The Asian Today Issue 237 - August 2018

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Later that month, Jonas traveled to India with Chopra to meet her family.

While in India, Jonas broke his silence on his relationship with Priyanka by posting a video of her on his Instagram story. The singer proposed to the Quantico star on her 36th birthday while they were in London together, according

to the insider.

Jonas was apparently serious about

ABCC AWARDS SUCCESS

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SRK's daughter, Suhana Khan causes a stir - PAGE 21

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choosing the engagement ring. He reportedly closed down a Tiffany & Co. store in New York City just so he could choose the right piece.

Nick has previously been linked to Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and was rumoured to have been dating Kate Hudson back in 2015.

Here's to the future Mr. and Mrs. Jonas!

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Nick proposed to Priyanka on her 36th birthday

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These two have only been dating for a couple of months and are now engaged.

Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra first sparked rumours of a romance back at the 2017 Met Gala, where they walked the red carpet together.

The pair have been nearly inseparable and back In June, Priyanka met Nick's family when she accompanied him to his cousin's wedding in New Jersey.

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IKEA STORE SET TO CLOSEPG 3

ABCC director leads English Asian business awards success for Birmingham A

Qasim Majid - President of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce

Anjum Khan - Director of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce

njum Khan, director of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC), led a host of accolades for the Birmingham business community when she won national recognition in the English Asian Business Awards 2018.

And Wow Zone, run by ABCC president Qasim Majid, won the Digital Business of the Year title along with several other Birmingham business people.

They included Paul Thandi, chief executive of the NEC Group, who won the Corporate Leader of the Year title,

and Awan Marketing chief executive Nasir Awan picked up International Business of the Year.

Anjum was named Woman of the Year at a ceremony at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel.

The awards were created to honour the determination, hard work and personal achievements of English Asian businessmen and businesswomen at the forefront of their industries.

Each year, the competition has become more intense as the event itself has grown into a continued on page 2

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THE TEAM EDITORS Ifraz Ahmed Anita Chumber

JOURNALISTS Kesser Hussain Siddharth Kumar Jag Sahota

SALES Anita Chumber Simon Keatle

CREATIVE DIRECTOR David Ley

"Huge accolade for the whole of the ABCC and the Asian community in Birmingham" continued from front page

highly respected occasion, where the best and brightest are honoured.

Paul Faulkner, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC), of which the ABCC is part, said: “The two awards are a huge accolade for the whole of the ABCC and the Asian community in Birmingham.

“Anjum has been instrumental in making the ABCC the most meaningful Asian business organisation in the country and fully deserves this honour.

“The work of the ABCC is vital in a city as diverse as Birmingham and it brings together a myriad of cultures working together for the whole community.

“Congratulations also to Qasim, whose leading international digital marketing agency is based in Birmingham.”

Wow Zone undertakes a wide range of services from digital marketing, online branding, social media, and website design and Qasim and his colleagues have

worked tirelessly to put them at the top of the tree.

Mr Faulkner added: “Paul and Nasir are highly deserved of their awards. Paul has led the NEC with great aplomb for several years and Nasir combines a busy business life with widespread charity work.”

Nasir started in the retail business in 1978, joining his late father. In 1980 he set up a consumer electronics wholesale operation, becoming one of UK’s major distributors.

Awan Marketing is now one of the largest wholesalers in

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Anjum Khan - Director of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce

Charity Trust; Birmingham Ethnic Education Services; and Sutton Coldfield Muslim Association. He is also a Director of the National Asian Business Association.

He was appointed deputy lieutenant in the West

Midlands in 2017 and was awarded the MBE in 2016 for services to business and international trade.

The Asian Business Chamber celebrate diversity and inclusion at its annual dinner and awards in November.

regional differences saw much of Highland Scotland and lowland England were considerably dry, while west Wales, north-west England and parts of south-west and north-east England were wetter, the Met Office said.

Last year's extremes included a temperature high of 34.5C on June 21 at Heathrow, and a low of minus 13C at Dalwhinnie, Scottish Highlands, on December 11 and Shawbury, Shropshire, on December 12.

The highest daily rainfall was 212.6mm (8.37 inches) in Ennerdale, Cumbria, on Christmas Eve, while the deepest snow recorded was 40cm (15.75 inches) in Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Wrexham, on December 11.

And the sunniest spots were Whitby, North Yorkshire, Hastings in East Sussex and Morecambe in Lancashire, which all recorded 16.2 hours of sunshine on June 17 or 18, the reports shows.

Dr Stephen Cornelius, chief

adviser for climate change at WWF, said: "Climate change is not just a problem for others - this report shows that it affects us here in the UK. "We're in the age of consequences - extreme weather such as we've experienced this summer threatens our health, our water supplies and our natural world.

"These extreme events will become normal if we don't heed these warnings and act with urgency. The UK Government needs to work harder to cut our carbon emissions and build a cleaner, greener economy."

A Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Department spokesman said: "The UK is a world-leader in cutting emissions and driving investment in low carbon technology. Since 1990, carbon emissions are over 40% lower, while the UK's GDP has increased by more than two-thirds."

UK weather: Met Office climate report reveals - Britain hotter and wetter, over the past 100 years

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the UK. The company is run by the third generation of the family operating from a 45,000 sq ft distribution centre in Hockley. It carries over 30,000 lines, servicing a customer base of over 14,000 throughout the UK and exporting to Europe, Africa and Asia.

Nasir is a board member of Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce group, and his appointments include Chair of Trustees Inspire Education Academy at Yew Tree School, Aston.

He is also a Trustee of Euro

Qasim Majid - President of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce

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ritain is hotter and wetter than at any former time in the past 100 years, the latest figures from the Met Office show.

Last year was the fifth warmest for the UK in records dating back more than a century, and nine of the 10 hottest years have subsisted since 2002.

A new Met Office report additionally shows that, despite this summer's shortage of rain in some areas of the UK, the amount of rainfall has gone up.

Figures show the UK climate is warming, with average temperatures over

the last decade around 0.8C above the 1961 to 1990 average, while the country has also seen 8 per cent more rain.

The annual state of the UK climate report also revealed that, in contrast to this summer, UK summers have been notably wetter over the last decade from 2008 to 2017, with 20 per cent more rainfall compared to 1961-1990.

Nine of the 10 hottest years in the UK have happened since 2002 and 2017 was the fifth warmest on record, figures dating back to 1910 show, the Met Office said.

And the Central England

Temperature (CET) record which dates back to 1659 for an area of central England reveals the 21st century, since 2001, has so far been warmer than the previous three centuries.

The report also found that average sea levels have risen around 1.4mm a year since the start of the 20th century - equivalent to a rise of about 16cm (6.3 inches) since 1900.

Dr Mark McCarthy, manager of the Met Office National Climate Information Centre, said: "Our climate is changing, globally and here in the UK. "People may not recall 2017 as having been a particularly warm year, with a relatively wet summer and snow in December.

"Despite this, when looking at the longer term perspective, 2017 was still more than 1C above the 19611990 baseline and ranks as the fifth warmest year overall for the UK." Rainfall in 2017 was around average for the UK, but

Man dies after being struck by a train at a Sandwell station T

rains through a Black Country railway station were disrupted this weekend after a man died after being hit by a train.

There were no trains were stopping at Sandwell and Dudley station, in West Bromwich, on Saturday evening following the tragedy.

The man was struck by a train, shortly after 5.30pm, and social media users said several ambulances were seen at the scene.

The platforms at Sandwell and Dudley station had remained closed throughout Saturday night and Sunday morning, and were reopened at around 3.30pm Sunday.

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A spokesman for British Transport Police established the man was pronounced dead at the scene and they were not treating his death as suspicious.

The man's next of kin have been informed.

In a statement, British Transport Police said: "Officers were called to Sandwell and Dudley Railway Station, West Bromwich, on Saturday, after a report that a man had been struck by a train.

"Officers from British Transport Police attended the incident, which was reported to us at 5.42pm.

"Sadly the man was

pronounced dead at the scene.

"The incident is currently being treated as nonsuspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.

Their next of kin have been informed."

A spokesman for West Midlands Railway also confirmed that a person had died following the incident.

They tweeted: "I am sorry to advise that someone lost their life there yesterday, we are working to reopen the platforms as soon as possible."

West Midlands Railway and Virgin services were disturbed for a number of hours.

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IKEA store set to close in Birmingham City Centre Ikea announced the shop in Dale End will be set to close on August 9 because of "a number of factors" which included the location of the shop. The shop is part of the broader Martineau Galleries plans, opposite new HS2 Curzon Street station It could form part of a huge transformation of that part of the city centre.

BirminghamLive revealed yesterday the iconic Swedish outlet's store in Birmingham city centre will close next month, placing 39 jobs under threat.

The Dale End shop, known as Ikea Order and Collection Point (OCP), opened in 2016 as part of a test programme - but didn't draw enough customers.

The store, underneath the NCP cark park, is owned by Hammerson, the company which also owns Bullring and Grand

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Central.

A Hammerson spokesperson said it would be coming forward in a matter of months with plans for the wider area, known as Martineau Galleries. This could potentially mean new shops, offices and restaurants in the immense site, which will be opposite the new HS2 Curzon Street station.

She said: “Ikea’s decision to trial one of its new retail formats in Birmingham city centre was a great opportunity – especially as they were only taking space in five cities across UK and Ireland.

"We work closely with both established and emerging retailers to provide them with space to test concepts and engage with customers on both a temporary and longer term basis. The Bullring Estate has a great track record of attracting new brands to the

region alongside some UK firsts with NYX Cosmetics, streetfood inspired Thai Express and soul food operator, Holy Moly Macaroni all taking space in recent months.

“The space let to Ikea forms part of the Martineau Galleries site. We are working with Birmingham City Council on a masterplan and will bring it forward over the coming months.

In the meantime we will look for alternative uses for the space to ensure the area remains active.

Rooms have been mocked up to show customers how furniture looks and there is also an on-site café.

The future for the car park has always been in question among plans for substantial change in that part of the city centre, which will see neighbouring areas pedestrianised.

This exhibition has been developed in partnership with National Museums Liverpool and Wolverhampton Art Gallery in collaboration with Creative Black Country.

ÂŁ15m terminal expansion plans for Birmingham International Airport AUGUST 2018

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ransport hub reveals new plans to build larger departure lounge and revamp baggage capabilities Birmingham Airport is planning a ÂŁ15 million expansion of its terminal building which will include an expanded departure lounge and baggage area.

The transport hub lodged new plans with Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council last week and a three-week consultation period will start soon.

The project which is named as Terminal Extension 3 (TE18), will involve some demolition work, reconfiguration and renovation of existing departure lounge toilets and re-provision of an existing smoking terrace.

The transport hub lodged new plans with Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council last week and a three-week consultation period will start soon.

It has also opened a tender process to find a contractor

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The project which is named as Terminal Extension 3 (TE18), will involve some demolition work, reconfiguration and renovation

to carry out the work.

Birmingham Airport said: "This proposed extension will be located between the existing main terminal and the short pier, within the

existing airport boundary.

"The extra terminal space is intended to ensure a high level of customer service at Birmingham Airport, ensuring more comfort to our

passengers.

"This proposal is an extension to the existing departure lounge and outbound baggage processing facility."

Hundreds of people gathered and paraded through Small Heath to mark the memory of Sufi saint Muhammed Abdullah Khan.

Sufi Abdullah was influential in building the grand Jamia Masjid Ghamkol mosque on Poets Corner in Golden Hillock Road.

The Mosque was built and opened in 1996.

He was very involved and played a huge part in developing the neighbouring community centre and a nearby hostel for the homeless.

The three day ceremony as the

first annual of Urs celebration to commemorate his life following his death, aged 92, on February 12, 2015.

Sufi Abdullah was born in the district of Chakwal in Pakistan.

He served in the British Indian Army during the Second World War before coming to Birmingham in 1962.

He was laid to rest in a mausoleum for which planning permission was secured seven years ago in readiness for his passing.

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Leicester to Paris Cycle Challenge AUGUST 2018

25 riders will soon be embarking on a gruelling seven-day, 500-mile cycle ride from Leicester to Paris, to raise much needed funds for two charities.

The team will depart on 4thAugust from Leicester’s historic clock tower for the journey that will take them towards Cambridge then Harwich International Port for an overnight ferry towards the Hook of Holland, from there onward, the tour of Europe will begin through Antwerp, Brussels and Lille before arriving in Paris on August 12th.

Established in 2012 by a group of De Montfort University Students, Riders of Shaam have hosted cycle rides to different parts of Europe, all for worthy causes and have raised thousands of pounds, notably for Penny Appeal last year when the riders cycled from Leicester to Luxembourg raising funds for several projects.

Following this successful

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trip, the riders wanted to continue their relationship with Penny Appeal this year and have set a fundraising target of £100,000 for several Penny Appeal projects.

Including, Emergency Response in Syria and Rohingya, providing food parcels, clean water, medical supplies and shelter for those displaced. Monies raised will also go to the Open Your Eye project which helps over 285 million people living with visual impairments by giving then simple eye checks, medicines and operations that can restore vision. Other projects include, Thirst Relief, Love Palestine which provides food packs for families living in refugee camps, some for decades.

Amin Omar, lead organiser of the ride says: “We’re going to be cycling long distances through beautiful countrysides, with great company and all for an amazing cause. Penny appeal are great to work with and provide great feedback for

the projects we fundraise for, so we’re really looking forward to Leicester to Paris 2018”.

Haroon Mota, Head of Challenges at Penny Appeal says “We are delighted that Riders of Shaam have chosen to fundraise for Penny Appeal again for the second year. Cycling 500 miles over just 7 days is no easy feat, and they’ve been putting in some serious miles to prepare for the gruesome ride. The team have raised close to £100,000 already and we really hope the local community can get behind the team and donate towards their chosen projects. We would like to wish the entire a team the best of luck with their fundraising and training”.

Funds will also be raised for Rainbows Hospice, the only East Midlands hospice for children and young adults.

The team would like to raise funds to-

finance the running costs for a hydrotherapy pool for 16-months.

Please go to www. ridersofshaam.com for more information. If you would like to support Penny Appeal in their many life-saving projects visit www.pennyappeal.orgor call 03000 11 11 11.

West Midlands Police ‘Take Down’ large cannabis factory in Willenhall

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Drug dealers have been dealt a blow after officers raided a huge cannabis farm in the Black Country.

Growing around 2,000 illicit plants at an address in Owen Road.

Members of the Cannabis Team swooped on an address in Owen Road, Willenhall.

Two people who were primarily in connection with the operation, discovered on Friday 20th July, have been released without charge.

Police tweeted a picture of approximately 20 large bags full of detained plants which will be destroyed.

A force spokeswoman said: “We discovered just under 2000 plants at an address in Owen Road, Willenhall, in the early hours of Friday 20 July.

“A 26 and 28-year-old were arrested on suspicion of cultivating cannabis.

“They have both been

released with no further action.”

Cannabis factories are being discovered on a daily basis in all kinds of properties from council flats to million pound pads.

Officers discovered the illicit set-up in a flat when they went to, a 13- storey block in Druids Heath, on July 16.

WMP Force Support Unit tweeted: “D unit-Bournville.

Early hours arrest attempt at Pleck House, Winterbourne Croft, Druids Heath. Suspect not present but a cannabis factory was. So a sort of result.”

The specialist team has published tips to help residents identify a possible cannabis factory in their neighbourhood.

The advice includes looking out for blackedout or constantly covered

windows, a strong and sicklysweet smell and high levels of heat and condensation.

Other signs include watching out for frequent and varied visitors at unsociable hours, a constant

ventilation humming sound, equipment and supplies being carried into the property.

Finally, there may be electricity problems or an increase in bills.

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Wolverhampton man arrested after a ‘horrific attack’ on a three-year-old boy A

second man from Wolverhampton, suspected in connection with the acid attack on a threeyear-old boy in Worcester, remains in custody.

A 39-year-old man from Wolverhampton who was arrested on Sunday also remains in custody after Saturday's attack in Worcester, which left the three-year-old with burns to his face and arm.

Meanwhile, officers are continuing to question three men from London aged in their 20s who were arrested early on Monday on suspicion of the same offence.

Detective Inspector Jim Bayliss said: "Our officers are continuing to work extremely hard on this investigation.

"At this time we believe this to be an isolated incident and there is not a wider risk to the public."

Police have sustained working to ensure the safety and security of the victim and his family as they recover from their "shocking" ordeal on Saturday at a Home Bargains shop near Worcester's Shrub Hill railway station.

The child injured in the incident was discharged from hospital on Sunday after treatment however the long-term implications of his injuries are as yet unknown.

Police also moved to dismiss reports that there remained a racial motive behind the attack.

Chief Superintendent

Mark Travis said there were believed to be no links among the incident and an English Defence League (EDL) march held nearby on the same afternoon.

Mr Travis said: "I would like to reassure people both nationally and within Worcestershire that instances of this nature are very, very rare.

"I would like to be very, very clear - there is no evidence to suggest that in any way this incident is motivated by race or anything to do with the EDL "Clearly it's a difficult time protest." for them - they are coming to Mr Travis added: "We are in touch with the family - the terms with something that is quite shocking." family are being supported Officers have declined to by specialist officers.

The shocking ordeal happened at a Home Bargains shop near Worcester's Shrub Hill railway station.

confirm the ethnicity or nationality of the family and have said they will not issue any further information regarding their

identities.

Mr Travis said officers had taken possession of CCTV footage and believed that the boy was targeted.

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he new identity of Transport for West Midlands is to all change with blue trams, red buses and orange trains the mayor has announced.

Earlier this month the city had the unveiling of one of the brand new blue trams in Birmingham, Mayor Andy Street has revealed plans for other modes of transport to follow suit.

Over the next few years trains, cycles and buses will all be given the same logo each with their own specific colour in the centre.

The new logo is similar to the West Midlands Combined Authority and features a hexagon with a colour in its centre.

"So the really big question is why are we doing it? And the key thing in response to that is that this is the start," the mayor said.

"So it's not all going to happen overnight suddenly, but it's actually the moment in time where we say 'we are steadily going to bring all of this together as one transport brand'.

"And the brand is synonymous with the one network, so it's a way of thinking that all this lot fits together. So if you're a customer you'll think 'my different options for transport in the Midlands are; West Midlands rail; West Midlands Metro; West

Midlands bus and, we hope, West Midlands cycle.'

"And you never know what else, as technology moves on in the future. So you're thinking about all of the options you've got and using them together.

"And the evidence from around the world is that if you do that, then you get increased usage of public transport, where people can identify the network."

The cost of the initial design work was £60,000, with each tram costing around £9,000 to have its branding overhauled But the mayor thinks that, while the cost would

seem important, it's a small investment toward building a brand that will be synonymous with transport in the region.

"The initial branding work is a very important stage," he said.

"If you think of London and its famous symbol, it’s iconic, and I want the West Midlands hexagon to have the same recognition as that. That’s how we know when we’ve made it.

"When people see that, we want them to know what it means. Because it’s not just about it being on the vehicle.

AUGUST 2018

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Gunshots Fired On Busy High Street West Midlands Police armed response and dog units raced to Smethwick High Street after reports of gunfire on Sunday 22nd July.

Police dogs Phoenix followed the car, joined by armed officers.

The force's @WMPDogs Twitter account said the car was forced to stop after a chase and "occupants were removed" and a large

number of drugs found.

A spokeswoman said: "Firearms officers were sent to the scene and the man was safely disarmed and arrested.

"No-one is believed to have been injured during the incident."

There was praise on Twitter from police as well as members of the public.

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Birmingham’s Channel 4 HQ bid Supported by Redditch MP

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irmingham’s bid to be the site of Channel 4’s HQ. Has made it on to the final shortlist, Rachel Maclean, MP for Redditch, has vowed to support the second city’s bid due to the benefits it will bring to Redditch and West Midlands.

On Monday Channel 4 publicised the three contenders to be the site of its new national headquarters.

Birmingham is competing against Greater Manchester, and Leeds, in the bid.

The West Midlands Combined Authority, of which Redditch Borough Council is a non-constituent member, is directed by the Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street.

A decision on the site of Channel 4’s new base is expected in October.

Mrs Maclean said: “I completely agree with Andy

Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, when he says the whole region needs to get behind the second city's bid.

"I'll be doing what I can to support Birmingham's bid as I truly believe Channel 4 basing themselves in our region will bring benefits to Redditch."

She added: “Having Channel 4 in Birmingham will create hundreds of highskilled and high-paid jobs for people in Redditch. We have so much untapped creative talent with such huge potential.

“We can also position our town as a great place for Channel 4 workers to commute to work. I will be making this case to Channel 4 and supporting Birmingham's bid.

"This will be another great opportunity to unlock Redditch.”

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Leeds parents jailed over Bangladesh ‘Forced Marriage’ wedding

Girl aged six killed in Smethwick, on way to mosque prayers

The couple were described as "monsters" by their daughter who they had threatened to kill if she did not go ahead with the arrangement.

A

husband and wife have been jailed for misleading their daughter into travelling to Bangladesh to force her into marriage.

The couple were described as "monsters" by their daughter who they had threatened to kill if she did not go ahead with the arrangement.

The father was jailed for four-and-a-half years and the mother for three-and-a-half years at Leeds Crown Court.

None of individuals involved in the case can be named.

The woman was taken to Bangladesh with other family members for what they had

been told was a holiday.

But the parents had made extensive plans for her wedding to a first cousin.

She reacted against the plan and her father hit her, with her mother's reinforcement, the court heard.

Her father said he would "chop her up in 18 seconds" if she continued to reject the proposed marriage, the judge was told.

The woman managed to alert the police through her boyfriend in the UK and the court was played just a few of the messages she left on his phone.

Judge Simon Phillips

QC said of the recordings: "Her terror and distress is palpable."

Judge Phillips heard how the woman escaped with only the clothes she was wearing and a Leeds bus pass.

The woman said: "I was betrayed by the two people who are supposed to protect, love and keep you safe."

She was born in the UK, lived a Westernised-lifestyle and was eager to go to university, the court heard.

Dafydd Enoch QC, defending her father, told the court: "These events are not borne out of malice, hate, greed or prejudice. They were borne of deep-seated

culture."

The pair were found guilty of forced marriage and a count of using violence, threats or pressure to force their daughter into marriage, following a three-week trial earlier this year.

Peter Mann, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said "This successful prosecution and the custodial sentences imposed send a clear message that forced marriage is a very serious crime and those responsible will be prosecuted."

It is thought to be only the second case of its kind.

A six-year-old girl who was hit by a car and killed, she was heading for prayers at a mosque with her father. police have said: Jannatul Bakya was hit while crossing Oldbury Road in Smethwick, West Midlands, on Saturday night.

Her father said she would be “greatly missed”.

“Jannatul, my youngest daughter, was always happy and cheerful. She always brought a smile to everybody’s face,” he added.

Two people arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving have been released under investigation while inquiries continue,

West Midlands Police said.

The 27-year-old man, from Smethwick, and woman, 26, from Bearwood, were arrested soon after the collision.

Det Con Damian Gibson said police were continuing to investigate “the circumstances leading to this tragic event”.

“I’m appealing for anyone who saw the collision, or who may have CCTV or dashcam footage, to get in touch,” he said.

“The family are receiving support from family liaison officers and, our thoughts are them at this very sad time.”

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new initiative by a school is been backed by a Birmingham woman who was tricked into a forced marriage at the age of 15 wants to stop other teenagers becoming victims.

Now a adult she was forced to marry a man in Bangladesh when she was 15 after being told she was going on a family holiday.

She spoke out at a school in Leeds who is tackling forced marriages by giving their pupils spoons to hide in their underwear, to trigger airport metal detectors.

This will allow girls to speak privately to security staff when they are taken away to be searched.

The girls at Co-Operative academy in Harehills have all been given spoons to hide in their underwear during the summer holidays as this is the time of year when most victims are spirited out of the country.

A teacher at the school told The Guardian: “In the six-weeks holidays we know there is no contact between school and the

family, and families have that opportunity to go abroad, get their child married and come back.

“It's a way of making our children aware there is a safety net there."

The school is working with the charity, Karma Nirvana, which campaigns against problems such as "honour"based abuse and forced marriage.

The Birmingham woman said when it happened to her it was less well known so she was missing from school for a whole year before it was chased up.

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of horns, a trio can be seen hanging from a blacked-out Range Rover Evoque, with one offender attempting to stop traffic with his hand so the car could pass through.

In another image, a passenger can be seen perched on the side of a moving blue Mercedes convertible.

The video has angered local residents, with many branding the latest actions as disrespectful.

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"Abuse is abuse, full stop - we need to make sure kids know what abuse is, so people can’t just say it’s my religion," she said.

"It’s all about education.

We need to give these kids a pep talk and get it onto the curriculum.

"When it’s happening to you, you are afraid to talk about it, you think it must be part of my religion, part of my culture and so it’s fine.

"But you know it’s not fine, you know what’s wrong is wrong, regardless of culture and religion."

Chaos erupted during rush hour on Wednesday 18 July along Walsall Road, Great Barr when a convoy of luxury super car drivers brought the city junction to a standstill with some people risking their lives by hanging out of a Range Rover.

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Councillor for Perry Barr, Jon Hunt added: “It really is shocking.

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A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police said: "We received reports of people in cars causing nuisance on Newton Road in stationary traffic shortly after 5.00pm last night (19 July).

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24 FACTS ABOUT INDIA PAKISTAN INDEPENDENCE 1. In 1941, Karachi, the first capital of Pakistan had a 46.7 per cent Hindu population, who fled the city during and immediately after the partition.

18. The first capital of independent Pakistan was Karachi.

2. Around the same time, Delhi’s entire population included one-third Muslims, most of whom were displaced in 1947.

19. The borders of Pakistan were drawn up two days after partition, on August 17th of 1947.

3. 1857 saw the first war for independence when the nation revolted as one against the British Empire.

20. British India had 17 provinces before partition.

4. At least 15 million people were uprooted and displaced in one of the largest human migrations in recorded history.

21. The partition was announced in India by Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy General of India.

5. Sir Cyril Radcliffe, a British lawyer, drew up the borders for the newly independent Pakistan, completed on August 17, 1947.

22. Around one to two million people were killed during the implementation of the partition.

6. Clement Atlee was the British Prime Minister who oversaw the withdrawal of the Empire from the sub-continent.

23. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the man behind the creation of Pakistan as a separate country, was a secularist.

7. Bangladesh was called East Pakistan, 24. The independence located over 1700 kilometres away from and partition was originally planned to be West or present-day Pakistan. before June 1948.

8. As of August, 1947, the subcontinent was divided into parts lying in 4 different countries, some of which are still under dispute after 70 years, most notably the state of Kashmir.

9. During the iconic pre-independence speech by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of free India, in Delhi, the viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, was watching the Bob Hope movie ‘My Favourite Brunette’ with his wife.

10, Kingsway Camp, Delhi’s largest refugee camp at the time, was home to about 300,000 people, when at its maximum.

11. Disney films were screened in some of the refugee camps, with as many as 15,000 people watching.

12. As Hindu, Muslim and Sikh vigilantes hurt all sides killing and maiming at all sides, British soldiers were confined to their barracks. They had been ordered by Mountbatten to save only British lives.

13. There were trains of only corpses going to and from the new countries – bodies of people who were killed or died on the way to their new homes.

14. On August 14, just hours before Nehru’s speech, a great riot had broken out in the streets of Lahore. The main Sikh temple or ‘gurudwara’ was in flames, while around 100,000 people were trapped in the burning city without water or medical help.

15. Gandhi was absent from all proceedings during this time; he was in Calcutta, the city was torn by riots. Bengal had been divided into two parts – one that would be part of free India and had Calcutta, while the other that had become East Pakistan.

16. Over 25 films have been made set in the partition of India and Pakistan, while many others allude to the migration, displacement, communal tension and revolts of the time.

17. Until 1948, Pakistan used Indian currency bank notes, over-stamped with 'Pakistan' on the notes.

New coins and banknotes of Pakistani rupees were circulated in 1948.

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AUGUST 2018

New figures on visa applications from India published N

umber of Indians visiting the UK showing increase despite emerging destinations gaining popularity and overall foreign travel on the rise New figures published today show a steady year-onyear increase in the overall number of visa applications from India over the last few years.

The statistics – published

by VFS Global, which processes visa application for 59 governments worldwide – show travel to the UK from India continuing to increase, despite the popularity of emerging destinations.

The figures show: a 10 percent increase in number of visa applications from India in 2017 (4.7m applications), compared to 2016 (4.3m); this year, for the period of January to June, there has been a 14 percent increase in number of visa applications from India, compared to the same period last year; the top 6 destinations for

which visa applications were processed (in 2016, 2017, and January to June 2018) were: US, Malaysia, UK, Canada, PR China, and Schengen Area destinations; in 2017, the sharpest yearon-year increase (since 2016) in visa application count was for Thailand visas; emerging destinations (especially Czech Republic, Turkey, and Japan) showed a positive trend in 2017, with significantly more applications processed for these destinations than in the previous year.

The statistics bear out those recently published by UK Visas and Immigration which showed of the 2.1 million UK visitor visas granted in 2017, there was an 11% increase in those granted to visitors from India (up 43,816 to 433,852).

The UKVI statistics shows that Indian and Chinese nationals alone accounted for just under half (46%) of all visitor visas granted, while three nationalities (China, US and India) accounted for over half (53%) of the 223,536

Up to £20,000 in funding available for local charities A minimum of 32% from every People’s Postcode Lottery ticket goes directly to good causes

study-related visas granted in 2017. In particular, study related visas to Indian nationals showed a notable increase, up 28% to 14,445.

Mr. Vinay Malhotra, Regional Group COO – Middle East, South Asia & China, VFS Global, said: “We have been seeing a year-on-year increase in applications from India. It is evident that foreign travel is no longer the domain of a

privileged few in the country.

“More Indians are travelling abroad today than ever before, and are keen to explore even off-beat destinations. There is a greater comfort with the visa application process too – from personalised assistance at our centres to doorstep services, we use technology to continuously upgrade the applicant’s visa application experience so the anxiety

Local charities and community groups are being encouraged to apply for a share of a funding pot of over £3 million that has been raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery to support projects which will help people in the area and their communities.

Applications are open from 1 August until the 15 August, 2018, with both community groups and local charities being eligible to apply for the grants of between £500 and £20,000.

The funding is available through three trusts which focus on different themes: People’s Postcode Trust supports projects aimed at promoting human rights, employability and combatting poverty Postcode Community Trust focuses on initiatives that benefit communities through the delivery

of grass-roots health and wellbeing programmes Postcode Local Trust looks for applications that aim to improve biodiversity and outdoor spaces.

Over 350 projects were awarded with grants in the last funding round. With previously funded projects ranging from sports clubs, to mental health groups, to wildlife conservation charities, this is a fantastic opportunity for groups to access funding to make a difference in the local community.

Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “Charities and good causes are at the heart of what we do at People’s Postcode Lottery, and we’ve seen funding from these trusts makes a huge difference to communities. I’m very excited to see the applications come in this

sometimes associated with the process can be eliminated.”

VFS Global manages millions of applications a year, across five continents, for 59 client governments worldwide. VFS Global is the largest visa service provider in India and serves 45 client governments in India.

Latest contract wins for VFS Global in India include:

New Zealand: in 2018, Visa Application Centres opened in 10 cities Dominican Republic: in 2018, Visa Application Centres opened in 5 cities Algeria: in December 2017, Visa Application Centres opened in 16 cities In 2018, Belgium Visa Application Centres opened in 6 more cities in India, in addition to centres already present in 9 cities.

year from across Great Britain.

Across the three trusts, a huge variety of projects can benefit and I’d urge groups to take a look at the websites, see where their project fits and get applying!”

A minimum of 32% from every

People’s Postcode Lottery ticket goes directly to good causes. To date, players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £320 million for more than 4,000 good causes across Great Britain and internationally.

Applications are open from 1 August until the 15 August, 2018

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VICIOUS FIGHT Inside Bridal Shop in Alum Rock A

vicious fight broke out inside a Birmingham bridal shop Seher Boutique on Alum Rock Road, Alum Rock on Saturday 21 July around 5.30pm as onlookers watched in horror Bystanders gathered outside as armed police and ambulance crews raced to the scene where a mass brawl broke out which reportedly included the use of weapons.

Four people, who were badly hurt have also been arrested.

A local resident in Alum Rock, who didn’t want to be named, said: “Yeah, I witnessed it.

“The owners called for help and it was just carnage, people were watching in shock from outside the window.

“Metal poles from inside the shop were used - there was just blood everywhere inside the shop. That’s why they’ve got a police tent blocking it today.”

Another bystander, speaking just yards away from the crime scene, added: “This was all blocked off

yesterday, you had armed police, paramedics.

“I saw a woman who had blood seeping from her head, she was led away by police officers.

“The shutters were pulled down and that’s when you could hear lots of screaming and shouting.

“I don’t know what’s going on in Birmingham lately but it’s not good. It’s all going downhill.”

The shop has been cordoned off and two officers are standing guard outside the shop, where rails of clothing remain outside.

Police have confirmed two men, one aged 24 and the other of unknown age; and two women, aged 22 and 46, were injured in the incident.

In a statement, a West Midlands Police spokesman said: “We were called to reports of a disorder in a shop on Alum Rock Road at around 5.40pm yesterday (21 July).

“A number of people were reported to have been fighting with weapons.

“Three people were treated

in hospital for minor injuries and have been arrested.

“A fourth person remains in hospital with a fractured eye socket and is also under arrest.

“Searches continue at the scene today.

“At this stage, we believe it to be an isolated incident, but investigations are continuing.

“Officers are examining CCTV, and anyone with footage of the incident has been asked to contact police on 101.”

My Asian Family – The Musical BBC Four My Asian Family – The Musical tells the epic and inspiring story of one Asian family, the Thakrars, across three generations.

Just 12 of them came to Britain in 1972 with nothing, fleeing for their lives from Idi Amin’s Uganda. Since then they’ve not just made Britain their home, they’ve prospered – finding jobs, love and new lives. Now they number ninety members across three generations.

Their story is followed from the beginning of their new lives as immigrants in the seventies through song and dance, in a gloriously choreographed, visual feast of movement and Their story is followed from the beginning of their new lives as immigrants in the seventies through song and dance, in a gloriously choreographed, visual feast of movement and colour.

The unique songs bring each family member’s story to life.The Thakrars have maintained their Hindu religion and preserved cultural traditions at the same time as adapting to British ways. Jyoti, the youngest daughter of 10 siblings who originally came from Uganda, narrates their story wondering whether it was the birth of her great niece Rianna in 2002, that

tipped the balance and made Leicester the first majority Asian city in Europe.

The Thakrars have maintained their Hindu religion and preserved cultural traditions at the same time as adapting to British ways. Jyoti, the youngest daughter of 10 siblings who originally came from Uganda, narrates their story wondering whether it

was the birth of her great niece Rianna in 2002, that tipped the balance and made Leicester the first majority Asian city in Europe.

My Asian Family – The Musical is part of the BBC’s Big British Asian Summer season.

My Asian Family – The Musical is part of the BBC’s Big British Asian Summer season.

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Young people set to take over Eastside as Gallery 37 returns to Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM LARGEST TALENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS BACK!!!

GALLERY 37 hits the streets with a bold programme of pop-up events and liveworkshops this AUG, reaching hundreds of 16-25 year-olds IT BRINGS MODERN, PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES TO HUNDREDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY – THE SEASON

HIGHLIGHT WILL BE A 4 WEEK-LONG IMMERSIVE RESIDENCY FOR FIFTY ARTISTS. “Gallery 37 had a transformational affect on my art, working practise and helped me to unpack my future work and business ideas. I would fully recommend this for all artists who want to network into Birmingham’s creative community.”

NAMIWA JAZZ – local Afrotwang artist PROFESSIONAL MENTORS IN FILM, MUSIC AND ART WILL ENSURE EVERYONE WHO LEAVES GALLERY 37 WILL BE JOBREADY, ABLE TO MAKE THEIR MARK ON THE REGION’S FLOURISHING CREATIVE INDUSTRIES. more info on gallery 37 @punchrecords or www. wearepunch.co.uk

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Midland Met Hospital job gets the Citizen Khan and Ackley Bridge ‘cold shoulder’ forcing bosses to star Adil Ray contacts police after ABUSE on social media ask for public bailout

T

he NHS trust behind the delayed Midland Metropolitan Hospital job is set to now ask the government to bail the project out which has been postponed ever since its builder Carillion went bust in January.

Toby Lewis, chief executive of the Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS trust, said board members will examine the contract, asking government for cash to complete the £350m job being built under a PFI contract, when it meets tomorrow.

It is expected to cost another £150m to complete and Lewis said: “We will consider an executive recommendation to complete the Midland Metropolitan Hospital construction under direct contract, using public money from national sources.

This would be in preference to procuring a new private finance vehicle.”

But Lewis said contractors’ appetite for completing it under a private finance contract without the trust taking on a greater share of risk was on the wane.

He admitted: “The board opted for private finance in 2014, and again in early 2018 when we considered that an option existed to refinance the existing vehicle. That option was not accepted.

“The challenges to completing a part built facility require that we retain more latent risk, and in those circumstances the public financed option is narrowly preferred.”

Greg Craig, the chief executive of Skanska, which had been talking to the trust about taking over the job before discussions broke down at the end of May, told Building this week: “We came to a position where we could complete building for the trust in a very low risk manner [but] it turned out

that wasn’t what all of the backers wanted.”

Lewis said if the board agree to ask the government for a bailout, he expected a decision “in the coming weeks”.

Funding was pulled from the project in June when the European Investment Bank, which was part of a consortium of five banks that loaned the NHS trust £107m to pay for the construction work, confirmed it had terminated the deal.

The hospital is now expected to be completed in 2022. In June, a National Audit Office report revealed that Carillion had lost £48m alone on the scheme last year and said it had been shattered by a 17 month delay to “critical” design elements, poor structural designs and spatial constraints that made it difficult to fit all the plant machinery necessary on site.

Citizen Khan star Adil Ray communicated with the police after a protruding Birmingham food blogger said: "Let's hang, draw and quarter him outside the Bulllring."

The actor and broadcaster, from Yardley Wood, rejected suggestions the comment, posted on the @MeatOneVegBlog Twitter account, was a "light-hearted gag" and said it was "just nasty".

Ray, currently starring in Channel 4's Ackley Bridge drama, tweeted West Midlands Police , a second force account and Twitter officials to ask: "Can we report this?"

He was responding to a tweet from @MeatOneVegBlog which said: "I'm hugely against the death penalty until I remember that the man who writes Citizen

Khan gets paid via my TV licence direct debit.

"Bring it back. Let's hang, draw and quarter him outside the Bullring."

An apology was displayed on the @MeatOneVegBlog account saying: "Apologies if anyone found my earlier tweet offensive.

"It was a joke and meant completely in jest."

"I realised that it was in poor taste and removed it.

"I apologise for that tweet.

"If anyone is offended, or felt in any way genuinely threatened by that joke, then I apologise for that too.

"To be clear, I do not want people to hang, draw and quarter anyone outside of the Bullring."

After the tweet was deleted, Ray messaged Twitter and police

to ask: "Can we report this?

"I don't fancy being hung in my city.

"Oh and this isn't a lighthearted gag, it's just nasty."

In a second tweet, he said: "Here's a photo as now deleted.

"Please let me know what action I can take please."

West Midlands Police responded to Ray via a direct message on Twitter.

Last month, Ray, 44, revealed plans for a film spin-off of his BBC sitcom , which is set in Birmingham.

He said he wanted to take the well-liked character to the United States for a meeting with US President Donald Trump.

Ray said the full publication would be made “very soon”.

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PRIYANKA AND NICK JONAS ENGAGED

AUGUST 2018

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Nick proposed to Priyanka on her 36th birthday

SRK's daughter, Suhana Khan causes a stir - PAGE 21

Gulab Jamun Trio - PAGE 21

These two have only been dating for a couple of months and are now engaged.

Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra first sparked rumours of a romance back at the 2017 Met Gala, where they walked the red carpet together.

The pair have been nearly inseparable and back In June, Priyanka met Nick's family when she accompanied him to his cousin's wedding in New Jersey.

Later that month, Jonas traveled to India with Chopra to meet her family.

While in India, Jonas broke his silence on his relationship with Priyanka by posting a video of her on his Instagram story. The singer proposed to the Quantico star on her 36th birthday while they were in London together, according to the insider.

Jonas was apparently serious about

choosing the engagement ring. He reportedly closed down a Tiffany & Co. store in New York City just so he could choose the right piece.

Nick has previously been linked to Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and was rumoured to have been dating Kate Hudson back in 2015.

Here's to the future Mr. and Mrs. Jonas!

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Akshay and Salman on Forbes List 2018

t s u M A a m Soor Watch Diljit Dosanjh’s latest movie Soorma based on the hockey legend Sandeep Singh’s collected over 25 crores on its second weekend.

The story of the film is so inspiring that many schools are keeping a special screening for the kids and to encourage them to achieve their dream no matter what problems you face, just like the hockey player Sandeep Singh did.

Soorma is an inspiring true story of the human spirit, about a player, who made headlines for his miraculous comeback after an unfortunate accident.

Anushka and Virat UK tour Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli are undoubtedly one of the most adorable and sorted celebrity couples of Bollywood and are currently enjoying the streets of England.

The captain of the Indian Cricket and his team are in the UK for a

t u O s k a e p S o t a v Demi Lo tion ic d d A r e H t u o b A

Rita Bhaduri Dies At 62

Veteran actress Actress Rita Bhaduri passed away at the age of 62 on Tuesday 16 July She was last seen as Imarti Devi in Star Bharat’s TV show Nimki Mukhiya.

The actress was suffering from kidney ailment and had to go for dialysis every other day and was in hospital for the last 10 days.

Rita acted in over 70 movies like Raja, Julie, Beta, Dil Vil Pyar Vyar, and 30 TV shows including Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, Choti Bahu, Kumkum, Khichdi and many others. The news about her sudden demise left the entire film and television industry shocked.

Her last rites were performed at the Cremation Ground in Andheri East, Mumbai. Condolences started pouring in for the late actor ever since the news of her demise. From

Bollywood actors Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar have made it to the Forbes list of the World's 100 Highest-Paid Celebrities in 2018.

According to the forbes list Akshay Kumar came on the 76th position with income worth $40.5 million, and a Salman Khan making $37.7 million featuring him at 94th Superstar Shah Rukh Khan who was ranked 65th in the Forbes 2017 list – has dropped out of this year’s Forbes list.

The Bollywood stars join the ranks of international actors such as George Clooney and Dwayne Johnson in 'The World's HighestPaid Entertainers 2018 list which is topped by American Boxer, Floyd Mayweather ($285 million).

The youngest on this list is the 20-year-old Kylie Jenner.

Anil Kapoor, Riteish Deshmukh to Juhi Parmar and Rubina Dilaik, everyone remembered Rita as a great actor and a very good human being.

Pop singer Demi Lovato issued her first statement after she was taken to hospital for a suspected drug overdose in July.

Lovato, 25, posted on Instagram "I have always been transparent about my journey with addiction".

Will.I.Am stunned by 10-Year-Old Krishna

three-month tour and recently won T20 and will be playing England in the test series in August.

Virat and Anushka have been spotted going out for walks, shopping and coffee on their tour of England.

"This illness is not something that... fades with time. It is something I must continue to overcome," she said.

Lovato has spoken about her struggle with addiction, bipolar and eating disorders.

In her statement, the singer thanked her family and medics at Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai hospital, saying that "without them I wouldn't be here writing this letter to all of you".

"I want to thank God for keeping me alive and well.

To my fans, I am forever grateful for all your love and support."

She said she now needed "time to heal and focus on my sobriety and road to recovery", adding that "I will keep fighting".

Lovato revealed her drug use began at the age of 17.

The Voice Kids UK had viewers and the panel stunned by 10-year-old Krishna from London with his Bollywood remix of Calvin Harris and Disciples hit How Deep is Your Love as he played the harmonium He performed a mashup of Balam Pichkari and How Deep Is Your Love and was immediately selected by one of the judges, Will.I.Am, to mentor him.

The internet is going gaga over his lovely rendition of the two songs.

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Desixpress movie massala Desixpress mUSIC massala Desixpress massala SIC Desixpress movie massala Desixpress mUSIC massala Desixpress movie movie massala

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Bieber To Wed

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BOLLYWOOD BOLLYWOOD

Deepika Padukone In Madame Tussauds Bollywood sensation Deepika Padukone will soon get a wax statue at the Madame Tussauds museums in London and New Delhi.

Deepika will follow in the footsteps of Bollywood stars such as Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif to be immortalised in wax at the popular museum.

Deepika who is

currently in the UK took to Facebook Live and announced her news “It’s fun, exciting and in a way I feel a lot of gratitude because you know when you give your fans a little more than just the movies, then it’s really, really special. I hope they enjoy it as much as we enjoy creating it,” She said that the only time she’d visited the museum was in London, with her parents when she was a child. To get the call to have her own statue exhibited made her “Very, very excited.”

The 24-year-old singer Justin Bieber and 21-year-old Hailey Baldwin, model and daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin are already planning their wedding. The two young stars have only been engaged a few weeks but have been linked together on and off for about three years.

The couple are still in early planning stages but have decided they want a small, intimate wedding.

The Bachchan Trio in Gulab Jamun Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her husband Abhishek Bachchan will be starring in new movie Gulab Jamun together. Rumours have it that the casting will include Sir Amitabh Bachchan in the film!

Gulab Jamun, directed by SarveshMewara is touted as a slice-of-life film that tells the story of a three-generation family and Sr.Bachchan will play the first generation.

The trio will be coming together on screen after 10 years after Sarkar Raj back in 2008.

Ash’s Special Role an h K a n a In Fanney Khan oSnuVhogue Cover

Bollywood beauty Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will have a special appearance in the movie Fanney Khan and will play the role of a pop sensation a ‘desi’ Madonna Aishwarya Rai will have a 20-minute appearance in the film with two songs a dance number and a love track.

The film, also starring Anil Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao, is a remake of Everybody’s Famous.

Fanney Khan is to hit theatres on August 3.

riticism

Stirs C

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter is on the cover of Vogue India and has caused much criticism.

Many have posted angrily on social media that Suhana Khan, 18 doesn't deserve the cover because she hasn't achieved anything to warrant being there.

Vogue cover is normally reserved for top models, actresses or singers at the peak of their careers.

Suhana Khan describes herself as "student, theatre lover, future star".

Her father is known as the King of Bollywood and many have complained nepotism is why she is on the cover.

The magazine's Instagram post introduced her as the new girl on the block. It got more than 36,000 likes.

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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 Tu Rendhe Tindy BAAGHI & Rixx 2 - Navraj and Sudesh Hans Kumari 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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Laung Laachi Gabbroo Gabbroo Jassie Mannat GillNoor ft. Preet Hundal Jassie Gill ft. Preet Hundal

Lahore Akhil Akhil Teri Kami Guru Randhawa Teri Kami

Galtiyan Ashok Prince, Tru-Skool Ashok Time Knight Zack 4 YaPrince, Mind Tru-Skool Time 4 Ya Mind

Illegal PBN & Weapon Raj Bains Garry Sandhu & Jasmin Walia PBNAkh & Raj Bains Billi Billi Akh

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

High Bina Tere End TereDosanjh Bina Monty DIljit & Waris, Ginni Kapoor Monty & Waris, Ginni Kapoor

Teeje Week Skoda SkodaBawa Ranjit Jordon Sandhu ft. Bhinda Aujla Ranjit Bawa ft. Bhinda Aujla

Trending Ikk Vaari Nakhra Hor Soch Lae Ikk Vaari Hor Soch Lae Harish Amrit Maan Verma Harish Verma

Naah Kulwinder Billa Kulwinder Billa Kulwinder Hardy Sandhu Billa Kulwinder Billa

RaateDi Selfi Boliyan Gedi SelfiDosanjh eSingh Boliyan Malkit Diljit ft. Dj Vix Malkit Singh ft. Dj Vix

UK UKARTISTS CHART UK ARTISTS

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One Kiss Dance One DrakeDance Calvin Harris feat Wizkid & Dua Lipa and Kyla Drake feat Wizkid and Kyla

No Left To Cry ColdTears Water Ariana Grande Cold Water Major Lazer and Justin Beiber Major Lazer and Justin Beiber

NiceGood Too For What Too Good Drake feat Rihanna Drake feat Rihanna

Freaky This is what Fridayyou came for This isHarris what you came for Calvin Lil Dicky ft Chris feat Brown Rihanna Calvin Harris feat Rihanna

Paradise Heathens Heathens Twenty George Ezra One Pilots Twenty One Pilots

Closer Lullaby Closer Chainsmokers Halsey Sigala & Palomafeat Faith Chainsmokers feat Halsey

2002 Perfect Strangers Anne-Marrie Perfect Jonas BlueStrangers feat JP Cooper Jonas Blue feat JP Cooper

Tears The Middle Tears Clean BanditMorris/Grey feat Louisa Johnson Zedd/Maren Clean Bandit feat Louisa Johnson

This Girl Psycho This Girl Kungs Vs Cooking on 3 Burners Post Malone ft Ty Dolla Sign Kungs Vs Cooking on 3 Burners

We Don't Love Lies Talk Anymore We Don't Talk Anymore Charlie feat Selena Gomez Khalid &Puth Normani Charlie Puth feat Selena Gomez

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AUGUST 2018

Love Island 2018 influencer power list D

ani & Jack may have won the competition, but the social media currency earned in the villa means lucrative careers await for those unlucky in love too.

Dani & Jack were the winning couple on last night’s Love Island 2018 finale, but they weren’t the only winners to emerge from this summer’s reality show saga – plenty of their housemates now have careers as celebrity influencers waiting for them.

Reports are already suggesting that the Islanders are on course to cash in £millions thanks to public appearances and social media campaigns, and even the those who left the villa early will have the opportunity to make the

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Anderson, Josh Denzel and Kazimir Crossley, who all failed to make the Top 10.

Love Island 2018 Influencer Power List (Top 10) Caroline Flack – 3.7m Fans Dani Dyer – 2.0m Fans Jack Fincham – 1.4m Fans Georgia Steel – 1.3m Fans Adam Collard – 0.98m Fans Alex George – 0.97m Fans Megan Barton Hanson – 0.87m Fans Samira Mighty – 0.86m Fans Wes Nelson – 0.85m Fans Kendall Rae-Knight – 0.82m Fans To see the full Love Island 2018 Influencer Power List with all contestants, go to: https:// sportstarinfluencer.com/journal/ fun/love-island-2018-powerlist

most of their new celebrity status.

Indeed, according to new data from Filter Digital, ‘love rat’ Adam Collard ranks ahead of finalists Megan Barton Hanson and Wes Nelson, as well as ahead of Dr Alex George, when it comes to their fan following across social media channels.

Unsurprisingly, Love Island 2018 winners Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham top the list of Islander Influencers, but their combined followers still fall short of Love Island host Caroline Flack.

Georgia ‘Little G’ Steel comes up close behind Jack Fincham. Kendall RaeKnight, who was the first to be dumped from the Island, surprisingly scores highly – ahead of finalists Laura

Dani & Jack were the winning couple on Love Island's 2018 finale

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INTERNATIONAL

Pakistan general election – Victory for former cricket star Imran Khan Former cricket star-turnedpolitician Imran Khan has promised to build a “new” Pakistan as he stated victory in the country’s quarrelled election.

The leader of Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party gave a live-televised address, a day after tens of millions of people cast their ballots in an election marred by violence.

The leader of Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party gave a live-televised address, a day after tens of millions of people cast their ballots in an election marred by violence.

An official result has not yet been broadcasted following delays in counting and allegations of vote rigging.

Mr Khan said, “We were successful and we were given

a mandate” “All our policies will be focused on bringing up the poorest segment of society.

“No political leader has ever been a victim of as many personal attacks as I have over the last few years but our mission is much bigger than me.

“I say to the people of this country today: we will govern Pakistan like it has never been governed before.”

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the party of jailed ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, has called the count an “assault on democracy” in a country which has a history of military rule.

Mr Sharif’s brother Shehbaz, who leads the party, rejected the vote,

calling it “sheer rigging”.

“The way the people’s mandate has blatantly been insulted, it is intolerable,” he said.

“We totally reject this result. It is a big shock to Pakistan’s democratic process.”

In his speech, Mr Khan said: “If parties are saying there has been vote rigging, they should name the polling stations and we will open an investigation.”

After a suicide bombing outside a polling station in Quetta on Wednesday The election was hit by violence that killed at least 31 people – including five policeman and two children.

Terror group Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

RACE EQUALITY Children as young as 12 FOUNDATION contacting Childline about APPOINTS NEW forced marriage, NSPCC reveals CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Young children are being pressurised into marrying strangers but fear being rejected from their community if they refuse, the NSPCC has warned.

Girls as young as 12 have contacted Childline about being forced to marry, with 109 counselling sessions on the issue in 2017/18. There were just under 10,500 visits to the Childline forced marriage website page in the same year.

Children told counsellors they were frightened of being taken out of the country for marriage and reported emotional abuse by their parents about the issue.

In 2017/18 the NSPCC’s Helpline received calls from many worried adults of which 14 of these calls were serious enough to refer onto an external agency such as the police and social services.

The NSPCC is revealing the figures as the UK’s school summer holiday begins, a time when some families can

exploit the long break to take children overseas and force them to marry.

In some instances children may have been told that they are going on a normal holiday and do not realise that they are heading to their wedding day with a complete stranger.

Once they are abroad they may find themselves isolated and find it difficult to raise the alarm and halt the marriage.

The secretive nature of forced marriage combined with feelings of loyalty to family and community can mean it is difficult to grasp the true scale of the problem, the NSPCC warned.

John Cameron, Head of NSPCC Helpline said: “No child should be forced into marriage and we must be clear that, regardless of cultural expectations, this is a crime and a form of child abuse. Forcing a child to marry shows a complete lack of regard for their feelings, thoughts or ambitions.”

It is a criminal offence to force someone to marry and can result in a prison sentence of up to seven years, but many children said their parents were bullying them and threatening them into it.

A 17-year-old girl told counsellors: “I got forced to marry last year. I never wanted any of this. My friends are being supportive but I can’t talk to my mum about it as she thinks he’s the best thing for me and told me that if I end the marriage she won’t speak to me ever again. I’ve never even met him.”

An 18-year-old girl told Childline: “My parents are talking about taking me back to my home country to get married, but I don’t want to.

They get violent when I don’t do what they want. I want to leave home but they’d never agree to it. I just want to live a normal teenage life, but they won’t let me.”

Worries about family

honour and cultural expectations sometimes acted as barriers for children speaking up while some young people feared that their relatives would be punished if they sought support.

The NSPCC is urging any adult who is worried about a child being forced into marriage to contact the NSPCC helpline, and any child who is concerned to get in touch with Childline so they can be given support and measures can be taken to stop them from being forced into marriage.

The Trustees of the Race Equality Foundation are pleased to announce that Jabeer Butt OBE has been appointed as its new Chief Executive Officer. Jabeer has worked for the Foundation for 26 years and has served for the last 12 years as Deputy CEO. During that time he played a key role in developing the highly acclaimed Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities Parenting Programme, and most recently spearheading work exploring the needs of black and minority ethnic people living with dementia. Despite the financial constraints on small charities and the low priority given to race equality, the Foundation continues to secure improvements for black and minority ethnic and other poorly served communities in

the health and social care sector and to be a strong champion of equality and human rights.

Jabeer replaces Ratna Dutt who retired as CEO in September 2017 after successfully leading the Foundation for thirty years.

Constantia Pennie, Chair of Trustees said: “Jabeer is passionate about challenging racism and has demonstrated his commitment to standing alongside Black and Minority people experiencing overt and unconscious racial inequality.

Jabeer Butt, Chief Executive Officer said: “I am delighted to be appointed Chief Executive and very much look forward to continuing the success and dedication that the Foundation has delivered to the communities we serve”.

24

AUGUST 2018

THE ASIAN TODAY PR supremo and food blogger Anita Champaneri brings her blog Ms Delicious PR and all things food to The Asian Today, bringing all the news from hot restaurants to cool bars and everything in between. www.msdeliciouspr.blogspot.com

COCKTAILS AND CURRIES

FOOD & TRAVEL

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Indian celebrity cake maker creates knockout cake for Hollywood Heavyweight

Dirty Martini Birmingham is shaking up bottomless brunch this summer with a new martini offering.

The Martini Brunch launches this month and includes martinis, bottomless prosecco and delicious food for just £25.

Guests can choose from a selection of classic martinis from the Martini Brunch menu featuring all of the bar’s favourites, including the Passionfruit Martini, the Blood Orange & Vanilla Martini, the Mango & Chilli Martini, the French Martini and the Espresso Martini*.

The sophisticated brunch will be served with the Brunch Birdcage; a selection of food including beef sliders, buttermilk fried chicken and arancini. A vegetarian Brunch Birdcage option is also available.

Me and the girls are really looking forward to indulging in it this summer!

If you're looking to keep things spicy this summer, why not head to Moseley and try Indioz’s new Summer Menu.

Located on the Alcester Road, Indioz was established in 2006 and has quickly become a firm favourite amongst residents of Moseley and King’s Heath.

With a wide selection of dishes including plentiful vegetarian and gluten free options, the summer menu has been expanded to include a selection of new dishes including thali and lighter options.

Owner Ash Khan invited us down to try some new delights and they certainly didn’t disappoint. Burning red chicken niblets were a favourite as well as the succulent mixed grill.

The mains were big on spice too. The curries were properly spiced, they weren’t afraid to turn up the burn factor. Usually curries in a thali are pretty average but these mini portions were spot on the money. The dhal was rich and creamy, the naans were soft and fluffy and the poppadums were perfect.

Indioz has proven popular with Moseley dwellers. And with a bring your own booze policy, everything is suddenly that much more affordable!

With Moseley becoming a it of a curry destination with Zindiya and the newly back opened Deolali its still a great place to visit for a more casual weekend of socialising.

Get more food news on twitter @deliciouspr and on the web : www.msdeliciouspr.blogspot.com

A celebrity baker from Wolverhampton was on cloud nine when he was tasked with creating a knockout cake for Hollywood legend Sylvester Stallone’s 72nd birthday recently.

Paz Singh Heer, who runs AB Cakes in Wolverhampton, said he was delighted to have been asked to make a cake for his favourite film star as part of the ‘Experience with Sylvester Stallone’ event at Birmingham’s ICC on Saturday 7 July at which they celebrated over 40 years of ‘Rocky’.

The 6-foot, six tier, Rockythemed sponge cake went down a treat with Sly, host Charlie Webster, and the audience. He cut the masterpiece with a 13inch Rambo knife to a chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ from the excited crowds.

Paz said: “It was all so surreal.

He loved the cake and thanked me for my effort. He seemed like a nice guy.

“It took me six days to create.

I started the cake on Sunday and it was complete by Friday. There were lots of early mornings and late nights, but it was definitely worth it.

Paz has become the go-to baker for out-of-the-box cakes for a whole host of high profile sportsmen, musicians and actors over the past year, even creating a 7-foot-tall cake for Arnold Schwarzenegger in September to celebrate 30 years of ‘Predator’.

His first celebrity cake was a wedding cake for Bhangra artist Jassi Sidhu back in 2012, but the past 16 months has seen him ramp up the heat since being

approached by boxer Floyd Mayweather’s promotions team to help ‘wow’ the star for his 40th birthday celebrations.

Since then he has produced ingenious masterpieces for Bhangra artists Jazzy B, Punjabi

By Nature and the Warris Brothers, Hip Hop stars Cardi B and Migos, the World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall, Grime artist Bugzy Malone, boxer Anthony Joshua, R'n'B legend Ginuwine, and UK Garage singer Kele Le Roc. “I loved making all of them. I was given free rein on most of the cakes, so I took my time to plan every detail meticulously.”

For more information about AB Cakes visit www.ab-cakes.co.uk.

Tea room and pati Grand Central by a A Great British Bake Off contestant is introducing a new tearoom and patisserie in Grand Central shopping centre, Birmingham City Centre, the shop will open at noon on Monday, August 6.

Cocoa by Ali has been founded by Ali Imdad , who starred in the 2013 series of the hit show and then the Christmas special.

The business is owned by Safraaz Mukadam ‘working in collaboration with Ali Imdad’ and will be based in Grand Central’s long-closed former Francesca unit, next door to Yakinor i.

Following getting through to Great British Bake Off series, Ali, who is from Saltley , set up the Artisan dessert parlour on the Ladypool Road in Sparkhill .

Around two years ago he opened a pop-up chocolate patisserie in the Bullring that

ran for six weeks nearby to Debenhams and Caffè Nero.

“My new cafe will have tables and chairs for people

Holy Moly Macaroni Birmingham's first macaroni cheese restaurant has opened in Grand Central Holy Moly! Brum’s first macaroni cheese restaurant has opened its doors inside Grand Central and it looks stunning, brings a Harlem soul food vibe to the city centre.

Anthony was inspired to open a restaurant after visiting New York and experiencing Harlem 'soul food'.

He said: "I visited the most incredible restaurant called Red Rooster in Harlem. I fell in love with the place - the food, the music, the people, the culture. But, out of everything, my number one love was the mac and cheese.

It was the dish that, for me,

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After serving up his dream food on Brum's restaurant scene, Anthony and his business partner now have a permanent home bringing a taste of US soul food to the city of Birmingham.

Anthony added: "Our restaurant has mac and cheese as the hero but we also do fried chicken, waffles, all those Harlem soul foods that complement it so well."

There are an astonishing 12 toppings to choose from on the extensive menu - developed by head chef Kai Lo.

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sserie to be opened in Great British Bake Off star new tearoom and patisserie in Grand Central shopping centre

to grab a cake or tart with a coffee and relax in peace,” says Ali. “The overall look has a

feminine charm, inspired by 1920s’ Art Deco as well as the British Summer.

“The menu will be high-

end pastry, tarts, cakes, mousses, macarons and eclairs, all baked in-house.

“From double chocolate hazelnut brownie bars, to yuzu meringue pie, as well as Ruby chocolate tarts!

“We will also have our afternoon tea that was a sellout success in the pop-up.

“At £19.95 per person, you will get a selection of sandwiches (halal, vegetarian options available), homemade scones, selections of jams and clotted cream, and our speciality petit fours that look divine and taste even better.”

Cocoa by Ali will also serve a selection of savoury dishes including filled bagels, hot deep-filled pies and Japanese-style sandwiches as well as taking orders for wedding cake and celebration cake orders too.

WIN FAMILY TICKETS To be in with a chance to win free entry to West Midlands Safari Park email: Anita@theasiantoday.com With your name and contact number

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25

Pint Shop to open in Bennetts Hill Birmingham city centre N

ew city pub Pint Shop will concentrate in craft beer, gin and good British food when it opens in Bennetts Hill, Birmingham.

Birmingham city centre is getting a fantastic new dining pub and beer garden experience, equipped with a charcoal sp it roast and grill. Pint Shop will open in early October inside a listed former office building that dates back to 1860.

The move will add yet another vigorous destination to Bennetts Hill, a former financial quarter now fast becoming one of the city’s prominent entertainment areas packed with restaurants and bars.

Pint Shop is run by an independent pub group and this venue will be its third - with two other pubs in Oxford and Cambridge.

Armed with the words 'Meat. Bread. Beer.' on its logo, the pub will offer “fresh, seasonal British produce and local and national ales.”

Pint Shop’s new home is a listed building with an impressive carved-stonework frontage and developers are

hoping to retain as many interior period features as possible.

As well as a bar area on the ground floor, there will be a dining room with more than 50 covers on the first floor.

The new venue will be next door to the city’s famous real ale pub, The Wellington, which allows drinkers to take in their own food.

Other nearby businesses include Dirty Martini (formerly Viva Brazil), Lost & Found , Cosy Club, JD Wetherspoon’s The Briar Rose, Sun on the Hill, Indian Streatery, Ask Italian, Bodega Cantina & Bar, Buffalo & Rye and Amantia.

Co-owner Rich Holmes says: “We’re really excited to be bringing Pint Shop to Birmingham and are thrilled

to have secured two of the city’s most experienced hospitality professionals to take charge of our new site.

“We’re moving into a beautiful building on Bennetts Hill and intend to keep as many of the original features as possible.

“We can’t wait to get the work completed and show Birmingham what Pint Shop is all about!”

Accolades include a place in the The Sunday Times Top 100 Restaurants 2017 and Observer Food Monthly Awards – Best Bar & Best Sunday Lunch runner-up 2016 & 2017.

The Pint Shop has also been listed in the Michelin Pub Guide – 2018; The Good Food Guide – 2016, 2017, 2018.

Gucci Boutique at Selfridges Birmingham The much-anticipated Gucci boutique opens on Level 4 of Selfridges Birmingham, today (Wednesday, August 1), bringing a new level of luxury to the premium city department store.

Lovers of the Italian designer brand will be able to snap up its latest collections of shoes, accessories and fashion as it joins the classic brands of Burberry, Christian Louboutin, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany, and Jimmy Choo on the top floor.

Sam Watts, Selfridges Birmingham general manager,

said: “There’s no better luxury destination in the city than Selfridges Birmingham and we’re excited to add Gucci to the roll-call of deluxe collections to Level 4. We know our customers appreciate being able to source the very best brands in one place, which is why we are constantly working to make shopping here an exciting and dynamic experience.”

The Christian Louboutin and Burberry boutiques opened just a couple of weeks ago on Level 4, while Louis Vuitton, Tiffany and Jimmy Choo, plus Shoes

Galleries, which is the store’s largest shoe department outside London with more than 1,700 styles from nearly 50 designers, opened earlier this year, taking the exclusive premium brands to more than 200. And, of course, Level 4 is also home to Fumo restaurant, the leading Champagne bar and restaurant.

The transformation of the city's luxury destination will be complete at the end of summer, when the department store unveils its newly refurbished personal shopping suite.

26

AUGUST 2018

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reputation that results in better applicants.

These organisations are so busy trying to find copies of themselves they forget that the world of business evolves every day and the once heralded derigueur methodologies like Prince 2 only work when you are building a power station.

Finding someone who can bring Microsoft Project to life and understands risk mitigation and the difference between an assumption and an issue has gone beyond a template and has evolved a new skillset.

Forcing people to think inside the box will do you no good. Asking applicants to answer one challenging question is much better than using CVs. And while you are at it, who are you targeting?

As I said above, copies of yourselves.

Competition for talent is a global challenge. We already know that there are more

27

BUSINESS

How your recruitment strategy might be destroying your competitive advantage

I have heard from many of my friends how difficult they are finding it to engage with companies with job vacancies. Many organisations (particularly in the public sector) don't even acknowledge applications and fail to provide feedback.

Obviously, I support the use of recruitment agencies, some of them are good but a whole industry has been set up around making it difficult to apply for a job and then never providing any information that might be useful to the applicant. Do we do this is our workplace?

Do we make it difficult for people to perform well and then when they don't, fail to give feedback that they can use so they don't fail again?

I think some employees and some recruitment agencies think it is a buyers’ market. They don't think that treating applicants well creates beneficial relationships and a good

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young Chinese with top IQs than there are American students. There are more game changers born into poor families in the Indian subcontinent than we have roles for.

If you want your business to be sustainably competitive you must change how and who you recruit.

1. Look at your hiring policy: are you encouraging out of the box thinkers or photocopies?

2. Who does your recruitment. Is it your HR department? If you want a successful culture, you need to pick the right people for reception, for your help desk as well as your senior team. Get the CEO or senior team involved. After all what is more important for sustainable success than having the right team.

3. Look where no one else is looking. Look for people who have had a tough life, who are looking

for redemption or looking to prove themselves. Look for people who have been through hell. I can't think of any roles that a woman can't do and yet we let our prejudices get in the way.

Our education system leaves a lot to be desired so why not look at foreign students.

I know the Home Office and Brexit have created a hostile environment, but you don't have to. Do you actively target the ex-military, ex-offenders, carers, minority groups, refugees and people with disabilities? You might be surprised. Talent comes in a variety of shapes and sizes.

White, male, young, middle class is only one of them.

Passion will never replace management skills but employing people who really care about their jobs will always make a difference.

Change your approach and change your long-term business success.

Meet Paul Cadman Our Business Columnist

Paul considers himself a ‘son of Birmingham’, spending his early years in the inner city areas of Bordesley Green and taking on his first job as working in the Birmingham markets.

Paul’s early school days were made more challenging due to his poor health and undiagnosed dyslexia, but these challenges only sought to make Paul more determined to succeed.

Extending his range of sports from Martial arts to include rugby , he would take every opportunity to challenge the Heavyweight Champion of the world. I would lose, but did eventually beat him after 2 years I become British All Styles Champion in 1987.

At 19 years of age he applied for the Fire Service: Paul went on to developed skills in Health and Safety, its enforcement, and the Law, being headhunted by the Bibby Line Group, where he worked for 4.5 years ending up as ops director Paul was invited to join the Futura Group as its Managing Director in 2012. He was responsible for delivering £42 million of business growth in 4 years in the automotive

sector against a £50 million 10 year target. “I strive to deliver the highest standards and have repeatedly earned the confidence of senior stakeholders by making intelligent and cost-effective decisions in difficult and deadline driven situations.”

In 2016 Paul received a series of accolades including: being one of Manufacturing Magazine’s Top 100 most inspiring and influential individuals in Manufacturing; finalist in EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year, 2016; West Midlands Business Masters Manufacturer of the Year, 2016; and Acquisition International’s Most Innovative UK Leader for 2016.

Paul was a spokesperson on manufacturing for the region’s Chambers of Commerce and has recently become a Political Advisor and Columnist.

Paul now sits on 5 charitable boards, owns shares, in 6 companies, he dedicates 50% of his working time to needy causes and working on the skills gap and ensuring there is 100% employable opportunities for everyone.

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Community spirit thriving as eight in ten brits would come together in times of need Two thirds say there’s a strong sense of community where they live: East Midlands comes out top Just under six in ten socialise with neighbours and almost one in five consider them close friends Over four in ten rely on their neighbour and just under a quarter has a neighbour that relies on them Taking in the post, collecting a parcel and watching the house while away tops neighbourly gestures Ways to build community spirit include helping elderly neighbours and raising money for local charities

In the growing age of social media, where face to face conversation often takes a back seat, new research from Nationwide Building Society shows that community spirit is far from dead, with neighbours regularly socialising and coming together to help each other.The poll reveals that around eight in ten (79%) respondents believe British people have community spirit and would come together in times of need. And more than two thirds (68%) say there is a strong sense of community where they live, while eight in ten (86%) believe being part of a community is important.

Sara Kinsey, Nationwide

Building Society’s Head Archivist, said: “It’s great to see in modern day Britain that a strong sense of community spirit still exists – even small neighbourly acts of kindness can make a big difference to people’s lives.

It dispels the myth about community spirit being an old-fashioned concept. As the research shows, it is very much alive and kicking in 2018 – just as it was when we were founded in 1846.

“People coming together to do good things for each other, helping make other’s lives better, is at the origins of how Nationwide Building Society began – the idea of a Mutual Society enabling ordinary,

working class people to save and borrow money for land and materials with which to build their own homes. While times may have changed, the same needs still exist today.”

On Monday 2 July, Nationwide Building Society launched its latest advert, telling the story of the very first building society and highlighting the importance

of everyday people helping everyday people. The new advert sees a debut for a new poet to Nationwide, Stephen Morrison-Burke, from Birmingham.

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Mercedes Benz A-Class Saloon S

aloon version of A-Class hatchback is aimed squarely at Audi's similarly shaped A3 On sale Spring 2019 Price from £26,500 (est) While small saloons have never been a popular choice among UK car buyers, in the Far East and especially China they’re big business.

So, despite slow sales, it’s easy to see why Mercedes is following in Audi’s footsteps by introducing a saloon version of its A-Class family hatchback.

Just as Audi did with the A3 Saloon in 2014, the A-Class saloon aims to offer the look and feel of Mercedes’ larger saloon models (think the C-Class) in a package that costs a whole lot less.

Here's everything you need to know about it.

The A-Class Saloon was first shown in concept form at the Shangai motor show last year. While

this production version is somewhat toned down compared with the show car, it still sports the kind of slender but aggressive shape executive car buyers desire.

Slotting in between the existing CLA and C-Class, the new saloon is marginally longer than its hatchback sibling and has more space between its front and rear axles.

Although pricing has yet

to be publicised, expect a considerable hike on the A-Class hatchback’s starting price of £22,850. The jump between Audi’s A3 hatch and its saloon sibling is only around £1700, but we’re expecting the A-Class Saloon to start from around £26,500.

As is the case between the A-Class and A3 hatchbacks already, that price would make the A-Class Saloon more expensive than its current competitor.

UK Heatwave - dogs left in cars can pose deadly dangers

A

s the UK endures to bask in a lengthy summer heatwave, motorists are constantly reminded that leaving their dogs in the car poses lethal risks.

With temperatures expected to rise again by the end of the week, the RSPCA is urging dog owners not to leave their pets locked in hot cars, this is extremely dangerous for dogs, as conditions inside can turn deadly in minutes.

Although temperatures are expected to reach the mid 30s, it’s still unsafe to leave your dog in a car when the temperature is much lower.

Even in relatively cool

temperatures of 24C, the inside of a locked car can quickly develop like a furnace, reaching 34C in just 10 minutes and a scorching 43C inside an hour.

The RSPCA warns that: “Many people still believe that it’s OK to leave a dog in a car on a warm day if the windows are left open or they’re parked in the shade, but the truth is, it’s still a very dangerous situation for the dog.

“A car can become as hot as an oven very quickly, even when it doesn’t feel that warm.”

The current law means it’s not exactly illegal to leave a

pet unattended in a car, but that doesn’t mean it is a good idea.

And if your pet becomes ill or dies as a result of your actions, then you could be charged with animal cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

In 2017, a motorist was given an 18-week prison sentence suspended for two years, a £1,900 fine, and was banned from keeping animals for 10 years after his three dogs died in the back of his car.

If you see a dog locked in car that you think is suffering from heatstroke, the first thing you should do is dial 999 immediately.

Drivers are being ‘poisoned’ by air-con British motorists are at a much more of an easier risk of being exposed to toxic air, because of the air-con systems in their cars, due to the recent heatwave.

Distressing new research suggest that some of the country’s most popular cars have air-conditioning units that are filtering out as little as 1% of toxic particles.

Listed models such as: Ford Fiestas, Volkswagen Polos, and Toyota C-HRs that are putting their owners are risk due to defective filtering systems.

The poisonous air particles, which come from other vehicles’ exhaust fumes, can cause asthma attacks and other respiratory health issues for unwary car users.

The study, carried out by researchers at Emissions Analytics, analysed the effectiveness of the airconditioning filtering systems across 11 popular models.

It found that there are up to 57,000 toxic particles in every cubic centimetre of roadside air samples, meaning motorists could be inhaling up to 28 million particles with every breath.

Research showed that the Toyota C-HR had the worst

performing filter, removing just 1% of toxic air particles, while the popular Volkswagen Polo removed 35%.

The best-performing model was the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, which filtered out 90% of pollutants even when held in heavy traffic.

Nick Molden, CEO at Emissions Analytics, said much of the problem stems from a lack of government standards for filtration systems.

He said: "There is little

data to tell consumers what they are buying. So, if you have kids with asthma or other conditions you cannot tell if the car you are buying will protect them."

The ‘Road to Zero’ strategy, announced by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, could see thousands of new charging points fitted across the country to help boost the EV industry and fuel the transport to ultra-low emission vehicles.

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'What a win!' - England win ďŹ rst Test by 31 runs When England slipped to 87-7 just after lunch on day three, leading by only 100, the game looked to be done.

However Sam Curran took control. His 63, made by assembling partnerships with Adil Rashid and Stuart Broad, that helped England add another 93 runs.

It changed the game and England carried that momentum into their bowling after tea.

The word that comes to mind when you look at Curran is character. There are not many 20-year-olds who come into Test cricket and look as assured as the Surrey man has done.

Here, he played some classy strokes and, when the time came, he changed mode and went up a gear. He

Sachin Tendulkar says Virat Kohli deserves to be ranked No 1 in the world and also reveals he offered the India captain tips on facing James Anderson

is used to having to do that in limited-overs cricket. In that sense, he is typical of the modern game.

Ravichandran Ashwin, the off-spinner who has tormented the other lefthanders in this England side, was hit straight for six, then four.

Curran then swiped Ishant Sharma over extra cover for six to bring up his half-century. How many 20-year-olds, in the history of Test cricket, have taken an opening bowler over extra cover for a maximum to reach their maiden fifty?

While all this was going on, the Hollies Stand, noisy and raucous for the first time in the match, was right behind him. Curran brought the crowd to life.

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