The Asian Today Issue 252 – Nov / Dec 2019

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YOUR ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: EXCITING NEW ROLE FOR DEEPIKA SET TO RELEASE IN 2021

Good Newwz set to hit screens before the New Year

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Ahead of Good Newwz trailer, each couple have been the makers of the film mixed with have each other. released a new poster featuring The makers are calling Akshay Kumar, Kareena the film Kapoor, the ‘biggest goof-up of Diljit Dosanjh and Kiara the year’ Advani. as it arrives around the Akshay Kumar has unveiled Christmas a and New Year season new poster of his upcoming at the film end of this year. The film Good Newwz ahead of will hit its trailer. cinema screens on December 27th.

The poster shows the lead actors Akshay had unveiled the including Akshay, Diljit first Dosanjh, official poster last week.

Kareena Kapoor and Kiara It showed Advani him and Diljit Dosanjh squeezed huddled together as a sperm emoji between Kareena and Kiara encircles them.

Advani’s baby bumps.

Akshay shared the poster There was also an individual with the caption, “As you can poster of him squeezed see, we’re all in this together! between two bellies. He shared #GoodNewwzTrailer out it on Twitter today with the caption, “’Squeezing’ at noon!” While he looks in worried some #GoodNewwz for and can be seen sharing you this a hug #Christmas season. Stay with Kareena, Diljit is seen tuned, the biggest goof-up of embracing Kiara, who the year is stars coming!” opposite him in the film.

He also shared the first The film is a typical Bollywood look poster of Punjabi singer and actor romcom where two couples with Diljit Dosanjh, who is similarly the same surnames pursue in-vitro squeezed between two fertilization and wait for bellies. their Akshay captioned, “There’s upcoming babies. Trouble always arisings someone who ends up when they find that the with the sperms of same #Christmas present as you!”

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HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM THE ASIAN TODAY TEAM

ONE ROOM, ONE CITY, ONE LOVE

1 MILLION SEIZED IN BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT THIS YEAR ALONE PAGE 14

JASPER CARROTT UNVEILS TRAM NAMED IN HIS HONOUR

PG 4

Anita Bhalla OBE named ‘Brummie of the Year’ at the 5th Birmingham Awards

SIKHS CELEBRATE GURU NANAK'S 550TH BIRTHDAY WITH PARADE

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O

n Saturday 9th November the Library of Birmingham was sparkling with red & blue – the brand colours of Birmingham Awards.

This was the 5th Birmingham Awards and the organisers felt such a milestone should be

marked by celebrating in one of Birmingham most iconic buildings the Library of Birmingham.

The logistics involved to transform a place of reading and learning to a place of recognition and celebration in just under two hours felt almost impossible continued on page 2

FRANKFURT CHRISTMAS MARKET RETURNS TO BIRMINGHAM

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INSIDE THIS MONTH LOCAL NEWS

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LOCAL NEWS

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LOCAL NEWS

16

FEATURE

18

DESIXPRESS

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DESI MASALLA

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DX FEATURE

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FASHION & BEAUTY

26

YOUR LIFESTYLE

27

BUSINESS

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PROPERTY

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MOTORING

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SPORTS

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THE TEAM EDITORS Ifraz Ahmed Anita Chumber

JOURNALISTS Anil Singh Gill Symran Raikhy

SALES Anita Chumber Simon Keatle

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Anil Singh Gill

DISTRIBUTION Door Drop Solutions

CONTRIBUTORS Jas Bassi Mani Hayre Manish Gujjar Sunny Malik Mita Mistry Kam Chopra Manish Patel Jas Sansi Qasim Majid Paul Cadman

GRAPHIC/WEB Anil Singh Gill

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“the future of Birmingham has never looked so optimistic”.

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continued from front page

to comprehend but the organisers Ifraz Ahmed & Anita Chumber succeeded to deliver a magnificent evening of celebrations.

The night kicked off with a sparkling drinks reception hosted by Bottega Birmingham, in the Rotunda of the library.

5 years ago, the organisers set out with a vision to create a platform to bring together the various sectors of the city to collectively celebrate and further unite Birmingham to allow for a dialogue of opportunity and growth. The organisers were proud to see so many new organisations and individuals which is a testament to their original vision.

The founders Ifraz and Anita said the following: Anita said: “We created the awards because we believe that a city of ambitious, vibrant & inspirational people & organisations needs a platform to highlight & celebrate the incredible work being done.”

Ifraz said: “We are passionate about ensuring that we all come together collectively to celebrate each other. We want to identify & acknowledge the unsung hero, using their stories to inspire others to do the

same. Recognition, support, collaboration & celebration are key to our city & region to grow & prosper.”

Hosted by Heart FM’s Ed James who did a magnificent job of keeping the evening proceedings in order with plenty of entertainment.

Keynote speaker was Midlands Metro Mayor, Andy Street with an engaging and inspiring opening speech heaping praise on the city and saying “the future of Birmingham has never looked so optimistic”.

Live entertainment on the night was provided by Aston Performing Arts Academy who had the whole room on their feet. No matter how many times you may have seen them perform, it always feels like the first time, they are an amazing act and know how to energise a room.

There was a nice touch when an impromptu pause saw the Birmingham Awards team bring out a cake for one of Birmingham’s most loved individuals, Steve Brittan to congratulate him and his wife Cindy on their 50th Wedding Anniversary, which was well received with applause and a standing ovation.

This year’s Brummie of the year was awarded to chair of Town Hall & Symphony Hall, Anita Bhalla OBE who has transformed Birmingham and beyond.

The lifetime Achievement award was awarded to UK’s first lady of soul Jaki Graham who said “Thank you so much for my Lifetime Achievement award! To get this recognition from my very own hometown makes this that much more special!

It makes me proud to be a Brummie. Congratulations to all the well deserved winners”.

Finally, Birmingham Awards would like to thank

the headline sponsor Love Your Postcode. Supporting sponsors Bootcamp Media, F5 Foster Care, Falcon Insurance, Heylus Recruitment, Oxbridge, Squibble, Thorns Group and United Carpets.

Drinks sponsors Bottega Prosecco Bar and Swallow Drinks.

Supporting partners Asaysi, Baked in Brick, Glimpse, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce,

Hollywood Monster, Purely, Subway, Town Hall Symphony Hall, Vibrant Networks and Unique Venues Birmingham.

Media partners Dluxe Magazine, Birmingham Updates and PR Partner It Is PR. A big thanks to the generous donations to help raise money for the charity partner Love Brum.

We’ll look forward to what Birmingham Awards brings to us next year.

Officers responded to a stabbing incident on London Bridge and the Metropolitan Police confirmed this as a terror-related.

A male suspect was shot who died at the scene and five people have been injured.

Emergency services were called to London Bridge amid reports of shots being fired at the London tourist attraction. Online footage has shown police shielding behind a police car on the bridge as multiple shots are fired.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: "I can confirm that approx 2pm today police were called to a stabbing near London Bridge.

"A male suspect was shot by specialist armed officers of the city London police and I can confirm that this suspect died at the scene.

"A number of other people received injuries during this incident and as soon as we can provide further updates on their condition, we will.

“Our heartfelt sympathies go out to everybody who has been involved in this and is anxiously

awaiting information on their loved ones, we will get it to you.

“As you would expect due to the nature of the incident we responded as though this was terrorist-related.

“We are now in a position to confirm that it has been declared a terrorist incident.

“We are working jointly with the city of London police as we continue to respond.

“Officers from the Met counterterrorism command are leading this investigation but I must stress that we retain an open mind as to any motive. It would be inappropriate to speculate further at this time.

“Due to reports that the suspect may have had an explosive device, specialist officers also attended the scene and wide cordons are in place to remain there’s no further injure to the public.

“However I can confirm at this time we believe a device that was strapped to the body of the suspect is a hoax explosive device.

“Officers continue to carry out

meticulous searches in the area to ensure there is no outstanding threat to the public.

“Those extensive cordons will remain in place for a considerable time and I would ask the public please continue to avoid the area.

“Public safety is our top priority and we will be enhancing police patrols both in the city and across London.

“I would ask anyone with information, image or footage of the incident to be shared with

our investigation team to do so on the police image appeal website.

“I would also ask the public to remain vigilant and report any concerns that they have to the police.

London Bridge Attack: Male Suspect Shot

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ASDA Celebrates Diwali 4

NOV / DEC 2019

Popular Food Blogger, Sandhya Hariharan creates an exclusive menu for ASDA’s Diwali Fiesta, this year.

Besides being a festival for twinkling lights, Diwali is also time for beautiful traditions, vibrant colours, stunning fireworks and delicious food! And when it comes to celebrating food, ASDA is always excited to join the momentum and spread the festive spirit.

This year ASDA hosted a special Diwali event, with great enthusiasm and sheer delight. Held at Layalina, a restaurant in the heart of Knightsbridge, the room was decorated with traditional diyas, fragrant candles, colourful lights and vibrant colors of marigold for a festive atmosphere.

Host for the evening, Sandhya Hariharan, a popular food blogger, presented an exclusive fivecourse meal that included her favourite traditional Diwali dishes but with special twists. Keeping up with its traditions, ASDA invited guests and prominent personalities from the media and culinary world for an evening to remember.

The event began in a traditional manner with beautiful diyas being lit and a special mango and coconut ladoo served to all the guests on arrival. Diwali is the time when people indulge in sweet without any guilt. And ladoos are a quintessential mithai to celebrate the festival of Diwali with. At the Asda

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Diwali dinner, Sandhya served her family’s favourite, coconut laddoos but with a slight twist adding mango to the delectable welcome treat.

The Diwali feast also initiated some great conversations of flavours amongst our guests as they relished every bite that was served. The celebration brought together some great food bloggers and influencers like Ashanti Omkar from the BBC Asia Network and popular blogger and doctor, DR. Chintal.

Speaking about the menu, Sandhya said: “I have been very excited to host this Diwali Party with ASDA. Right from deciding the menu to actually getting down to cooking, it has been a great adventure.

Teaming with ASDA has been wonderful as all my ingredients are easily available at one store and there has been no running around to different location

to source ingredients. I’m thankful to each guest who took out time from their busy schedule to make this event a success. And I am grateful to ASDA for placing the trust in me and giving me freedom to come up with an exciting array of vegetarian dishes with their high-quality ingredients.”

The guests enjoyed the Indian flavours and rejoiced the explosion of various tastes in their mouths ranging from sweet to savoury treats. Appetizers included the traditional north Indian dish Aaloo tikki, a popular Indian street food snack, which had a twist of Ragda on the top and Tortilla Chaat made with an assortment of home-made chutneys. As a little girl, Sandhya loved going to the market with her mother just to indulge in some chaats.

Till date, she is very fond of chaats and loves giving them a little twist of her own.

Tortilla Chaat is an IndoMexican recipe involving tortilla chips with generous dollops of a variety of chutneys.

The appetizers were followed by a refreshing palate cleanser, a shot of south-Indian hero Rassam.

Having south Indian roots, Sandhya has truly mastered the art of making delicious Rassam and one could make this out by seeing the satiated faces of all our guests.

Thereon, Sandhya went on to plate a very special vegetarian thaali for the special guests. This thaali comprised of tasty dishes like Dal tadka, Tawa Bhindi, Paneer Butter masala with mint raita, cumin rice and naan as accompaniments.

The idea behind this thaali was to give guests a taste of her favourite traditional dishes at the same time ensuring the food wasn’t too heavy and rich. In India, in the name of celebration, food can become too creamy and heavy, but Sandhya refrained from this notion and ensured guests understood celebratory food can be scrumptious without going too heavy or rich.

Guests were pleasantly surprised to know that the entire Diwali menu was created with quality ingredients bought from ASDA, making it easily possible to recreate any of the dishes, at home.

Shabnam Shahi was thrilled to attend event and added, “I am so delighted

Brummie comedy legend Jasper Carrott has today unveiled a tram named in his honour in a special ceremony.

It was the first time he had taken a Birmingham tram ride in 70 years and he joked that he particularly enjoyed the experience as he didn’t have to pay.

Joined by his wife Hazel, he arrived by tram at the new Metro stop outside Birmingham Town Hall. His 1975 hit single Funky Moped was playing out to fans and well-wishers gathered for the event.

He peeled back the sticker to reveal his name proudly displayed on the bright blue Urbos 3 tram.

The new tram stop is on the West Midlands Metro extension from Grand Central to Centenary Square which is due to open to passengers next month.

Jasper said: “Having a tram named after you is indeed an honour especially when it is all tied up with Birmingham and the West Midlands where I was born and bred.

"Today was pretty special.

The last time I rode on a tram in Birmingham was over 70 years ago when I went from the city centre to Handsworth Wood, it took about four days.

“To ride on the super smooth flying machine was a real treat especially as I didn't have to pay.”

He is the latest celebrity to have a tram named after them following rocker Ozzy Osborne and the late Cyrille Regis, in recognition of his groundbreaking work both on and off the football field.

Laura Shoaf, managing director of Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), said: “With his entertainment career spanning 50 years Jasper Carrott has been a champion for Birmingham and a great ambassador for the West Midlands and is fully deserving of this honour.

“In a few weeks his tram will be taking passengers to Centenary Square to enjoy the big wheel and ice rink and in a few years we are planning to run another line to the NEC and Airport, which would carry the Jasper Carrott tram to his beloved Birmingham City FC.” The line to Centenary Square is the first phase of the Westside extension to Edgbaston, with phase two, taking trams along Broad Street to Five Ways, to be completed by the end of 2021.

Construction work is being carried out by the Midlands Metro (MMA) on behalf of TfWM. Alejandro Moreno, Director of the MMA, said: “Everyone

to be a part of this culinary celebration that fused flavour, taste and tradition with an array of amazing dishes with quirky twists. I think these lovely dishes can be great repeats and are not just delightful ideas for Diwali but for are lovely for any kind of celebration. It was also wonderful to know that all the ingredients for these yummy dishes can be conveniently found in Asda,

all under one roof… wow!”

ASDA truly brought to light the traditional way of celebrating Diwali by hosting this cultural event.

The detectable flavours from all the dishes kept the celebration spirit high throughout the evening. By bringing together people and food from one culture, and showcasing their range of high-quality ingredients, ASDA spread Diwali cheer in the UK!

Jasper Carrott unveils tram named in his honour

at the alliance is not only proud to have been part of today’s celebration with Jasper, but all share real pride in delivering such a transformative tram extension for the city and we are all excited for next month’s opening.”

Work is also under way on extensions in Wolverhampton City Centre, due to open next

year, and from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill in the Black Country.

Plans are also being developed for the Birmingham Eastside line through Digbeth, continuing with a further extension to the NEC, Airport and HS2 Interchange via Bordesley Green and north Solihull.

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Too Old for Treatment?

After suffering a stroke, Daw Htay visited a health clinic in Myanmar, but was told she is “too old” to receive treatment.

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efenceless, exposed and unsafe – this is the reality for older people like Daw Htay who are living in unimaginable poverty around the world.

to healthcare, the support to survive emergencies and the opportunity to lead dignified and secure lives as they grow older.

Age International has been working since 1961 so women and men living in the world’s poorest places have access

A gift in your will could help change the lives of older people like Daw Htay, for generations to come.

“It’s very good that this doctor is here for older people like me” An Age International-supported popup clinic in her village meant that Daw Htay could visit a doctor who had been trained in the healthcare needs of older people; and who understood how to treat her stroke and the hypertension that contributed to it.

Will you leave your legacy?

A gift in your will to Age International could make a lasting difference to some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable older people, for years to come.

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I don’t want to receive any communications by post *Age International is a charitable subsidiary and restricted fund of Age UK, set up to support the work of Age International (registered charity no. 1128267-8). Age UK is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales (registered charity no 1128267 and registered company no 6825798). The registered address is, 1-6 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9NA. The Age UK Network includes the charity, its trading subsidiaries and national partners (Cymru, Scotland and NI). For further details on how your data is used and stored please go to www.ageinternational.org.uk/privacypolicy.

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Coca-Cola Christmas Truck Will Not Be Coming To Birmingham With Christmas approaching, many of us look forward to seeing the Coca- Cola Christmas truck, however Birmingham is not on the list of release date.

The red truck will be heading to Intu Merry Hill, Dudley on Friday, December 6, and Saturday December 7, from 12noon until 7pm.

Coca-Cola have confirmed that the truck, which brings free drinks to cities across the UK, will be setting off on tour on November 15.

The truck will visit 19 cities all over the country bringing including Edinburgh, Leeds, London and Portsmouth.

Coca-Cola's 2018 truck tour saw the flagship vehicle travel a staggering 737,000 miles.

In that time, thousands of Christmas fans have basked in its 8,772 twinkling fairy lights and enjoyed the magical ‘Holidays are Coming’ jingle, which marks the official start of Christmas for many people.

Listed are the date and venues 1. Friday 15 and Saturday 16 November : 32 Newcraighall Rd, Edinburgh EH15 3RD (Open 12-7pm) 2. Friday 15 and Saturday 16 November : 49 The Hayes, St David's Dewi Sant, Cardiff CF10 2ER (Open 11:30am6:30pm) 3. Tuesday 19 November : Asda, Creechbarrow Rd,

Taunton TA1 2AN (Open 12-7pm) 4. Thursday 21 November : Asda Boldon, North Rd, Newcastle upon Tyne, Boldon Colliery NE35 9AR (Open 12-7pm) 5. Friday 22 and Saturday 23November : White Rose Shopping Centre, Leeds, LS11 8LU (Open 12-7pm) 6. Friday 22 and Saturday 23November : Cribbs Causeway, Bristol, BS34 5DG (Open 12-7pm) 7. Wednesday 27 November : Asda, Pudsey, Leeds, LS28 6AR (Open 12-7pm) 8. Friday 29 and Saturday 30 November : Whiteley Shopping Centre,

Portsmouth, PO15 7PD (Open 12-7pm) 9. Friday 29 and Saturday 30 November : Marshalls Yard, Gainsborough, DN21 2NA (Open 12-7pm) 10. Monday 2 December : Asda Eastlands, Manchester, M11 4BD (Open 12-7pm) 11. Tuesday 3 December : Asda, Leyton Mill, London, E10 5NH (Open 12-7pm) 12. Wednesday 4 December : Asda, Watford, London, WD24 7RT (Open 12-7pm) 13. Friday 6 – Saturday 7 December : Intu Trafford Centre, Manchester, M17 8AA (Open 12-7pm) 14. Friday 6 – Saturday 7 December : Intu Merry Hill,

Dudley, DY5 1QX (Open 12-7pm) 15. Tuesday 10 December : Sainsbury’s Beckton, London, E6 6JF (Open 127pm) 16. Wednesday 11 December : Sainsbury’s Essex, London, SS13 1SA (Open 12-7pm) 17. Friday 13 and Saturday 14 December : Events Square, Cheshire Oaks, Liverpool, CH65 9JJ (Open 12-7pm) 18. Friday 13 and Saturday 14 December : Intu Lakeside, London, RM20 2ZP (Open 12-7pm) 19. Sunday 15 December : 02 Arena, London, SE10 0DX (12-7pm)

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Named the Second Best – Birmingham’s German Market

Birmingham’s German Christmas Market has been named the second-best Christmas market on Earth for 2019.

This year's top Christmas markets were ranked on a number of factors, including but not limited to vendor variety, entertainment, local traditions, reader suggestions.

Over 1.5million social media users had their say, with Birmingham beaten

by Christkindlmarkt, which takes place in Leavenworth, Washington, USA. Aachener Weihnachtsmarkt, situated in Aachen, Germany, came ninth, with Birmingham’s annual German

Market was first brought here by the organiser of Frankfurt's own festive market in 1997 and had 10 stalls in its first year.

It was such a success that it returned in 2001 and coming back every year since then.

There are now dozens of stalls sprawling through the city centre.

This is now the the largest outdoor Christmas market in the UK, and the biggest German market outside Germany and Austria.

Weekends tend to be the busiest times especially Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons as people stop for a drink and a bite to eat.

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Owners Penny Appeal’s Mini-CEO Restaurant Praised For Giving Away Food to Launch MY Helpline October 10th sees Penny Appeal’s Mini CEO (11-yearold Shakira Rahman) launch the MY (Muslim Youth) Helpline, providing listening and mental health support for young people between the ages of 11 to 24.

The MY Helpline is a confidential and nonjudgemental service for young Muslims across the UK. It will provide faith and culturally sensitive support for any young Muslim facing challenges such as sexuality, family abuse, bullying and cultural or religious pressures which affect many in modern British society.

Anyone who calls the MY Helpline will be put through to a fully trained and experienced practitioner, who will talk with each caller for as long as they wish. Practitioners will listen and support callers through the emotions they are experiencing, providing necessary support. The MY service can also provide access to counsellors with Islamic knowledge (via email) within 48 hours.

If needed, callers can be transferred to specialist organisations that can assist

them with issues that require extra care. The Freephone helpline, email and web-chat provide national coverage and are open 4pm – 10pm, 7 days a week (excluding bank holidays) to listen and to help.

The Helpline’s team is headed by Hinna Zafar, a qualified counsellor in Psychology. Hinna says: “We aim to bring a service which will ensure a safe environment when making calls to us regarding issues such as exam stress, Islamophobia, relationships and family matters. My team and I are here seven days a week to listen and support young Muslims, not

only in regards to modern day issues, but also around cultural and faith based matters.”

Penny Appeal’s Mini CEO, Shakira Rahman, says: “Setting up this youth line was one of my first ideas when I joined Penny Appeal. I have my mum to talk to about problems such as social media pressure, classroom bullying or body image worries. But many of my Muslim friends at school are too scared to talk to their families as they feel that they will not be understood.

So I think that this line will be really helpful for my friends, and many girls and boys throughout the UK.” Shakira Rahman aka Kid

Boss will also be making a speech at the 2019 Muslim Council of GB conference on October 12th (Leicester City FC Stadium). The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Our Mosques Our Future’.

Shakira will deliver a speech about young Muslim people and the role they need to play in the future of Mosques around the UK. She will tackle subjects, such as the digital age, young girls’ and women’s involvement in the future runnings of Mosques as well as female leadership in the Muslim faith community.

For any further information images, interviews, call 07831 556 951 or email fnik@ btconnect.com

Owners of a popular Indian restaurant in Kingswinford have been praised after giving away food that a customer ordered as they tried to short-change the delivery driver.

Mohammed Saeid, who runs Robby’s Indian Fine Dining, told Black Country Live that he was left gobsmacked after the customer– who has not been named – attempted to underhand the business by more than £10.

Saeid said the restaurant received a call at 11.30pm on Saturday, November 23, from two customers drinking at a local pub.

Despite the kitchen being closed, Mr Saeid approved the order and sent a driver to deliver the food.

The customer knew the order would be more than £20 but pulled out a handful of coins and told the driver ‘there’s roughly about £10 here so take it or

leave’.

The driver left, with the food and was later given to a rough sleeper on Soho Road, which was praised by the community.

He said: “They were a lot more grateful and thankful than someone who thinks we work hard to be insulted.

But the ex-business man said this incident highlights a dirty tactic that is highly damaging for the hospitality business.

“This kind of tactic is highly damaging for business,” he said.

“Businesses work hard to offer high-quality food at affordable prices but, sadly, this isn’t the first time it has happened.

“By highlighting someone’s insulting attitude – I hope we will be able to stop this kind of thing happening.”

The post, which has been shared dozens of times, has praised the Mr Saeid’s action to donate the food.

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Sikhs celebrate Guru Nanak's THE MAHATMA GANDHI STATUE 550th birthday with Parade PROJECT Thousands of Sikhs paraded through Sandwell to celebrate the 550th birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The colourful procession, in honour of the founder of Sikhism, travelled to gurdwaras throughout the borough of Oldbury, Smethwick.

There was music and dancing, while free food and drink was handed out throughout the parade route from West Bromwich to Smethwick via Oldbury.

Manjit Singh Samra, 41, was among those celebrating in Oldbury and explained: "It is a special occasion.

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to witness 550 years of Guru Nanak.

"It is a time when we can revisit Guru Nanak's history and message.

"His three messages are share with others, remember God and earn an honest living."

Guru Nanak, also referred to as Baba Nanak, was the first of the ten Sikh gurus and the anniversary of his birth is celebrated every year with the sacred Guru Nanak Dev Ji Gurpurab festival.

The procession was led

by women sweeping the road and behind them were five sword-bearers and a float carrying the Sikh holy scripture the Guru Granth Sahib.

They were followed by specialists in the traditional Sikh martial art Gatka.

The procession began

at the Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji Gurdwara on West Bromwich High Street before making its way to Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Edward Street.

From there, the procession travelled to Amrit Parchar Gurdwara in Birmingham Road, Oldbury,

and nearby Guru Maneyo Granth Gurdwara in Popes Lane The final stops were in Smethwick, at Baba Sang Ji Gurdwara in St Paul's Road and Guru Nanak Gurdwara in High Street where there were stalls and activities for the children.

A fairy lights extravaganza has popped up in Birmingham with “enough illuminations to reach the top of Everest.”

Once Upon A Time In Birmingham has opened its doors in the old Jamie's Italian restaurant overlooking St Martin's Square.

Imagine the spectacle that would occur if an entire city’s fairy lights were garlanded in a single space…The merry

and bright installation will not only be illuminating, but also delicious with all the menu items designed to glow or sparkle.

The Christmas installation features 88,000 fairy lights, over 9km of lights and a host of mirrors in a grand sparkling interior. This is more festive lights per square foot than anywhere else in Britain.

Staff will serve drinks that glow, sparkle, and change

colour and as well as an array of innovative festive food.

It's been designed by Bompas & Parr who wanted to celebrate the humble fairy light.

Stephanie Lacey, general manager at Bullring & Grand Central, said: “Once Upon a Time in Birmingham will be a truly immersive experience that is not to be missed.

"At Bullring & Grand Central, we’ve got a great track record of putting on

events that amaze and delight, and this will be no different.

Birmingham has never seen anything like this before.”

Customers can also take part in carol-oke and Christmas games during their visit.

Once Upon A Time in Birmingham is open from now until December 23.

Make sure to book your tickets now as its a not to be missed event for this festive season.

A Christmas pop-up which is set to brighten up Birmingham

Gift to Manchester outside Manchester Cathedral receives approval Manchester City Council has granted planning approval for a gift to Manchester of the global ambassador of non-violence and peace, Mahatma Gandhi. A bronze statue of the iconic spiritual leader is set to be unveiled outside Manchester Cathedral in the 150th anniversary of his birth.

The Mahatma Gandhi Statue Project is an initiative of Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur (SRMD), a worldwide spiritual movement headquartered in India. Shrimad Rajchandra was Mahatma Gandhi’s spiritual mentor and Gandhi attributes the foundation of his values of non-violence and self-improvement to him.

The charitable organisation has carefully planned the commissioning and installation of the statue, considering the location and scale in the context of the space and ensuring there will be necessary pedestrian and disabled access.

The statue project costs are sponsored by the Kamani Family in memory of their grandfather Bhanji Khanji Kamani (18881979).

The project is supported by Manchester Cathedral, Manchester City Council, the Manchester India Partnership and the High Commission of India. Letters of support have been received by local business owners and representatives from both religious and non-religious organisations across Manchester and beyond.

As part of Gandhi’s 150th year birth anniversary celebrations, a public event on November 25th this year has been organised to unveil the 9ft high, 800kg statue crafted by renowned Indian artist Ram V Sutar, in the city’s Medieval Quarter. Invited guests include senior figures from the Indian government and representatives of High Commission of India, UK. During a 1931 visit to the UK, Gandhi visited the textile mills in Lancashire, travelling from London

to Blackburn via Manchester, to meet with mill workers and explain the Indian perspective on the boycott of British goods that was damaging their industry. During this visit, Gandhi attracted large crowds of admirers and received a warm welcome.

Mahatma Gandhi taught all to not use war and violence, but instead, tread the path of peaceful protests.

Manthan Taswala, Head of Public Relations, SRMD UK, said: “We are delighted to have received planning approval from Manchester City Council.

“Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings remain as potent today as when he first said, ‘be the change that you want to see in the world.’”

“Following the 2017 Arena attack, Manchester’s unique civic pride displayed the values of non-violence and compassion.

We are inspired by the people of Manchester for their strength, decency and community in the face of this unparalleled tragedy.

“The statue of Gandhi will celebrate the universal power of his message. A statue in Manchester will ensure that the heart of our politics and democracy can all be blessed with his ethos.”

National planning and development consultancy Turley provided expert planning, design and heritage services for the Mahatma Gandhi statue.

Director and Lead for Corporate Social Responsibility at Turley, Bob May said: “It’s great to see planning approval granted for the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Manchester. We thoroughly enjoy working on projects such as this which reflect Turley’s values and commitment to good growth, enabling us to contribute to the communities we are part of and make a positive difference in the places that we help shape.

“We are proud to be involved in this historic project so soon after securing permission for the Emmeline Pankhurst statue in St Peter’s Square, and look forward to seeing the finished statue in place later this year.”

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Birmingham Family With Help From Dad-of-three Jailed after Interpol Search For Missing Mum A mum-of-seven from Birmingham has gone missing after travelling to Mecca on pilgrimage.

Zahida Begum, of Ward End, left for Saudi Arabia on Sunday 27 October with son and three days into her trip she disappeared from her hotel and hasn't been seen since.

Her family have raised concerns for Zahida, 64, who has depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, diabetes and is visually impaired.

Her son Fiaz Rashid has spent the last six days searching for his mum Family members are now due to fly out to help in the hunt for Zahida, who only speaks Urdu.

She has left all her belongings behind in the hotel, including her money, mobile phone and medication.

Zahida's panic-stricken family said they are 'desperate' to find her and have called for anyone with family or contacts in Saudi Arabia to 'stay alert and vigilant'.

Her family said she is a 'well-known figure in Birmingham's South Asian community'.

Waqar Mahmood, Zahida's nephew, told BirminghamLive: "She left Birmingham on Sunday to fly to Saudi Arabia via

pleading to Judge

Manchester to perform Umrah with her son.

"Her son left her in their hotel room sleeping at the Swissotel in Mecca last Wednesday afternoon (October 30) to perform Islamic duties.

"She woke up to find him not in the room and has left the hotel to find him.

"She has been seen on the hotel CCTV leaving the building but has taken nothing with her.

"She's been gone six days and her son is worried sick.

He hasn't slept and has just been walking round looking for her.

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they have advised us that Interpol is looking into this.

"The Saudi police is aware too and posters and leaflets have been put up for her.

"We just want anyone who has any family out in Saudi Arabia, or any contacts, to be vigilant and help us.

"We are desperate."

The Foreign Office confirmed they are supporting the family.

An FCO spokeswoman said: "We are supporting the family of a British woman missing in Saudi Arabia.

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"She suffers with depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, diabetes and is visually impaired in the left eye. She only speaks Urdu/ Punjabi.

"She has no money and no phone. We are unsure whether she has eaten or drunk. She hasn't taken her medication.

"We don't want to think the worst but we're worried if she's even alive. She's been sighted a few times, but no one has thought anything of it.

"We have been in contact with the Foreign Office and West Midlands Police and

A dad-of-three jailed for 28 months who was caught with cocaine pleaded with the judge not to be sent to jail for the sake of his young family.

Abdul Kahir aged 42, was caught with drugs as he vacuumed his car at a petrol station in the Midlands.

Kahir, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

Police received a tip-off which led to officers searching the defendant’s vehicle and recovering four wraps of cocaine and £320.

Prosecutor Antony Longworth said police, acting on intelligence, searched Kahir's vehicle at 1.05pm on January 3.

Mr Longworth said: “He was vacuuming it at a petrol station on Festival Park. Officers found a sock containing four wraps of white powder hidden in the centre console, a mobile phone and £320.

“He told police he had been out of work and had a wife and two children, with another on the way, so he had been dealing for six weeks.”

In his police interview the defendant said he was paid £150 a day selling each wrap for £40. He said he received postcodes on a text so he knew where to deliver the drugs.

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Stuart Muldoon, mitigating, said the defendant lost his job.

Mr Muldoon said: “He started to take cocaine and quickly got into debt. He was offered a way out - to drive around and provide pre-packaged drugs for others and take the money. He debt was reduced by £100 and he was paid £50 in cocaine.”

Mr Muldoon asked Judge Dean Kershaw to consider suspending any prison sentence as the defendant has a wife and three children and he was frank with the police.

He added: “His wife and young children are going to become victims of his offending.”

Jailing the defendant, Judge Kershaw said: “The police received some intelligence which turned out to be true. They found four wraps of cocaine.

They also recovered £320, which must have come from drug dealing.

“You explained immediately to the police that you had been dealing drugs for about six weeks. You were in financial problems, you had a family to support and that was the purpose behind it.”

The judge ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs and the forfeiture of the £320.

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NOV / DEC 2019

Street Food by Midlands Langar Seva Society For Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Birthday To mark the 550th birthday of Guru Nanak Dev ji on the 12 November, more than 334 free meals were handed out on Soho Road to help the homeless.

Midland Langar Seva Society, one of the biggest homeless charities in the UK, organised a special 'street feed' on Soho Road in Handsworth.

Volunteers were giving out free cups of Indian masala tea, there were information stalls giving a brief introduction to Sikhism and Guru Nanak and on a big red bus, people were being served langar while listening

to live Kirtan.

The charity's Guru Nanak Langar Bus was parked on Soho Road opposite Handsworth Library serving langar.

The charity was built on the teachings of Guru Nanak Ji - to practice 'seva' - serving humanity and provide food and hunger relief to people in need.

Midland Langar Seva Society has become a gobal charity but as a Midlands founded charity, we wanted to do something in Birmingham - to spread the message of equality -where everyone is welcome

to eat and we should all eat together. That is fundamental to Guru Nanak's teachings."

The Midland Langar Seva Society serves hundreds of hot meals to homeless and poor people every day across the UK as well as India, Germany and Bangkok.

It was set up in 2013 operating from the Glebe Centre in Walsall.

The society, which won a TSB Local Pride of Birmingham Award in April 2017, is a non-profit organisation that aims to help the homeless and provide food to those in need.

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14

Kartarpur Corridor is now open: India pilgrims in historic visit to Pakistan Gurdwara

A historic corridor to one of Sikhism's holiest shrines is now open, allowing Indian pilgrims rare visa-free access to the site in Pakistan.

The Kartarpur corridor leads from the border straight to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, 4km (2.5 miles) away.

But tensions between India and Pakistan have made the shrine hard to access in recent years.

However, they reached an agreement over access last month, fulfilling a longstanding wish of the Sikh community.

The corridor - which is in Punjab, a region divided during the partition of British India in 1947 - has opened just days before the 550th anniversary of the birth of Sikhism's founder, Guru Nanak, on 12 November.

There are only two major border crossings between the two countries, at Wagah between Amritsar in India and Lahore in Pakistan and further south at Munabao, where the train running between India's Jodhpur and Pakistan's Karachi stops.

Why the corridor has opened now?

The first Indian pilgrims to use the Kartarpur corridor included former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh; Amarinder Singh, the chief minister of India's Punjab state; and 150 Indian parliamentarians.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart, Imran Khan, inaugurated the corridor on either side of the border on Saturday morning.

Devotees from all over the world, including the UK and Canada, are also visiting for the celebrations.

Officials say the corridor can accommodate up to 5,000 pilgrims per day, with up to 10,000 able to visit the shrine every day.

Indian visitors to the shrine will require a passport but they will be carrying travel permits instead of visas. However, they will not be allowed to leave the premises of the shrine in Pakistan or stay overnight.

What is the significance of the Gurdwara?

The Gurdwara was built to commemorate the site where Guru Nanak spent the last 18 years of his life. It is considered to be the second holiest site for Sikhism after Gurdwara Janam Asthan, also in Pakistan, which was built on the site where Guru Nanak was born.

The existing shrine in Kartarpur was built in 1925 after the original was destroyed by floods. It was restored by the Pakistani

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government in 2004.

However, the facilities have recently been upgraded to allow the complex to accommodate more pilgrims.

Construction began soon after the corridor was officially announced in November last year.

Spread across 42 acres (17 hectares), the expansion includes a new courtyard, museum, library, dormitories, locker rooms, an immigration centre and an embankment to protect the shrine from floods.

The corridor also features a bridge which will allow visitors to cross over the Ravi river, which flows between the international border and the shrine.

Why is the corridor so significant?

It has been a longstanding wish of the Sikh community to open the corridor up, and it makes it much easier and cheaper to travel to the shrine from India.

"Our wish to go to Kartarpur is finally being fulfilled," Amandeep Kaur, who lives in the border village of Dera Baba Nanak on the Indian side. "We will go and we shall bow our heads there.

We have been separated from our Guru for a long time."

The village is just 7km from the Kartarpur gurdwara. But until now, Sikhs who wished to visit the shrine had to obtain a Pakistani visa and follow a circuitous route that

often took them to Lahore city, more than 100km from Kartarpur.

Why did it take so long for India and Pakistan to strike a deal?

A historically tense relationship between India and Pakistan - who have fought three wars since 1947 - has made it difficult for a deal to be reached.

The two countries first discussed the corridor in 1998, and then again in 2004 and 2008, but these talks never led to anything concrete.

The opening of the corridor comes in the wake of soaring tensions between the nucleararmed neighbours.

Before the deal was signed, India had said it was "disappointed" with Islamabad for charging pilgrims a $20 (£15) service fee to cross the border - but then said it would go ahead and sign the agreement.

There was also some confusion over whether Indian visitors require a passport.

On 1 November, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said any valid ID would suffice, but news reports on Wednesday claimed that Pakistan's army spokesman said all visitors would require a passport.

Indian officials dismissed the confusion, saying the bilateral agreement clearly stated that a passport was required.

£1 million seized in Birmingham Airport this year alone

More than £1 million has been seized in the past year from travellers passing through Birmingham Airport suspected of trying to send money abroad for criminal gain.

In August, £4,000 was seized from a man who was stopped during an intelligence-gathering operation by the Metropolitan Police. He was also found to be in possession of controlled drugs and later charged.

The following month, a man who landed at Birmingham from Dubai was found to be wanted on recall to prison and in possession of a large quantity of high-value designer goods, including Rolex watches. He was arrested and returned to prison, and the illicit items confiscated.

The cash was seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act by the airport police working with the Counter Terrorism Unit, National Crime Agency, Border Force and the Regional Organised Crime

Unit.

Birmingham Airport Commander Inspector Chris Cotton said: "This is a fantastic achievement and demonstrates the close relationship we have with our partners here at Birmingham Airport. We work together to ensure it remains a safe place for people to visit and to make it a hard target for criminality.

"We will always investigate people who have made money from crime. It’s hugely satisfying to seize their money or assets – including property, cars or valuables – and spend that money to benefit our communities.

"Our tactics are effective and are designed to deter, detect and disrupt a range of crime, whilst reassuring members of the public."

Anyone travelling with large amounts of money is advised to have the correct supporting documentation such as bank statements to prove the authenticity of the cash.

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BIRMINGHAM AWARDS; RECOGNISE, REWARD AND ROAR B

irmingham Awards return for the fifth year to stamp overdue praise on the city’s brightest and best.

Jas Sansi was there to capture the Award winners celebrating a sparkling night at the Library of Birmingham.

Heading across the city to photograph the Birmingham Awards, a young person asked me for directions to Opheem, the Indian restaurant owned by Aktar Islam. He was starting a shift there but must have taken a wrong turn. There are only eight Indian Restaurants in the world with a Michelin Star so no surprising it was hard to find.

I walked him to Summer Row to ensure he wasn’t late and risk what is undoubtedly a great opportunity for a young person making his way in the field of hospitality. At Summer Row, he regained his bearings and sped off to start his shift thanking me for directions. I watched him as he disappeared in the pouring rain, about the same age as my daughter, making her first steps in a big city.

The notion of Birmingham being home to a Michelin Star would have been scoffed at when I was his age, but now, we have five; Adams, Carters, Purnells, Simpsons as well as Opheem. It’s not the notion of culinary excellence that’s being scoffed now.

Brum has been on a remarkable journey over recent years. A journey, for which, the Birmingham Awards was established,

by Ifraz Ahmed and Anita Chumber to recognise, reward and roar.

Hosting the awards at the Library of Birmingham was a stroke of genius. The logistics

Let’s take a look at the winners:

of transforming the space from a learning environment to one holding an Awards Dinner are almost impossible to comprehend.

Access to create the magic was granted at 5pm. 500 guests were expected at 6:30pm. If you do the maths, you realise, the maths cannot be done. Unless of course you have people managing the ‘Get In’ to include Unique Venues Birmingham on site, Mahirs Experience on catering, Purple Square on the Audio Visuals, Vibrant Networks on the IT and Aston Performing Arts on the Entertainment. Above and beyond does not begin to describe what these teams achieved.

Doors opened on time for registration and a drinks reception hosted by Bottega Birmingham headed up by Evelyn Armstrong, pictured below with Shelia Kelly-Trow.

It was great to see familiar faces and new faces at the annual event. A recent statistic demonstrated

Birmingham attracts a lot of on line attention, ranking very high in the number of social media posts about the city. However, when this figure is adjusted for population size, our position falls drastically. We need to bring more people into the conversation, and not rely on more conversation from the same people.

Birmingham Awards 2019 was hosted by Heart FM’s Ed James who did a fabulous job as always in bringing the whole evening together. The Drive Time presenter tweeted ‘The great and good were out in force to collaborate, support and elevate this amazing city of ours.’

Special thanks to headline sponsor Bobby Singh from Love Your Postcode who has redefined the concept of branding in becoming one of the most recognised individuals in the region.

Bobby Singh hasn’t just disrupted, he has shaken the foundations and blown the

ceiling off Property and Real Estate Management.

Keynote Speaker was Midlands Metro Mayor Andy Street. Mayor Andy Street has fuelled the success our region has enjoyed over recent years whilst adopting a unifying tone at a time of national division.

It was great to hear from Andy who addressed the floor and disagreed with the belief most people consider Manchester the second city, he suggested London was now the second city with Brum firmly at the top.

Thank you to Birmingham Awards for supporting LoveBrum on the evening.

LoveBrum is the charity for an even better Birmingham, supporting local projects bringing real change to our city.

Great to hear from LoveBrum Chair Tim Andrews and CEO Paul Mitchell.

Congratulations to all finalists around whom the entire evening was shaped.

Arts & Culture Award: Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) Social Enterprise of the Year – Evolve Birmingham Contribution to Education Award – Sarah Mulin (Priory School) Young Achiever of the Year – Anna Assinder Bar or Pub of the Year – Hotel du Vin Birmingham Business of the Year – Unique IQ ltd Sporting Initative of the Year – WBC Womens Boxing Club Community Initiative or Charity of the Year – Birmingham St Marys Hospice Restaurant of the Year – Chung Ying Cantonese Small Business of the Year – Trimz and Tantrumz Childrens Salon Professional of the Year –

Stephanie Taylor Venue of the Year – Aston Villa Holte Suite Business Man of the Year – Stacey Barnfield Business Woman of the Year – Natalie Taylor-Herrick Judges Award – Hailey Hanson Networker of the Year – Adam Andrew Hayes Excellence in Media – Balvinder Sidhu (ITV) Best Shopping Experience – Touchwood Independent Retailer of the Year – Chouchoute Chocolaterie Best Use of Social Media or Marketing – Birmingham Hippodrome Brummie of the Year – Anita Bhalla OBE Lifetime Achievement – Jaki Graham (Award collected by Jaki’s daughter Natalie)

Venue - The Library of Birmingham

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Anita Bhalla OBE - Winner Brummie of the Year

Anita Chumber & Ifraz Ahmed - Award Founders

Love Your Postcode - Bobby Singh - Headline Sponsor

After Party at the Malmaison Birmingham

After Party at the Malmaison Birmingham

More Photos from the Evening can be found at Jas Sansi Flickr & Edwin Ladd Flickr

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NOV / DEC 2019

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FEATURE

TOP APPRENTICES CELEBRATE AT GLITTERING CEREMONY

High achieving British Asian Apprentices, their employers and training providers celebrated last night at the fourth annual Asian Apprenticeship Awards.

Khaliqa Amani was named as the Apprentice of the Year. A British National who spent most of her life in Pakistan, Khaliqa applied for the HSBC apprenticeship when she was unable to get funding to secure her place at medical school.

Since completing her apprenticeship in just eight months she has secured two major promotions and now works at HSBC UK Head office in Birmingham as a Wealth Insights Proposition Manager. She is also an Apprenticeship Ambassador.

Her success in the workplace

enabled her to buy her first home aged just 21, and to support her siblings and her mother.

PTP Training was named as Training Provider of the year. With its origins in the Chamber of Commerce, PTP Training is one of the largest independent training providers in the Midlands.

The company offers short courses, qualifications and apprenticeships in care, engineering, retail, hospitality accountancy and management.

Isa Mutlib is the Director of the Asian Apprenticeship Awards. He commented: “The awards are in the fourth year and the quality of entries gets higher each year. The Awards celebrate the brightest and best British Asian Apprentices

and the commitment of their employers and learning providers.

“We hope we have encouraged more young British Asians to consider

apprenticeships, and more employers to provide opportunities to benefit from the skills that apprentices bring. We are grateful to our headline sponsor, the Royal Air Force, for their support in running the event.”

From over 300 nominations, awards were presented in 7 sector categories, 2 employer categories and the overall Learning Provider of the Year. Nearly 500 people attended the event which was hosted by Suzi Mann and comedian Eshaan Akbar.

Entertainment was provided

by Aston Performing Arts Academy. Guest speakers included Jasmine Kundra, from last year’s BBC The Apprentice line up and Iasha Masood from this year’s series, alongside the overall Asian Apprentice of the Year 2018 Marjana Uddin and Shakil Butt from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

The full winners list is as follows:

Judges' Choice Award and overall Apprentice of the Year Khaliqa Amani, HSBC Finance, Legal & Professional Services category Winning Apprentice Shamaila Khalid, Ernst & Young LLP Winning Employer Arvato CRM Solutions UK Health, Medical & Social Care category Winning Apprentice Ahmar Iqbal, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Winning Employer PBL Care Retail, Hospitality & Tourism category Winning Apprentice Ahmed Alkhkfaji, Blade Barber Shop Winning Employer Travis Perkins Charity, Voluntary Organisations & Public Services category

Winning Apprentice Nardesh - Samra Burhm, Babington Winning Employer Salesforce.org Construction Services category Winning Apprentice Alyssia Samra, HS2 Winning Employer NG Bailey Engineering & Manufacturing category Winning Apprentice Aamir Adam, Siemens Winning Employer Bombardier Transportation Creative & Digital category Winning Apprentice Ismail Abdul Ghafoor, HM Revenue & Customs Winning Employer Facebook Learning Provider of The Year PTP Training Small, Medium Employer of the Year - BootCamp Media Large Employer of the Year Lloyds Banking Group

Khaliqa Amani Apprentice of the Year

Son Crashes Dad’s Car After A Night Out A Leicester man man drove his father’s prized Mercedes after a night out and ended up crashing it into a set of traffic lights.

Deepak Willkha going through a divorce and recently quit his job due to stress went out to meet a friend in Leicester city centre on September 25.

Willkha, 38-years-old from Queniborough Road, Belgrave, was only about 1.5 miles from the city centre, and decided to take his father’s car.

Courts heard how he was more than twice the drink-driving limit and only got as far as Belgrave Circle, where he smashed into the traffic lights around 4am on September 26.

He was arrested by Leicestershire Police and during an interview Willkha, who suffered a cut to his forehead in the crash, said he had been drinking several beers and wines but could not remember how many and “didn’t know exactly what happened”.

At the police station he gave a breathalyser reading of 80 microgrammes of alcohol in a litre of breath. The limit is 35

microgrammes.

He pleaded guilty to drinkdriving at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday where his solicitor, Perminder Bassi, said: “He went to meet a friend for a meal and spill out his problems.

“One drink led to another. It was a bad judgement call on his part.

“He was only 1.5 miles from home.

"The car is his father’s pride and joy and he didn’t want to leave it in the city centre in case it got scratched or something.

“It has been a difficult six months for him.”

Mr Bassi said his client’s 73-year-old father had moved in with him because of illness and was reliant on Willka to bathe him and help him go to the toilet.

A combination of taking care of his father and stress at work had led to him leaving his job recently, Mr Bassi said.

He added that Willka’s wife had left him and moved to Wolverhampton with their two daughters.

The magistrates fined Willka

£326 and ordered him to pay £85 court costs and a £32 victim surcharge.

He was banned from driving for 18 months.

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£25m contribution for Alexander Stadium redevelopment approved T

he West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has announced a £25 million contribution towards the cost of redeveloping the Alexander Stadium in time for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The WMCA Board today agreed the funding request towards the £72.5 million cost of creating an enduring legacy to the Games, which will act as a catalyst for the regeneration of Perry Barr and the wider West Midlands.

The state-of-the art stadium, hosting the opening and closing ceremonies along with the athletics competition, will see the permanent capacity increased from 12,700 to 17,000 spectators.

It will also feature a 400m, six-lane running track and during the Games temporary structures will be added to

create a total capacity of more than 30,000 seats.

Deborah Cadman, WMCA chief executive, said: “Our fundamental role is to provide opportunities for economic growth, job creation, an enhanced environment and improved wellbeing for our citizens across the region.

“The redevelopment of the Alexander Stadium fits firmly with our objectives and along with other schemes, including the Athletes’ Village and the Sprint rapid bus network, will kick start the further regeneration of Perry Barr to improve the quality of life of people living and working in the area.

“The stadium is a key facility for ensuring the success of the Games, which will bring broader investment providing a wider West Midlands’ legacy.”

Clive Heaphy, acting chief

executive at Birmingham City Council, said: “Birmingham is a sporting city, with a great heritage for staging events and major championships, the biggest of which will be the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

“I’m delighted that the Combined Authority has committed to investing £25 million in the stadium and that they continue to work with us and all our partners in showing their support.

“As part of hosting the games, Birmingham is receiving huge investment and it is a great opportunity for us to really transform Birmingham and to change the lives of our citizens long after the 11 days of sport have finished.”

An agreement has already been made for Birmingham City University to become an anchor tenant after the Games, as part of the legacy.

The Britsh Asian Photographer who’s lensed everyone From Mahira to Lady Gaga

“IT IS WHAT IT IS” “IT IS PR offers makreting and event support to businesses, retail, hospitality, leisure and third sector organisations.

Anita has used her organically gained knowledge to help support others by bringing a fresh look to supoorting businesses grow.”

Get in touch for more information: Get Social -

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M: 07702312461 E: anita@itispr.co.uk

@itispr_1

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It’s not often that you associate work with the likes of Ranveer Singh, Gauri Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Lady Gaga, Mahira Khan and Lisa Haydon. For British Asian photographer, Shakeel Afzal this is his daily life. He has photographed them all!

From photographing celebrities at the Oscars to editorial shoots for top designers, Shakeel’s portfolio knows no bounds.

Shakeel pursued film-making in the London and has excelled at it ever since. Not only has he shot for the covers of Filmfare and Brides Today, he has also photographed several celebrities during the Oscars and Cannes Film Festival, including Rami Malek and Jennifer Lopez.

To say that Shakeel is a man of

many talents is an understatement.

His brilliance is not just limited to photography; it has made its way to cinematography as well.

He’s shot three short films, including Jumper, where he was the Director of Photography, which was the finalist at the prestigious American Pavillion at Cannes. He is also a member of the British Cinematography Society (BSC) and an Arabic short film that he’s worked on has been featured in Las Vegas and New York.

He’s worked with Mahira Khan in London for the South Asian Film Festival, the Cannes Film Festival and, more recently, Paris Fashion Week.

“He is professional, he is quick, and he is one of the best I have worked with,” Mahira said.

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YOUR ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: EXCITING NEW ROLE FOR DEEPIKA SET TO RELEASE IN 2021

t i h o t t e s z w w e N d o Go r a e Y w e N e h t e r o f e b screens

Ahead of Good Newwz trailer, the makers of the film have released a new poster featuring Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Diljit Dosanjh and Kiara Advani.

Akshay Kumar has unveiled a new poster of his upcoming film Good Newwz ahead of its trailer.

The poster shows the lead actors including Akshay, Diljit Dosanjh, Kareena Kapoor and Kiara Advani huddled together as a sperm emoji encircles them.

Akshay shared the poster with the caption, “As you can see, we’re all in this together! #GoodNewwzTrailer out today at noon!” While he looks worried and can be seen sharing a hug with Kareena, Diljit is seen embracing Kiara, who stars opposite him in the film.

The film is a typical Bollywood romcom where two couples with the same surnames pursue in-vitro fertilization and wait for their upcoming babies. Trouble arisings when they find that the sperms of

each couple have been mixed with each other.

The makers are calling the film the ‘biggest goof-up of the year’ as it arrives around the Christmas and New Year season at the end of this year. The film will hit cinema screens on December 27th.

Akshay had unveiled the first official poster last week. It showed him and Diljit Dosanjh squeezed between Kareena and Kiara Advani’s baby bumps.

There was also an individual poster of him squeezed between two bellies. He shared it on Twitter with the caption, “’Squeezing’ in some #GoodNewwz for you this #Christmas season. Stay tuned, the biggest goof-up of the year is coming!”

He also shared the first look poster of Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh, who is similarly squeezed between two bellies.

Akshay captioned, “There’s always someone who ends up with the same #Christmas present as you!”

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Shraddha Kapoor takes to Instagram to show her Diwali Sari Sharing a series of elegant pictures with her 35.9 million Instagram followers was Shraddha Kapoor. This Diwali, the actress decided to wear her mother’s sari, and it seems like she just couldn’t get enough. The elaborate photoshoot features her vibrant sari

Arjun appointed as Brand Ambassador for Chelsea Football Club

with a beautiful choker and elegant jhumkas, and complementing her look was her simplistic gajra that kept her bun intact.

Reports say that Shraddha wore the elegant ensemble for the grand Diwali bash hosted by Amitabh Bachchan.

We all know that Arjun Kapoor is a big football fanatic. So much so that the actor even co-owned a professional football team in India. Usually, after a long work week, Arjun teams up with his B-town peers and hits the field to sweat it out

War box office collection Day 20: beats Padmaavat

War, a blockbuster featuring Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, and Vaani Kapoor is still on a box office riot. On Sunday, the

film made it to the elite 300 crore club. It has crossed the lifetime collection of Padmaavat (Rs 302.15 crore) and has added more than

Rs 2.10 crore to its account in the third week. After a 20day run, the total collection of the film stands at Rs 304 crore.

Ik Gera review: Guru Randhawa is back with his swag Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa is back with the song, Ik Gera. As expected, the song has earned a lot of love from the audience.

It shows Randhawa as a celebrity hounded by girls, much to the chagrin of his love interest. It is said to be a promotional song for the

upcoming Punjabi film, Tara Mira, starring Ranjit Bawa and Nazia Hussain. Helmed

by Rajiev Dhingra, Tara Mira.

Deepika Padukone, one of the finest actors of Bollywood, is all set to play the epic role of Draupadi in the upcoming film, Mahabharat. The Padmaavat actress has joined hands with Madhu Mantena to produce the film in 2021. The film, Mahabharat, will have multiple sequences, with the first part scheduled for release on Diwali 2021.

in a game of football.

Arjun Kapoor was recently appointed as the brand ambassador of Premier League's Chelsea football club. Just a while ago, the 'India's Most Wanted' actor took to his social media handles to share a video of

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It will be Diljit Dosanjh vs Gippy Grewal on 26th June, 2020 Diljit Dosanjh recently announced the release date of his upcoming next ‘Jodi’. Starring him and Nimrat Khaira the movie will be out on June 26, 2020.

Interestingly, Gippy Grewal’s ‘Phatte Dinde Chakk Punjabi is also slated to release on the same date.

Both Diljit Dosanjh and

Gippy Grewal are two big names of the industry, and thus, this will be one big clash that Pollywood will witness. On top of this, the Diljit Dosanjh starrer is being made under Amrinder Gill’s production banner and thus, it’s not only one vs one star but two vs one.

Kanye West Finally Did Carpool Karaoke, But on a Plane him suiting up before a big match at Chelsea's home Stamford Bridge in London.

Sharing the video, Arjun wrote, "Ready to Rock & Roll !!! Managed to clean up for my day out at Stamford Bridge to watch my club @ chelseafc last weekend."

Obviously Kanye West couldn't just do a normal Carpool Karaoke.

The rapper, who just released his new album Jesus Is King, finally took part in James Corden's signature Late Late Show segment, but not in a car. No no, Kanye took James Corden for a ride in the sky on one of his Soul Planes, and together, along with the huge choir that

happened to also be traveling in Kanye's plane, the duo put on quite a show.

On the way, the two chatted about marriage and children, the moment the star knew he would be famous and what spurred him to create his Sunday Service, rapped along with "Jesus Walks" and safely made it to Los Angeles to the tune of "Hallelujah."

Shay Mitchell’s r e t h g u a D n r o b New Is Already Her t n a t s i s s A t s e t e Swe Shay Mitchell and boyfriend Matte Babel welcomed their daughter last week—and on Tuesday, the Pretty Little Liars alum gave her Instagram followers a sneak peek at her new life (and balancing act) as a mom. In a short but sweet video, she showed herself working from bed while her little girl peacefully lounges in her bassinet. "New office

vibes," the 32-year-old wrote on her Instagram Story.

Indeed, Shay's life has been filled with adorable moments since her little girl entered the world. During a recent Q&A, she revealed giving birth was "the best experience" of her life, raving that "nothing can prepare you for the feeling you get when you hold your child for the first time."

THE ASIAN TODAY

BOLLYWOOD BOLLYWOOD

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Kala Chashma Duniya (Luki Chuppi) KalaBaar Baar Dekho Akhil &Chashma Dhvani Bhanushali Baar Baar Dekho

The Hook Tere Sang Up Yaare Song Tere Sang Yaare Rustom Vishal & Shekhar & Neha Kakkar Rustom

First Class Gani Gani ManiSingh Arjit Sandhu & Neeti & Akhil Mohan Mani Sandhu & Akhil

Morni Jag Ghoomeya Banke Jag Ghoomeya Sultan Guru Randhawa & Neha Kakkar Sultan

Hauli Hauli Tu Rendhe Garry Sandhu & Neha Kakkar Tu Rendhe Tindy & Rixx and Sudesh Kumari Tindy & Rixx and Sudesh Kumari

Tere Bin Woman Woman Rahat FatehftAli Khan Shide Boss Zack Knight Shide Boss ft Zack Knight

The Jawaani Peat Pe BootySong Peat Pe Booty A Vishal Flying Dadlani Jatt & Payal Dev A Flying Jatt

First Class Suit SuitSingh Guru Arjit Randhawa & Neeti Mohan Guru Randhawa

Ghar Tu HaiMore Pardesiya Tu Hai Goshal Mohenjo Shreya Daro Mohenjo Daro

Chashni Dishoom Dishoom Vishal & Shekhar Sau Tarah Ke Sau Tarah Ke

BHANGRA/POP BHANGRA BHANGRA

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Kai Saal Gabbroo Gabbroo Jassie Jaz Dhami Gill ft. Preet Hundal Jassie Gill ft. Preet Hundal

Mattha Mattha Akhil Akhil Teri Kami Jenny Johal Teri Kami

Taur Di Tru-Skool AshokJatt Prince, Kaur Ashok Time B4 YaPrince, Mind Tru-Skool Time 4 Ya Mind

Wang PBN &Da RajNaap Bains Ammy PBNAkh &Virk Raj Bains Billi Billi Akh

Mukar Sandhu Manni Gyi Manni Sandhu Welcome Gurj Sidhu To The Future Welcome To The Future

SajnaBina Tere De Naal TereSaggu Bina Monty Bups & Waris, Ginni Kapoor Monty & Waris, Ginni Kapoor

Take Off Skoda Skoda Ranjit Gary Sandhu Bawa ft. Bhinda Aujla Ranjit Bawa ft. Bhinda Aujla

TeriVaari Ikk MarziHor Ae Soch Lae Ikk Vaari Hor Soch Lae Harish Prabh Gill Verma Harish Verma

Viah Kulwinder Billa Kulwinder Billa Kulwinder Jass ManakBilla Kulwinder Billa

Ditch Boliyan Selfie SelfieBawa Boliyan Malkit Ranjit Singh ft. Dj Vix Malkit Singh ft. Dj Vix

UK UKARTISTS CHART UK ARTISTS

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I Don;t One Dance Care One Dance Drake Ed Sheeran feat&Wizkid Juston and Bieber Kyla Drake feat Wizkid and Kyla

Old ColdTown WaterRoad Lil NasWater X Cold Major Lazer and Justin Beiber Major Lazer and Justin Beiber

Someone Too Good You Loved Too Good Drake Lewis Capaldi feat Rihanna Drake feat Rihanna

VossiisBop This what you came for This isHarris what you came for Calvin Stormzy feat Rihanna Calvin Harris feat Rihanna

Hold Me Heathens Lewis Capaldi Heathens Twenty One Pilots Twenty One Pilots

Closer Bad Guy Closer Chainsmokers feat Halsey Billie Eilish Chainsmokers feat Halsey

Piece ofStrangers Your Heart Perfect Meduza Perfect Jonas BlueStrangers feat JP Cooper Jonas Blue feat JP Cooper

Tears(ft. Aloe Bacc) SOS Tears Clean Bandit feat Louisa Johnson Avicii Clean Bandit feat Louisa Johnson

This GraceGirl This Kungs Vs Cooking on 3 Burners Lewis Girl Capaldi Kungs Vs Cooking on 3 Burners

WeI Can't Don'tHave Talk Anymore If You We Don't Anymore Charlie PuthTalk feat Selena Gomez Shawn Mendez Charlie Puth feat Selena Gomez

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The Asian TodayBirmingham Talks to

Zee Raja

1. Tell us a little a bit about yourself Born and raised in Birmingham UK living what some may call a hard life.

Coming from a middle-class background growing up in an area like “Alum Rock” aren’t easy for any young kid as it’s known for its bad reasons. and how influential it can be for a young kid to take the easy path which leads to death, stabbing, drugs etc.

I didn’t do well at school as subjects like Maths, English, science didn’t interest me apart from P.E. I always loved playing sports like Cricket and football occasionally, but mainly it was cricket. But unfortunately, I couldn’t turn my passion for cricket into profession.

2. How did you get into singing?

In life I believe if one opportunity closes God will give u another That opportunity turned out to be Music for me which was always there for me as a young kid I would listen to Icons like Ustaad nusrat fateh ali khan , Gurdas Mann , Jazzy b and Apache Indian to name a few.

3. Your new single Hathkariyan, tell us about it?

The song Hathkariyan is about a guy that gave his all for the person he loved but didn’t receive the same love and appreciation back His love was not enough for her.

While the other person she loved loved her for a short period of time

but she didn’t get the same feeling back she felt like how I felt about her so when she realises that she wants to come back to the person who truly loved her only for her to know that he knows everything and his ended their relationship.

The message i want to send across to views is that relationship can’t work being one sided or asking too much from someone in a relationship. Relationship can end by just wanting too much from one another.

I believe all you need in a beautiful relationship is Trust, believing in one another, supporting one another, not listening to too many people from the outside And most importantly loyalty with one another. Also accepting what you can and can’t give in a relationship.

4. Where was the video location?

The song was done and recorded in May just before Ramadan as it was important for me to get it all done before the holy blessed month

come along as it was a very important month for me. The video was shot at Lickey hills, Zauq Resturant star city and Edgbaston Reservoir all in Birmingham in late August time. There was a big gap between them. It finally released on the 18th October 2019 while the video released on the 20th October which also happens to be the date I was born.

5. As an artist who would you like to collaborate with and why?

I would love the opportunity to collaborate with Apache Indian, Maz Bonafide , Nafees , Sama Blake , Roach killa , Bilal saeed , Swoop to name a few. I believe if it’s meant to be then it will happen.

I remember When I was at school I use to be singing in the class room in front of my friends and class fellows they would all say to me u got a good voice u should do music u will go far whenever I had the opportunity I would always sing it was Like freedom to me I would be at peace doing it.

When I came down to Rochdale in 2016 my uncle introduced me to the Famous UK artist MAZ Bonafide who is a Big brother to me. I had a life changing

conversation with him which by the end of it made be strongly believe in myself and

made me a stronger person mentally. A year later I would go on to release a cover song Called “Jaan” which released on Eid day in 2018.

I’ve also been fortunate to have Family like SWOOP who’s a Rap artist from Birmingham keeping an eye on me and always being there for me. Coming into the industry in 2017 was difficult as I didn’t know much people within the industry and it’s not as bright and joyful as it looks from the outside.

6. As a new artist what difficulties do you face?

I faced a lot of problems with lots of artists refusing to help, some approaching me with insane deals with me giving them tons of money and they promise me they will help me blow up if I’d take that approach with them. I fell for it, but I wasn’t fully convinced by it so that’s when I had my brother Swoop to call upon on and APACHE Indian who would always guide me and tell me to ignore all that and focus on yourself. They would say these guys can’t guarantee u they will make it how can they guarantee u with success because success name, fame etc is not in our hands.

The Struggle for me as been really tough and continues to be so as u need some sort of financial security to continue doing music consistently as this field isn’t easy or cheap especially for someone like me. but what keeps me going is my Faith I believe I have god with me my parent’s prayers are with me and that itself is enough and more powerful than any wealth or obstacles that comes my way.

7. What type of songs do you want to sing?

I try to do songs that has a strong message for listeners to listen to and can relate to as my songs and upcoming songs have a lot of real-life experience that I’ve faced in them. I feel am continuing to grow as an artist and as a person and I hope I can improve and be the best version of myself.

In 2018 on social media I came across a guy called Jon Rogers we talked, and he told me to come to Soho road where there’s this Academy called

Singer Launches New Single ‘Hathkariyan’

“AIM academy” which is run by the legendary singer Apache Indian. I would go in and couldn’t believe what I was seeing as apache was in front of me. I remember him just asking 2 questions what’s your name and can u sing I said yes without any hesitation he put me on the spot I remember there was loads of people watching and am at the centre I’ve never sang in front of an audience before but in my mind I thought this is my opportunity I might not get this chance again so I sang and luckily he liked my voice and Tone and said I want u to keep practicing but I like what am hearing and keep coming to the academy since that day I’ve been learning and growing as a person and as an artist by learning from so many other talented people that are in the academy.

8. What message would you give to the young youth of today?

This academy has changed lives not just music related but by getting young people into courses, college and getting them of the streets.

I would also like to mention Shaf who runs an academy called Alum rock football academy that gets young boys and girls into playing various sports activities. It’s people like these and organisation and platforms like Aim academy and Alum rock football academy that inspire me to make a difference to someone life and inspire the young generation to get into music or any other field they wish to be in. I want to be an inspiration to someone

out there and if I could even change one-person life through my music or words That would mean the world to me. I just want to end by saying to whoever’s out that is reading this article if you’re not sure if dreams do come through or if opportunities don’t come they do come u just have to be ready to grab them with both hands. Keep dreaming keep believing and keep working Hard to achieve your dreams and goals in life.

Don’t let anyone make u think your dreams and goals are impossible to achieve because nothing is impossible in this world god willing with the blessing of your parents and the hard work and sacrifice u put in u will achieve whatever U want in life.

9. Is the song available for download and are you working on anything new?

Here I am today just released my Brand New Single “Hathkariyan” which got to number 3 in the iTunes Worldwide charts. The official music video came out on the 20th October on my official YOUTUBE channel: https:// youtu.be/hpYdAI1oyzM 2020 is a big year for me god willing as I have 2 songs yet to release am completely confident that my hard work will pay off.

To follow me on my socials Instagram / Snapchat/ Twitter: @Zee_rajamusic Facebook: Zee raja Don’t forget to subscribe!!

Love to all that have supported me from day 1 keep the love and support coming.

Love Zee Raja

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O H C T O H FESTIVE S Y A W 4 gham

Our very own Graphic Designer and on the side Journalist - Anil Singh Gill brings his Food & Drink Reviews to The Asian Today, bringing all the news from hot restaurants to cool bars and everything in between. www.theasiantoday.com

Frankfurt Christmas Market Returns to

Birmin

Silky, luscious Hot Ch festive treat for the wi better than one type o Including the most del If you are heading into Birmingham this Festive Season then the German Christmas Markets are a must to go. The markets are much bigger stretching from New Street by the Odeon Cinema to Centenary Square Broad Street.

Make sure to get your Mulled Wine, Belgian Ale or Festive Hot Chocolate in one of the German Markets signature mugs or glasses.

This year marks the Frankfurt Christmas Market’s 20th visit to Birmingham, where it is the centrepiece of the city’s festive offer.

With the whole City lit up with lights and decorations, the market will be open from 7th November and run until 23rd December 2019.

The signing of Frankfurt-Birmingham Partnership Agreement in 1966 began an extraordinary period of collaboration between both cities that has resulted in numerous joint projects, initiatives and partnerships.

The market offers a large range of traditional goods and gifts, such as handcrafted decorations, toys, jewellery and more.

The main bulk of the market stalls are held in Victoria Square where there is also a selection of tempting food and drink. Pretzels, schnitzels, bratwursts, and roasted almonds will tempt your taste buds, and can be washed down with a cold refreshing Ale, hot Mulled Wine or Hot Chocolate.

Get more food news on twitter @theasiantoday and on the web : www.theasiantoday.com

Classic Frozen Ingredients • 4 cups milk • 200 g milk chocolate • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 3 tablespoons good quality unsweetened cocoa powder • 1/3 cup brown sugar • pinch of salt • whipped cream for serving

Instructions 1. To make the classic hot chocolate, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and allow to come to a gently simmer.

2. Stir to melt the chocolate and dissolve the sugar.

3. Serve topped with whipped cream.

Ingredients • classic hot chocolate • vanilla ice cream • whipped cream Instructions 1. For the frozen,

combine the classic with vanilla ice cream and blend until smooth.

Pour into glass then top with whipped cream and sprinkles.

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IFESTYLE

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hocolate is the perfect inter months. What’s of Hot Chocolate? Four!!! lectable frozen version.

Grown-up

Ingredients • classic hot chocolate • 1 to t alcohol of your choice per serving • whipped cream for serving • cocoa powder/chocolate shavings for serving Instructions 5. For the grown-up, add the alcohol of your choice to the classic. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream and cocoa powder/chocolate shavings.

Spiced

Ingredients • classic hot chocolate • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg • Whipped cream for serving • sprinkles Instructions 6. For the spiced, add the spices to the classic while it is simmering. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream.

THE ASIAN TODAY

NOV / DEC 2019

27

TECH CORNER

AirPods vs. AirPods Pro: Features Compared Apple has unveiled higherend AirPods Pro with several improvements over the regular AirPods, including active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and water and sweat resistance. To help decide between the AirPods and AirPods Pro, read our side-by-side comparison of the earphones below.

Design and Fit Differences AirPods Pro sport an all-new in-ear design with three sizes of soft, flexible silicone tips that click into place, including small, medium, and large. Meanwhile, the standard AirPods have a one-size fits all design.

While many people found this adequate, some users had issues with the original AirPods design falling our or hurting their ears.

Apple says the new tips are designed to conform to your ear shape, keeping the AirPods Pro secure, while a vent system equalizes pressure to minimize discomfort.

Size and Weight Differenes AirPods Pro are very slightly heavier than regular AirPods at 5.4 grams per earphone versus 4.0 grams, respectively.

Apple says the AirPods Pro are

engineered for comfort and fit, something many early reviews back.

Battery Life Similar Apple says the AirPods Pro last up to 4.5 hours per charge with noise cancellation and Transparency mode enabled.

With those features disabled, the AirPods last up to five hours, consistent with the regular AirPods.

AirPods Pro also provide up to 3.5 hours of talk time per charge, up slightly from three hours with the second-generation AirPods.

Both the AirPods and AirPods Pro come with charging cases that provide additional charges for more than 24 hours of total listening time and more than 18 hours of total talk time. AirPods Pro have a wider charging case to accommodate the ear tips, but the battery does not

appear to be much larger.

AirPods Pro vs AirPods Bottom Line The regular AirPods are a perfectly fine choice for truly wireless earphones, with roughly the same battery life as the AirPods Pro. Choose the higher-end AirPods Pro if you desire improved sound, noise cancellation, and water resistance.

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BUSINESS

Birmingham Airport is aiming £12m revamp to be carbon neutral by 2033 for Merry Hill Shops

Birmingham airport has announced its commits to becoming a net zero carbon airport 2033, with plans to publish a new decarbonization roadmap with the next year.

Earlier this year the government signed a new law requiring the UK to bring all greenhouse gashouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, and European airport trade association ACI Europe recently made a similar commitment for its members.

But Birmingham airport said that ‘recognising that climate change is happening, the airport feels it needs

to set an ambitious target ahead of the UK’s target of 2050’,and is aiming to reduce its carbon footprint “further, quicker”.

The Airport said that it had already cut its carbon emissions by 33 per cent since 2013, adding that it believed its biggest opportunity to reduce its carbon footprint was via on-site renewable energy generation.

CEO Nick Barton said that the airport would work to revise its existing carbon management plan and develop a new roadmap over the next six to 12 months, allowing it to “set and

priorities genuine carbon reduction objectives rather than carbon off- setting schemes, as we see this as the least favourable option”.

“We don’t have all the answers about how we will hit this target,” said Barton, “but we are confident that through innovation and collaboratively working with industry, government, manufacturers, on-site partners and employees, we can reach our target by 2033.”

Birmingham airport is working with organisation sustainable aviation, which brings together major UK airlines, airports,

manufacturers, air navigation services providers and key business partners.

The group will soon publish its fourth decarbonisation roadmap, drawing on the latest evidence and expertise from across the industry.

The airport said that it also plans to publish an updates sustainability strategy later this month, addressing ‘key aspects of its environmental and community impacts over next five years”, including noise, carbon, water, waste, air quality, water, biodiversity and employment.

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A 12 millon project is being carried out to modernise intu Merry Hill shopping centre.

Work started earlier this month to replace the outdated cladding at the Debenhams entrance of the centre.

The work on the shopping centre is being carried out by Solihull-based construction company mac-group, which has won its biggest retail contact yet.

Rockpanel cladding, which will appear purple/green or blue, is being installed, the entrance layouts are being reconfigured, and energy-saving LED feature lighting and large media screens are being installed.

The first phase also included upgrading the façade at Argos and M&S using Rockpanel cladding in different gold shades and in a variety of finishes.

The final section of the works will be the upgrade of the areas around Primark and Sports Direct.

Projections such as diamonds and pyramids will be used to provide an impactful finish to the front elevation, the contractors said.

The modernization programme

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is due to be completed in the third quarter of next year.

Ray O’Sullivan, director at macgroup, said: “Merry Hill is a prime retail destination for the region and we’re delighted to have been appointed for the first time by intu to transform the exterior of the shopping centre.

"It promises to be an extremely impressive finish, with discreet lighting hidden within the cladding, which will create a superb visual display, especially at night.”

Nick Round, regional centre director at intu Merry Hill, said: “We’ve seen a record-number of retailers invest in new or larger spaces at intu Merry Hill over the last 12 months, allowing us to offer an even better experience for local customers and those based further afield.

“The £12 million renovation is just one of the ways we’re planning to give back to our shoppers.

"Our long-term plan is to attract even more great brands to our mall and this redevelopment is just one of the ways we can achieve that.”

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PROPERTY

THE ASIAN TODAY Digbeth an ideal Property Hotspot D

igbeth in the inner city or Birmingham, has been literally and figuratively the place for industrious people since many centuries.

Digbeth is a district in Birmingham which holds the distinction of being named the coolest neighbourhood in Britain by the Sunday Times. This is just one of the honours for this once hub of the industrial revolution that is associated with the famous Custard Factory.

Tanneries and blacksmiths have given way to production, gaming and creative agencies but this has been the place for industrious folk for centuries.

The earliest settlements in Digbeth go back to the 7thcentury where its geographic closeness to the Rea river meant that there was easy access to drinking water and irrigation for crops. The closeness to the river also meant that Digbeth was a fertile place.

In 1156 Digbeth became an important trading hub and its prominence rose when Birmingham became the first

manufacturing town in the world in 1791. In 1837, Alfred Bird, a chemist and druggist, discovered eggless custard powder and the site of his discovery is till date called Custard Factory. Today it is home to 15 acres of restored Victorian factories which are arguably the creative heart of Digbeth.

With great links from all parts of Britain, The Birmingham Coach Station formerly known as Digbeth coach station, is a major coach interchange which offers services to all destinations in Great Britain and also to Belfast and Dublin. The original station was built in 1929 and the building which exists today was opened to public on 2009.

The rich industrial and historical facets of the city are about to be contrasted with the Birmingham Smithfield project where a 42-acre former wholesale market place will get a makeover into 2000 new homes, a public square, have leisure attractions and also a new transformation for Bull Ring markets. This is another move towards building on

the history of this city which historically has always had a encounter with markets.

Digbeth is the creative quarter of Birmingham and is also home to a variety of places to eat and drink.

Digbeth is the spot for foodies who want a unique and fun experience. Street food is the

main feature in Digbeth. The most famous and symbolic of the Digbeth dining experience is the Digbeth Dining Club which is a held at the atmospheric spotlight club under the arches of the Lower Trinity street. There is a choice of Mexican, Thai, Filipino and even Rastafarian

street food while barely making a crease on your pocket.

At the same time there are great pubs such as the Old Crown one of the oldest pubs in Birmingham dating back to 1368, ready to welcome you with their sumptuous traditional home cooked food

with alternating daily specials.

This is accompanied by their ales and ciders. They also have bed and breakfast next door.

Birmingham is a major European centre that is also the youngest city in Europe making it a great place to live and work.

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IN THE FAST LANE WITH THE ASIAN TODAY

BMW 2 GSERIES RAN COUPE LOOKING TO SELL YOUR NUMBER PLATE? LOOK NO FURTHER! CALL 0121 314 2892 FOR GREAT AD RATES!

BMW has revealed its new small saloon car, the 2 Series Gran Coupe which is gunning for the Audi A3 saloon and Mercedes CLA. The two series model, which sits above the 1 Series hatchback but below the larger 3 Series, is a four-door ‘coupe’, and the car’s design features a sloping roofline, frameless doors and sharp styling. Inside, the 2 Series Gran Coupe has a similar cabin to that of the new 1 Series, so it includes a digital instrument display and an optional 10.25 touchscreen.

The rangetopping version is named the M235i xDrive. Under the bonnet, it houses BMW’s most powerful fourcylinder engine. The 2.0-litre unit produces 302bhp and 400Nm of torque and, with all-wheel-drive, it allows for a 0-60mph time of 4.7 seconds.

Speaking of engines, the Gran Coupe will be available from launch with a choice of three – one diesel and

two petrols. Apart from the 302bhp 2.0-litre petrol mentioned before, buyers can also spec their car with either an entry-level 1.5-litre petrol or an economical 2.0-litre diesel.

There are also three trim levels on offer – Sport,

M Sport and M Performance, the latter of which is only available in hot M235i form. Sport is the most basic trim, and comes with sport seats and LED headlights, for example, while M Sport gets racier details such as

a sportier bodykit, leather sports seats and an M Sport leather steering wheel.

The M Performance M235i xDrive and the model’s treated to larger alloy wheels and an

Alcantara interior.

The new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is priced from £25,815. First customer deliveries are set for March 2020.

Owning an electric car may be a benefit in several ways including Green number plates for zero tailpipe emission cars will be a help for drivers to benefit from local enticements such as free or cheaper parking and using bus lanes.

Through the introduction of green number plates, the local authorities would have a visual identifier should they wish to introduce incentives to promote the use of zero emission vehicles, such as allowing these drivers to use bus lanes and to pay less for parking. This should help to encourage car owners to move to electric.

Although the Department for Transport has similar schemes in Scandinavia and Canada report some success, whether local authorities will choose to implement these incentives remains to be seen.

Transport Secretary Grant

Shapps said: “The UK is in the driving seat of global efforts to tackle vehicle emissions and climate change and improve air quality, but we want to accelerate our progress.

“Green number plates are a really positive and exciting way to help everyone recognise the increasing number of electric vehicles on our roads.

“By increasing awareness of these vehicles and the benefits they bring to their drivers and our environment, we will turbo-charge the zero-emission revolution.”

The announcement of this consultation on green plates hopes to bolster the Government’s Road to Zero Strategy, a £1.5bn package of support which aims to make the UK the best place in the world to own an electric vehicle. Since the strategy’s publication, the UK has seen record numbers of zero emission vehicles registered and the Government has marked its intention to be the first

Green number plates for Electric car owners

G7 country to legislate for net zero emissions by 2050.

The consultation seeks views from industry and the public on a number of aspects surrounding the scheme, including vehicle eligibility; number plate design; and, the rollout of the plates.

It follows the Transport Secretary’s recent announcement that he has

doubled funding for chargepoints on residential streets, to help make charging an electric car easier for those without access to off-street parking.

The Government is also currently reviewing responses to the conference on requiring chargepoints to be built into all new homes with a parking space.

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SPORT

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Silva Banned and Fined for Mendy Tweet

Midfielder Bernardo Silva has been banned and fined £50,000 after an FA commission accepted, he "did not intend" a tweet about team-mate Benjamin Mendy to be "racist".

Manchester City’s Silva compared Mendy to the character on a packet of Conguitos - a chocolate brand available in Spain and Portugal.

Silva deleted the post, before tweeting: "Can't even joke with a friend these days."

The FA report said: "Many persons would have taken offence to the content."

It added: "The player did not himself intend the post to be insulting or in any way racist. The tweet was intended to be no more than a joke between close friends.

"The post was on a social media platform exposed to the 600,000 followers of a high-profile and wellrespected professional footballer.

"Many persons viewing the imagery depicted in the tweet would have taken offence to the content as being insulting by reference to race, colour and ethnic origin in a way

that unquestionably brings the game of football into disrepute."

The footballer must also complete a face-to-face education for his tweet on 22 September, after admitting a breach of FA Rule E3.

The FA commission also say they received a letter written by Mendy in support of his team-mate.

"We accept Bernardo Silva's admission that he did not mean to intentionally cause offence and welcome The FA's move to provide education as part of the sanction," anti-discrimination

A home test match for Pakistan will take place for the first time since 2009.

Pakistan will play a twomatch series against Sri Lanka in December.

It has been 10 years since Pakistan has had a test match at home when the Sri Lanka team bus was attacked in Lahore.

Six Pakistani policemen and two civilians were killed in the attack, while a number of the Sri Lanka team were wounded.

The two matches will form part of the World Test Championship.

The first Test will be in Rawalpindi from 11-15 December, while the second

will be in Karachi from 19-23 December.

"This is fabulous news for Pakistan and its reputation of being as safe and secure as any other country in the world," said Zakir Khan, the Pakistan Cricket Board's director of international cricket.

"We are thankful to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for agreeing to send their team for the longer version of the game, which will contribute significantly in the PCB's efforts and drive for regular resumption of international cricket."

Warwickshire sport director Paul Farbrace, the former Sri Lanka assistant coach, was

on the team bus during the attack.

"I've spoken to quite a few players who have been back to Pakistan. I would definitely go back," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"The thought of sport going back and cricket going back to Pakistan is vital for young kids growing up in that country."

He added: "I don't think any cricket board will force any player to go. Sri Lanka went there recently and not all of the main players went.

"It will take a little bit of time for teams to start to go to Pakistan. The players will do the selling; they will come back and say 'it's fantastic, you have to go there as there is no issue'."

charity Kick It Out said in a statement.

Silva will miss one match and Manchester City have decided not to appeal against the punishment.

The club feel Silva has been very harshly treated.

It has been pointed out that in its written reasons for the case, the FA accepts Silva saw no racist element to the cartoon character he compared Mendy to.

In addition, as Mendy evidently treated the social media post as a joke, the club feel the punishment does not fit the crime.

Alum Rock Football Academy Plays for Cure Leukaemia

The Alum Rock Football Academy is a club run on a voluntary basis by senior members of the club.

The aim is to provide an environment where young people can express themselves and enjoy their football development and education. To maximize their potential as talented individuals, develop and teach the young players to understand the benefits to be gained from a healthy lifestyle, diet, drug awareness, education and codes of conduct.

The club engages in many community events and just recently the Alum Rock Football Academy

had a fantastic day at St Georges Park for a celebrity football tournament with Copa Del Cure Leukaemia in aid of blood cancer Cure Leukaemia.

Our team name was KSB recruitment We reached the semi finals but this was more about the cause cure lukeimia all in all a great day for a great cause, there was ex professionals playing & taking part in the Copa Del cure leukaimia 2019 tournament matt le tissier, Kevin Phillips, Ian Taylor which was hosted at England’s St. George’s park National Football Centre A brilliant event enjoyed by all!

Pakistan to Play at Home Since 2009

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Ex- Arsenal Manager Joins FIFA

FIFA's new chief of global football development will be former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger Wenger accepted FIFA's offer more than two months after it was first reported.

He will oversee the rulesmaking panel known as IFAB, coaching programs and technical analysis of games at FIFA tournaments.

The 70-year-old

Frenchman effectively replaces Marco van Basten who was FIFA technical director until October 2018.

"I very much look forward to taking on this extremely important challenge, not only because I have always been interested in analysing football from a broader perspective but also because FIFA's mission as world football's governing body is

truly global," Wenger said on his appointment.

"I believe that the new FIFA we have seen emerging in recent years has the sport itself at the very heart of its objectives and is determined to develop the game in its many different components.

I know I can contribute to this objective and will put all my energy into this."

Formula E will be available to watch on BBC The sixth season of Formula E Championship will be shown live across the BBC. All 14 races will be available live and free-to-air on BBC online platforms, with the Marrakesh E-Prix on 29 February and the Rome E-Prix on 4 April.

The opening race weekend in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, is 22-23 November.

Formula E will race in 12 cities this season, crossing five continents and concluding in London on 26 July.

Jerome Hiquet, Formula E's chief marketing officer, said: "We are extremely pleased to be expanding our broadcast partnership with the BBC, with more races to be shown on free-to-air channels next season - a vital part of our continuing work to take the fastest-growing motorsport on the planet to more fans.

"Live streaming Formula E on the BBC iPlayer and website is also crucial for our ongoing strategy to engage younger audiences, with 72% of Formula E fans on social media now aged under 35.

"With nine different race winners last season and new manufacturers such as MercedesBenz and Porsche joining a full grid of teams, BBC viewers can look forward to watching the most unpredictable and competitive category in racing this coming season."