The Asian Today Issue 246 – May 2019

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Met Gala 2019: Priyanka vs the celebrities try Deepika (outfit wars) to portray arts through their outfits Priyanka Chopra and some and of the outfits this Padukone for a red-carpeDeepika year were very t face-off unique. at Met Gala held at New York's Metropolitan Museum Priyanka attended the Met Gala of for the third time These two big Bollywood Art. hand in hand a listers with her husband both dressed quite Nick Jonas. The uniquely to this couple were both year’s met gala, dressed in Dior however Deepika outfits with Priyanka defiantly wore it better. The met wearing an exaggerated feathered gala is an event to show of arts dress and Nick a white suit and culture within New York. So, On the other hand, Deepika

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RAMADAN MUBARAK FROM THE ASIAN TODAY TEAM

KNIFE ANGEL HOPES TO EDUCATE & RAISE AWARENESS OF THE HORRORS OF KNIFE CRIME T

he giant knife angel sculpture has arrived in Birmingham and can be seen in Victoria Square and will stay for four weeks.

The 27ft-high artwork is made entirely of 100,000 knives which were collected as part of weapons amnesties by police forces across the country.

It took four years for artist Alfie Bradley to create the huge sculpture and he has received glowing praise for his efforts to raise awareness of the devastating effects of knife crime.

The materials for the sculpture were sourced from knife amnesty bins across the country - and there are plenty left over. continued on page 2

wore a Zac Posen custom metallic pink gown, which had a long trail. Priyanka’s team of hairstylists finished out her look with afro curls and a metallic crown. Where as Deepika opted for a classy high puffed ponytail with a headband Deepika’s outfit defiantly. stole the show and she incorporated the whole Gala theme effectively Met .

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“Knife crime and violence is devastating in every conceivable way and, here in Birmingham, it’s being felt across all of our communities" continued from front page

It was created with the support of all 43 UK police forces, knife crime charities and action groups as well as the families that have been directly affected by knife crime.

The artwork was commissioned and created by the British Ironwork Centre to highlight concerns over the growing number of knife attacks.

Towns and cities across the UK are being invited to apply to host, the sculpture has travelled to Coventry, Liverpool and Hull, Birmingham is the latest venue after an application was made by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner.

Dr Lynnette Kelly, Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner, said they wanted a big, bold reminder of the scourge of knife crime.

"We have all seen the devastating effects that knife crime is having on communities right across the UK, including in our city of Birmingham," she said.

“A range of organisations across the city are already working together to tackle

this issue.

"We should use the opportunity of having the Knife Angel in Birmingham as a way of widening the conversation and making sure we work with our younger communities to create a safer city and to encourage peace and create greater hope.

“Knife crime and violence is devastating in every conceivable way and, here in Birmingham, it’s being felt across all of our communities.

“The Knife Angel is a powerful, emotive visualisation of the devastating impact knife crime has on young lives, families and communities – and that devastation is something we’ve seen too often in recent months in the city.

"All of us want the Angel to have a positive impact.

We need to change this nationwide trend of knife violence. " When it was in Coventry, a fence had to be put around the Angel at night to stop people trying to climb up it or steal the knives.

The knife angel will remain in Birmingham until June 5

Residents Concerned For Fly-Tipping Hotspot

R

esidents in the Alum Rock area say they're growing frustrated because it's becoming a flytipping hotspot.

People living on Membury Road in Alum Rock claim the rubbish collected by the city council is constantly being replaced by more.

On Wednesday 8 a range of household goods and waste, such as fridges, mattresses and armchairs were beimg dumped on the pavement.

Zaheer Akbar, 37, has reported the latest pile of waste to the council.

It's shocking. The flytipping is out of control. It's

been cleared on a number of occasions and people keep dumping stuff.

It had to be cleared about four times last month and it makes me really angry and frustrated because it's me who keeps having to report it to get it cleared.

I've lived in the area a while and its got worse in the past five years. Maybe it's because there are more people living in the area and renting and so on.

This lot of rubbish has just been left on the pavement, people can't even walk past it now, they are having to walk on the road. It's dangerous.

I've just seen the waste and there are bin bags, rubbish bags, clothes from charity shop bags, paint, settees, garden waste - you've honestly got all sorts there.

– ZAHEER AKBAR Some residents put it down to people who don't want to pay to get rid of their waste.

Birmingham City Council says there is no excuse for this dumping to take place on the streets.

Whether it is one bag of rubbish, a fridge or the contents of a house clearance, any fly-tipping in this city is completely unacceptable.

The council will not tolerate this as it knows the top priority for citizens is clean streets. When cases are reported, we investigate – and when evidence is available, we prosecute.

Everyone from individual citizens to businesses of all sizes have a role to play in ensuring clean streets in Birmingham. But we know there is a small minority who do not share this aim.

Anyone with bulky waste that needs to be collected can use our paid-for bookable service as an easy and convenient way to get rid of unwanted items, use a legitimate waste removal firm or visit any of our five Household Recycling Centres.

There simply is no excuse to fly-tip.

Asda Supper Club

The celebration of Ramadan is an auspicious occasion for many Muslims around the world. To celebrate the beginning of Ramadan, family and friends come together to enjoy iftari meals, created from generations of family favourite recipes. Asda took part in the Ramadan festivities, organising the Asda Supper Club with hosts

Radikal Kitchen and Zaleha Olpin.

The event was created to share global flavours from around the world and with both hosts embracing their mixed heritage, there was an explosion of tastes and aromas filling the room. Guests including food bloggers, influencers and celebrity names were greeted by welcome drinks

followed by a delectable spread of savoury and sweet dishes. Parveen Ashraf from Parveen’s Indian Cooking, ITV also attended to taste the different flavours of Ramadan. Whether it be Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Pakistani, Malaysian or oriental, this event highlighted that Asda can make your dishes as special as they would be back home.

During the evening, both food enthusiasts, Radikal Kitchen and Zaleha Olpin presented an array of dishes sharing inspiration with influencers and guests with ingredients bought under one roof in Asda. Many took inspiration for their iftar and sehri meals enjoying the mouth-watering food that was served. A 13-recipe spread was displayed over 4 courses including 2 rounds of entrees, 1 round of mains and a lavish spread of desserts.

The most popular recipe of the day was the Keema Pao and there was plenty to go around. Amongst the variety of mains, were flavours of Harissa chicken and the delicious coconut taste of Malaysian Laksa. With some dishes representing the subtle flavours of the middle east, others embodied a fiery zing from South East Asia. The Rose Flavoured Vermicelli Pudding was not only beautifully displayed but also looked pleasantly appetising with its creamy base sprinkled with rose petals as finishing touch.

With the food looking delectably inviting, guests made sure to take their pictures for social media before demolishing their

Leicestershire Teacher on Road To Recovery A

Leicestershire teacher who suffered critical injuries in a motorbike crash has come out of an induced coma.

Shaykh Abdul Hameed Ismail, 31, suffered head injuries after his motorcycle was involved in a collision with a car in Wakerley Road, in Evington, Leicester on Saturday, April 20.

His mum said: "He is out of the induced coma now, so that is some good news.

"He has suffered a brain injury so it will take a long time for him to recover.

"But at least he is alive.

"One of the main things at the moment is the exhaustion, so he tends to sleep a lot.

"The people at the hospital made him sit up and asked him how many children he has and he put up three fingers.

"The nurses asked their names and he mentioned two of them but he became extremely tired before he could name his third daughter. Then he fell asleep again.

"I have a 31-year-old son who has become like a child again but we are determined to get him back to where he used to be."

An online Just Giving fund has been set up to financially support the family, who

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live in Hamilton, while he is unable to work.

So far, well-wishers have donated more than £9,000.

Donations can be made by visiting www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/shaykh-abdulhameed.

Rosemina said: "We are very grateful for people's prayers for my son and their help with the appeal."

The collision happened at Wakerley Road's junction with Ethel Road, shortly before 4pm.

Leicestershire Police said his silver Honda CBR 600F motorcycle was in a collision with a dark blue Mercedes C220d while he was travelling from the direction of the General Hospital and the car was travelling in the opposite direction.

The road was closed for several hours while police collision investigators examined the scene.

The person in the car was not injured, police said.

Leicestershire Police’s serious collision investigation has appealed for witnesses.

Contact Detective Constable Seamus Burns on 101.

"We are very grateful for people's prayers for my son and their help with the appeal."

plates.

This year, Asda bought different foods and cultures together in the UK to celebrate global flavours of Ramadan. With Asda at the heart of the community, sharing global flavours during special occasions encourages people to experiment and explore cooking outside of

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their comfort zone. As the Asda Supper Club displayed wonderful, fresh ingredients, there is much culinary inspiration to be shared with one another. From traditional to modern and fusion to authentic, there is something available for everyone at your local Asda during your iftar meals this Ramadan.

A rise in children taken into care in Birmingham Five times as many children were taken into care last year compared to five years ago, statistics have revealed.

Following a freedom of information request by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Figures showed hat 256 children were subject to either full care, interim care or emergency protection orders in Birmingham across 2017/18.

The year before this there were 250 cases of children being taken into care, wile 2015/16 saw 160 cases and 2014/15 saw 246 cases. In 2013/14, there was 48 cases.

These figures show a huge rise on the six-years previous to 2014/15 when Birmingham was placed into special measurers as a council.

Action for Children is a UK children’s charity committed to helping vulnerable children and young people throughout the UK. And, commenting on the figures, the charity’s director of policy and campaigns, Imran Hussain, called on the government to properly fund council children’s services to help prevent children being taken into care.

“Taking a child into care can be essential to keeping them safe but, from our everyday work at Action for Children, we know it’s far better for everyone to deal with problems like domestic abuse and neglect as early as possible, before family problems spiral out of control,” he said.

“Worryingly, things are getting worse, as over-stretched councils are forced to cut back on desperately-needed early help services – the very services they need to stop children falling into crisis.

“The reasons behind the rising numbers of children coming into care are complex, and Birmingham has its own specific challenges as the council which has the largest number of poor children living in its area.

“But we can’t ignore the fact that the funding gap for children’s services is expected to be a shocking £3.1bn by 2025.

Unless the government gives more cash to councils in this year’s spending review to help them step in early to support vulnerable families, we could see more and more children reaching crisis point and going into care.”

A Touching Message From A Grieving Dad MAY 2019

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touching message has gone viral from a loving dad who tragically lost his daughter one year ago.

Little Khadijah Araf was born with a complex heart condition and in May 2018 before her third birthday died of septic shock.

Her dad Sunny Araf wanted to thank Birmingham Children's Hospital and he beamed their last photo together onto billboards on Monday October 15.

Now, one year on, he wrote this touching message (below) on social media - and it has gone viral.

The post, on his own Facebook account, reached

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32,000 people and was shared 12,000 times.

"It seems to have hit home with a lot of people," said former policeman Sunny, from Erdington .

People responded with their own heartbreaking stories and words of empathy such as 'this just had me in tears', 'she is beautiful', 'can't imagine the pain you are going through' and 'sending lots of love.'

One woman wrote: "Heart wrenching to read this but thank you so much for sharing as my sister lost her son and found the loss very difficult, I will share this with her."

Another added: "Breaks my heart reading this ... I have a

young son and I will cherish every moment with him."

It's been exactly one year since we lost our beautiful daughter Khadijah.

The day Khadijah died I could never have imagined by the evening our whole life would be turned upside down within the space of a few hours.

The night before baby K had not been well. After taking her to the hospital we were sent home, the doctors telling us she had some sort of infection and there is nothing they can do. Khadijah regularly had infections so we took her home.

All night my wife stayed up with Khadijah and we knew

DAD: Sunny Araf

Asian women talk openly about their cervical screening experiences Attending your cervical screening appointment when you are invited is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself from getting cervical cancer. And that’s why Priyanka Abbi, Jas Dosanjh, Lakshmi Jesani and Chhaya Jones are supporting the‘Cervical Screening Saves Lives’campaign-sharing their experiences and encouraging all eligible Asian women to book their appointments as soon as they get their invite letters,and attend.

In a recent survey 9 out of 10 women said they would take a test that could help prevent cancer, however research shows that 1 in 4 women do not attend their cervical screening-a test that could stop cancer before it starts.We also know that Asian women are even less likely to attend. So why is attendance so low? Priyanka

shares her story: Priyanka Abbi, 33 shares “I had my first screening two years ago. It was over in less than five minutes and wasn’t as uncomfortable as I imagined it would be. The results showed abnormal cells and after further investigations it revealed I had cervical cancer which left me in shock at the time. I wish I had gone for my screening test when I received the invitation. I kept putting it off as I found it difficult to find the time to go.“I’ve been successfully treated now and would urge all women -especially Asian women, as I know talking about private body parts within our culture can be a taboo –please,please don’t ignore your cervical screening invite. We should be thankful that this screening programme is available to us-who knows how many

of our grandmothers died from cervical cancer because they did not have access to a national screening programme like we have now.

“Chhaya, 42 said”I had an abnormal result after I had been for my cervical screening, however I was successfully treated. I’m so glad I had the test. Since then, I religiously book my appointment when I receive my invitation and just tell myself that even if it is uncomfortable, that five minutes of discomfort could save my life. I’m pleased this campaign is raising awareness of the importance of cervical screening and I hope more Asian women will be encouraged to book an appointment if they missed their last screening testwithout delay. ”Jas Dosanjh, 45said “As soon as I get my invitation letter, I make an

something was not right.

The following morning my wife insisted we take her back to the hospital, so we did. As I put Khadijah into her car seat, I noticed her skin had started to peel. It looked as if she has giant blisters all over her legs.

It took me approximately 15 minutes to drive to the hospital and her condition had deteriorated.

The nurse in A & E could see Khadijah was extremely unwell and wasted no time taking her into the back.

Within minutes we had 2 doctors trying to pump Khadijah with antibiotics and fluids.

After another 5 minutes this number had doubled. I lent down beside Khadijah and told her not to worry and Papa was here for her.

During all the commotion there was a time she sat up and looked at me and called my name. That was the last look she gave me.

The doctors could see how distressed me, and my wife were, so they asked a nurse to take us away into another room.

I remember texting Amir and Janed saying Khadijah might not make it.

After about 20 minutes Dave the senior consultant came into the room with another doctor and sat down beside us. He told us that our daughter was extremely unwell, her heart had stopped but they managed to bring her back however they didn’t think she would make

appointment and go straight away. My last screening was fine but 15 years ago, I had an abnormal result from my test. I had treatment and was closely monitored for a while, thenI was given the all clear.I then returned to the regular programme where I was invited every 3 years.

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it. She would be transferred to the Intensive care unit.

I called my family and told them all to come straight to the hospital.

Khadijah was taken into a room in ICU and within moments our family all started to arrive at the hospital.

I remember the emergency buzzer sounding and I knew instantly it was Khadijah's bed. I ran to her bed and called for my wife.

As we all made our way into the room all the doctors and nurses had gathered into the room and were performing CPR on her.

Her heart had stopped, and they were trying to bring her back. For 10 minutes they tried but nothing worked.

I started to give the Azhan, if this was Khadijah's final moments in this dunya then I wanted her to hear the Azhan. I remember Dave the consultant telling the doctors to stop performing CPR. Khadijah had returned to Allah.

It was at this moment I knew that I had lost my daughter.

I turned to my family and said, Khadijah is no longer with us, what belongs to Allah must return to Allah.

I told them there is a great reward for us if at THIS very

moment we remain calm and praise Allah. I then went into sajood, while in Sajood I thanked Allah for the time he had given me with Khadijah and asked him for the strength to cope with this calamity.

Soon after I had to wash and shroud my daughter which was the most difficult thing I have ever had to do.

The past year I have shared my story with many people in the hope that I can inspire other's. Hundreds of people have reached out to me and shared their stories.

Together we have helped each other heal. The death of a child is something I would not wish on anyone; however, our religion offers comfort to those who lose a child.

The promise of being reunited in Jannah with Khadijah is what keeps me smiling. One day I will meet my princess and that day will be the happiest of my life Insha’Allah.

If you have lost a child, mother, father, husband, wife or friend I want you to know that with time your heart will heal. Cherish the memories and start preparing to meet them again, it’s the preparing for this meeting that will enable you to live a life that brings you closer to your creator.

Lakshmi Jesani, 37 said “I always go for my screening seven though I get nervous about test on the day.Most tests are done by a female nurse,but I usually ask for a female nurse because you can, just to put my mind at rest. The nurses I have seen are very good at putting

meat ease so that I don’t feel embarrassed and they have given me tips to make the test more comfortable. My last test I asked for for a smaller speculum which was more comfortable and the test was over in minutes”. ”Priyanka concludes“I am supporting the ‘Cervical Screening Saves Lives’ campaign and I hope that all Asian women will join mein ensuring we are protecting ourselves and our loved ones against cervical cancer,by responding to our cervical screening invitation letters. Make sure you encourage your mothers,daughters,sisters, aunties and friends to do the same. So, if your test is due or if you’ve missed your last screening, book an appointment at your GP practice today. ”For further information about cervical screening, search ‘NHS Cervical Screening’ Around 2,600 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in England each year and around 690 women die from the disease–that’s two deaths every day. It is estimated that if everyone in England attended screening regularly, 83% of cervical cancer cases could be prevented.

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New Muslim Tuition Centre to Open in Walsall Walsall Council has given the thumbs up or a Muslim tuition centre to open in Walsall.

An application to convert a storage unit in St Johns Road into the 'Madrasa' facility and the plans have been granted.

The new centre is not a mosque but will be a place where children and adults will be taught the Islamic ethos and prepare them for integrating into British society.

The plans state that children aged up to 16 will attend classes between 4pm and 8.30pm Monday to Friday and between 10am and 5pm on weekend days.

Adult classes will be held 10am to 3pm and 9pm and 10pm Monday to Friday and between 6pm and 10pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

The application said: "We confirm that this is for an independent and exclusive tuition centre for children under the age of 16 and for adults in the local community and it is not for a public place of worship i.e.

Masjid (Mosque).

"Our main objectives of the proposed tuition centre are to promote the advancement of education by the teaching of various languages, theologies, jurisprudence and theories connected to the Islamic

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ethos and train the young Muslims and develop them into socially, culturally and morally embellished persons, ready to take an active role in British society and integrate into all faiths and backgrounds in the modern world.

"The management committee is made up of a number of local people from various professional backgrounds that are committed to the aims and objectives of the organisation."

It added: "We have capped the number of students to be no more than 75 to be occupying the premises at any given time to keep it at a manageable size.

"The premises will be strictly closed to the public apart from official visitors and to those who come for enrolment and queries who will only be served at the reception desk.

"This is for the safety and security of the students who will be under the responsibility of the management during their time spent within the institution.

"The proposed tuition centre will only cater to the local community and to residents who are walking distance away and will be encouraged to travel to and from by foot.

The UK’s First Halal Recipe Box Company: Khuraaki Their story Khuraaki is the UK’s first Halal recipe box company.

‘Khuraak’ is a word that derives from the Urdu language meaning ‘nutrition’ and can also be used to describe a portion or fixed amount of subsistence for a source of nourishment.

After searching the market up and down to find a recipe box that fits with their daily lifestyles, unfortunately, none were providing the halal option. After connecting with a number of professionals who stated they only eat halal and showed their frustration for lack of, this inspired the making of Khuraaki.

Being the UK’s first Halal recipe box company that is unique and one of its kind they ensure the simplicity and heartiness of fresh home cooked meals are maintained. Khuraaki boxes come with pre-portioned ingredients, therefore meaning a zero food waste

goal and a positive impact on the environment. Also their meat and poultry is sourced through HMC certified suppliers.

A variety of tasty recipes Their Nutritionist and Chefs create new recipes

in control of your own box from meat eaters to vegans, families to couples and even those with low calorie diets.

Their portions are from £3 per person and the more meals or people you order for the cheaper it gets. This

every week with buckets of flavour that take just 30-45 minutes. Whether you want recipes from around the world or just classics with a twist, you can choose your favourites. They offer 20 recipes to choose from on a weekly basis, from over 15 cuisines giving their customers variety of options and allowing them to decide how many meals they’d like for however many people.

Khuraaki allow you to be

Halal recipe box company is transparent about where all their ethically sourced ingredients are obtained from, leaving customers confident In the quality of the ingredients.

Khuraaki is a commitment free recipe box, you can skip, pause or cancel at any time, giving customers full control, so you are not tied into an ongoing subscription.

For the upcoming month of Ramadan, Khuraaki are

offering 30% off your first recipe box and then 25% off for the remaining weeks of Ramadan.

A recipe box that fits your lifestyle Khuraaki believes that home cooking has the power to bring positive changes in a family, within a community and ultimately the world on the whole.

The founders focus to bring the importance of health, happiness and the joy of eating fresh food together.

All recipes require minimal effort and easy to follow step by step instructions. So say goodbye to wasting time and hello to knowing that you’ve got everything you need at home, ready to cook a delicious meal in no time. Khuraaki also take a stand in aiming to use 100% recyclable packaging.

They know this isn’t always possible, but are committed to reducing non-recyclable packaging.

PRIMARY SCHOOL AXES AFTER SCHOOL CLUB

PARENT: HALIMAH LLOYD-DAVIES "If they'd have come to us and said: 'This is the situation, would you mind if we put up the fees', we'd have said yes," Halimah said.

Parents who's children attend Blakesley Hall Primary School in are fuming after the school has axed its after school club.

The school claims budget cuts mean it can't afford to keep the club going even though parents are paying £55 a week for the service.

Working mums and dads are outraged and have launched a campaign to save it.

The club operates five days a week from 7.30am to 5.30pm, with pupils going before and after lessons.

Parents received a letter of the closure from the headteacher and claimed they had no consultation.

Currently, 28 parents send their children to the club.

The letter from the head said its last day would be the end of term, July 19, and it would no longer operate from September.

One of the families affected is Halimah Lloyd-Davies and her maths teacher husband Habeel Nawaz, 35, who

send their five-year-old daughter Jennah Nawaz to the club.

Halimah, aged 36, said: "Myself and many other working parents rely on this club.

"We do not get this free, we pay £55 a week for this service.

"They should be supporting parents who work - not making it difficult for us."

Halimah, a customer collaboration manager for Nivea, said Blakesley Hall had already dropped to a four-and-a-half day week, closing early on a Friday due to lack of money.

She said the school's argument that it couldn't afford to keep the club running didn't make sense.

"We've worked out that us parents pay around £3,000 a month for the club.

"The school haven't told us exactly how much income the club generates, but we've calculated it ourselves as that, with some parents paying fulltime, others part-time.

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MEGA TOWER SET TO BE BIRMINGHAM’S TALLEST BUILDING Developer court collaboration is behind project to build 51-storey tower containing hundreds of new apartments.

Plans to develop what will be Birmingham’s tallest building have been revealed.

City developer courts collaboration is behind the £160 million ‘one Eastside’ project to construct a 51-storey residential tower at the corner Jennens Road and James Watt Queensway.

There would also be a second building of 15 stores and together they would contain 667 apartments of one and two bedrooms available for rent only.

The proposals include a roof-top private dining and bar area, communal facilities such as a gym, fitness studio, resident’s lounge, café, cinema room and flexible working and meeting space.

There will also be commercial space on the ground floor with opportunites for shops to have locations there.

If approved by city planning chiefs, the larger tower would stand at 525 ft, giving it the title of Birmingham’s Tallest structure ahead of the BT Tower in the Jewellery Quarter which is 499 ft.

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Court Collaboration founder Anthony McCourt said "We've been engaged in a detailed pre-application process over the past nine months and done a huge amount of consultation and discussion already.

"We have done a lot of work with Birmingham City Council on this and they have been supportive of height as long as the design is there as well.

"We are confident we can get this through. It is a gateway site to the city centre and Birmingham deserves this.

"It will be a real statement when you walk around there and for passengers getting off HS2 in Curzon Street.

"If we look at other regional cities, in Manchester they are on site building a 65-storey tower so we still have some way to go to match them.

"I know from other developers that there are tall projects coming across the city over the next 18 months."

The amenities will be available for the residents only, including the sky bar, something Mr McCourt called an "amazing offer" and one he was confident would be able to survive as a sustainable business.

Asked whether he was

worried about Birmingham's city centre residential market becoming saturated over the next few years, Mr McCourt said: "The market will determine whether there is too much product.

"There is a lot of activity in the city but our economy can take this, particularly with the amount of job creation happening.

"These apartments are not going to be shoe boxes and

developers are having to up their games in terms of spec and quality because of the amount of construction happening."

The project has been designed by Jewellery Quarterbased practice Glancy Nicholls Architects.

Plans are due to be lodged with the city council by June and work is expected to start in November subject to planning approval and be completed by the end of 2022.

Debenhams have announced up to 50 store closures

Debenhams has confirmed plans to shut its store in Wolverhampton's Mander Centre delivering a devastating blow to the city.

Birmingham's Debenhams at The Fort Shopping Park has also been named as one of those earmarked for closure.

Staff were told of the plans this morning as Wolverhampton store opened late.

It had 150 staff at Wolverhampton when the flagship store opened.

Debenhams was the centre piece of the Mander Centre's massive £35 million revamp.

Debenhams also has branches in The Old Square in Walsall, Merry Hill at Brierley Hill, Kidderminster, Lichfield and at the Bullring in Birmingham.

Wolverhampton North East MP Emma Reynolds, said: "This is hugely disappointing news and a real blow for the city.

"Debenhams has been a great addition to the new Mander Centre and it is sad to hear that we are going to lose it – particularly for

the staff.

"I hope there is something we can do to change the company's mind."

Ninder Johal, board member of the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), said the closure was not "a Wolverhampton problem".

"This is terrible news and finding a major retailer to replace Debenhams will be no easy task, but there are issues with retail all over the country and we should not look at this in isolation," he said.

"We can see from the fact that Debenhams are closing a number of stores that this is very much a national problem."

"We are passionate about continuing to champion the retail sector within the Black Country and understand that these are worrying times for those Debenhams employees affected by the announcement and the Chamber will continue to work with partners and stakeholders to promote new employment and training opportunities for local staff."

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Rakesh Mistry, Customer Service Analyst, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) Rakesh provides IT support for all staff in the NHSBT. His role involves balancing priorities and resources to ensure the best possible outcome for each person, and the NHSBT. “I enjoy working face to face and remotely with NHSBT staff, understanding their immediate and upcoming IT requirements and issues, and providing advice and support on the most appropriate solutions.

“My role is technical, but I also get to use my expertise to participate and chair expert groups, weekly team call reviews and project meetings.

“It can be a challenge to keep staff happy with their use of IT equipment so that they carry out their own jobs effectively, but I know it is for a good purpose – saving lives.”

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Thalia Remy, Employee Relations Administrator at Barts Health NHS Trust Thalia’s role allows her to get involved in a range of Human Resources (HR) activity including facilitating the Staff Partnership Forum, co-ordinating the job evaluation process and staff mediations across Barts Health NHS Trust.

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Noreen Qureshi, Medical HR Assistant, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust in Prestwich Noreen assists with the dayto-day operations of Human Resources (HR) providing clerical and administrative support to the HR Coordinator.

“I think the best thing about my job is knowing that even though we’re not on the front line physically saving lives, our contribution has a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of so many people and that is satisfying to know.

“I get to speak to a range of clinical and non-clinical staff doing great work and I also get to meet the next generation of practitioners coming through

about staff welfare is of paramount importance and I feel privileged to play a part in this.”

and support them on their journey.”

“I feel it is important to be in a job that makes you happy and offers you opportunities to progress.”

MAY 2019

Armed police called to Seven Kings mosque after gunman entered Armed police are called to an east London mosque after a "masked" gunman entered the building during Ramadan prayers.

Worshippers at the Seven Kings Mosque were in the middle of their evening prayers on Thursday night when the incident began, and the suspect was made to leave.

A gunshot then rang out, and the Metropolitan Police has said that the evidence recovered from the scene suggests a blank firing handgun was discharged.

There were no reported injuries or damage to the building, with Scotland Yard adding that the incident is not being treated as terror-related.

A statement said: "Officers will continue to work closely with representatives from the mosque and are providing reassurance to the local community."

No arrests have been made so far.

Ibraheem Hussain, who was worshipping inside, said: "We were upstairs in the classrooms and about 30 minutes into the night prayer a large noise went off.

"I just continued my prayer, it sounded like a firework or maybe something heavy had been dropped, so no one really thought anything of it.

"After we finished we were

leaving the shoe area and someone said it was a gunshot - someone had come into the mosque and he had a firearm on him.

"The managers had seen him, he was masked and acting suspicious and the firearm was let off."

The incident comes amid heightened concerns over security at places of worship around the world.

A mass shooting in March at two mosques in New Zealand left 50 people dead, while a woman was killed when a gunman opened fire at a synagogue in California in April.

On Easter Sunday, suicide bombings targeted churches and luxury hotels in Sri Lanka, killing more than 250 people.

Mr Hussain added: "The main thing that was in my mind was that it could have gone very wrong.

"Christchurch comes to mind, it's crazy to think this would happen, especially after everything that has happened.

"Another thing that is quite worrying is that the guy was on foot, so he could be in the surrounding area still."

The mosque's imam has urged people not to speculate about the gunman's motives.

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Prameet Shah talks about his role as a Community Pharmacist We speak to Community Pharmacist, Prameet Shah from Islington to find out more about his role and how pharmacists can help people with minor health concerns.

How long have you been a Community Pharmacist and what inspired you to become one?

I have been a community pharmacist for almost 25 years now. My inspiration stemmed from when I was 12. I used to accompany my brother at the pharmacy where he worked, just for fun. Later I had a Saturday job when he bought his own pharmacy. I saw the job satisfaction he had helping patients with their daily health issues. Also the great relationships he developed with patients and doctors.

I witnessed the positive feedback he received from both patients and healthcare professionals for his work. I was impressed with the level of detail he practised with and felt it was a profession to be proud of.

How much medical training does a Pharmacist receive?

A lot of people are surprised to find out that every pharmacist trains for five years in the use of medicines before they

qualify and is also trained in managing minor illnesses and providing health and wellbeing advice to help people stay well.

What sort of problems can Pharmacists help with?

Community Pharmacists can help with a range of issues:

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MOUTHWATERING LINEUP FROM COLMORE FOOD FEST The mouthwatering menus have been revealed for the Midlands’ biggest free-toenter food and drink festival.

The annual Colmore Food Festival, sponsored by law firm DWF, attracts more than 30,000 visitors each year.

This year’s event takes place on Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6, in Victoria Square.

Arranged by Colmore BID, the Festival showcases the brilliant food, drink and hospitality venues in the area.

All food is capped at £4 and drinks at £5 at the Festival, ensuring visitors can enjoy a bite to eat or drink without breaking the bank.

Live music acts and wandering performers will make the Food Festival the perfect weekend for all the family.

Colmore Food Festival is continuing its ambition to become one of the most sustainable events in Birmingham with a mission to achieve zero waste to landfill and a total ban on plastic drinking straws.

Recycling experts First Mile will be at the Festival to offer advice on business sustainability and the latest recycling initiatives.

In addition to recycling stations, specialist sustainability schemes will include coffee recycling; where all coffee grounds will be recycled into pellets to use in wood-burners and stoves.

And food waste will be taken to a state-of-theart plant where it can be recycled into renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertiliser.

Follow Colmore BID on social media for the latest announcements for this year’s Colmore Food Festival.

THE MENUS 200 Degrees Coffee Drinks Single Origin Batch Brew Nitro Lemon and Peach iced tea Rhubarb lemonade Savoury Selection of Quiches Selection of Sausage rolls Flatbreads and baguettes Sweet Selection of loaf cakes and cakes Adam’s Frozen Strawberry and Clotted Cream Sandwich Westlands Heritage Tomato, Smoked Goats Cheese and Basil Tart All Bar One King Prawns Meatball wrap Beetroot, walnut and feta Salad Asha’s Restaurant

Aloo Matar Ki Tikki Jaipuri Chicken Tikka Lamb Saffron Biryani Bar OPUS East Coast Negroni Elder Zest Gin FizzPomegranate and Rose Raspberry Plum and Vanilla Chung Ying Central Katsu and rice Chicken Katsu and rice King prawn Katsu and rice Sweet Potato Katsu and Rice Dimsum Coffee#1 House Filter Seasonal Filter Smoothies Frappes Freshly baked pastries Selection of cakes Dirty Martini Tropic Like it’s Hot Life’s a Peach Beefeater Pink Gin and Tonic Beefeater Blood Orange and Tonic Gaucho Empanada: Beef, Tomato and mozzarella 80gr of beef with humita and chimichurri Cheese cake Purnell’s Bistro & Ginger’s Bar Strawberry Daiquiri Johnny Cash Colmore Cooler Ginger’s Fruit Cobbler Gusto Milanese-Style Meatballs Goats’ Cheese Gnudi Mushroom Arancini Tiramisu Hotel du Vin Sparkling Casa Rojo Molto Negre Burt Cava White: Muscadet Serve et Maine Chateau Ragotiere Red: Gran Cerdo Tempranillo Hindleys Bakery Selection of sausage rolls Selection of quiches Focaccia bites Selection of cakes Selection of specialty and artisan breads Hookway’s Halloumi Fries Salad Selection: Tomato and Jalapeno Cajun Sweet Potato and Green Bean Coleslaw Mexican Grilled Corn Sweet and Sour Cucumber Java Lounge Coffee House Espresso Macchiato Americano Latte Cappuccino Flat White Tray Cakes Tray Bakes The Jekyll and Hyde Gin and Tonic Pink gin and tonic

Summer fruit Punch Victorian Lemonade Loki Wine Sparkling Wine: Wiston Estate Sparkling (England) V Prosecco (Italy) Innocent Bystander Pink Moscato (Australia) White Wine: Bishops Leap Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand) New Hall Bacchus (England) Red Wine: Piattelli Vineyards Malbec (Argentina) Kayra Kalecik Kalasi (Turkey) Natural Wines: Orange: Zero GMT Orange Wine (Austria) White: Force Majeur Chenin Blanc (South Africa) Red: You F**k my Wine? (France) OPUS Restaurant Salt beef brisket pastrami, homemade pickles, horseradish cream Fillet of Day Boat Hake, potato and sweet pea salad, summer herb salsa Lemon Meringue tart, English raspberries Pint Shop Dirty Burger Tandoori Chicken Kebab Halloumi Kebab Primitivo Rhubarb and Bramley apple Gin and Tonic Grapefruit Gin and Tonic Chase GB Gin and Tonic Purecraft Bar & Kitchen Purity Pure Cider Purity Longhorn IPA Purity Lawless Purity Session IPA Purnells Beef, coriander and lime Chalupas Mr Purnell’s Parma Violet ice-cream with raspberry and white chocolate The Square Peg Bud Light Draught Blue Moon Draught Hophouse 13 Draught Craft Cider BIB Soft Drinks Starbucks Mango Passion blended juice Raspberry Blackcurrant blended juice Cold brew Each green tea lemonade Bottled drinks The Alchemist Cocktails Dead Red Zombie Bubblebath The Walking Red Mocktail Old Contemptibles Trio of Pies Mini Steak & Ale, Chicken Balti and Shepherd’s Pies, served with gravy.

Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings served with a BBQ

glaze.

Roast Red Pepper Tarte Tatin served with baby leaf salad.

The Old Joint Stock Mini Steak and London Pride Mini Spicy Chickpea, Tomato and Aubergine Pie Mini Traditional East End Minced beef and Onion Pie Fullers Chocolate Brownie, Whipped Cream.

The Wellington Freedom Four Lager Hogans Cider Wye Valley HPA Hobsons Bitter Fixed Wheel Wheelie Pale Range of soft drinks Wayland's Yard Eggy Crumpets Cornflake Chicken Burger Coffee Iced tea Soft Drinks Zen Metro Spicy Wok Chicken Stir fried Noddles with chicken or veg Lamb Massaman served with Jasmin Rice

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

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Instagram Star Unlucky With Cars

15

PORSCHE OWNER: Lak Sira Lak, who has 179,000 followers, said at the time of the fire: “If I didn’t get out the car a few moments later it could have been a different story,”

A

n unlucky Brummie Instagram star doesn’t have much luck with his cars.

The young entrepreneur has had Porsche wrecked by vandals after it got a makeover and just months after his Lamborghini went up in flames.

Self-made businessman Lak Sira, 22, saw his £125,000 Lamborghini Gallardo burst into flames earlier this year on a motorway just after he picked it up.

Lak managed to escape from the car with his girlfriend seconds before blaze on Friday, February 22 after he spent £12,000 on having his pride and joy gold-plate and £10,000 on a service at Lamborghini Birmingham.

Now, Lak claims vandals sprayed 'w*****' and 's***' on the side of his £80,000 Porsche when it was parked overnight in London's exclusive Knightsbridge.

Lak, who has 179,000 followers,

said at the time of the fire: “If I didn’t get out the car a few moments later it could have been a different story,” “I had only just picked up the car a few hours from the dealership after spending more than £10,000 on servicing it."

He added: “But I noticed straight away that there was something wrong as I could smell petrol in the cabin.

“But as we were travelling

Boots Pharmacist on Trial A Boots pharmacist is currently on trial after he put a laxative into his trainee's water bottle.

Shahan Mir who worked at the Fort Parkway branch said he wanted to "shock" his colleague after she kept leaving her drink unattended in the dispensary.

Farah Abdulquader spat the liquid out and said she later fell ill with vomiting and diarrhoea, Birmingham Crown Court heard.

Mr Mir, 34, denies causing a noxious thing to be taken with intent to annoy.

Mr Mir was interviewed with West Midlands Police, and admitting mixing 1ml of Lactulose in 200ml of water on 21 March 2018 as the victim attended to a customer.

He said he "never intended" for her to drink it and was unable to warn.

Mr Mir, of Colebourne Road, Kings Heath, said the "yellow and sticky substance" was clearly visible.

During the police interview, he said his actions were "unpremeditated" and he was reacting to her being in breach of Boots' strict security rules.

"My intention was to

down to London the smell became unbearable and we had to open the windows and get out on the hard shoulder.

“However, the next thing we heard was a loud bang and the car caught on fire."

The car was left devastated by the serious fire.

"I just had to watch helplessly as the car which I had worked so hard to buy went up in smoke.

"It was very frightening and my

girlfriend is scared to get in any car with me now."

A West Midlands Fire Service spokesman confirmed it sent two crews, carrying ten firefighters, to the scene to fight the flames.

He said: “We were called at 8.54pm to the southbound carriageway of the M6, between junctions 6 and 5, following reports of a Lamborghini on fire.

“Upon arrival, crews found the car fully alight and used a hose-reel jet to douse the flames.

One Year Anniversary Following Highgate Shooting

PHARMACIST: Shahan Mir FATALLY SHOT: Abdul Rahman Abubaker remove the bottle. I regret doing what I did," said Mr Mir. "It was a moment of madness.

"I was trying to shock her. But in hindsight I have caused her distress. I am

sorry to her."

Mr Mir said he had a "good relationship" with Ms Abdulquader, whom he was tutoring through her pharmacist training.

The trial continues at Birmingham Crown Court.

It is the first anniversary of the death of Abdul Rahman Abubaker who was fatally shot and the family have spoken of their pain.

Abdul, aged 24 was shot on the Stratford Road at around

11pm on Tuesday 15 May last year.

His mother Assma, who is still trying to come to terms with her loss, said: “ I am so proud of him, his achievements and just the

person he was to everyone “It has been a year since we lost him and the pain is still the same.

“We need answers about what happened to Abdul, his untimely death has been difficult to come to terms with. I’d ask anyone who knows what happened to do the right thing and tell police what they know.

“Last month we found the strength to reopen his dessert shop, Bubble Rolls, which was his pride and joy. This has provided some comfort and I feel he’d be pleased that his memory carries on in a place he was so passionate about.

“We’ve also set up a charity ‘AR to the world and back’ ubwhich is helping those in need across the world build a better future.

“I want to thank West Midlands Police, friends and the community for their support this part year.”

Detective Chief Inspector Ed Foster, from the force’s homicide team, said: “An extensive investigation is being conducted which is on-going.

“Gun crime is unacceptable and we’re doing all we can to find answers for Abdul’s family and bring those responsible for his death to justice.”

16

MAY 2019

The Holy Month of Ramadan

FEATURE

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Ramadan is the Islamic holy month and during this month Muslims around the world won’t eat or drink between dawn and sunset.

Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic year but the date isn't decided until shortly beforehand because the calendar is based on sightings of the moon.

Muslims will fast which is important during Ramadan as it allows them to devote themselves to their faith and come closer to Allah, or God. Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which form the basis of how Muslims live their lives. The other pillars are faith, prayer, charity and making the pilgrimage to the holy city of mecca.

During the time of Ramadan, it is important for individuals to take time out for spiritual reflection, prayer, doing good deeds and spending time with family and friends.

People will make a special effort to connect their communities and reach out to individuals who need help.

During the month of fasting fasting, Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking, sex and all 'sinful behaviour' such as swearing, arguing, gossipping, telling lies or throwing insults.

It is common to have a meal known as the suhoor just before dawn and another known as iftar directly after sunset.

The end of Ramadan is celebrated by a three-day holiday called Eid al-Fitr. Children often receive new clothes, gifts and cash.

Muslims attend early morning Eid prayers the day after Ramadan.

The Longest ‘Iftar’ Feast Held in Egypt

Eating Dates During Ramadan The Administrative Capital for Urban Development in Egypt has announced that it will host the longest Ramadan Iftar table in the world within the last 15 days of the Islamic holy month.

The banquet will break the Guinness World Record for the longest table. Currently, who are UAE-based The title holders for the longest feast table since last June measures at 2,893.64 meters. The event hosted a Ramadan Iftar for 6,000 people from across the UAE. ACUD is inviting all Egyptians to come together and celebrate the month of Ramadan, where Muslims around the world fast from dawn to sunset.

During Ramadan fasting lasts from dawn until sunset and Muslims may not eat, drink, smoke or have sex.

Muslims are also encouraged to refrain from any sinful behavior such as cursing, lying or fighting. The point of the month is to purify the body and soul and to do good deeds and charitable work.

The meal that breaks the fast is called Iftar and is begun by eating three dates because tradition holds that the prophet Mohammed broke his fast with three dates and water. Ramadan fast lasts for so many hours during the day, the body can develop mild health problems such as headaches, low blood sugar, and lethargy.

To avoid such problems, you should carefully monitor eating habits once fasting for the day has ended. Dates are an excellent source of fiber, sugar, magnesium, potassium, and have carbohydrates which will aid the body in maintaining health. The carbohydrates found in dates also make the fruit a slower digesting food, much better than fried or fatty foods which digest fast and leave one hungry for more!

Dates can be ingredients in a variety of both sweet and savory dishes.

Due to their high natural sweetness, date products are often used instead of honey. Date

sugar is available as a more wholesome natural sweetener as well as date syrup, known as silan, which can be used to sweeten

desserts or beverages.

Dates are also a common addition to energy bars due to their sweetness and high nutritional content.

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WISH EVERYONE

We are very fortunate that we have been granted another month of Ramadan. Let’s take advantage of this favourable month to make this life and the hereafter successful. Please remember us and the Muslim Ummah in your duas.

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MAY 2019

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VAISAKHI MELAHANDSWORTH PARK 2019

Gatka Bright, Bold and Orange.

This year’s Nagar Kirtan was a huge success with over 100,000 people attending who were from all communities and backgrounds.

Thousands joined both the Birmingham and Sandwell Nagar Kirtans which both ended up in Handsworth Park for the Mela. This year was a special Nagar Kirtan as this year Sikh’s celebrated 550 years Parkash of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. In the park there were several organisations which had stands promoting their

charities and creating awareness. Some of the organisations which where there were Shere Punjab, Punjabi Roots, Midland Langar Seva, Asian Business Chamber of Commerce and many others.

The walk took a few hours from Smethwick Gurdwara to Handsworth Park as we stopped off at the local Gurdwaras on the way. The walk overall took 4-5 hours however there was lots of free drinks and food which was given out by sevadars on the way to the mela.

Once arriving at the mela there were several things to do, there were rides for the children, gatka displays, stalls for food/clothing etc, weight lifting competitions and many more. The langar tent was there for individuals to have food and for people to help and do seva. It was great to see the Sikh community put together a great event for everyone to enjoy. The overall day was amazing with great weather and activities to keep everyone busy.

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NEWS

Fifty Years Ago Sikh Bus Driver Changed the Law Marking Fifty years when Wolverhampton bus driver Tarsem Singh Sandhu changed the regulation on turban dispute.

Sikhs working on Wolverhampton's buses won the right to wear the turban at work, this was a long-running dispute during which one Sikh man threatened to set himself on fire.

It was a time when racial tensions there were high, with the city's most famous MP Enoch Powell saying the country was "heaping up its own funeral pyre" by permitting mass immigration.

Mr Sandhu refused to remove his turban or shave his beard and sparked a row that spread across the world and saw the nation's racial tensions and identity politics played out on Black Country double-deckers.

"I couldn't see anyone in Wolverhampton at that time with a turban," remembers Mr Sandhu, who arrived in the Midlands in his

20s more than 50 years ago.

Wolverhampton was different back then, he said. He remembers the racism, the teddy boys, and when he plucked up the courage to wear his turban, colleagues wearing crude mockeries on their heads.

Soon after arriving, he was pinned down by uncles who cut his hair against his will.

He would never get a job with a turban, he was told.

At 23, he began working as a bus driver with Wolverhampton Transport Committee which at the time employed 823 drivers, 411 of whom were Indian.

They all had signed the uniform policy, agreeing to come to work clean shaven and wearing the uniform cap. None of them wore a turban.

1967, Mr Sandhu returned to work after a short illness complete with turban and beard.

Hair is one of the five Sikh

articles of faith for the Khalsa - it must not be cut and is maintained in a turban - and Mr Sandhu decided he could not forgo his religion for the sake of a bus driver uniform.

After one round trip, he was sent home to shave. He refused.

"I never thought it would be as big a dispute as it was," Mr Sandhu said, "because there was nothing wrong with what I was doing."

Mr Sandhu was sacked from his job and his act of rebellion sparked a row that changed Britain and helped get rid of the ban on wearing turban and keeping a beard at work.

Mr Sandhu a former bus driver who still lives in Wolverhampton, modestly said his actions, which went on to change legislation about religious expression at work, were "natural".

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YOUR ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

9 1 0 2 A L A G THE MET A K I P E E D S V A K N PRIYA

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: MUKLAWA THE LATEST BOLLYWOOD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Met Gala 2019: Priyanka vs Deepika (outfit wars) Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone for a red-carpet face-off at Met Gala held at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. These two big Bollywood a listers both dressed quite uniquely to this year’s met gala, however Deepika defiantly wore it better. The met gala is an event to show of arts and culture within New York. So,

ROYAL MUSIC GANG HIT THE UK

the celebrities try to portray arts through their outfits and some of the outfits this year were very unique.

Priyanka attended the Met Gala for the third time hand in hand with her husband Nick Jonas. The couple were both dressed in Dior outfits with Priyanka wearing an exaggerated feathered dress and Nick a white suit On the other hand, Deepika

wore a Zac Posen custom metallic pink gown, which had a long trail. Priyanka’s team of hairstylists finished out her look with afro curls and a metallic crown. Where as Deepika opted for a classy high puffed ponytail with a headband.

Deepika’s outfit defiantly stole the show and she incorporated the whole Met Gala theme effectively.

SHADAA

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Arjun Rampal and Gabrielle Demetriades step out for a lunch date Arjun Rampal took his fans by surprise after he announced the pregnancy of his girlfriend Gabrielle Demetriades. The cute couple was snapped by the shutterbugs as they stepped out for a lunch date.

While Arjun was seen looking all dapper in his white tee and grey pants, Gabrielle looked pretty as ever in her white top, blue pants and jacket. The two were all smiles for the paparazzi as they stepped out for a lunch date together in the city.

Arjun took to his Instagram handle to share a picture of himself with Gabrielle and wrote, ‘Blessed to have you and start all over again....thank you baby for this baby’

Asha Ranaut expresses her happiness about Kangana's achievements…

On the special occasion of Mother’s Day, Kangana Ranaut’s mother, Mrs. Asha Ranaut opened up about her daughter’s accomplishments. Kangana, who was last seen in 'Manikarnika' has a number of movies in her portfolio. The actress will be seen next in sports drama 'Panga'.

Her mother talked about how Kangana made her proud over

the years with her dedication to the film industry. She also revealed a few special qualities of Kangana.

Mrs. Asha Ranaut stated that “Not only me, but the entire family is known because of Kangana. This is the best gift any child can give to their mother. The place she is at, in terms of her achievements is a matter of pride for the entire family.”

MUKLAWA Rishi Kapoor New Punjabi film out on 24th May 2019 staring Ammy Virk and Sonum Bajwa.

Founders of White Hill Studios are back with a bang with their latest Punjabi romantic comedy. The movie also stars BN Sharma, Karamjit Anmol and Gurpreet Ghuggi.

“Ammy Virk and Sonam Bajwa are definitely the best fit for the respective roles.

Their proficient acting skills and charm have made the movie come out to be even more aesthetic,” shares Manmord Sidhu, producer.

The film is shot in various locations including Ganganagar, Rajasthan and near Ferozpur border, Muklawa will take the viewers through a walk down the history lane with a beautifully romantic storyline.

is Cancer Free It has been revealed that Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor is ‘cancer free’,after months of treatment in New York. The Bollywood legend has kept tight-lipped over his health worries, but is thought to be on the road to recovery after his illness.

Filmmaker Rahul Rawail confirmed the happy news on his Facebook page, alongside a snap of the 66-year-old. He told fans: ‘Rishi Kapoor (Chintu) is cancer free!!!,’ beside a string of praying hand emojis.

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BIZ SHOWBIZ SHOWBIZ SHOWBIZ SHOWBIZ SHOWBIZ SHOWBIZ SHOWBIZ SHOWBIZ Amitabh Bachchan’s first look from ‘Chehre’ unveiled

Wrong Number 2 Eid Special

Wrong Number 2, the sequel of the 2015 Yasir Nawaz flick Wrong Turn will be released for Eid. The pakistan film will have great humour, epic romance and upbeat music. The film features Sami Khan and Neelam Muneer in leading roles.

Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan and Emraan Hashmi will soon be seen sharing screen space for the very first time in ‘Chehre’.

The film will be out in the theaters on February 21, 2020. A film not to be missed!

Royal Music Gang hit the UK Karan Aujla and Deep Jandu come to the UK for a live concert which took place on Saturday 11th May at Second City Suite, Birmingham. The event was a dinner and dance where individuals from all around the UK came to see the Royal Music Gang for the first time in UK. Aujla sang all his latest songs with a few old tracks which defiantly had the crowd going. Deep Jandu also sang a few of his songs and they both and the crowd sing and dancing for a never done before show in the UK.

Will Smith Found Playing the Genie Stressful and Daunting

SHADAA Diljit Dosanjh is all set to hit the box office with his first Punjabi outing of the year ‘Shadaa’. The movie stars him and Neeru Bajwa in the lead and has been the talk of the town from the words go.

Adding more to the already high anticipation, Diljit Dosanjh in his recent Instagram Live spilled some beans about the trailer and song release of ‘Shadaa’.

Diljit also mentioned that after the trailer, they will start releasing the songs.The first song to come out will be the title track ‘Shadaa’, followed by a beautiful melody by Raj Ranjodh. Thereafter, a song by Diljit himself will be released.

‘Shadaa’, which is touted to be a romantic comedy will be hitting the box office on June 21st.

SET TO BE A BIG HIT AT THE BOX OFFICE

THE BY: ASIAN TODAY HUSNA

BY: HUSNA

BOLLYWOOD BOLLYWOOD

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Kala Chashma Sanu Ik Pail Chain KalaBaar Chashma Baar Dekho RAIDRahat Fateh Ali Khan Baar Baar Dekho

Theher Tere Sang Ja Yaare Tere Sang YaareMalik Rustom OCTOBER - Armaan Rustom

O Saathi Gani Gani Mani Sandhu BAAGHI 2 - Atif& Aslam Akhil Mani Sandhu & Akhil

Swag Jag Ghoomeya Se Swagat Jag Ghoomeya Sultan TIGER ZINDA HAI - Vishal Dadlani Sultan

Mundiyan Tu Rendhe BAAGHI 2 - Navraj Hans Kumari Tu Rendhe Tindy & Rixx and Sudesh Tindy & Rixx and Sudesh Kumari

Ghar Se Nikalte Hi Woman Woman Armaan Malik Shide Boss ft Zack Knight Shide Boss ft Zack Knight

Ae Watan Peat Pe Booty Peat Booty A RAAZI Flying -Pe Arjit Jatt Sing A Flying Jatt

Aashiq Banaya Apne Suit Suit Randhawa Guru HATE STORY 4 - Himesh & N. Kakkar Guru Randhawa

Patola Tu Hai Tu Hai Daro Mohenjo BLACKMAIL - Guru Randhawa Mohenjo Daro

Aaj Se Teri Dishoom Dishoom PADMAN Arjit Singh Sau Tarah- Ke Sau Tarah Ke

BHANGRA/POP BHANGRA BHANGRA

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Knightridah Gabbroo Gabbroo Jassie Imran Gill Khan ft. Preet Hundal Jassie Gill ft. Preet Hundal

Sip Sip Akhil Akhil Teri KamiSandlas Jasmine Teri Kami

Akh Lad Jaave Tru-Skool Ashok Prince, Badshah, Asees & Jubin Ashok Tru-Skool Time 4 YaPrince, Mind Kaur Nautiyal Time 4 Ya Mind

Laung PBN & Laachi Raj Bains Mannat PBNAkh & Noor Raj Bains Billi Billi Akh

Dil Diyan Manni Sandhu Gallan Manni Sandhu Welcome Atif Aslam To The Future Welcome To The Future

Difference Tere Bina Tere Maan Bina Monty Amrit & Waris, Ginni Kapoor Monty & Waris, Ginni Kapoor

Patt Lai Geya Skoda SkodaBawa Ranjit Jasmine Sandlas ft. Bhinda Aujla Ranjit Bawa ft. Bhinda Aujla

Thumka Ikk Vaari Hor Soch Lae Ikk Vaari Hor Soch Lae Harish Zack Knight Verma Harish Verma

Tareefan Billa Kulwinder Kulwinder Billa Kulwinder Qaran & Badshah Billa Kulwinder Billa

Chogada Selfi e Boliyan SelfieSingh Boliyan Malkit Darshan Raval ft. Dj Vix Malkit Singh ft. Dj Vix

UK UKARTISTS CHART UK ARTISTS

Actor Will Smith says he found it stressful and daunting to play the role of Genie in the live-action remake of Disney's classic "Aladdin".

"It was quite stressful and daunting. Robin Williams didn't leave much room to improve on the genie," "You know that's what Robin Williams gave to the genie that was spectacular, and that was the thing that I was working really hard to capture but give it my flavour.

"The genie will say anything or do anything, there's a certain madness to the genie -- that was the fun that Robin Williams created. So I was trying to find what that meant, with a little more of a 'Fresh Prince' flavour to it. I wanted to create something that was both nostalgic but also had a little bit new school sometimes," he added.

Aladdin will be out in the Cinemas May 24

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Youngblood One Dance One Dance 5Drake Seconds feat OfWizkid Summer and Kyla Drake feat Wizkid and Kyla

2002 Cold Water Anne-Marie Cold Water Major Lazer and Justin Beiber Major Lazer and Justin Beiber

God Good Too Is A Woman Too Good Drake Ariana feat Grande Rihanna Drake feat Rihanna

No Tears This is what Leftyou To came Cry for This isHarris what you came for Calvin Ariana Grande feat Rihanna Calvin Harris feat Rihanna Answerphone Heathens Banx & Ranx & Ella Eyre feat.

Heathens Twenty One Pilots Yxng Bane Twenty One Pilots

Closer Beautiful Closer Chainsmokers featCabello Halsey Bazzi feat. Camila Chainsmokers feat Halsey

Eastside Perfect Strangers Benny Blanco, & Khalid Perfect Strangers Jonas Blue featHalsey JP Cooper Jonas Blue feat JP Cooper

Tears Love (Paddington) Spread Tears Clean Bandit featDVNO Louisa Johnson Boston Bun feat.

Clean Bandit feat Louisa Johnson

This One Girl Kiss This Kungs Vs Cooking 3 Burners CalvinGirl Harris feat.on Dua Lipa Kungs Vs Cooking on 3 Burners

Don't IWe Like It Talk Anymore We Don't Anymore Charlie feat Selena Gomez Cardi B Puth , BadTalk Bunny & J Balvin Charlie Puth feat Selena Gomez

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THE WEST END BHANGRA MUSICAL UK TOUR

THE MUSICAL, EVOLUTION OF BHANGRA, WITH A LIVE CONCERT EXPERIENCE LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE VARANASI Birmingham hosted The West End Bhangra Musical UK Tour press conference for media and sponsors on Thursday 2nd May 2019.

Dips Bhamrah from BBC Asian Network began the evening by talking about the visions and desire for The West End Bhangra Musical nationwide tour a never seen before musical event for Bhangra music.

The press panel consisted of artists performing on tour and the main organisers who went on to answer all press and sponsors questions.

Overall the response on the evening was phenomenal from all as media felt there is a need for events in the UK such as The West End Bhangra Musical UK Tour especially with the calibre of talent on the tour.

Not only will it showcase 4 of the Premier UK Bhangra artists of all time - Heera, DCS, Apna Sangeet & Pardesi all accompanied

by The Legends Band. The same stage will also be shared by new talent from different communities and musical genres to create a diverse musical to show that music truly is a universal language.

The West End Bhangra Musical is a project which has been conceived by 4 individuals who collectively have had many successes

on the music scene. From local and international live Bhangra music performances, social media content production, event & film promotions, music education coupled with their decades of passion for Bhangra music, this has bought them together for this unique musical project.

TEJINDER SINGH CEO of Punjab2000 commented ‘’ "The West End Bhangra Musical In a theatre setting is the logical step to take Bhangra to a new theatre going audience rather than Banqueting Halls & Club Venues."

KAM CHERA successful promoter from the North East UK ‘’The West End Bhangra Musical is the next stage in raising the live music experience for audiences to enjoy’’ HARRY MATHARU founder of The Legends Band ‘’ "I want to create such a phenomenal 'EXPERIENCE' never seen before by the audiences in relation to a

Bhangra Concert. There will not be a single minute where the audiences will not think "WOW!” as the team & I have more ideas up our sleeves to make these concerts even more special" DIPPS BHAMRAH International DJ, music producer, TV & Radio host ‘’ "The West End Bhangra Musical will feature customised lighting shows, big screen production content, dancers ranging from traditional Bhangra to mainstream Urban and all in the effort to keep the audiences on the edge of their seats and wondering "what’s going to happen next'!

Show dates: Bradford -Sunday 19h May St George’s Hall Birmingham - Saturday 1st June the Alexandra Theatre London - Sunday 2nd June New Victoria Theatre, Woking Newcastle - Sunday 30th June Theatre Royal TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT ALL VENUE BOX OFFICES

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

Changes in Solihull

In the leafy and affluent area of Solihull there are some great places to go for a cup of coffee, but most of them are located in the town centre.

Just outside of the town bordering Sheldon is a great local Artisan style coffee shop called Changes Coffee. Situated on the Lyndon Road it is a coffee shop with a difference. It has been opened by charity Changes UK, which offers support to those recovering from addiction in Birmingham.

The décor of this café is quiet contemporary looking with rustic wooden floors and industrial style lighting is next door to the already recognised Small Changes charity shop in the town.

The organisation was given a grant from The Veolia Environmental Trust landfill fund and was supported by 200 Degrees coffee chain for the design, set up, menu and running of the coffee shop.

The community run Changes cafe will employ people who have previously been supported by the charity.

They serve a great selection of hot and cold drinks – including milkshakes and smoothies and an array of sandwiches and pastries.

Would recommend there Flat White Coffee if you are into strong coffee’s.

Changes Coffee - 242 Lyndon Rd, Solihull B91 7QW

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

YOUR L

SPRING WARD MUST HAVES

Spring is here, and who among us doesn’t start planning outfits as soon as the days start getting a bit longer? We don’t know about you, but we’re craving lighter fabrics, softer colours, and basically anything other than big wool sweaters and puffy coats.

To help you put together your spring style list, we’ve come up with a list of our own—top spring trends our buyers are loving—and we think you will, too.

1. TIE-FRONT FLORAL DRESS Floral and flattering spring’s new crop of dresses is as pretty as an bouquet of fresh flowers. Whether you are seeking out a new dress for work or weekend,

we’d like to suggest a floral tie-front style. Flowers are just perfect for the season and the tie front is waistemphasizing in a very pleasing way. This is the kind of floral delivery we hope for.

5. TASSEL TOP Fashion has been riding the boho wave for a few seasons now, and a flowy top trimmed with tassels is a great way to play in this trend. There are so many great prints to explore in

this trend, so choose a bold one that will really add some graphic punch to your outfit.

We love a top like this paired with some white jeans and printed sneakers—wear anyplace from city sidewalks to country roads.

2. RUFFLE DETAIL TOP We like rocking more feminine styles in warmer weather, so we’re super into pieces that feature a few ruffles. And luckily, tops with ruffle detailing are right on-

trend this spring. A top this pretty is perfect for dressing up some distressed jeans, and also plays very nicely with a girly floral skirt. Add your favourite sandals and go.

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IFESTYLE

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DROBE Top 5 foundations with sunscreen

4. BUTTON FRONT WHITE DENIM White denim is a perennial warm-weather favourite, and there are so many ways to style it. If you’re ready for an update in this department, go for a button front style with visible buttons. Bonus trend points for a stephem. Styling these jeans is as easy as a spring breeze— they look great with anything from sneakers to heels, and from tees to lace tops.

3. LILAC DENIM JACKET Is there any shade more spring than the palest shade of purple, also known as lilac? We didn’t think so. If you’re craving some of this of-the-moment spring shade,

why not try it in a denim jacket? Then go ahead and pair it with everything from black jeans and a t-shirt to a gingham sundress and espadrilles, and feel oh-sospring-y every day.

Everyone loves a multitasker, a good coverage on the skin and a foundation that incorporates high SPF. As summer and holiday season is approaching we need to think about the best foundations for your skin.

Below are the top 5 foundations with built in SPF to protect your skin all year round from the suns rays.

1. Giorgio Armani Power Fabric Longwear high coverage foundation, SPF25.

This Giorgio Armani foundation is a full coverage mattifying foundation but has new school subtlety and weightlessness feel on the skin. The foundation on the skin looks very natural and comes in a choice of 15 shades offering a good skin

tone match.

2. Elizabeth Arden Prevage anti aging foundation SPF 30 Just a couple of quick dots on the finger tip, equally placed round her face and rubbed in – no smudges, no smears, no extra thick patches of colour. Then a quick dash of powder blush and she was up and running. This is clearly the way to go for anyone in a hurry, who wants to boost the SPF with a moisturising, oil-free light to medium coverage foundation infused with brightening vitamin C and in a choice of eight shades.

3. MAC Studio Waterweight Foundation SPF 30

this very fluid foundation deceptive as, although it looked as if it would be very thin when applied, it settled well onto the skin for great, natural looking albeit quite matte coverage that was very long lasting. The lightweight and hydrating feel of the foundation, which comes in an impressive range of 23 colours for good matching.

4. Estée Lauder Perfectionist Youth-infusing Makeup SPF25 You can always depend on Estée Lauder for a good quality foundation, and our tester particularly liked this one, finding it very easy to apply, with coverage and colour that are just right.

After a long and extensive

search to find a really good foundation she is sticking with this one. She likes the added serum, too, feeling that she is treating her skin while she covers and protects it. With an impressive 22 shades it is easy to find a good match.

5. Nars Velvet matte skin tint SPF30 This one would not suit someone who wanted a thick coverage, but for a healthy glow giving a natural look with added sun protection it works well, and with a choice of 12 shades it is easy to get a good match to your skin tone. It was oil-free, creamy and soft, with minimal scent, and found it easy to apply.

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APRIL 2019

BUSINESS

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THE ASIAN TODAY

BUSINESS

Future of Social Media The social media landscape is in constant change, therefore understanding what has current and what it is about to happen, can be, for many businesses, a continuing learning and updating process.

For many business owners, this is just one more damn thing they have to keep on top of, to stay one step ahead of their competitors.

People always ask if I know where the industry is heading, or what the next big thing is. The truth, is I can only give you the information the tech giants feed to us and what they favour.

That said, having read and analysed true working examples from our own Digital Agency and the clients we work with, we have noticed that there has been a significant overall drop in engagement levels across most social media platforms.

If you want more

engagement, here are my top 5 tips of massively boosting your engagement levels.

1. Use of video - Video is preferred by the social networks. The move by the social media platforms to take over the traditional TV space means they want us to consume TV type content by not leaving their social platforms. In particular live video is gaining far more reach than ever before. From our research Live garners 3 to 5 times more reach.

2. Interactive Posts Simply liking and sharing will not work as well. We know what Facebook doesn’t like it when you add ‘SHARE’ or ‘LIKE’ in the status update. Liking and sharing is easy, the win will be with comments, the more comments you get the better you fuel the algorithm to reach more people. The type of comment will be important too a simple ‘YES’ or ‘NO’ won’t suffice, they have to be deeper longer comments.

3. Use Content Driven Ads - Social platforms want to keep users on their platforms for as long as possible. They don’t like it when you add external links, e.g. Facebook to YouTube or Facebook to your website, therefore organic reach of these types of post has significantly dropped. If you really want to funnel traffic to your website, then you’re going to have to pay for the privilege, but carefully crafted engaging video ads can drive massive engagement and have an uplift in sales and ROI. 4. Branding will win.

I’ve personally been saying this for the past few years. With the advent of fake news, the importance of brand marketing is ever more important, therefore having a varied online and offline marketing approach is vital; Omni-Channel is where it’s at, events and conferences are great ways of building brand loyalty and driving people to you

W

and your brand online. If you have a captive offline audience, ask them to visit your social pages and leave a comment about your event, seminar, conference and offer something in return.

5. Social platform focus.

Not every platform should be used and we’ll see fewer newcomers entering the market. SnapChat’s usage has significantly dropped over the past few years, because platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, have adopted their technology and ideas and retrofitted them into their existing platforms.

Therefore focus on your existing channels and work them even harder, yes, look at new ones, but make sure they are new channels that already established with large potential audiences that your business can benefit from. Over the recent year, Linkedin has made a real resurgence and has awesome reach figures. It’s introduction of video and

now live video has made it an extremely powerful social platform.

So there you have it, follows these 5 steps and you wont go to far wrong, remember the technology landscape is ever changing, if you feel overwhelmed, you can always drop me a line

and we can give you some advice and guidance.

Twitter @wowgroupltd, @cas_majid Facebook.com/casmajid Facebook.com/ wowgroupltd Instagram @casmajid www.wow-group.co.uk Podcast: What a load of Bollards

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PROPERTY

Construction Work For Commonwealth Games C

onstruction work has begun at the future site of the Birmingham Athlete's Village.

On Wednesday, May 8 an engraved ceremonial stainless steel spade was used to officially start work on the scheme.

When the multi-sport festival is finished, the site will be converted into around 1,400 new houses, including social, affordable and private renting and homes for sale.

Team England athletes, local schoolchildren, community representatives and senior figures from the Games Partners all gathered at the former Birmingham City University site to watch work getting underway.

And mayor Andy Street, who took part in the 'breaking ground' ceremony,

said that the progress made on the Athletes' Village shows what can be achieved when the entire region works together.

"So this is a really important day, but a lot has gone on to get us to this point," he said.

"And it’s worth reflecting that when the bid was being done back in the summer of 2017 after Durban pulled out, the Athletes' Village was always one of the most challenging, in terms of both the timeline and the funding for it.

"So great teamwork has got us to this point, and I think what’s really important here. It’s Birmingham 2022 but the whole of the West Midlands has come together to support this.

"Yes there’s some direct

funding from the combined authority, but what’s behind this here today is that the region has united to prioritise this project here.

It’s a real sign that everyone understands that this is truly a West Midlands Games, even though Brum will be the lead brand."

One of the leading figures in bringing the Commonwealth Games to Birmingham in 2022 has been council leader Ian Ward, who was also in attendance to 'break ground' on the Athletes' Village today.

Speaking from the site, he was keen to focus on the legacy that the Games would leave behind in Birmingham.

Construction of the village is due to be completed in early 2022.

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AUDI A4 2019 LOOKING TO SELL YOUR NUMBER PLATE? LOOK NO FURTHER! CALL 0121 314 2892 FOR GREAT AD RATES!

facelift model

Audi has given its A4 Saloon, Avant and All road models a mid-life update. In line with the launch of the latest BMW 3 Series, Audi has gone through some new styling changes, the A4 has been treated to a range of new mild hybrid enabled engines, a larger MMI touchscreen display and a revamped turbodiesel S4 performance version.

S4 TDI is the headline grabber Despite diesel performance cars seemingly having had their day, Audi has swapped the existing S4’s 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol V6 for a turbodiesel equivalent.

Assisted by a 48v subsystem incorporating mild hybrid (MHEV) technology, the S4 TDI is set to produce 342bhp and 516lb ft of torque, giving a 0-62mph time of 4.8 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

Aside from the massive increase in torque (up 147lb ft – that’s the same amount as an Up GTI makes on its own), the figures are almost identical to the petrol predecessor. Audi also makes the bold promise of

zero turbo lag thanks to an electrical compressor that works off the mild hybrid system.

Essentially, it kicks in at low revs - where a large turbo would usually struggle to make an impact, and gets things going almost rapidly, giving greater engine responses. As ever on Audi performance models, Quattro all-wheel drive is fitted as standard along

with an eightspeed tiptronic gearbox.

The S4 isn’t the only A4 model to get mild hybrid technology, either, with 35 TFSI (148bhp), 40 TFSI

(187bhp) and 45 TFSI (242bhp) units all getting the upgrade from launch, with 30 and 35 TDI (134bhp and 161bhp) engines coming along a little later.

Using a 12v electrical system, each engine will be able to coast at high speeds and switch off entirely at low speeds (below 13.7mph, if you’re interested), saving fuel and CO2. Audi also reckons that the engine can even shut down entirely during low speed manoeuvres such as parking or reversing out of a garage.

Amazing 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment display but in

switching the A4 to Audi’s new MMI software the rotary dial controller has been canned. And what a shame that is. Audi and BMW were one of the last

beacons of hope for those who found touchscreens inherently fiddly to use while on the move and, with the A4, ditching the intuitive dial controller provides BMW an advantage BMW in terms of sheer ease of use.

Aside from this, clever new features such as traffic light information and myAudi app (allows users to lock/unlock and start the car from their Android phone) are included, while the Virtual Cockpit software has been given a once over to

there was much wrong with the looks of the pre-facelift A4.

include new graphics and layouts.

Looks are subjective, but we really didn’t think that

Audi has made the front end fall more in line with its current design philosophy.

The grille is wider and the bonnet features the same louvres as the A1 and R8, while LED headlights now come as standard. The

wheel arches are also a little more muscular, while the shoulder line has been moved down a touch. Finally, the rear of the car now sees a consistent horizontal line designed to increase the

feeling of width.

Prices of the facelifted Audi A4 are set to stay largely the same, with the European launch taking place in Autumn 2019.

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5-A-Side Charity Tournament A

fundraiser charity event for the British Heart Foundation and BCM Charities on Saturday 1st June 2019 at Goals Blackheath, West Midlands B65 OQX. We are looking for teams Juniors (Girls and Boys) and Adults and the communities to take part in a BHF Charity Event and sponsorship/ company vouchers for the charity raffle.

Where we would like to invite you to enter children and adult teams, have some fun, and ultimately raise money for a good cause as all proceeds will go to the British Heart Foundation and BCM Charities Tribute to our dear father Dalbir Bhujhangy Group and our dear friend Harman

Dhami who both passed away from Major Heart Attacks On the day we will have children playing football which will be 8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16 years old and also adults teams taking part also. So please come and along and submiit your teams in for a great worthy cause.

Hosted by Gurcharan Bhujhangy We will be having food and a charity raffle on the day and a DJ entertainment Anytime time that you can give will be invaluable, because every pound raised from our fundraising volunteers will help fund vital research and identify new treatments that could help save lives.

“Heart disease is heartless.

Bollywood has the iconic dances, dialogues and characters and are world renowned, that its made its effects on the Superstars of the WWE Universe.

From iconic movie dialogues of 'Sholay' to 'Mr. India a youtube video featuring some big WWE Superstars have attempted

the iconic dialogues.

WWE legends like Mark Henry, Kurt Angle and Matt Hardy, contemporary contenders like Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Ali and The New Day to the Wonder women of WWE Nikki Bella, Nia Jax, Lacey Evans and the Boss herself -- Stephanie McMahon.

WWE Goes Bollywood

Too many lives are lost in the West Midlands each year, and we’re determined to do everything we can to protect more families from this devastation.

BCM has worked with Birmingham’s homeless community since its very beginning in 1966, offering food, friendship and support to some of our city’s most vulnerable and marginalised people.

The Tournament will be a

in a traditional Group and then Knock-out format, where teams will be guaranteed at least an hour’s play – more if they successfully qualify for the knockout stages.

Teams can enter to take part with a maximum of 7 players per team, adult teams cost £70 and children teams cost £30, and teams must be submitted to Goals, telephone 0121 561 3000 or Gurcharan Bhujhangy 07762521584 by 25th May 2019 Looking forward from hearing from yourself and Lets Make a Difference Together.

ORGANISERS: GURCHARAN & HERJINDER BHUJHANGY

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THE WORLD CUP CRICKET SET FOR 2019

A spectacular Opening Party will take place on May 29 where audience will be treated to a music and sporting spectacular on 29 May for the most celebrated start to a Cricket World Cup. The ‘not-to-be-missed’ live broadcast Opening Party will be a mix of music, dance and some of the biggest names in sport with a winner takes all sporting competition.

Steve Elworthy, Managing Director at ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, said: "The Opening Party will capture the very essence of what makes this tournament so special and will be hugely

exciting for the fans that are lucky enough to attend but also across broadcast we will show the world what they have to look forward to over the next 45 days of cricket action.

“The Mall, with Buckingham Palace in the background, is synonymous with some of the biggest events held in the UK and is instantly recognisable to everyone around the globe.

It will be a fitting celebration of a World Cup, cricket and sport with diversity at its core.”

Interest in tickets for the 48 matches at the

tournament has been unprecedented with over 3 million ticket applications from 148 countries across six continents truly showing the global appeal of the Cricket World Cup. The ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 is scheduled to be hosted by England and Wales, from 30 May to 14 July 2019.

The ICC Cricket World Cup (CWC) takes place every four years, featuring 10 teams and is the culmination of a global qualification process that runs over a 5-6 year period.

UK BASED INDIAN CRICKET TEAM SUPPORTERS ‘BHARAT ARMY’ CELEBRATE 20 YEARS The Bharat Army who formed back in 1999 are celebrating 20 years as India’s biggest cricket supporters club globally and to mark the occasion are putting on a fan concert ‘Bharat ke Saath’ on the 15th June at Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse on the eve of the India vs Pakistan match.

Still led by one of the founding members Rakesh Patel, The Bharat Army have been passionately following their team around the world and in the last 20 years has grown to a 300k+ strong following from the UK, India and as far as Australia.

Due to the increasing number of followers the demand to travel

with the Bharat Army to major tournaments and series around the world has increased significantly, from this Bharat Army Travel was born, a tour company set up in 2015 to offer curated tours around the world for Indian Cricket Fans to be part of. Bharat Army Travel is an Official ICC Travel & Tours Partner for the ICC Cricket World Cup in England & Wales.

Rakesh Patel CEO and Founder of Bharat Army says “Our 20 year anniversar y could not have come at a better time. Our travel company will be welcoming 10,000 fans from 26 countries at the end of May. We wanted to mark this

celebration in style and what better way than to put on this amazing event with one of India’s biggest Bhangra artists Guru Randhawa headlining on the day before the big game India vs Pakistan.”

The Bharat Army are also using their massive fan base to raise money for charity Their partnership with SFA is in line with one of Bharat Army’s core objective to “give back to India, The SFA Championships allow us to support children in India by giving them a platform to perform in an Olympic style multi sport event”.