and healing blend of natural herbs soothes irritated and inflammatory skin. It has worked wonders to treat conditions like eczema, psoriasis and flaky skin. • Suneeta’s Hair Oil A divine elixir of 10 oils should be used in place of a weekly hair mask to deep condition your locks and repair any damage or breakage. The formula helps to soothe the scalp and cure flakiness too. It should be left on for around 30minutes and then washed out with shampoo for a soft and nourishing result. • Golden Turmeric Facial Serum This product features a unique turmeric and argan oil mixture. The result is a potent serum which can be used on its own to rejuvenate the skin and add a glowy feel, or in place of an every-day moisturiser. If you want to purchase from Suneeta’s fantastic range, then visit their website listed below and order today. For those who make their own skincare, check their catalogue and purchase authentic raw ingredients and essential oils now! www.suneetacosmetics.co.uk

Cinderella: UK Author Adds Hilarious, Satirical Spin to Timeless Fairy Tale Faiza Mirza’s ‘Cinderella: An adaptation of a classic fairy tale’ zeroes in on the jealousy and flaws of the evil stepmother and stepsisters, as Ms Mirza retells the classic story of Cinderella in a wholly-original, novel way. Capitalizing on the all-female environment of Cinderella’s plight, Author Faiza Mirza will have readers chortling and spitting out their tea long after they’ve arrived at the ball. While many fairly tales’ origins can be traced back hundreds of years, Cinderella was first conceived in the ancient Greek story of ‘Rhodopis’. It’s a story as old as time itself! Therefore, in the eyes of inventive British author Faiza Mirza, it was well overdue for a retelling; an adaption for modern audiences with a love story that proves that everyone has a soulmate. In ‘Cinderella: An adaptation of a classic fairy tale’, Ms Mirza does exactly that with gusto. Synopsis: If you wish upon a star your dreams just may come true. That night Cinderella slept underneath the twinkling and scintillating stars that shone across the palace gardens, dreaming she met a Prince. A

soft dusting of moonlight and starlight illuminated her old palace as the young girl dreamt of love’. Debut Author Faiza Mirza’s has adapted the classic fairy tale of Cinderella. Based in an old palace which was once owned by Cinderella, the Author surfaces the jealousy within an all female environment. As Cinderella ‘dreams beneath the stars’ she dreads the moment she wakes up. Cinderella has to live a life of forced despondency and servitude as the evil stepmother and her two wicked evil stepsisters create webs which trap Cinderella. Author Faiza Mirza can do nothing but crystalise and

cement their ‘fate’ as characters here to be lampooned and ridiculed only. Through the book she derides and mock’s their flaws, bringing forward the consequences of too much jealousy and control. Yes! A hilarious and satirical take on the classic fairytale. Cinderella is a heroine who is relinquished after a chance meeting with the beautiful and enchanting fairy godmother! “My goal was to keep all of the hallmarks from the original story that keep readers cherishing it, while taking a new spin on the characters, their world and particularly the devious nature of the all-female environment,” explains the author. “It’s incredibly funny, irreverent and pulls no punches when stooping to the ridiculous.” Continuing, “It’s a book for traditional fairy tale lovers, as well as fans of modern fiction who want a new love story with its roots in a timeless classic. It’s a book for everyone!” With demand increasing, interested readers are urged to secure their copies as soon as possible. ‘Cinderella: An adaptation of a classic fairy tale’ is available now: https://amzn.to/32XlyCA.

About the Author: Faiza Mirza lives in the West Midlands and has embarked on a degree in BA Magazine Journalism and Publishing at the London College of Communication, University of the Arts. She has been given an unconditional offer to study at the University. This is an exciting time of her life, as it was her greatest dream to study there, and then one day become an Editor for a leading women’s magazine. This is the second unconditional offer from the University which she gladly accepted. In her spare time, she enjoys writing especially Astrology and Styling. You can find Faiza on her Google+ page and also find her on Twitter. She has also worked in Radio as a local Newsreader which coincided with hourly IRN news bulletins. Contact: Faiza MIRZA Email: cinderellaadaptation @gmail.com/ blackbubble32@gmail.com Telephone: 07425056251

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

Silk & Bubble/ Glowlixir Review

Silk & Bubble and Glowlixir are two beauty companies that are owned by two sisters. Glowlixir is a skincare company that has created a Super Hydrating Mask. The products are 100% PETA approved animal cruelty free and are said to be the perfect potion to help hydrate and moisturise your skin. The face mask is free from sulphates and phthalates and is dermatologically tested. Glowlixir aim is to provide you with a healthy, beautiful complexion. Shea Butter has been used to work as an excellent anti-ageing moisturiser, full of nutrients. This is coupled with super ingredients such as collagen and glycerine, leaving skin with a radiant, healthy and velvety soft finish. The Glowlixir is made in the UK and retails for £40.00. However, you can also sign up to the monthly subscription and receive one Super Hydrating Mask per month for three months only. The subscription offers retail for £36.00. However,

you can also purchase the Skin Like Summer Bundle which contains the 2 Super Hydrating Masks for just £70.00. The Hydrating Mask leaves your skin feeling hydrated and soft, as well as brightening the complexion. All you need to do is apply a thin layer to the face and massage this product into your skin and leave for 10 minutes and watch the amazing results. You can even use this under or over the eye area. This product can be the perfect gift for someone or even for yourself if you need to detox your skin after all the Christmas parties. Check out the Glowlixir website, www.glowlixir.com and visit their Instagram page: Glowlixir. Silk & Bubble are a hair and beauty company that has created a Super Nourishing Hair Growth Mask that is 100% vegan and cruelty-free. The hair mask is suitable for all skin types, whether you have chestnut

brown, bombshell blonde, gorgeous ginger, straight or curly hair. Using only the best ingredients, the product is perfect for nourishing, repairing and strengthening your hair. Silk & Bubble are made in the UK and retail for £30.00. However, you can also sign up to the monthly subscription and receive one Nourishing Hair Growth Mask per month for three months only. The subscription offers the price of £27.00. However, you can also purchase the Besties Bundle which contains The 2 Nourishing Hair Growth Masks for just £49.50. The Nourishing Hair Growth Mask, left my hair feeling incredibly soft, healthy and shiny. It was easy to use and has the most amazing, coconut smell. The hair mask is gluten-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free and phthalate-free. Check out their website https://silkandbubble.com/ and visit their Instagram page: silk&bubble.

Beauty Oils Review Beauty Oils are vegan and cruelty-free skin care brand that sell a range of products that help to keep skin hydrated and fresh. The products are suitable for all skins types, ages and genders. Beauty Oils only use the finest, certified Vegan, Organic, Raw, Unrefined and Cold Pressed Ingredients. The oils used are all rich in omega 3, and 6 and no water is used when making the products. All products are handmade in Ireland. The types of oils sold are Argan Oil, Macadamia Oil, Jojoba Oil and Apricot Kernel Oil. The unrefined oils are either cold-pressed or expeller-pressed, meaning that they are minimally processed and low temperature controlled to extract oil from the seed.

The Shea Body Butter contains vitamin E and D, provitamin A and allantoin, which are allnatural products, making Shea Butter, as a superfood for your skin. It’s also good for Wrinkles, fine lines and scars repairing, as well as it is stimulating for the superficial microcirculation, skin strengthening, skin protecting, UV protecting, and skin regenerating. Shea Butter protects your skin from UV sunlight, harsh climate, dehydration and pollution damages. The types of products sold at Beauty Oils are Body butters, moisture creams for both men and women, complex creams, soothing creams, natural deodorant, sugar scrub, body oils, face oil, rose floral water, witch hazel

floral water, lavender floral water and a kid’s cream which helps with dry skin, rashes, itching, dermatitis, psoriasis and eczema. Prices range from 10-29 euros, which is affordable and customers always receive over 50g of product. Beauty Oils, sent us a few products to try including face and body oils, body butters for men and women and complex cream. The body butters and complex cream was lemon-scented and left my skin feeling fresh and bright. The body and face oils gave a hydrated and brightening look and left the skin feeling smooth. The products are easy to use and can be refrigerated to last longer and keeps the ingredients fresh. You can purchase the skincare products on their website https://beautyoils.eu, or you can shop for the items on eBay. There are also online stores available in Poland, France and Ireland. Visit their Instagram page: beautyoils_vegan.skincare

Ardell Magnetic Liner and Lash Kit Review

By Manisha Bhanot

Want to add some instant glam to your look with lashes that WOW? Want to do it without the hassle of a traditional glue-on lash kit? Well, with a simple 2-step application process, you’ll love this brand NEW and innovative magnetic eyeliner and lash duo. No more fiddling around with adhesive that just doesn’t seem to stick. These Ardell kits come with a magnetic eyeliner pot and brush for easy application. Just line your eyes as usual, and watch as the magnets on your strip lashes stick on place with minimal effort. Gone are the days of getting glue on your eye-shadow or waiting around for your lashes to dry. This fast-drying and

smooth eyeliner formula means you’re ready to step out the door in seconds. It’s also waterproof, smudgeproof and keeps your lashes in-tact all day. Eyelashes appear clean and in-tact when removed, and the liner can be cleaned off the eye-lids with an oil-based make-up remover. Each pair of lashes can be used for up to 30 days, which is excellent value for money

compared to regular glue-on lash packs! The Ardell Magnetic Eyelash sets come in a full range of styles, as well as magnetic

eyeliner in black, which can be sold separately or bought as part of a kit. Available for purchase are popular styles such as wispies, demiwispies, double wispies, and double demi-wispies. Ardell lashes are entirely vegan and cruelty-free. With exceptional comfort and natural looking fibres, the finished look will make it seem like you’ve had them professionally done! The full range of eyelashes is available at www.falseyelashes.co.uk. Every order comes with FREE first-class delivery when you spend £10 or over. For readers of Asian World only, - Get 15% off when you spend £15 or more (offer valid until Jan 31st 2020) Use code: D6R7YV41HPH0 So, what are you waiting for? Get on the trend today and order a bundle today – for lashes so mesmerising they turn heads all round!

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

WEDDINGS

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Asian Wedding Section Welcome to the renewed version of the AsianWorld wedding directory – inclusive in your monthly copy of our newspaper. This section will include a handful of all your favourite and well established brands, as well as some new and upcoming featured businesses. Either way, we aim to make planning your perfect wedding so

much easier! The lay-out and design of the next few pages is set to put you at ease – either side of the bridal party will find it simple to dip into our list of useful clientele, services and products, and tick off all their wedding needs! On average, the Asian wedding costs a huge sum of £50,000 upwards, which is more than

twice the price of a traditional British ceremony. Whether it be a Sikh, Muslim or Hindu marriage, Asians are known to invite all of their friends and members of their extended family from near and far. With an invitation list that normally exceeds 100 guests, hosts are eager to please. Hence, the average Asian couple will spend around one fifth

of their entire lives’ earnings on this single most prestigious event! If you would like your business advertised in our wedding directory, and promoted across the West Midlands in various ways, you can get in touch with us using the contact details on page 3.

January 2020

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

Special offer for upcoming artists, in Music, fashion & Acting

0121 400 0065

Leaflets menus posters business cards adverts websites 0121 400 0051 07702 117 816 www.ukprintandmedia.co.uk

info@starfuzion.co.uk | www.starfuzion.co.uk

Managing and Promoting Artists Music Production Video Editing Video Production Audio and Sound Editing

0792 5637725 | info@0t1media.com

January 2020

Cosmetic Surgery Predictions 2020

The New Year is here, with a new decade unfolding, we asked leading cosmetic surgeons Mr Alex Karidis and Mr Mark HoAsjoe from the Karidis Clinic to share their predictions for the “tweakments” and trends set to take 2020 by storm. The Demise of ‘Duck Face’ & the Rise of The Lip Lift With the social media backlash around overfilled lips signalling the demise of the ‘duck face’, Mr Karidis is looking at new ways to achieve natural results. If you’re assuming that lip fillers are the only way to add volume to your lips, you’re overlooking an alternative, he says. The Lip Lift technique has similar

benefits to hyaluronic acid-based lip filler, without the need for return visits to refill every few months. “Lip lifts involve a cosmetic surgeon removing tissue from beneath your nose. The scar is hidden right underneath the nose, in a squiggly line almost shaped like a bullhorn, but it’s hidden in the shadow underneath your nose. This gives a more natural lift to the upper lip without over filing.” Walk-in, Walk-out Eye-Lift We live in a fast-paced world and people want to see results just as quickly. While surgery should never be trivialised, techniques and technologies have

evolved and having a cosmetic procedure no longer means significant downtime or recovery. Certain procedures, such as eyelid lifts (blepharoplasty) can now be performed in as little as half an hour on a walk-in, walkout basis. And the Karidis Clinic is seeing more and more women enquiring about surgeries like these. “We have to be careful not to trivialise any surgical procedure, but blepharoplasty is a quick, not very complex procedure that can produce great results,” explains Mr Karidis. “With an experienced surgeon, it can be done very successfully, very speedily. Patients can leave

hospital the same day and the recovery is relatively quick. For most patients, the scarring is small and well-hidden and the skin on the eyelids is very thin so typically heals well.” Body Threads and Bingo Wings Although PDO threads have been used for tightening the skin of the face for many years, Mr Mark Ho-Asjoe believes that it’s their potential to be used effectively in other areas of the body that is set to be a trend in 2020. “With the body, skin tightening has been trickier if you don’t want to go down the route of the tummy tuck, thigh lift or arm lift,” he says. “PDO body

threads offer another option, especially to target the dreaded bingo wings. Even very slim, toned women will tend to develop loose, sagging skin on the arms as they get older. This is partly due to losing skin elasticity but there’s also a hormonal factor. Men just don’t tend to develop fatty deposits in this area. PDO body threads can improve the appearance of the arms significantly, without scarring, to be an exciting option. This could be a huge market as I don’t think I’ve ever met a female patient over a certain age who’s happy with their arms.” The Year of the ‘Glam Gran’ The image of the grandmother

as an old lady with a blue rinse and pearls is long gone, replaced by the ‘Glam Gran’, women who are striding into their senior years looking and feeling vibrant and confident. In line with this, Mr Karidis has seen a rise in the number of women in their 60s having facelift surgery at his London Clinic. In 2017, the average age of a facelift patient was 57 but in 2019 it had risen to 61, with his oldest facelift patient being 79. He says “Seventy is the new 50; people are healthier, active and living longer and there seems to be less guilt about wanting to look good past 60. It’s empowering.”

Lola’s Magnetic Eyelashes Review

By Manisha Bhanot

Lola’s luxury magnetic eyelashes are the new high-end and glamorous way to apply your lashes easily and conveniently. Ditch the messy glue and opt for 30-day re-useable and comfortable lashes that will leave onlookers stunned! For years, glue has been the only way to apply strip lashes. The sticky adhesive can often mess up your eye shadow, or get caught in and tug your natural eyelashes. However, Lola’s lashes only stick to the magnetic eyeliner, meaning your make-up stays mess-free and your look lasts all day long! Unlike many other brands, Lola’s lashes use five tiny magnets instead of the usual three. They fit into the curves of your eye with ease and ensure your lashes stay put for as long as you need. The strip lashes also have a thicker band which offers extra security and blends in effortlessly with the magnetic eyeliner. Lola’s lashes come in a range of different styles to suit both your look and the occasion! From Sapphire, Ruby, Rose Quartz to Diamond, there’s a style suited to everyone.

You can even mix up your eyeliner to either a black or dark brown colour. Simply trim the lashes to your desired length and attach them to your eyelids. Then use the Lola’s lash tweezers to adjust the edges and blend them in with your natural lashes. Unlike other brands, you only need one coat of eyeliner to get your lashes to stick instead of two or three. Due to Lola’s unique weather-proof and long-lasting formula, we discovered that their eyeliner lasts an average of 6 hours longer than other market suppliers. To remove the eyeliner and clean your lashes, simply use the oil cleansing lotion, and your lashes are ready for re-use once more! Lola’s lashes are perfect for people who previously didn’t suit traditional lashes due to allergies with the adhesive. Their styles are entirely mink free and only made from synthetic silk. They’re also 100% crueltyfree, suitable for vegans and dermatologically tested.

To order yours, go onto www.lolaslashes.co.uk

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

Lena Nail Polish

Water Permeable Nail Lacquer

WeddingWire Unveils Report on Modern-Day Wedding Journeys

Newlywed Report Provides Insight on Engagement Behaviors, Financial Habits, Planning and Trends from Nearly 18,000 Americans

WeddingWire, Inc.,the global online leader connecting engaged couples with wedding professionals, released results from itsNewlywed Report, the largest and most comprehensive current industry report. The report looks at behaviors of 17,862 newlyweds and provides insight into real, modern-day couples and their journeys through getting engaged, searching for and selecting their vendors, and spending money planning for their big day. The latest Newlywed Report sheds light on couples’ entire wedding processes. Some of the most notable findings from this year’s report include: Blurring Lines of Tradition While some traditional elements remain common for modern-day Millennial couples, like getting down on one knee (82 percent) and asking parents for their blessing (72 percent), other traditions are becoming less practiced, like one partner changing his or her last name (70 percent -- down 12 percent over the last two years) and taking a honeymoon within a few days of the wedding (less than

half -- down 12 percent over the last two years). In addition, the continued focus on personalisation and custom touches creates shifts in tradition. For example, 40 percent of couples now incorporate mixed gender wedding parties (up 14 percent in the last two years), and nearly 60 percent of female bridesmaids wear different dress styles on the couple’s big day (up 14 percent over the last two years). Engagements: A Public Affair The most popular time for proposals remains between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day, with nearly 40 percent of couples getting engaged during that time. Millennial couples specifically have an increasing desire to incorporate friends and family -- both near and far away -- into their proposals. For more than half, the ring is still a surprise, but it is a growing trend to discuss preferred styles before a proposal. Dropping hints, shopping around and purchasing online (over 30 percent of couples do this) are more frequent behaviors. With the average price of an engagement ring at $5,000, it’s important to feel confident about the decision. The most popular ring characteristics for females are a diamond stone (74 percent), halo setting (53 percent) and 1-2 carats in size (50 percent). Planning: Here, There, Everywhere The biggest planning pain points for couples include setting budgets and finding vendors. Fortunately, online resources like budget trackers, web-based checklists and

vendor directories can simplify the process. Couples’ reliance on technology throughout their wedding journey has continued to increase, with 83 percent of planning done online and 42 percent of that online planning being from a mobile device or tablet. Additionally, over half use a wedding planning app to further simplify the extensive planning process, and 62 percent create a wedding website to host easily-accessible event details for guests. While technology is prominent, when it comes to the big day, one-in-four ask guests to “unplug.” Although couples largely use wedding related websites to identify their vendors, they rely on recommendations and reviews when it comes to actually making hiring decisions (on average, couples hire 13 vendors). For inspiration, Pinterest takes the front seat. Couples use this platform two-times more than any other social media site. Today’s Couples Although no two couples are alike, there are some prevalent nuances that have evolved over the years. Couples are not only older to wed (the average age is now 32), but also more likely to live together before marriage (79 percent). In addition, onein-four find love online. While some traditions have stood the test of time (sharing a first dance), new trends are emerging (walking down the aisle to non-classical music). Couples are getting more creative when it comes to making their special day feel undoubtedly “them.” - 40 percent have unique musical choices during the ceremony (e.g. bagpipes). - 21 percent add local elements based on the city where the couple met or grew up (e.g. food or decor). - 18 percent include ceremonial customs related to their ethnicity/religion (e.g. jumping the broom). - 17 percent hire special or out-of-the-box entertainment for guests (e.g. fortune tellers, caricature artists).

Lena is an expert supplier of salon-quality nail polish at affordable prices. Founded by nail industry professionals, they provide you with on-trend and timeless colours that won’t break the bank! Lena’s colours range from a number of different categories and styles. From on-point winter shades to bright and vibrant neon polish, glitter nail paints perfect for the party season, to the chicest French manicure colours. Their long-lasting and rich formula will mean you get perfect claws that last more than just a few days. Lena is a brand designed exclusively for the fashionable and health-conscious woman. Their innovative colours mean the polish is water and oxygen permeable, so your nails can breathe and stay strong. The formulas are also Vegan-friendly and Halal. Hence meaning Muslim women can perform Wudhu (washing of the hands and feet) knowing water will reach their nail beds for cleansing before commencing prayer. Each bottle of polish comes with a quality fibre brush that applies the polish smoothly and flawlessly to your nails. The quick-drying formula also means you’re ready to step out of the door in minutes and show the

By Manisha Bhanot

world your beautiful colours that match perfectly with your outfit! All of the brand’s nail polishes are tested for water permeability and consumer health and safety in laboratory-controlled environments. The nail lacquers are delivered in 14ml bottles, safely enclosed inside durable wrapping. Each shade has a formula created with love and style in mind and is given a unique name before it hits the stock market.

Lena nail polishes are even used and trusted by nail technicians in salons worldwide! Lena Nails offers free UK delivery on orders over £15. They also have an exclusive offer which allows you to buy 3 shades get 1 free when you use code NEWNAILS. To give yourself that new manicure feeling, head on over to www.lenanailpolish.com

January 2020

HEALTH

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Sleeping Attire: Morning after Pill Price

Brits Expose Their Habitual Wear for a Good Night’s Rest

According to a Facebook poll by British Nightwear brand Pour Moi, for the best night’s sleep you should be on the right hand side of the bed and you should wear a full matching pyjama set. But there are still a fifth of us that simply prefer to sleep in the buff! Over 1,000 of their Facebook fans chipped in with their thoughts on the best bedtime routine, with the perfect formula for the UK unveiling as: 1. Sleeping on the right-hand side of the bed 2. Setting just one alarm to get up (no snooze button in sight!) 3. Wearing a matching pyjama set (with no socks!) 4. The last thing before going to sleep is scrolling through your phone 5. Phone goes on the bedside table whilst you sleep Prudish pyjamas? True to the prim British stereotype, the most popular thing for the nation to wear to bed came out as a matching pyjama set (29%). The next best sleeping attire was mix-and-match pyjamas, and in third place, at the total opposite end of the spectrum, 20% of Brits said they prefer to sleep naked! A massive majority of 71% were horrified at the thought of going to sleep with socks on, saying it would ‘make my feet feel trapped!’ Digital fairy tales Technology is now par for course for British bedtime, with over a third of us (36%) typically scrolling through our phones before falling asleep.

Tips for a good night’s sleep… Our bedtime routine is getting more and more attention as an important part of self-care; Bupa shared nine mental and physical benefits of a good night’s sleep including everything from improving your concentration to helping you maintain a healthy weight and even keeping your immune system strong. Pour Moi have scoured the web (but not at bedtime on our phones!) to find three of the best bits of advice out there on creating a bedtime routine that works for you: • Keep it regular: According to the NHS this is one of the best ways to help keep your bed time routine in-check! Schedule the same amount of sleeping time each night – even at weekends! Don’t scrape by on less sleep in the week and try and catch up at weekends (guilty)! Try keep your sleeping times the same, whatever day of the week. • The perfect habitat: The Sleeping Council say the best temperature should be around 16-18° C (60-65° F); you should keep the space neat and tidy so you’re not distracted or feeling cluttered when you fall asleep and that there should be nice relaxing touches such as photos and plants. • Only use the bedroom for sleeping: If you don’t sleep well at night, your brain can start associating your bedroom with frustration, sleeplessness and anxiety. Harvard Medical School say you can recondition your brain to associate the bedroom with sleeping by only going to your bed when you’re really sleepy. If you wake up in the night and can’t fall back to sleep, move rooms and only return to your bedroom when you’re feeling sleepy again. And if we’re not glued to Instagram, then we’re opting to watch TV/Netflix whilst we fall asleep instead (30%). While there’s only 15% of us that end up falling asleep whilst reading an actual book! It seems us Brits can’t be away from our phones for too long though, with nearly 70% of us choosing to sleep with them on the bedside table beside us. One in twenty people even admitted that they sleep with their phone under their pillow. A couple of us are keen for a night-time detox however, with lots of us opting for an

audiobook or meditation before we drift off. Are you a righty or a lefty? The full results from the poll reveal that everyone has a favourite side of the bed, and it’s pretty much split down the middle – luckily for those that share a bed! However, the right side of the bed had the slight edge as being the preferred choice (45% vs 40%). Roughly one in twenty of us however is guilty of being a cheeky bed-hogger, saying that the ‘side’ of the bed they like to sleep on is ‘the middle’!

Slashed to just 3 pound

The emergency contraceptive or ‘morning after pill’ – levonorgestrel 1.5mg – can be bought online from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy from today at only £3 (GBP3). It is available only to women 18-54 years who wish to order in advance ready in case they need it. • Around 61% of British women have used emergency contraception, the highest in the EU. • If women do not want to become pregnant, they need to be aware of emergency contraception (EC) choices, and how and where to obtain it. Dr Fox Online Pharmacy supplies levonorgestrel 1.5mg - also known as Levonelle - and the alternative emergency contraceptive ellaOne, for women who wish to keep an advance ‘standby’ supply of EC at home ready for when needed, following a short, confidential online assessment. The morning after pill is most effective the sooner it is taken after unprotected sexual intercourse, so having it already available at home, or when travelling abroad, means there is no delay. When it is advised to use the morning after pill: • After intercourse where other contraception has not been used. • After intercourse where a condom has failed (split, come off, etc). • Where a couple are using the withdrawal method and this has failed. • If women have missed taking regular contraceptive pills. A patient in urgent need must contact their GP, sexual health clinic, or local pharmacy. • Recent supply issues obtaining the alternative - ellaOne.

More about Dr Fox Pharmacy

A full range of contraceptive pills and a variety of other medicines is available. • Patients select treatment required, read medical information, and complete a medical questionnaire online • Orders are assessed by UK doctor (GPs who also work in the NHS) • Identity verification checks are made • Medicine is posted from a registered UK pharmacy • Discrete packages are sent by Royal Mail Tracked 24 delivery (1-2 days) • Dr Fox Pharmacy is fully regulated and was rated ‘Good’ in June 2019 by the Care Quality Commission. “We regularly update our health information to keep our customers aware of significant medical developments. It is our sincere wish to help people learn and make good choices about their health, lifestyle, and medical treatment options,” said Dr Deborah Lee, Sexual & Reproductive Health Care specialist. “It’s our mission this Christmas to help prevent the problem of an unplanned pregnancy by encouraging women to think ahead and be prepared.”

• There are problems in the pharmacy supply of many different contraceptive pills. • The Christmas season is now underway, and demand for EC is set to rise. • Levonorgestrel 1.5mg is effective up to 72 hours (3 days) after intercourse. • The morning after pill has a shelf-life of several years. • The morning-after pill is avail-

able to women aged 16 and over through the NHS. • NICE guidance advocates ‘advance provision’ of EC. There is a need to improve access to emergency contraception, and encourage those at risk to think ahead. Buying levonorgestrel emergency contraception online from Dr Fox Pharmacy is safe, easy, and convenient. “At Dr Fox Pharmacy, we would like women to have the best possible outcomes. If we can encourage women to think ahead, they can now obtain the morning after pill to keep at home, ready if they need it, at this highly competitive price.” – Dr Tony Steele, Medical Director. “We are proud to have received more than 25,000 Trusted Shop reviews and ranked 4.9/5 stars from our customers. Our aim is to meet patients’ requests quickly, efficiently, and offer a safe and cost-effective service.”

Are you thinking clearly?

How to deal with the Symptoms of Menopause Many women approaching menopause notice that they keep forgetting things, lose concentration more easily and find it more difficult to think clearly. This is often called ‘brain fog’ or loss of cognitive function. If this sounds like you, what can you do about it? In The Menopause Exchange newsletter, Bristol GP Dr Gill Jenkins looks at management options and lifestyle advice that may help if you’re finding the menopause is affecting your memory, concentration and overall thinking patterns. There’s no specific treatment but you could try cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or relaxation and breathing techniques or improve your sleep routine. “A lot of information on the menopause concentrates on hot flushes/night sweats and mood swings, but many women also

experience brain fog around this time of life,” says Norma Goldman. “This may be due to stress, anxiety or insomnia. But if your symptoms are very bad, it’s important to speak to your GP.” The Menopause Exchange, which was established in 1999, is completely independent and is not sponsored by any companies. It provides impartial, easily understood information to women and healthcare professionals. The Menopause Exchange quarterly newsletter contains articles written by top medical experts, such as gynaecologists, GPs, consultants, specialist menopause nurses, complementary practitioners, pharmacists, dieticians etc. Articles in The Menopause Exchange quarterly newsletter include HRT and cancer, seeing your GP about the menopause and all about osteoporosis, as

well as news and Ask the Experts Q&As. The Menopause Exchange has a number of members who are happy to talk to journalists about their menopause experiences. The members are based in different parts of the UK, which may be of interest to regional publications as well as national ones. Many of the case studies are willing to provide a name and photograph, if required. The Menopause Exchange quarterly newsletter is available via email for free. Sign up on our website, www.menopauseexchange.co.uk. Find us on Facebook and Twitter (@MenopauseExch). For more information, call 020 8420 7245, e-mail norma@ menopause-exchange.co.uk or write to The Menopause Exchange at PO Box 205, Bushey, Herts WD23 1ZS.

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

Do Teenagers need to be Trained to Relax? 4 tips to help teens relax

1) Let teens make fresh chicken nuggets. Dip strips of raw chicken into some plain flour to coat, then dip into beaten egg and then roll in breadcrumbs and fry in a little oil in a pan for 3 minutes each side. Place on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes in an oven 180c, 350f, gas 4. 2) Celebrate every day with a colour paper napkin at family mealtimes. Don’t wait for birthdays to celebrate, enjoy every day. Use mealtimes to discuss everyone’s day including what the parents did, so children develop the ability to listen, be interested in others and realise that parents matter too. 3) Write down your problems so you take them out of your head. The write-down solutions to each problem to help resolve things. 4) Then learn to coach yourself into finding solutions. Standing with an upright posture say out loud “I can get through this. I can find solutions. I am amazing just like everyone else is amazing too. I am enjoying this phase of my life. I am building my own unique skills.” By using positive language with a more confident posture you can quickly change your state of mind and reprogram a more confident muscle memory.

Is it time to give teenagers more support? Recent reporting shows almost a quarter of teenage girls in the UK could potentially have self-harmed in the past twelve months. Whilst the government is pledging £300 million to schools, to help them deal with teenage mental health issues, is it not the root of the problem that needs to be tackled to avoid future mental health problems rather than a sticky plaster approach? Hypnotherapist Ailsa Frank helps clients to change their mindset and feel more confident about themselves. “Parents and schools focus too much on achieving and not enough on learning how to relax so pupils can deal with life in a balanced way. Confidence comes from being good at things so it is important that each child develops their own unique set of skills which will help them to feel worthy and set them up with self-esteem

Together Health Together Health is a natural based supplement company in Yorkshire within the UK. Founded by brothers Lee and Daniel, the family run-business strives to make healthy living easier for everyone, regardless of their circumstances. In a modern world full of health-misconceptions and hectic schedules, they’re here to help set the record straight and assist you in finding your balance and vitality. Many other supplement providers on the market issue isolated nutrients – which are often expelled from the body rather than ingested properly. Our bodies cannot recognise the nutrients and make benefit of them as well as they do in nature. That’s why Together Health’s nutrients are finalised with natural cofactors which have been proven to be better absorbed by the body. The company source only the most organic and effective ingredients, which encourage the body to work at optimal efficiency. They make use of nature’s gifts of oceanic compounds, plants and whole-foods that the body recognises and welcomes, to produce the best nutrients. You can also rest assured that their tablets and compounds are free from any artificial additives and processing aids. Each of Together Health’s

By Manisha Bhanot

ranges is fully tested, and they are 100% transparent about the manufacturing process. Not only is Together Health a great supplement and Vitamin Company, but they also support healthy living and amazing causes across the globe. Together Health is a proud benefactor of Vitamin Angels, a charity dedi-

cated to reducing child mortality due to vitamin deficiency all over the world. A minimum 5% of the profits from each vitamin pack sold are donated to this heartwarming cause. Together Health is a brilliant selection of products for your regular vitamin requirements, no matter what your age or body type. From ranges in women’s and men’s complete health, pregnancy multivitamins, to a B12 Vegan complex, there’s something for everyone! So, don’t ignore the needs and wants of your body, order your next 30-day vitamin supplements plan now. Go onto www.togetherhealth.co.uk or e-mail hi@togetherhealth.co.uk now for help building your own unique multi-vitamin package.

moving into the workplace.” Ailsa says “What people are craving is mindless activities to pass time in the real world, not in the digital one. Cooking uses a multitude of skills. Parents can think it is too much hassle to let kids make a mess in the kitchen but learning to cook from a young age builds confidence and is relaxing.” We could be seeing a rise in stress in young people from

piling too much pressure on children from junior school age. Government policies and parents need to step back and look at what can be done to make school life and home life more balanced. “Having worked with many children over my years as a therapist I can sum up that the main problem is children never really feel themselves at home or in school. Children are highly creative with wonderful ideas

most of the time their uniqueness is being masked. School for many pupils could be seen as the equivalent of an adult being trapped in a bad job for ten years which they can’t get out of. A school needs to be more interesting and relevant to the real world with career opportunities being discussed at a much early stage to inspire children as to why they are studying. Schools need to take a leaf out of the pages of the Scouts and Guides encouraging children to achieve skills and rewarding with badges.” It is easy to blame social media and magazines for the crisis amongst young people, but if pupils were fully confident in themselves because of the education they were receiving they wouldn’t be taking social media seriously. It is a combination of factors causing problems with youngsters and giving them a chance to use their own initiative would help. Saturday jobs give responsibility and transition youngsters into the workplace.

AW Facts Did you know? Lack of exercise is now as big of a killer as smoking

January 2020

TRAVEL

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Aeroplane Germs and how to Avoid them

There are unlimited aeroplanes in the sky which take off and land each second. During maintenance landings, staff make sure to clean aircraft, but this is sometimes not possible due to time pressures. Now coming to the main point, where do these germs come from and what do they live on? Pathogens are transported from passengers to passengers and spread even faster in a closed cabin or densely populated Airport. The seat pockets you keep your snacks, or your other belongings may have been used by the last passenger to store dirty

tissues or fingernail clippings. The tray table on which you have your food may have been utilized by the flight attendants or a parent to change baby diapers! Not only this, but the touch-screen of the in flight-entertainment system you use could have been used by someone with unwashed hands. From these methods, germs are easily transferred from one passenger to another. However, these reasons do not mean we can’t stop travelling through aeroplanes. There are many safety precautions we can take, some are told by my friend,

By: Rida Khan (Aviation Author)

Pilot Eduardo ( Instagram A/c : lalomijares ) . He said: “Every day millions of people travel around the world using aeroplanes. We are all susceptible to get infected by travelling on an aeroplane; however, there are always some actions that we can anticipate to prevent this. For example, I usually travel with hand sanitizer that can help me in cases where no hand wash is available, or maybe when I am sitting by a window and going out to the lavatory is difficult. Sometimes the other passengers like to take a nap, or they are a little oversize,

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Tel: 0121 771 4545 info@asianworldnews.co.uk

you know. Lavatories on airplanes are a good place to find germs also. Try to avoid touching things you don’t need too, and always wash your hands after using it. If you need to brush your teeth, ask the flight attendants a cup of bottled water and refrain on using the water from the lavatory. That is an excellent practice as you don’t know where that water is coming from and sometimes the water systems could carry germs. Carry a light soft blanket for yourself; use the overhead air vent so that the airflow from the vent can help to get rid

of the bacteria from the side passengers. Carry a napkin or tissue papers with you to clean your seat or window before sitting. But the most important thing is to enjoy the flight, don’t let germs and bacteria affect your trip, always take your precautions. Happy landings!!” I hope now you all got an idea about how to remain safe from aeroplane germs. Instagram A/c: aviationauthor.ridakhan

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

The Importance of Hajj

Read on for details if you’re looking into planning Hajj in 2020 The basic information about Hajj and its principles that every Pilgrim or Hajji needs to know before they can perform their religious duty.

What are Hajj prayers, rituals and chants?

What is Hajj?

Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to Makkah in western Saudi Arabia that every Muslims is expected to perform at least once in their lifetime, provided they have physical and financial ability to undertake the spiritual trek.

When does Hajj take place?

Hajj takes place each year in the last month of the Islamic (lunar) calendar, Dhul Hijjah. Hajj coincides with Eid Al Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, a major holiday for Muslims. Last year Eid began on the 10th of Dhul Hijjaj, or August 11th.

Where is Hajj performed?

Hajj takes place in Makkah, the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and Islam’s holiest city. Hajj rituals are performed in the Haram (which includes the Great Mosque of Makkah) and the other holy sites such as Mina, Mount Arafat and Muzdalifah.

How many people perform Hajj annually?

In total, more than two million people, mostly from abroad but including Saudis and expatriate residents of the Kingdom, will perform Hajj this year. More than 2.37 million Muslims made the journey to Makkah in 2018, including 1.75 million from abroad. All Muslims are invited to Makkah to participate, but the Saudi government, in order to control crowds, issues a certain number of visas to pilgrims each year. Muslims who have performed Hajj are called Hajjis. Some even add the title as a prefix to their names to denote their accomplishment.

Why do Muslims go on Hajj?

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is the annual pilgrimage to Makkah, Islam’s holiest city. Muslims from around the world, regardless of their ethnicity, colour, social status and culture, gather in Makkah to follow the footstep of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers on their first pilgrimage.

History of Hajj:

• Hajj is associated with the life of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) but the story behind the ritual of the pilgrimage to Makkah began around 2000 BC when Hager, the wife of the Prophet Abraham, got stranded in the desert with their infant boy Ishmael, who was close to dying of thirst. Desperate to find water, Hager went running back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwah until the angel Gabriel showed her a fresh-water spring. It is that spring that came to be known as the Well of Zamzam, which exists to this day. • Commanded by Allah, Abraham built a monument at the site of the spring. It is known as Kaaba, which lies at the center of the Grand Mosque of Makkah in the Haram. The first official Hajj took place in 630 AD when the Prophet Muhammad led a group of Muslims there to destroy idols worshipped by polytheists and rededicated the site in the name of Allah.

Where do the pilgrims come from?

Pilgrims come from across the globe and representing all ethnicities and nationalities. More than 1.84 million pilgrims travelled to Makkah from abroad so far to perform the Hajj this year. They will be joined by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from inside Saudi Arabia, comprising both Saudis and foreign residents of the Kingdom.

Logistics of hosting Hajj

Saudi Arabia has invested billions of riyals to improve facilities for pilgrims since the 1950s. The country is increasingly relying on design engineering and technology to meet security, health and safety needs for the visitors. Numerous apps have been created to assist pilgrims in their journey. The movement of pilgrims between the holy sites, especially on the climactic day, is a major logistical challenge that the Kingdom successfully undertakes each year. During Day of Arafat, the more than two million pilgrims cram into a 33 square-kilometre area

During the performance of the Hajj rituals, the pilgrims recite aloud the Talbiyah that opens with the verse: “Labbeika Allahumma Labbeik” meaning “Here I am, O God, here I am.” • Day 1: The pilgrims head from Makkah to the nearby Holy Site of Mina. • Day 2: It is known as the Day of Arafat, which is considered to be the climax of the Hajj when the pilgrims perform Sa’i, the ritual of brisk walking between Safa and Marwah hills. “Hajj is Arafat,” is a well-known Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad signifying that standing in Arafat is an essential part of Hajj. Scholars interpret the saying thus: “Whoever misses the standing (in Arafat) has missed Hajj”. Once at Mount Arafat, the pilgrims stand in contemplation, one of the most solemn segments of the pilgrimage. They pray and ask God for forgiveness of their sins and listen to clerics delivering sermons. • Day 3: Pilgrims perform the symbolic ‘stoning the devil’ at the Holy Site of Muzdalifah. During this ritual, they throw seven stones or pebbles at the largest of the three pillars known as Jamrat Al-Aqabah. Men then shave their heads or get their hair cut, while women too get a haircut. The slaughter of sacrificial animals also takes place on the third day, which also marks Eid Al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice). • Day 4: Pilgrims return at noon to stone all the three pillars at Jamrat Al-Aqabah. • Day 5: The pilgrims throw pebbles at the pillars for a third time, after which they are free to leave Mina for Makkah before sunset. • Day 6: Some pilgrims continue the pilgrimage for a sixth day on the 13th of Dhul Hijjah. Circumambulating the Kaaba One of the key rituals is to perform Tawaf, where the pilgrims walk around the Kaaba seven times counter-clockwise. Tawaf Al Wada, or Farewell Tawaf, is the last rite of Hajj. Significance of Hajj

Here are some points highlighting the importance of Hajj: • A pillar of Islam: Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. Every adult Muslim is required to perform Hajj at least once in their lifetime if they are physically and financially able to undertake the journey. • Unity of Muslims: It unites Muslims from across the world, regardless of their sect, ethnicity, social and financial status, and nationality. Pilgrims were a two-piece white garb, so they appear as equal before Allah. • Purpose: The purpose of the pilgrimage is to have a renewed sense of purpose in the world. • Humility: By giving up all markers of social status and pride during Hajj, Muslims feel the importance of life on Earth and hereafter. • Tranquility: Muslims from all over the world gather at one place in a show of mutual love for each other and bond among themselves. • A fresh start: Hajj is a chance to wipe clean one’s life of sins, errors and shortcomings. The Prophet said: “One who comes to this House for Hajj and avoids all lewdness and sins returns as he was on the day his mother gave birth to him.” (Bukhari & Muslim).

AW Facts Did you know? Just 4% of the planet’s languages are spoken by 96% of its population

January 2020

TECHNOLOGY

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

7 Ways AI is Transforming Customer Service in the Housing Sector In EBI’s 18 years of experience in this area, the latest advancements in technology, particularly AI in the form of bots, chatbots and virtual assistants, are set to revolutionise the way tenants and landlords interact with each other. Let’s take a closer look: 1.Satisfy the needs of a tech-savvy generation – many tenants are tech-savvy and expect immediate results. They see the landlord/tenant relationship primarily as a service provider/customer one. Why send an email or phone when it can take less than a minute to report a broken washing machine and have an appointment booked in for a repair? The fact is, AI improves the speed and efficiency with which tenants can report simple maintenance issues. 2.Seamless move-in experience – the latest bots are designed to help people settle into their new home the moment they open the front door, from letting them know where they can buy groceries down to giving instructions on how to use their induction hob. The beauty of bots is they learn from tenant queries so the more they are used, the smarter they become. 3.Virtual assistance for time-poverty – AI offers a quick solution for time-strapped tenants. Everyone, from young, professionals working long hours in the City to busy families with small children or pleasureseeking retirees, can use AI chatbots to ask tenancy questions 24/7 from the comfort of their home. 4. Minimise the maintenance headache - for property managers and housing associations, maintenance issues can be a time-consuming headache that gets in the way of delivering great customer service. Organisations can integrate the bot technology they offer tenants with the calendars of in-house maintenance engineers to offer time slots automatically to residents and then ensure the right engineers are available to fix that broken-down boiler, cooker or leaky tap.

World’s First Super Smart City

By Muhammad Nadeem Jahangir - Technology Correspondent

5. More time for quality service - because bots, chatbots and virtual assistants take on more routine tasks like maintenance requests and contract information, they free up property managers and housing association directors to concentrate on the overall service and maintenance of the building, providing a better experience for tenants. 6. Improve and extend the service culture – AI is based on machine learning meaning the more it is used, the better it gets. Organisations can easily add a feedback functionality to their tenant bots to better understand their needs, improve their rental offering and deliver a highly personalised customer experience. Once perfected, the bot can be replicated to support other properties in an organisation’s portfolio, saving time and money on building an AI solution from scratch. 7. Create connected neighbourhoods – with the ability to bring together, analyse and communicate data across the whole property eco-system – everyone and everything from tenants, landlords, maintenance staff to white goods suppliers, utilities providers and gardening services – AI has the power to accelerate and simplify interactions to create connected neighbourhoods where residents, landlords and businesses flourish. It’s a great model for the future.

On October 1st, 1949, the Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong declared the creation of the People’s Republic of China. In 1953 Mao declared its first five-year plan for the development of a newly independent country. Unfortunately, between 1958 and 1961, china faced the greatest famine of the century, in which almost 30 million people died. For a country with an unstable economy and unsafe premises, it was hard to stand up again. Despite hardships, leader Mao has been influential with his strategies. With a population of 550 Million, China started its journey of development. The country recovered itself immediately and focused on the development of industries, infrastructure, education, and commercial applications, etc. in 1967, they joined the space race as well. Among the developments in infrastructure and industries around the country, China has joined the Tech race very early. Also deserving of mention is a Chinese city which 40 years ago was just a region of fishing

towns and swamps. It was a village surrounded by paddy fields and rulers but is now china’s 7th biggest city with a population of 12.5 Million in 2018, counting unregistered inhabitants and workers it is almost 20 million. Shenzhen is the central gateway city for foreign travellers coming into China. You might recognise it as China’s main electronics producing and export town, however, did you know it’s thought of as the second financial capital in the country and is China’s most affluent huge city? China has already urbanised its more than 58% population as compared to the 1980s 18%. Considering the estimations by 2050, about 292 million more Chinese will live in cities. Regular technology expos are held in smart cities such as the likes of Barcelona in Spain, but China’s Shenzhen exhibits the biggest fair. General Managers of local delegations when talking to BBC said they are seriously focused on tackling pollution by eliminating fuel consuming cars and replacing them with electric motors.

One representative said: “Compared to other cities, Shenzhen is clean”. Because China is creating cities at an astonishing rate to urbanise regions, there is another concept of the super-smart city. They have planned to develop 19 gigantic clusters and a super-smart city with inhabitants of around 40 million people. In regards to this concept of advancement surveillance and security are vital. For that purpose, Alibaba headquarters spent two years in developing a system that can analyse data from surveillance cameras to control traffic systems. Other than that at the governmental level that are also building systems to monitor the environment accurately and provide more security in their smart cities. China is the world’s fastestgrowing economy with some mega projects like silk roads and urbanisation, they are also working on digitalising their nation and converting cities into smart cities which will not only increase the reliability of their inhabitants but also attract outsiders as well.

IT Professionals Feel Hampered by Lack of Training and Development

IT pros concerned they need more training and support to stay competent and prepare for the jobs of tomorrow

New research by Skillsoft, a global leader in corporate learning, reveals many IT professionals are not receiving the training or support needed to implement digital innovation, keep up with emerging technologies and working practices, or perform effectively in roles that are rapidly evolving. The study, conducted at the recent Digital Transformation Expo Europe event held in London in October, found IT professionals aren’t getting the critical digital skills development training or support that will be essential for assuring their long term ability to undertake changing job roles or transition to new ways of working. Key findings from the survey conclude: • Most (81 percent) say they will need to learn a new skill in the next 18 months to remain confident and competent in their current role • However, 59 percent expressed concern that they will not receive enough training or preparation from their current organisation to remain employable or skilled in the future • While 47 percent confirm that their

team or department currently lacks the skills or capabilities required to meet the needs of the business today. For those working in the fields of DevOps, AI, cyber and data security, infrastructure, and cloud, study respondents voiced strong concerns that investment in skills development is not keeping pace with the demands of digital transformation or empowering people to work in new ways. Highlighting a startling disconnect between employers and employees when it comes to prioritising investment in workforce learning and skills development, the study findings reveal many organisations are failing to empower workforces to perform in line with fastpace digital transformation ambitions. Employees call for more skills development and support Almost half (45 percent) of respondents confirm that upcoming new technology implementations mean their organisation will need to do more when it comes to workforce training and skills development, with a further 16 percent going on to say that increased investment in digital skills training will be essential. Most respondents (85 percent) say their role has already been impacted by digital transformation, yet 79 percent would have liked more learning, development or training opportunities in the last 18 months to ensure they were appropriately skilled for their evolving roles. Organisations neglect workforce reskilling

Rather than ensuring the right tools are in place to support sustainable learning that is aligned to the wider goals of the business, organisations appear to be neglecting workforce digital skills development needs: • 89 percent of respondents say their organisation could do more to provide the training, learning, and upskilling opportunities they need • 84 percent would prefer to learn the skills required to undertake roles impacted by digital transformation with an existing employer, rather than seeking a job elsewhere, yet just 30 percent feel supported by their current organisation to meet the new demands of a digitally transformed role • 59 percent believe their organisation prefers considering external employees

for new roles, rather than upskilling current employees. Reskilling efforts fall short of employee expectations Despite the fact that job roles are evolving fast, and employees are eager to engage with skills development opportunities that will equip them with the competences and capabilities needed to perform against expectations, organisations appear to be struggling to address the workforce digital talent gap. • Just 17 percent of organisations appear to have an effective programme in place for reskilling employees for new roles, while 57 percent have a programme that could be improved; 10% have no programme at all • Only 15 percent of organisations have successfully implemented new technolo-

gies to help with learning, development and training; a further 69 percent have only partially done so. Commenting on the study findings, Steve Wainwright, Managing Director EMEA at Skillsoft said: “Today’s workforce is made up of five different generations, ranging from Traditionalists to Generation Z, who all need to go through the digital transformation journey. That’s why it is important organisations futureproof their workforce, ensuring they invest in their current employees and provide the training and support they need to take on new roles and acquire new expertise. To meet the demands of digital transformation, employees will need to be prepared to work with new technologies and upskilled appropriately to ensure they can perform their augmented roles with confidence, yet many organisations appear to be overlooking this vital element of their overall digital transformation strategy.”

AW Facts Did you know? Most PC users blink 7 times per minute

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

How to Attract Talent in the Renewable Energy Sector strategic workforce planning will help to boost competency while championing diversity and inclusivity in the renewable energy sector

Relevant specialist knowledge and skills are vital to success in this growing industry. Lee Clarke at Dynama outlines three ways strategic workforce planning will help to boost competency while championing diversity and inclusivity in the renewable energy sector. Here are three ways that the capabilities of strategic workforce planning technology can go beyond workforce management (WFM) to foster a positive, productive workplace; 1. Close the inequality gap – the Offshore Wind Sector Deal sets a target to double the proportion of women in the industry to one-third by 2030 while a target for black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) representation will be announced by the end of the year.(iv) Technology holds the secret to making this a reality. The latest strategic workforce planning solutions link seamlessly with critical HR databases and ERP systems to provide a complete view of all employees. Details such as gender, age, career and pay history, past roles and future aspirations are presented in real-time making it easy to source and match candidates against current vacancies and then develop efficient WFM schedules to match. It is also possible to turn this information into valuable insight by conducting ‘what if’ scenarios and through the use of key metric dashboards and

forecasting to make sure the balance of skills and mix of staff is meeting the business requirements. 2. Promote enduring workforce relationships between employee and employer – to attract and then keep the very best talent. Use strategic workforce planning technology to create a comprehensive skills matrix that instantly identifies staff competencies, qualifications and experience. At the click of a button, be able to highlight skills, gender or race equality gaps and build timely, relevant training programs. At a glance, managers can quickly assess an employee’s suitability for promotion based on their grade, past performance and current skill sets to create meaningful career pathways. In this way, renewable energy companies can show they really care about planning for the future and so build a positive, long-term relationship between employee and employer. 3. Self-serve your way to workforce sustainability – by keeping top talent motivated through the introduction of self-service. Employees simply log onto a secure online portal to update their personal information, view their schedules, book time off and receive notifications of changes to their schedules or documentation requirements. With a clear view of their own schedules and those of their colleagues, employees see that everyone gets an equitable number of the most unpopular shifts. They can also track their training schedules, request specific training and even conduct their learning online to achieve personal career goals. There is an exciting future ahead in the renewable energy sector. Attracting and nurturing the right talent is essential to its success. Championing diversity and inclusivity with the help of a strategic workforce planning solution will ensure the right people are in the right place, at the right time to make the most of the opportunity.

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

Cybersecurity Age Gap Revealed as Over-30s adopt Better Behaviour than Younger Workers

According to a new report on behaviour and attitudes to cybersecurity among different age groups, employees over the age of 30 are more likely to adopt cybersecurity best practice than younger colleagues who have grown up around digital technology. The report – ‘Meeting the expectations of a new generation. How the under 30s expect new approaches to cybersecurity’ - also indicates that the younger generation is more anxious about cybersecurity and their company’s ability to tackle the number of security threats. Launched by the Security division of NTT Ltd., a leading global technology services company, the report reveals that while the over-30s demonstrate better cybersecurity behaviour in the UK, US, Nordics and Hong Kong, it is under-30s who are cybersecurity leaders in France and Brazil. NTT’s report identified good and bad practice for global organisations researched as part of its Risk:Value 2019 report, scored across 17 key criteria. It reveals that, on average, under-30s score

2.3 in terms of cybersecurity best practice, compared to 3.0 for over-30s. In the UK, under-30s (4.3) and over-30s (5.5) are among the highest scores globally. The data suggests that just because Millennials and Generation Z workers are born in the digital age, it does not necessarily mean they follow cybersecurity best practice. In fact, employees who have spent longer in the workplace gaining knowledge and skills and have acquired ‘digital DNA’ during that time, sometimes have an advantage over younger workers. UK highlights: Generational attitudes to cybersecurity: - Younger workers are risk takers, with over half (52%) saying they would consider paying a ransom demand to a hacker, compared to just 26% of over30s - Over half (58%) of under-30s believe their company does not have adequate skills and resources in-house to cope with the number of security threats. This compares to quarter (26%) of over-30s, and may be the result of growing up in a

January 2020

technology skills crisis - Under-30s estimate that it would take around three months (97 days) to recover from a cybersecurity breach – six days more than the time estimated by older respondents - 82% believe that cybersecurity should be a regular item on the boardroom agenda, compared to 90% of over-30s - More accepting of new tools and devices at work, younger workers consider the Internet of Things (IoT) as more of a security risk (69%) than older colleagues (65%). Azeem Aleem, VP Consulting (UK&I) Security, NTT, comments: “It’s clear from our research that a multi-generational workforce leads to very different attitudes to cybersecurity. This is a challenge when organisations need to engage across all age groups, from the oldest employee to the youngest. With technology constantly evolving and workers wanting to bring in and use their own devices, apps and tools, business leaders must ensure that security is an enabler and not a barrier to a productive workplace. NTT’s six cybersecurity best practice tips for a multi-generational workforce: - Security culture must include all generations and be supported by a diverse range of employee champions, which includes age - Build a panel of younger employees and listen to their views on cybersecurity - Younger employees can be at their best and most motivated in an agile, productive, flexible workplace environment, where they are most likely to buy into the desired culture and behaviours. Security should be designed to enable the business - Make cybersecurity everyone’s business. Security leaders should be approachable to employees, through one-to-one interaction and more formal company events - Where skills shortages are most acute, support learning programmes, mentoring and consider external support. - Education is vital. Gamify security learning and make it fun for all More information on the NTT Report: ‘Meeting the expectations of a new generation. How the under 30s expect new approaches to cybersecurity’ is available at: https://hello.global.ntt/en-us/insights

January 2020

FOOD

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Asian World’s Kitchen

Handmade Burger Co. Review By Manisha Bhanot Snug between St. Martin’s Square and Selfridges in the Bullring, sits Handmade Burger Co., the perfect place to stop for a quick bite to eat and satisfy your hamburger cravings. Handmade Burger Co is decorated with an organic rustic and homely interior, with the venue featuring ornate ceiling lighting and plush seating areas. The location also features a bar and ice-cream counter. There is even a station where you can see your freshly assembled burgers being served on plates, before they’re delivered right to your table. The restaurant only serves dishes made with fresh and ripe ingredients, cooked daily by their in-house chefs. All of the food items used are seasonal, and where possible, locally sourced. So if you want to go for an authentic, juicy patty, then Handmade is the only place to go! The eatery receives deliveries of new produce six days per week, all of which are pre-checked and only the ripest and high-quality ingredients are selected to be used by the Kitchen staff. As a result, Handmade Burger Co. are proud to say that their food tastes great! Handmade Burger Co. receives an abundance of British grown

potatoes to their door-step on the regular. These are then peeled, cut and double fried in-store to produce the perfect chips, which are crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside! The fries can be seasoned by a range of flavours and spices, including peri-peri, cajun and rosemary. The homemade recipe is also a great and healthy alternative to fries served with fast-food orders and takeaway deliveries, which are often high in salt and unnatural fats. The eatery also serves a range of relishes, salsas and sauces from across the globe to compliment your burger. From prime beef to the finest cuts of chicken and lamb, and organic vegetarian and vegan burgers as well with gluten-free bread. There’s something for everyone at Handmade! If you fancy a taste of something sweet after your burger meal combo, why not choose from Handmade’s range of delectable desserts, which include cheesecake, sundaes, and creamy milkshakes. Vegan options with soya-milk and nondairy ice-cream flavours are also available. So, why not make time for a visit to your local Handmade Burger Co., Restaurant? Take a quick pit-stop after you’re done with your New Year’s shopping and sample their handmade food for yourself. Or book yourself a table at www.handmadeburger.co.uk now!

Chopstix Noodle Bar Pan Asian cuisine is popular all across the UK, mouth-watering Chinese noodle dishes featuring Indian curry fusions, topped with spicy style meat sauces are enough to satisfy anyone’s Eastern food cravings! That’s why Chopstix is the perfect bit stop-for a quick bite to eat, especially suited to Birmingham’s diverse range of host cultures and cuisine – there’s something for everyone! Chopstix unique fusion recipes and takeaway boxes provide delicious and quick meals for all, using only the finest nutritional ingredients. In-house chefs that cook every dish in store ensure your food stays fresh for as long as possible, and that it’s served to you piping hot. From Halal Certified chicken to Vegetarian and Vegan options, there’s something to satisfy every customer’s dietary requirements. With over 60 locations to choose from all over the UK, visit Chopstix and watch your food be freshly made and served to you as you wait. Step into one of their quirky and modern restaurants – with manga style wall paintings, pop art décor, neon signage and paper decorations and 80s lamp shades hanging from the ceiling – it’s like entering a cool and up-town eatery in the heart of Japan. Choose from plain or egg boiled rice as your base, or even vegetable stir-fry style noodles. Pick from a delicious range of toppings including Teriyaki beef, BBQ chicken or even the meatfree option of Thai Tofu Curry. With a tasty selection of sides including

Review by Manisha Bhanot

sticky Asian wings, prawn crackers, mini duck spring rolls and much more. Chopstix is available to order for delivery online through Deliveroo, for the perfect healthy and quick worktime meal or midday lunch. The new Teriyaki Beef topping is now available, with Pumpkin Katsu Curry being launched this month for Veganuary! To view the Chopstix menu, go onto www.chopstixgroup.com now!

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

Launch of The Curry Queen Podcast Multi award winning Indian food expert has teamed up with Podcast Labs and together they bring you The Curry Queen Podcast. This incredible podcast idea is aimed at helping Indian food lovers achieve delicious food in the comfort of their homes. “People ask me how I achieve delicious Indian flavours and they’re floored when I tell them how easy it is to achieve. You don’t need fancy skills or qualifications. I’m not a commercial chef. Not even close. I’m talking zero formal qualifications. A few hygiene and food allergy cer-

tificates however, I have a passion for authentic, healthy and easy to create Indian food. All you need to do is listen to our Podcast with the ingredients at hand and follow our step by step guide. By the end of the podcast you’ll have a delicious, mouth watering dish you can devour. It’s a no-brainer”. Sarah has been featured in hundreds of cookery demonstrations all over the country with her authentic recipes handed down to her from family and through research. Media publications including Forbes, The Independent, The Sunday Post, Asian World, Asian

Voice and many more refer to Sarah for advice about Indian food. “I can tell you this, there’s no big secret behind it. I have the ‘inside connections’ and I certainly don’t pay for the privilege of going bigger with my message” says Sarah. “Leveraging the media is how I built my business from scratch, and I still haven’t found a better way to grow my audience than sharing my knowledge. We really want our audience to get involved and try cooking at home. Send us your pictures of your food or videos of you trying it out, give us comments and feedback

Veganuary at the Mailbox with Indico

By Manisha Bhanot

Learn to cook authentic Indian food in real time with The Curry Queen Podcast

and help us to help you achieve perfect cooking results”, says Sarah.

Podcast Labs amplify your brand through the power of audio and so

working closely with Andy and Kelly has been paramount to the success of the launch of The Curry Queen Podcast. They have helped me in planning original content, the sound quality is phenomenal and they are actively helping me grow my audience while building my brand. It really helps that they also love Indian food and Andy in particular loves cooking. It’s a match made in heaven! Kelly has worked within branding and marketing and really knows exactly how to grow brands and market them. I’m thrilled to be working together with them both”. Register to receive the first episodes and ingredients list straight to your inbox when The Curry Queen Podcast launches.

http://sarahalichoudhury.com/curry-queen-podcast/

Indico, Birmingham is a North Indian-style restaurant located in the heart of Birmingham, well known for its authentic and mouth-watering cuisine. True to the tastes and artistry of the state of Punjab, each dish is created with the perfect blend of spices and invokes the sweet and sour flavours of the region which is home to Punjabi cooking. Every curry or rice

AW Facts Did you know? In the 1800s, Ketchup was believed to cure diarrhoea

dish is hand-crafted by in-house chefs following a genuine Indian recipe and using only the finest ingredients. Take a bite out of the eatery’s freshly grilled naan bread or a spoonful of delicious channae, and you will be transported to the busy and bustling streets of Northern India. Indico replicates a style of cooking and preparing food that pays special homage to the local culture of Punjab and its notorious food vendors themselves. Being seated and served in the restaurant will bring you flashbacks of old-timer Hindi romance films and the golden age of Indian cinema. Each wall is decorated with framed film posters from the likes of Mother India, Barsaat, and Don. There are also poems that pay tribute to

India’s street-side stall runners and praise their hard work ethic. Above the bar area and towards the restaurant entrance, diners can view the impressive traditional style-paintings of Indian men and women, and real-life portraits of local Punjabis. Indico are promoting a plantbased menu exclusive to Veganuary this month. Among the selection feature all-time desi favourites like paani puri, aloo tikki, and Punjabi samosa chaat to get your appetite going. Main dishes of vegetable biryani, served in a painted earthen pot with fresh salad and spicy Punjabi choley are also included. For sides, diners can select from either steamed rice, tandoori roti or masala fries. Vegan dessert options are also available.

January 2020

MOTORING

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Brits Driving Differently

Hyundai has released new research that shows there are 36,750 different ways to drive, with even the type of car you drive affecting your driving style. The figure has been reached by identifying the six most important factors that impact driving style and developing a real life measurement for each. The motoring manufacturer also commissioned a survey of 2,000 UK motorists to explore attitudes toward driving styles, alternative fuel vehicles (AFV), and common misconceptions about electric cars as society transitions to a zero emission motoring future.

The research revealed how British drivers currently identify their own driving style, with the top five overall being: • Confident 28% • Fair and measured 24% • Calm 19% • Nervous 7% • Aggressive 7% Men were more likely to label themselves as confident drivers (31%) than women (25%), while women were more likely to describe themselves as ‘nervous’ behind the wheel. The survey also looked at AFV owners specifically, and their attitude to driving, and found that; 92 per cent say they never beep at another driver Over two-fifths (42%) slow down and let buses move in front of them Over one third (37%) always ensure they thank other drivers on the road But it wasn’t all generosity and cour-

tesy on the road for AFV drivers. One fifth (20%) ‘amber gamble’ and speed up on an amber light to get through the traffic lights. This comes as Hyundai marks its growing alternatively fuelled vehicle fleet which includes a brand new IONIQ Electric and KONA Electric, alongside the NEXO; a hydrogen fuel cell that cleans the air as it drives and offers a driving range of over 400 miles. AFV owners were more likely to regard themselves as calm (21%) behind the wheel than their internal combustion engine (ICE) rivals (19%). This is possibly reflected by the tunes they listen to as they drive - with AFV drivers almost

three times as likely to listen to classical or jazz music than those in an internal combustion engine car. To further investigate how driving styles will continue to evolve as AFVs become more prominent, Hyundai has developed The Drive Different Test, an in-car test that analyses six core driving parameters set out by expert driving instructor Gary Lamb and compares them in a petrol or diesel car, versus an alternatively fuelled vehicle. Pupil tracking, facial recognition, heart rate and smoothness in using the foot and hand controls are just some of the metrics which have been incorporated into the ground-breaking test which is used to build a motorist’s

driving profile. Gary Lamb said: “There are many things that impact someone’s driving style, their technical skill of course but also confidence, experience and even the music they listen to and until they actually get behind the wheel you can never predict which way it will go. Over my 25 years as a driving instructor I’ve seen them all. What’s interesting now is that alternatively fuelled vehicles are also affecting our driving style. Despite the growing popularity of AFVs, there remain several myths and misconceptions about electric cars particularly. Hyundai’s research revealed 22 per cent of petrol and diesel owners were

worried about charging an electric car. Meanwhile, 18 per cent said they didn’t think it would be safe to drive through a lightning storm and 12 per cent wouldn’t feel safe charging their phone in an electric car. Hyundai has led the e-mobility charge with the broadest range of alternative fuel vehicles available in the UK today and there is more to come. It is the only manufacturer globally which offers hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric cars and has announced a further $36 billion investment plan over the next five years which will realise 44 electrified models by 2025.

100 Trees for 100 Years with Bentley

As Bentley Motors has completed its centenary year, the company is investing in a more sustainable future at its factory by planting 100 native British trees around the site in Crewe. The project has been completed during the winter tree-planting season in time for National Tree Week, which recognises the importance of planting more trees to tackle climate change and protect biodiversity. The trees planted around the site in Crewe include ten oak trees which have been planted outside office buildings and 15 cherry trees which line the approach to the company’s main entrance on Pyms Lane. A further 70 trees which include maple, beech, walnut, lime and elm saplings, have been planted along the boundaries of the Legends social facility. Additionally, ten fruit trees have been relocated from an area marked for development to create a new orchard outside the CW1 visitor reception area. Peter Bosch, Member of the Board for Manufacturing, explains: “Sustainably-sourced wood has been one of Bentley’s core interior compo-

becoming the most sustainable luxury automotive manufacturer, this is a great practical initiative to invest in the long-term sustainability of our site and a fitting way to acknowledge the end of our centenary year. 100 Years of Extraordinary July 10, 2019 marked Bentley’s 100th year - an extraordinary milestone achieved by only a few companies. A year-long series of special activities has been taking place, with celebrations at major events around the world to showcase Bentley’s motoring evolution over the last 100 years, and highlight its global success today and the exciting future of innovation ahead.

nents since our beginnings 100 years ago – and it continues to be an essential element of the unique craftsmanship in our cars. Our wood veneers are ethically sourced by experts who go to great lengths to find the finest veneers in the world. We wanted to plant trees around site that are not only native British

species, but reflective of the interiors that we produce in our cars and we use oak, walnut and maple substrates in Mulsanne. “Trees play a vital role in tackling climate change because they help to improve air quality, absorb CO2 and increase oxygen. They are also

important for our local biodiversity and wildlife and they make our local area a nicer place to live and work too. We’ve chosen the locations carefully to ensure they enhance the green spaces on our site and can be enjoyed by both our colleagues and the local community. “As Bentley continues to focus on

AW Facts Did you know? The world’s first speeding ticket was given in 1902

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

See and be seen this Winter says GEM Motoring Assistant

Road safety and breakdown organisation GEM Motoring Assist is urging all road users to make themselves bright and visible on journeys in the coming winter months. Making an effort to see and be seen could prove a life-saving decision, says GEM. It’s everyone’s responsibility to ensure they can see and be seen, according to GEM. • For drivers that means checking that lights are working properly – and keeping them clean. • Lights and visible clothing are vital for cyclists, too, and it’s vital to ensure that lights are positioned and angled correctly for maximum effect. • Pedestrians should wear or carry something fluorescent or bright, such as a jacket or armband, to ensure other road users can see them. GEM road safety officer Neil Worth says drivers need to be sure they are familiar with the different light settings on their cars. “Too many drivers think the automatic light settings mean they don’t need to worry about switching on or off, while others don’t even know all the various lights on their car, let alone when to use them properly. “Your lights are vital for your safety and the safety of others. Not only do they help you see more clearly on the road, they also provide information to other road users about where you are and where you intend to go. So, we encourage you to spend a few minutes

checking what happens with your car’s light settings, especially if the car is relatively new to you. “So please check your lights, clean your lights and use your lights appropriately, as this will make a big difference in reducing their risk of a collision.” Put yourself in the spotlight this winter! GEM offers a selection of simple tips to help all road users boost their visibility: • If you’re a car driver, get familiar with the light settings. Make sure you switch on your front and rear lights, but avoid blinding others with full beam or fog lights when not necessary. • Don’t rely on automatic light settings and daytime running lights. If you do, you will find that your lighting to the front will be inadequate, while lighting to the rear will be non-existent. • Check your lights frequently through the winter months. Make sure every bulb is working properly, and that you keep your lights clean. • Fog lights are designed to improve your view and conspicuity when visibility is reduced. But the law requires that you switch them off when visibility improves. • If you’re a cyclist, get the best lights you can – and take time to ensure they are secured at the most effective position and angle. Boost safety further by making sure your helmet and clothing are highly visible.

• Action vehicles from the new James Bond film No Time To Die now on show at Bond In Motion • Special Effects Supervisor Chris Corbould, Stunt Coordinator Lee Morrison and Stunt Driver Mark Higgins give insight into creating the spectacular stunt sequences in No Time To Die • Bond In Motion at London Film Museum, Covent Garden, is the largest official collection of original James Bond vehicles in the world Included in the new display are: • James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 stunt replica with damage and bullet hits • James Bond’s Aston Martin V8 • James Bond’s Land Rover Series III from Jamaica • Ash’s New Land Rover Defender 110 with continuity damage from Norway sequence • Primo’s Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE as seen in Matera, Italy • Nomi’s Royal Alloy GT125 scooter from Jamaica CHRIS CORBOULD, SPECIAL EFFECTS AND ACTION VEHICLES SUPERVISOR No Time To Die is Chris Corbould’s 15th James Bond film and his 9th as Special Effects Supervisor. “The action vehicles team consisted of approximately 20 technicians working in conjunction with numerous engineers from Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover. “Initial talks with Aston Martin and Jag-

www.capitalbusinesshub.co.uk

January 2020

Action Vehicles from No Time to Die Now on Display at Bond in Motion uar Land Rover commenced in October 2018, and many detailed conversations were held to discuss the film’s requirements. Aston Martin built eight bespoke DB5’s along with an extensive spares package capable of completing the rapidly evolving action sequence in Matera. They also supplied three Aston Martin V8’s as used in The Living Daylights and two of the latest DBS Superleggera. “At the same time discussions were being held with Jaguar Land Rover to produce the first batch of eight New Land Rover Defenders, a mission shrouded in secrecy as the world had no idea at this stage of the design. “A number of the DB5s and the Defenders were fitted out with complete roll cages, safety fuel cells, fire extinguisher systems, hydraulic hand brakes, battery isolators, rally seats and five-point harnesses. Q Branch gadgets on the DB5 include revolving M134 mini-guns appearing from the drop-down headlights, traditional smoke screen, mines dropping from under the rear bumper and an LED number plate creating a modern take on the Goldfinger (1964) revolving version. “I think the audience will be thrilled to see the DB5 in full battle mode driving at speed through the streets of historic Matera in Italy. As the city is built on the side of a hillside, the balconies, roofs and gardens created a natural amphitheatre, and the public clapped and applauded whenever the iconic Bond car was in action.”

LEE MORRISON, STUNT COORDINATOR “I’m the No Time To Die Stunt Coordinator, responsible for a team of 100 professional stunt people. It’s my fifth Bond film, and the stunts get bigger and more ambitious every time. “All the vehicles we used in the film performed brilliantly. We knew we wanted to achieve something off-road and the New Defender didn’t disappoint. We put the vehicles through the most extreme conditions in a chase sequence, and they were unstoppable. “The three Triumph scramblers and the Tiger 900 we used were specially modified to handle the rigours of the action sequences in Norway and Italy, part of which can be seen in the first trailer. I’m really proud of the stunts we created, and I’m excited to see the audience reaction when the film is released.” MARK HIGGINS, STUNT DRIVER “I drove the DB5s in No Time To Die. Eight stunt replica cars were designed and built for the film, they all had a role to play in different configurations and were fantastic and rewarding to drive, it’s a very special car. “We filmed in Italy for seven weeks in the summer. Matera is an incredible city, but a challenging environment for a car chase with its narrow cobbled streets, low grip and lots of people around. “No Time To Die is my fourth Bond film. It was a great job to work on, and I can’t wait to see the finished sequence in April.”

January 2020

Double Shots of Sustainability: Ford and McDonald’s Collaborate to Convert Coffee Bean Skin into Car Parts Collaboration builds on both companies’ commitments to environmental stewardship

Ford Motor Company and McDonald’s USA will soon be giving vehicles a caffeine boost by using part of a familiar staple in the morning routine, coffee beans, in vehicle parts such as headlamp housing. Every year, millions of pounds of coffee chaff – the dried skin of the bean – naturally comes off during the roasting process. Together, Ford and McDonald’s can provide an innovative new home to a significant portion of that material. The companies found that chaff can be converted into a durable material to reinforce certain vehicle parts. By heating the chaff to high temperatures under low oxygen, mixing it with plastic and other additives and turning it into pellets, the material can be formed into various shapes. The chaff composite meets the quality specifications for parts like headlamp housings and other interior and under hood components. The resulting components will be about 20 percent lighter and require up to 25 percent less energy during the molding process. Heat properties of the chaff component are significantly better than the currently used material, according to Ford. This is the first time Ford has used coffee bean skins to convert into select vehicle parts. “McDonald’s commitment to innovation was impressive to us and matched our own forward-thinking vision and action for sustainability,” said Debbie

Mielewski, Ford senior technical leader, sustainability and emerging materials research team. “This has been a priority for Ford for over 20 years, and this is an example of jump starting the closed-loop economy, where different industries work together and exchange materials that otherwise would be side or waste products.” McDonald’s is expected to direct a significant portion of its coffee chaff in North America to Ford to be incorporated into vehicle parts.

“Like McDonald’s, Ford is committed to minimizing waste and we’re always looking for innovative ways to further that goal,” said Ian Olson, senior director, global sustainability, McDonald’s. “By finding a way to use coffee chaff as a resource, we are elevating how companies together can increase participation in the closed-loop economy.” The collaboration with Ford and McDonald’s is the latest example of the innovative approaches both companies take to product and environmental

stewardship. The project also involves Varroc Lighting Systems, which supplies the headlamps, and Competitive Green Technologies, the processor of the coffee chaff. Ford is progressing toward a goal of using recycled and renewable plastics in vehicles globally, with an increasing range of sustainable materials. McDonald’s is on its way to sourcing 100 percent of its guest packaging from renewable, recycled or certified sources by 2025. In addition, McDonald’s is

helping develop a recyclable and/or compostable cup through the NextGen Cup Consortium and Challenge. Both efforts are part of McDonald’s Scale for Good initiative, a global commitment to use its size and scale to drive meaningful change. McDonald’s and Ford plan to continue exploring ways to collaboratively use waste as a resource, while furthering their sustainability goals.

Britain’s Best Break Down Providers Revealed

• Exclusive What Car? research reveals the best breakdown providers in Britain • The AA ranked as the best provider, reaching nearly threequarters of stranded drivers in under an hour • RAC found to repair most cars by the roadside – repairing nearly two-thirds of callouts with either a permanent or temporary fix • Last year saw 224,225 vehicle breakdowns on the Strategic Road Network Britain’s best breakdown recovery providers have been revealed, with the AA rated best overall, according to exclusive research by Britain’s leading consumer champion and new car buying platform, What Car?. As part of the What Car? 2019 Reliability Survey, What Car? ranked the UK’s main breakdown providers. Quizzing motorists on both the time it took to for patrols to reach them as well as whether the problem was fixed, What Car? ranked each of the eight major breakdown cover providers. The AA was found to reach stranded motorists the quickest, arriving on the scene in less

in 2017. What Car?’s research found breakdown cover can cost as little as £19 for a year. Across all providers, 51% of all vehicles were either fixed permanently or temporarily, with drivers able to continue their journey. Nearly a third of cars were towed to a garage for repairs, with just 5% of all breakdown operators unable to either fix the vehicle or tow it to a garage for further repairs. LV= Britannia Rescue provided some form of assistance to most of its members – just 2% of respondents said their car wasn’t fixed or towed anywhere for them.

than 30 minutes 23% of the time, with nearly three-quarters of all customers reached within an hour. The RAC proved to be the best at roadside repairs, with an impressive 40% of all cars and vans fixed permanently, with 25% given a temporary fix that would allow drivers to continue their journey home or to a nearby garage. The AA and Green Flag were able to provide a permanent fix to 38% and 37% of all vehicles. Last year there were 224,225 breakdowns on the Strategic Road Network, adding up to 614 every single day, up from 195,292

Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car?, said: “Most motorists will experience a breakdown at one point or another. Standing by the roadside is never fun, so it’s worth knowing who to call to ensure you are reached quickly by a competent mechanic who will help you get back on the road as soon as possible. “The 2019 Reliability Survey shows most motorists are reached in less than an hour, and our research found breakdown cover can cost as little as £19 for a whole year, so it’s an investment worth making.”

How well the various breakdown providers fared How long did it take for assistance to arrive?

Green Flag

Autoaid

RAC

LV=Britannia Rescue

Emergency Assist

Allianz Partners UK

Less than 30 minutes 30 minutes - 1 hour 1 - 2 hours More than 2 hours Average

23% 49% 18% 10% 0.9 hours

22% 51% 19% 8% 0.9 hours

22% 54% 11% 14% 1.0 hours

17% 42% 22% 19% 1.2 hours

17% 55% 26% 2% 0.9 hours

14% 39% 18% 30% 1.3 hours

17% 36% 31% 16% 1.2 hours

7% 19% 8% 27% 38%

3% 25% 14% 22% 37%

3% 22% 27% 16% 32%

7% 19% 9% 24% 40%

2% 31% 22% 21% 24%

7% 39% 14% 18% 23%

7% 47% 9% 21% 16%

69%

66%

62%

59%

47%

45%

How well was the problem resolved? The car wasn’t fixed and wasn’t towed anywhere for me The car wasn’t fixed, but it was towed to a garage of my choice The car wasn’t fixed, but it was towed to a location of my choice The problem was temporarily fixed and I could continue my journey The problem was fixed permanently at the roadside and I could continue my journey Overall score

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

SPORTS

TECH 38-39

Siblings, Hamza and Emaan Asghar are kickboxing and taekwondo champions

Brother and sister Hamza and Emaan Asghar are two siblings who have made their mark in the kickboxing and taekwondo world. The siblings have been attending the Bolton Dragons, and British Taekwondo School (BTS) since they were young as ‘their mum wanted them to do something.’ Emaan, aged 13, is currently on Team GB for kickboxing, while Hamza, aged 11, is eager to secure a place on the Junior Olympic Team for Taekwondo 2019. “All my friends think it’s really cool,” said Emaan who attends Pleckgate High School with her brother.

Both siblings are black belt 1st Dan’s and both have competed all over Europe. Their next big event is at the Golden Glove, Italy in January 2020. Emaan has recently won a bronze medal at the WAKO European Kicking Championships in Budapest, where she represented Team GB in the -42kg category and she is currently No.1 in GB in the same weight division. She said, “I was so proud to win a bronze medal. I love representing Team GB, and we train together once a month.” “The World Championships are in Serbia next year, and I want to do well in them too.” “There are talks about kickboxing becoming an Olympic sport and my dream is to go to the Olympics.” Hamza has recently won a host of trophies and medals, including winning the YOKOSHO Dutch Open. He also came in second during the British Taekwondo Championships in Manchester in the -32kg category. Hamza has also won the first of three GB Grand Slams in Kickboxing, and if he does well in all three tournaments, then he will be called up to the Team GB Squad. Hamza said, “We have cardboard boxes full of medals and trophies in our house.” “It’s good that we get to travel all over Europe doing something we enjoy.”

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Pakistani opener Abid Ali makes History in Hundreds

The cricket player has become the first to score a century on both Test matches and one-day debuts In the first Pakistani home match in a decade, opening batsman Abid Ali left spectators in awe. The debuting Test cricketer scored a century in rainaffected pitch conditions against the Sri Lankan team. Abid scored a never before seen 109 off 201 balls. The 32-yer-old hit for a boundary then completed a hundred. He was seen throwing his hands up in their air as a victory celebration and then kneeling his head on the ground in prayer.

Earlier, Sri Lanka had already made their first innings when the sun had been shining brightly on the playing field. They had successfully made a 308-6 in bright sunlight. After this, bad weather had severely affected the match, permitting only 9 ½ overs within the first three days of the competition. In the match, Pakistan-side player Babar Azam also achieved his third Test century off-spin bowler Dilruwan Perera. He added 87 runs to the game. Both he and Abid received massive applause from the crowd before the match came to an end. Abid thrilled 12,000 cricket-keen home

fans at Pindi Cricket Stadium with a range of excellent shots on both sides of the wicket. Pakistan had a score of 2522 before the match was called off. More than ten years ago, Sri Lanka was the last team to play a test match on Pakistani turf. During their visit, terrorists attacked the touring team’s bus in Lahore during March of 2009. The ambush killed eight people and left many Sri Lankan players and officials gravely injured. Since then and up until now, Pakistan has been scheduling its home test matches on neutral territory, mainly in the United Arab Emirates.

Kiren Rijiju states Tokyo 2020 will be India’s best-ever Olympic performance

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju is hoping for a best-ever medal haul from the country’s athletes in the Tokyo Olympics. He also warned that the blame would lie with all the stakeholders if India fails to put up a good show in the 2028 Games. He has said that eight years should be enough for India to prepare its best for the Los Angeles Olympics. Rijiju said at FICCI’s “Turf 2019” Global Sports Summit, that if they cannot prepare themselves for something that is far (the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics), then they have to blame themselves in terms of bad policymaking, not setting a direction and channelizing resources. He also stated that with the time which is in their hands, they must ensure that India is no more a country which is not

taken seriously in the Olympics. He will definitely not be satisfied as a sports minister of the country if they don’t win

medals. The minister said next year’s Tokyo Olympics are the immediate target, but

organisation needs to be put in place for future events for athletes to perform well. Rijiju said: “Tokyo is an immediate target with the existing talent. We cannot create champions overnight. It’s not possible to create world champions in a year or two. We have to ensure that the entire organisation is in place. “Having said that, we have certain existing talents at our clearance, and we have to make the best of it. I hope Tokyo 2020 will be a good platform for India to have a best-ever Olympic performance, but we have limitations. However, there is nothing stopping us from 2024 Paris, and especially the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which are more than 8 years away”. Rijiju has also highlighted on the need

to do well at international sporting events. He says that as a young nation, they can’t afford to lag behind in the international level of competition. Be it the Olympics, Asian Games or any of the world championships. He also mentioned: “We are a young nation that’s why we have to set a determined target. In the meetings with the IOA (International Olympic body) and NSFs (National Sports Federations), I had given them a very determined target. It’s not easy but not impossible either. “We are rising. In the last six months, our ranking and performance have increased. Most of the results I’ve calculated are the best-ever”.

January 2020

The Six Most Effective Gym Machines, According to Gym Managers The Hundred Fixtures 2020 Revealed Mapping out an action-packed summer of cricket featuring some of the biggest names in the game

In their latest report, PureGym has spoken to their managers across the UK to unearth what gym equipment they think adds the most value to your training session. The gym experts were asked to provide their opinions on the three pieces of equipment that would best help gym goers achieve three different types of fitness goal: overall fitness; weight loss; and building muscle. They were then also asked to pick just one piece of equipment as their overall top performer. The six BEST pieces of gym equipment overall, according to gym managers: 1. Lifting Platform: 21% 2. Squat Rack: 13% 3. Cable Machine: 11% 4. Dumbells: 7% 5. Climbmill/Stairmaster: 5% 6. TRX System: 3% The equipment gym managers recommend if you’re looking to build muscle: 1. Squat Rack/Lifting Rack: 59% 2. Lifting platform: 57% 3. Dumbbells: 54% 4. Barbells: 37% 5. Cable Machine: 23% 6. Leg Press Machine: 13% 7. Bench Press: 12% 8. Pull-up Bar/Chin-up Bar: 7% 9. Lat Pull-Down Machine: 5% 10. Kettlebells: 5%

Marc McLaren PureGym manager at Ashton-Under-Lyne says “The cable machine is just one piece of kit, but there are so many exercises and variables here, you could spend an entire session simply using it. The cable machine is great for concentric, eccentric and isometric exercises. It provides a great range of movement, and is a good bridge between resistance machines and free weights.” Leeds manager Brian Mundy adds “The squat rack is also a great choice for members of all fitness levels. Using a ‘squat rack’ may sound or even look intimidating, but once you start using it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner”. The equipment gym managers recommend if you’re looking to improve overall fitness: 1. Rowing Machine: 47% 2. Treadmill: 39% 3. Climbmill/Stairmaster: 24% 4. Kettlebells: 23% 5. TRX System: 19% 6. Indoor Cycle/ Spin Bikes: 18% 7. Dumbbells: 16% 8. Elliptical Trainer/ Cross-Trainer: 15% 9. Cable Machine: 14% 10. Lifting Platform: 11% Dan Scott, a PureGym manager based in Edinburgh says “The dumbbell has been a favourite piece of gym equipment for years, and it isn’t hard to see why. You can literally do an entire workout with a single workout and your own bodyweight. Plus, due to the huge variety of weights, dumbbells are a highly accessible piece of equipment, and for that reason, become a part of most member’s workout regimes”.

London Aldgate manager, Terese Tijusaite also adds “Although not on the list, the ski-erg is an unsung hero of the gym, especially if you’re looking to improve general fitness. Even working at 20-30 second intervals will get you out of breath. It’s an ideal piece of equipment for gym goers of all levels and is a great way to round off any workout. You will likely not have to wait to use it either, as they regularly stay free”. The equipment gym managers recommend if you’re looking to lose weight: 1. Climbmill/Stairmaster: 36% 2. Squat Rack/Llifting Rack: 33% 3. Rowing Machine: 26% 4. Lifting Platform: 25% 5. Treadmill: 25% 6. Dumbbells: 23% 7. Barbells: 20% 8. Kettlebells: 16% 9. Assault Bike: 12% 10. Indoor Cycle/Spin Bikes: 12% Matt Woodward, manager at London Oval says “The lifting platform offers the greatest amount of versatility in the gym, with many different workouts possible here, that tackle weight loss, muscle gain and general fitness. For a lot of gym goers too, this is much more enjoyable than using the machines. And it enables the user to also target multiple muscle groups at once”. Pav Kaur Rangi, PureGym manager based in Birmingham adds that for “a great cardio workout for your legs, the stair-master is very popular with gym goers with a whole variety of needs – from bodybuilders training for a competition, to everyday members looking to shift some weight. It could even lay claim to being the best piece of kit for cardio, above the likes of the treadmill!”

The fixtures for the first ever season of The Hundred have been announced. The competition will run throughout the summer holidays from 17 July-15 August 2020, featuring some of the world’s best players in the most exciting matchups. The Hundred kicks off with the men’s competition at the Kia Oval, as Oval Invincibles welcome Welsh Fire for the Friday evening opening game. The following day Manchester Originals take on Northern Superchargers at Emirates Old Trafford. Birmingham Phoenix’s competition starts with back-to-back fixtures. They take on London Spirit at Edgbaston on 18 July and Midlands opposition Trent Rockets the next day at Trent Bridge. On the 19 July Steve Smith and Jofra Archer will reignite rivalries from this summer, as Welsh Fire take on Southern Brave at Sophia Gardens. The Hundred women’s competition begins 22 July at Blackfinch New Road, where Birmingham Phoenix host Manchester Originals. The day after, Lord’s will host the first double header of the competition, with both the men’s and women’s Northern Superchargers heading down to the capital to take on London Spirit’s teams. Southern Brave will then play Birmingham Phoenix in the second double header of the competition on 24 July at Edgbaston. The following day Trent Rockets and Welsh Fire will start their campaign at Trent Bridge, for another gripping double header. London fans will see the first local derby double header as Oval Invincibles take on the London Spirit men’s and women’s teams at the Kia Oval on 29 July. All teams will be eyeing the 14 and 15 August, when the women’s and men’s finals days will be taking place respectively. Venues for both finals will be announced shortly. Rob Hillman, Head of Operations – The Hundred, said: “We are delighted to announce the fixtures for the first season of The Hundred. It promises to be an action-packed

month of high-quality cricket across both the men’s and women’s competitions and we look forward to the opening fixtures at Kia Oval and Blackfinch New Road respectively.” Beth Barrett-Wild, Head of The Hundred - Women’s Competition, said: “The Hundred presents a brilliant opportunity to showcase the women’s game and I’m very excited to see how the competition will help take women’s cricket to the next level. Launching side by side with the men’s competition gives us the perfect platform to show that cricket is a sport for everyone, and with world class players set to be involved in both competitions, the quality is going to be brilliant.” Tom Moody, Oval Invincibles men’s Head Coach said: “We are really excited to be hosting the opening game of The Hundred. This is the first season of the competition, so it’s an historic moment for the team and cricket. Taking on the Welsh Fire first will be an interesting challenge as they have some world class players. I’m confident in the strength of our squad, it will be a thrilling opener.” Gary Kirsten, Welsh Fire men’s Head Coach said: “Playing in the opening fixture is an honour. Tom (Moody) has pulled together a solid team, but I’m excited about the potential ability of Welsh Fire.” Ben Sawyer, Birmingham Phoenix women’s Head Coach said: “It is fantastic to be opening the first season of The Hundred. Our team is coming together now and looking strong, having recently added Georgia Elwiss to Amy Jones, Kirstie Gordon and Sophie Devine. I’ve got no doubt our opening fixture against Manchester Originals will be a great event.” To find out more about The Hundred, see the full list of fixtures and sign up for priority ticket access visit thehundred.com.

AW Facts Did you know? Tennis rackets strings were formerly made of sheep intestines

LOCAL 2-11

GLOBAL 12-17

BUSINESS 18-21

GLAM 22-28

WEDDINGS 29-33

HEALTH 34-35

TRAVEL 36-37

TECH 38-39

FOOD 40-41

MOTORING 42-44

SPORTS 45-48

January 2020

Zain’s Boxing Dream

Bollyfit with

by Mohammed Zafran

My name is Zain Ali, a British Pakistani born in Birmingham into a loving family who have always enjoyed boxing. At the age of 9, I was put into Nechells Green ABC which is run by Ernie Holt. He has been in the boxing business for the last 50 years and has been a significant influence in helping youngsters like myself. I am now 21 years of age and have been with them for 11 years. What makes this club different to others is that their aim is not to only to train boxers, but also to keep the youth on the straight path and out of crime. The club is always open to anyone that feels like they have no option out or need someone to speak to. Going back a couple of years, I didn’t have the best childhood. In school, I was always the boy who was causing trouble, not listening, continually being told off or getting sent home. No one believed in me, so I stopped believing in myself; the only thing I was good at and confident in was boxing. Due to my bad performance at school, I was constantly stressed, which led to me taking the easy option out and committing myself to the streets. Being from Alumrock, which is a somewhat troubled and run down area, it was not easy to stay away from the surrounding gang violence and knife crime. Unfortunately for me, from a young age, I mixed in with the wrong crowds and got myself into things that could have gotten me a lot of years in jail, and banned from being able to box.

Thankfully, my coaches never gave up on me and continued to see my potential, which motivated me to turn my life around before it was too late. Seeing the effort Mark and Ernie went through and the amount of stress and pain I put my family through, I decided enough is enough. I began to focus on boxing and left my past behind. I would like to mention in particular Mark Holt, who was a father figure to me and put the utmost effort in to make me the best version of myself. Whether it was boxing, family issues or personal issues, he never backed away from helping me, which is what the youths of today need. Nechells Green ABC may not be the best-facilitated club, but it is a family-run

club that I am proud to be a part of, so I want to credit these guys as I start a new journey in my life. I am sure many other youths/young adults would be extremely grateful and would vouch for Nechells Green ABC and what they have done for them. One of the biggest reasons why I am so passionate about boxing is because my beloved Grandmother, who is not with us anymore, had always dreamt of me one day becoming a boxer. After many years of struggle and determination, I am hoping to turn professional next year and fulfil this dream of hers. I am looking to start my journey to becoming a professional boxer in 2020. I will continue to train at my amateur gym, which is Nechells Green ABC (475 Lichfield road 7SP Salford Metals). I will most definitely be keeping my coach Mark Holt because it is Mark who has always been in my corner and will remain in my corner regardless of my status. I am very excited to start this journey, and I am hoping all of Birmingham will be behind me. I honestly hope my story helps and encourages at least one person who is currently struggling with education/ crime/ boxing or anyone who is not confident enough to start their own journey. Furthermore, if there are any businesses that would like to sponsor me and be part of the process, then you can contact me via my email address which will be listed below. Thank you for reading my story. Get in touch at zainngbc@live.com

Catching up with Cricket Legend Monty Panesar

1. What was it like growing up in the town of Luton in Bedfordshire? Where your opportunities to get into cricket limited? I was very lucky. I had a cricket club called Luton Town Indians, which was predominantly made up of people from the Gujarati community. My Dad’s best friend taught me cricket and got me involved. Then I went for a trail for under 12s at a school and got in. My team never had a spinner, so I used to bowl there. I was very fortunate to have opportunities come my way. 2. You’re described as a spin-bowler, how does that differ from seam-bowling? Spin bowling is a rotation of the ball, where you put revolutions on the ball by imparting spin from your fingers. Seam bowling is just using seam presentation, going down towards the batsman when you bowl. The seam is rotating behind, and it’s also called fast-bowling as well. 3. What was it like being recruited by Cricket Australia as a consultant during the tour of India? It was a really enjoyable moment. I really liked coaching the players and especially the Tour of India. My mentees did well and really surprised me. 4. What was the best part of playing for the England Cricket team? The best part was my test matches. We won so many games, and it was really enjoyable. 5. What has the toughest point of your career been so far? The toughest point was when I had to keep my place in the team. I found it difficult because my batting and fielding wasn’t great. So I went away and learned how to bowl slow and low on pitches. I had to adapt my

game and become a better baller. 6. What has the peak of your career been so far? One of the highlights of my career was our Cardiff Test match against Australia. And also winning matches in India 2012 and Australia, they were all memorable moments so far. 7. In an interview with the Daily Mirror, you once said you were working on your own version of the ‘Doosra’ (a ball which spins the other way). How successful have you been with the venture? I haven’t been very successful at nailing the Doosra, but I can get the ball to straighten. Because I’ve got an orthodox action, it isn’t very easy for me to bowl the Doosra. To do it you need to be a chestfacing batsman and have your wrist facing the batsman as well. I’m a side-on bowler, so it’s different. 8. In August of this year, you revealed you were in discussions with the Indian domestic team Puducherry, with a view to playing for the Ranji Trophy. How has that been progressing? Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to enter the competition because I’m not an Indian resident. I could have gotten an OCI but still wouldn’t have been able to play. Maybe I need to arrange an interview with Narinder Modi and ask to change the rules! 9. What have you been doing in 2019? I’ve released my self-titled book called ‘Monty-Panesar.’ I’m a radio presenter on Punjab Radio and Live FM. I have a Twitter Channel and general election channel. I also have

my own newspaper column; I basically want to become a media presenter when my cricketing days are finished. I do a lot of charity work and act as an Ambassador for Shelter UK as well, where I deliver food to the homeless across the community. 10. What advice would you give to aspiring British Asian cricketers? I would say just follow your passion. If you’re really passionate about something like cricket, then follow it because it’ll help you to get to where you need to be. 11. What are your plans for 2020? I want to get back into playing professionally. I’m going to be training and continuing to get into media presenting and broadcasting on TV as well.

By Reema Sarin, Founder Bollyfit

Reema Sarin

The Formula of Anti-aging You are not twenty-one anymore! Now its time to start looking at the possibilities for anti-aging, not in the form of surgeries, treatments, or pills, but in exercising. When you begin to get older, your body will most likely go through different functions. Cells in your body may begin to slow down as you begin to get older. There may be differences in the rate that your metabolism is able to work. Because you are not growing anymore, you do not necessarily need the hormone for growth, meaning that it will slow down. This particular hormone slowing down will also cause for the rest of the body to slow down, which begins the aging process. How can you get the slowing down of age to speed up? One of the most obvious keys that you can use to help you is by staying active. It is proven that exercise can help to slow down the aging process, and that it keeps everything else going at a higher rate. By keeping in physical shape, you will be able to help communication with your body about what it needs in order to stay at its best. This particular communication can help your body both internally and externally. Exercise will first help the aging process by creating different capacities in the body. This will mostly be done by aerobic exercises. Things as simple as walking and running, or even swimming can help to strengthen your internal system. Whenever you do this, you will be speeding up the heart rate for thirty minutes a day. Your metabolism and immune system will be they keys for your body to also move faster to keep up with your heart rate. Not only will it help these functions, but will also strengthen the heart and its ability to beat regularly and properly. Exercise is a natural way to keep your internal systems working better, not only during the time that you are exercising, but also throughout the day. One of the major parts of aging is that there is a loss of thicker

muscle tissue, causing weaker body functions. However, this can also be prevented with the right amount of exercise. By continuing to keep muscle strength up, you will be communicating with the muscle tissue, as well as other tissues to stay stronger. The muscles will not only gain in strength, but also in flexibility and coordination. By building muscle, you will continuously be enabling lean muscle mass, one of the most essential parts to body functioning. These are things that should continuously improve as you age. When you do not work them moderately at least thirty minutes a day, it can cause your body to weaken instead of strengthen as you grow older. As you age, it will help you to maintain regular, everyday activities, such as lifting objects and walking up stairs. One of the most obvious ways that exercise effects aging is by the ability to stay at the right weight. Obesity and being overweight are some of the largest factors that relate to one being and staying overweight. The extra stresses from too much weight can cause the bones and muscles to weaken, instead being overtaken by resources in your body that are not as effective in the overall functioning. Being overweight or obese is one of the major problems that leads to diseases and dis-functions from the body, which eventually contribute to problems with age. If you want an easy anti-aging supplement, then it can begin with you simply moving every day for thirty days. Exercise effects aging in a positive way, and helps you to keep blowing out your birthday candles with one breath. It not only helps you to keep your attractive physique, but also will help your internal tissues and functions to stay in place like they should. If you want to live longer and healthier life, then making sure that you exercise will help you with all of your efforts to fight age.

Rahat Ali Shah Takes the Lead in UK Body-Building Competitions R

ahat Shah is a huge family man and an even bigger inspiration to all who want to achieve their goals. After being told by many that he could not become a model and being laughed at by professionals in the industry, Shah was determined to prove his doubters wrong by any means possible. He was very unhappy with his body and would stop at nothing to change his physique for the sake of himself and for his family, especially his daughter who motivates him each and every day to keep working hard. His career began in Pakistan, and it took off once he started working with Pakistani photographer Sheraz Ahmad. The work he did with Ahmad was published many times in Pakistan, and once he began to achieve great things in his home nation, he then decided he could excel in the UK. While here, with his beloved wife and darling daughter, Shah, unfortunately, suffered an injury which stopped his progression for a short while, but with the support from his family especially his daughter, who inspired and motivated Shah to start training again, it took Shah just 12 weeks to get back in

excellent shape to make his daughter proud. On sharing his experience of the bodybuilding world, Rahat commented: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Bodybuilding community is extremely motivating due to competition and desire to be the best. Everyone has the same goal, to win. Therefore it is a very competitive environment. However, people are willing to help you as much they can. Fellow competitors do share their different training methods and diet techniques. This helps you improve your own method and help you fix your weak points.â&#x20AC;? Recently, Rahat won first place at the Sugar Classic Bodybuilding Competition in November of last year. The Government of Pakistan has given him the Pride of Performance Award. He also qualified for the Diamond Cup Arnold Classic Championship. If you wish to contact Rahat for fitness advice or to achieve your own body transformation goals, then you can follow him on social media on the following channels: Instagram - @rahatfitnessworld YouTube - Rahat Shah