Today is the start of the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims across the UK who have begun their time of fasting, prayer and religious contemplations.
Asian News will like to take this opportunity to wish all those who are observing their fast, Ramadan mubarak.
If anyone wishes to post Ramadan messages please use the comments section below to do so.
The chase is on! So run to get best seat in front of the TV screen, as the rib tickling blockbuster hit Bhagam Bhag is the STAR Gold Movie of the Month and will premiere on STAR Gold on the 29th September 2007 at 9.00pm.
One of the most enthralling comedy capers and Box Office crackers of 2006, Bhagam Bhag features a list of esteemed stars including quick-witted Akshay Kumar, goofy Govinda and sultry Lara Dutta, alongside Paresh Rawal, Jackie Shroff, Rajpal Yadav and Arbaaz Khan.
Loveable Akshay Kumar performs the character of a budding actor (Bunty) in a small town theatre group in Mumbai, spearheaded by Champak Chaturved (Paresh Rawal). The characters of Bunty and his colleague Baabla (Govinda) – also an aspiring actor -are peppered with naughty streaks. A show promoter offers Champak’s group the chance to perform 30 shows in the UK, but the heroine of the play opts out due to Bunty’s misbehavior, leaving Champak Chaturved with no lead girl!
In the UK, Bunty and Baabla try to find the heroine for the play, which leads to a series of misunderstandings and comic sequences. In search of a heroine they find heroin and then begins Bhagam Bhag. The trio discovers a girl (Lara Dutta), to act in their drama and just as Bunty and Lara fall in love, her memory returns and it brings chaos into their lives, including a murdered husband!
Bhagam Bhag makes its television network premiere exclusively on STAR Gold on 29th September at 9.00pm.
Shilpa Shetty will be joining the ranks of other international celebrities and Hollywood A-listers including event host, Matt Damon, onstage at the third annual ONE X ONE Benefit Gala, when she presents Richard Gere with the prestigious ONE X ONE Difference Award on 9th September at the Four Seasons Centre, Toronto.
Exceptional people that have made a difference to the lives of others are honoured each year at the ONE X ONE Benefit Gala – one of the most significant diary events of the long established Toronto Film Festival – and this year sees Hollywood veteran Richard Gere, being honoured by none other than Bollywood peer and dear friend, Shilpa Shetty. The awards are presented in recognition of individuals who have dedicated their lives to fighting child poverty and suffering around the world.
Herself a committed charity benefactor and campaigner for global issues such as HIV/AIDS awareness and the prevention of cruelty to animals, Shilpa Shetty is honoured to be presenting the award. She tells, “I am honoured to have been invited by an organisation whose ongoing work with children suffering around the world I have so much admiration for, to present the award to Richard – a close friend and someone for whom I have the utmost respect for his selfless commitment to helping others.”
One of the key events to take place during the Toronto Film Festival, the ONE X ONE Foundation fundraising gala will also be honouring personalities such as musician Wyclef Jean, The Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson and international supermodel and philanthropist Petra Nemcova.
As well as the esteemed awards ceremony and an array of high-profile celebrity appearances, the evening will comprise music by artists such as Shakira and Wyclef Jean, recitals and a celebration of the accomplishments of those that have made a significant difference in the world, towards helping those that are less fortunate.
The One X One Benefit Gala has previously been attended by stars such as Brad Pitt, Penelope Cruz, Bono, John Legend and Kate Hudson, to raise money and awareness for children that are suffering around the world, with key children’s charities supported each year.
Pictured above: Shilpa with Richard Gere in India. Gere grabbed hold of Shilpa and kissed her. This caused controversy all over India.
I’ve been reading through the comments on this blog – apart from the fact that half the people don’t like me or my family – the same people either accuse me of making things up and trying to work out who I am.
I don’t sit here making things up – if that was the case i might as well write a novel – i think some people just have a hard time believing me because they don’t want to believe that there are people like me and many girls like me out there.
You might not agree with our lifestyles but i’m only telling you like it is.
Someone else suggested that I am related to the Editor of the paper as I share her sister’s name.
I am not related to anybody on the paper and have not even met any of the editorial staff, I write this blog and as long as i don’t offend or defame anybody as I have been told many times I am allowed to carry on with this.
By the way I am not 4ft 11 – the average height of Bengali women is over 5ft and I don’t share a house with 15 siblings (I mean where do you guys get your stereotypes from). I get accused of stereotyping but my god you guys are just as bad sometimes.
People are always trying to guess who I am – it will be rather difficult considering i live in a large city and share a popular bengali name with many other girls!
We have another Rujina on my mum’s street who gets accused by her friends for writing this. Everybody is trying to second guess, its pointless, Manchester is huge i’m afraid.
So i put my personal story for the world to read – really if you don’t like it nobody is forcing you to read it.
Anyway on a lighter note – I have good news to share.
The ex husband finally gave me my Islamic divorce in the weekend. My dad’s elder brother came to see us from London and well he just wanted to put an end to it. You see my sister wants to get married next year. She’s a graduate whose completed her LLB this year and the man she wants to marry is an IT engineer in London, but studied in Manchester where he met my sister.
She has a year to do her legal practice course and then wants to marry and move to London and work there.
Anyway my family really like the guy, his family seem really impressed with my sister, but my uncle really doesn’t want my divorce thing lingering around whilst this wedding planning goes on – and he really wants this wedding to go ahead next year. So he travelled down with his own mullah (also a family friend).
My dad invited the ex’s granddad, he also informed the ex’s family in Bnagladesh what was happening and my dad went and called the ex to come to the house. Well he kind of threatened that if he didn’t make his own way down my brother will drive to Wales and get him.
The ex’s uncle and aunt wr not invited at first because they wany to delay this for as long as they can even though my dad explained that my English divorce is almost finalised now and I am just waiting for my decree absolute.
But in the end his uncle came cos the granddad, well he doesn’t rule the family and make the big decisions.
Of course I was really excited about it – finally I am going to be completely free of the man.
It all kicked off on Sunday evening. My uncle led the meeting saying the marriage has not worked out, the girl (referring to me) wants a divorce and what was the point of waiting.
The ex husband wanted a bisar (basically a debate on who was in the wrong etc). My uncle, whose very scary when and you’ll be begging for our life). My uncle asked the ex whether he wanted to be with me. The ex replied no. My uncle asked him if he wanted a divorce, the ex said yes. So my uncle asked everybody in the room why we were waiting then. He then called the Mullah over and asked him to do what he had to do.
The ex’s uncle stood up and said this was not on and another argument broke out. We were in the dining room trying to listen in on what was being said. My uncle stood up this time and asked the ex’s uncle what was the problem. Both parties had agreed to a divorce so why wait any longer? He also kept warniing the ex’s uncle not to make him lose his temper, in fact none of us wanted my uncle to lose his temper. I have seen him punch his hand through a window when he got vexed at his son for flunking out of uni and my my mum was very worried about her new glass coffee table getting smashed.
But once my uncle raised his voice, the ex’s uncle quickly sat down. My dad had not even opened his mouth and just let his older brother take charge. my uncle was reaching his 60s but will take on any young men. he had an aura of authority around him and almost demanded respect (though people wr probably more scared than anything else).
After about two hours, things went hush in the room and the Mullah got on with his thing. He even handed me an a4 sheet that declared that I was no longer married to the ex husband and that we both wished to divorce. I signed it and dated it. This he said was for his record at the mosque in London. My sister made a copy of it in my dad’s office for my record.
After it was all over my uncle came and asked me if I was happy I smiled at him. the ex left with his uncle. They were not happy, they thought they were tricked into the whole thing. I don’t see how when my uncle rang them saying lets meet to sort it all out !
But am happy chappy. My family feel so relieved to have ended it all. They have a new wedding to plan and look forward to.
In the meantime I plan to keep things between me and dante very quiet. the last thing I want is this coming out and ruining any plans for my sister and her forthcoming wedding. I think the family she is marrying into will have a lot to say about me if they knew, but her boyfriend reckons that after the wedding, if me and Dante planned to get married they probably wouldn’t have a problem, his family are quite religious. His youngest aunt married a white man who converted to Islam and they were very happy about it and as i’ve mentioned Dante has been talking about converting as well.
So things seem to be working out.
I don’t feel sorry for the ex – he’s actually really happy in north wales according to his boss and I know cos the boss’s brother is a friend of my brother.
Next weekend is my sister’s cini faan – basically her boyfriend’s side will come down and arrange a date for the wedding and we feed their family plenty of sugary sweets and faan or phaan (basically its this special leafs from bangladesh and beetlenut chewed together).
My uncle is staying with us until the cini faan, his family will be coming over on Friday and they’ll leave together on Sunday. My uncle also had other reasons for comin to Manchester. He has sold his restaurant in Mile End London and his flat is being sold and the family want to move to Manchester. We spent all yesterday looking at houses in Whalley Range and Chorlton, and whereas i think some are way too overpriced my uncle thought he was in heaven, for the same amount of money he was getting from his three bedroomed flat in London, he could buy a decent four bedroomed house in Chorlton with garden and parking. My uncle was having a field day.
His kids aren’t happy about moving to Manchester but I keep telling them its a great city and plenty of things to do. But they keep arguing the night life in London especially for young Asians was far better than manchester, with so many diffrent eateries, cinemas and clubs catering to their needs.
I told them about rusholme but it doesn’t make up for what they were leaving behind.
But uncle is determined to move back to Manchester. His first home was in manchester when he came over as a teenager to work in the mills.
Anyway we’re seeing one more house today and he wants to put an offer in tomorrow morning.
It’s great to have him around but my mum isn’t too pleased and my dad isn’t too keen to have his older brother around. They always felt they got on better living so far away and when theyre on each other’s toes its likely that tempers will rise and things will get said. Uncle has already mentioned that he wants to help my dad out in his restaurant – my dad didn’t say anything to him at the time, but i’ve heard him talking to my mum about it and how he doesn’t want his brother to interfere and tell him what to do, whilst he respects his comments and ideas, he works better on his own.
Uncle also told me to wear a scarf over my head and that me and my sisters should try and put our shalwar kameez on at home at least and complained when my brother got home after 10pm.
I didn’t say aything or even complain about it cos I know he’s telling us this for our own good, but I do wonder how his two daughters in London spend all night out and get away with it.
Anyway I have a feeling he is going to like this house tonight as i’ve already driven past it and its just what he has always wanted and he is going to be a permenant fixture in our lives from now on!
Communities throughout the North West are set to reap the healthy benefits of a massive £8.8 million investment from the Big Lottery Fund.
Today’s grant, awarded from BIG’s Well-being programme and co-ordinated by Groundwork Northwest, will help improve the physical and mental health of over 57,000 vulnerable people across the region.
The cash windfall completes the £134.4 million Well-being programme which has funded numerous national and regional organisations England-wide with the aim of bringing whole communities – young and old – into good mental and physical health by promoting exercise and healthy eating.
The most deprived and marginalised communities in the region will be targeted through 91 projects managed by Groundwork Northwest in conjunction with a range of specialist partners.
Running across a wide network of Initiatives, the portfolio aims to deliver a sustainable programme of activity with projects including cycling initiatives, growing fresh produce in city farms, mobile play units and environmental community projects.
Michelle McNamee Head of Big Lottery Fund North West region said: “Investment in healthy living and active lifestyles has become more important over the last few years, especially in the wake of growing obesity levels and the increase of mental health conditions such as stress, depression and anxiety.“
She continued; “This award will go a long way in helping some of the most disadvantaged people and communities to maintain a healthy lifestyle and access preventative health services at a local level, but they are also part of a wider attempt for a national change in attitudes, lifestyles and improving the life chances for people of all ages.”
One group in Knowsley will hit the dance floor to tackle inactivity through its Shimmy Shimmy Shake Shake scheme.
The project, which was awarded £60,112, will engage with 1000 residents living in the most disadvantaged areas of Knowsley who currently do not lead active lifestyles. The grant will provide two dance sessions per week in twelve neighbourhoods in a series of ten-week courses.
Besides promoting active lifestyles. Dance will be used to break down perceptions and barriers that may exist with more traditional physical activity programmes.
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Foundations for North West…page 2 of 3
Each dance course will deliver a different dance style, determined by the participants. There will be celebration events to recognise the achievements of participants, increase community networking and to showcase the project to the wider community.
“The project will give people the chance to explore the vast array of dancing styles the world has to offer and learn a little about their culture without ever leaving their area” said Linda Richings, Head of Community and Voluntary Sector Support Service, in Knowsley.
“An international flavour will be brought to the classes by making costumes, masks and much more to give people an authentic taste of the various dancing styles and traditions”
In Manchester healthy eating will be combined with battling mental-health in an innovative social enterprise. ‘Healthy Eating Local Food’ (HELF), a community partnership led by Health Advocacy Resource Project, were awarded £91,029 to engage mental health service users and others in healthy local food activities.
By offering a variety of food based work opportunities for mental health service users, based around growing, cooking, processing, and distributing food, participants will be supported through education, training and ‘moving on’ services.
Much of the work will take place in a number of community cafes located around Manchester. Participants will both help to run the cafes and benefit from the healthy food on offer.
“This is great news. The funding will make a big difference in improving the mental health and well being of mental health service users plus the wider community” said Rob Squires, project consultant on behalf of the HELF Partnership, “Through the development of a social enterprise we will engage people in a range of healthy local food activities, including cooking and growing at a variety of cafes and plots of land around the city”
The Well-being programme, launched in April 2006, is providing funding to support the development of healthier lifestyles and to improve well-being. The programme will focus on three strands: mental health – to help people and communities to improve mental well-being; physical activity – to help people to become more physically active in their daily lives and in their communities; and healthy eating – for children, parents and the wider community to eat more healthily. To deliver this programme, the fund will appoint a number of organisations that will each deliver a portfolio of projects in England.
The Big Lottery Fund rolls out close to £2 million in Lottery good cause money every 24 hours which together with other Lottery distributors means that across the UK most people are within a few miles of a Lottery-funded project.
The Big Lottery Fund, the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since its inception in June 2004.
On 1 December 2006 the Big Lottery Fund was officially established by Parliament and at the same time assumed the residual responsibilities of the dissolved National Lottery Charities Board (Community Fund) the New Opportunities Fund, and the Millennium Commission. The Fund is building on the experience and best practice of the predecessor bodies to simplify funding in those areas where they overlap and to ensure Lottery funding provides the best possible value for money.
Drivers in Oldham will tomorrow be checked to see if they meet emissions targets, anyone caught “fuming” will face another M.O.T.
As part of the “Cleaner Vehicles Campaign” hosted by Manchester City Council, Oldham Council’s Environmental Health Officers are working with Greater Manchester Police and the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities stopping cars and light vans in Oldham and conducting road side tests on the quality of the vehicle’s exhaust emissions. Both diesel and petrol engine vehicles will be tested.
Tomorrow is a further “enforcement day” across the Greater Manchester area where if any vehicle fails the roadside test, the driver or registered keeper will be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice, which also requires the driver to get the vehicle to pass a further M.O.T. Exhaust Emission Test.
This intermittent work is important, as it is one of the many “actions” assessed annually by the Government’s Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (D.E.F.R.A.) and which are implemented to ensure that Council’s Air Quality Action Plan is making adequate progress.
The Air Quality Action Plan was produced as a response to the 2001 declaration of an Air Quality Management Area covering all ten Greater Manchester Local Authorities. This Management Area was required as the monitored and modelled ground level concentrations of oxides of nitrogen along the County’s Motorways and Primary Route Network was exceeding the relevant Air Quality Objective prescribed by the European Union and implemented within the United Kingdom through the National Air Quality Strategy.
Higher levels of this pollutant contribute with other pollutants, particularly smoky particles to known health effects including earlier deaths, asthma and other respiratory conditions.
Cabinet Member for Environment and Regeneration Councillor David Hibbert said: “The vehicle testing has been designed to encourage car owners to maintain their vehicles properly. A badly tuned car will waste fuel and add unnecessary pollutants to the environment. Global air quality is of increasing importance to us all and initiatives like this produce measurable improvements to our local air quality.”
Further information is available at www.cleanervehicles.org.uk
Vehicle crime has been cut in Irlam and Cadishead thanks to a police operation run throughout August.
During the operation there were 21 vehicle crime offences compared to 26 in July, a reduction of nearly 20 per cent.
Eighteen people were also arrested during the operation, codenamed Pipe, for offences including burglary, possession of Class A drugs, public order offences, assault, breach of bail and possession of cannabis.
In addition, officers carried out 82 stop checks during the operation. Inspector Jill Gorse (pictured) of the Salford South Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “In the run up to this initiative we were seeing an increase in overnight incidents of vehicle crime.
“By maintaining a high visibility presence in hotspot areas throughout August, our officers were successful in reducing vehicle crime, and we will continue to employ these tactics wherever similar problems occur.
“I would also urge motorists to help us by remembering not to leave any valuables in their cars overnight, and to ensure vehicles are securely locked and any alarms activated.”
Police are also issuing the following tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of vehicle crime:
· Take extra care when parking – stick to well-lit areas wherever possible.
· Keep car keys hidden at home and away from doors and windows.
· If you have a garage, put your car in it and keep both locked.
· When you leave your car, close all windows, lock all doors and activate the immobiliser if you have one.
· Always remove the ignition key when you leave your car, even if it is only for a few seconds, e.g. when filling up with petrol.
· Fit an alarm or tracker system.
· Use a steering lock.
· Don’t leave driving documents in a car.
· Don’t leave valuables on view to tempt a thief, always take them with you. If it is absolutely necessary to leave something in the car, lock it in the boot.
· Remove car stereos, satellite navigation systems (sat navs) and their mounting cradles and wipe away ny ‘sucker marks’ on the windscreen. Do not put expensive items in the glove compartment as thieves may break in just to check.
· Mark accessories (radios, sat navs) in the vehicle with your postcode and house number or your vehicle registration number. Owners should also note the make, model and serial number.
Cricket stars from across the world will support the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) partnership with UNAIDS and UNICEF at the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 2007, which takes place in South Africa from 11 to 24 September, to highlight the situation of children and young people living with and affected by HIV.
The partnership is also receiving major support in South Africa from loveLife – South Africa’s national HIV prevention program for youth – to engage the youth audience who have become captivated by Twenty20 cricket.
Top players, including South Africa captain Graeme Smith, Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka and India’s Yuvraj Singh (pictured above) will feature in public service announcements for the ‘Unite for Children, Unite Against Aids’ campaign highlighting how HIV impacts on the lives of young people. This will be made available to broadcasters in 105 countries across the world as well as being watched by fans on the big screens at the 27 matches during the tournament.
Other stars will visit UNICEF and loveLife community-based project activities in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg to promote HIV and AIDS awareness to young people and encourage them to develop life-skills to keep them HIV-free.
And top players are expected to wear red ribbons in selected matches to show their support for people living with HIV.
Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara said: “I hope people will listen to cricketers, I hope that our support helps and that it brings a different perspective to building interest in these issues and raising awareness. It’s important to raise awareness any way that you can and if different voices and fresh faces help then that is good.”
South Africa star AB de Villiers added: “I have a very soft heart and to see those innocent children and the way they cope with HIV and AIDS puts a lot of what I do as a cricketer in perspective. I have been involved in a few projects to do with ‘Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS’ in different parts of the world where we have toured and it has been a very worthwhile thing to do.
“I feel a real calling to help wherever I can. The issue of AIDS is close to my heart because of the impact it has had on my country but I think we have a responsibility as high-profile sportsmen to do what we can as it helps to open eyes and it inspires people to do something about the problem. Awareness is a big factor in helping prevent the spread of HIV so the more we talk about it and keep it in the public eye the better.”
India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh added: “Any social cause is important for top players playing any sport because people look up to you and you need to make them understand and educate them about issues relating to HIV. Through the ICC working with UNAIDS and UNICEF, we can deliver important messages to people all over the world.”
Michael Hussey of Australia will also be supporting the campaign. He said: “When I visited an education project in the Caribbean during the ICC Cricket World Cup, I saw for myself the importance of educating young people on HIV and AIDS. UNICEF and UNAIDS play a vital role in addressing this epidemic and by supporting this partnership, by meeting young people and raising awareness of HIV and AIDS, I hope I can personally play a part in reducing discrimination.”
As well as player-related activities, the 500 volunteers working at the event have all received HIV and AIDS education from loveLife health trainers, supported by UNAIDS. There will also be advertising boards at the grounds dedicated to promoting the ‘Unite for Children, Unite Against Aids’ campaign.
The African Broadcast Media Partnership Against HIV/AIDS – a coalition of more than 50 African broadcast companies – will also be supporting the partnership, promoting player visits and event activities related to the partnership.
Cricket is popular in many of the countries that are most impacted by AIDS, including India and South Africa. Together, these two countries are home to around 11 million of the 40 million people estimated to be living with HIV.