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BRITISH ASIAN NEWSPAPER M/A 2013
Choking. Chest pain. Blacking out. Blood loss. For symptoms of serious illnesses, and major accidents, choose A&E or 999. Choosing well ensures you get the treatment you need in the shortest possible time, and reduces the pressure on essential NHS services.
Choose well. Choose Well Passenger panels.indd 1
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Our Spices are Ground in the UK for Purity & Freshness‌ *
Our buyers go to extraordinary lengths, searching the world’s continents for the finest spices, testing for purity, taste and quality at source. Once in the UK our spices are tested again before being re-cleaned and ground in our own spice mill; creating the spices of exceptional quality, purity, aroma and flavour that our customers adore. *All East End spices are ground in the UK with the exception of chilli, turmeric & paprika.
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18/01/2013 14:11
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News , Sports & Features
Scientists Confirm Existence of God Particle... by Kamran sadiq
In what could go down as a great moment in physics, and perhaps win a Nobel Prize, scientists have said that after a half-century quest, they are confident that they have finally found a Higgs boson, the elusive subatomic speck sometimes called the “God particle.” The existence of the particle was theorized in 1964 by the British physicist Peter Higgs to explain why matter has mass. Scientists believe the particle acts like snow: When other tiny particles pass through it, they stick together, slow down and form atoms. Scientists at CERN, the Geneva-based European Organization for Nuclear Research, announced in July that they had found something that looked like the Higgs boson, but they weren’t certain and needed to go through the data and rule out the possibility it wasn’t something else. On Thursday however they revealed that they believe to have been right. “To me it is clear that we are dealing with a Higgs boson, though we still have a long way to go to know what kind of Higgs boson it is,” said Joe Incandela, a physicist who heads one of the two main teams at CERN, each team containing around 3,000 scientists. Whether or not it was a Higgs boson had to be demonstrated by how it interacts with other particles and its quantum properties, subsequently the data “strongly indicates
that it is a Higgs boson,” said a spokesperson from CERN. The discovery explains what once seemed unexplainable, and whilst still is a bit hard for the average person to comprehend, it means the key theory that scientists use to explain how everything works and how existence came about - for now, at leasthas to be re-examined and looked at with fresh knowledge. Its discovery could be a strong contender for the Nobel, though it is uncertain whether the prize would go to the 83-yearold Peter Higgs and the others who first proposed the theory, or to the thousands of scientists who found it, or to all of them. Finding it wasn’t easy. It took more than two decades, thousands of scientists and mountains of data from trillions of colliding protons. On top of which it needed the world’s biggest atom smasher. CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, which cost $10 billion to build and run in a 17-mile (27-kilometer) tunnel beneath the SwissFrench border. Its purpose has been to produce the extreme surge of energies simulating those 1 trillionth to 2 trillionths of a second after the Big Bang.
The Higgs boson is so elusive that only about one collision per trillion will produce one of them in the collider. CERN said it is an open question whether this is the Higgs boson that was expected in the original formulation, or the lightest of several, predicted in some theories that go beyond that model. “We found a new particle and we want to know how it behaves, and maybe it behaves the way it was predicted in 1964, maybe it’s a little bit different,” said physicist Sean
Carroll of the California Institute of Technology, who isn’t involved in the research. Finding a Higgs more or less as expected is actually a bit deflating, Carroll said, because physicists had also hoped that an unexpected type of Higgs might open windows into yet more mysteries of the universe. “Scientists always want to be wrong in their theories. They always want to be surprised,” he said. “It’s a bittersweet victory
when your theory turns out to be right, because it means, on the one hand, you’re right, that’s nice, but on the other hand, you haven’t learned anything new that’s surprising.” Some of the remaining mysteries including why gravity is so weak and what is the dark matter that is believed to make up a large part of the total mass in the universe, said Patty McBride, who heads a center at the Fermilab in Chicago.
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How to keep Walsall Man track of your Charged with Schoolgirl Murder Credit Score
Christina Edkins died while travelling on the Number 9 bus unit. He is to be bought back to court on May 31, 2013. Before being charged, Mr Simelan was sectioned under the Mental Health Act. An inquest in to A man from Walsall Christina’s death, has been charged with opened on Thursday the murder of a Bir14 March, showed mingham schoolgirl. Christina Edkins was that the Leasowes High School pupil stabbed to death as died from a single stab she made her way to school on the number wound to her chest. In a statement, read by 9 bus along Hagley West Midlands Police, Road, Edgbaston. Christina’s parents, Phillip Simelan, 22, from Walsall appeared Kathleen and Jason at Birmingham Crown Edkins said her death has left them “heatbroCourt and was remanded in custody to ken.” They described a secure mental health her as ~bubbly, beau-
tiful and intelligent.” We are heartbroken by the loss of our beautiful princess, Christina, and it’s hard to find words to describe the pain we’re all feeling. Her family and friends will remember her as an amazing individual with her whole life ahead of her. A life that was tragically cut short on that Thursday morning. Our lives will never be the same again.” Tributes have been left outside the school as teachers and pupils come to terms with the shocking incident, with the school providing counsellors for both students and staff.
es, incumbent debt, and a host of other different variables even how many times your credit has been checked by other outside sources. It then tallies up the results and values them to create a score ranging from 300-800 points. This means that different factors are then rated according to how much they impact you claim. For instance someone’s debt history may be clean, with all payments up to date and they may even have just opened a new credit account, however if the outstanding debt on their mortgage is too high or they are a young person who is buying their first car on finance, the score will still mark them down and they may face higher interest rates and could even be rejected all together. So the big question lies in what can be done to improve this score? Whilst there is no guarantee that you will suddenly become eligible for a business loan or a mortgage for a man-
prayers to check its appropriateness.” Wasif Sheikh of Muslim Voices on Campus said, “We feel we are being unjustly targeted. All of our sermons are open; we welcome all students and all staff. But when you start submitting your sermons to be monitored and scrutinised then there’s a chance for it to be dictated what’s allowed and what’s not allowed. We, as students, don’t accept that.” However, this is not the first time issues have been raised at City University London. Three years ago the Quilliam Foundation, a think tank for counter-extremism found “hardline views and a confrontational
sion, there are some steps that you can take to be cautious with your credit and keep yourself on the better end of the scoring scale. Things such as paying your bills on time, making sure you stay at around 50% of the limit provided by your credit card, and even keeping old credit accounts that you are glad to see the back of and never want to use again, can all be useful for increasing your credit score and helping to keep the debts at bay. Also being fastidious and smart with who you allow to view report will also help, as whenever an outside company has to do a credit check, it impacts your account negatively and can see your score drop regardless of how clean your history may be.All in all however the biggest part of managing your score comes to sensible decisions and how willing you are to potentially pay later for the luxuries you want now.
by kamran sadiq
by hifzha shaheen
University Closes Muslim Prayer Room A London university has been accused of discrimination after its decision to lock the prayer room, used by Muslims for Friday prayers. A group, formed on the campus and calling themselves Muslim Voices on Campus, has called on City University London to reverse its decision. However, City University have refused to do so saying that “the students had refused to submit the proposed content of sermons to the university before
With people being more conservative than ever before with money, and more people now than ever finding themselves in need of financial help, credit plays a bigger role in the lives of everyday people than most of us would care to think about. It affects the loans you can qualify for, the mortgage rates available to you and even your insurance premiums. All of these applications and financers are then measured against what is known as your ‘Credit Score’ and the decision taken is then based on that score to judge whether or not you qualify for a loan.So what is your credit score?’ Well, whilst the exact science behind the score is a financial secret, what it’s composed of is not. Essentially a person’s credit score works as a rating for different insurance and finance companies to examine and then rate a person’s credit history. This means keeping track of bank account status-
atmosphere were being encouraged.” In regards to this new situation the Foundation stated, “If there was no past history at the university, I think what the students are saying would sound extremely reasonable. Both sides need to compromise here and negotiate with some difficult conversations.” A statement by the university said, “it needed to be sure of the appropriateness of what was being discussed in sermons as authorised events.” It went on to say, “The University could not continue to condone an activity taking place on its premises where it can-
not exercise reasonable supervision.” City University London has also given the students a number of alternative places they could pray.
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Local Insider Six taken Into custody following EDL Rally in Birmingham SIX men have been charged with violent disorder in connection with violence that flared at last year’s English Defence League (EDL) demonstration in Walsall.Officers and detectives swooped on homes across Birmingham and the Black Country yesterday (Tuesday) waking people suspected of involvement in the disorder that broke out when the EDL staged a demonstration in Walsall town centre on Saturday 29 September 2012. Eight people were arrested when officers made early morning calls on homes in Tipton, West Bromwich, Brownhills and Acocks Green. Of those detained, six men were later charged with the offence of violent disorder and will appear at Walsall Magistrates Court on 19 April. Two further men aged 24 and 39 and from Sandwell, were released on po-
lice bail, pending further enquiries. Following the operation, detectives released images of ten men also suspected of involvement in the violence on Leicester Street.As a result of the appeal, a man has contacted police and is due to attend a local station later for questioning.Detective Inspector Pete Dunn is leading the police investigation into the disorder that followed the protest. He said: “The majority of the people attending these demonstrations were law-abiding, however small numbers of people decided to get involved in a few ugly scenes when people began to try and break through police lines and were throwing missiles.“Since September we have been working to identify others who were involved in the disorder and now we have been able to make further arrests, whilst appealing for
information to identify other people we suspect were involved. “As a result of this operation, a further six men will be passing through the courts in coming weeks to faces violent disorder charges.”Chief Superintendent Dave Sturman, commander for Walsall and in charge of the operation on the day, added: “The message to people intent on bringing violence to the streets of the West Midlands when attending such events is clear - we will not tolerate disorder or any form of anti social behaviour.“If you commit such crimes we will track you down and ultimately you will be brought before the courts.” Despite violence breaking out at the EDL demonstration, only a small number of protesters and police officers sustained minor cuts and bruises. No serious injuries were reported.
Of the 30 people arrested on the day of the protest, 27 were charged with public order offences, including violent disorder.One man received a 25 week prison sentence for possession of an offensive weapon, at a counter demonstration held in Walsall on the day. A second man received a suspended sentence for assaulting a police officer.A further 19 men will appear before Wolverhampton Crown Court on 9 April for a plea and case management hearing for violent disorder charges. Others arrested on the day have received fines and suspended sentences.
Police search for Force to target Birmingham canal speeding motorists towpath robbers with new mobile Police investingating a canalside robbery in Birmingham have released images of two men believed responsible, one of whom had what is described as a distinctive run when he escaped. The robbery took place on the canal towpath off Scotland Street in Birmingham City Centre around 6am on Sunday 10 March.The victim,
a 25 year old man, was walking with a friends, when he was approached by two black males in the early twenties, one wearing glasses and one with a wave in his hair. They asked the victim for cigarettes, before searching his pockets and forcibly stealing his Apple iphone worth £250.The offenders then ran off towards the NIA, one,
pictured on the left in the CCTV image, is described as having a distinctve run with his toes pointing outwards.Police investigating the robbery are appealing for anyone who may have seen the incident or anyone who may recognise the men to contact DC Richard Marsh at Birmingham West and Central CID on 0800 555 111.
Email your stories to easterninsidernewspaper@mail.com
cameras WEST Midlands Police is to target dangerous, speeding motorists through the use of new state-of-the-art mobile cameras (pictured). The vans, fitted with new digital camera technology, replaces costly and aging film fixed camera sites currently in use across the West Midlands. The new mobile cameras will enhance the force’s ability to rapidly respond to communities concerned that drivers are speeding along streets in their neighbourhood.Assistant Chief Constable Garry Forsyth said: “The decision to turn off speed cameras at fixed sites in the West Midlands is not one that has been made solely by West Midlands Police.“Responsibility for fixed camera sites lies with the West Midlands Road
Safety Partnership Board, made up of representatives from seven local authorities as well as West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority, Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, the Highways Agency and health service.The cameras currently in use require a major upgrade in order to remain effective and this would cost both police and local authorities a considerable amount of money at a time of a reduction across public sector budgets.“However, we are committed to road safety and this is why we are due to increase the number of mobile speed cameras from two to four from April 2013.“Mobile cameras are deployed from the back of
an enforcement van, allowing them to be moved around the West Midlands as needed and are clearly marked to indicate that they are conducting speed enforcement.“They are more flexible than fixed cameras, allowing us to conduct speed enforcement on roads where a fixed housing could not be installed and can be deployed to roads where the collision history would not warrant a fixed camera, but where there is concern from the community, local authority or local police about speeding vehicles.“We have always worked closely with our partners to regularly review the effectiveness of the enforcement methods we use and will continue to do so.”
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16 years jail for man who Man jailed after raped schoolgirl a beating his flatmate over decade ago
A COVENTRY man has been jailed for 16 years for repeatedly raping a schoolgirl 10 years ago, including one attack in the youngster’s tent whilst on a fishing trip.Phillip Clarke raped the girl – who was just 10-years-old – three times within the space of a few weeks in 2002, twice at his former home in Lillington Road, Wood End, and once whilst on a camping break.Clarke – a former cemetery gardener – admitted sexual assault but denied rape.However, a jury at Coventry Crown Court last month unanimously found him guilty on four counts of rape and
at Birmingham Crown Court today (March 22) he was sentenced to 16 years in prison.Clarke will also be on the Sex Offender’s Register for life, never be allowed to work with children, and cannot have unsupervised contact with children for the rest of his life.The victim, now a 20-year-old university student, was praised for the evidence she gave in court – evidence delivered from behind a screen that protected her from the public gallery gaze but allowed her to address the jury face-to-face.And after the hearing she encouraged anyone who’s suffered at the hands of a sexual predator to report abuse to police and support services… no matter how long ago the offences occurred. She said: “The abuse I suffered has been hanging over me for many years, affecting my relationships and making it difficult
to move on. I was also worried that all the time I stayed silent there was a danger he could be abusing other children.“Over time I confided in friends, my boyfriend and then finally my mother and the police…as it happened a decade ago I wasn’t sure if I’d left it too late but this has proved it’s never too late for victims to report rape or sexual assault. “I’m confident I can now make a fresh start, with this off my mind, and start re-building my life.” The court heard how Clarke twice raped the 10-year-old at his home address in 2002 and, after both attacks, gave the youngster money to “spend on sweets”.Sandwiched between the two incidents he abused her on a fishing trip in the Coventry area and, following another rape in 2005, she told the 37-yearold to stop. It was the last time he abused her. In interview Clarke claimed
to have a “Jekyll and Hyde” character and blamed the abuse on a previous mental breakdown.Investigating officer, Detective Constable Clive Leftwich, said: “Clarke told us he’d suspected for many years that he would be arrested for these matters. He was right – but that was down to the courage of his victim who was determined her attacker would face justice and that no other children would potentially suffer. “Our Public Protection officers are specially trained to deal sensitively with sexual abuse victims, offer them support and guide them through the court process.“Despite the victim coming to us 10 years after the offences were committed, our thorough investigations enabled us to present a compelling case to the jury…and it’s resulted in a unanimous guilty verdict for rapes that have caused her great distress since childhood.”
Soldier and brother commended for their bravery in tackling city centre robber TWO brothers who demonstrated “fearless courage” have been commended for their bravery in a West Midlands Police award ceremony.Daniel Wood, aged 26, and his soldier brother Gregory, 23, both from Halesowen, chased a thief through the streets of Birmingham city centre after they witnessed a young woman being robbed in June last year.The 34-year-old woman was sightseeing in Birmingham when her attacker pounced; the woman was pushed to the floor as the
thief wrestled a mobile phone from her. While the off duty soldier Gregory came to the aid of the victim his brother Daniel chased the thief through the city’s streets before catching him on Hill Street − by this time Gregory had caught up with his brother and helped detain the man until police arrived.Daniel, a physiotherapist, and Gregory, an army corporal, were presented with a Chief Constable’s Good Citizens award at the ceremony which was held at Tally Ho! in
toilet dispute A MAN has been jailed after keeping his flatmate imprisoned and assaulting him over a dispute about a broken toilet.Kevin John Coleman, aged 30, of Spon Gate House in Coventry was jailed for 11 years after pleading guilty at Warwick Crown Court earlier this week. The court heard how Coleman subjected his flatmate to beatings over a four day period in October last year which left his 35-year-old victim with punctured lungs, and severe facial injuries.Coleman had held the man against his will during the four day ordeal beating him with a wooden stick and a knuckle duster before eventually agreeing to call an ambulance. Once the ambulance arrived he concocted a story that his victim had just turned up at the flat asking for help.It was only when the victim was on his own
at the hospital that he was able to disclose the full severity of his ordeal. Coleman was arrested and charged with false imprisonment and wounding after witnesses at the flat described hearing a distressed man crying out in pain and pleading to Coleman to ‘stop’.Weapons and other items taken from inside the flat were found to be covered in blood from the victim. Detective Constable Richard Harrison from the force’s Criminal Investigation Department, said: “This was a brutal attack by a man who the victim had considered a friend. He suffered a prolonged ordeal which has resulted in potentially permanent injuries.“We are pleased that the length of the sentence reflects the horrific nature of his ordeal and we hope that it gives some comfort to the victim as he continues to recover.”
Edbgaston last night (Thursday 21 March). Acting Sergeant Alan Hands, from Birmingham Central police station, said: “Both Daniel and Gregory displayed quick thinking ability and fearless courage by chasing down a robber whom they knew nothing of. “Without their invaluable assistance, it is likely that the robber would never have been apprehended and brought to justice for his crime.”
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Stolen smart phone emails photograph of suspect to owner DETECTIVES investigating the theft of a mobile phone at Birmingham’s O2 Academy have released an image of a suspect after the device automatically took a photograph of him.His picture was taken by the phone and emailed to the owner, after she had installed an app which photographs anyone who incorrectly inputs a password.The mobile was taken from the victim’s handbag while she was dancing at around 12:45am on Saturday 23 February.
Her friends coincidentally also captured an image of what is believed to be the same man whilst taking photographs of their night out.PC David Harman, from Ladywood neighbourhood policing team, explained: “Someone will recognise the man in the images and I would urge them to come forward and speak to us.“Regardless of how he came to be in possession of the stolen mobile, we need to know who he is.”Anyone who recognises him should contact Birmingham police on
101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.PC Harman added: “We work closely with the venues such as the O2 Academy to target pickpockets and will continue to do so.“We’re also encouraging smart phone owners to install tracker apps. We’ve had some great arrests thanks to tracker apps with suspects finding themselves in a police cell and victims reunited with handsets, within minutes of phones being stolen.”
Wolverhampton ‘Mr Big’ ordered to pay back £400k
pire.Wolverhampton man Darren Bradley is currently serving an eight-year prison sentence for drug trafficking, possession of a gun and ammunition and selling counterfeit goods.The 45-year-old, who was jailed in 2011, appeared before Birmingham Crown Court yesterday (27 March) for a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing, during which the court heard how he had amassed a £2.5-million fortune A CONVICTED drug dealer, from his criminal activities, labelled ’Mr Big’ by a judge, has whilst also lavishing around been ordered to pay back hun£½ million on assets including dreds of thousands of pounds high-powered cars. earned from his criminal em-
Missing Nottinghamshire teenager Patrycja Chliszcz could be in Birmingham Police in Nottinghamshire are keen to trace a teenage girl who has been missing since Sunday 17 March.Patrycja Chliszcz, 14, left home in Trowell, Nottinghamshire, around 8.30pm on Sunday 17 March. She is not believed to have made contact with anyone and there have been no reported sightings of her since then.One line of inquiry is that she may have travelled to Birmingham, although there have been no confirmed sightings of her.She is described as white, 5ft 4” tall, of medium build, with long dark brown hair and extensions which she tends to wear on one side. She has a tanned complexion and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a mustard-coloured short jacket with fur around the
Of the hundreds of thousands illegally gained over the years, Bradley was found to have assets remaining worth in the region of £500,000 – most of which has now been seized under the Act.Bradley, of Penn Road, Gospel End, claimed in court that his extensive earnings had come from his business empire, which includes tanning salons, cafés, a pub and a car wash – but the Crown argued that this was a front used to launder the proceeds of his drug money. As Bradley made money from his enterprises he bought a succession of high value cars including two Mercedes, two Range Rovers, two Audis and a Bentley - which police seized at the time of his arrest.
hood, a short dress, black tights and blue and red trainers.Patrycja, who is originally from Poland, has previously lived in Derby, where she is known to have friends and contacts. Anyone who knows where Patrycja is or who has information is asked to contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.POLISH TRANSLATIONPolicja zaniepokojona zaginieciem polskiej 14-latki Patrycji ChliszczPolicja stara sie odnalezc nastolatke, która zaginela w ubiegla niedziele. Patrycja Chliszcz, lat 14, wyszla z domu w Trowell okolo godziny 8.30 rano w niedziele 17 marca. Od tego czasu nie wydaje sie z nikim kontaktowac. Nie zgloszono informacji o jej miejscu pobytu.
In dismissing Bradley’s claims that all of his money came from his legitimate business Judge Jones QC referred to him as a ‘Mr Big’ and said that the convicted criminal found himself "hoist by his own petard" − effectively stating that the drug dealer had no-one to blame but himself.The Judge gave Bradley some credit for his business income and stated that the Bilston tanning shop boss’ overall criminal gains were in excess of £2.2million before ordering him to pay back £405,505 of his remaining assets within six months.Detective Sergeant Jonathan Jones, from the force’s Economic Crime Unit, praised the work of the Payback Team in reclaiming Bradley’s criminal cash."The investigation into Bradley’s criminal empire has spanned several years, with detectives working tirelessly on the case beyond the successful prosecution, to ensure that the drug dealer is not only was serving a lengthy
Patrycja jest biala kobieta, 1.64 metra wzrostu, sredniej budowy ciala o przedluzonych ciemnobrazowych wlosach, ktore zazwyczaj nosi na jednej stronie. Ma ciemna karnacje i brazowe oczy. Gdy ostatni raz ja widziano miala na sobie krotka kurtke w kolorze musztardowym z kapturem obszytym futrem, krotka sukienke, czarne rajstopy i niebiesko czerwone sportowe buty. Patrycja, pochadzaca z Polski, poprzednio mieszkala w Derby, gdzie posiada kontakty i znajomych.Ktokolwiek wie, gdzie przebywa Patrycja lub posiada jakiekolwiek informacje o miejscu jej pobytu proszony jest o kontakt z Nottinghamshire Police pod numerem telefonu 101 lub z Crimestoppers pod numerem 0800555111.
prison sentence, but will also lose his ill gotten gains," he said."This hearing has demonstrated that justice has well and truly been done − a convicted criminal is off the streets and he no longer has a lavish lifestyle to return to once he leaves prison."The message is clear − if you commit such crimes in the West Midlands you risk time behind bars as well as losing your criminal cash." Over the past 12 months West Midlands Police, along with partners from the Crown Prosecution Service and HM Courts and Tribunal Service, has seized nearly £9million from criminals across the region. DS Jones added: "This record-breaking figure demonstrates the co-ordinated effort the force and its partner organisations are putting into preventing criminals profiting from crime.
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Birmingham University, a member of the elite Russell Group and one the most prominent ‘red brick’ universities in the UK, will distribute up to a quarter of its undergraduate places this year based on teachers’ own predictions of pupils’ performance as opposed to the grades that are fixed by by kamran sadiq exam boards. Plans are to make available 1,000 “unconditional offers” to students expected to score straight As in exams as part of a large-scale pilot programme that it wishes to initiate this coming year.The university insisted the move was intended to reward students with the most potential and take the pressure off teenagers in their final year. However the policy also draws light onto how the scale of the competition between universities, and how much institutions are desperate to recruit bright students in a bid to drive up standards, and ensure places do not lie empty.
Students looking to take up an unconditional offer on one of 12 courses available through the scheme at Birmingham will be expected to name the university as their “firm choice” on UCAS application forms.It comes after a drop in the number of undergraduates starting universities nationally last autumn amid a backlash over the near tripling of tuition fees and radical changes to Government policies regulating student numbers, as well as a lack of perceived future prospects for those already graduated or are currently working towards their degree. One vice-chancellor warned
that Russell Group universities had started the academic year with around 11,500 vacancies. The competition for students has now led some universities to offer scholarships worth up to £10,000-a-year for bright students starting degrees in 2013. Prof David Eastwood, Birmingham’s vice-chancellor and Russell Group chairman, insisted the university’s applications were up this year, adding: “I think the issue here is less about filling our quotas and more about attracting the best possible students to a highly-selective university.”In the past, universities such as Oxford and Cambridge made a number of unconditional offers, dependent on students scoring highly in their own entrance exams, although the system has since been phased out. This is believed to be the first time the policy has been adopted on such a scale by a university. In an interview with the Telegraph, Prof Eastwood insisted the move
was intended to make pupils perform even better in endof-course A-level exams.“It’s a time when there are lots of pressures on young people and we are trying to take some of those pressures off,” he said. “We believe that the effect of this is that they will do better in the summer. They have already got very strong performance in the bag… and we think there is no danger of them coasting. After all, their A-levels will be with them for the rest of their lives – their future employers will be very interested in them – and these are intensely serious young people.”Students normally apply to university using teachers’ predictions, which are based on prior performance in GCSEs and AS-level exams. Universities will then usually make offers that are conditional on teenagers scoring certain grades in final exams sat in May and June, often allowing very little room for error in the past when universities were often saturated with applicants whose final grades would then be affected by the surmounting pressure imposed on them
through not just the university, but also family and perhaps most of all, the competition from their fellow peers. Birmingham has said it was making 1,000 unconditional offers to students who are predicted to score at least three As in their exams – irrespective of final performance. In total, 4,300 students are accepted each year.Twelve courses will be involved: classics, maths, modern languages, philosophy, sociology, economics, materials engineering, political science, accounting and finance, business management, international relations and European politics, society and economics. Pupils taking up maths places must be predicted to score the three elite A* grades.Prof Eastwood said: “These are very good students with a range of [course] choices. Some other universities will be trying to attract them with discounted offers on accommodation and with scholarships.” It seems as though Prof Eastwood is hoping that the prestige of Birmingham will attract these bright young minds instead.
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Budget 2013
by hifzha shaheen
George Osborne Urges Country to “Stick with Us”
Delivering his budget and forecasting the economic conditions for remainder of the year, Chancellor George Osborne has told voters to stick with the Coalition Government. After insisting that their economic policy is working, delivered a speech in which he was forced to cut growth forecasts. Starting off his budget by stating it was aimed at “those who want to work and get on” Mr Osborne scrapped the 3p fuel duty rise which was due to take effect in September; he added that petrol duty was to be frozen. If the added fuel duty cost of 3p per litre of petrol and diesel would have gone through it would have cost drivers an extra £1bn, both on fuel duty and VAT. There was also a little joy for businesses as corporation tax was cut by 1% to 20%, a move which will take effect in 2015. Mr Osborne introduced a new employment allowance which is set to cut National Insurance bills by £2,000 for each firm. In addition to
this 450,000 small firms will pay no National Insurance. A cash accounting regime, which is optional, for self employed employees and a minimal amount of partnerships with cash receipts of less than £77,000 will be available from 6 April2013; the aim of this being to simplify accounts and tax reporting for small businesses. Those claiming Jobseekers Allowance is set to fall by 60,000 with 600,000 more jobs set to be added to the economy with the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicting that growth would be 1,8% in 2014 and 2.3% the following year. It also predicts that the government was more likely to borrow £121bn this year and £120bn next year. George Osborne repeated this, saying that GDP will fall from 7.4% in 2013-2014 to 5% in 2015-2016. Individuals looking to get on the house market were the one’s celebrating
though. The Chancellor announced that the current New Buy scheme will be expanded and its named changed to Help to Buy. It
down payment for their house purchase. This will be an interest free loan for five years and will be repaid when the property
Osborne also announced a new mortgage guarantee scheme with an aim to boost confidence in mortgages lenders to lend
will offer 3.5bn to buyers who can’t afford to put a deposit down. In addition to this the government will “provide a further 20%
is sold.” The loan will be available to anyone and not just first time buyers and apply to house which are below £600,000. Mr
more mortgages to people who put down a smaller deposit. The way it works is simple: if a borrower defaults on their payment
then the lender can claim back half of what was borrowed. This will also apply to homes which are worth £600,000 or less. Beer duty rise to 3p, which was set to take place in April, was scrapped and will instead be replaced by a cut of 1p. The annual inflation +2% rise in beer duty is to be ended, however the “duty escalator” is to remain in place for other alcohols such as cider, wine and spirits. Benefit changes include a 1% increase over the next three years from April 2013, this includes Jobseekers Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance along with Income Support. Child Benefit is set to stay frozen up until April 2014; however this will rise by 1% in each of the next two years. Child Tax Credits and Working Tax Credits are set to see a rise for the next three years. Families living in council housing and are seen to have extra living space will have their rent payment downgraded. Labour have criticized the
budget saying that “it was the same old stuff from the same old party.” Leader of the Opposition, Ed Miliband said, “Three years on, what does he say? Exactly what he said three years ago. We still need four more years of pain, tax rises and spending cuts. In other words, after all the misery, all the harsh medicine, all the suffering by the British people, three years, no progress, deal broken.” However, Mr Osborne defended his plans, saying, we are, slowly but surely, fixing our country’s economic problems. This is a Budget that doesn’t duck our nation’s problems. It confronts them head on. It is a Budget for an aspiration nation.” The speech came on a day in which thousands of public sector workers were striking across the country and it came on a day in which Unions representing public sector workers announced more strikes.
November — following Dijsselbloem’s remarks. European stock market indexes also lost their earlier gains, with bank shares hardest-hit, particularly in financially weak countries like Italy and Spain. Deposits in Europe are guaranteed by a state-backed deposit insurance scheme only up to 100,000 euros ($130,000). The bailout program for Cyprus marks the first time in Europe’s three-yearold debt crisis that large deposit holders — wealthy savers, business people or institutions — will be forced to take losses. If holders of large deposits were to start moving their savings away from banks in southern Europe, those lenders could quickly be in need of additional capital, possibly pushing them to seek support from their governments. But nations such as Portugal, Spain, Italy or Greece already have
huge public debt loads, which would make it difficult for them to recapitalize their banks.Dijsselbloem defended the approach to safeguard taxpayers’ money and force losses on banks, their owners and investors instead. “The consequences may be that it’s the end of story, and that is an approach that I think, now that we are out of the heat of the crisis, we should take,” he said in the interview.Dijsselbloem’s spokeswoman Simone Boitelle, however, hedged the comments, saying he “emphasized that every country needs a specific approach.” With his comments, the Dutchman, who took the helm of the Eurogroup only in January, dashed hopes that Europe’s rescue fund might one day provide rescue loans directly to banks. The ESM is in theory due to be able to directly prop up ailing lenders once the bloc has moved toward a so-called banking union, including centralized oversight by the European Central Bank, sometime next year at the earliest.That was meant to be a key component of Europe’s response to its
debt crisis as it would break the link between weak banks dragging down the finances of already heavily indebted governments. “We should aim at a situation where we will never need to even consider direct recapitalization,” he told the Financial Times and Reuters. “If we have even more instruments in terms of bail-in ... the need for direct (recapitalizations) will become smaller and smaller,” he added.Eurozone nations that have been net contributors to bailout packages — such as Dijsselbloem’s native Netherlands, Germany or Finland — have been sceptical about direct bank recapitalizations through Europe’s rescue fund, the European Stability Mechanism. They fear their taxpayers’ money will be used to bail out banks in other nations whose governments failed to properly oversee their lenders in the first place.
New plan launched to save Cyprus Inflicting losses on banks’ shareholders, bondholders and even large depositors should become the 17-country eurozone’s default approach for dealing with ailing lenders, a top European official has said.Banks’ owners and investors must be held responsible “before looking at public money or any other instrument coming from the public side,” said Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who chairs the Eurogroup gatherings of the 17 eurozone finance ministers.The eurozone countries, and the International Monetary Fund, granted Cyprus a 10 billion Euro ($13 billion) bailout that foresees dissolving the country’s second-largest bank, wiping out
its bondholders and inflicting significant losses — possibly up to 40 percent — on all deposits larger than 100,000 Euros ($130,000). EU officials have previously stressed that this measure, a so-called bail-in, was a “unique step” in Cyprus. That’s because of the size of country’s banking sector — almost eight times the economy’s annual output — and the capital structure of its lenders, which rely almost exclusively on deposits instead of bonds.“If there is a risk in a bank, our first question should be ‘Okay, what are you in the bank going to do about that? What can you do to recapitalize yourself?’ If the bank
can’t do it, then we’ll talk to the shareholders and the bondholders, we’ll ask them to contribute in recapitalizing the bank, and if necessary the uninsured deposit holders,” he said in an interview with the Financial Times and news association Reuters. Dijsselbloem’s office confirmed the remarks. In the past, nations like Ireland have dumped billions of taxpayers’ money into rescuing their banks, fearing that forcing owners and depositors to take losses would cause chaos in the markets, and spread uncertainty. This has drawn howls of outrage as pension cuts and tax hikes were used to spare rich overseas investors from
losses.European officials had that in mind when they decided, in Cyprus’ case, to shrink and restructure the banking sector, reducing the amount of money European and Cypriot taxpayers would have to pay. But forcing losses on large deposits could encourage investors to pull money out of weaker southern European economies to more stable nations in the north, like Germany. That concern was evident in markets. The Euro currency, used by more than 330 million Europeans, rose against the dollar to about $1.30 in the morning on the agreement on a bailout for Cyprus, but tanked below $1.29 — its lowest since
By Kamran Sadiq
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Global Insider
US Prepare to Fund Syrian Rebels Amidst what has been a fiery and violent conflict between the citizens of Syria, and his own military forces, President Bashar Assad still stands defiant in his claim as ruler of the Middle Eastern country. Now with roughly £40million pounds being pledged from the US, the current secretary of state John Kerry is attempting to firmly put America’s foot in the rebel camp as the former senator made promises that the money would go to provide’non-lethal aid’ to rebels who are now struggling to continue the fight after a series of tactical losses saw the government’s forces regain control of a string of provinces across the north of Syria.Whilst the move has still been condemned by both the Syrian and Iranian foreign ministers, it is still vague as to what purpose the money will serve. With military support being out of the question, and US President, Barack Obama, having turned down a CIA and Pentagon led proposal last year to provide weapons and firearms to the rebels, there is both scepticism and intrigue as to what ‘non-lethal aid’ alludes to in terms of resources.Regardless of the help however anything less than military backing will likely be seen as a slight on the rebel groups who are fighting the Assad regime from with the Syrian borders where they are seeing the death toll rise day by day. All this as well whilst still having to deal with the arms and supplies that Syria receive from its Russian and Iranian benefactors has led
many of the rebel leaders, including the prominent SNC (Syrian National Coalition) president Moaz al-Khatib, feeling jaded and without support. In fact Khatib only attending the conference held in Rome earlier this month, after being persuaded to do so by both Kerry and US vice-president, Joe Biden.With the overall feeling from the conference being that more needed to be done to ease the threat to civilians, other journalists and commentators saw some perplexing irony in all of the gathered countries unwillingness to take a military stance, whilst still being in part responsible for funding the terrorism of many of these regimes now undergoing turbulence in the middle east. The Syrian government have had their own reactions to the international pleas and see this as a new way for the west to supplant the ideas and structure that they would want to grow to power, in the minds of the disgruntled civilians who are only seeing their lives worsen.Though there is sure to be more to come from both sides following this month, it may only be start to this current conflict having a much broader political impact on the international stage.
Indian Rape Case: Five Men Admit to Gang Raping Tourist
By Hifzha Shaheen
A woman from Switzerland has been gang raped whilst on holiday in India with her husband. The woman and her husband had decided to stop and camp in a village of the Madhya Pradesh state when they were attacked by up to 10 men. The attackers attacked the husband before proceeding to gang raping his wife, in front of him. Up to 20 men have been arrested over the incident and the Swiss Embassy in India
has demanded a full and detailed investigation in to what happened. The victim had been hospitalised with police officials saying they have spoken to her; she has since been released. According to local police reports, the victim and her husband were said to be cycling from Orcha to Agra, on their way to see the Taj Mahal, with about 250KM left in the distance. Valuables which include 10,000 Rupees and a
In an hour long press conference, Mr Kerry said, “I am confident President Karzai does not believe the US has any interest except to see the Taliban come to the table to make peace. So we’re on the same page. I don’t think there is any disagreement between us and I am comfortable with
laptop computer are said to have been taken from them. Five men have confessed to beating and sexually assaulting the victim, police had originally detained up to 20 men. Local police official, MS Dhodee told a packed news conference, “We have detained five men and they have confessed to gang-raping the woman and attacking her husband.” He also added that police were currently looking for a sixth man in connection
his explanation.” Answering questions the Afghan President accused the media of misinterpreting remarks made on March 11, likely referring to the news that most international media had reported the President as saying the Taliban were colluding with America, nuances
By Kamran Sadiq
with the attack along with the fact that they were able to retrieve some of their belongings which were taken. The incident comes after a mere three months after a 23 year old Indian woman was attacked, raped and killed in another gang rape on a Delhi bus; putting pressure on Indian authorities to solve this case quickly.
of his Pashto speech back the President’s claims as having been lost in translation. In the press conference held on March 25th, President Karzai clarified saying if the Taliban wanted foreign troops to leave they should stop killing Afghan civilians. His March 11 speech followed the killing
Karzai and Kerry “Comfortable” With Plans to Tackle Taliban
By Kamran Sadiq
US Secretary of State John Kerry downplayed differences with the Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, on an official, yet unannounced, trip to Kabul.
of civilians in a suicide attack targeting the Defence Ministry. President Karzai also confirmed himself what many international news sites had reported earlier in the week - that he will travel soon to Qatar to open an office for talks with the Taliban. In January, the US and Afghan Presidents had announced an agreement to open a Taliban office in Qatar. Hamid Karzai dismissed a
series of ‘skeptical’ media questions saying individual contacts had been made and the Taliban wanted to talk. The Taliban officially have rejected that claim however, saying they will not deal with a puppet government. But, Karzai has drawn clear red lines - saying the office could not be used for propaganda or raising funds.The two leaders’ comments on possible reconciliation talks with the Taliban came on a
day there was agreement as well on handing over a key US detention centre. The Parwan prison on the Bagram airbase was finally ‘almost’ completely handed over to Afghan control hours before Secretary Kerry landed. Though it remains uncertian what the result of the attempted negotiations would be, it is clear that Karzai and Kerry are both eager to get these talks rolling.
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Forced Marriages Unit Has Helped 250 in the Last Year By Hifzha Shaheen
Caste Discrimination should be Outlawed says Peers By Hifzha Shaheen
Peers sitting in the House of Lords have urged the Coalition Government to criminalise caste discrimination after beating the Government in a House of Lords vote on the issue.
The Government had insisted that an educational package set up by them would be enough to deal with caste discrimination, however peers have said it is not enough and have backed an amendment to the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill, with the amendment outlawing caste and adding it to race discrimination laws. The move comes after protests from the Dalit Community, accusing the Government of being “naive”. The BBC found evidence that the Dalit Com-
munity of 480,000 has suffered discrimination in education, employment and the provision of public goods and services. The evidence was presented by the Bishop of Oxford Lord Harries of Pentregorth. He said, “We know in the case of race that nothing has been more effective in reducing racial prejudice than the law. It has had a most powerful educative effect,” he said.“Nothing could be more significant and effective in reducing discrimination on the grounds of caste than to have a clear-cut law that discrimination in the public law would not be tolerated.”Lord Deben, a former Conservative Cabinet Minister, supported the amendment and said, “You can change the name from untouchable to Dalit, but you cannot change the fact that some people are treated in an appalling way sim-
ply because of the person they were born.“I have absolutely no doubt that it would be utterly wrong for us to say to the world that we had the opportunity to protect people from this disgraceful discrimination and we decided not to do it because we had to have another investigation.”Lord Alton, a peer in the House of Lords, added, “There are some values that we hold firmly in this country and we must stand firmly on those principles and not suggest to others that somehow or other to import those kind of conditions into the United Kingdom would ever be acceptable.“However important things like trade relations are to British industry and developing cordial good relations with India and China, nonetheless the stand we take for upholding human rights and human dignity - the belief that no one is untouchable and that every person is of equal value - is the reason I am very happy to support this amendment.”
According to the Office for National Statistics, a department set up by the UK Government has helped around 250 children affected by forced marriages; with the youngest being just 2. The Forced Marriages Unit (FMU), set up by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2005, has investigated a total of 1,485 cases with 250 children being helped; however it is understood that this number is under represented due to the many cases which go unreported. Currently, authorities and the FMU have the jurisdiction of intervening if there is any risk to the individual involved, if they are under 18. However a law, currently going through Parliament and expected to be in affect later this year, will make forced marriages a criminal offence, punishable with a jail sentence, conversely Civil Courts have the power to issue a Protection Order to prevent weddings from happening. In regards to the two year old and any other young victims, authorities have a responsibility to report those cases to Social Services which has a responsibility to protect and care for those children. Individually, the FMU reported that from the 250 cases, 114 were that of forced marriages that involved individuals with disabilities, 22 cases were of individuals who were lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Internationally, the FMU works with embassies and rescue victims who have been taken abroad to be forced into a marriage. Recently, working alongside the Freedom Charity, the FMU has launched a smartphone app which provides victims and other individuals’ links and information which will be useful to them along with phone numbers and how professionals’ friends of potential victims should handle these cases. For more information about the Forced Marriages Unit, visit: www.ukba.homeoffice. gov.uk
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Education Insider
Teachers to Take Summer Strike ! ! By Hifzha Shaheen
Teachers in England and Wales are set to take strike action, scheduled for June 2013.
Teaching unions have announced that teachers in England and Wales are to strike over continuing disagreements about pay and pensions. National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the National Association of Schoolmasters
Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) have announced a series of strikes, which are set to begin on June 27, after a failure to agree a deal with the Department of Education. In a joint statement, both the NUT and the
NASUWT said that it was time the Secretary of State started to listen to what teachers wanted. Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT said, “The time has come for the Secretary of State to listen to the concerns
of teachers and school leaders. He has recklessly pursued a relentless attack on the profession and teachers’ patience has been exhausted. The Secretary of State still has time to avoid widespread disruption in schools by re-
sponding positively and quickly to the reasonable demands we are making.” Christine Blower of the NUT added, “We have already rejected the new pension arrangements and the proposed deregulation of teachers’ pay. The attacks on pay and pensions in combination with increasing workload are making teaching an unsustainable option for many. The resolution to all the aspects of our dispute with the Secretary
of State is in his hands. He can respond positively engage with us to seek a way forward. If there is no positive response to our reasonable demands, the joint strike action we are announcing today is inevitable.” Jointly, the two unions represent 9 out of 10 teachers and have been in negotiations with the Department of Education since late last year. A spokesman for the Department of Education said that the result was very “disappointing”. “We are very disappointed that the NUT and NASUWT have decided to take strike action, which less than a quarter of teachers actually voted for. Industrial action will disrupt pupils’ education, hugely inconven-
ience parents and damage the profession’s reputation in the eyes of the public at a time when our reforms are driving up standards across the country. We think giving schools the freedom to reward good performance is much fairer than current arrangements which see the vast majority of teachers automatically getting a pay rise each year. We have met frequently with the NUT and NASUWT to discuss their concerns and will continue to do so.” A spokesman for the Welsh Government said that they were continuing to talk to the two unions; however pay and pensions were being delegated by the Coalition in Westminster.
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NHS Choices Launches New Fitness Plan ! ! !
NHS Choices have developed a new fitness plan with the aim of motivating people to get fit. to 5K programme. Video clips are available for all of the exercises so that you can make sure you are doing each move safely and effectively. The series consists of five 35- to 45-minute podcasts, which are available as downloads for MP3 players, mobile phones, iPods and iPhones. By the end of the plan, you will be able to do back, arm and leg stretches, along with pressups and squats, with have also developed ease. Max Bower, YMCAfit a workout programme to improve tutor and fitness expert, said: “The gym your strength and is a popular route for flexibility. NHS many people looking Strength and flexibility is a five-week to keep fit, but it is not for everyone. exercise podcast series consisting of equipment-free routines, which can be done indoors or outdoors, in a park or garden. The easyto-follow workouts are narrated by Laura, the voice and coach in Couch pace for longer NHS Choices
The Olympics has inspired many Britons to get active and, thanks to NHS Choices, getting fit no longer has to mean joining a gym or paying for expensive fitness classes. The NHS has launched a series of free fitness podcasts to make the nation stronger, faster, more flexible and fit. The Couch to 5K+ graduate podcasts have been developed with sports music expert AudioFuel. They provide a structured run with music and coaching, designed to help develop running techniques, speed and stamina. “The benefits of
using music to enhance performance are now widely accepted. What we have done at AudioFuel is analyse which components of mainstream music work most effectively and compose music that combines these key ingredients: beats to match the stride, consistently managed vibe to maintain energy, plus relevant lyrics,” says AudioFuel’s managing director, Clare Crean. Easy to use and inspirational, the podcasts combine AudioFuel’s music with the voice of NHS Choices’ Laura St Quinton, who has already become a
‘personal trainer’ to millions of people who have successfully completed the original Couch to 5K programme. There are three Couch to 5K+ graduate podcasts available to help people take their running to the next level: Stepping stone podcast – a 30-minute continuous run designed for recent Couch to 5K graduates Speed podcast – a 16-minute run alternating fast and slow sections specifically designed to improve speed Stamina podcast – a 35-minute run with music to keep you running at a faster
Some people prefer to exercise on their own or in the comfort of their own home and often cost, time and a lack of motivation are the biggest barriers stopping people. Getting fit and staying healthy does not have to cost money or take up lots of your time though, and with NHS Choices’ suite of fitness podcasts, it is easy for people to keep fit for free. The podcasts are designed to cater for people at all levels so, whether you’re just starting off or are already exercising, there are podcasts to get you motivated and achieve results.” Bob Gann, head
of strategy and engagement for NHS Choices, said: “When NHS Choices launched the original Couch to 5K in 2010, we had no idea it would be so popular. There have been more than 5 million downloads of the Couch to 5K programme and the demand for free and motivational fitness podcasts is increasing, which is why we have now developed the Strength and flexibility series. We hope the Olympics will inspire even more people to start exercising, and what better way to do it than in the comfort of your own home and for free.”
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LIFESTYLE Insider
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LIFESTYLE Insider Himmatwala (2013)......
The story revolves around Ajay Devgan’s character Ravi and his desperate bid to take revenge on the people which wrongly accused his father of robbery. Without anyone knowing his true identity he battles with the real criminals and finds his mother and true love in the aftermath.
With a leading cast of Ajay Devgan, Tamannah Bhatia, Paresh Rawal and Zarina Wahab; the remake of the 1983 Bollywood hit Himmatwala should have been fairly easy to do; but that was not the case. The movie had the same concept of any contemporary Bollywood movie
with entertainment, a bumpy mother and son relationship and of course the typical hero v villain storyline. But the movie soundtrack as well as some very dire scriptwriting as well as directing and combined with scabby acting has left a classic to be disintegrated. Director, Sajid Khan knew the huge responsibilities which come with a remake of such a masterpiece, but the outcome of this one particularly has been disappointing. The movie fails to grab the attention of viewers and the story fails to entertain.The story revolves around Ajay Devgan’s character Ravi and his desperate bid to take revenge on the people which wrongly accused his father of robbery. Without anyone knowing his true identity he battles with the real criminals and finds his mother and true love in the aftermath. The hype surrounding the movie was probably the only real reason why
viewers went to watch the movie; however; disappointingly the movie fails to live up to the hype surrounding it; with the only thing going for it being the star studded cast. Director, Sajid Khan knew the huge responsibilities which come with a remake of such a masterpiece, but the outcome of this one particularly has been disappointing. The movie fails to grab the attention of viewers and the story fails to entertain. The story revolves around Ajay Devgan’s character Ravi and his desperate bid to take revenge on the people which wrongly accused his father of robbery. Without
by hifzha shaheen
Nach Baliye (Season 5): A Dancing Hit With the usual Bollywood glitz and glamour along with the rising rating figures, nobody would have doubted that this seasons Nach Baliye would have been anything but a success. Hosted by newcomers Karan Wahi and Gautham Rode, audiences worldwide were introduced to new judges Shilpa Shetty, Sajid Khan and Terrence Lewis which helped the programme become the number one Asian reality television programme. With a range of contestants from the television world; their task was simple: win
the Nach Baliye: Season 5 trophy. Aiding them along the way were their ever devotional choreographers. Contributing along the way were guests; who each week gave their say on what they thought of each couples dance and give a performance of their own. The contest was that entertaining that even sports couple Shoaib Malik and Sania Mirza contributed to guests dancing. In the end it was couple number 1; Mahi Vij and Jay Bhanushali which won the hearts of the judges and was declared the
winners over Sargun Mehta and Ravi Dubey. Star Plus are set to promote a spin off to the Nach Baliye franchise with the show being called Nach Baliye: Shriman v Shrimati. The concept of this version is instead of couples dancing against other couples, they will be dancing against each other; a concept of boys v girls. Rahul Mahajan and Tanaaz Irani will be hosting the programme; an air date is yet to be confirmed.
anyone knowing his true identity he battles with the real criminals and finds his mother and true love in the aftermath. The hype surrounding the movie was probably the only real reason why viewers went to watch the movie; however; disappointingly the movie fails to live up to the hype surrounding it; with the only thing going for it being the star studded cast.
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Pakistan Batting Collapse Hands South Africa Series By Hifzha Shaheen
Captain AB de Villiers wrapped up the series with a fine 95 runs.
After a superb comeback, and thus equalling the series, in the Fourth One Day International against South Africa in Durban, Pakistan headed to Benoni with a lot of momentum; however South Africa,
as well as Pakistan knew the whole series rested on this final game. With Pakistan winning the toss and choosing to bat, Imaran Farhat, who hit 95 in his last match, and Muhammad Hafeez start-
ed Pakistan off well with a boundary in the first over. However, Hafeez feel soon after and departed after making just 5 runs. Imran Farht was next to go, clipping the ball behind to wicketkeeper de Villiers,
adding just 13 to the scoreboard. Both Kamran Akmal and veteran batsman Younis Khan combined to steady the scoring with a 66 run partnership, however, this ended with Kamran Akmal taking one too
many risks. With Akmal’s departure, Pakistan’s batting collapsed started with Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Misbah ul Haq and Saeed Ajmal going in quick succession. Bowlers Wahab Riaz and Junaid Khan’s bravery saw them adding 37 runs to the scorecard before being bowled by Morkel. This concluded the Pakistani innings with saw a team effort of just 205 runs. South Africa’s innings started
with a stumble after Quinton De Kock was bowled by Junaid Khan for 3. But, they soon built up a viable command with a stunning partnership of 130 between Captain AB De Villiers and Farhaan Behardien. De Villiers was dropped by Younis Khan on 1 which hit the confidence of the Pakistani fielders and went on to make a remarkable 95 hitting 9 fours and 1 six in his stride. The win meant South
Africa took the series 3-2 and carried on a superb summer of success with previous wins over New Zealand and England. But for Pakistan, major questions arise, mainly with their batting and fielding. The loss of
international cricket from their country has hot them hard with many senior players refusing to retire. The Pakistani cricket system is in shambles, with major changes being demanded by fans across the globe.
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Tito Vilanova Returning to Barcelona
Barcelona says coach Tito Vilanova is due back at the club after 10 weeks in the United States receiving treatment for a throat tumour. In a statement
released by the Catalan giants, the club said, “Vilanova will be returning home this week after being in New York for the last two months.” Vilanova,, who had a saliva gland tumour removed in November 2011,
underwent repeat surgery late last year when it was discovered that the tumour had resurfaced. He then flew to the United States on Jan. 21 for chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The club has had mixed results with assistant coach Jordi Roura in charge, getting knocked out of the Copa del
Rey semifinals by Real Madrid while advancing to the Champions League quarter-finals after overturning a 2-0 deficit against AC Milan with an emphatic 4-0 win in the second leg at the Camp Nou.
By Kamran Sadiq
Haroon Khan Set for First Professional
Coventry City Deducted 10 Points Coventry City Football Club has been deducted 10 points after the club had been put into administration. A High Court ruling had ruled that the club had been put into administration because of failure to pay unpaid rent. The
club was taken to court by the landlords of the Ricoh Arena, the stadium which Coventry City plays their home games at. It is understood that the amount which is owed is around the sum of £1.3m. The 10 point
deduction means Coventry now fall to 14th from 10th in League One. Coventry City said that they were “disappointed” in the decision but had to accept that these were the rules and it was “in accordance with (the leagues)
rules and regulations.” In a statement the League One club said, “We welcome the offer for further dialogue which we hope to commence at the earliest available opportunity. Coventry City Football Club has the right to
appeal the decision within seven days and discussions have already started with regards to the Club’s next official course of action.” The move ends hope of the club making the League One Playoffs but does not expose
it to the relegation zone; with six matches left to play. Coventry City is to play its next match against Doncaster, at the Ricoh Arena, as the current situation does not affect the rest of the home fixtures.
By Hifzha Shaheen
Fight Haroon Khan is looking forward to stepping in his brothers footsteps By Hifzha Shaheen Haroon Khan, younger brother of Amir Khan, is set to make his professional boxing debut on the 27th April in Sheffield. The 21 year old will be fighting on the undercard at the same time of his older brother’s fight against Julio Diaz; something which he hopes can be a brotherly double. He is hoping he can make himself much more successful than what his brother
has become, and that the Bronze medal he won in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, in which he represented Pakistan after being snubbed by Team GB, was the start to something special. “The way I look at Amir is more like an idol than a brother. What he has achieved spurs me on to follow in his footsteps and do the same. All through the Common-
wealth Games, he was calling me every day to give me advice even though he was in his own training camp for the Marcos Maidana fight. He motivates me a lot. He will be the same before Sheffield because he has been through all this – he was selling arenas out from his first fight. It’s great to have his support to help me deal with a big crowd. To have both brothers on
the same card is brilliant and I am sure the fight fans will love it as well. Dad is excited and is over the moon both of his sons are on the same bill. But I am not too sure about mum – she wasn’t too happy about me turning pro. I think as long as we achieve our goals, they will both be proud. Hopefully, we will both come out victorious.” Training with Oliver Harrison
and being promoted by his older brother, Haroon says it has been a difficult adjustment to life but he is dealing with it. “The hardest part is getting up early in the morning because I am used to waking up at 12-ish. I get to the gym at 10am and I am
enjoying it. I have adjusted to the professional level and I think Oliver is happy with my performance so far. Oliver trained Amir and he has got Martin Murray who is fighting for a world title on the same night as I’m on Amir’s bill. I enjoy working with Oliver; the way
they welcomed me at the gym, it was like coming home. I think my style is a bit more aggressive than Amir’s; I am a bit more flat-footed. Amir is always moving on his feet and more slick. The pro style suits me more than the amateurs. It is my first fight and it will
be tough but I am sure the style will suit me more.” “I have big ambitions but will take things a step at a time. I know I’ve got the best team behind me who have that experience to help guide my career to the very top.”
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by kamran sadiq
US sprint and long jump legend Carl Lewis said on Monday that Asians badly needed “heroes” in track and field in their countries to become a worldclass force in the high-profile sport. “We had heroes (in the U.S) when I was growing up. I saw athletes I wanted to emulate. I think that’s important,” Lewis told reporters in Tokyo after attending a clinic for junior athletes
in Japan’s tsunami-hit north east. “Look how many Asians there are (in the world). You can’t get one fast one? There are almost two billion. It defies logic,” the 51-yearold said. “When you have great athletes... you can actually use them as role models to have better athletes.” Lewis, who won nine Olympic and eight world championship gold medals
in the sprints, relay and long jump from 1983 to 1996, staged the clinic with two other black American athletic greats -- Willie Banks and Mike Powell. The trio were asked if historical and racial differences made it hard for Asians to make the last eight in athletics at last year’s London Olympics. Asia accounted for only two out of 47 athletics gold medallists.
“I believe a lot of this is cultural,” said Banks, 57, whose world triple-jump record of 17.97 metres stood for 10 years from 1985. “I believe there is not an event that discriminates against a certain type of people,” said the 1983 world silver medallist, adding that there must be an Asian “that can run as fast as Carl Lewis.” But the person may be
playing basketball, golf, badminton and baseball right now, Banks said. “I have a lot of African in me. I have a lot of European in me and I have a little bit of Asian in my DNA,” he said. “I’m mixed. And I know these guys (Lewis and Powell) are mixed somewhere.” Powell, 49, whose world long-jump record of 8.95m set in Tokyo in 1991 still
stands, said that one of the white athletes he coaches in the United States has told him he cannot beat a certain competitor because he is black. “I said, ‘Don’t say that. The colour doesn’t matter,’” said Powell, who won the world gold medal in 1991 and 1993 and the Olympic silver in 1988 and 1992. “Every black person can’t run fast. Every black person can’t
jump high. Every black person can’t dance well. But some can.” “It depends on what you’re striving for,” he said. The clinic was tied in with Tokyo’s bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics against Madrid and Istanbul. “We saw the kids yesterday. We saw hope and dreams in their eyes,” Lewis said. “We just saw the energy in those kids saying, ‘Gosh, the Olympics will come to our country and we have something to work for’.”
Fight is on: Olympians march in struggle to keep Wresting in Olympics
by kamran sadiq
Olympic medallists Sushil Kumar (pictured) and Yogeshwar Dutt are expected to take part in a protest march in support of wrestling, which has been announced to be dropped from the Olympic Games after 2016. The March is going to be held in New Delhi at the end of the month. The “Save Olympic Wrestling” march will start from the Ram Leela Ground and end at Jantar Mantar. One of the organisers and inter-
national wrestler, Naveen Singh Suhag said Sushil and Yogeshwar have confirmed their participation in the march. “Sushil and Yogeshwar told me they would participate. Other wrestlers, coaches, Arjuna Awardees and sup-
porters of the game will also participate on Saturday,” he said. “Other sports persons are also taking part as show of solidarity to wrestling. Akhil Kumar is also likely to participate,” he added. “There has been
no official gathering and protest by the Indian sports fraternity after the dropping of wrestling from the Olympic Games, so we are organising the protest march,” Suhag said. The executive council of the International Olympic Committee
last month decided to drop wrestling from 2020 Olympic Games onwards by removing it from the 25 core sports list. The IOC will select one sport out of the eight in the reckoning for inclusion in 2020 Games, which will have 26
sports. Some of the world’s top wrestling countries like the United States, Russia, Iran, Ukraine and Turkey have expressed disappointment at the dropping of the sport from the list of Olympic core sports.
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