INSIDE DESIXPRESS: JANUARY 2018 ISSUE No.230
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NARGIS FAKHRI NEW SINGLE WITH RAPPER SNOPP DOGG
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AKSHAY KUMAR FIGHT S FOR MENSTURAL HYGIENE IN & AS PADMAN
ACTRESS ANUSHKA SHARMA, CRICKETER VIRAT KOHLI TIE THE KNOT IN ITALY
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H
ere’s introducing the inspiring story of one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential entrants Arunachalam Muruganantha m, a rural welder from India turned incredible innovator and inventor, who certainly wasn’t wearing a cape when he was moved to provide women with access to high-quality and affordable sanitary pads 20 years ago. His story has been fictionalised for its silver screen debut with PadMan, the world’s first feature film on menstrual hygiene releasing in cinemas around the world on 26th January 2018. Co-produced by Mrs Funnybones Movies, Hope Productions, KriArj Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, India, PadMan is written and directed by ad-man turned film-man R Balki (Paa). It is billed as the most progressive family entertainer yet, starring international megastar Akshay Kumar who
assumes the titular role of Arunachalam enigma in his home town, Muruganantham to once Arunachalam again showcase Muruganantham’s super-heroic his commitment to social entertainers. efforts led He to a business that today employs is joined by critically acclaimed hundreds actresses of women across India. Sonam Kapoor (Neerja) and Radhika Apte Issues relating to menstrual (Kabali). hygiene are a global phenomenon. Whether PadMan traces Arunachalam this is a result of the stigma and taboo Muruganantham’s international resulting journey the marginalisation and disempowerme in from an outcast exiled from society for nt his endeavours to delve into of women in societies, the such a economic and subject, to becoming a super-hero taboo social impact of “period poverty”, of to India’s modern history, as the consequences on women’s he followed his health, dream to bring a revolution there is a need to educate to menstrual both men and hygiene in India. Akin to women on the impact and the tagline of to ensuring all the film Superhero Hai Yeh women have menstrual dignity. Pagla (He’s Committed a Crazy Superhero), PadMan to the cause of women empowerment is nothing , short of an impulsive, flamboyant Arunachalam Muruganantha and m faced the driven entrepreneur extraordinaire risk of isolation and marginalisatio , who refused to give up in the wake n as of scrutiny he challenged the stigma and stereotypes and ridicule, using his resilience and associated with menstrual initiative to invent India’s hygiene low cost sanitary head-on in order to improve napkin making machine. the lives of An extreme thousands of women.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE NEWS ROUND UP
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SOCIAL MEDIA GOES VIRAL ON FALSE ALLEGATIONS OF PLASTIC FOUND IN CHAPPATI FLOUR
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WE FIND THE TRUTH FOR YOU A video which is going viral on social media shows a lady washing East End Gold Chapati flour and claiming that there is plastic inside the dough. After washing out the flour and the dough, the lady in the video claims that plastic remains after washing out the flour. We wanted to get the facts on this so we contacted East End Foods & spoke with Jas Wouhra, Managing Director. Jas Wouhra said: “The flour contains Gluten and some people, a very few have put this video out on social media, when you put any flour not just Gold flour and when making the dough the flour under water, the flour will go away and doesn’t have the correct characteristic of sticking without gluten and that is protein and enzyme which is present in wheat naturally and there is nothing added or subtracted from wheat, you can
take away gluten but you cannot add gluten”. Jas Wouhra also added that they do not handle any Genetically Modified products and all the flour is grown in the UK and the wheat is imported from India. Another statement that is going around on Whatsapp is from two members of EastEnd Roger Whoura Director of East End said: “Whenever you wash the flour you will always remove the wheat element and be left with protein. Protein content of flour is between 8 and 15% so that will remain and is a rubbery texture at the end and is a natural protein and not harmful”. Rahul Chaudhari – Employee of East End Foods said: “The East End Gold flour we make here at our planting site in West Bromwich. We import wheat and check it for quality and
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PG 12 - 13 pesticide and once it is approved then it goes to the cleaning process and nothing is added in or taken out. All East End food are GM free”. There is also a statement on East Ends website: We mill Premium Gold chapatti flour at our own mill based in West Bromwich, UK. We source our wheat from our reputed suppliers. The wheat is cleaned in our state of the art flour mill. The cleaned wheat is ground in a specially designed stone grinding mill (Chakki). We are aware that there is a video circulating on social media about East End Premium Gold chapatti flour. The video is falsely claiming that plastic is mixed in the East End Premium Gold Chapatti flour. The video and its content are inaccurate and misleading. continued on page 2
Achievement Awards 2017 y IN The Asian Toda S AGA HAMILTON WIN PG 13 rdsAwa Achievement PG 38
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The so-called plastic claimed in the video is in fact Gluten, which is a natural protein present in all wheat. The gluten content is very crucial to get the right texture of chapatti/bread. All chapatti flour, bread flour or plain flour will have gluten in it and will give similar results, when washed under water. We once again confirm that our chapatti flour is made from 100 percent wheat, it is natural with no additive or any other ingredient added to it. What is gluten? Gluten is a family of proteins found in grains like wheat, rye, spelt and barley. Of the gluten-containing grains, wheat is by far the most commonly consumed. The two main proteins in gluten are glutenin and gliadin. Gliadin is responsible for most of the negative health effects.
When flour is mixed with water, the gluten proteins form a sticky network that has a glue-like consistency. This glue-like property makes the dough elastic, and gives bread the ability to rise when baked. It also provides a chewy, satisfying texture.
Interestingly, the name gluten is derived from this glue-like property of wet dough. Gluten is a family of proteins found in grains like wheat, spelt, rye and barley. Gliadin and glutenin are the two main gluten proteins.
TRUMP HAS ‘GOT THE MESSAGE’ The London Mayor Sadiq Khan has clashed with the US President Donald Trump in the past and said he has “got the message” that many Londoners are staunchly opposed to his policies and actions after cancelling his trip to the UK. Sadiq Khan has continued to say a visit by Mr Trump would have been met by “mass peaceful protests”. Donald Trump has confirmed on Twitter that he was not a big fan of the new embassy and has blamed Barack Obama administration as a bad deal. The relocation of the US embassy from Grosvenor Square, Mayfair to Nine Eelms, South of the Thames is a bad deal. Trump has confirmed on Twitter that he will not be visiting the UK to cut the ribbon on the new US embassy building in south London. Mr Khan said: “It appears that President Trump got the message from the many Londoners who love and admire America and Americans but find his policies and actions the polar opposite of our city’s values of inclusion, diversity and tolerance. “His visit next month would without doubt have been met by mass peaceful protests. “This just reinforces what a mistake it was for Theresa May to rush and extend an invitation of a state visit in the first place. “Let’s hope that Donald Trump also revisits the pursuit of his divisive agenda.” The row between Donald Trump and Sadiq Khan saw the US president dismiss criticism of his original post on the subject by redoubling his attack, accusing Mr Khan of making a “pathetic excuse”.
Donald Trump has cancelled his visit to the UK
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Race against Time to raise £1.6million for Cancer Treatment
A loving and care dad from Acocks Green is in a race against time to raise £1.6million for life saving cancer treatment in the USA. Inderpal Singh 28, who has two young children aged seven and four has been told by medics that his leukaemia has spread to other parts of his body and the treatment is his only chance of survival. The family of the JLR worker are urgently trying to raise cash for the special CAR T-cell treatment. Sister Gupreet Kaur has said “We are trying to give Inderpal the chance he deserves, his children need a father and his wife needs a husband, we are trying to raise the money as soon as possible so he can go to Texas for the treatment.” Inderpal was diagnosed with Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and underwent chemptherapy back in 2013. Later he underwent a Haploidentical stem cell transplant where the donor was a match from his 27 year old brother Hardeep. Back in November last year Inderpal was told he had relapsed and his only option was to apply for a treatment in Houston, Texas as part of a clinical trial. The family have set up a JustGiving page to try and raise the money before time runs out. To donate to Inderpal’s treatment visit www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/inderpal-singh
Overturned Car on busy road of Bordesley Green
A Mercedes and Vauxhall were hit by a blue Peugeot SUV on Bordesley Green, Small Heath on the afternoon of Friday, January 7 and images showing the car overturned. Bordesley Green Post Office CCTV reveals how the driver of the blue Peugeot smashed into the side of two parked cars before flying into the air. An elderly man had become trapped in the driver seats after the car had flipped onto its roof while a female passenger managed to get out of the car before firefighters arrived. Eight firefighters from West Midlands Fire Service attended the scene and freed the man from his vehicle. A spokesperson for the service said: "We received a 999 call to reports of a RTC on Bordesley Green, Small Heath this afternoon at 12.27pm. "We sent a fire engine and a brigade response vehicle along with eight firefighters. "One male was released from the vehicle and is believed to have been taken to Heartlands hospital for treatment." West Midlands Ambulance Service, who arrived after the fire service, added: "We were called at 12.27pm to the junction of Azalea Grove and Bordesley Green to an overturned car. "One ambulance attended and found two patients who had managed to get out of the car and were walking around on scene. Birmingham East Response released a shocking image of the completely overturned vehicle shortly after the collision. The patients were assessed and one man, in his 70s, was taken to Heartlands Hospital for further checks."
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Channel 4 to West Midlands WHAT IS LOHRI Mayor Andy Street has launched a last push to bring Channel 4 to the West Midland
To attract Channel 4 to the West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has stepped up a gear by throwing down the gauntlet to the region’s creative community by urging them to show the region is in the leading pack in terms of attracting the broadcaster. This come about since the Government has ordered Channel 4 to relocate and the broadcaster . Andy said: “Now the West Midlands has secured the Commonwealth Games and Coventry City of Culture, Channel 4 represents our opportunity for a hat-trick that would demonstrate to the world that this region means business. “I am absolutely convinced that these successes – won on the back of a team effort which has been so often lacking in such campaigns historically – put us in the leading pack as far as this race is concerned. “The potential benefits of Channel 4 coming here are huge. “KPMG have calculated that a Channel 4 relocation could directly generate £2.3 billion of gross value added (GVA) between 2021 and 2030. It would also create £2.7 billion of indirect GVA during the same period, by catalysing wider growth and clustering across the region’s
creative and tech sectors. “But there’s more to it than just money – the West Midlands is the only natural home for an organisation that rightly wants to represent modern Britain. “Basing Channel 4 in the West Midlands would enable the station to reflect the lives and opinions of a young and diverse population more effectively than from any other location. Crucially, it would stimulate more people from diverse backgrounds to take part in the creative sectors. “This is a region with a
great economic story to tell. Our digital and creative industries are waiting to work with Channel 4 and the arrival of HS2 will strengthen our already unrivalled connectivity. “I believe a decision will be made very soon indeed by the Channel 4 and therefore it is essential that we strike now. “We’ve proven we can do large scale relocations well, as demonstrated by HSBC’s new HQ, the expansion of PwC and the HS2 construction headquarters, in addition to recent BBC
investments in the region. “For my part I will continue to champion our region with Channel 4 and Government, we need the whole region to get behind this campaign. “In particular, it is important our creative and tech businesses make their voices heard in the capital. “In the weeks to come, we will be looking to step up this momentum and take the message to Channel 4 that the West Midlands is the only choice for the station’s new home.”
January sees people of the Punjabi caste celebrate one of their favourite festivals. Originating from the Indian state of Punjab, the winter festival of Lohri falls in mid-January according to the Hindu calendar and marks the end of the month of Paush, the coldest month of the year. Traditionally celebrated on the shortest day of the year, the occasion is now held annually on January 13th. In India, the longawaited harvest festival is traditionally celebrated to thank the sun god for a prosperous harvest of the winter crops. For people in northern state of Punjab, where wheat is the main crop produced from the winter season, the fields coming up with the promise of a golden harvest in January is an occasion in which to rejoice for the farmers in the region due to which Lohri is celebrated. Across the world, the popular cultural event is more associated with
bonfires than harvests, and families gather to rejoice in new beginnings as well as to bring in good luck, and events such as the birth of a child or the union of newly weds is particularly celebrated. In modern day India, Lohri is a Thanksgiving festival and an opportunity for people to take a break from their busy lives, reuniting with their friends and family. How Is Lohri celebrated? To mark the Lohri festival, Punjabis come together with their loved ones and enjoy participating in traditional folk songs and dances. It’s also customary for people to gather around a huge bonfire, with some tossing peanuts, popcorn and other treats into the flames. A variety of food is also associated with the celebration, with spinach and rice pudding traditionally being served as mains and desserts on the day, with peanuts and sesame candy being enjoyed as snacks.
Cancer doesn’t care who you are. But we do. We want to hear the views of cancer patients on the NHS care they have received. Feedback on the experience of an individual’s cancer care is important to us and will help us see what’s working and what needs to improve. We need to hear everyone’s views, particularly people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds who are under-represented in responses to our national surveys. If you have a loved one who’s had NHS cancer treatment, encourage them to have their say. Find out more at www.ncpes.co.uk/NHSfeedback
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JANUARY 2018
Victim named from Stabbing inside Paddy Power in Handsworth
A 28-year-old man was fatally stabbed at Paddy Power bookmakers in Handsworth has been named by police as Khalid Yousef. Khalid, from Rookery Road, was pronounced dead at the scene on 4 January. When police arrived, they found a man ‘with
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severe head injuries’ and was confirmed dead at the scene. A 35 year old man was arrested has been detained under the Mental Act. Detective Inspector Jim Colclough, from West Midlands Police homicide team, said: “Our investigation is making good progress but I would like to hear from anyone who may have information but hasn’t already spoken to us. “Every bit of information is vital to our investigation and I would urge anyone who can help to contact my team on 101.” A spokesperson for the force said Khalid’s family continue to be supported by specially trained officers and are being fully updated with the latest developments. Anyone with information is asked to call 101 giving log number 895 of 04/01/18.
Armed Police Arrest Five Men and Recover Drugs
Over £28,000 funds raised for families of the 6 people who died in Lee Bank Middleway
Four Fundraising Pages have been set up in the wake of the tragic crash in December. The families of the six victims that lost their lives in the tragic car crash in December on Lee Bank Middleway set up fundraising pages and have raised more than £28,000. Taxi driver Imtiaz Mohammed, 33, was killed alongside his passengers Lucy Davis, 43, and her partner Lee Jenkins, 42. Mohammed Fahsha, 30, Kasar Jehangir, 25, and
Tauqeer Hussain, 26, were in an Audi S3 and also died on the scene. There are four pages set up to where people can donate. A fundraising page set up by Birmingham Mail Editor Marc Reeves said: “The impact of the appalling accident on the heart of our city will be felt for years to come. Please help us give some support to the victims’ families and the survivors. So far raised £8,403. To donate to this page go to www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/BirmMail
A taxi driver Andy Davies has also set up a fundraising page to help the family of taxi driver Imtiaz Mohammed. Andy said: “Mr Mohammad worked as a licensed cab driver in Birmingham he was involved in a fatal accident leaving a family including six children without their career and provider. The money we raise won‘t bring him back but will give his family help at this difficult time. Theres 27 thousand london cabbies lets show our support and give what we can.” So far raised £3,755.
To donate to this page go to www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/andy-davies-2 Noor Khan also set up a fundraising page to raise funds for the family of Mr Mohammed. Noor has posted: “This gofundme page will allow some support for the wife and children as this is just a little something to help them through this hard time financially. However, nothing will ever bring their beloved father back.” So far raised £7,658. To donate to this page go to www.gofundme.com/ for-the-family-of-imtiazmohammed Emma Secouet a friend of the two couple Lucy Davis and Lee Jenkins has set up a page to raise funds for Lucy’s two children She posted: “Lucy leaves two young children one week before Christmas. We hope to raise money for the family and their children, to ease financial worries and help the children secure their future.” So far raised £8,513 To donate to this page go to https://www.justgiving. com/crowdfunding/emmasecouet
A Leicester car worker had totted up a total of £10,000 of parking fines had the took an elderly womans Blue Badge permit so she could leave her car anywhere for free. The care worker Suriya Shoukhat 26 failed to return the permit to the 72-yearold pensioner who she was employed to care for after taking her on a shopping trip. Suriya was employed by Sevacare (Leicestershire) Limited and was asked if she knew where the permit was, she lied saying she handed it back to the client and had no idea where the Blue Badge was. Prosecutor Simon Hunka on behalf of Leicester City Council, said: “She has fines in excess of £10,000 against her name for routinely parking her car. “It’s relevant that she would park her vehicle leaving notes saying the battery was flat and suchlike. “She used the badge because she didn’t want to pay for parking or any fines that would have come her way.” He told Leicester Crown Court: “The defendant was a carer working for Sevacare from February 2014 and part of her role was to visit the service users, often elderly
people. “She would go to their homes and look after them and do various jobs. “She’d be required to take the people using the care service out-and-about to the shops and medical appointments in her car. “One such person was a 72-year-old woman, who’d been provided with a Blue Badge, not for her own vehicle, but for when she was taken out with anyone – that person would be able to park for free, in areas otherwise required to make a payment.” After several months of the card going missing, there was a report of a Blue Badge being misused in a red Vauxhall Corsa parked in Marlborough Street, Leicester, near Suriya then home in Welford Road to where the car was registered. Mr Hunka said there were 12 occasions, between July 3 and November 2, 2015, when the badge was noted as being used in the defendant’s vehicle – which entitled her to park for free and avoid being fined When the defendant was interviewed back in April 2016, she repeated the lie that she had returned the permit and falsely told investigators she had sold
her car the previous year. “It was fraudulent activity over a sustained period of time with an element of abuse of position of trust,” said Mr Hunka. Judge Marcus TregilgasDavey ordered she should pay £500 towards the £2,000 prosecution costs, at £50-permonth. He said: “One of the people you cared for was a 72-year-old lady who lived in Aylestone, Leicester. “She was suitable to receive a Blue Badge, even though she didn’t drive or have a car, but it meant that she could give the Blue Badge to anyone caring for her when she needed to be driven to a shop, the doctor’s
or wherever. “In May 2015, the lady contacted the local authorities and Sevacare because she no longer had it in her possession. “You told your employer you’d returned it to her – that was a lie. “You were interviewed in April 2016 and maintained your lie, saying you returned it to her and had put it in her shopping basket – you had not. “It was clearly a breach of trust to your employer and the lady you were caring for. The court heard that the £10,000 owed in fines was a civil matter and not part of the crown court proceedings
Leicester Care Worker Took Pensioner’s Blue Badge to avoid fines
Armed police arrested five men and recovered drugs and a knife after stopping a car in Washwood Heath. Officers stopped the Vauxhall Corsa before detaining the men and recovering the drugs and a lock knife along with a balaclava. A local resident who witnessed the stop filmed the incident said it continued for half an hour, with the main road being closed down as the operation took place. One of the suspects, wearing a hooded jacket and a baseball cap, was filmed being made to lie down beside the white hatchback before being taken away. Another was also escorted away from the scene, on the Washwood Heath Road at the junction with Thornton Road, a few seconds afterwards. said it continued for half an hour, with the main road being closed down as the operation took place. The eyewitness said:
“I was sitting at my desk working and was alerted by this shouting outside... It’s a pretty eventful neighbourhood, but for the wrong reasons sadly.” At least six officers were involved in stopping the car while residents watched on. The incident happened at a busy junction outside a car garage. A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “Five men were arrested and a quantity of drugs recovered after armed police stopped a car in Birmingham today, 10 January. “Officers stopped the Vauxhall Corsa on Washwood Heath Road at its junction with Thornton Road at around 1.20pm. “A balaclava and a lock knife were recovered, and five men in the car were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs and possession of an offensive weapon. “The investigation continues.”
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MP Preet Gill disapproves plans to ask why Muslim Schoolgirls wear the Hijab 6
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Edgbaston MP Preet Gill has requested school inspectors Ofsted to scrap plans to ask why young girls wear the hijab and has written to the Education secretary Justine Greening to say the proposal had “caused outrage among many of my constituents”. This has followed after an announcement that school inspectors will question Muslim primary school pupils with headscarves as to why they wear it. Since Trojan Horse affair in Birmingham 2014 when an inquiry found here was a “co-ordinated, deliberate and sustained” campaign to introduce “an intolerant and aggressive Islamic ethos into a few schools” in the city the Ofsted and Department of Education have required schools to teach and reflect on British values. Amanda Spielman, the head of Ofsted and chief inspector of schools, said in November that encouraging primary school children to wear the hijab “could be interpreted as sexualisation of young girls”. She said: “Inspectors will
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talk to girls who wear such garments to ascertain why they do so in the school.” This has been controversial, with the Muslim Council of Britain saying it sent a message that British women who choose to wear a headscarf are “second class citizens”. Labour MP Ms Gill said: “It is vital that all communities are able to practice their religion free from persecution.
“In particular, I believe that children should not be subjected to unnecessary questioning by Ofsted inspectors.” MP Gill told Ms Greening: “I’m sure that you will agree that all children should be free to practice their religion without undue interference. “I ask that you work with Ofsted to ensure that young Muslim girls are able to practice their religion free from discrimination or interrogation.”
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A mum saves her daughter’s life with the best possible gift U
zma Asgar from the Midlands gave her daughter the greatest gift of all this all at Christmas – she donated her kidney to save her little girl’s life. 12-year-old Azia Hassan had faced months of grueling dialysis as she waited on the transplant list after she got a virus which caused her kidney to fail. When it became clear that Azia needed an urgent transplant her mum Uzma Asghar immediately offered to donate her own kidney. And, remarkably for the 12-year-old this was her SECOND transplant as she had already received a kidney
from her dad. Uzma underwent her surgery at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital to remove her kidney. Meanwhile, just a few miles away at City Children’s Hospital Azia was in surgery awaiting for the vital delivery of her new kidney. On December 22 Azia recovered fully and was allowed to go home for Christmas. Mum Uzma said on the day of her surgery “It was the hardest day of my life being away from Azia, We have a special bond – all the nurses on the ward would say it.” She continued to say “For
all her other operations I have always been by her side, going into the theatre.” “So that was the most horrible part. I was in another hospital. I couldn’t be there to hold her hand and see her wake up. “The night before I gave her a hug and told her it was OK to cry. I knew it was for the best so that she could get better.” The next day I was an emotional wreck. I just wanted to see her. When I heard the good news that the surgery had gone well, it was a huge relief.” Aiza was just two years old she when she diagnosed with congenital nephrotic syndrome, after both her kidneys failed. The condition causes a loss of protein in the body, and she had to undergo three years of dialysis because she was simply too small for a transplant. It was just before Azia fifth birthday that she underwent her first transplant at Birmingham Children’s Hospital – after her father donated his kidney. The operation was a success, but four years later she developed a viral infection that meant the kidney started to fail.
At first it would appear the kidney was still functioning, but by October 2017 it became clear that she would need a new one. If one wasn’t found she would face hours of dialysis every week and having to take more than 60 tablets and an injection every day. Without a second thought mum Uzma, a full-time carer volunteered. “It wasn’t something I had to think about very hard,” says Uzma. “You want your child to have the very best chance in life. “If I can survive with one healthy kidney and Azia desperately needs the other to live as normal a life as possible, why wouldn’t I
choose to donate? “I had been tested before when she had her first operation, so I knew I was a match. “My ex-husband was found to be a better match so he donated his, and we always knew that I could be a backup.” Four days later after Uzma’s surgery and in good recovery she was discharged and was able to visit Azia every day. Uzma hopes that Azia can start to live a normal life again and go back to school and socialise with her friends. “She has been very unwell since September, and has missed so much school,” says the relieved mum.
“When she’s on dialysis there are certain foods that she can’t eat, and she can only have 500ml of liquids every day. “She will be on medication for life – but that’s OK. Fingers crossed, she can finally start living like a normal 12-year-old girl again.” Azia’s mum is urging people to sign up to the organ donation register – to give the gift of life to others. “It’s so important that people sign up to the register,” says Umza, who lives in Burton-on-Trent. For more information about organ donation or to sign up to the organ donation register please visit www. organdonation.nhs.uk.
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Saffiyah Khan, the Birmingham Protestor named as Stylist’s ‘Women of the Year’ W
e all know how Saffiyah Khan stood up face to face against the EDL thug earlier this year, that picture that captured the moment has propelled Khan to international recognition. Saffiyah Khan has now been named as one of the stylist magazine’s ‘Women of the Year’. The Image of Saffiyah Khan, 19, confronting a member of far-right group the English Defence League went viral in April 2017. The picture which captured the moment during a demonstration in Birmingham city centre, shows Saffiyah smiling
with her hands casually in her pockets – amused and unafraid at the angry, red face of Ian Crossland – it became a iconic symbol of defiance against intolerance. Saffiyah Khan has become a highly respected social & political activist and has continued to pursue her passion to speak out. Khan has been a speaker at events with the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, has also appeared on TV shows such as Channel 4’s The Last Leg. Recently Saffiyah Khan has hosted a photo exhibition in Birmingham and now even trying out modelling. Talking about her
experience from the demonstration Saffiyah Khan said to Stylist Magazine: “We knew the EDL were coming to Birmingham, and they have a long history of targeting locals. A group of mates and I went down. I am politically active and have been going on protests since I was quite young. We were at the rally for 45 minutes before anything happened. Then a lady came over – Saira Zafar – and started calling the EDL xenophobes and bigots. They surrounded her. We thought, we’re going to have to get involved now. Soon after we pulled her
out, that picture was taken of me. It was taken by Joe Giddens from the Press Association. There was a lot of press there, because last time the EDL came, there were riots. I was way too young to get involved then.” “It was just a moment. Our general rationale was, ‘Keep your hands in your pockets’, because the far-righters will take any excuse to say, ‘She did this’. We should be very wary of the increase in farright politics in this country. More needs to be done. It’s becoming mainstream. After the protest, I saw the photo. I thought, ‘That’s a decent picture’, and sent it to a friend. Then it went crazy, there were loads of things popping up on Facebook. All the newspapers were getting in touch. I didn’t have a mobile at the time because I’d lost it and decided to stay ‘off grid’, so my dad took on the role of PA. A couple of years ago he said I wasn’t allowed to go to any more protests because he had to pick me up from the police station once, but with this he couldn’t be angry at me. Tommy Robinson, who co-founded the EDL, tweeted that it had embarrassed them. I’ll take that.” Anna Fielding, Stylist’s associate features editor, said: “We chose people who we thought had shown extraordinary courage and
Steak House in Acocks Green fined 50k Ibrahim Grill and Steak House on Warwick Road, Acocks Green has been fined £50,000 for continuously using unhygienic wooden plates to serve food. The restaurant was first visited by Environmental Health officers in October 2016 after an alleged food poisoning outbreak had affected a group of 14 people. Birmingham City Council said there were concerns about the use of wooden plates, that were incapable of being cleaned and used to serve food. Despite receiving improvement notices, the restaurant has continued to use the boards which could pose a risk of food poisoning to anyone eating from them. The boards were in such damaged conditions they could no longer be effectively cleaned and disinfected. The Environmental officers returned in December 2016 and found that food handling had improved but the serving
boards were still being used. The business has entered a guilty plea at Birmingham Magistrates Court after failing to comply with the hygiene improvement notice in relation to the wooden boards.
determination. These are not everyday people – they’re incredible. But I hope it will show our readers that they can be incredible too. We all have so much potential.” Stylist’s editor-in-chief Lisa Smosarski added: “It is hard to reflect on 2017 without focussing on some of the toughest challenges we’ve faced in the UK, and it would be easy to get lost in this sadness and fear. “But for me, the most amazing thing about these stories, were those of hope. It’s reassuring to know that our world isn’t broken because the majority of people are good, kind, selfless and generous – especially when put to the ultimate
test. “So in true Stylist fashion we wanted to celebrate those women who had made their mark on our year with acts of true courage and bravery, and who offer hope that we can still come together and create a world we can be proud of.” Saffiyah appears alongside nine other women, including Grenfell Tower firefighter Louisa De Silvo, campaigner Anna Veglio-Wdite, peacemaker Zakia Bassou, justice seeker Margaret Aspinall, activist Akeela Ahmed, period-poverty champion Amika George, and peacemaker Zakia Bassou. Saffiyah Khabn was photographed by Stylist Magazine’s Mark Harrison.
A young father brutally stabbed named as Handsworth dad Jaskaran Kang A family man from Handsworth was stabbed to death in a Dudley flat in the early hours of Saturday 6 January. Jaskaran Kang 24 years old was known to be a caring and hard-working father. The police have launched a murder investigation after they were called to a flat above a mini-mart in Dudley and the young dad was pounced as dead at the scene. The family, from Handsworth, Birmingham, are appealing for people to come forward. In a statement released by West Midlands Police, they said: “We just want justice.” They added: “He was
a lovely and caring hardworking father, son and brother who has been taken too soon. “Everyone loved him and the family and community are in shock.” The family of Mr Kang, 24, from Handsworth, Birmingham, are appealing for people to come forward. In a statement released by West Midlands Police, they said: “We just want justice.” They added: “He was a lovely and caring hardworking father, son and brother who has been taken too soon. “Everyone loved him and the family and community are in shock.”
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Mahboob Hussain Sandwell’s ex-council deputy leader has breached code of conduct over his role in the sale of public toilets and influencing the reduction and cancelling parking tickets for members of his family. Former Councillor Hussain has bought the council into disrepute, the standard council committee have found. Councillor Hussain did not attend the hearing due to medical reason and said to have denied any natural justice. He was accused of ‘agreeing to ignore’ a £130,000
Services Ltd on Valley Road, near Solihull shortly before 1am. A total of eight vehicles were destroyed in the fire and they included two Toyotas, One Seat Ducanto, a Renault Scenic, VW Beatle, Audi and Peugeot. The owner Qasib Iqbal aged 29 said the attack had
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taken away his livelihood and has totally devastated me. The car sales and recovery firm had only been opened less than a week. Mr Iqbal said “Seven cars and a recovery truck were damaged and I estimated it has caused around £25,000 worth of damage to the vehicles and some damage to the building.” A fire investigation has taken place and is being treated as arson.
A West Midlands Police spokesman said “We have made an appointment to speak with the business owner. Anyone with any information should ring police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111
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valuation for three public toilet blocks. Couple of days later the toilet blocks were allegedly sold for £35,000 to one of Mr Hussain’s friend. The standard committee also found that he used his position to have three parking tickets that were issued to his family reduced and cancelled. After the hearing, Councillor Hussain said: “I have always strongly refuted the allegations made against me and would have liked the opportunity to defend myself fully.” A futher hearing will be held to determine what action should be taken.
Arson Attack on Midlands Motor Firm
A Midlands Motor Firm near Solihull had over £25,000 worth of cars go up in flames in an arson attack in the early hours of Sunday 7 December. CCTV shows Two men in grey hoodies throwing what appeared to be petrol bomb at the vehicles and fire crew were called out to IQ
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FEATURE
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2017 JANUARY The year started with some positive news with a significant amount of Asians named on the Queens new year’s honours list such as West Midlands MEP, Ms Neena Gill for her parliamentary and political service. It was also announced that the Britain’s first baby of 2017 was Indian, 35-year-old mother, Bharti Devi, gave birth to daughter Ellina Kumari at 12:01, just one minute into the new year.
FEBRUARY Hundreds of people gathered at Victoria Square to protest against the Trump ban and his proposed state visit. Protestors turned up outside the Council House in defiance of the ban. In other news it is also the month of love and we had a competition for a meal for 2. Keeping with the theme of love in entertainment it was the release of a romantic comedy Mahi NRI. Sports news – Federer won the 18th Grand Slam in tennis.
MARCH – Celebrating Women’s International dayMarch 8 a day where women around the world celebrate for their political, social, economic and cultural achievements. In entertainment Raaj Shamji got the opportunity to meet and interview Gurinder Chadha on her movie ‘The Viceroy House’.
APRIL Highlighting the candidates for 2017 Midlands Metro Mayor and a brief overview of what each candidate is offering, Peter Durrell UKIP, Andy Street Conservative Party, Beverley Nielson Liberal Democrats, James Burn Green Part and Sion Simon Labour. We also featured the celebrations of Vaisakhi with over 100,000 Sikhs and Hindus to partake in Birmingham festival. April saw the start of IPL for its 10th anniversary
MAY The Conservative candidate Andy Street has secured his place as the Midlands Metro Mayor. The voting was structured to give two choices, a first choice and second choice. Andy Street beat second runner up Sion Simon by 600 votes. A tribute was featured after hearing the passing of Vinod Khanna Bollywood legend.
JUNE Religious leaders in Manchester held a vigil led by the Bishop of Manchester David Walker and the Imam Irfan Chishti of Manchester Central Mosque after the tragic Manchester attack. Theresa May made a visit to Nishkam Primary school where she talked about Harry Potter to West Bromwich Albion. In the month of June millions around the world celebrated Ramadan and Eid. Ramadan began on May 27th and Eid fell on June 25th. In sports India and Pakistan went head to head for the ICC Champions Trophy
LOOKING BACK AT
2017
JULY Asian Business Chamber of Commerce chairman Nasir Awan was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands. Nasir Awan role will be to represent Her Majesty to the Midlands, and his task would also include finding people to award the Queens Honour. In the entertainment industry AR Raham celebrating his 25 years in music and returned to SSE Arena Wembley after seven years.
AUGUST The nation watched the horrific scenes of Grenfell Tower back in June where lives were lost and many injured. Aftab Chughtai an executive committee member of The Asian Chambers of Commerce has been selected to take a leading role in the Grenfell Recovery Taskforce, where he will with other help and get the right support for the victims and those who were affected. 2017- celebrated 70 years of India and Pakistan Independence Day. In sports Mo Farah made history by winning the 10,000m title for the third time in a row.
SEPTEMBER BBC Asian Networks DJ Tommy Sandhu was fired from his role after allegedly being part of a Whatsapp group, he released a video statement which he denies any allegations against him of racist, homophobic and sexist remarks. In other news on 7 September Birmingham welcomed the decision by the Commonwealth Games Delivery Unit to recommend the city as a candidate to host the 2022 games.
OCTOBER This friendships says it all – Birmingham Labour MP Khalid Mahmood was saved by a secret ‘live’ kidney transplant from one of the party’s European MPs Sion Simon. The two have been friends for 20 years and have spoken publicly and encouraged others. On to sports, thousands took part in the first Birmingham City marathon including one 106 year old Fauja Singh who became the oldest to complete the Marathon.
NOVEMBER What a year its been and it was great news to be celebrating our second award at the Asian Media Awards for best publication at the end of October. Another great news was for Birmingham lad Moin Younis a young boy who suffers from a rare skin conditions received the Teenage of Courage honour at the Pride of Birmingham Awards and won at the Pride of Britain. The awaited film of the year Padamavati has a release date but has received negative vibes.
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Achievement Awards 2017 1
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Community Initiative of the Year Award – Homeless Heroes A not-for-profit, community interest company. Set up, with the aim, of making a difference to the lives of the homeless community within Birmingham. They receive no funding or grants to continue their work. They rely on the goodwill and generosity of people who are able to support.
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Perseverance for the Youth Award – BYSA Birmingham Youth Sports Academy (BYSA) was established in 2002 as a voluntary organisation and has received funding from a number of organisations in order to offer football coaching to young people. BYSA aims to keep the young safe & active, helping them to achieve their targets and goals no matter if its through sports or education.
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Commitment to Grassroots Sports of the Year Award - JABS B8 FC
Jabs was created in 2014 and are a tailored made organisation with a bottom up approach. The people involved in JABS all have a football background and will help young kids by offering them opportunities to learn new skills and mentoring. They have an educational skills programme and engage with the local Police, Fire services and Armed services.
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Male Radio Presenter of the Year Award- Sunny Grewal Radio Presenter at BBC WM 96.6 fm, Sunny and wife Shay both present the afternoon show. Sunny previously appeared on Channel 4 ‘The Family’ and has presented the weekend breakfast on BBC Asian Network as well as various tv shows.
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Pathway Group workforce development solutions
Female Radio Presenter of the Year Award- Shay Grewal Radio Presenter at BBC WM 96.6 fm, married to Sunny Grewal both present the afternoon show. Shay was also appeared on Channel 4 ‘The Family’ with Sunny, she has presented the weekend breakfast on BBC Asian Network as well as various tv shows. Shay is also a brand ambassador for the London Film Festival.
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Public Services Award – Preet Gill MP Preet Gill MP is a British Labour Co-operative politician. She is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Edgbaston since the 2017 general election. She is the first female British Sikh MP.
13 DECEMBER What was meant to be a holiday and celebrations a young British citizen Jagtar Singh Johal was arrested and remains in custody in Punjab, India. His welfare remains a mystery and a sustained campaign for his release continues. In entertainment the release of another big Bollywood movie Tiger Zinda Hai has hit the screens and the films has received great views.
Inspirational Woman of the Year Award – Anita Bhalla OBE Anita’s media career with the BBC has been varied; from being one of the first regionally based bi-media correspondents to being Head of the BBC’s Public Space Broadcasting. Anita is currently Chair of Performances Birmingham Ltd (Town Hall and Symphony Hall), Chair of the Creative City Partnership, Board member of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP.
Inspirational Man of the Year Award – Bas Javid Chief Superintendent to West Midlands Police. Bas joined West Midlands Police as Detective Chief Inspector in 2007; having spent 13 years at Avon & Somerset. He was previously with the Royal Navy and his military service included the Persian Gulf War - for which he received a commendation for teamwork and bravery.
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Commitment to Business Industry – Pathway Group Pathway is a Apprenticeship Training Provider that manage apprenticeship programmes, training provision and funding opportunities. Pathway also offer networking opportunities to all business through Pathway2Grow and show full commitment to what they do.
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Special Recognition of the Year Award – Penny Appeal
Journalist of the Year Award – Satnam Rana
Penny Appeal was set up in 2009 to provide poverty relief across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa by offering water solutions, organising mass feedings, supporting orphan care and providing emergency food and medical aid. Penny Appeal have raised funds for many causes and outbreaks across the world.
A presenter for the BBC, currently Midlands Today, recently Satnam was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and shared an emotional video diary on social media and to encourage women to check themselves and act if you find anything suspicious.
Commitment to the Cause – Amrick Singh Director of the Nishkam Centre. The Nishkam Centre is a faith inspired third sector civic organisation that merges spirituality and secularity creating a seamless fusion of values, ethics and justice for the common good of all humanity. Amrick works and dedicates his time to community and various projects.
Editor’s Choice of the Year Award - Haroon Mota Haroon Mota, fundraising manager for humanitarian charity Penny Appeal and one of the most inspiring people in the Midlands. In 2017, Haroon set himself a challenge of running four marathons in just three weeks. He set himself a target of £20,000 to raise funds to build a solar water power centre which will provide both water
and electricity to poor and needy people living in Senegal, Haroon decided to embark on the challenge in memory of his late father who was tragically killed in a car crash. Haroon is also known as the marathon man and helps to encourage men, women and children to take part in any marathon.
Congratulations! #ATAA17
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THE ASIAN TODAY
EDUCATION
EDUCATION
Survey shows Birmingham’s education sector among largest in the UK Birmingham’s education sector is among the top three largest in the UK while Coventry’s employment rate was among the strongest recorded across the third quarter of 2017, according to a new study by law firm Irwin Mitchell. The UK Powerhouse study, which is produced in conjunction with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), provides an estimate of GVA* growth and job creation within 45 of the UK’s largest cities 12 months ahead of the Government’s official figures. According to the latest report, Birmingham’s economy grew by 1.5 per cent to reach £24.6 billion in the 12 months to Q3 2017. In addition, the city’s employment level rose by 0.9 per cent to 562,967 across the same period. Elsewhere in the Midlands, Coventry moved up a place to third in the report’s league table on employment, with the number of people in work rising by 1.2 per cent to
190,717. Notable employment growth was also seen in Wolverhampton, which moved up nine places after an increase of 0.8 per cent was recorded. The latest report also examines the impact that education has on city economies; with Birmingham’s education sector being valued at £498.4 million. This makes it the third largest in the UK behind only London and Oxford. According to the latest data, the city’s education sector also grew by 9 per cent between 2012 and 2015 and makes up 8 per cent of the total city’s GVA. Chris Rawstron partner at Irwin Mitchell in Birmingham, said: “While Birmingham itself had modest employment growth across the period analysed, there was better news for both Coventry and Wolverhampton in terms of employment rates. “However, in terms of education, it has showed that
Birmingham is one of the real leaders in the area with the sector making a notable impact on the city’s growth and development.” The report notes the education sector makes a major contribution to economic growth within many areas surrounding universities and also offers recommendations on how it can continue to do so. These include: - Universities engaging in the work of Local Enterprise Partnerships, particularly in support for innovation - Cities with a strong outflow of graduate age young workers having policies for retaining talent, with the Government also providing incentives for graduate recruiters to hire more in those areas - Cities improving infrastructure to optimise the movement of workers - The introduction of large-scale affordable housing projects to appeal to graduates Article Source: Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.
NEVER TOO LATE TO FIND THE RIGHT PATH B
ryn Evans from Northfield is a pure inspiration to all adults wanting to change their career. After dropping out of two colleges and spending years working in various jobs, this twenty-two year old is now on his way to university thanks to the Access to University course he attended at Bournville College. ‘I wasn’t really interested in studying when I was younger, I lacked commitment and it showed in my behaviour and attitude. It was when I was working in a sofa shop that I started thinking about where my life was going. The job was well
paid and it had good prospects, but it wasn’t for me, I wanted to do something more meaningful with my life.’ Bryn reflected. Bryn gave up a well-paid job to come back to college but doesn’t regret his decision: ‘It was a big decision, but I’m glad I did it. It’s a difficult course but enjoyable and I have received a lot of support which helped me along the way. In another three years I will have a degree.’ Bryn is has now started his degree in Education Studies at University of Worcester and continuing his educational journey. Access courses are very popular with mature students because they offer a
second chance to anyone with no qualifications. With only one year of study, they allow adults of all ages to go to University. When Bournville College and South and City College Birmingham merged in August 2017, it provided an even bigger choice of access courses on offer for adult students across the city, including pathways to Sports Science and Criminology and many related disciplines. If like Bryn, you want to change career and do something worthwhile, visit www.sccb. ac.uk or call 0800 111 6311 to find out more about all our courses.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
AKSHAY KUMAR FIGHTS FOR MENSTURAL HYGIENE IN & AS PADMAN
ACTRESS ANUSHKA SHARMA, CRICKETER VIRAT KOHLI TIE THE KNOT IN ITALY
FUKREY RETURNS CROSSES 50 CRORES IN WEEK 1 OF ITS RELEASE!
H
ere’s introducing the inspiring story of one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential entrants Arunachalam Muruganantham, a rural welder from India turned incredible innovator and inventor, who certainly wasn’t wearing a cape when he was moved to provide women with access to high-quality and affordable sanitary pads 20 years ago. His story has been fictionalised for its silver screen debut with PadMan, the world’s first feature film on menstrual hygiene releasing in cinemas around the world on 26th January 2018. Co-produced by Mrs Funnybones Movies, Hope Productions, KriArj Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, India, PadMan is written and directed by ad-man turned film-man R Balki (Paa). It is billed as the most progressive family entertainer yet, starring international megastar Akshay Kumar who
assumes the titular role of Arunachalam Muruganantham to once again showcase his commitment to social entertainers. He is joined by critically acclaimed actresses Sonam Kapoor (Neerja) and Radhika Apte (Kabali). PadMan traces Arunachalam Muruganantham’s international journey from an outcast exiled from society for his endeavours to delve into such a taboo subject, to becoming a super-hero of India’s modern history, as he followed his dream to bring a revolution to menstrual hygiene in India. Akin to the tagline of the film Superhero Hai Yeh Pagla (He’s a Crazy Superhero), PadMan is nothing short of an impulsive, flamboyant and driven entrepreneur extraordinaire, who refused to give up in the wake of scrutiny and ridicule, using his resilience and initiative to invent India’s low cost sanitary napkin making machine. An extreme
enigma in his home town, Arunachalam Muruganantham’s super-heroic efforts led to a business that today employs hundreds of women across India. Issues relating to menstrual hygiene are a global phenomenon. Whether this is a result of the stigma and taboo resulting in the marginalisation and disempowerment of women in societies, the economic and social impact of “period poverty”, to the consequences on women’s health, there is a need to educate both men and women on the impact and to ensuring all women have menstrual dignity. Committed to the cause of women empowerment, Arunachalam Muruganantham faced the risk of isolation and marginalisation as he challenged the stigma and stereotypes associated with menstrual hygiene head-on in order to improve the lives of thousands of women.
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I FEEL SMALL IN FRONT OF SOHA: KAREENA KAPOOR
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I feel small in front of Soha: Kareena Kapoor Actor Kareena Kapoor Khan is in all praise for her sister-in-law Soha Ali Khan, saying she is the family's torchbearer and someone they all turn to for advice. Kareena said she is always nervous when
listenings to conversations between her husband Saif Ali Khan and her sisterin-law as she finds it a struggle to understand what they are saying. Kareena said she
A
s Salman Khan shared his final picture from the sets of Tiger Zinda Hai before its release, the bollywoodsuperstar revealed his first look from his next action packed film Race 3. The movie which will also star Jacqueline Fernandez and Bobby Deol. It clearly looks like that the actor is super busy as he also has been shooting for his
is not the only one in that position as Soha's husband Kunal Kemmu, said he too finds it difficult to catch up with the pair. "I have rarely been intimidated by anyone and media knows. But if there's one person in the family I am completely in awe of, it is Soha. " Kareena said. Kareena spoke at the launch of Soha's book, "The Perils of Being Moderately Famous" In her book, Soha talks about finding herself in different capacities - as legendary cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and veteran Bollywood star Sharmila Tagore's daughter, and actors Saif Ali Khan's sister and Kareena Kapoor Khan's sister-in-law. "If there's anyone in the family who we all can turn to and can control the situation, that's Soha."
television show Bigg Boss 11 on the weekends. Now taking our excitement to another level, Salman showed his look from Race 3 with a gun in his hand. Such major transition in his look from that of Tiger Zinda Hai to Race 3 is something you need to notice. Unveiling his look from the film on his social media handle, Salman wrote, “.... and Race3 begins”
Another roadblock for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Padmavati’!
Padmavati From day 1, the film has been opposed by some or the other and amidst all the controversies, its release was postponed to an indefinite time period. After the 68 days prior submission guidelines by the Censor Board, ‘Padmavati’ has now gotten into trouble with the CBFC as the institution refused to certify the magnum opus again. The reason for this is that the disclaimer in the certification application of whether Padmavati is based on historical facts or fiction had not been mentioned by the makrs. The movie was initially scheduled to release on 1st December 2017, but due to all the issues around, the movie may be released January 2018. Ranveer, Deepika and shahid have now moved on and have started preparing for their upcoming films.
Priyanka Chopra to charge a whopping Rs 5 Crore for an award show performance?
Priyanka Chopra is an international sensation after her entry into the world of Hollywood. So it is exciting to hear that Priyanka will be back on home turf as she will be performing for an award show. However, it looks like the performance from the star will come at a very steep price. According to reports, the actress is charging a whopping Rs 5 Crore for a dance performance on this award show. Her act is touted to be five minutes long and will feature a medley of her hit songs. But it looks like the organizers have no issues matching up to this steep price as they are eager to have superstar performin. The fact that she will be performing in an award show after two years further adds to the excitement and her act will obviously be the highlight of the night.
SHOCKER! Tiger Zinda Hai denied NOC from Pakistan! The movie Tiger Zinda Hai has been refused a NOC (No Obligation Certifictae) in Pakistan As per reports Central Board of Film Censor Chairman Mobasher Hasan has refused the permission citing the same reason as the first installment of the franchise. "The image of Pakistan and its law enforcement agencies has been compromised." In fact, Sulaiman Lalani, who was to distribute the film in Pakistan, was a disappointed person. He said: "Our preferred option was
that 'Tiger Zinda Hai' should have been allowed for import, presented to censor board, and if any objectionable material was found against the interests of Pakistan/ Islam, exhibition of the film shouldn't have been allowed then. "In fact, if there was any thing against the national interests of Pakistan in the film, we ourselves wouldn't have sought the exhibition but this could have been done only after preview of the film." The film is a very human story... not political.
Saif Ali Khan feels he isn't sexy enough to play father Mansoor Ali Nawazuddin Siddiqui to play Bal Thackeray in the Khan Pataudi in biopic late politician’s biopic?
Nawazuddin Siddique
Late Bal Thackeray
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t seems that after making several biopics on sports personalities, Bollywood is now shifting its focus towards politicians. The life of the late politician and Shiv Sena party founder, Bal Thackeray is in the making. And if all goes well, versatile actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui will play the lead role in the film. The film is currently at the scripting stage and its production
will start once the final draft is ready. It is believed that the party members of Shiv Sena dislike Muslims, but now a Muslim actor is going to play his party founder in a film. When Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, who is writing the script for the biopic, was asked about the same, he said that his biopic will answer all these questions.
Saif Ali Khan has been branching out a lot lately with trying his hand at production and even hinting at writing a book, apart from his acting career. Out of all the various projects he wants to invest in, he is keen to bankroll a biopic on his father, the legendary cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. However, he has his conditions. According to reports, Saif says he will only kick-start the project if he can find an actor who can do justice to the role.
The 'Kaalakaandi' actor added that there is not enough footage of his father, so getting into his character will take a lot of hard work. In particular, he feels that he won’t fit the role as most of his father’s glory days happened when he was fairly young, so a younger actor will be required. In fact, the Nawab is fairly certain that he can't copy his father's style and elegance.
Saif Ali Khan
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Rajkummar Rao’s Newton out of 2018 Oscars race Rajkummar Rao starrer of Newton, which was India’s official entry in the Foreign Language Film category at the 2018 Oscars, couldn’t make it to the final list of nominations. The official website of the Oscars released the list of nine features which have advanced to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category and the Amit V. Masurkar directorial didn’t find a place in it. The nominations for Academy Awards 2018 will be announced on January 23, 2018, and
the awards will take place on March 4, 2018 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Newton, a satire and dark comedy set against the backdrop of elections in the world’s largest democracy, was chosen from among 26 titles from different languages by a 14-member jury appointed by the Film Federation of India (FFI). The FFI, which faced criticism over the selection of India’s Oscar entry in the past, was lauded for this year’s choice by many. Actor Ayushmann Khurrana called it “very deserving”.
Rajkummar Rao in Newton
ctor Nargis Fakhri, is excited about her new track with American rapper Snoop Dogg on her single ‘Woofer’, says she was “completely thrilled to sing with the iconic” artist. Dr Zeus has come out with ‘Woofer’ featuring Snoop Dogg rapping alongside UK-based Punjabi singer Zora Randhawa. “I really enjoyed working with Dr. Zeus and Zora and the entire BeingU team. This was a really awesome experience. For me, I grew up listening to Snoop Dogg so when this came my way, I was completely thrilled to give it a shot
and sing with someone as iconic as him,” Nargis said in a statement. Shot in Los Angeles, the song has been produced by BeingU Music — a record label dedicated to push forward independent Indian music across the world through exciting collaborations with the focus on Punjabi artists. Dr Zeus said: “At the beginning of every achievement is the desire and with the right desire, you have the power to become what you think. ‘Woofer’ is an example of that and also a first of such wonderful collaborations I am hoping to do on the global music front.”
FUKREY RETURNS CROSSES 50 CRORES IN WEEK 1 OF ITS RELEASE! The comedy drama Fukrey Returns is on a roll! The movie is making a huge buzz and has been receiving a positive response from the audience as well as the critics. The sequel film film stars Pulkit Samrat, Varun Sharma, Richa Chadda, Ali Fazal, Manjot Singh, and Pankaj Tripathi. The film is currently sailing in profits
thanks to the tight budget. The total box-office collection stands at Rs. 50.30 crores at the domestic markets. The film is already running in profits as it was made on a tight budget of 30 crores including P & A. If you haven’t watched the fun comedy drama yet, do check it out.
ACTRESS ANUSHKA SHARMA, CRICKETER VIRAT KOHLI TIE THE KNOT IN ITALY WEDDING OF THE YEAR
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t was the wedding of the year — between cricketer Virat Kohli and Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma which took place on 11 December after months of will they-won't they. The newlyweds had their private cermony with close family and friends in Tuscany followed by a lavish and traditional reception in New Delhi. The couple released a joint statement to the media stating "Today we have promised each other to be
THE BY: ASIAN TODAY HUSNA
BY: HUSNA
BOLLYWOOD BOLLYWOOD
Nargis Fakhri new single with Rapper Snopp Dogg A
Tiger Zinda Hai
Real reason for marriage breakdown for Amir Khan and Faryal Makhdoom
bound in love forver. We are truly blessed to share this news with you. This beautiful day will be made more special with love and support of our family of fans and well wishes. Thank you for being such an important part of our journey" So how did the couple, their friends and family manage to keep this grand affair so private? Shaadi Squad, the wedding planners for the entire gala had this to say — “Four months of
keeping a secret, hiding even it from our own team, the secret recces, midnight meetings, vague conversations, and sleepless nights have finally manifested into this grand moment. Thank you Anuskha and Virat, for making us part of your family and trusting us to pull off something of this magnitude. You believed in us, even on those sleepless nights that we didn’t!" The Couple will spend New Year in South Africa travelling before returning back .
Boxer Amir Khan and his wife Faryal Makhdoom have told the reason for the breakdown of their marriage back in August 2017 during an appearance on Loose Women. 2017 was a tough year for the couple who appeared on Loose Women on 2nd January saying they are looking forward to a fresh start and a second child on the way. When asked for the reason of their break up Amir explained: “What went wrong? I think just a lack of communication.” Faryal also added: “It was just a misunderstanding. I was in England (and) he was in Dubai, he thought he was a bit cool in Dubai doing some tweets … [laughs]”
Fukrey Returns team
Amir also pointed difficulties he had faced after having a hand surgery earlier in 2017 and he told Loose Women: “Going through the hand injury that I had, not being in the boxing ring, being away from my family, going through a lot of stuff in my life, I think the best place for me is to be in the boxing ring.” He also said religion and I’m A Celebrity has helped him in reuniting with Faryal. Describing the Jungle as “detox”, he also joked how the public could see the “real side” of him. Both are looking to start a new chapter together. Have a watch of their appearance on Loose Women: check THE ASIAN TODAY website.
01. 01. 02. 02. 03. 03. 04. 04. 05. 05. 06. 06. 07. 07. 08. 08. 09. 09. 10. 10.
Kala Chashma Swag Se Swagat KalaBaar Chashma Baar Dekho Tiger Zinda Hai Baar Baar Dekho
Ghoomar Tere Sang Yaare Tere Sang Yaare Rustom Padmavati Rustom
Dil Diyan Gallan Gani Gani Mani Zinda Tiger Sandhu Hai & Akhil Mani Sandhu & Akhil
BanGhoomeya Jag Ja Rani Jag Ghoomeya Sultan Tumhari Sulu Sultan
AajRendhe Tu Se Teri Tu Rendhe Tindy Padman & Rixx and Sudesh Kumari Tindy & Rixx and Sudesh Kumari
Pallo Latke Woman Woman Shaadi mein Aana Shide Boss ft Zaroor Zack Knight Shide Boss ft Zack Knight
Chalte Peat Pehai Booty kya 9 se 12 Peat Pe Booty A Judwaa Flying 2Jatt A Flying Jatt
Ek Dil Ke Jaan Suit Suit Randhawa Guru Padmavati Guru Randhawa
Mehbooba Tu Hai Tu Hai Returns Mohenjo Fukrey Daro Mohenjo Daro
Hawa Hawai 2.0 Dishoom Dishoom Tumhari Sau TarahSulu Ke Sau Tarah Ke
BHANGRA/POP BHANGRA BHANGRA
01. 01. 02. 02. 03. 03. 04. 04. 05. 05. 06. 06. 07. 07. 08. 08. 09. 09. 10. 10.
Bad (OAMC tagged no 1) Gabbroo Gabbroo Jassie Steel Banglez Gill ft. Preet Hundal Jassie Gill ft. Preet Hundal
Galtiyan Akhil Akhil Teri Kami Zack Knight Teri Kami
Raat DiPrince, Ashok Gedi Tru-Skool Ashok Time Dosanjh Diljit 4 YaPrince, Mind Tru-Skool Time 4 Ya Mind
Bom &Diggy PBN Raj Bains PBNAkh & Raj&Bains Billi Zack Knight Jasmin Walia Billi Akh
Dil Diyan Manni Sandhu Gallan Manni Sandhu Welcome Atif Aslam To The Future Welcome To The Future
Woofer Tere Bina Tere Monty Dr ZeusBina &feat Waris, Snoop Ginni Dogg Kapoor & Nargis Monty & Waris, Ginni Kapoor
Lahore Skoda Skoda Ranjit Guru Randhawa Bawa ft. Bhinda Aujla Ranjit Bawa ft. Bhinda Aujla
Illegal Ikk Vaari Weapon Hor Soch Lae Ikk Vaari Hor Soch Lae Harish Garry Sandhu Verma & Jasmine Sandlas Harish Verma
Jaani Tera Naa Kulwinder Billa Kulwinder Billa Kulwinder Sunanda Sharma Billa Kulwinder Billa
El Sueno Selfi e Boliyan SelfiDosanjh eSingh Boliyan Malkit Diljit ft. Dj Vix Malkit Singh ft. Dj Vix
UK UKARTISTS CHART UK ARTISTS
01. 02. 03. 04. 05. 06. 07. 08. 09. 10.
Mi Gente One Dance One JDrake BalvinDance feat feat Wizkid Beyonceand & willy Kylawilliams Drake feat Wizkid and Kyla
Havana Cold Water Camila Cabello Cold Water Major Lazer and Justin Beiber Major Lazer and Justin Beiber
HowGood Too Long Too Good Drake Charlie feat Puth Rihanna Drake feat Rihanna
Anywhere This is what you came for ThisOra isHarris what you came for Calvin Rita feat Rihanna Calvin Harris feat Rihanna
Sexy Dirty Love Heathens Heathens Twenty Demi Lovato One Pilots Twenty One Pilots
Closer Smoother Closer Chainsmokers Craig Lucas feat Halsey Chainsmokers feat Halsey
Too Good at Goodbyes Perfect Strangers Sam Smith Perfect Jonas BlueStrangers feat JP Cooper Jonas Blue feat JP Cooper
Tears About Us What Tears Clean Bandit feat Louisa Johnson Pink Clean Bandit feat Louisa Johnson
This Girl Unforgettable This Kungs Vs Cookingfeat on 3Swae Burners FrenchGirl Montana Lee Kungs Vs Cooking on 3 Burners
We Don't Talk Anymore Demonstrate We Don't Anymore Charlie PuthTalk feat Selena Gomez Paxton Charlie Puth feat Selena Gomez
DJ HARVEY INTERVIEW 20
JANUARY 2018
Bio Growing up in Birmingham allowed me to experience the heartbeat of Uk Bhangra.
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Listening to artists like Safri, Malkit Singh, The Sahota’s and many more. This influenced me to get in music production. I knew
this was my calling! This lead me in to Dj-ing which gave me a insight on what kind of music the public like. In 2008 i released my first single ‘Enhi Sohni’ with Miss Pooja and there after I went on to work with many other artists such as Jaz Dhami, Nirmal Sidhu, Kaka Bhaniawala, Saini Surinder, General Levy and many more. 1.The new track Tu MerI Ke Lag Di by DJ Harvey and feat H Dhami, tell us a little bit about the song? Tu Meri Ki Lagdi is a up beat, Happy, fun loving dance floor banger, full of energy which makes you want to get up and dance. The lyrics are written by Santhokh Singh Dhesi. 2.What was it like collaborating with H Dhami? I had several vocalist come in to my studio to sing Tu Meri Ki Lagdi and they didn’t quite cut it for me. I was Dj-ing at a wedding and I happen to play one of H Dhami’s songs and the crowd was buzzing, singing along, dancing and that’s when it hit me why not ask H Dhami ? It was a great working with H Dhami the energy he brought to the song was amazing from the first time me playing him the record, to him laying down the vocals, until the song released commercially. 3.The setting looks amazing where was the video shot? The setting I Envisioned was of the old skool Punjabi
videos where you would see Kuldeep manak performing on roofs tops, the vibrant colours, singing, dancing people enjoying themselves that’s what I wanted for my music video. The video was shot in a stunning location at Nalagarh, which is just outside of Chandigarh. I think we nailed it! 4.How long did it take to produce the song and make the video? The music for the song was ready so once H Dhami had done the final vocal, Moviebox decided to shoot the video in Punjab and prepare for the release so I’d say about 6 months or so. 5.Will we be seeing more from you and do you have other tracks in the pipeline? Yes definitely you will be seeing more of me so watch out for my collaborations with a few international artists and a few Mixtapes. 6.When you are not making music what do you like to do? When I’m not making music I’m busy djing around the UK. Supporting other artists with there music ventures and generally relaxing as much as possible :) 7.Who would you like to collaborate with in the future I don’t think about collaborating with anyone I like to write and compose the lyrics and then I decide who I think would be perfect for my song, it could be a established artist or just someone who’s new on the scene as long as the singer gels
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with the song. 8.Message to your fans. Guys I just want to thank you for everything. I know i have been away for a couple of years and appreciate the love I felt since releasing Tu Meri Ki Lagdi so keep supporting and I look forward for all of you guys to hearing the next one.
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2018: Asian on New JAS SANSI Man's Mouthpiece king Thin The Year Honours List On Friday 29th December 2017 the official list for New Years Honour 2018 was released, recognising the individuals around the UK who have proved extraordinary services. We take a look at the outstanding British Asian men and women who have been highlighted.
Celebrating and recognising men and women from all walks of life who have made an difference and shown an impact on all communities across the UK 2018 New Years Honours list features numerous British Asians who are individuals that have delivered immense services
Missing Mum Harbans Kaur Lally becomes a murder investigation A man in Birmingham has been arrested by detectives investigating the disappearance of a teenage mum more than 30 years ago. Detectives are now treating her disappearance as a murder investigation after receiving new information. West Yorkshire Police said a 53-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of perjury at an address in Hay Mills. He was released under investigation. A second man, aged 75, was arrested on suspicion
of murder and a woman, 74, was detained on suspicion of conspiracy to murder after officers searched an address in Gravesend, Kent. Both were released on bail pending further inquiries. Harbans Kaur Lally, originally from Rugby in Warwickshire , was last seen in Leeds in 1985 she was 19 at the time and a mum to a baby girl. Mrs Lally, who was also known as Susan and had the maiden name Ranu, worked at Burton Group Head office in Harehills, Leeds, until April 1985.
in areas of Business, Technology, Art and Sports and will be honoured with the British Empire medal and title in the coming months. The titles they receive include Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE),
Officers said she was born in Rugby and grew up and went to school there. She married there in February 1984 and moved to Leeds some time later. Police believe Mrs Lally, had returned to Rugby in 1985 and disappeared after a possibly trip to India. As part of the investigation, detectives also conducted house-to-house enquiries in Bennett Street, Rugby, where she and her family lived. Det Chief Insp Nicola Bryar, of West Yorkshire Police, said: “We have recently received information that raises concerns about Harbans’s apparent disappearance, which we are
and Medallist of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) among others. A total of 1.123 will receive an awards and 9.2% candidates are from a BAME background, 551 women are recognised in the list representing 49% of the total. See full list of Asians awarded, online.
Photographer and LoveBrum trustee, Jas Sansi brings a dose of all things Birmingham. With an unprecedented love of the city and its unique diverseness, he brings his 6-foot passion to The Asian Today.
BREXIT: A WASTE OF TIME
About a month ago, I realised I was wasting too much of my life thinking about Brexit. The final straw was hearing the words ‘regulatory alignment’ and ‘no regulatory divergence.’ If you don’t know what these expressions mean, they basically suggest no real change on the horizon after we leave the EU. So no one gets the Brexit they want; Leavers and Remainers equally dissatisfied. Which just proves the maxim, ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer! So my New Year’s Resolution is not to eat healthier, read more and get in shape; three promises I have failed in nearly half a century of wishful thinking. My resolution is to avoid the subject of Brexit. I’ve decided to exit from Brexit. This may come as welcome news to my social media network @ jassansi. The tweets I posted were personal opinions and helpful to no one. I photographed Theresa May a few hours before she signed Article 50 last year so if I was really determined, I should have encouraged her not to sign then. But I was with Andy Street ahead of his election as Metro Mayor and didn’t want to do anything to interrupt his conversation with the Prime Minister. But what I am determined to do is prepare for Brexit. Change is going to come and business must adapt to shifted goal posts. It was ever thus. Nothing ever stays the same. I grew up in a family business where I learned Customer Service on the shop floor. I went to business school where I learned the theory of business and for the best part of a decade, I have developed a small business around something I fell in love with as a kid, photography. If water is shaped by the vessel in which it is placed, then business must be shaped by the environment in which it operates. I may finally succeed in one of those resolutions, getting into shape.
now treating as a murder investigation. Anyone with information should call West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team via 101 quoting Operation Parryton or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A Butler Well Served
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JANUARY 2018
NEWS
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THE ASIAN TODAY
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
Muslim Teenager beaten to death over Loud music A young muslim lad was beaten to death in eastern Indian state of Jharkhand on New Years Day after he requested a group of boys to lower the sound of the music they were playing which then turned into a heated argument and a fight. According to the police the teenager was killed after he confronted a group of lads with his two friends requesting they were playing the music to loud in the Mandar village, a town close to the state capital, Ranchi. Waseem Ansari, 19, worked as a daily labourer in Pune
and had returned to his family a couple of days ago to celebrate the New Year A senior police officer gave an account of the incident: “Preliminary inquiry suggests that a group was playing loud music to celebrate New Year’s Day. “Waseem Ansari and two of his friends approached the group and told them to stop playing loud music. This led to an argument and Waseem was attacked by the group. It seems he was hit by one of the sharp instruments used in cooking. “We have requested the
two communities maintain peace. The suspects will be arrested soon.” Hasibul Ansari, who lives in the same village as the victim, “These people were partying near a Muslim graveyard. When Waseem told them to stop, they killed him. “His friends were lucky that they managed to escape in time. I am very sure they would have been killed too if they had not escaped.” Police have put security forces in force to keep the peace between the two communities.
My Button is “Much Bigger” and “More Powerful”
President Donald Trump has declared that his nucler button is “much bigger” and “more powerful” than North Korean leader Kim Jongun’s. President Trump has warned Kim Jong-un that he has a nuclear button that is ‘more bigger’ and ‘more powerful’ than the North Korean leader. Donald Trump put out a tweet: “North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the ‘Nuclear Button is
Trumps tweet (Left Image) which has been retweeted over 180 thousand times.
on his desk at all times.’ Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!” The message was sent out after leader Kim had earlier
warned he has a “nuclear button” on his table With no surprise Donald Trump’s unorthodox message sent social media into a frenzy with many saying that twitter should not allow ‘Calls for nuclear war” to be broadcasted. Will they or won’t they?
#JUSTICE FOR ZAINAB
7 year old Zainab raped and murdered - a cry for justice
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worldwide call for justice has sparked across social media after the rape and murder of a seven year girl in Pakistan set off deadly riots and two civilians who were protesting have been killed. The body of seven-yearold Zainab was found in a garbage dumpster in a town of Kasur, northeast Pakistan four days after her family had reported her missing, according to Pakistan paper Dawn. The incident has prompted outrage and riots across Kasur, with residents blaming police for not doing enough to prevent a rash of abductions, sexual assaults and murders. Two protesters were killed when police opened fire on demonstrators who attempted to storm into
police headquarters. Police in Kasur have recorded 12 similar murders over the past two years, and believe at least five of the cases can be linked to the same person, the BBC reports. DNA samples have reportedly been taken from dozens of potential suspects, but no one has yet been arrested. Zainab’s family told local media they believe police failed to adequately respond after they reported their daughter missing on Jan. 4. Zainab was last seen on her way to Koran recital class. A relatives of the missing girl, and not the authorities, who reportedly tracked down CCTV footage that showed Zainab being led by the hand down a road by an unknown man.
“If the police would have acted immediately, the culprit would have been caught,” Zainab’s father told local news channel A month before Zainab’s disappearance, a nine-yearold girl disappeared from Kasur’s city center. The girl managed to escape her abductor and returned home. Police in Kasur said such incidents are happening regularly, hitting the city about once every other month. Zainab’s case has caught the attention of actors, athletes and activists, with the the social media tag #JusticeforZainab now trending worldwide. Pakistani Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai recently joined the family’s call for justice.
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HEALTH
THE ASIAN TODAY
HEALTH
JANUARY 2018
23
Written by: Neelam Heera @cystersbham
Cysters Birmingham
Tips from Cysters – recovery from surgery A number of our Cysters have had traumatic surgeries over the festive period. This is because of the lack of time off work they have, so the festive period is the only time they could get a date and rest time for surgery. So we have put together some tips! Let's be honest, after surgery you feel like s***. So here are some tips to make the recovery quicker and easier. 1. Follow doctor's orders.
Yeah I know. It's a chore, and you've got things to do, but the doctor knows best! 2. Keep your follow up appointments You might feel better but you don't know or can't see everything happening within your body. Your consultant knows what to look for! Plus your medication might require an adjustment. 3. Nourish yourself Yes, after surgery you may feel like "f*** it", but that's the best time for some self-
care! Staying hydrated and sticking to a recommended diet can help promote healing and minimize complications. So ladies.. don't spend weeks of recovery after gorging on takeaways.. it won't help! 4. Care for your incision. I personally hate this. I dont like thinking about it or touching 'it.' But inspection, cleaning and washing your hands before touching are all too important in caring for your incision. AVOID harsh cleaning, scrubbing or scabpicking. 5. Don't rush back to work This one for the workaholics! While it's good
to stay mobile post-op, you have to be realistic about what you can and can't handle. Also a good employer will completely understand. If not we can speak to them and help advocate time off / phased return with you both. Plan in advance for time off and ask your doctor when you should return. 6. Self care Be kind to yourself. Because you will be down and in recovery mode, it's easy to slip into bouts of depression. After all you've been through a traumatic experience. But this is where we come in. Cysters have a great chat group, and due to our international reach the
Still time to get your flu vaccination and Stay Well This Winter It’s not too late for people to get protected against flu and help themselves Stay Well This Winter, with free vaccinations available to people from at risk groups. A mix of flu types, including the strain dubbed Aussie flu which first appeared last winter in the UK and then in Australia, are currently in circulation in the region, and people who have not yet had their vaccinations are being urged to do so as soon as possible. Dr Helen Carter, Deputy Director at Public Health England (PHE) West Midlands, said: “Our data shows that more people are visiting GPs with flu symptoms and we are seeing more people admitted to hospitals with the flu. “The vaccine is the best defence we have against the spread of flu and it isn’t too late for people to go to their GP or pharmacist and get vaccinated – especially those in risk groups including
those aged 65 and over, pregnant women, young children or those with a longterm medical condition.” Councillor Paul Sweet, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “Several million people get flu each winter, and while for most healthy people, recovering from flu can take roughly a week, for those who are more vulnerable it can be very dangerous and even lifethreatening. “The message is clear; please get the flu vaccine now because it’s better late than never. “The vaccine is free if you are in one of the at-risk groups, and even if you are not, you can still arrange to get your vaccination for a small charge from many local pharmacies.” Symptoms of flu include the sudden onset of fever, cough, sore throat, aching muscles and joints. The best advice is to rest, keep warm and drink plenty of water. Health chiefs also recommend people take paracetamol or ibuprofen to
lower high temperatures and relieve aches if necessary. People suffering from flulike symptoms should catch coughs or sneezes in tissues and bin them immediately, wash their hands regularly with soap and warm water and frequently clean surfaces to stop the spread of flu. It is also important that people with symptoms of flu avoid unnecessary contact with others. Anyone concerned about their
symptoms should instead stay at home and contact their GP or call NHS 111 to seek further advice. Providing flu vaccinations is part of the Stay Well This Winter campaign, a joint initiative from NHS England and Public Health England to help the public ward off common winter illnesses. Please visit www. nhs.uk/staywell for more information.
group is lively at all times of the day! Come talk to us! We hope these tips help with your post treatment
healing. Don't forget to get in touch if you need a Cyster. Love your cyster
St Mary’s Hospice Launched two Satellite Clinics St Mary’s Hospice in Birmingham launched two new Satellite Clinics to ensure more people living across Birmingham and Sandwell have access to crucial hospice care. The independent hospice have opened a clinic in Cape Hill Medical Centre in Smethwick and Druids Heath Surgery in South Birmingham, making its services more accessible to individuals and families living with terminal illness. The Satellite Clinics are part of a new approach to hospice care, aimed at improving accessibility, reach and choice for individuals and their families, loved ones and carers. The Hospice aims to bring care closer to people in their own communities, helping to break down any potential barriers and ensuring more individuals are receiving the critical support they need. Sharon Hudson, community team leader at Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice, said: “Our Satellite Clinics are a really effective way of reaching more individuals who may not be aware of hospice care or want to access care within their own community. “After a positive start for our Sparkbrook and Bartley Green clinics, we have seen that offering services in the heart of local communities helps us support more people, ensuring that less miss out on vital end of life care. Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice supports 350 individuals across Birmingham and Sandwell – whether that’s at the Hospice, in people’s homes or in the local community. The clinic at Cape Hill Medical Centre will be open every Friday, from 9.30am to 1.30pm. The clinic at Druids Heath Surgery will be open every Monday, from 1pm to 3pm.
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FOOD & TRAVEL
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PR supremo and food blogger Anita Champaneri brings her blog Ms Delicious PR and all things food to The Asian Today, bringing all the news from hot restaurants to cool bars and everything in between. www.msdeliciouspr. blogspot.com
The new and improved Indian Brewery
The Indian Brewery is getting bigger, bolder and better. The team have been busy expanding into the archway next door and will be ready to serve you all up some refreshing home-brews with your favourite mixed grills in a much bigger and brighter space! Jaspal Purewal, who owns Indian Brewery which supplies Birmingham Lager, Indian Summer, Bombay Honey, Peacock and IPA to Birmingham venues (including Harvey Nichols and Connolly’s wine merchants) has taken over the unit to the right and created an impressive bar. The site on Livery Street has remained open while the expansion has been underway and will aim to open in the first week of January. The new and improved Indian Brewery will now seat 90 people with plenty more standing room too. Diners will get a direct view of the glass cellar and see their favourite brews dispensed through the pumps. Birmingham Lager is still their most popular seller, as well as their new product, Koko, their new chocolate and cocoa infused beer. Also on offer are 10 keg beers, 5 cask ales and over 100 different craft beers in bottles and cans. The great architectural character is a key feature of this urban generation, with a 'Made In Birmingham' sign hanging in the entrance as a nod to all the local producers, talent and contractors they have employed. Last January there were just 2 people on the payroll and now they employ 20 people, a testament to their growing popularity and success. Two talented local artists, Seven 9 Signs and Dan Griffin-Hayes have been working around the clock to create Indian inspired bespoke artwork on the walls. They have also spent over £6,000 on the indoor heating system so it will always feel like an Indian summer in the bar! Owner Jaspal Purewal said, "The Indian Brewery has always been drinks focussed but the past year has shown that our food offering has been just as popular. With an expanded new food menu and a cocktail list, we're sure it will satisfy more hungry appetites to come. We also have new teas likes the Baileys chai and new desserts too." Check out this sparkling asset to the Jewellery Quarter this New Year. Indian Brewery, Snow Hill, Livery Street, Birmingham B3 1EU Officially opened 3rd January 2018 with extended hours.
Get more food news on twitter @deliciouspr and on the web : www.msdeliciouspr.blogspot.com
Black Tea V’s Green Tea It will always be the endless question of green tea vs black tea as it is constant source of debate, but there are some hard facts about the benefits and downsides of these teas. Black Tea v’s Green Tea The two most famous teas in the world are black tea and green tea, but which of these two are better, it’s important to look at the facts. Black Tea Black tea is made from small trees whose leaf buds called Camellia sinensis the same goes for Green tea, and undergoes an oxidation process, which is what makes the leaves turn black. That blackening does eliminate some of the strongest antioxidants in the tea, called epigallocatechin gallate this has a number of impressive health benefits. Even though black tea contains more caffeine around 1/3 of the caffeine is in a cup of coffee, and a number of other polyphenols. Black tea is known to help in weight loss and boost metabolism, as well as hydrate the body
and strengthen the immune system. Black tea also contains a higher concentration of fluorides than green tea, which can ultimately strengthen the teeth and prevent cavities. Due to the higher level of caffeine in this tea, it also may offer an additional energetic boost, particularly as a replacement for coffee. Green Tea
Green tea is also made from Camellia sinensis leaves, but it does not undergo the oxidation process, allowing it to maintain many more of the critical antioxidants, such as epigallocatechin gallate. This compound has been linked to help fight cancer and lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease. This is a major advantage over black tea. Green tea also
has less caffeine, which is seen as an advantage for many people who want to reduce their intake of this chemical. In terms of taste, green tea is often preferred, since it is milder and doesn’t maintain the same acidity that black tea can have. This acidity often requires black tea to be cut with lemon or honey, whereas green tea is typically consumed without any sweeteners.
that no more that 10% of a person’s daily energy or calorie intake should be made up of sugar, at present, children aged 4 to 10 years are consuming up to 50% more than this. Children aged 4 to 10 get: 17% of their daily sugar from soft drinks 17% from biscuits, buns, cakes, pastries and fruit pies 14% from confectionery 13% from fruit juice 8% from breakfast cereals Change4Life recommends 4 simple sugar swaps for mums to choose from, tackling different ‘sugar
occasions’ in the day: The breakfast swap: sugary cereal for plain cereal, like a wholewheat biscuit cereal The drink swap: from sugary drinks to sugar-free or no-added-sugar drinks The after school swap: for example from muffin to fruited teacake The pudding swap: for example from ice cream to low-fat lower-sugar yoghurt Professor Kevin Fenton, National Director of Health and Wellbeing at Public Health England, comments: Reducing sugar intake is important for the health of
our children both now and in the future. We are all eating too much sugar and the impact this has on our health is evident. Throughout the campaign, families will be able to register for their FREE sugar swaps pack which they will receive through the post. The packs are filled with hints, tips and recipe suggestions designed to help parents cut down the sugary foods and drinks consumed by their children, plus moneyoff vouchers, swap cards and stickers. To sign up, families just need to search Change4Life and register.
Change4Life encourages families to make sugar swaps A new Change4Life campaign has been launched by Public Health England encourages parents to cut down the amount of sugar their children consume by making one or more simple swaps. Eating and drinking too much sugar means extra calories, which causes fat to build up inside the body. This can lead to heart disease, some cancers or type 2 diabetes later in life. Children who are overweight or obese when they are young are far more likely to become overweight or obese adults. Recently published data highlights that approximately 1 in 5 children aged 4 to 5 years old and 1 in 3 children aged 10 to 11 years old is overweight or obese. Sugar can also have a devastating impact upon dental health, an integral part of overall health. Tooth decay was the most common reason for hospital admissions for children aged 5 to 9 in 2012 to 2013. Twenty-eight percent of 5 year olds in England have tooth decay and of these, 24% have 5 or more teeth affected. When children are not healthy this affects their ability to learn, thrive and develop. While guidelines state
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FASHION & BEAUTY
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FASHION & BEAUTY
Masterclasses by Aashni Iconic cultural destination, Somerset House, to host the UK’s leading, South Asian high fashion extravaganza The UK’s leading, South Asian high fashion extravaganza, Aashni + Co Wedding Show 2018, taking place at Somerset House, London on 21st January 2018, will play host to a series of masterclasses with some of the most internationally respected names in styling, makeup artistry, wedding planning and the fashion and beauty blogosphere. Participating in the masterclasses will be beauty blogger Kaushal; Bollywood makeup artist ShaanMu; fashion blogger Miss Style Fiesta; and wedding planner Vandana Mohan. Born and raised in England, Kaushal is currently the most influential Indian beauty creator in the world. Initially inspired by playing with her mother’s makeup as a child, Kaushal took the plunge and left a successful career in PR to follow her passion for makeup and beauty. She started creating her own
unique content in 2010 and her channel, Kaushal Beauty, has grown rapidly to in excess of 1.8 million subscribers, with a dedicated Instagram following of 716K. One of the most sort-after names in the Bollywood makeup industry, Shaan Mubegan his beauty career in 2007. Over the last decade, he has been associated with major fashion and beauty campaigns alongside some of the most influential names in the industry.He has worked on countless editorial, film and red carpet looks for his celebrity clientele that includes Rani Mukerji,Jacqueline Fernandez, Shraddha Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Parineeti Chopra, Vidya Balan, Kriti Sanon, Lisa Haydon, Aditi Rao Hydariand Varun Dhawanamongst others. His work has been featured in the likes of Vogue, Elle, Bazaar, Cosmopolitan and Grazia to name a few. He is also recognised as the only Bollywood beauty
vlogger in India with over 78k subscribers and 13million views to his credit. Miss Style Fiesta, Masoom Minawala, founded her blog on a whom back in 2010 as an outlet for her fashion hedonism and is now established as one of the leading Indian influencers from around the world. She has worked with some of the world’s leading fashion, luxury, beauty, travel and lifestyle brands, collaborating on bespoke content, editorials and social partnerships through which she has been credited in a number of highly-respected national and international publications and websites. Aashni + Co Wedding Show 2018 will transform one of the UK’s leading cultural venues, Somerset House, into a wonderland for discerning brides and fashionistas alike, setting a landmark precedent in the South Asian fashion and bridal sector in the UK. Participating
brands to exhibit in the Department of Clothing will be: Sabyasachi, Tarun Tahiliani, Gaurav Gupta, Rimple & Harpreet Narula, Astha Narang, Bageecha, Elan, Gaurang, Mishru, Samant Chauhan, Shantanu & Nikhil, Shehla Chatoor, Shyamal & Bhumika and Varun & Nidhika. Exhibiting brands in the Department ofFine Jewellery will be: Amrapali, Araaya, Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas Jewellers, Jaipur Gems, Jewels by Queenie, Khanna Jewellers, Moksh, Rose Diamonds and Sunita Shekhawat. Participating names in the Department for Jewellery and Accessories will be: Aamir Naveed, Ahujasons, Ambreen Ahmed, Amishi London, Chakra, Isharya, Outhouse, Paraphernalia, Rani Pink, Rusaru, RWS, Shaan Muand The Wedding House. January being the seasonal buying
and browsing period for Summer brides and grooms, Aashni + Co Wedding Show 2018 will curate the latest bridal, occasion wear and couture collections from the top tier of the South Asian design spectrum, alongside the leading brand names in jewellery, accessories and wedding services.The grandiose of Somerset House will be further transformed through floral styling by Zita Elze, an award-winning artist, designer, teacher, creator of the Living Embroidery Bridal collection and design consultant. Aashni + Co Wedding Show at Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA on21st January 2018, 10.30am – 6.30pm Tickets: £25 Ticket purchase via Website: www.wslondon.com or Email: weddingshow@aashniandco.com Join the conversation: #AashniWeddingShow
Cleansing your skin with products made with Healthy Foods DIY Beauty Products Made with Healthy Foods
1. Apples for a brighter complexion. Apple Mask – can be made from any variety of apples as they are rich in Vitamn C this helps give you a glowing skin and all you need is apples, yogurt and honey. Tr y the mask two or three times a week for a clearer skin. 2. Cinnamon for acne. Cinnamon Spot Treatment - For those irritating spots that we all get tr y using three simple ingredients to make a skin -clearing magic. The cinnamon detoxifies by bringing blood and oxygen to the surface to open up the pores and dries out affected areas, nutmeg helps relieve pain and inflammation, while
removing blackheads and the honey seals in nourishment while reducing the appearance of scars. 3. Eggs for shinier hair. Egg Hair mask – Eggs are filled with minerals and vitamins of all which can offer you to have shiny and healthy hair. Using olive oil and only the yolks whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy and apply to damp hair 4. Dark chocolate as a body scrub. Dark Chocolate Honey Beauty Mask & Scrub - Dark chocolate contains flavonoids and polyphenols which are antioxidants that protect your skin and help reduce lines and wrinkles check the ingredients when buying. Melt the chocolate and add organic honey and greek style yogurt to give you a smooth paste.
5. Baking soda as dry shampoo The natural Nurturer – This is a simple step to make your own Dry Shampoo. Using baking soda works with the cornstarch to soak up the oil and then carefully add cocoa powder until you reach your desired shade, so the mixture blends perfectly into your hair. Tip: use a makeup brush to apply to the hair 6. Yogurt for face exfoliation. Yogurt & Lemon exfoliating face scrub - Yogurt is filled with lactic acid, which helps break down dead skin cells and adding lemon juice will help with dry acne, blackheads and prevent breakouts. Apply the mixture and leave on till the paste dries and this will leave your skin feeling refreshed.
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JANUARY 2018
BUSINESS
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BUSINESS
Learning on your own terms: introducing ‘Canny Bites’ and its Author Safaraz Ali in an exclusive interview with The Asian Today We are delighted to bring you an interview with Safaraz Ali, the author of Canny Bites: 52 Bites for business leaders and entrepreneurs Safaraz, please tell us about your recent book and its success: Author: Safaraz Ali Its my first book and I’m delighted to be asked to be featured here I’ve been working on for the best part of this year and am very proud to have finally got it released, The book is called Canny Bites: 52 bites for business leaders and entrepreneurs, and is available now on Amazon! Like many people, I’ve been thinking about writing a book for many years. This year, I simply said to myself “I’m going to make it happen” – and here I am, on my leadership journey, hitting a personal milestone. The inspiration for the book came from my desire to share knowledge and encourage learning – something which I have always been passionate about. Last year, I started the journey by launching the concept of Canny Bites in short video format with the aim to share know-how and practical advice in a way that is quick, easy, and memorable. In a world where we’re constantly struggling with information overload, I wanted to create something that helped business people fit learning easily into their day. From there, the idea of creating a book which was built on the same premise was born, and ‘Canny Bites: 52 bites for business leaders and entrepreneurs’ began. Now the book is finished, and I’m incredibly happy to finally be able to share it all with you. Thank you for sharing the start of the journey but why ‘Canny Bites’? I wrote ‘Canny Bites’ with business owners and entrepreneurs in mind, although many of the lessons are valuable to any busy professional who struggles to keep developing their skills as I wanted to reach those who didn’t have the time to fit education into their dayto-day lives. Topics I covered include getting the most out of networking, effective goal-setting, managing teams to help them reach their potential, and learning to become a better leader. The concept of ‘micro-learning’ is something I’ve always been interested in, and the benefits it can offer you are huge when it comes to our busy lifestyles. So what is micro-learning? The idea behind micro-learning is the creation of a short, focused learning bite designed to help you reach a certain outcome or learn more about a certain topic. These are often presented in many different formats (such as video, the written word, or interactive training) depending on the desired goal, and are easy to access, understand, and apply. There are many reasons why micro-learning can be beneficial. According to the “Forgetting Curve” by Hermann Ebbinghaus, we forget 80% of what we learn within 30 days of learning it! Some of the benefits for individuals and businesses in learning in this manner include: It’s centred around the learner – learning in small chunks means you can be flexible in when, where, and how you work, which means individuals can use the information to match their learning style. It takes up less time – who wouldn’t want more time to learn? Micro-
learning is great because you can learn a lot of information in a small amount of time, without you having to dedicate all your attention to one thing for a big period. The learning is accessible as and when the learner needs it – if you’ve got a problem to solve, you can simply reach for the education resource there and then to help you work it out. Whether you’re on the bus, or at home, micro-learning resources are designed to be digested in all kinds of situations. It can be easily updated – rather than investing 12 hours into a training day which could become obsolete or less relevant in 6 months or a year, micro-learning is additive process, where you’re always able to build on or update your knowledge. And these are just the benefits for learners – businesses can benefit from micro-learning because it’s generally more affordable, can be fit into a busy work day without interrupting usual activity, and can have a pretty high impact on learners by getting them to focus on one thing at a time. Any final thoughts and messages? As for my book, I just wanted to say that I have been privileged to meet so many people on my journey, and each one of has made an impact on me in one way or another. From my family, to those I’ve met during my career, and my team at Pathway Group, I want to say thank you. I hope that my book offers the same benefits to all those who open it. It’s been a pleasure to work on, and I’m excited to finally share it with you all. Canny Bites: 52 bites of business wisdom for business leaders and entrepreneurs is now on Amazon and can be purchased as below: You can get your copy here for £11.99 (paperback) or £4.99 (Kindle).
Symphony Hall to get a £12m revamp
Symphony Hall one of Birmingham’s most famous live events venue will be undergoing a £12m overhaul. A Glasgow based Page/ Park Architects have been appointed to lead the team who are working on more detailed design to revamp. Chief executive Nick Reed said “This project will finally give Symphony Hall the foyers ad public space to match its world class auditorium. “Boasting a muchimproved audience
experience and a dedicated entrance, this permeable space will be energised with new artistic adventures, creating a sustainable future for Symphony Hall and developing an audience that looks like the city it serves”. David Page, head of architecture at Page\ Park added “Birmingham Centenary Square is being transformed into a remarkable heart of the city with its assemble of important civic cultural buildings.
The project is conditionally being supported through the
Local Growth Fund by the Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP
Author: Safaraz Ali
BUSINESS
THE ASIAN TODAY
QASIM MAJID
personal shopping on line. Not only will this give users a much richer experience, it will also drive up consumer spending. Some experts say it could have an uplift of 40%. Therefore, the retailers who are thinking ahead, and have AR as part of their evolution roadmap, will inevitably have competitive advantage. Not only will they see increase in customer spend, but they’ll also gain brand loyalty by offering an enriched customer experience. Just imagine, you visit your favourite online retailer to buy a latest item of footwear. Not only can you view pictures of it, but
using AR you can now try them on and have a walk around. Oh and by the way, you can see how they will look with that pair of jeans too ! That’s hugely powerful. Over the next 24 months, we’ll start to see more AR experiences offered by online retailers. It’s happening right now, with the likes of Amazon already in ‘trial
mode’ to offer the technology to its customer. This means its only a matter of time for it to become the norm.
@Wow_Zone /WowZoneLtd www.wow-zone.com
www.tpllp.com Investments can fluctuate in value and investors may not get the amount back they invest. Tax rules can change at any time. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FSR number 529810. Registered in England and Wales as a Limited Liability Partnership No OC356611. impulseSave® is a registered trademark of True Potential Investments LLP
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years of experience in Financial Services, I can provide professional advice on: • Financial Planning • Investments and Savings • Protection and Insurance • Retirement Planning • Tax Planning • Trust and Estate Planning Contact me today for straightforward financial advice:
project was initially going to contain 323 bedrooms, five commercial units totalling 7,530 sq ft including bike and car parking. But now the developers are seeking permission to build 339 bedrooms along with a gym, parking space for 80 bikes and five cars and four ground floor retail units totalling 5,290sq fr in an 11 storey building.
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Student flats which were to be built and approved almost three years ago are back on the table again. Developers have expanded their approved proposals to redevelop a car park on the corner of Upper Dean Street and Pershore Street close to the Wholesale Markets site. The building block is due to open this year, the
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Cash isn’t always king.
Plans To Build New Student Blocks
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Saving in a Cash ISA may be costing you money. With historically low interest rates, there’s a good chance your Cash ISA has already fallen below inflation – so your savings might be losing value. Fortunately, you can take control of your money. Investing in a True Potential Stocks and Shares ISA, with funds from world-‐class investment managers, offers the potential for higher returns. Plus, with True Potential, you can track your ISA 24/7 on your personal client site, online or via your tablet or smartphone. You can even top-‐up on-‐ the-‐go with our unique impulseSave® feature. Contact me to find out if a Stocks and Shares ISA is right for you:
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BUSINESS
TECHNOLOGY FOR 2018 AND BEYOND... AUGMENTED IS HERE!
Qasim Majid is a technology entrepreneur and the CEO and founder of Wow Zone – a digital marketing agency. He has been in the digital industry for 20 years.
TECH TALK WITH The rapid rise of Augmented Reality will change the face of how we buy products on line. By 2020, some state the revenues will reach over $120million dollars. Personally, I believe this figure is a little conservative and should be north of $250 Billion as an estimation. The reason for this is quite simple, most of the big technology businesses are implementing it already across their respective technology frameworks and its becoming widely used, albeit as a novelty factor. The big advantage however, is, when AR becomes the norm in eCommerce purchasing and
JANUARY 2018
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Sanjay Patel DipPFS Partner
www.tpllp.com Investments can fluctuate in value and investors may not get the amount back they invest. Tax rules can change at any time. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FSR number 529810. Registered in England and Wales as a Limited Liability Partnership No OC356611. Advice charges may apply.
T: 0800 014 6005 M: 07972 155376 E: sanjaypatel@tpllp.com W: sanjaypatel.tpllp.com
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PROPERTY
PROPERTY
Hundreds of empty private properties brought back into use Hundreds of privatelyowned properties in Wolverhampton that stood empty for years have been transformed into family homes thanks to the efforts of City of Wolverhampton Council. Its Empty Property Strategy, launched in 2010, has seen more than 1,400 houses which had been left unoccupied – often in poor condition – brought back into use in the last seven years. The council aims to ensure that rather than the properties becoming a blight on their neighbourhood, they are either sold to new homeowners or rented out to tenants. Specialist Housing Improvement Officers from the council’s Private Sector Housing Team have worked with the owners of properties left empty for a long period of time to encourage and support them to carry out any required works and get
them occupied once again. If necessary and as a last resort, the authority can use enforcement action to ensure this work takes place. The council also in November extended a pilot programme that offers grants of up to £500 to encourage more owners of empty properties to act. The grants will either help owners with legal/agent fees to sell their property or provide an incentive to rent it under the Private Sector Leasing (PSL) Scheme – a hassle-free property management service run in association with Wolverhampton Homes. Councillor Peter Bilson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing, said: “Not only is it providing more affordable housing to people in Wolverhampton, but it is also improving the city and helping boost the local economy.
“The properties we have become involved with have often stood empty for many years and, as a result, the condition of them has often deteriorated dramatically. “This strategy is helping to put these houses back on the market – either to sell or rent – and this in turn is having a positive effect in the areas they are in. “In addition, it means landlords are once again seeing rental income come in, the value of their properties is increasing and local shops and services are benefiting from new residents occupying the houses – providing a significant boost
to the economy. “This is the equivalent of us building hundreds of new houses across the city and we will continue to focus our efforts on empty houses in the City of Wolverhampton.” The strategy links in with the council’s wider commitment to enhance the private rented sector in the city through its pioneering Rent with Confidence fivestar rating scheme: https:// www.rentwithconfidence.org. uk/Housing. The public can get further help and information on private sector housing issues by contacting the council on 01902 551155 or by visiting www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/ housing.
BUYING YOUR FIRST HOME THINGS TO KNOW
When buying your first house everyone has their own opinion on how you should approach it, here is a few things to bear in mind. Dealing with Mortage Advisors – Ask the questions you need to know and any concerns they are there to advise and help you. Get an MIP (Mortage in Pricipal) – Once you know the mortage you need you can get a MIP from your advisor. This will help when you put an offer on a property. Don’t panic – When an estate agent books you in a group to view a property this could be seen as an attempt to make you panic and get you to make an offer, Always take your time go home talk about, even sleep on it. Difference between leasehold
and Freehold – Leasehold is when you own the house but not the land and you have to pay ground rent and ask the owner for any extensions or driveways and Freehold means you own all. Both play the same role when it comes to a straightforward sale and speaking to a conveyancer or solicitors who specialises in property law will be able to help Surveying the property – surveys will show if anything is wrong with the property and how much this will cost to fix Any maintenance work– Book your builders in once you have the keys for any building work as completion dates could change and if you have booked a builder this could be a problem.
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2018 NEW BMW X2 SUV HEADING TO DETROIT MOTOR SHOW IN JANUARY
BMW has announced that the new X2 SUV will make its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January, alongside the new i8 Roadster and the i3s. The X2 is the latest model to join BMW’s bourgeoning SUV line, sitting in between the X1 and X3 as a more style driven
addition to the lineup. Under the skin it shares many components and mechanicals with the smaller X1, but also with the latest MINI Countryman, making use of the same UKL2 platform.
That means an engine line-up consisting of four-cylinder options only, but also opens up the possibility of plug-in hybrid powertrains further down the line. Steptronic dual-clutch auto transmission. It covers
0-62mph in 6.7 seconds, and emits between 126 and 134g/ km of CO2 depending on wheel size.
The diesels are both equipped with an eight-speed auto box. BMW has already confirmed that further engines will join the line-up in early 2018 – two more petrols, and a pair of diesels. The car will be offered in SE, Sport, M Sport and M Sport X specs; the latter command a £3,550 and
£4,350 premium over SE models respectively. SE features sat-nav, dual-zone climate control and a power
tailgate, while Sport has sports seats and LED lights. M Sport variants get larger wheels and body-coloured side skirts, and M Sport X versions switch some of the design details to grey, for a more off-road-biased look. Inside, the X2 gets familiar BMW cues, including iDrive and a 6.5-inch infotainment display that’s standard across the range, but which can be upgraded to a similarly sized Touch Control set-up, or an 8.8-inch screen with the same features. A head-up display will also be offered, as an option, along with WiFi hotspot preparation. Apple CarPlay will also be an extra, however, and Android Auto won’t be available. The X2 is due on sale here in mid-
BMW X2 Interior (Front)
BMW X2 Interior (Back)
November, priced from £33,980 for the 20d SE. But full prices haven’t been revealed, and first UK deliveries aren’t expected until March.
BMW X2
Highway Code to include New electric Nio ES8 smart motorway rules will take aim at the Tesla Model X
NIO ES8
AA has called out to Road Safety Minister asking for fresh guidance on smart motorways with no hard shoulder The Highway Code should be updated with guidance for smart motorways, the AA has said. The breakdown organisation has written to Road Safety Minister Jesse Norman, explaining
that while the Highway Code generally considers motorways as having three lanes of traffic and a continuous hard shoulder, this doesn’t adequately reflect smart motorways, which often have no hard shoulder at all. The AA is calling for two new Highway Code rules. The first rule should instruct drivers to create
an “emergency corridor”, providing access for emergency services where there is no continuous hard shoulder. The second should instruct motorists to “slow down and move over” when passing broken-down vehicles in active lanes. Smart motorways first appeared in 2006, and are designed to tackle growing traffic levels and congestion.
The new Nio ES8, car from the Chinese brand is a little less extreme, but could be far more significant. Featuring a range of 311 miles, the allelectric ES8 is in the same ballpark as the Model X P100D’s 350 mile range, but it’s going to cost a lot less. What’s the NIO ES8’s range and specs then? Even though its relatively cheap price, the ES8 has impressive specs. Nio says its new seven seater can hit 62mph in just 4.4 seconds,
making it faster than the P100D, and also have the same semi-autonomous functions seen in the Tesla, too. A Tesla Supercharger rival too alongside the ES8, Nio is also preparing a rival for Tesla’s Supercharger platform, too. According to Bloomberg, owners of the ES8 will be able to charge their cars by taking them to power-swap stations, and the process of switching batteries should take under 3 minutes.
It’s a totally different process to the less-fiddly, but longer process of Supercharging, but like every other service it’ll need to have a strong infrastructure. It looks like the ES8 is only going to be sold in China at least to begin with, and there appears to be no plans to bring it over to the UK either. If launched anywhere else, it’ll be interesting to see if Nio also invests in a similar infrastructure to the one it’s planning in China.
Badminton: PV Sindhu Has Stormed to the Finals 30
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Australia wins Ashes with innings and 41-run at WACA Australia has won back the Ashes after bowling England despite the rain delays and a pitch controversy to secure an innings win on the final day of the third Test in Perth. Steve Smith added the victorious Ashes captain to his ever-expanding resume as England were dismissed for 218 in their second innings in the last Ashes Test to take place at the WACA Ground. Showers had caused play to be abandoned early on the fourth day and they continued through tothe following week forcing a scheduled early resumption
to be cancelled, with Australia needing just six more wickets to win the match and regain the Ashes. To complicate matters further there was a damp spot on the pitch, just outside the popping crease at the southern end of the ground. The WACA staff worked furiously with leaf blowers to try to dry the patch out as more showers passed through and the covers came on and off at regular intervals throughout the morning. With the delays caused by the weather Australia had a triumph win .
PV Sindhu
The Olympic silver-medallist PV Sindhu has stormed into the summit clash of the women's singles in the prestigious USD One Million Dubai Superseries Final.
PV Sindhu has reached USD One Million Dubai Superseries Final after she swatted away the challenge of China’s Chen Yufei in straight games in the semifinals at the Hamdan Sports Complex. The 22-year-old Indian dished out a controlled game of badminton to outclass the Glasgow World Championship bronze medallist Chinese opponent 21-15 21-18 in a match that lasted a little less than an hour. Yufei exploited Sindhu's
backhand forecourt with some beautiful backhand returns to make it 13-16 but Sindhu continued to gather points, producing some super returns which her opponent could not negotiate. After interval, Sindhu managed to extend the lead to 15-11 but she lost two video referrals after going long and wide. The duo engaged in fierce rally which the Yufei closed out with a jump smash to draw parity at 15-15. Sindhu was handed a yellow card for misconduct
Brazilian Midfielder Kaka Retires From Football
after she failed to return to the court on time, but she then grabbed three points, one being a lucky net chord to reach 19-16. but after a couple of unforced errors by the Chinese, Sindhu lifted her hands in the air in celebration. Sidhu will now take on World number two and top seed Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the final of the high-profile season-ending tournament. "I really want to be the first Indian woman to win this tournament. Yamaguchi will be a tough
opponent. I will have to be prepared. It will be a long, big match, so not thinking anything now. There will not be easy points," Sindhu said. She has been in great form this season, having clinched two Super Series titles before winning a silver at the World Championship. World No. 3 Sindhu thus emulated Saina Nehwal, who had reached the final in 2011 and mixed doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and V Diju, who had ended runners-up in 2009.
Rohit Sharma
Mo Farah wins BBC's Sports Personality of the Year award Sir Mo Farah won BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award in December. The four-time Olympic was announced as winner but was unable to attend the event but conducted a live interview from St Mary's university in Twickenham. Anthony Joshua, a threetime heavyweight world title belt holder, attended the ceremony alongside 10,000 others and had been widely expected to triumph but he was 18 votes short of the podium, finishing behind Paralympic sprinter Jonnie Peacock and Superbikes
Rohit Sharma climbs to 5th spot in ICC ODI rankings
Mo Farah holds winning trophy
a playing contract to extend his career, but Kaka, who was in Brazil's World Cupwinning squad in 2002 and was the last Brazilian to be voted world player of the year in 2007, said the time was right to call it a day.
Former AC Milan and Real Madrid midfielder Kaka has retired from football at the age of 35. . The former Brazilian player wrote on Twitter: "It was much more than I could ever imagined. Thank you! I’m now ready for the next journey. In Jesus name. Amen." Kaka announced last year he would not extend his contract but would like to return to Milan, the club where he made his name. "I would like to participate in the club in another way, as a manager, a sporting director, as someone who is between the pitch and the club," he said Milan and his first team Sao Paulo both offered him
Kevin Pieterson and Team Australia
rider Jonathan Rea. Farah did not hide his surprise that he had won with 83,524 votes “I am pretty amazed,” he said. “There are such great people on the shortlist from Anthony Joshua to Lewis Hamilton and Jonnie Peacock. The athletic achievements are undisputed as an owner of 10 global titles. He won 10,000m gold and 5,000m silver at the world championships in London last summer and further five world titles. But his medals have been overshadowed by
controversies surrounding his support team. Farah said: “It means everything to me. I owe it to my country and I know I get the cheers on the track. It encourages me every day to keep grafting.” The other winners were the England women’s cricket team, the coaches of the GB 4x100m relay team, tennis veteran Roger Federer, young Manchester City footballer Phil Foden and Bradley Lowery, the six-yearold Sunderland fan who died of cancer after a battle with the illness that captured the nation’s hearts.
DUBAI: India opener Rohit Sharma has climbed to the fifth spot amongst batsmen in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) oneday international (ODI) player rankings released on Monday. The right-handed batsman has gained two slots and crossed the 800-point mark for the first time after leading India to a 2-1 ODI series victory against Sri Lanka, according to a release by the ICC. The 30-year-old had earlier enjoyed a career-high ranking of being on the third spot in February. He reached a personal high of 825 points after the second match in Mohali when he struck an unbeaten 208 to record his third ODI double-century. He ended the series with 816 points. Rohit's opening partner Shikhar Dhawan, who was named player of the series, too has gained one slot to reach 14th position after aggregating 168 runs including an unbeaten 100 in Visakhapatnam.
Dhawan had slammed 68 in the second match, figuring in a 115-run opening stand with Sharma. Among the bowlers, legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal has moved up 23 places to take 28th place after finishing with six wickets in the series. Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav has moved up 16 places to take a career-best 56th slot while all-rounder Hardik Pandya has gained 10 slots to also reach a career-best 45th position. For the visiting side, Upul Tharanga has gained 15 places to reach 36th position among batsmen with his current tally of 571 points his highest in five years. Niroshan Dickwella has gained seven places to take 37th position. Pacer Suranga Lakmal (up 14 places to 22nd) and allrounder Angelo Mathews (up nine places to 45th) have moved up in the list for bowlers. However, there has been no change of positions in the ICC ODI Team Rankings.
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2018 SPORTS: BILLIONS SET TO WATCH FIFA WORLD CUP, COMMONWEALTH GAMES, ASIAN GAMES Sports fans will remember 2018 with FIFA, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. 2018 is going to be a year to remember in the sporting calendar. From the start till the end, there will be plenty to keep you all engaged. FIFA World Cup 2018 (June 14 – July 15)will be held in 2018 with its best players in the world descending on Russia. Though other big teams such as Italy, Netherlands, and Chile won’t be making the trip having failed in the qualifying stages, the likes of Lionel Messi and European champions Portugal, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, are expected to make it an event to remember. The Commonwealth
Games 2018 (April 4-15)will be held in the Australian city of Gold Coast in the state of Queensland. The Games will be held between April 4 and 15 and will be the fifth Commonwealth Games for Australia. About 70 countries are expected to compete in the 11-day sporting event. Over 6,600 athletes and officials will be on the Gold Coast for the Commonwealth Games which will see 18 sports across 275 events. Winter Olympic Games 2018(February 9-25)are will take place from February 9 till Feb 25 in Pyeongchang, South Korea and will be the
first time that the country is to host the Winter Games. It has previously hosted the Summer Games back in 1988 in Seoul. The event will feature 102 events across 15 sports with over 100 medals on offer for the first time. Six new events will be played such as Snowboard Big Air (men, women), Speed Skating Mass Start (men, women), Curling Mixed Doubles and Alpine Skiing Team. Asian Games 2018(August 18 – September 2)will be hosted by Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia and has been officially named as ‘Jakarta Palembang 2018’.
It will be the first time that the Asian Games are being co-hosted by two cities – the Indonesian capital in Jakarta and Palembang, the
Barcelona signs Liverpool player Philippe Courtino for £146m
A £146M DEAL FOR PHILIPPE COUTINHO
capital of South Sumatra province. The Asian Games would feature 462 events in 40 sports across 57 disciplines. 45 countries
January 2018 Transfer, Barcelona have agreed to a deal with Liverpool for the transfer of Philippe Coutinho at a reported £146m. Both clubs have been in discussion over the last several weeks and the fee and payment schedules have now been agreed. The 25 year old will sign a five and half year contract and will have a buyout clause of 400m Euros (£353.6m). Coutinho said "I wnat to thank the president and all those who have made possible the signing. I am very happy, its a dream come true and i hope to
will participate in the games including a first time appearance for eSports as a demonstration sport. 'Let the games begin'
meet all expectations in the field". Coutinho was the subject of 3 failed bids from Barcelona in the summer, the largest of whihc was worth £113m in which he handed in a transfer request in an attempto to move and was unsuccessful. Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp has said "it was no secret that Philippe has wanted to move". The move will prove advantageous to both clubs as Barcelona has accquired a high class player and Liverpool has made adecent return of investment.
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