December 2011 Edition

Mirza Unhurt in Attack but Tensions Increases

MANCHESTER: The Greater Manchester Police have confirmed that they are looking for three Asian men who attacked Dr Zulfiqar Mirza and Lord Nazir Ahmed in north Manchester on Friday night.

They had been to an event at the Rasam Banqueting Hall, and, in a group, drove to another venue on Cheetham Hill Road when three men approached them while they were getting out of the car.

Talking to ILM News, the police confirmed that Dr Mirza and Lord Nazir Ahmed, who have both been campaigning against the government partner Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), were the targets but the report had been registered by Dr Mirza (‘common assault’) and the journalist who was brutally assaulted (‘physical assault’).

“An attempt was made to punch one man as he stood by the car he had been travelling in.

He ducked avoiding the punch, which glanced against his face.

Famous presenter of DM Digital TV Maz-

har Bukhari was then assaulted at the rear of the car, which resulted in him being knocked unconscious,” said Detective Inspector Mark Hudson from North Manchester Criminal In-

vestigation Department.

He added: “This will appear to be an unprovoked attack on the two men. We know that the area was busy at the time so I would urge any witnesses, or anyone with information to call us as soon as possible. Anyone with information

should call police on 0161 856 3914 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111”.

Lord Nazir Ahmed and Dr Zulfiqar Mirza had

finished speaking at a public meeting and were on their way to participate in a live chat show at a local Urdu language TV channel.

Right outside the doors of the DM TV studios, three attackers struck with a rod with such impact that the local journalist, who drove the

duo, fell unconscious and bled.

Speaking after the attack, Dr Mirza said the assailants were the ‘same people’ whom he was endeavouring against and that such attacks could not deter him from completing his task.

He announced he will not campaign during the 10 days of Ashura and will ‘resume the campaigning from where I am leaving it’.

Tensions in the large British Kashmir community have increased after the Azad Kashmir premier threatened to ‘withdraw’ the citizenship of Lord Ahmed for his support of Dr Mirza.

A leading campaigner, Lord Nazir Ahmed has a huge following in the Kashmiri/Pakistani community in Britain and gossip is already rife that the attackers could be the supporters of the AJK prime minister.

Lord Nazir has heaped ridicule on the AJK leadership and declared them as the ‘agents of Indian intelligence RAW’ for doing their work by passing resolutions against him. He has also announced visiting Pakistan soon to challenge the AJK government leaders.

Pakistan and America's Fragile Alliance will Survive its Latest Test

and al-Qaeda.

The death toll among Pakistan's brave band of As a result, American and Nato officials have security guards, policemen, soldiers and parabeen quick to offer regret. As Anders Fogh military border guards is extraordinary. More Rasmussen, Nato Secretary General, says: than 3000 military personnel have been killed I have written to the Prime Minister of Pakiin the war on terror. The figures easily dwarf stan to make it clear that the deaths of Pakistani the number of international servicemen and personnel are as unacceptable and deplorable women killed in Afghanistan. Add in civilians as the deaths of Afghan and international perand service personnel killed in terrorist attacks sonnel. This was a tragic unintended incident. across the country and the toll spirals to more I fully support the ISAF investigation which is than 40,000 in the past 10 years. currently underway. We will determine what Their deaths usually merit little more than a happened, and draw the right lessons. paragraph in the paper.

The statements fall short of an actual apology.

Unless, that is, they have been killed inside PaBut that will come. kistan by US helicopters during a cross-border Last year, after a similar incident, Pakistan reattack. Then there is a hell of a lot of coverage. acted with fury to the killing of two Frontier The attack this weekend, that killed 24 troops, Corps troops. The border was shut and angry has provoked an understandably strong reacstatements were directed at Washington. After tion. Political and military leaders have halted 11 days of megaphone diplomacy the crossing Nato supplies and promised to review all links – diplomatic and military – with the US. The ing effigies and flags. relations to a new low, threatening to destroy was re-opened once the US had extended its usual suspects have taken to the streets, burn- There is no doubt this has taken Pakistan-US an already fragile alliance against the Taliban "deepest apology" to Pakistan.

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Read Inside Cancer figures Rise Page 4

124,000 Migrants Lost Page 6

Bradford UK Curry KING Page 7

BBC Blasted over Pakistan documentary Page 8

Quaid-eAzam in URDU Page 16

Jalsa Tehreek -e- Insaaf Page 16

Life of Imam Hussain in URDU Page 17

CUT PIECE in URDU Page 19

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Dedicated To The Memory Of Syed Kamar Ul Hassan Shah

London Olympics Uniforms Unveiled

11.11.1971 - 30.10. 2011

The 2012 London Olympics organising committee has unveiled the designs of uniforms that will be worn by around 70,000 volunteers, 6,000 committee staff and 4,500 technical officials during the games.

All volunteer uniforms are said to be made of recycleable material, including the bags and water bottles

Investment for Jobs in Sheffield Welcomed

Family, friends and collegues from all over the world were deeply shocked at the sudden death of a much loved being.

Kamar has left a big void in the lives of his family and friends.

Much loved, he left a lasting impression on everyone he met in his short life. The eldest son of Syed Iftikhar Shah and Yasmeen Shah, he was an excellent student growing up in Sheffield and excelled with a Bsc in Biotechnology from DeMontford University and an MSc in Marketing from Sheffield Hallam University. He spent his career in a number of Marketing roles at PMC Sheffield, at DfEE, at LSC in West Sussex and Learning and Skills Council in Sheffield. He leaves behind all family including 2 young children. May Allah bless his soul and grant him eternal peace.

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Councillors in Sheffield have welcomed measures within the Coalition Autumn Statement.

Sheffield has benefitted from a number of the key announcements including: Enhanced Capital Allowances for the Sheffield Enterprise Zone which will allow businesses to offset 100% of the capital investments - such as new buildings and new machinery - against corporation tax. This business tax break will promote growth and new investment in the Enterprise Zone; Improved access to the Sheffield Gateway, with a new link from Robin Hood airport to the M18, with the potential to create £1.5 billion investment from the private sector;

Four additional tram vehicles for the Sheffield Supertram network; A £1 billion “Youth Contract” announced by Nick Clegg, which will see hundreds of new work places and apprenticeships in Sheffield; £12.3 million for vital infrastructure in Sheffield City Region as part of the Growing Places Fund; Doubling the free childcare entitlement for disadvantaged two year olds; An increase in funding for the Regional Growth Fund in England by £1bn, and an extension the lifetime of the Fund to 201415 to provide ongoing support for private sector growth in areas currently dependent on the public sector, like Sheffield.

Childcare for Thousands of Two-Year-Olds

More than 4,000 twoyear-olds in South Yorkshire are to benefit from new free childcare schemes announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Sheffield Hallam MP Nick Clegg. For the last two years pre-school youngsters aged three and four from poor families have been able to access 15 hours of free childcare every week. Now the Government has unveiled plans to extend the scheme, from September 2013, to include two-year-olds as well.

The change should help 4,200 children in South Yorkshire.

According to Government figures, 1,600 children aged two in Sheffield, 800 in Rotherham, 800 in Barnsley and 1,000 in Doncaster will qualify for the childcare.

The plans make it compulsory for councils to provide the

childcare to youngsters aged two, three and four, whose families have an income of £16,190 or less and receive child tax credit.

The new legislation, which will have to pass through Parliament before it comes into effect, will also make childcare more flexible, so childcare can be taken between 7am and 7pm spread across two days instead of the current three.

Mr Clegg added: “I want us to give every child the best possible start - so free education for toddlers from the most disadvantaged homes will now be a right and not a privilege. “Crucially the extra care will be flexible and easy to access. Parents across the country are bending over backwards to balance work and home. The Coalition wants to help in whatever way we can.”

On 4 November 2011, 101 became the new number to contact South Yorkshire Police for nonemergency incidents and general enquiries - replacing the previous non-emergency number 0114 2202020. Every call to 101 will be charged at a 15p flat rate.

The introduction of 101 nationally has been agreed to relieve pressure on the 999 service and

will enable forces to better prioritise calls. In an emergency – when a crime is in progress or life is at risk – always call 999.

When should you call 101?

When it is less urgent than 999; for general enquiries, to contact local police or to report a crime that has already happened the public should always call 101.

101

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10-Month-Old Babies Can Follow Your Thoughts Ten-month-old babies begin to understand another person’s thought process, providing new insights on how humans acquire knowledge and how communication develops, new research says.

“Infants, even before they can verbally communicate, can understand the thought processes of other people,” said a professor of developmental psychology.

Infants were monitored during different trials of a common psychological test in which an actor indicated preference for certain objects. Researchers timed the infant’s gaze, which is an indication of his or her knowledge, the

journal Cognition reports. The infants watched longer when the actor’s preferences changed. This led the researchers to believe that infants understood how the actor interacted with the objects, according to a statement from the university. When the actor did not witness the removal or addition of the preferred object, the infants seemed to use that information to interpret the person’s actions.

The study is one of the firsts to explore the false belief understanding in the first year of life; evidence from other studies indicates that infant understanding could be present at an earlier age.

925 Million People Undernourished Obese people now outnumber the hungry globally, but hardship for the undernourished is increasing amid a growing food crisis, the International Federation of the Red Cross.

The Geneva-based Red Cross highlighted the disparity between rich and poor in its annual World Disasters Report. Recent price hikes were also highlighted as a problem. Statistics show 1.5 billion people around the world are suffering obesity, while 925 million are undernourished. In proportion, 15% of humanity is hungry while 20% overweight. The International Red Cross claims something has gone drastically wrong with free market forces.

The problem of hunger exists not because there was a lack of food globally, but because of poor distribution, wastage and rising prices that makes food unafford-

able. Food prices have spiked globally in 2011, raising fears of a re-run of the crisis seen in 2008 which led to riots and political instability in many countries. Food inflation is sending with world’s poorest countries more and more into poverty thus causing situations of severe hunger and malnourishment.

This year’s World Disasters Report focuses on the growing crisis of hunger and malnutrition.

Smallholder farmers who produce half the world’s food are among the almost one billion people who go to bed hungry every night. Millions of children suffer the irreversible effects of undernutrition. Increasing food insecurity weakens people’s resilience to disasters and disease, and people everywhere are experiencing the increasing volatility of food prices.

Figures Reveal Rise in Cancer Rates Alcohol is fuelling the UK’s death rate from oesophageal cancer, figures suggest. The UK has the highest rate of oesophageal cancer in Europe while liver cancer deaths have jumped more than 70%, according to two new sets of figures. Alcohol and obesity are helping fuel both types of disease, with many of these cancer cases preventable if people were healthier.

A league table of European cancer rates of the oesophagus show about 6.4 out of every 100,000 people develop oesophageal cancer in the UK every year. The oesophagus is part of the body’s digestive system and is the tube which links the back of the mouth to the stomach. The UK’s high rate is partly due to high levels of al-

cohol consumption and obesity - known risk factors for the disease. Around 8,000 oesophageal cancer cases are diagnosed in the UK each year and the disease kills more than 7,000. Just 8% of men and women are still alive five years after diagnosis.

In a second set of statistics, from the British Liver Trust, shows that since 1997 liver cancer deaths have risen by 74% in England and Wales. The figures show that 1,968 men and 1,371 women died from liver cancer in England and Wales in 2010, as did 230 men and 132 women in Scotland. In 1997 in England and Wales, the figure was 1,133 men and 848 women. Across the whole of the UK in 2010, an average of 10 people a day died from the disease.

British Women Are More Obese In very alarming statistics, it has been found that British women are more obese than their European counterparts, and at a young age too - so fat that it threatens their health. A disturbing 16 per cent of young women aged 18-24 are obese - up to 16 times higher than many other European countries where the rate is between one per cent and three per cent.

Young men are doing better, around six per cent are obese, but a worrying one-third of men aged

45-64 are obese in Britain.

Experts blame abundant energydense food, too little exercise and lack of will by policy makers to curb over-consumption.

Reports link obesity with levels of education, saying that the better educated tend to be slimmer.

The National Audit Office estimates that obesity causes at least 30,000 deaths a year in the Britain, through conditions such as cancer, heart disease, strokes and diabetes.

Pakistan PM Nominates Edhi for Peace Prize Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has nominated renowned social worker Abdul Sattar Edhi for the Nobel Peace Prize. During a meeting with Nafisa Sadiq who is the special envoy for the UN Secretary General, the prime minister nominated Edhi for his outstanding efforts for peace. Edhi is a social worker and philanthropist and his foundation operates the largest ambulance service in the world.

of his personal comforts, are the important elements on which rests the philosophy of Abdul Sattar Edhi.

Although Edhi is a self-educated person, he has an instinctive feel of contemporary theories of Anthropology or Philosophy.

He possesses the unique capability of reducing complex problems to simple forms, and producing workable practical solutions. His dress is as simple

A living legend - an example of devotion - an inspiration - an institution - these are some of the indicators of the pioneer.

Edhi is a mobile institution ready to respond, anxious to comfort and console the anguished souls.

Endurance, perseverance, patience, struggle, sympathy and compassion along with sacrifice

as his language, and working style.

He has received a number of national and international awards including the Lenin Peace Price and the Balzan Prize for his efforts as well as an honourary doctorate from the University of Bedfordshire.

DISCLAIMER ILM (The Knowledge) Newspaper does not represent any political, religious or any other group. It is purely for providing general information, entertainment and knowledge to its readers. ILM News does not take any responsibility of any views expressed by authors.

Warning over Impact of Mini-Strokes A ‘mini-stroke’ can significantly reduce the life expectancy of those aged over 65, experts say, A “mini-stroke” can shorten life expectancy by 20%, research has shown.

Transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs) produce temporary symptoms such as facial weakness and speech problems lasting between a few minutes to 24 hours. Despite having no apparent lasting effects, TIAs often act as an early warning of potentially disabling experiencing a TIA won’t die or fatal strokes to come. People from it, but they will have a high

risk of early stroke and also an increased risk of future problems that may reduce life expectancy.

Findings suggest that patients and doctors should be careful to intensely manage lifestyle and medical risk factors for years after a transient ischaemic attack.

People with a history of TIA can maximise their chance of survival by adopting healthy lifestyle habits such as avoiding excess weight, eating a good diet and giving up smoking, said the scientists.

Eyelid marks ‘sign of heart risk’

“Yellow markings on the eyelids are a sign of increased risk of heart attack and other illnesses,” reported BBC News. These markings, called xanthelasmata, are mostly formed of deposits of cholesterol. The markings can be treated cosmetically, but are a warning sign of raised choles-

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terol in the body. This cohort study examined the association between these deposits and heart disease. In 1976-8 a sample of 12,745 Danish people was recruited, 4.4% of whom had these eye signs. Thirty years later those with xanthelasmata were 48% more likely to have had a heart attack, 39% more likely to have developed heart disease and 14% more likely to have died. This was a well-conducted study in a large population carried out over a long period.

The findings will come as no surprise to the medical profession, as xanthelasmata are known to be cholesterol deposits. They suggest raised cholesterol levels in

the body, which is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. What these findings add is an idea of the strength of their association with cardiovascular disease outcomes. The research highlights that people with these marks should have their cardiovascular risk assessed, taking into account other risk factors, such as age, BMI, smoking, diabetes, family history of heart attack or stroke, raised blood pressure, etc.

Taken as a full picture this knowledge will allow doctors to assess the size of an individual’s risk of cardiovascular disease, and so help them to address potentially modifiable risk factors.

NHS

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BA N Q U E T I N G

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Legal Corner

Q & A : Property

Mohammed Nazir Solicitor Head of Property/Immigration, Wosskow Brown

Q What is the difference between registered and unregistered properties?

A. The details of registered properties are held electronically at the Land Registry and you can obtain copies of ownership and related title plans directly from the Land Registry if required. An unregistered property hasn’t been registered at the Land Registry, therefore all information relating to the property is held within the title deeds. These documents are of significant importance and at the time of registration, the Land Registry require sight of them to inspect and note them in their records.

Q

what should I do?

A If your property is registered at the Land Registry then the office copy entries (proof of ownership) can be obtained from the Land Registry. If your property is not registered then your solicitor can reconstruct the title and register the same at the Land Registry. The reconstruction process of the title is quite complicated and once it has been completed the Land Registry may grant a possessory title which is an inferior title as compared to title absolute.

A. It is only necessary to register a lease of more than 7 years with the Land Registry. A lease of this nature can be noted against the Landlords title as an agreed notice.

Q. My solicitor has advised me that a SDLT return will be submitted once I have completed the lease of shop for a term of 10 years. What is this SDLT return?

A. The SDLT return is a stamp duty land tax return which is part of the stamp duty tax system and your solicitor cannot Q. I have been granted a six complete the registration of the years lease of my shop should I lease without a certificate issued register it at the Land Registry by HM Revenue and Customs.

I have lost my title deeds or not?

Clegg Urges Ethnic Entrepreneur Aid Banks should do more to help ethnic minority entrepreneurs start and build companies by giving them better access to loans, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has said. Progress had been made on the legal rights, political representation and public sector employment of black people since the 1981 disturbances, but “grave inequalities” remain in the private sector. Economic opportunity is “the next frontier for race equality” and businesses and banks must not be “let off

the hook” over their duty to offer fairness and equal opportunity, said Mr Clegg.

While ethnic minority men in the public sector earn slightly more than their white colleagues, in the private sector a black man earns just 89p for every pound earned by a white man, he said.

Although 35% of people from black African backgrounds say they want to start up a business, only 6% are successful in doing so. And firms owned by people of black African origin are four

times more likely to be denied loans than white-owned companies, while those owned by people from Bangladeshi, Pakistani and West Indian backgrounds have been subject to higher interest rates.”Britain’s banks, bailed out by the British people, have just as much responsibility as everyone else - arguably more responsibility - to help Britain build a strong and dynamic economy.

Unleashing black and ethnic minority talent is their duty too.”

3,000 Banks on Visa Blacklist Nearly 3,000 banks have been put on a government blacklist of financial institutions which cannot be trusted to verify documents supporting student visa applications, officials have said. Foreign students applying to study in the UK who claim they have funds to support themselves and pay for their course held in any of the banks on the list will receive no points for maintenance, the UK Border Agency (UKBA) said.

The list, which includes 1,977

banks in India, three in Pakistan and 762 in the Philippines, is the latest part of the Government’s efforts to crack down on bogus students.

Study is the most common reason for migrants coming to the UK, with three in four of the 228,000 who came to the UK for study last year coming from outside the EU. A UKBA spokeswoman said: “We have radically overhauled the student visa system in order to tackle abuses whilst continuing

Muharram ul Haram

“In a distant age and climate, the tragic scene of the death of Husain will awaken the sympathy of the coldest reader.”

— Edward Gibbon Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. Instead of joyous celebration, Muslims mark the beginning of the New Year by taking up the black attire of sorrow and participate in mourning gatherings in which the sacrifices of Hussain and his companions are commemorated.

It is one of the four months of the year in which fighting is prohibited. Since the Islamic calendar is lunar, Muharram moves from year to year when compared with the Gregorian calendar.

Muharram is so called because it was unlawful to fight during this month; the word is derived from the word ‘haram’ meaning forbidden. It is held to be the most sacred of all the months,

martyrs stood and the grave calamities that they thus had to bear. The commemoration of this brutal massacre (Battle of Karbala) begins on the first day of Muharram and reaches its climax on the 10th of Muharram, the day of the battle, known as Ashurah and continues for 40 days or 69 days.

Imam Hussain’s last words to his sister Zainab were “Convey my Salutations(salaams) to all Muslims and put your trust in Allah and know that human being is born to die, and nothing will remain, everything shall pass away except the presence of His Al680 CE/61 AH. Their martyrdom is a sad day mighty Allah.” Imam then rode for all Muslims, especially the his horse into the face of Yazid’s Shi’a, who hold mourning cer- army to give his last sermon. emonies to recall the righteous virtues for which the valiant excluding Ramadan.It is the same month when Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, was brutally massacred in Karbala alongside his family and friends in the year

124,000 Migrants ‘Lost’ by Border Agency Border officials have lost track of 124,000 asylum seekers and migrants - a population the size of Cambridge, according to report by MPs. UK Border Agency figures show the number of cases “lost” has tripled from 40,500 in March. The Commons Home Affairs Select Committee’s report said the so-called controlled archive was being used as a “dumping ground” for cases the agency has given up on.

It lists around 98,000 cases

where asylum seekers cannot be found and the agency has no idea whether or not the applicant are still in the UK, legally or otherwise. The total includes around 26,000 migrants who have overstayed their visas or who have been refused an extension of leave, such as students.

From 18,000 files in November 2010, the archive now contains 124,000 files, roughly equivalent to the population of Cambridge. Keith Vaz, the commit-

tee’s chairman, said: “The UK Border Agency is still not providing the efficient, effective service that Parliament expects.

“The Prime Minister himself recently called for members of the public to provide intelligence on immigrants. “There is little point in encouraging people to do this if the border agency continues to fail to manage the intelligence it receives or to keep track of those who apply to stay.”

to attract the brightest and best genuine students from across the world. “We need to be confident that those applying for student visas have the funds to support themselves and pay for their course in the UK.” Officials will give a 30-day notice period when any bank is added to the list to enable potential foreign students to provide financial documentation which meets the new requirements. The list will also be kept under review, officials said.

Checks Relaxed ‘Hundreds Of Times’ Border checks were relaxed hundreds of times at UK ports under a pilot scheme authorised

by Home Secretary Theresa May this summer. Fresh evidence released by Labour also showed that passengers on private jets were let into the UK without even being seen by border officials. The latest disclosures will put further pressure on the under-fire Home Secretary as the former head of the UK Border Force, who quit his post over the border checks row. Brodie Clark, 60, who resigned after a 40-year career in the Home Office, is expected to say he only acted to relax border checks because he was required to do so by the police to prevent overcrowd-

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ing. Leaked emails between UK Border Agency (UKBA) officials showed the controls were eased a total of 260 times in one week alone this summer.

Other leaked documents showed passengers on private jets were

able to enter the UK without being seen by border officials, raising fears among staff that security was being compromised.

Government estimates show there are between 80,000 and 90,000 private jet flights every year. One UKBA official complained to managers about not even being “allowed to physi-

cally see the passengers”, saying it was “at odds with national policy” and “is creating an unnecessary gap in border security”, the emails showed. Further leaked emails showed Mrs May’s pilot scheme to relax border controls - referred to as level two checks - was used 260 times in the sixth week of the trial, the week ending September 16.

This compared with 100 times in its first week and 165 in week nine, ending October 9.

A UKBA spokeswoman said: “It is not true that we don’t carry out passport and warnings index checks on private flight passengers and will deploy officers to airfields where we have concerns.”

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600 Gangs and 2,000 Criminals Operate in Manchester Area More than 2,000 organised criminals are members of 600 gangs operating in Greater Manchester, new data has revealed. The figures are contained on the Home Office website Police.uk which has been updated to include new categories. People can now find out about public disorder, shoplifting, criminal damage, arson and drugs in Bolton on the revamped website.

The figures are in addition to burglary, robbery, vehicle crime, anti-social behaviour, violent crime and other crime that already exist. Anti-social behaviour is still the most commonly reported incident in central Bolton, with 237 incidents in September. In the same month, there were 37 crimes involving public disor-

der or weapons, 56 shoplifting incidents, 68 arson or vandalism attacks, 94 thefts and 32 drug offences.

A new feature of the website also allows users to compare Greater Manchester Police’s performance, staffing, service and finances to other forces across the UK. The data shows GMP has the most crime outside London, and the fifth highest cost per person after the Metropolitan Police, the City of London Police, Merseyside and Cleveland. About 83 per cent of victims are satisfied by their experience with the police, which is in line with the national average, but only 27.43 per cent of crime in Greater Manchester is solved, just under the national average.

Bradford Beats Current Champion Glasgow To Become UK Curry King Bradford is the Curry Capital of Britain 2011 after beating four-times winner and current title holder Glasgow into second place. The announcement was made by competition organisers The Federation of Specialist Restaurants.

The district scored highly in every sector and the judges decided the Bradford bid showed deep understanding of the curry sector and particularly noted

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the creation of the International Food Academy and the Food Ministry. The restaurants representing Bradford in the competition were Shimla Spice in Keighley, Aagrah Shipley, Prashad in Horton Grange Road, Bradford, and Kipling’s Restaurant in Greengates.

Other cities taking part includd Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Sheffield and Leicester.

Muslim Jewish Forum Members Visit Jewish Museum

Following a successful visit to the British Muslim Heritage Centre twenty members from the Muslim Jewish Forum visited the Manchester Jewish Museum. This was the Forum’s second visit to the Museum, the first one being in March 2005.

The Museum was originally a Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue built in 1874 in the heart of the Jewish area of Cheetham. However, as the Jewish population moved away from this central area of the city, both northwards and southwards, the Synagogue’s Congregation dwindled and the Building ceased to be a working

Synagogue in 1982.

Cllr Afzal Khan, Co- Chair of the Forum said, “Following our recent visit to the British Muslim Heritage Centre, this visit highlighted the immense contributions of both our faiths in Manchester.

Finding out about the Muslim influence on the Synagogue’s architecture was enlightening as were many other facts that Jeremy shared with us during this visit. Both the Muslim Jewish Forum and the Manchester Jewish Museum are committed to improving and strengthening community relations in Greater Manchester.”

National Photographic Exhibition on British Asian Successes

A judge, poet, female rugby coach, a TA captain, artistic director and magician are just some of the success stories profiled by top photographer Tim Smith in a new exhibition on show at the National Media Museum in Bradford. The “Making Britain” Photographic Exhibition profiles a wide cross-section of wellknown and not so well-known individuals of South Asian background in a visual celebration of their cultural, political, artistic and economic contribution to British life. The event has been organised by QED-UK, an influ-

ential not-for-profit organisation which focuses on education, employment and training provider to eradicate poverty, disadvantage and discrimination and is now celebrating its 21st anniversary.

The participants will see their portraits hang alongside those of professional footballers, TV personalities and leading figures in the arts and politics. Dr Mohammed Ali OBE, Chief Executive and founder of QED-UK, said: “It’s so important to illustrate the positive integration of the South Asian community, particularly during these times.”

Kids With Mobile Phones - Poll

Nearly three-quarters of Britons think it is inappropriate for children under 12 to own a mobile phone, despite the fact that most kids already have them, according to a poll.

The survey of 2,000 people found that expensive bills, unmonitored Internet use and lack of parental control were some of the reasons adults felt uncomfortable about kids owning mobiles. However, more than one in 10 would buy a child a mobile phone as a treat to encourage good behaviour, or for doing well at school. The vast

majority of parents (90 percent) also liked the idea of a child having a phone in case of an emergency. 79 percent of 7 to 11-year-olds already own a mobile.

It is reassuring for parents to be in constant contact with their children, but there are clearly concerns about just how careful a young child will be with their own mobile phone. It is important for parents to sit down with their kids to discuss the responsibilities that come with the phone and set clear limits for its usage from the outset.

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PROPERTY CORNER PROPERTY AUCTIONS

by: Mohammed Mahroof BSc (Hons) MRICS Consultant: Mark Jenkinson & Son As we are heading through these difficult financial times property is becoming the solace for many people. The auction house, or the “mandi” as they would refer to it in Punjabi, has become the focus for discerning property investors and buyers in general.

There is a buzz about buying in an auction room which is infectious and many people return time and time again. It is adrenalin inducing and exhilarating. The result is instant, exciting and there is the euphoria of buying. If you have not been to a property auction before it is well worth a trip. You don’t have to buy and contrary to popular belief, twitching, scratching your nose etc will not end up in you buying a property. Auctioneers are very aware of who is bidding so relax and enjoy the atmosphere.

So many people are seeing the auction room as a way of selling property quickly. The key to a good auction property is that it

needs to have potential which the buyer can be attracted to. Investment opportunities, modernisation opportunities, unusual properties and land are very popular in the auction room. The beauty about selling through an auction room is that the sale is instant and completion takes place within 28 days, meaning sellers are certain they will get their money.

I believe as we move forward in this challenging market we are going to see many more properties going through the auction room.

Many of the recent auction sales, both locally and nationally, have seen very strong attendances. I believe whether you are an investor, cash buyer or someone who just sees a property they must buy.

The auction room is a magnet for many such people. Clearly you need to have done your homework before you bid on a property and that means taking advice from legal and surveying professionals.

I still find courageous people who

buy in the auction room without ever having been to the property or read the legal paperwork.

Clearly this is not recommended practice but it happens many times. Some of these people are professional buyers who are fully aware of the risks.

The other observation of the auction room is that people from all sorts of backgrounds are now flocking to the auction room: investors, first time auction buyers, speculators, entrepreneurs, families. The mix of people in the room is amazing. Buyers tell me the euphoria of buying in the auction room is amazing and many of these people return to the room time and time again. As a property person, auction day for me is very exciting, challenging and something I look forward to.

If you require any property advice, please do not hesitate to contact me on 0114 2760151 or 0787 901 5095.

Pakistan United Against All Challenges

Asserting that Pakistan stands united in defending its independence, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said political differences can be set aside in case national sovereignty is threatened.

Gilani said that the people of Pakistan, their democratic government and armed forces stand

united in defending the country’s independence and sovereignty and will not hesitate to render any sacrifice in this task. He said the resolution of the All Parties Conference (APC), held here in September, was a clear cut message to the world that the country was united in safeguarding its national security and integrity.

Cold Kills 180 British Pensioners A Day During Winter

180 pensioners died every day as a result of cold conditions during the 2010-11 winter months in England and Wales. The annual ‘Excess winter mortality’ report found that an estimated 21,800 people over the age of 65 died as a result of adverse conditions, on top of the average mortality rate for the same period of time (4 months from December 2010 to March 2011). Over-65s accounted for 84% of the overall

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25,700 ‘excess’ deaths during the winter months.

4.1 million homes in Britain are living in fuel poverty – being forced to spend over 10% of household income to keep a “satisfactory” heating condition. Fresh concerns have also emerged over the rise of energy prices over recent months as EDF, British Gas, npower, Scottish Power, Scottish and Southern Energy and E. ON have all hiked prices- taking the average household energy bill up £161.

Many of our poorest pensioners, families and disabled people, put their health at risk by having to choose between heating their homes or putting food on the table this winter.

The country has been rocked by a sensational disclosure that in an alleged secret memo to Washington President Asif Ali Zardari feared a military coup soon after US commandos killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad May 2.

The prime minster said the resolution stipulated that peace should be given a chance and negotiations should be held with militants to persuade them to join the peace process by renouncing violence. The people of Pakistan were determined to defeat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, he added. Gilani said: “No one should doubt our intentions against terrorism because the Pakistani nation and its economy have suffered the most and are still facing the major brunt of terrorism as a frontline state.”

“How can we collaborate with those who are against our country,” he asked.

Britain to Set Up Special Maths Schools A number of schools specialising in maths would be set up in Britain as the government sees the subject as a “fundamental strategic priority” in education. This is part of the government’s 600-millionpound drive to improve education.

Chancellor George Osborne will announce the plan soon, where many new institutions for students between 16 and 18 and aimed at providing the “highest quality maths teaching in the world” will be set up. The fund will be provided over the next three years, and pupils hoping to study at the new establishments will have to go through a special process devised by the department of education. With the growth in digital technology, maths is regarded to be of increasing importance to the economy and to offer students better job prospects.

BBC Blasted in Protest Against ‘Secret Pakistan’ A large number of British Pakistanis gathered outside the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to condemn the broadcast of ‘Secret Pakistan’ -- a two parts series which alleged that Pakistan is involved in harbouring Taliban militants in Afghanistan and questioned Pakistan’s commitment in the “war against terror”. Pakistan has officially protested the “bias” in the “Secret Pakistan” and hundreds of British Pakistanis have written to the BBC, accusing the public-funded broadcast organisation of being involving in propaganda against Pakistan and ignoring the sacrifices of Pakistanis in the “war against terror”.

Organised by the British Pakistani Youth Council (BPYC), the demonstration was attended by mostly students and youth workers, who alleged the documentary

was biased.

BPYC leader Kamran Ishtiaq said: “The documentary was a clever collection of vague excerpts of the interviews to maliciously portray a hard pressed

country to create a picture whereby it is seen by the viewers of the documentary as the reason behind all the troubles in Afghanistan and the human losses.

Attribution of British soldiers’ casualties in Afghanistan to a country that had itself suffered thousands of lives of its own citizens in the war against terrorism.

British Pakistani taxpayers were appalled that their money was used by the BBC to malign Pakistan and its institutions. Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham wrote to the BBC stating the “Secret Pakistan” has stirred “immense concern and disappointment in the British Pakistani community for what has been perceived by viewers of Pakistani descent as blatant discrimination towards Pakistan and her governing institutions.”

The BBC confirmed last week that it had received more than 100 written complaints but in an astonishing move it disabled its complaints page as hundreds took to the the complaints page to protest the broadcast of the film.

Airport Body Scanners Banned by EU Over Cancer Fears The European Union has banned the controversial airport body scanners over fears the X-ray technology could cause cancer, a media report said. Experts have found the scanners send out low doses of radiation. A research says up to 100 American airline passengers could get cancer every year from the scanners.

In Britain, passengers are required to go through the scanners if asked. Manchester airport, which has 16 machines, has been told it can continue using them for another year. If the passengers selected for scanning refuse to pass through the device, they are banned from flying. At least 10 people have been unable to

board their flights after refusing the scan.

The body scanners were introduced after incidents like an attempted “underwear bombing” plot were revealed in 2009. They were used at London’s Heathrow but discontinued amid complaints about invasion of privacy.

Lord Mayor Of Sheffield Cllr Dr Sylvia Dunkley’s Visit Of Al-Khair Office November 1st, The Lord Mayor of Sheffield Dr Sylvia visited Al-Khair Foundation Office at 4 London Road, Sheffield. She was invited by the Programme Manager of Al-Khair Foundation Sheffield Office Muhammad Amir Qureshi to visit the newly opened branch of AKF just 4 months ago. On her arrival, she was cordially received by the Programme Manager of AKF M Amir Qureshi, Business Coordinator Dr M Nabeel Ashraf and Volunteer Coordinator Aamna Masood. On this occasion, ExLord Mayor of Sheffield Councillor Qurban, Councillor Ibrar Hussain and Councillor Maroof along-with Chairman PMC Mohammad Ali and Shabbir Mughal of Radio Ramadan were also present.

The Programme Manager of AKF gave presentation to The Lord Mayor and distinguished

guests with regards to AKF work. Al-Khair Foundation is a UK registered charity which came into existence in 2003 and within a short span of just eight years it has become one of the top leading Muslim Charity of UK. AKF has its head office based at Croydon and two branch offices at Glasgow and Sheffield besides few international branches worldwide.

Al-Khair Foundation has so far successfully distributed food, medicine, shelter kits and much needed moral support to survivors in difficult and dangerous conditions through its ground team operating in different regions around the world. The Foundation has now in place an effective aid mechanism and routinely engages in relief missions around the world. The Foundation’s role in supporting the victims of the recent Haiti earth-

quake was acknowledged by the United Nations.

In 2009, Al-Khair Foundation acquired IQRA TV, (available on SKY 826) which broadcasts worldwide to an audience of Muslims and Non-Muslims. In a short span of time, IQRA TV has established itself as one of the premier broadcasters of quality Islamic educational programmes.

AKF aim behind opening of branch office at Sheffield is to extend services like food for homeless, ESOL classes, NVQ level 3 classes for Taxi Drivers, Arabic Language classes, etc. to the Sheffield community.

The Lord Mayor in her speech appreciated the foundation work and ensured her utmost cooperation and support to the noble cause of foundation. She also emphasized the need of network of organisations supporting vulnerable people in Sheffield.

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KASHMIR CROWN BAKERY ARRIVES IN SHEFFIELD •

World famous Kashmir Crown Bakery now open in Firvale, Sheffield

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Over 40 years of experience in baking and Asian sweets

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Mohammed Saleem originally started the business in 1969 with just £55 in Kitty

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Nationwide store first time in Sheffield

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Largest Asian food manufacturer in Europe

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Traditional Kashmiri baking methods

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Over 250 varieties of cakes, biscuits, pastries and mithai

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We specialise in Wedding and party cakes

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Deli bar serving sandwiches, Panini’s and savoury snacks

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Well known branded Mouth-watering delicacies

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Wedding and celebration cakes made to order

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Chaat, samosas, gol gappay and ice cream

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KCB products are now available at TESCO

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Now more than 10 retails shops throughout the country

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Already a big hit in its first month in Sheffield

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Women & Islam: The Rise and Rise of the Convert

Kashmir’s Nomads Settling Down

Among the numerous scarred inhabitants of Jammu and Kashmir are the nomadic Gujjars, whose languid rhythm of life and simple traditions are dying a gradual death due to the over two-decade long militancy in the state.

Thousands of Gujjars have for centuries moved to mountainous pastures along with their cattle in summers and returned to the plains in winter before snowfall.

But with insurgency persisting, most of these tribes are forced to stay put in the plains around Jammu and other areas, adversely affecting their culture, lifestyle and habits.

According to official statistics, there are about two million Gujjars in Jammu and Kashmir, of

whom around 500,000 are nomadic. They live on rearing buffaloes, sheep, goats and horses.

Caravans of thousands of Gujjars move to mountainous pastures from plains through eight main routes crossing Shivalik and Pirpanjal ranges. The up and down journey takes 45 days each. But for the past few years, many of these nomadic Gujjars have settled in the plains “due to fear of militants and grilling by security forces”.

Shamas Din is one of the nomadic Gujjars who settled in Vijaypur, about 30 km south of Jammu, along with his clan in 2000. “There were lots of militants on mountains who used to intimidate, scare and harass us.

They used to demand food and take away our cattle and milk.

Then, the security forces trailing the militants would harass us by interrogating us at gunpoint to know about the militants’ whereabouts. And if we revealed their locations, they (militants) would kill us.” He said living in the plains has made Gujjars physically weak too, as they are deprived of the food and air of the mountains.

“We used to have lots of milk and milk products. But now, we sell it all to earn our livelihood and pay for land rent and cattle fodder,” he said.

The community’s culture and traditions are under threat as well.

40 percent of nomadic Gujjars having settled in plains, the entire “tradition of moving may go extinct”. But living at one place has benefited them in one way.

The Gujjars are now making their children study in schools and have started doing jobs - both private and government.

Boris More Influential Than PM Boris Johnson has triumphed over David Cameron to be named the most influential man in Britain. The Mayor of London, who left the Prime Minister lagging behind for the second year running, led the political agenda this year, forcing Mr Cameron to react to his decisions, according to GQ magazine’s 100 Most Influential Men in Britain 2012 list. The men’s magazine said: “When he says jump, the Prime Minister tries to guess how high.”

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The mayor moved up from 15th position last year and now ranks above entrepreneur Sir Philip Green and the Duke of Cambridge. Placing Mr Johnson top

of the list, the judges said: “When Boris comes back from holiday, as he did during the London riots, David Cameron comes back.

When Boris says he’s wearing a morning suit to the royal wedding, Cameron performs an embarrassing sartorial Uturn.” Crucial to the decision to rank him first was the possibility that he could run for the Commons while serving in City Hall, the listing said.

Last year, Mr Cameron was knocked off top spot by his Chancellor, George Osborne, who ranks eighth in this year’s list.

Three-quarters of Britons who become Muslims are female.

Now a major new study has shed light on the difficulties they face in adjusting to their new life.

Record numbers of young, white British women are converting to Islam, yet many are reporting a lack of help as they get used to their new religion, according to several surveys. It emerged that of the 5,200 Britons who converted to Islam last year, more than half are white and 75 per cent of them women. In the past 10 years some 100,000 British people have converted to Islam, of whom some three-quarters are women, according to the latest statistics. This is a significant increase on the 60,000 Britons in the previous decade, according to researchers based at Swansea University.

While the number of UK converts accelerates, many of the British women who adopt Islam say they have a daily struggle to assimilate their new beliefs within a wider culture that both implicitly and explicitly positions them as outsiders, regardless of their Western upbringing.

More than three-quarters told researchers they had experienced high levels of confusion after conversion, due to the conflicting ways Islam was presented to them. While other major religions have established programmes for guiding new believers through the rigours of their faith, Islam still lacks any such network, especially outside the Muslim hubs of major cities.

Many mosques still bar women from worship or provide scant

resources for their needs, forcing them to rely on competing cultural and ideological interpretations within books or the internet for religious support.

A recent study of converts in Leicester, for example, found that 93 per cent of mosques in the region recognised they lacked services for new Muslims, yet only 7 per cent said they were making efforts to address the shortfall.

Many of the young women – the average age of conversion is 27 – are also coming to terms with experiences of discrimination for the first time, despite the only visible difference being a headscarf. Yet few find easy sanctuary within the established Muslim population, with the majority forming their closest bonds with fellow converts rather than born Muslims.

White Muslim converts are caught between two increasingly distant camps. Their best relationships remain with other converts, because of their shared experiences, while there is very little difference between the quality of their relationship with other Muslims or non-Muslims.

Research also found converts came in two types: some are converts of convenience, who adopt the religion because of a life situation such as meeting a Muslim man, although the religion has little discernible impact on their day-to-day lives. For others it is a conversion of conviction where they feel a calling and embrace the religion robustly. That’s not to say the two are mutually exclusive – sometimes converts

start out on their religious path through convenience and become converts of conviction later on.

Another finding revealed by the Leicester study was that despite Western portraits of Islam casting it as oppressive to women, a quarter of female converts were attracted to the religion precisely because of the status it affords them.

Some analysts have argued that dizzying social and cultural upheavals in Britain over the past decades have meant that far from adopting an alien way of life, some female Muslim converts are re-embracing certain aspects of mid-20th-century Britain, such as rigid gender demarcation, rather than feeling expected to juggle career and family.

The first established Muslim communities started in Britain in the 1860s, when Yemani sailors and Somali labourers settled around the ports of London, Cardiff, Liverpool and Hull. Many married local women who converted to Islam, often suffering widespread discrimination as a result.

They also acted as a bridge between the two cultures, encouraging understanding among indigenous dwellers and helping to integrate the Muslim community they had joined. Today, there is growing recognition among community leaders that the latest generation of female converts has an equally vital role to play in fostering dialogue between an increasingly secular British majority and a minority religion, as misunderstood as it is vilified.

GPs Prescribe £15M Painkillers DOCTORS in South Yorkshire prescribed more than £15 million worth of painkillers last year - with all four health trusts spending far above the £8.80 national average per person. Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster primary care trusts each spent more than £10 per resident in prescribing painkillers. Spending in Barnsley and Doncaster was among the highest in the country - at more than £13 for

each member of the population.

In parts of southern England the spend was just £3.26 per head.

Between January and June, the NHS nationally spent more than £3,000 on prescriptions for cold and flu remedies and more than £59,000 on prescribing over-thecounter painkillers - although there is no data to show whether any of the money was spent by South Yorkshire health trusts.

Head of medicines management

at Sheffield PCT, said the study did not take into account factors such as age and deprivation. A Barnsley PCT spokesman said: “Last year we undertook an indepth review of over-the-counter medicine prescriptions and found Barnsley GPs do not routinely prescribe branded medications.

A Department of Health spokesman said: “It is important those living with pain should be able to obtain adequate relief.”

Relieve the Stress With a Short Break Grant upto £400 Families with disabled children have until 31 December to apply for a grant of up to £400 to enable them – and their children – to take a break. This could mean anything from help with funding a family holiday to paying for support to help your child enjoy an activity of their choice. The aim is to allow parents a break from their caring responsibilities while giving their children something fun and fulfilling to do. Sheffield City Council ran its short break grant scheme for the first time last year, after receiving funding from central Government. It proved such a success that the

Council is repeating it this year.

The grant can be used for a holiday or anything which parents or carers feel would benefit their whole family. So some parents have used it to pay for gym membership, or to help their child access an after-school activity while they take a break, or to do an activity as a family. It’s your call to decide what will help you the most, and you can get up to £400 to do it.

The scheme is aimed at parents or carers living in the Sheffield City Council area, who have a disabled child aged from 0 to 19.

To be eligible the child should re-

ceive high rate Disability Living Allowance, or you should have already received a Short Break Grant or another form of assessed short break from the Council.

Families who fall outside these areas may still be able to receive a grant but will have to provide additional information, with the help of a health professional such as a health visitor.

For further information, please contact the SIGN information service on 0114 266 9476 or email sign@sheffinfolink.org. uk. Further information is on our website at www.sheffield.gov.uk/ shortbreakgrants.

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Make Money And Set Up A Business On Ebay By: Amar Saleem Business Development Manager Sheffield Chamber of Commerce Email: amar.saleem@scci.org.uk Make Money and set up a Business on Ebay It’s pretty simple to become an eBay trader; in fact, there’s probably no simpler start-up opportunity around. All you need to do is set up an eBay account, upload some images of your product and a brief description, and you’re away. You can trade with people from all around the world, and handle orders of all sizes – from a one-off transaction to batches containing hundreds of units.

However, while it's easy to begin trading, making it a success is not so simple. As with any start-up, this will require much hard work, research and planning. Much of your success comes down to choosing the right products, so before you begin it's worth spending time researching the competition – look at what’s already being sold and try to find a niche or a point of difference.

How much does it cost?

There’s no cost to register, and the amount it costs to display your product will depend on the size and value of your item. It usually costs between 10p and £1.30 to list an item for auction on eBay (most fixed price listings cost 40p), and for most items eBay now takes a fixed fee of 10% of the final selling price (regardless of how much the item sells for).

This does vary across different product categories though – for example, for consumer electronics the fee is just 3%, while for clothing, shoes and accessories eBay takes 12%.

Once you’ve created a business account you can also choose to set up an online shop by paying a monthly subscription fee. This ranges from £14.99 a month for a basic shop package to £349.99 for the most advanced features.

How much can I earn?

The market’s huge at the moment, basically because people are running out of money and looking to make money, and Christmas is on the horizon.

You may be able to make between £12,000 and £50,000 in a year. If you’ve got hundreds of a particular item, you’re only paying to put it up once – if you’ve got 50 second-hand computers for sale, with the same spec, you can put them all up in one go.

However, it’s important to think about the people who use eBay, and what they’ll buy. Some types of product, such as antiques, tend not to sell well – as prospective buyers like to see an antique before they buy, and the demographic isn’t really represented on eBay. What sort of skills and personality do I need?

A selling background can be useful, but it’s not a pre-requisite.

However, good people and communication skills are a must if you want to make a success of an eBay venture.

It can be helpful to have an IT and publishing background, and the ability to write enticing specs.

I try and make the description humorous, and try to put a bit of history behind the item – make it more colourful for a prospective buyer.

Top tips for success • Stay at it – persistence is crucial. Start small and grow the business slowly – don’t invest huge amounts in stock until you’ve learned what sells.

• Continue to look for new customers, and tweak your specs and images if necessary.

• Respond to buyers quickly – remember that receiving positive feedback on the site is crucial to winning new business, as this will set you apart as a reliable seller. Exceptional customer service is key.

• Remember to register as selfemployed with HMRC – even if you are employed elsewhere and running the business as a parttime venture initially.

‘UK Guilty of Double Standards’

The UK will abstain in a United Nations (UN) vote on Palestinian statehood. Simon Danczuk, chair of Labour Friends of Palestine, said the decision made the ‘UK look guilty of double standards’. Foreign Secretary William Hague told the Commons a UN vote could be held soon, but Britain would refuse to support the Palestinians’ bid. “In common with France, and in consultation with our European partners, the United Kingdom will abstain on

any vote on full Palestinian membership of the UN.” ”The UK judges that the Palestinian Authority largely fulfils criteria for UN membership, including statehood, as far as the reality of the situation of the occupied Palestinian territories allows. ”But its ability to function effectively as a state would be impeded by that situation. ”A negotiated end to the occupation is the best way to allow Palestinian aspirations to be met in reality

and on the ground.” Hague added: “The UK will continue to be one of the principle supporters of Palestinian state-building efforts, assisting them to tackle poverty, build institutions and boost their economy.”

Commenting on the announcement Rochdale’s MP, Simon Danczuk, chair of Labour Friends of Palestine, said: “This announcement makes the UK look guilty of double standards when we have a Prime Minister praising the Arab Spring, saying ‘we are on your side’ and supporting the right to self-determination in the Middle East then denying the same right to Palestinians. David Cameron cannot travel round the world saying he is a friend of democracy while leaving Palestinians in their refugee camps and blocking their statehood bid. This is the worst kind of hypocrisy.”

Top Judge Backs Minorities Push For Judicial Jobs A senior judge is backing a controversial new law as a means of increasing the number of women and ethnic minorities at the top of the judiciary. Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury said he has “no difficulty” with female or ethnic minority candidates being favoured over white men when the two applicants are otherwise equal. But he said it would be “unfair” not to pick men if they were the better candidates.

In an interview with The Times, the Master of the Rolls said: “The proportion of women and ethnic minorities among the senior judiciary is worryingly small. It is clear that we are moving in the right direction, but very slowly.”

The judge said applying section 159 of the Equality Act to the judiciary would help the situation.

The section, which took effect in

April, allows “positive” action in relation to recruitment and promotion in England, Wales and Scotland. The provision does not permit positive discrimination, such as quotas, which continues to be illegal.

Lord Neuberger, who is the second most senior judge in England and Wales, told the newspaper: “If you’ve got two equal candidates, you go for women and ethnic minorities - I have no difficulty with (that).” But he cautioned against going further than section 159, saying he considered it “patronising” to give people the job if they were not the best candidate.

Lord Neuberger said judges were split over the issue. He said a number of women judges oppose it because of “the feeling that ‘I only got the job because they wanted a woman”, but said many more are in favour of it.

Hajj Pilgrimage Streamed Live By YouTube This year’s Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca was being streamed live for the first time following a tie up between Google’s digital video platform YouTube and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture and Information. Millions of people from around the world were able to experience and comment on

the event by tuning in via video.

The world’s largest pilgrimage, which began on 4th November, saw over two million Muslims leave for Mount Arafat where the prophet Mohammed preached his final hajj sermon.

Saudi Arabia is the guardian of both Mecca and Medina, the two

holiest Muslim shrines. Over 1.83 million pilgrims travelled to the Kingdom from abroad; a 1.5% increase on 2010, said Prince Khaled al-Faisal, governor of Mecca. In addition, several hundred thousand Saudis and foreign residents had also been permitted to join them, he said.

Muslims Against Crusades Group Banned Correspondents

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Muslims Against Crusades is banned from operating in the UK has been announced by the Home Secretary. Theresa May said she was satisfied the group was “simply another name for an organisation already proscribed under a number of names” including

a dozen protesters forced their way into a north London mosque where Mr Freer was meeting constituents, prompting officials to lock him in a private room for his own safety.

In a chilling message ahead of the incident on the group’s web-

Al Ghurabaa, The Saved Sect, Al Muhajiroun and Islam4UK. ”The organisation was proscribed in 2006 for glorifying terrorism and we are clear it should not be able to continue these activities by simply changing its name,” she said.

Tory MP Mike Freer called for the Home Secretary to take action against the extremist group after being threatened by them at a constituency surgery. Up to

site, they referred to Labour MP Stephen Timms - who was stabbed while holding a surgery in east London last year - warning the attack on him should serve as a “piercing reminder” to politicians that “their presence is no longer welcome in any Muslim area”. The message also stated that “as a member of the Conservative Party”, Mr Freer “has the blood of thousands of Muslims on his hands”.

Wanted

Don’t repress your flair to right...send it to the press.

We need you to come forward and write for yourself, for the community and for humanity. Any news, columns, features, poetry or stories in English and Urdu will be considered for publication.

We want your opinions, so come forward and tell us what is on your mind. Correspondents needed from all over South Yorkshire, Bradford, Manchester and Leeds.

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Zulfiqar Mirza given Valor Award in UK Member House of Lords Lord Nazir Ahmed gave former Sindh Home Minister ‘Valor Award’ for his bold stance against MQM during a ceremony organized by him in eastern London. Lord Nazir Ahmed challenged MQM chief Altaf Hussain to hold debate with him over Karachi situation. Harshly criticizing the MQM, Ahmed said that he rated MQM as worse than India and Israel, saying that MQM could not silenced them through intimidation.

Addressing the ceremony

Zulfiqar Mirza said that he started his struggle against oppression and injustice after being inspired by Kashmiris’ struggle.

He said that like the people of Kashmir, people in the largest city of Pakistan, Karachi, are also victim of oppression and violence. He said that lives of people were not safe both in Karachi and Srinagar, saying that Indian intelligence agency RAW was responsible for deteriorating situation of both the cities.

Pakistan Views Talks with India as Positive

Pakistan welcomes India’s readiness for a broad-ranging engagement and has agreed to finalise a calendar of meetings at various levels. Both sides also agreed to convene technical working groups prior to the meeting of the Pakistan-India Joint Commission, a foreign office statement quoted Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar as saying. She said Pakistan has positively evaluated the talks between Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh

at the two-day SAARC summit last month.

Pakistan wants a “negotiated settlement of all issues with neighbour India”, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said.

“We believe in friendly relations with all the neighbouring countries in the region. We want negotiated settlement of all issues with our neighbour India.

Once peace is established in the region, South Asia will be able to get rid of poverty, diseases, injustice and ignorance.” . India and Pakistan talked about writing “a new chapter” in their ties, with Islamabad assuring New Delhi that the terrorists behind the Mumbai carnage would be brought to justice soon. The two sides agreed to push a host of initiatives, including the revival of the joint commission, a preferential trade agreement and liberal visa regime.

Town centre shoppers and workers are being “stung with massive hikes in car parking charges”, according to new figures. Local council income from parking services raises 1.35 billion pounds each year, figures suggest. Town centre shoppers and workers are being “stung with massive hikes in car parking charges”, according to new figures.

Each year, local council income from parking services raises £1.35 billion, statistics obtained by the Co-operative Motor Group under a freedom of information request showed.

The group said that excluding penalty charge notice income,

English local authorities raised an extra £184 million for parking charges in the years 2008 to 2010 compared with the sum raised in 2007. Including car parking penalty charge notice income the figure rises to £277 million, the group added.

Local government minister Bob Neill said: “These figures expose rises in parking fees under the Labour government, and are a direct consequence of Labour ministers actively pressuring councils to hike parking charges. This Government has scrapped Labour’s Whitehall rules instructing councils to rip off the motorist. There is now no excuse for further rises.”

‘Massive hikes’ in Parking Charges

Pakistan: A Key to Achieving US’s Foreign Policy Objectives US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton in her policy article in the November issue of Foreign Policy magazine said: “As the war in Iraq winds down and America begins to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan, the United States stands at a pivot point... In the next 10 years, we need to be smart and systematic about where we invest time and energy... One of the most important tasks of American statecraft over the next decade will therefore be to lock in a substantially increased investment -- diplomatic, economic, strategic, and otherwise -- in the Asia-Pacific region.” She further challenged China with statements such as “The time has come for the United States to make similar investments as a Pacific power.”

This shift in focus from Afghanistan and Iraq towards China was clearly observed by every political analyst and Statesman across the globe.

It’s quite obvious that after physically clogging China’s western trade routes and energy corridors through huge military presence in Afghanistan, the US now prepares to bolster her presence around East and South of China. In this regard India and Japan, China’s traditional enemies, can play a crucial rule. America already has built a ring of military bases around China in the Pacific region

Pakistan to Improve Journalism Standard

Pakistan’s press council has decided to take steps to improve ethical standards of journalism in the country. A meeting of the Press Council of Pakistan was informed that its Ordinance and Ethical Code of Practice would be sent to all newspapers and press clubs to sensitise journalists and the people on ethical journalism. The council members lauded the government for reviving the institution after a lapse of eight years.

Does your business need a helping hand? Get your business noticed by advertising with ILM. If you want to boost your business, gain popularity, get your message across to people throughout the region then advertise in the most read and widespread local bilingual Urdu and English newspaper in the area. Ideal opportunity to capture business clients and spread your word across the Urdu and English speaking community.

To advertise call 07894010808 / 07855514705 www.ilmnews.com / email info@ilmnews.com

with at least seven known military bases in South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Guam, and now Australia. Now the US wants to further intimidate China by bolstering its neighbors.

Obama had an important meeting with Indian Premier Manmohan Singh in Indonesia on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit and Hillary Clinton made an unexpected visit to Myanmar who has a long border with China compared to its size.

The US sees Pak-India ties through the same prism of containing China. There has been an unusual push towards Pak-India normalization right after Hillary’s visit to Pakistan in October this year. The Pakistani government out of nowhere granted India MFN (Most Favored Nation) status, something India has been demanding for years. This has been a major initiative from Pakistan given that Pakistan had been blaming Indian involvement in FATA and Baluchistan.

Pakistan used this claim to motivate Pakistani soldiers to carry out brutal military operations in FATA, which displaced millions and killed thousands of Muslims.

Furthermore, Pakistan has completely decoupled the Kashmir issue from Indo-Pak trade - an old Indian demand which Pakistan has been denying until now. Just

in the span of few days, Indian wrestlers visited Pakistan and a Pakistani Kabadi team went to India. A Pak-India cricket series is also on the cards for early next year. All these styles of public diplomacy are geared towards normalizing the relationship between the two countries.

The question is how does PakIndia relationships impact America’s Asia-Pacific strategic objectives? For China the biggest competitor in the Eurasian land mass is India with whom she has fought a war and currently shares the longest disputed border in the world. The US wants to build India as an economic and military counterweight to China. With a hostile Pakistan, India cannot even think of threatening China.

The US also knows that Kashmir issue cannot be resolved justly hence she wants to bury it and normalize relationship so that Pakistan and India could work as a block to counter China. Hence, it is of utmost importance that India normalizes relationships with Pakistan allowing her to pull out troops from Kashmir and solely focus on China. The US has already forced Pakistan and the ISI to stop its operations within India granting India much needed political stability. At the same time the US is building India economically and militarily. Granting India civil

nuclear capability and opening up US markets for Indian goods are few such examples. Moreover, the US is propping up India to assume a regional rule all the way to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

This is why the US allowed India to gain foothold in Afghanistan by building a chain of consulates along Pak-Afghan border. The US is also arm twisting Pakistan to grant Indian goods land access to Central Asia. Hence, Pakistan is a key to achieving a stronger and more China-centric India, a major US objective in achieving dominance in the Pacific region. The agents in the military and political leadership of Pakistan are playing completely according to the US strategic script instead of working to secure interests of Muslims of Pakistan and Kashmir.

Hence Pakistan has become a major pawn in the hands of the US through which the US plans to gain stability in Afghanistan to influence Central Asia as well as strengthening India to counter China. But unfortunately the current leadership doesn’t see the strategic strength of Pakistan and perpetually fans out disinformation that Pakistan is too weak to defend itself. They claim that Pakistan has no option but to be a lackey of the US. By: Naveed Butt

Deputy Leader: Cllr Jahangir Akhtar Deputy Leader of Rotherham Borough Council, Cllr Jahangir Akhtar gave ILM news an exclusive insight into his working life as a councillor. From leaving school at 16 and going to work in the steel industry, he progressed in to politics after fighting hard for employee rights during a 16 weeks strike. Politics is where he is comfortable now and he is highly committed to working for his community.

The proud father of 5 and grandfather of 3 came from humble beginnings. he arrived in Britain at the age of 9 only to experience an alien culture.

His earliest memory is of arriving in the country and seeing all the different faces and wondering where they had landed. After leaving school at 16 his parents supported him and he became a successful businessman with a newsagent, restaurant, taxi business and supermarket.

His children were young at the time but he vowed to work hard for their future, at the same time realising the problems faced by youngsters growing up in Rotherham.

He believes in social justice which he attributes to his upbringing in a Pakistani household, where he says, “we took care of ourselves and others”.

This he says is the greatest ethos of the labour party which is why he eventually joined in 1990.

Rotherham borough council has a majority of 54 out of 63 of labour seats, the highest majority in

the UK. Akhtar felt he wanted to make a difference in his community where 95% of his constituency are white.

When making decisions at the city level, he says “I am making sure I know the will of the electorate to move the city forward.”

After all he is responsible for a budget of £700 million being the council finance manager as well as his role of deputy leader.

His close friend and inspiration is Lord Ahmed, who he claims pushed him into politics.

Lord Ahmed showed him that working for the community involved, honour, integrity and honesty.

When Ahmed became a lord, Akhtar almost picked up where he left off, taking these defining elements forward in his commitment to the community.

Councillor Jahangir is highly respected in the cities of Rotherham and Sheffield but more so by the Asian community as being a great role model. He is grateful to have achieved so much in life, is proud to represent the people of Rotherham and vows to do his best to carry out his duties.

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We Need A Jobs Plan!

Paul Blomfield MP: The Government is failing this generation.

We need a jobs plan. The MP for Sheffield Central, has called on the Government to urgently put in place a jobs plan in order to tackle rising overall unemployment, and particularly rising youth unemployment. Unemployment figures reveal 1 million young people are now out of work. In Sheffield Central constituency the unemployment rate now stands at 8.1%, an increase of 20.4% in the last 12 months.

Paul Blomfield MP said “1 million unemployed young people is a tragedy for those young people out of work, their families and society. The Government is failing this generation.

Unemployment in my constituency is up 20% in the last year so we need a jobs plan and we need it fast. My big fear is that without urgent action we’ll have a lost generation even worse than we saw in Sheffield in the 1980s.

“The Government must change their economic course. By cutting too far and too fast they’ve choked our economic recovery, but there is a better way. A £2 billion tax on bank bonuses would fund 100,000 jobs for young people. The Government should also bring forward new investment projects in transport and school building which would create new construction and engineering jobs. “There should be more focus on youth apprenticeships to train the next generation of skilled workers. While there

has been a 900% increase in apprenticeships for the over 60’s, long-term youth unemployment has risen by 83% since January.

It demonstrates how Government policies are failing to tackle youth unemployment.”

Following this, Deputy Prime Minister and Sheffield Hallam MP Nick Clegg has announced a £1bn plan to get every unemployed young person into work, education or training. Youth unemployment has been rising across the country since 2004 and

hit one million for the first time this month. The Youth Contract could benefit nearly 6,000 16-24 year olds in Sheffield who claim Jobseekers Allowance.

Starting next April, the Youth Contract will provide at least 410,000 new work places for 18 to 24 year olds into work over the next three years. This includes 160,000 wage subsidies, which will help to provide long-term jobs for those claiming Job Seekers Allowance for more than nine months. In addition, there will be at least 20,000 more incentive payments to encourage employ-

ers to take on young apprentices in England and 250,000 new work experience placements.

A new programme to will also help 16 and 17 year olds who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs) to get back to school or college, onto an apprenticeship or into a job with training.

Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Sheffield City Council, said: “I’m delighted that this new action, secured by Liberal Democrats in Government, will place thousands of local young people in to work. Youth unemployment has been a problem even in the relatively prosperous times - it’s right that we prioritise tackling the problem so we can give young people hope. “Make no mistake, this would not have happened without a Lib Dem influence in Government. I’m proud that our party is making a real difference and helping to improve the life chances of young people.”

Commenting further, Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg said: “Youth unemployment is an economic waste and a slow-burn social disaster. “We can’t lose the skills and talent of our young people – right when we need them most. We can’t afford to leave our young men and women on the scrap heap. We need the next generation to help us build a new economy.

Ending Sheffield’s Pothole City Tag on Sheffield City CounSheffield City Council cil, said: “I’m sure lohave announced that they cal residents will be intend to delay the start disappointed to have of a £1.21 Billion Highto wait a couple of exways PFI project, which tra months. However, is funded by the Coalition we have already been Government. The start waiting decades to sort date for work to repair out the roads and paveSheffield’s crumbling ments which have been roads and pavements has allowed to crumble by been moved back from the contract. previous Labour CounApril 2012 to potentially June 2012, due to extra negotia- Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed, Leader cils. I just hope that this doesn’t tions with companies bidding for of the Liberal Democrat Group turn into a more lengthily delay.

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Campaign to Reduce Burglaries During the Winter Months A citywide campaign has been launched aimed at giving crime prevention advice to residents and homeowners to help them beat the burglar during the winter months. It’s that time of year, when the clocks have gone back and the evenings get dark earlier, South Yorkshire Police (SYP) are encouraging people to think about home security and to be on their guard against burglars.

The majority of burglaries in Sheffield have been sneak-in burglaries, when opportunist thieves have entered unsecured homes. Also leaving valuable items in clear view near doors or windows can temp a thief to force entry to your home. Burglars will take any valuables they can see, such as, mobile phones, jewellery, purses, handbags and laptops.

During the next few weeks, in

the run up to the festive season, people may see an increased police presence in key locations where burglaries have been committed, in an effort to raise awareness. Officers and PCSOs will endeavour to visit every homeowner or resident, who have been unfortunate to become a victim of burglary, they will offer reassurance and crime prevention advice to avoid them becoming a repeat victim. In addition, officers and crime reduction advisors will utilise the mobile police bus in various locations across the city, to give out home security advice and handy tips on how to deter offenders.

South Yorkshire Police have the lowest level of domestic burglaries for 29 years. To help us to maintain this level, the public can reduce their chance

of becoming a victim of house burglary by taking a few precautions, SYP have provided the following useful hints and tips: - Always make sure your house is well lit and secure;Use timer switches for lights and radios;- Consider buying a burglary alarm;- Always lock back gates;- Never leave keys hidden outside;- Keep doors and windows locked whenever possible, and fit good quality locks to them;- Secure garages, sheds and outbuildings as well as your home;- Don’t leave valuables in view, store keys in a safe place away from doors and windows;Tell someone you trust if you are going on holiday or leaving your house empty Phone 999 if a life is at risk or a crime is in progress.

University of Sheffield Named University of the Year The University of Sheffield has been named University of the Year in the 2011 Times Higher Education Awards. Beating off competition from five other shortlisted universities, the University was rewarded for its many imaginative and innovative initiatives as well as exceptional performance in research, teaching, access and business performance. Judges said the University had “stood out as a result of a strategy based on its values and rooted in its founding principles” and praised the institution´s “determination and grit” in focusing on its lo-

cal community. Nick Clegg commented: “This award is thoroughly well deserved. I’ve seen first hand the cutting edge research Sheffield University is doing in a wide range of fields,

from advanced manufacturing to translational neuroscience and everything in between. ”Everyone in Sheffield should be proud of the great work done by the staff and students.”

UK’s Debts ‘Biggest in the World’ The UK had by 2008 become the most indebted of all the big, rich economies, more indebted even than debt-engulfed Japan, BBC reported. It has now become widely recognised that perhaps the greatest economic policy failure in the UK, US and eurozone during the 16 boom years before the crash of 2008 was

the explosion of borrowing by banks, households, businesses and governments - or, to use the jargon, the unprecedented and massive leveraging up of entire economies.

By the end of March this year, the sum of household debts, company debts, government debts and bank debts - had risen

to 492% of GDP, or almost five times the value of everything we produce in a single year. That compares with 481% at the end of 2008. So the UK’s total indebtedness has increased, and is still the biggest relative to GDP of any of the big economies.

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