- Saturday, September 14, 2024
SOME years ago, one of India’s most famous Bollywood critics approached Eastern Eye offering to write reviews for free. Despite the journalist's long track record, the offer was declined due to his notorious reputation for writing fake positive reviews in exchange for bribes from producers, even for terrible films. …
FOR Moeen Ali, who has just announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 37, his faith was always more important than achievement in batting or bowling. It is fair to say he brought greater respect for Islam into the England dressing room. A year after Moeen was…
ENGLAND allrounder Moeen Ali has retired from international cricket at age 37, the player told the Daily Mail in an interview published on Saturday (7). The Birmingham-born left-handed batter and right-arm spinner has played in 68 tests, 138 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 92 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) for England since 2014,…
AN AIR India Boeing 787-800 passenger plane travelling from New Delhi to Birmingham made a precautionary landing in Moscow on Wednesday due to "technical problems," according to Sheremetyevo Airport. The flight, which was operating as AI 113, landed safely in Moscow without any injuries reported among the 258 passengers and…
THERE is a feast of fabulous film songs loved by different generations in the forthcoming Bollywood Time Machine tour. Talented British singers will deliver Hindi cinema music classics from different eras at various family-friendly concerts. Drupti Vaja will be one of the headline performers at the Harrow Arts Centre next…
FORMER Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn announced on Monday the creation of a new pro-Palestinian "Independent Alliance" in the House of Commons, consisting of four newly elected British Muslim members of parliament. Indian-origin MPs Shockat Adam and Iqbal Mohammed, along with Pakistani-origin MPs Ayoub Khan and Adnan Hussain, have joined…
FORMER Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Monday (2) announced the formation of a new pro-Palestinian “Independent Alliance” with four newly elected British Muslim MPs. Indian-origin Shockat Adam and Iqbal Mohammed and Pakistani-origin Ayoub Khan and Adnan Hussain have joined hands with Corbyn and now represent the same strength as the…
FOREIGN students have been duped out of tens of thousands of pounds for fake visa documents, leaving them unable to work in the UK, an investigation has revealed. Recruitment agents, posing as legitimate middlemen, took advantage of international students seeking jobs in the country’s care sector, an investigation by the…
Serving over 50 days in office this summer means Sir Keir Starmer's premiership is already longer than that of former Conservative prime minister Liz Truss. None of his four immediate prime ministerial predecessors managed four years in office, with Boris Johnson imploding even after a clear general election victory. Both circumstance…
THE chairman of Malhotra Group PLC, Meenu Malhotra DL, has been appointed as the first-ever Honorary Consul of India for the North East. Indian high commissioner to the UK, Vikram K Doraiswami, made the announcement on Friday (30). Under the new role, Malhotra will focus on building links across industries…
LIVE PERFORMANCE NAVRATRI RANGOTSAV When: Friday, August 30 and Saturday, August 31 Where: Harrow Leisure Centre, Christchurch Avenue, Harrow HA3 5BD; and Ramgarhia Community Centre, Ulverscroft Road, Leicester LE4 6BY What: Musical event celebrating the colours of Navratri with garba, dandiya and live performance by Jaysinh Gadhvi. There is also…
SOHAN KAILEY has delighted audiences with his unique brand of family-friendly entertainment for more than 20 years. Born in Wolverhampton, and now based in Solihull, the children’s entertainer has used his versatile talent as a dancer, creative artist and actor to create magic for young audiences. He has held inclusive…
A WEST Midlands gang involved in a large-scale drug smuggling operation has been sentenced to more than 80 years in prison. The group used a fleet of vans with hidden compartments to transport cocaine and cash across the country. West Midlands Police seized 400kg of high-purity cocaine and £1.6 million…
ENGLAND'S 2025 cricket season promises to be a significant one, with the men's team embarking on a five-Test series against India as part of the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, starting at Headingley on June 20. The next WTC cycle will run from 2025 to 2027 and it starts…
LIVE PERFORMANCE ZEESHAN ROKHRI When: Sunday, August 25 Where: Beck Theatre, Grange Road, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 2UE What: The popular folk singer pays tribute to his legendary father Saifullah Rokhri with a full live band, at a culturally rich concert. www.becktheatre.org.uk NAVRATRI RANGOTSAV When: Friday, August 30 Where: Harrow Leisure…
THE poster for the Kiln Theatre’s Peanut Butter & Blueberries is striking, with a young south Asian couple cheekily gazing at each other sat on a bench with the London skyline in the background. Having two Asian leads in a play is a rarity, what’s rarer is the female lead wearing…
A MAJOR incident has been declared following a toxic sodium cyanide spill in a canal in Walsall, West Midlands, leading to warnings for the public to avoid a 12-mile stretch of the canal network and towpaths. This area spans from the heart of Walsall to neighbouring Birmingham, encompassing interconnected waterways…
RACIST politicians are fomenting racial tensions by pandering to their fringe extreme far-right constituents, Britain’s former top south Asian police officer has told Eastern Eye. During 10 days of terror and violence, white rioters of all ages and gender threw bricks at riot squad officers, stoned mosques, looted shops, set…
LEE CARSLEY has been appointed England interim coach ahead of their Nations League campaign which begins next month, the Football Association said. Carsley has been managing England Under-21s since 2021, and led them to the European Under-21 Championship title in 2023. The FA said Carsley will initially manage England for…
LIVE PERFORMANCE SUHANI SHAH: SPELLBOUND 2.0 When: Until Saturday, August 10 Where: Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, London W1D 3NE What: India’s most-famous mind reader delves into the depths of mental mysteries with unexpected twists, compelling storytelling, and interactive audience engagement. www.sohotheatre.com VAGYO RE DHOL WITH BHOOMI TRIVEDI When: Saturday,…
MUSLIMS and ethnic minorities in Liverpool say they feel unsafe amid widespread violent, racist protests targeting mosques, immigration centres and hotels that haven't spared the famously left-leaning city in the north of England. Both mosque officials and other Muslims in Liverpool described feeling shocked, after two mosques further north in…
THOUSANDS of anti-racism protesters gathered in several cities on Wednesday to oppose days of far-right violence, which had kept police on high alert. Night riots, during which mosques and migrant-related facilities were attacked, erupted across towns and cities in England and Northern Ireland. These riots were fueled by misinformation surrounding…
SUSPECTED far-right rioters appeared in court on Tuesday as the government prepared 6,000 specialist police officers to handle England's worst disorder in over a decade. Far-right groups have planned demonstrations in more than 30 locations, with immigration lawyers and buildings hosting asylum seekers set to be the primary targets, according…
KEIR STARMER has promised "swift criminal sanctions" against far-right rioters in several cities, which have resulted in widespread damage and nearly 400 arrests. Fresh clashes broke out in the evening. Starmer convened ministers and police chiefs to discuss the unrest that began last Tuesday following a stabbing spree that killed…
KEIR Starmer has warned far-right protesters that they will "regret" their involvement in England's worst rioting in 13 years. The disturbances, linked to the murder of three children earlier this week, have spread across the country. Masked anti-immigration demonstrators smashed several windows at a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham,…
FAMOUS singer and composer Arijit Singh has postponed his UK tour, originally scheduled for August 11, due to health issues. The 37-year-old artist announced the news on Instagram. "Dear Fans, It pains me to share that unforeseen medical circumstances have forced me to postpone our August concerts. I know how…
ARIJIT SINGH has risen to become the undisputed king of Bollywood music. His super hit songs, stunning live performances at packed out arenas around the world and magical musical moments have delighted audiences of all ages. The singer returns to the UK for a tour with hotly anticipated blockbuster shows…
LIVE PERFORMANCE APACHE INDIAN When: Saturday, August 3 Where: Midlands Arts Centre, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH What: Live performance from the British Asian music legend, performing his greatest hits. www.macbirmingham.co.uk SUHANI SHAH: SPELLBOUND 2.0 When: Wednesday, August 7 – Saturday, August 10 Where: Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, London…
LIVE PERFORMANCE AN EVENING OF CLASSICAL SUFI MUSIC When: Saturday, July 27 Where: Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA What: Marina Ahmad presents a culturally rich performance of classical and Sufi music. www.richmix.org.uk MAESTROS IN FUSION When: Saturday, July 27 Where: Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere…
The man whose remains were found in Herschel Park, Slough was a homeless person who had been known to sleep rough there, the LDRS has learned. Karandeep Singh’s remains were discovered in the park on 7 July this year – more than two years after he was reported missing. Homelessness…
THE University of Birmingham has unveiled a portrait to mark Lord Karan Bilimoria's ten-year tenure as chancellor. Lord Bilimoria, the first Indian-born chancellor of a Russell Group university in Britain, has stepped down from the post. The portrait, created by Benjamin Sullivan, has been added to the university's research and…
THE UK said on Wednesday (24) it had launched a new technology security initiative with India aimed at boosting economic growth, fostering collaboration on telecoms security and unlocking investment in emerging technologies. The government said the agreement would see the two countries work more closely together on critical technologies including…
Foreign secretary David Lammy started a two-day visit to India on Wednesday to push forward negotiations for the long-awaited Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and to explore opportunities for cooperation in areas like clean energy, new technologies, and security. This visit marks the first high-level engagement between India and the UK…
PRINCE HARRY has praised Birmingham for securing the bid to host the Invictus Games in 2027, marking the first time the event will return to the UK since its inception in London in 2014. Founded by the Duke of Sussex for wounded, injured, and sick military personnel and veterans, the…
A PIONEERING Asian doctor who served in the NHS for nearly four decades is being mourned by the community in the Midlands. Dr Kantibhai B Parmar, a much-loved GP in Rugby, passed away peacefully at his home last Thursday (18). He was 93. Kantibhai grew up in Navsari, Gujarat, where…
India will not be limited to the Indian contingent in the upcoming 2024 Olympics. Several athletes of Indian heritage will represent their adopted countries at the Paris Olympic Games. This includes Rajeev Ram, Prithika Pavade, Kanak Jha, Shanti Pereira, and Amar Dhesi. Here are short profiles of some Indian-origin athletes…
SOCIAL media posts of south Asians expressing hatred for their brown skin and parts of their culture have triggered concern among experts. Videos on TikTok include an influencer who said he disliked being brown skinned, growing up as an Asian teenager due to the 9/11 terror attacks and revealed he…
Shabana Mahmood, the new justice secretary, was sworn in as the new lord chancellor at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Monday. The former barrister, who is the second woman after Liz Truss to hold these positions, said she will be a champion of the Rule of Law.…
Lord Karan Bilimoria has received an honorary fellowship from London Business School (LBS). LBS, recognised for its business education and research, awards honorary fellowships to individuals with notable contributions to global business and society. Past recipients include Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg, and Kofi Annan. The award was presented during LBS's…
LOOK closely at last Thursday’s (4) general election results, and you’ll have noticed a political tremor when it came to south Asian voters. A tremor which could become an earthquake at the next general election, and all the mainstream parties should think the unthinkable. These polls have shown that even…
PEOPLE in Leicester East voted along religious lines which saw the country’s only Conservative gain, sources from several political parties have told Eastern Eye. They have also warned that the city is “sitting on a religious powder keg just waiting to explode” following tensions in August and September 2022. The…
NIKHAT ZAREEN has defied taunts and family opposition to succeed Mary Kom as the face of Indian boxing, and now wants to add an Olympic medal to her growing list of achievements. Already a two-time world champion and Commonwealth Games gold medal list, Zareen is among the favourites in the…
The 2024 UK general election results saw a significant influx of MPs from diverse backgrounds. The new MPs for the House of Commons this year include a good mix of Sikh, Hindu, and independent representatives who have made history with their victories. A record number of around 26 Indian-origin members…
AN ASIAN-ORIGIN Labour MP has criticised Sir Keir Starmer for his failure to address the concerns of Muslim voters about his record on the Gaza crisis, The Telegraph reports. Apsana Begum, who won from Poplar and Limehouse, claimed the Prime Minister failed to “assure British Muslims he was listening” to…
TRIBUTES have been paid to a beloved member of the Asian community following her death earlier this month. Bharti Dhir, the wife of professor Ravindra Dhir OBE and mother of Old Bailey judge Anuja Dhir, died peacefully surrounded by her family last Monday (1). She was an exceptional and inspirational…
“Change”. That was what this election was about. Change, above all, from Rishi Sunak’s Conservative party. Fourteen million voted Conservative last time. Fewer than seven million did this time. The Conservatives lost a quarter of the vote to Reform on the right and another quarter to their left. The losses…
A record number of around 26 Indian-origin members of Parliament have been elected to the House of Commons in the UK's general election as results were announced on Friday, with several Conservatives surviving an overall brutal outcome for their party. Outgoing prime minister Rishi Sunak leads the Tory charge of…
KAVITA KRISHNAMURTHY has become an integral part of people’s lives with the stunning songs she has delivered across the decades. The timeless tracks like Pyaar Hua Chupke Se, Mera Piya Ghar Aaya, Dola Re Dola, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Hawa Hawai, Tu Hi Re and many more have turned…
AN ASIAN-ORIGIN man Amarpal Atkar (33) died after being punched twice in the head by a stranger after an altercation outside a Birmingham bar. Nearly three years after the incident, the attacker, Thomas Coleman, was found not guilty of any offence as the court ruled he had acted in self-defence,…
REFORM UK party leader Nigel Farage said his party was doing better than expected after a "tough" few days, as he addressed supporters at a rally with days to go before the country votes on July 4. Farage, one of the country's most recognisable and divisive politicians, has been a…
Parminder Nagra once again takes centre stage in the popular police drama, DI Ray, which returns with Season 2 on ITV. The actress plays the titular character, DI Rachita Ray, a homicide detective working on a murder investigation in Birmingham. Discussing a scene from episode 2 of the latest season…
AS WITH Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire, the National Trust is keen for British Asians to visit Powis Castle in Welshpool in Wales, because it is taking a critical look at how Britain came to establish colonial rule in India. From the Asian point of view, they are perhaps two of…
RENOWNED Indian opera singer Anando Mukerjee has said that Byron Jackson’s diverse production of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman will break barriers in opera. The play is the UK’s first ethnically led Wagner production with artistic direction from Jackson and stage direction by Iqbal Khan. Jackson, a dramatic baritone of British…
LONDON has been ranked the most congested in Europe for the third year in a row, according to report by traffic information supplier Inrix. The report stated that drivers in the city spent an average of 99 hours sitting in traffic in 2023, up from 97 hours in 2022. This…
Friends and family searched for missing Hajj pilgrims on Wednesday as the death toll at the annual rituals, carried out in scorching heat, surged past 900. Relatives scoured hospitals and pleaded online for news, fearing the worst after temperatures reached 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) in Mecca, Islam's holiest city,…
ACCLAIMED Kathak exponent Ashwini Kalsekar is known for her expressive performances and ability to create magic on stage. The London-based dancer, choreographer and teacher is one of three leading female artists headlining the Utsav 2024 show taking place at Harrow Arts Centre in London on July 21. She joins sarod…
A leading disease specialist has questioned whether Britain is ready to tackle the next global pandemic. Kamlesh Khunti, professor of primary care diabetes and vascular medicine at the University of Leicester, was one of several south Asian doctors who alerted the government to the disproportionate deaths among communities of colour…
AN INTERESTING highlight from this year’s London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) is the world premiere of Before Nikkah. The romantic comedy set over one day in London, follows two British Pakistanis on a blind date, as they prepare for a prospective arranged marriage. Talented young actors Sasha Vadher…
We are now past half-time in a six-week general election campaign. It has somehow become both the most and least predictable of electoral contests at the same time. The answer to the central question – who will govern? – is less than ever in doubt. Everything else about this election…
While Labour party may be leading in the opinion polls for the upcoming general election, it appears uncertain about its performance in areas with sizeable Muslim populations. The party has redoubled its efforts by directing activists to campaign in these seats over fears that some voters have been alienated by…
A court may lift reporting restrictions to reveal the names of two 12-year-old boys who murdered Shawn Seesahai in Wolverhampton. Seesahai, 19, was stabbed to death with a machete on Stowlawn playing fields in November last year. The boys were convicted at Nottingham Crown Court on June 10, becoming the…
An American woman assassin's gun jammed during a contract killing attempt in Birmingham. Later, her identity was unmasked through social media posts and police investigations. Aimee Betro, 44, was hired by Mohammed Nazir, 30, and Mohammed Aslam, 56, to kill Aslat Mahamud or his family after a 2018 jewellery store…
BRITAIN is on course to have the most diverse parliament in history no matter which party wins the general election, according to research by leading race and diversity thinktank British Future. Analysis of final candidate selections suggests there will be an increase of at least 20, and as many as…
SEVERAL areas across Birmingham and Northamptonshire each have thousands of registered voters with no qualifying ID – potentially denying them a chance to vote in the upcoming general election. New laws requiring voter ID were introduced last year, with the local elections in England on May 4 last year being…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi’s historic third term in power should be celebrated, analysts told Eastern Eye on Tuesday (4) as the results from the country’s mammoth general election showed his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the largest party, but was denied an outright majority. For the first time…
Air India will start non-stop flights between Bengaluru and London Gatwick from August 18. The airline will operate five weekly flights on this route, except on Tuesdays and Saturdays, using Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The Dreamliner features 18 business class flat beds and 238 economy class seats. The flight (AI…
FIVE people who laundered £1.2 million proceeds of bogus computer service companies have been jailed by the Leeds Crown Court, according to media reports. The companies conned the elderly and vulnerable into paying thousands of pounds each to fix non-existent problems in their computers. Amanda Grigg, 66, of Truro, Gena…
As the results of India's mammoth general election trickled in on Tuesday, UK-based strategic experts and poll watchers were all praise for the country's “thriving and flourishing” democratic process. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party is on course for a historic third term, the strong performance of the…
ETHNIC minority heart failure patients were found to have a 36 per cent higher risk of death compared to white patients over an average follow-up period of 17 months, according to a new study. The disparity is even more pronounced in patients who also suffer from atrial fibrillation, a common…
THE INTENDED target for the gangland shooting in Hackeny, which left a schoolgirl fighting for her life, wishes the bullet had hit him rather than the innocent child, The Times reports. Beytullah Gunduz (37), who has been linked to the Turkish underworld, was with friends outside a restaurant in Dalston…
A nine-year-old girl, identified as a schoolgirl from Indian state of Kerala on a day out in London with her Birmingham-based family, remains in critical condition after being shot in a drive-by incident by a motorbike assailant in east London. The city's Malayali community has named the victim as Lissel…
CLEANER air in the West Midlands has the potential to save approximately 2,000 lives annually, according to a recent study. Achieving the WHO air pollution standards in the region could prevent 2,000 new cases of asthma, 770 new heart disease diagnoses, 170 lung cancer cases, and 650 strokes each year,…
POLITICAL PARTIES must go after the south Asian vote in this general election or face a backlash in future polls, parliamentarians and experts have told Eastern Eye. They are warning candidates in every party that they ignore brown voters “at their peril”. With Labour currently 20 points ahead in the…
PERFORMING live has had a huge impact on Bhavik Haria as an artist and shaped him as a person. Apart from filling him with joy, feeding off the energy of audiences has motivated the British bhajan maestro to create a unique sense of unity through live spiritual music. That special…
BRITISH singer Rekha has consistently shown her brilliant best on stage. The versatile artist with a magnificent voice adds to her many musical projects with new show Bollywood Time Machine, which embarks on a UK tour in June. She performs alongside singing talent Chirag Rao at a concert filled with…
HIT comedy play Mrs Kapoor’s Daughter’s Wedding 2: Mauritius has been playing to packed houses during another successful UK tour. The current tour will conclude with a historymaking performance in London’s West End with a show at Adelphi Theatre on July 16. With nearly 100,000 tickets sold, it’s a great…
THE National Trust is encouraging British Asian visitors – especially Eastern Eye readers – to engage with their own history at Kedleston Hall, a magnificent estate in Derbyshire. This was once the home of the imperial ruler whose influence on India, Pakistan and Bangladesh lives on to this day. George…
SOME of the brightest talents from the British Asian community were recognised for their achievements in the arts at the annual Eastern Eye Arts, Culture and Theatre Awards (ACTAs) at the Mayfair Hotel in central London last Friday (17). One of Britain’s most accomplished and versatile artists, Osman Yousefzada, won…
TRAILBLAZING playwright Tanika Gupta believes there is an “invisibility cloak around British Asians” on getting community stories commissioned in the arts. In a career spanning more than three decades, Gupta has written award-winning plays such as The Waiting Room and Sanctuary at the National Theatre, The Empress at the Royal…
The University of Leicester is enhancing its higher education partnership with India, highlighted by a visit from the consul general of India in Birmingham, who met with Indian students and university academics. Consul general Dr Venkatachalam Murugan recently visited the university and met with vice-chancellor and president Professor Nishan Canagarajah;…
CAMPAIGNERS have questioned if the government department supporting victims of forced marriages is “fit for purpose” after official data suggested that there has been a significant drop in cases in the UK in recent years. The Forced Marriage Unit (FMU), a joint initiative between the Home Office and the Foreign,…
ENGLAND bowler Lauren Bell had no women role models in cricket while growing up, so she gets a kick out of the young female fans she meets who tell her they plan to wear their hair in plaits like she does on game days. Building on the success of last…
Luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has revealed its highest pre-tax profits since 2015. JLR credited the production of Range Rover and Defender models at its Solihull factory for achieving pre-tax profits of £2.2 billion, reported the BBC. "The foundation of this performance was the sustained global demand for our…
CHILDREN experiencing a chronic lack of sleep since infancy could be at an increased risk of having psychosis in early adulthood, a new study has found. Analysing the sleep durations of nearly 12,400 children from when they were aged six months to seven years, researchers found that those persistently sleeping…
THERE is no denying that Dr Zeus has been unstoppable since bursting onto the music scene 25 years ago. One of the greatest British Asian music producers of all time, he has entertained all ages around the world with top tracks that have become a part of popular culture. Having…
MY DAD still plans to vote for Rishi Sunak at the general election. He mostly feels that somebody should. He sees the prime minister as a decent man, trying his best in difficult times. Because dad arrived in Britain during the week after Enoch Powell’s infamous ‘rivers of blood’ speech,…
THE West Midlands mayor Andy Street has called on the Conservative Party to come together and back prime minister Rishi Sunak despite admitting the pair previously “fell out”. Sunak’s position has been under scrutiny in recent months, with former home secretary Suella Braverman on Monday (22) refusing to rule out…
LABOUR capped off the local elections on Saturday evening (4) with a narrow win for Richard Parker in the West Midlands mayoral race, defeating Conservative incumbent Andy Street by just 1,508 votes. Earlier this evening, Labour's Sadiq Khan was re-elected as London mayor for the third consecutive term, after he…
HIT theatre comedy Mrs Kapoor’s Daughter’s Wedding 2: Mauritius recently returned for another successful UK tour. The story of a dysfunctional family planning a destination wedding has been delighting audiences nationwide and gearing up for a history-making performance in London’s West End at the Adelphi Theatre on July 16. …
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak invoked the Sikh principle of service (sewa) as he hosted a reception to celebrate Vaisakhi at Downing Street last Wednesday (17). More than a hundred guests – including politicians, community and faith leaders and members of the military – gathered to hear the prime minister pay…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak faces heavy losses in a swathe of local votes next week, and one of the best hopes for success for his Tories is a prominent mayor who is loath to even mention his party or its leader in his campaign. Andy Street has been mayor of…
POLICE forces across the UK have warned Asians to keep their gold jewellery in a safe or bank deposit box after a spate of burglaries in recent months. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and Merseyside Police are among the forces that have seen a number of thefts targeting members of the…
ROSS COUNTY midfielder Yan Dhanda stressed the importance of tackling stigma against south Asians to improve ethnic representation at the highest levels of English football. Dhanda and Birmingham City loanee Brandon Khela made history last Sunday (14) when they helped Ross County beat Scottish football giants Rangers for the first…
BRITAIN is as racist as it was in the 1970s, and some politicians of colour are making matters worse, anti-racism campaigners have told Eastern Eye. Their comments follow a landmark series on Channel 4, Defiance, which tells the story of how south Asian and black people fought right-wing extremists in…
SHIRIN WHEELER has talked to Eastern Eye about the book she has written about her father, Sir Charles Wheeler, who was once the BBC’s star foreign correspondent. He had served in Delhi, Berlin and Washington, before returning home to report on the multicultural Britain in which he always believed and…
MUSIC has been a constant companion to Nimesh Sanghoi from the moment he sang his first note and had a profound impact on his life. Every song learned by the singer and each live performance has been a stepping stone in his growth as an artist and person. The countless…
THE government’s decision to impose visa restrictions on international students to cut immigration figures is “anti-universities” and “economic illiteracy”, according to a peer and university chancellor. From January, the Home Office stopped postgraduate students from bringing their families with them when studying in the UK. When he announced the restriction,…
A Muslim teacher in Birmingham, who suggested Islam was going to take over and claimed Westernised girls were “lunatics,” has been sacked. Aqib Khan was dismissed for allegedly "undermining fundamental British values," as determined by a professional misconduct panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency, reported The Telegraph. During his tenure…
As many as 216 volunteers from 13 BAPS Swaminarayan mandirs (temples) and centres across the UK participated in the Great British Spring Clean, the nation's largest environmental cleanup campaign, over the Easter bank holiday weekend. These volunteers managed to collect an impressive total of 138 bags of litter, contributing to…
CANCER screening services must be more culturally competent and sensitive to the needs of south Asians - especially women, a leading doctor has told Eastern Eye. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, the first person of colour to lead the doctors’ union, the British Medical Association (BMA), said south Asian women were less…
SONU NIGAM, one of the greatest Indian singers of all time, is renowned for his wonderful voice, huge catalogue of hit songs, numerous accolades, and millions of fans globally. He is also an exceptional live performer who delivers sold-out arena shows around the world. Nigam returns for another UK tour,…
WHEN Aditi Mangaldas headlines a show, it is certain to be dynamically, artistically and creatively different from anything that has come before. She continues that path-breaking journey with the new production Mehek, which embarks on a hotly anticipated UK tour in April. The Indian Kathak legend has teamed up with…
BBC Asian Network on Friday announced the launch of new chat show in a podcast format, One More Chai, coming to the station on Wednesdays (22:00 – 23:00) from 17 April. One More Chai will be hosted by SMASHBengali and Guranisha Randhawa, who will team up to chat through various…
PRINCESS OF WALES said on Friday (22) she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy after tests taken after she had major abdominal surgery in January revealed that cancer had been present. The Princess, 42-year-old wife of heir to the throne Prince William, called the cancer discovery a "huge shock". The news comes…
WHILE it’s true that stand-up comedy first gained prominence in western culture, India’s comedy scene has emerged as one of the fastest-growing in the past decade. In recent years, there has been an influx of top talents who have presented humour in a unique way and risen to prominence with…
ANOTHER impressive week ended with a semi-final finish for star shuttler Lakshya Sen, who narrowly lost a three-game battle against Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie at the All England Championships in Birmingham last Saturday (16), prolonging India’s wait for the coveted trophy. In a game of fine margins, the 22-year-old, who had…
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto, involved 125 healthy adults spanning ages 18 to 90. Participants were tasked with describing a scene in detail, with recordings of their descriptions analysed using artificial intelligence (AI) software to assess speech speed, pause duration, and vocabulary diversity. While difficulty…
Nina Wadia is set to star in the world premiere of NOW That’s What I Call A Musical, a new British musical featuring iconic hits from the NOW music brand. Directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood, the show will celebrate 40 years of NOW music with chart-topping hits and…
THE story of Bengal farmers rising up against British colonial rule in the subcontinent is revisited in a new play, Indigo Giant, currently touring the UK. In the late 19th century, vast swathes of the Bengali countryside were given over to the cultivation of the indigo plant as the…
BRITISH Asian music veteran Atma Ahir has been lighting up the bhangra scene ever since the early 1990s. His interesting career has seen him go from founding the award-winning act Geet The Mega Band to carving out a solo career. The singer recently released his catchy Punjabi track, Morni, written…
BRITISH music hero Channi Singh has been entertaining audiences for nearly 50 years as a singer, songwriter and composer. The frontman of the iconic bhangra group, Alaap, has achieved many milestones in his career, including countless hit songs, game-changing albums and pathbreaking collaborations with legends such as Asha Bhosle. …
BRITISH dance maestro Aakash Odedra consistently leads boundary-breaking projects and Mehek adds to his impressive repertoire. He has teamed up with Indian kathak legend Aditi Mangaldas in this magnificent dance drama that narrates the love story of an older woman and a younger man. The world-renowned performers will embark on…
INDIA not only shaped the birth of the Commonwealth, but will also continue to play a vital role in shaping its work, the organisation’s secretary general, Baroness Patricia Scotland, said on Monday (11) on the occasion of Commonwealth Day. Baroness Scotland, who was scheduled to visit India later this week,…
We are often fascinated when we spot a person of colour in British entertainment, be it cinema, series or any other source of entertainment. On this International Women's Day, we made a list of women who have brought colours to the British entertainment sector and have not only won the…
EASTERN EYE readers had better hurry if they want to catch Bhangra Nation: A New Musical at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre where it is on only until next Saturday (16). I went last week and I’m glad I did, as the evening turned out to be very enjoyable. The Rep…
The Award-winning British Indian musician Nitin Sawhney, who had to withdraw from Australia’s premier world music festival WOMADelaide due to a medical emergency, has revealed that he ‘had a heart attack’ a few days ago. Known for musical scores in over 70 films, including for a screen adaptation of Salman…
COUNCILLORS in the UK's second-largest city Birmingham on Tuesday (5) approved tax hikes and deep cuts to public services including arts funding and rubbish collection, as the city fights to avoid bankruptcy. The city council, which needs to save £300 million over two years to survive, voted to increase local…
Lord Jitesh Gadhia, chairman of the British Asian Trust, was recognised for over three decades of public and community service with the GG2 Hammer Award at the annual GG2 Leadership and Diversity Awards, held at the Park Plaza hotel on Tuesday (5). After coming to Britain as a refugee from…
FORMER home secretary Suella Braverman has denounced the ongoing controversy surrounding Islamophobia within the Tory party as "hysteria," urging prime minister Rishi Sunak to address Islamist extremism promptly, reported The Telegraph. Braverman believes stripping Lee Anderson, the former Tory party deputy chairman, of his party privileges was an overreaction to…
THE mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has told Eastern Eye he believes communities will come together to stand up against “politics of extremism, division and blame”. His comments came amid an escalating row after Lee Anderson, the former deputy chairman of the Conservative party, last Saturday (24) claimed “Islamists had…
MIKE ALLBUT was a broadcasting pioneer who played a major role in the transition of Asian programmes on BBC local radio in England from targeting first generation immigrant communities to reaching out to young British Asians. Born in Scotland and raised in Suffolk, Allbut moved to Leicester in the 1970s…
Conservative party MP Paul Scully's remark that parts of the London borough have become a “no-go” zone has upset the residents and businesses in Tower Hamlets. The former London minister, who represents Sutton and Cheam, on Tuesday said he regrets sparking a controversy by claiming that parts of Tower Hamlets…
Citigroup has appointed Viswas Raghavan as its new head of banking. Raghavan spent over two decades at JPMorgan and was recently appointed as head of global investment banking. He is expected to join Citigroup in the summer and will replace Peter Babej, who is due to retire later this year.…
An Asian-origin Labour party MP has said receiving death threats seems to have become "a norm" for her, reports BBC. While sharing her experience on a BBC programme, Preet Gill, who represents Birmingham Edgbaston, said her job worried her "in a way I've never been worried before". This comes in…
A 25-year-old British Indian doctor, who combined his passion for music with his medical career by forming a band with fellow healthcare professionals, has kicked off his first nationwide tour in the UK with the launch show in London recently proving a sell-out. Gulzar (Gulz) Singh Dhanoya started the indie-rock…
VICTIMS of racism are being attacked for speaking out and highlighting the problem, former chief crown prosecutor, Nazir Afzal, has told Eastern Eye. His comments come as the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has asked Afzal to head a panel to investigate its internal culture. The 61-year-old is no stranger…
HEALTH experts have urged West Midlands residents to get the measles vaccine as cases in the region are spreading in “disproportionately high rates”. Figures published earlier this month showed 329 of 465 (71 per cent) cases across England from October to February were in the region. The sharp rise over…
The University of Birmingham has apologised after it removed a social media post that seemed to confuse Sikh students with Muslims. According to a report in ‘The Birmingham Mail', the university post implied that a 20-year-old “Langar on Campus” event organised by the university's Sikh Society earlier this month was…
Sohm Kapila, an internationally renowned actress (Aquaman 2, Never Have I Ever, Greys Anatomy, Small Town Big Story), born in India and raised in Nottingham, is back in the Midlands from her home of Los Angeles and spoke to Eastern Eye about her latest role on stage as Rekha in…
WHO really invented butter chicken? The competing claims of two rival restaurants in Delhi – Moti Mahal and Daryaganj – have now gone global. The dispute has ended up in the courts with the owners of Moti Mahal also demanding £200,000 in damages. Foreign correspondents based in the Indian capital…
NHS England's top medical training official has issued a heartfelt apology to the relatives of Dr Vaish Kumar, 35, who took her own life. Dr Kumar faced undue stress after being incorrectly informed that she had to undergo an additional six months of training before she could commence a new…
Labour's Sir Keir Starmer finds himself navigating a challenging political landscape, marked by a noticeable shift in support from Muslim constituents due to his stance on the Gaza conflict. But despite this, analyses suggest that Labour's robust lead may mitigate the potential impact on election outcomes, sparing the party from…
AN Indian restaurant in Birmingham has made history by becoming the first in the city to be awarded two Michelin stars. Opheem, a Birmingham curry house, has made culinary history despite having just one Indian chef among its kitchen staff of 15. Chef and owner Aktar Islam, originally from Aston,…
THIS may seem a little ironic, but the Birmingham Rep’s new bhangra musical is an American import. Bhangra, a joyous harvest festival, first came to Britain from the Punjab with the first generation of Indian immigrants in the 1950s and 1960s, and developed British roots in and around Birmingham. And…
AHEAD of elections next week, Pakistan's caretaker administration is making binding plans for a new government to sell loss-making Pakistan International Airlines, according to the minister in charge of the process and other officials. In the past, elected governments have shied away from undertaking unpopular reforms, including the sale of…
South Asia's finest musical stars are set to perform at the first South Asian Sounds Festival at London's Southbank Centre. From the 7th to the 10th March, a stunning programme of both classical and contemporary South Asian music features some mega stars of the South Asian music scene such as…
A 15-year-old boy has been accused of murder by West Midlands police following a fatal stabbing incident in Birmingham's city centre. Muhammad Hassam Ali, 17, was discovered gravely wounded in Victoria Square, Birmingham, just before 3.30 pm on Saturday (20). Despite being rushed to the hospital, Ali succumbed to his…
PSYCHIATRISTS have developed a reputation for seeking to blame patients’ mums for psychological problems during therapy. So, what then of the psychiatrist’s own mother? In fact, it was she who encouraged me to consider psychiatry, then a deeply unpopular speciality, while I was at medical school. Our beloved mum, Dr…
THE UK’s public health protection agency last Friday (19) sounded a “national call to action” for more measles jabs for children because of falling vaccination rates and fears that a current outbreak could spread. Jenny Harries, head of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), warned that measles was spreading among…
DESPITE being centuries old, qawwali music remains massively popular with live audiences around the world. One of its top British exponents, Chand Ali Khan Qawwal and Party, is set to embark on another UK tour in February. The Midlands-based group has already sold out some shows, and their Dillagi tour…
GARETH THOMAS MP has written to the home secretary seeking his intervention over Tier 5 religious worker visas, which enable UK temples to recruit priests, saying such places of worship face closure over staff shortages. In a letter to James Cleverly on Wednesday (17), the Labour MP for Harrow West,…
MANY Sikhs in the UK have received "threat-to-life" notices from the police, intensifying concerns over rising tensions related to the separatist movement in India, reported The Times. The threat-to-life warnings, known as Osman notices, issued by West Midlands police have fuelled apprehensions among recipients who fear potential connections to alleged…
Complete casting has been announced for the upcoming UK premiere of Bhangra Nation – A New Musical, presented by Birmingham Rep in association with Mara Isaacs, Tom Kirdahy, and Peggy Koenig. Sohm Kapila will take on the role of Rekha. She has joined the previously announced cast members Zaynah Ahmed…
The world’s longest-running children's TV show has today unveiled Shini Muthukrishnan as its newest Blue Peter presenter. Shini will co-host alongside Abby Cook, Joel Mawhinney, and Henry the dog on her first live show airing Friday 19th January on CBBC and BBC iPlayer at 5.00 pm. Shini is a content…
WOLVERHAMPTON will host the 2025 Kabaddi World Cup final, after being awarded £500,000 from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the government’s Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund to help with costs. Originating in India some 5,000 years ago, the contact sport sees teams broken down into raiders and blockers. Points…
A senior Conservative MP, Neil O’Brien, has raised concerns about the sudden death of Sikh activist Avtar Singh Khanda in Birmingham last year. Writing to Home Secretary James Cleverly, O’Brien who is the MP for Harborough questioned the circumstances surrounding Khanda’s death, particularly as it coincided with reported plots to…
WITH so many great-looking concerts, theatre productions, films, comebacks of popular stars and more already in the pipeline, 2024 looks set to be a thrilling and action-packed year. There will also be new talent, surprises, horizon-expanding moments, great music, free shows, and events celebrating the best in south Asian popular…
THE glitz and glamour of American dance competitions will hit the Birmingham Rep theatre next month in the form of Bhangra Nation – A New Musical. Director Stafford Arima told Eastern Eye that bhangra groups are “not just in a couple of states, but spread across America”. “The writers felt…
Wayne Rooney said it would "take some time to get over this setback" after he was sacked as manager of Championship side Birmingham City on Tuesday following a disastrous spell in charge. The 38-year-old former Manchester United and England star was appointed in October but oversaw just two wins in…
DEMOCRACY is the theme of 2024. Around half of the world’s population has the chance to go to the polls. This weekend’s vote in Bangladesh, boycotted by the opposition to Shekih Hasina, is an inauspicious start. Pakistan in February holds its first elections since 2018. More than 600 million will…
A British Asian man has taken legal action against Liverpool FC, accusing the club of racial discrimination in the handling of his job application, The Guardian reported. The lawsuit alleged that Liverpool rejected Asad Farooq's (25) application, favouring a less experienced candidate for the position. According to Farooq, he has…
Romesh Ranganathan, who will be appearing in the upcoming Christmas special episode on The Jonathan Ross Show alongside Willem Dafoe, Ariana Debose, Katherine Jenkins, Kevin Bridges, Boy George, and Claudia Schiffer, opened up about how much weight he has lost. He revealed that he has lost three stone in weight…
The family of the late Sikh activist Avtar Singh Khanda has urged the Home Office to appoint a police force for a comprehensive and impartial investigation into his sudden death last June, which took place at the same time as a murder and an attempted murder of Sikh separatists in…
BRITAIN plans to increase funding for local government councils by £4 billion to £64bn to address inflation-driven pressures after Birmingham and Nottingham councils effectively declared bankruptcy. The settlement for 2024-25 marks a 6.5 per cent rise from 2023-24, the government said in a statement on Monday (18) in an attempt…
BOLLYWOOD celebrities unveiled various details about themselves this year, ranging from unique personal anecdotes to past experiences. Keeping our ears to the ground, we learned more about the lives of well-known stars than just their on-screen personas. Eastern Eye looks back on the events of the last 12 months to present…
A THRILLING year for British Asian music saw everything from much-awaited single releases to world-class performances by international artists in sold-out arenas. Newcomers breaking through, the rise of devotional music, established names making headlines, melas, music festivals and an interesting comeback were among the noteworthy events. Eastern Eye decided to…
BRITAIN plans to increase funding for local government councils by £4 billion to £64bn ($81bn) to address inflation-driven pressures, after cities Birmingham and Nottingham effectively declared bankruptcy. The settlement for 2024-25 marks a 6.5 per cent rise from 2023-24, the government said in a statement in an attempt to ease…
New data released by Shelter UK reveals a harrowing reality for many in the West Midlands this Christmas: over 24,000 individuals, including 12,590 children, will experience homelessness, marking an 18% increase in one year. Analysing official homelessness figures and data obtained through Freedom of Information requests, Shelter's comprehensive study exposes…
WHETHER it has been top talents making a mark, path-breaking moments, superb songs, fabulous films, brilliant books, or audience-delighting entertainment, there has been a lot to celebrate in the past 12 months. Next week, there will be a roundup of these magnificent moments in Eastern Eye’s annual review of the…
ONE of the top jobs in the arts has gone to Indhu Rubasingham, who has been appointed director and joint chief executive of the National Theatre in London. She will succeed Rufus Norris who will be stepping down from the post in spring 2025, when his second term ends. Rubasingham,…
IN HER book, What’s in a Name? Friendship, Identity and History in Modern Multicultural Britain, the author Sheela Banerjee deals with the question which confronts all British Asian parents. What should they call their newborn? Most want the name to reflect the child’s ethnic and cultural heritage, but at the…
I FELL in love with Benjamin Zephaniah and performance poetry both at the same time. It was as a young teenager that I first saw and heard him on the 1990’s British Asian television programme Network East. In his Jamaican-inflected Brummie accent, this dreadlocked Rastafarian took viewers on a tour…
A NETWORK and website have been launched to “deepen public conversation about race in Britain and press for future change”. Dozens of race and equality campaigners, community organisations and politicians gathered in parliament last Thursday (7) at an event to acknowledge the efforts of the 75th Windrush anniversary this year.…
A 34-year-old man, who was part of a four-member drugs smuggling gang, was sentenced to three years of imprisonment at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday (8). The gang was busted and convicted for their role in conspiring to supply cocaine and cannabis from the Netherlands to the UK and Ireland.…
Survivors of a sunken ship and their descendants came together for a commemoration at London’s National Maritime Museum in Greenwich last month. It has been 81 years since the passenger-cargo ship, SS Tilawa, sank after it was torpedoed twice by the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Indian ocean during the…
Racial justice is essential in all democracies and progressive societies, which seek to learn from historical examples of persecution, incarceration, and enslavement on the basis of race. Anti-slavery and civil rights movements in the North America and Europe led to greater freedoms, alongside campaigns to tackle gender disadvantage and discrimination.…
ANY “drastic” measures to cut immigration to the UK have the potential to “kill the economy”, a leading businessman has told Eastern Eye. Annual net migration hit a record of 745,000 last year and has stayed at elevated levels since, data showed last Thursday (23). Prime minister Rishi Sunak came…
ONLY a few years ago schools were proud of their every child matters policy. It was all the rage. But then, all of a sudden, without rhyme or reason, it vanished into thin air. For some educationalists, the recent Hamas/Israel conflict is a clear-cut singularity of rhyme. It’s the reason…
THE booming British Asian comedy scene has more fabulous stand-up talents than ever before and Faizan Shah falls firmly into that category. The Manchester-based comic entertains audiences with relatable jokes based on personal experiences and provides plenty of laughs. He will be part of the ensemble Desi Central comedy shows…
THERE is a surge in Indian students accelerating visa applications to bring their dependents to the UK ahead of the government-imposed ban in January, The Telegraph reported. Education agents are capitalising on this trend, charging inflated prices to secure spots at UK universities before the impending Home Office deadline, which…
Despite a significant setback in the country’s highest court, prime minister Rishi Sunak is attempting to revive his flagship immigration policy. However, legal experts express doubts about its ability to surmount the existing legal hurdles. The UK Supreme Court on Wednesday (15) ruled the government's scheme to send asylum seekers…
MAGNIFICENT songs, multiple awards and amazing musical achievements mean Kumar Sanu needs no introduction. The massively popular music star ranks among the most celebrated Indian playback singers of all time and is the voice behind songs that defined a generation. The once-undisputed ‘king of romance’ is currently judging the 14th…
BRITAIN's Sikh population, whose ancestors first migrated from the Punjab more than a century ago, have long been admired as a model of integration and for maintaining a strong identity. Lauded in their country of origin and beyond for their valour, industriousness and charity, Sikhs took those values to Britain,…
MY INSTINCT is that the return of David Cameron as foreign secretary is good for Rishi Sunak, for the government and for the country. Let’s not forget that Rishi was elected an MP in 2015 during Cameron’s last year as prime minister. Cameron has disagreed with Rishi’s decision to cancel…
CAMPAIGNERS have expressed disappointment over new research showing that one in four women feel they cannot progress in sport due to a lack of role models. The study, by the London Lions basketball team, found that 25 per cent of females believe becoming a professional player or at management level…
BRITISH ASIAN designer Jashaan Gill has urged youngsters to start pursuing their dreams, assuring them that they will ‘find their way’ in the process. Birmingham-based Gill’s journey into the world of fashion commenced with a dream that his teachers dismissed and mocked. Now, aged 26, this resilient designer from Oldbury…
Ace Producers Guneet Monga and Vikas Khanna are set to come up with an OSCAR-qualified animated short film American Sikh. The amazing true story of Vishavjit Singh, a Sikh man who was born in America and wears a turban, who, after a lifetime of violence, self-doubt, and bigotry, eventually finds…
PROMINENT British Asian GP, Dr Nikki Kanani, has announced that she will step down from her current role at NHS England next month after serving six years. She worked as the medical director for primary care overseeing the establishment of Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and the formulation of a fresh…
BRITISH ASIAN designer Jashaan Gill has urged youngsters to start pursuing their dreams, assuring them that they will 'find their way' in the process. Birmingham-based Gill's journey into the world of fashion commenced with a dream that his teachers dismissed and mocked. Now, aged 26, this resilient designer from Oldbury…
A former firearms officer who was stripped down to her underwear during a training exercise has been awarded £30,000 by an employment tribunal. Rebecca Kalam said she felt "vindicated" by the decision, which found she had been subjected to sexist and derogatory language and harassment, sex discrimination, and victimisation at…
A MAN who set alight two men who were walking home from mosques in two British cities earlier this year was found guilty of two counts of attempted murder, police said on Tuesday (7). Police said they found no evidence that Mohammed Abbkr, 27, was motivated by a particular ideology…
WHETHER it is the food, fireworks, fabulous outfits or family gatherings, there is a lot to consider during Diwali. Making the right decisions will usually mean the difference between having a delightful time or something not so memorable. With that in mind, Eastern Eye prepared a quick A to Z…
AN INCREDIBLE career has seen Apache Indian become a great British music icon. Whether it has been creating a new musical genre, monster hits like Boom Shak-A-Lak, world-class collaborations, trailblazing moments or setting up an academy for new talent, he has had three decades of brilliance. The singer, songwriter and…
DIWALI – the story of good triumphing over evil – shows how multiculturalism is not failing but instead enhancing community relations in today’s Britain, prominent politicians and business leaders have told Eastern Eye. The prime minister, Rishi Sunak, and the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, added their voices to the…
WITH the Israel-Palestine conflict escalating so dangerously, its impact on British politics seems a rather local difficulty. When prime minister Rishi Sunak flew to Israel to tell prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu “we want you to win”, he could not really claim to be speaking for his much more ambivalent country.…
FOREIGN doctors received lower pay and reduced benefits compared to their UK counterparts under a controversial scheme in English hospital trusts, an investigation has revealed. Doctors from outside the UK arrive at NHS trusts as ‘fellows’ under the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges’ medical training initiative (MTI) scheme, spending two-years…
Animated short American Sikh inspired by the life of Vishavjit Singh — the ‘Sikh Captain America’ — has qualified to be considered for a 2024 Academy Award. The film, which had its world premiere at the Oscar-qualifying Tribeca Film Festival in June, was created to bring more Sikh representation to…
A HIGHER proportion of British Asian children are classed as overweight compared to other groups, according to government data. Experts have expressed concerns over the disproportionate number of youngsters of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin who are having weight problems when they turn 10 or 11. Some 36.2 per cent…
BRITISH arts organisation the Jaivant Patel Company has consistently broken new ground with dance productions that combine eye-catching performances with thought provoking narratives. One of the UK’s leading voices in the south Asian LGBTQIA+ space commences a tour of their new production Waltzing The Blue Gods, at Arena Theatre in…
THE West Midlands, England's second biggest metropolitan area, is set to be boosted by the creation of 1,000 new tech sector jobs, the local economic development agency said on Wednesday (18). The West Midlands Growth Company, which covers an area containing England's second city Birmingham, said the jobs would be…
LABOUR MP Khalid Mahmood has criticised a top Mulsim group of the UK for not condemning Hamas which committed atrocities in Israel earlier this month. Hamas gunmen sneaked across the border into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, killing about 1,400 people and abducting dozens. In its…
A casino is a place where dreams can come true in an instant and where passions boil on the edge of excitement. The history of american slots in the UK is littered with successes and scandals that have created wealth and fame, but have also drawn attention to the downside…
The High Commission of India in London hosted a welcome event for newly arrived Indian students, aiming to provide them with guidance and counsel regarding life in the UK. The event aimed to extend support to the students as their “home away from home.” After completing a registration drive supported…
MASTER percussionist Gubzy Singh Lackhanpal has had a magnificent career filled with magical moments. The dynamite dhol player and tabla maestro has performed in over 46 countries, with leading artists that include Malkit Singh, DCS, Apache Indian, Beverly Knight, AS Kang, Sukshinder Shinda, Hans Raj Hans, Surinder Shinda, Balwinder Safri,…
DATING apps may provide more options for single people than ever before, but many have been left frustrated with swiping across to find a life partner. Being unsatisfied with apps led Sukh Kaur towards setting up her company Some Single Thing. The British entrepreneur organises unique events for singles looking…
THE UK and Ireland will co-host Euro 2028, while Italy and Turkey will be joint hosts of the 2032 tournament, UEFA announced. Both bids ran unopposed but still needed official approval from European football's governing body, which they received at a meeting in Switzerland. Turkey last week withdrew from the…
Amit Sharma has been confirmed as the new Artistic Director and CEO of the Kiln Theatre. Sharma, who is currently Associate Director at Kiln Theatre, and also works as a freelance director, will take up his new role on 1 December 2023. Sharing his excitement, Sharma said today, “Over the…
Cricket could feature in the Olympics for the first time since 1900 after organisers of the 2028 Los Angeles Games on Monday (9) recommended its inclusion. In a statement, LA28 listed the Twenty20 version of cricket as one of the proposed 'new' sports alongside baseball/softball, flag football - a non-contact…
Preity Zinta, one of the leading actresses of Indian Cinema, is coming to Birmingham in November to be a part of Diwali celebrations. She will be welcomed by the Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street and both Andy and Preity are set to preside over a weekend of events…
A LEADING Tory parliamentarian has accused home secretary Suella Braverman of “betraying” her own culture and background with her claim that multiculturalism in Britain has “failed”. Braverman, in a speech last week at the American Enterprise Institute, in Washington DC, described multiculturalism as a “misguided dogma” that had allowed people…
The Diwali Basket Brigade, an initiative organised by The Diwali Foundation, operates as a voluntary campaign dedicated to providing food hampers to vulnerable families from various faiths and backgrounds. These families, nominated by local charities and community organisations, are identified as those facing severe financial challenges, struggling to provide food…
AT A ROUTINE scan, we found out that Aum was going to be very poorly. They spoke the words, “I’m really sorry, this is not good news”. That moment is forever etched in my innermost parts. Aum had a condition called Fetal Akinesia Syndrome, a life-limiting, rare genetic disorder. We…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak portrayed himself as a tough decision maker and an agent of change on Wednesday (4), seeking to break with the scandals and chaos of his Tory predecessors and show the party he can help it win an upcoming election. In a speech lasting more than an…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak has scrapped the HS2 high-speed rail line from the West Midlands to Manchester during his Conservative Party conference speech on Wednesday (4). The cancellation includes everything beyond the London-Birmingham route, with the £36 billion saved set to be reinvested in transport initiatives across the North, Midlands,…
AN ACTION-PACKED year of live music has seen blockbuster concerts from huge international names and despite there only being three months left, there is still plenty to look forward to before 2023 ends. With that in mind, Eastern Eye prepared a preview of some great live music events to look…
A PROMINENT Conservative party commentator believes the Tories have become “complacent” in reaching out to ethnic minority politicians and voters. With Rishi Sunak as prime minister and ministers such as Suella Braverman, Kemi Badonech and James Cleverly, the Tory administration has one of the most diverse cabinets in history. However,…
THE Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has shut down the embattled law firm Axiom Ince with immediate effect, the regulator said on Tuesday (3). Axiom’s managing director Pragnesh Modhwadia was suspended in August on the suspicion of "dishonesty” after a £64 million hole had been detected in the firm’s client account.…
CONSERVATIVES opened their annual conference on Sunday (1), with the party's chairman conceding they were "the underdogs" heading into a general election expected next year amid widespread economic woes. The gathering in Manchester will be prime minister Rishi Sunak's first since he became Tory leader last October, and likely the…
Investing in infrastructure to develop the tourism potential of Uttarakhand is a priority for the north Indian state, its chief minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, has said. In an exclusive interview with Eastern Eye, Dhami revealed the state government’s plans to work with the hospitality sector to enhance the appeal of…
FRINGED by forested mountains in eastern China, the Zhejiang University of Technology might seem an unlikely battleground for cricketing powers with Olympic ambitions. But on Monday (25), it was the focus of much of south Asia as India’s women beat Sri Lanka by 19 runs in the Asian Games final,…
RISHI SUNAK was not at last year’s Conservative Party conference. Having lost the party leadership election, he kept a low profile in his Yorkshire constituency to not distract from then prime minister Liz Truss’s chance to set out her vision. A chaotic week of u-turns trying to contain the implosion…
LONDON's Drummond Street, known for its immigrant-owned businesses, is facing a severe economic challenge due to the HS2 high-speed rail project. Originally intended to improve connections between London, Birmingham, and Manchester, HS2's delayed and over-budget construction near Euston station has disrupted the once-thriving area, reported the Times. For many local…
There is growing concern among the Conservative party regarding Rishi Sunak's recent policy surge amid ongoing political challenges. Many within the party wonder if the sudden flurry of initiatives constitutes a coherent strategy or is a sign of panic. As world leaders convened at the UN climate summit in New…
CANADIAN prime minister Justin Trudeau’s accusation on Tuesday (19) that the Indian government was behind the killing of a Sikh leader in Canada led to an escalating war-of-words and diplomats being ejected from both countries. India described as “absurd” Trudeau’s claims that “credible allegations” linked Indian agents to the June…
FOREIGN SECRETARY James Cleverly said that his government backs a Canadian investigation to determine whether India was involved in the killing of a Sikh leader, in a case that sent ties between Ottawa and New Delhi nosediving. Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said Monday (18) that "credible allegations" linked Indian…
BRITISH Sikh members of Parliament Preet Kaur Gill and Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi have reacted to “concerning” reports emanating from Canada, after prime minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian involvement in the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in the country. The opposition Labour MPs, who represent heavily Sikh constituencies in England,…
A LETTER from the government to Birmingham City Council’s chief executive outlines “serious” finance and governence concerns – and reveals commissioners could be in place for five years, writes Kate Knowles. It states that government commissioners will take over the running of the council for as long as five years…
QUEEN frontman and rockstar Freddie Mercury’s Parsi heritage was celebrated more than 30 years after his death, as Sotheby’s in London conducted the first of six auctions of his belongings last Wednesday (6). A 16th-century Indian miniature depicting A Prince on Horseback With His Entourage sold for £266,700, against an…
After nearly six decades in operation, a family-owned business specialising in traditional Asian dresses is set to close its doors as the owner, Kishor Chauhan, plans to retire. Milans, originally established in Leicester's Highfields area in 1964 to cater to the needs of newcomers from India and Pakistan, later relocated…
A former detective inspector has accused West Midlands police protection officers tasked with safeguarding Pakistani human rights activist Malala Yousafzai of using derogatory language towards her, the MailOnline reported. Rebecca Kalam alleged that the officers referred to Malala as 'Tikka Masala,' a deeply offensive term, on multiple occasions. This disturbing…
THE West Midlands mayor, Andy Street, has hit out at Birmingham City Council’s leadership in a statement after the local authority admitted it is effectively bankrupt. The city council announced on Tuesday (5) morning it could no longer balance its books and issued a Section 114 notice. The deputy leader,…
IN TERMS of ability, longevity, versatility, body of work and global impact, Asha Bhosle is regarded by most as India’s greatest singer of all time. Born on September 8, 1933, the most recorded artist in history changed the face of commercial music in India and entertained countless people across different…
LABOUR MP Shabana Mahmood said she was honoured to be appointed shadow secretary of state for justice after party leader Sir Keir Starmer carried out a reshuffle on Monday (4). Days after prime minister Rishi Sunak’s mini reshuffle last week, Sir Keir named Birmingham Ladywood MP Mahmood to the shadow…
A court has heard that a dangerous driver, Mohammed Sullaiman Khan, 27, ordered a burger and chips at a fast-food restaurant just an hour after causing a fatal car crash that resulted in the deaths of two brothers, aged 10 and 23 months. The horrendous crash took place at about…
THE Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) recognises that it has become difficult for young people to own their own homes – which is why it is holding a show devoted to indoor plants. Those with access to outdoor gardens during the pandemic lockdowns were lucky, but others who own or rent…
THE UK government was working with airlines on Tuesday (29) to help ensure passengers stranded in airports across Europe, after an air traffic control glitch the previous day caused widespread disruption to flights that is expected to last for days. More than 1,500 flights were cancelled on bank holiday Monday…
London mayor Sadiq Khan has accused government ministers of “weaponising air pollution and climate change” alleging that they are not endorsing the expansion of London’s ultra-low emission zone (Ulez), The Guardian reported. As the Ulez expansion is set to encompass all London boroughs, Khan has expressed his dissatisfaction with the…
RACISM has no place in the National Health Service, the health secretary has told Eastern Eye. His comments come after doctors’ leaders made clear that medics of colour were more likely to face complaints and disciplinary hearings than their white colleagues. Two years ago (August 2021) this newspaper revealed that…
LABOUR has ditched plans to roll out clean air zones across the country aimed at cutting carbon emissions after Uxbridge by-election defeat, reported The Telegraph. A narrow by-election loss last month in outer London has been blamed on London mayor Sadiq Khan's expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez),…
AN estimated 40 per cent of children in Pakistan are suffering from stunted growth as families struggle to access food and healthcare, a year after the devastating floods, according to a report by a UK-based charity. The report by Birmingham-based Islamic Relief Worldwide, published last week, added that 80 per…
THE Labour MP for Harrow West, Gareth Thomas, who is also the chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for British Gujaratis (APPG), joined other parliamentary representatives as they called on airports and airlines for more direct flights to Gujarat from Heathrow. The group met Heathrow airport policy lead Richard…
Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt, who is presently basking in the huge success of her latest release Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, is also going all out to promote her much-awaited film Heart Of Stone, which marks her debut in Hollywood. Helmed by Tom Harper, the spy action thriller film…
Lorna Nanda Gangotra, an award-winning chef from Woking, embarked on a challenging trek to Mount Kilimanjaro raising over £7,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Her motivation was to express gratitude for the care her mother received during her cancer journey at a Birmingham hospital. Lorna's mother was diagnosed with cancer, and…
Three law firms facing accusations of misconduct in handling asylum applications have been closed down by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). The affected firms are Rashid & Rashid in South Wimbledon, Kingswright Solicitors in Birmingham, and Lincoln Lawrence in Hounslow. The closure follows an undercover operation carried out by the…
LATA MANGESHKAR, the “Nightingale of India”, died in February last year, aged 92, but her songs definitely live on. This became apparent when a 31-yearold singer from Mumbai, Palak Muchhal, and her brother, Palash Muchhal, three years younger, sang many of her golden oldies at a proms concert at the…
POPULAR singer Adnan Sami returns for another UK tour in August with big arena shows in Leeds next Friday (11), London next Saturday (12) and Birmingham next Sunday (13). The singer and master musician will be performing his greatest hits, with a full live orchestra and putting a unique live…
GROWING UP, Dominique DeLeon spent many hot summers in a built-up neighbourhood in the city of Birmingham, in central England, where she lived through deprivation and had little access to nature or green spaces to help her cool down. Though she has moved to a different part of town, ever…
A 78-year-old Indian-American engineer was fired from his long-time job with a missile defence contractor in Alabama, US, for speaking in Hindi with his dying relative in India over a video call, a media report quoted a lawsuit filed by him. Anil Varshney, a senior systems engineer with Huntsville missile…
COOKING became a calling for Niaz Caan at a young age and led him towards working in professional kitchens as a 14-year-old. Despite taking a break to secure a first-class degree in Economics from the University of Birmingham, the 22-year-old is now the executive chef at City Spice in London’s…
INDIA’S Tata Group confirmed it will build an electric vehicle battery plant in Britain to supply its Jaguar Land Rover factories, delivering a major boost for a UK car industry in need of domestic battery production to help secure its future. The announcement marks Britain’s biggest move in the car…
The National Theatre has announced the full cast for Anupama Chandrasekhar’s critically acclaimed The Father and the Assassin, directed by the Kiln Theatre’s Artistic-Director, Indhu Rubasingham. This gripping new play by one of India’s most exciting playwrights, returns to the Olivier Theatre from 8 September. Mahatma Gandhi: lawyer, champion of…
THE annual celebration of South Asian Heritage Month explores the shared cultures and histories of the UK and South Asia, with a range of activities from film screenings and concerts to workshops, discussions and events bringing diverse communities together. To mark the important month, being held in 2023 from Tuesday…
A “DANGEROUS” terrorist from Birmingham, who was sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison after returning from Syria, has been released early on licence.Yusuf Zubair Sarwar’s release came more than a year after the Parole Board heard his application.In 2014, Woolwich Crown Court jailed Sarwar and his childhood friends Mohammed…
THE Labour candidate for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Danny Beales, has caused a stir by going against London mayor Sadiq Khan’s Ulez expansion plan. The Ulez zone expansion is due to go ahead in August and will see the most polluting vehicles have to pay a £12.50-aday toll. But a…
A disqualified British Indian driver who was caught with more than £1 million worth of cocaine after being stopped by officers has been sentenced to seven years and four months. Sukhchain Dale was found with a large stash of Class A banned drugs after his van was pulled over by…
THE Church of England stands accused of failing survivors of child abuse and punishing whistle blowers who give them a voice, a former independent advocate has told Eastern Eye. The church sacked Jasvinder Sanghera, who founded Karma Nirvana, a charity for mainly south Asian survivors of domestic abuse, forced marriage…
A 56-year-old woman, who admitted to the manslaughter of an elderly Indian-origin patient while they were both receiving medical care at a hospital in the UK, has been handed a seven-year prison sentence. Philomena Wilson, known as Brenda, was a patient at City Hospital in Birmingham in January 2021 when…
Celebrated author Sir Salman Rushdie expressed his support for keeping the arts free from government interference at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards on Sunday (02). The discussion arose amid criticism surrounding the English National Opera's (ENO) relocation away from London. Rushdie echoed comments made by Melvyn Bragg, who highlighted…
THE former chairwoman of the Social Mobility Commission, Katharine Birbalsingh, has accused a Labour MP of 'racist and bullying behaviour', reports said. The head teacher of Michaela Community School in northwest London, Birbalsingh alleged that her race urged Jess Phillips MP to 'whip up a social media mob' against her,…
The globally acclaimed singer, composer and actor Shankar Mahadevan has been awarded an honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University (BCU) in recognition of his outstanding services to music and the arts. Mahadevan, who has been described as one of the greatest ever Bollywood vocalists, was given the award at a…
SEVEN-TIME Grand Slam champion Venus Williams and former world number three Elina Svitolina were handed wildcard entries into Wimbledon, the organisers announced last Wednesday (21). Williams, 43, has won the third major of the year five times and returned to action this month after a five-month injury layoff. Currently ranked…
WITH huge concerts headlined by superb singers like The Nooran Sisters, Gurdas Maan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Ali Azmat and Atif Aslam already staged, it has been an action packed year for live music in the UK. There are a lot more concerts on the way in the remaining six months of…
AFTER announcing himself with cutting edge Punjabi singles, talented music producer AS Kullar has gone in a different direction by teaming up with MC Beant for his debut EP The Rules Of Engagement. His first purely hip hop release in English brings out the best in Beant and shows of…
A 25-year-old student from India died after being pulled from a canal in Birmingham, police said on Monday (26). Jeevanth Sivakumar, from Tamil Nadu, who was pursuing his postgraduate degree at Aston University was found in the Worcester and Birmingham canal at Matrons Walk, Selly Oak on Wednesday (21). The…
MAJOR events will be held across Britain this week to mark the 75th anniversary of the arrival of Windrush on Thursday (22), a statement said. As part of the celebrations, the Windrush flag is being raised in more than 200 locations across England and Wales, including at the Houses of…
Are you ready for the Proms tribute to the ‘Queen of Melody’ Lata Mangeshkar, whose voice was the soundtrack for generations of cinema-goers? Proms, the world’s greatest classical music festival, is taking place from July 14 to September 9 at Royal Albert Hall in London, and Prom 18: Lata Mangeshkar:…
When prime minister Rishi Sunak met US president Joe Biden on June 8, one of the overriding themes of their talks was how the world’s leading governments should guard against risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI). Ultimately, Sunak wants an international organisation established, based in London, to effectively be an…
ENGLAND’S world cup winning cricketer Adil Rashid is among the British Asian names recognised in King Charles’s inaugural Birthday Honours List announced today. With doctors, politicians, educators, authors, community leaders and philanthropists among the 11 per cent of recipients coming from an ethnic minority background, the list showcases the immense…
AVTAR SINGH PURBA alias Khanda, a prominent pro-Khalistani activist, died at a hospital in Birmingham on Thursday (15) morning after a prolonged illness, a UK-based Sikh organisation said in a statement. Sikh Federation UK said Avtar Singh was terminally ill with blood cancer. He was on a life support system…
IT took a one-word message from England captain Ben Stokes for spin all-rounder Moeen Ali to come out of his test retirement and join the squad for the Ashes series against Australia beginning at Edgbaston on Friday (16). Moeen played the last of his 64 tests nearly two years ago…
London-based battery software company, About:Energy, has secured £1.5 million in seed investment from various investors, the company said in a statement. The latest funding will be used for the rapid commercialisation and development of its software platform, the Voltt, which significantly reduces the cost to design new battery products through…
When Iqra Shazadi found out that no soldier had ever worn the hijab in the British Army, she was shocked, and this motivated her further to achieve her desire to join the army and do something more. She realised it was her chance to create “her story”. “There is a…
An amazing all-round ability has seen Ammy Virk balance a music and movie career like a boss. Having started off as a chart-topping singer, the popular star has acted in a string of successful Punjabi films and is also a producer. Entertaining audiences with hit songs, live shows and marvellous…
“IT has been an extraordinary journey,” said Alford Gardner, once a 21-year-old former Royal Air Force (RAF) serviceman returning to seek work in Britain and now navigating, in his mid-90s, becoming a crucial living link to an iconic moment in the making of modern Britain. Gardner is one of the…
A new study has said that male and Asian young people most likely to experience nerve damage from the use of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas. The study of patients admitted to hospital in England has revealed a predominance of young men of Asian ethnicity among those experiencing…
Birmingham has recently appointed its first British-Indian Lord Mayor, Councillor Chaman Lal, following the decision of local councillors in the West Midlands city of England. Representing Birmingham as its first citizen, Lal hails from the Ravidassia community of British Sikhs and was born in the village of Pakhowal in Hoshiarpur.…
Toplined by Adah Sharma, filmmaker Sudipto Sen’s The Kerala Story has been hitting headlines ever since entering cinemas on May 5, 2023. Despite facing opposition from several states and political leaders, the film has been performing exceptionally well in India and some key international territories. Resultantly, it has managed to…
British Indian children are being diagnosed with autism nearly two years later on average than white British youngsters, according to a new study. Toddlers of Indian origin in the UK were diagnosed at 68 months, compared to 48 months for their white counterparts. Researchers also found that British Indian parents…
Tributes have been paid to a young woman who died in a car crash in Tamworth, north east of Birmingham. Aishwarya Nagar, 20, the driver of a black Vauxhall Corsa, died when her car collided with a white BMW on Coleshill Road on May 4. She died on the scene.…
Whether it is solo headline tours, ensemble shows featuring top names or something a little different, there are great stand-up comedy shows on the UK live scene. With that in mind, here is a quick list of some fabulously funny tours and shows you can look forward to, in no…
A man who praised the killer of French teacher Samuel Paty and posted images of his severed head was on Thursday (11) sentenced by a UK court to five and a half years in jail. Ajmal Shahpal, 41, was convicted in March at Birmingham Crown Court for posting tweets which…
Parts of London with a large Asian population have more adult children living with their parents in 2021 compared to a decade ago, latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed. Published on Wednesday (10), the survey showed more than one in four (26.8 per cent) London…
Britain's first coronation in 70 years takes place on Saturday (6), with Charles III crowned king in an elaborate Christian ceremony steeped in solemn ritual and more than a millennium of history. The coronation - the first of a British king since 1937 - is the religious confirmation of his…
Actor Patrick Baladi, who is best known for playing Neil Godwin in the BBC sitcom The Office, Michael Jackson in the Sky 1 drama Stella and Stephen Holmes in the ITV thriller Marcella, has joined Parminder Nagra on the cast of the second season of her hit crime drama, DI…
A pair of skintight leather hotpants worn by Freddie Mercury has sold for £18,000 ahead of a huge auction featuring 1,500 items from the rock legend’s personal collection. Mercury, then 34, wore the tailored black shorts, which ‘didn’t leave much to the imagination’, on several occasions, most noticeably during an…
Jaag Festival, a unique celebration of Panjabi and Pahari-Pothwari Language and Literature, is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 13, 2023, from 10 am to 8.30 pm. This festival marks the first-ever of its kind in the world. With nearly 40 speakers, performers, and facilitators, the event promises to…
Cricket and music marked the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi in central Birmingham over the weekend. Around 80 people, including women and children, took part in the softball Vaisakhi Cricket Cup tournament - a fun competition - organised by the Club at Edgbaston’s indoor centre.The action was accompanied by traditional Punjabi…
Prince William helped out an Indian restaurant during a royal visit on Thursday (20) by taking a phone reservation from an unsuspecting customer. The heir to the British throne and his wife Kate were visiting the family-run restaurant Indian Streatery during their trip to Birmingham in central England, when he…
An inquiry is on after West Midlands police officers were assaulted with a bottle as they took part in an operation to crack down on illegal street market stalls during Ramadan. The incident took place at 01:30 am last Sunday (16) as a large crowd gathered in Small Heath, Birmingham.…
India is the top country of origin for international students studying in England and Wales, official figures show. Analysis of Census 2021 data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Monday (17) showed 43,175 Indians were studying on campus across England and Wales two years ago, accounting for…
THE home secretary is pandering to right-wing racists and putting south Asian lives in danger, MPs and experts have told Eastern Eye. It follows Suella Braverman’s comments over the weekend (2) that “vulnerable white girls living in troubled circumstances have been abused, drugged, raped, and exploited”. She highlighted cases in…
WALK into St James’ Court Hotel in central London or the world famous Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai, and you know you are entering an establishment to rival the very best on the planet. Imagine now that this experience of walking into a cocoon of splendour, fine service and opulence…
Polite Society, the kung fu-inspired comedy-drama, in cinemas now, revolves around an aspiring stunt woman who decides to commit a wedding heist and finds herself up against a formidable fighting foe. To mark its release, Eastern Eye put together a list of the top 10 British Asian movies, in chronological…
Hellmann's is offering free 'Iftar for All' food parcels in partnership with UK charity Human Appeal, to provide families in need with a week's worth of tasty Iftar meals during Ramadan. The initiative aims to address concerns about the increased costs of food for Ramadan celebrations, with research showing that…
The West Midlands Police promised to encourage more diversity in its ranks as the force launched an overhaul of neighbourhood policing on Monday (3). Chief constable Craig Guildford told the BBC that under the new policing model the force has pledged to give local commanders better resources to make officers…
East London-based food wholesaler Wanis International Foods has been honoured by the Business Champions Awards for its community and charity work. They won the Business Community Award, presented by BBC news legend Huw Edwards. Trading for nearly six decades, Wanis has been recognised for their strong record of charitable and…
The delightful debut from Farhana Islam is a celebration of Muslim women, diversity, and inclusivity, which opens, up new worlds for young readers and parents alike. The book gorgeously illustrated by Nabila Adani, brings bright colour and lovable characters to the young readers. Eastern Eye caught up with the Birmingham…
A review of one of England's largest NHS trusts has revealed a toxic work environment and repeated instances of bullying. The Bewick report was commissioned after BBC Newsnight reported that staff at University Hospitals Birmingham felt a culture of fear had compromised patient care. Among the report's criticisms was the…
Air India has launched four new services from London’s Gatwick airport as it has embarked on a major expansion. The latest service started by the Tata Group-owned airline on Tuesday (28) connects the British capital with Goa, one of India’s top tourist destinations. Three other services it launched since Sunday…
Police on Thursday (23) charged a 28-year-old man with the attempted murders of two elderly men who were set on fire after they left mosques, in separate attacks in England. West Midlands Police said Mohammed Abbkr, 28, from Edgbaston in Birmingham would appear at the city's magistrate's court. He was…
China has overtaken India as the most common country of birth for non-UK-born short-term (under 12 months) residents in England and Wales, according to the latest data released on Wednesday (22). The changing picture of short-term international migration, England and Wales, report from the Office for National Statistics has said…
A man walking home from a mosque in Birmingham was set on fire by a male suspect, prompting an investigation by the police. West Midlands Police is leading the investigation, with support from the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), and has arrested a person on suspicion of attempted murder in connection…
India's PV Sindhu crashed out of the first round of the All England Championships after losing to Zhang Yi Man of China in straight games in Birmingham on Wednesday (15). Sindhu, a double Olympic medallist and ranked world number nine, lost 17-21 11-21 in the 39-minute women's singles contest. This…
NIKHAT ZAREEN and Lovlina Borgohain will be in the spotlight as India looks to put on a show worthy of their growing stature in women's boxing when the World Championship, which has been marred by controversy, kicks off in New Delhi on Thursday (16). In the absence of six-time champion…
A Bangalore-based Carnatic classical vocalist has been appointed a visiting professor for the Chair of Indian Music at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.Radhika Balakrishnan will be in the role for one semester and she is scheduled to participate in a public seminar on the Nadaswaram - a wind instrument popular in…
AN IMPACTFUL appearance on the recently concluded reality TV show Bigg Boss 16 combined with winning performances in drama serials has given rapidly rising TV star Priyanka Chahar Choudhary great momentum. The multi-talented actress has seen her fan base skyrocket and is now looking forward to taking on more challenging…
LABOUR MP Preet Kaur Gill said she was forced to step up her security after receiving a “direct threat” by email asking her to “watch your back”. The Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston told GB News last Saturday (4) she was worried about her family’s safety as she went about…
THE thought of running a long distance may raise the stress levels of most people, but others like Rahema Mamodo have turned that into an inspiring passion. The Birmingham-based mother of three turned a casual five-kilometre park run into a regular habit, before taking on a half and then a…
FORMER home secretary Priti Patel has reiterated her stance that Shamima Begum remains a “threat to our country” as she hit back at suggestions that the UK has become an “outlier” to its western allies over its stance to not allow the former Daesh member to return to the country.…
AN Indian student was killed in a fatal road traffic collision in Leeds last week. Athira Anilkumar Laly Kumari, 28, from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, was pronounced dead at the scene at the junction of Stanningley road and Cockshott Lane in Leeds on Wednesday (22). According to reports, Athira, who was waiting…
SIKH members of Labour have complained to the party against shadow development secretary Preet Kaur Gill after she sent a series of WhatsApp messages undermining victims of sexual violence within gurdwaras, according to a report. In the messages, Gill said that those who are calling gurdwaras unsafe are using a…
LAST year I had written extensively about how some Bollywood stars seem to be rushing to do as many movies as possible before producers find out their time at the top is over. This has resulted in Hindi cinema being dragged down to the kind of depths that it has…
A Birmingham family shared the anguish and trauma it went through as its beloved member died waiting for an ambulance in December last year.Samina Rahman said desperate calls were made for ambulance service after her husband Iqbal, 58, complained of breathing difficulties on Christmas Eve. When an ambulance finally arrived…
It has just been a couple of days since Hollywood star Paul Rudd admitted his love for Indian food. His pictures gorging on an Indian meal with his friend Dan Levy in London set the internet on fire. And when the actor was reminded about one of the pictures, he…
A pizza delivery driver of Solihull who groomed three teenage girls and raped one of them has been jailed for 22 years.Wahid Bik, 43, befriended and picked up the teenagers in his car between December 2021 and January 2022. He drove them around in Solihull and Shirley and gave them…
PUNJABI films are thriving globally, and Jimmy Sheirgill played a large part in making that happen. He was one of the first frontline Bollywood stars to take on lead roles in Punjabi cinema and helped an industry that was at a standstill, with winning performances. The in-demand actor carries on…
The annual dance show of Sampad, a leading cultural organisation in the UK helping to establishing south Asian arts across the country -- Asian Spring -- will take place on February 26. It will be a special occasion this year as Sampad's community dance showcase will be entering its 25th…
More could have been done to protect an Indian-origin couple murdered by their son by taking note of early warning signs about his violent behaviour and poor mental health, according to a new report this week into the fatal attack in Oldbury in 2020. Anmol Chana was sentenced to life…
A woman's years of fear about her knife-obsessed son came to be true as he murdered both her and his step-father at their home in Oldbury in a frenzied act. It has also been revealed that authorities failed to save the lives despite the family's repeated pleas for help against…
A man has been struggling to move around months after a violent attack in a Birmingham park but the police have closed the case saying they could not find the thugs.Mohammed Iftikhar, 46, said masked thugs struck his head twice with hammers when he was cycling through Aston Hall Park…
A disgraced former West Midlands student police officer is facing jail for sexually assaulting teenager. Haider Siddique, 22, admitted grooming, abducting and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday (31), The Independent reported. He also pleaded guilty to inciting a child to commit a sex act.…
Family of Bolton teacher who died from rare cancer has started a fundraising for Cancer Research UK ahead of world cancer day on Saturday (4). Jenna Patel, 21, who wanted to become a primary school teacher, died of Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare but aggressive form of cancer, last year, reported Manchester…
London mayor Sadiq Khan on Monday (30) launched the biggest scrappage scheme worth £110 million to help charities, sole traders and business with 10 or fewer employees or those city dwellers on lower incomes or disabled, to replace or retrofit their old, polluting vehicles. To accompany the scrappage scheme, Khan and…
Hundreds representing different Indian diaspora organisations gathered outside the BBC headquarters in central London on Sunday to protest against what they branded as “fake news” behind the broadcaster’s controversial series on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The “Chalo BBC” protests were coordinated across BBC studios in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and…
A man has been convicted of kidnapping and raping a woman in a woodland of Birmingham in broad daylight last summer.Mustafa Hakim from Quinton is also found guilty of strangulating the woman when she was trying to resist the sexual assault in July last year.The 30-year-old man approached the woman…
Racism is "structural, institutional and systemic" in Britain, a group of United Nations experts concluded on Friday, warning that people of African descent were witnessing the "erosion of their fundamental rights". Public spending cuts have exacerbated racial discrimination and intolerance, the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African…
Sampad is a highly respected cultural organisation that has been at the forefront of promoting South Asian arts in mainstream culture in Birmingham and the United Kingdom since 1990. Through various initiatives such as production, promotion, performances, advocacy, education, and outreach activities, Sampad supports and nurtures British Asian arts and…
A Derby man who fled to Pakistan after killing a business owner in Birmingham in a botched robbery has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being extradited to the UK to face justice.In February 2016, Tahir Zarif, and three other members of his gang raided the Direct Source 3 warehouse…
The body of a man who had been missing since last autumn was discovered in an isolated woodland in Telford.West Mercia Police confirmed it was the body of Harjinder ‘Harry’ Takhar, who had last been seen running towards a wooded area in the Shropshire town on October 2 after having…
IN HER quest to carve a space for Asians in UK’s art world, photographic artist Arpita Shah hopes to elicit and celebrate the country’s multicultural history, with a focus on south Asian female identity. Commissioned by Birmingham-based arts organisation GRAIN Projects and funded by Arts Council England and Birmingham City…
A perv who sexually assaulted a teenager has been jailed for one year at Hull Magistrates Court on December 1. Mahmood Noor Ibrahim, 39, was tracked down by the victim's mother soon after the incident, reported Birmingham Mail. He will also be registered as a sex offender for 10 years…
Junior doctor Vaishnavi Kumar who took her own life in June last year blamed Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), where she worked, for her extreme step, according to her suicide note.“I am sorry mum, I can blame the whole thing on the QEH,” she said in the note revealed by…
A petrified mother of five has been living in fear with her family after unidentified racists sprayed appalling death threats on their city council home in Birmingham, BirminghamLive reported. She also said that the attack prompted her children to ask her whether someone was planning to hurt them. Vile graffiti,…
A police officer in Birmingham has been cleared of sexually assaulting a woman after going to her home to repair her gas cooker. It had been alleged that the cop named Shaukat Zaman forced his tongue into the mouth of the woman, a mother, after asking her about matters that…
The UK live music has been thriving since lockdown was lifted, with singers from all genres entertaining audiences. One of the most unique has been British Asian singer Bhavik Haria. The talented vocalist has taken bhajans to the live arena, connecting spiritual music rooted in Indian tradition with cross-generational audiences,…
Commonwealth Table Tennis Federation (CTTF) is mulling a marquee Test series between fierce rivals India and England this year as part of its measures to promote the racket sport in member countries. The CTTF, led by chairman Vivek Kohli, was not able to organise events in the last three years…
LIVE PERFORMANCE RAISE THE ROOF When: Saturday January 14 Where: Opera House, 3 Quay Street, Manchester M3 3HP What: A live concert promoting mental health and wellbeing, headlined by popular British Asian singers Malkit Singh, Navin Kundra, and Arjun, who will be performing bhangra, Bollywood and r’n’b hits. www.atgtickets.com ATTAULLAH…
WHETHER it is a genre, a musical trend or a supposed hot new star, Bollywood loves jumping onto a bandwagon, and most of the time it just doesn’t work. In terms of ideas, this has been apparent with the awful number of cover versions of classic songs that keep ruining…
A junior doctor in Birmingham has said that he sometimes 'doesn't have time to eat' during demanding 13-hour shifts as thousands of doctors plan going on strike over pay and conditions. Dr Shivam Sharma is one among many who is willing to vote in favour of industrial action saying this…
BBC ASIAN NETWORK listeners will know about the winning personality of popular radio presenter Noreen Khan. The radio and TV host has taken that infectious energy onto the live circuit as a stand-up comedian and entertained audiences around the UK. Her biggest triumph has been spearheading the path-breaking Ladies Of…
Netizens expressed outrage at the court's decision to award just six years jail term for Hashim Aziz, who killed a young mum in Walsall while showing off to 'impress his cousins'. Aziz, 23, struck Baljinder Kaur Moore at 62mph as she was turning into a junction of Broadway and Magdalene…
Indian squash prodigy Anahat Singh clinched the girls under 15 squash title at the most prestigious British Junior open tournament on Sunday in Birmingham. The 14-year-old defeated Sohaila Hazem of Egypt, 3-1 in the final. The British Junior Open is held in January every year in the UK where all…
British extremist Anjem Choudary has called Prince Harry a ‘Muslim killer’ after his revelations in memoir and said that the Royal family has a 'dark history of occupying Muslim lands, the MailOnline reported. In his highly personal book 'Spare', Harry said that he had killed 25 people in Afghanistan when…
Licensing bosses will review taxi safety screens in Wolverhampton following the tragic death of driver Anakh Singh in October last year. Singh, 59, was was found with fatal injuries in Nine Elms Lane, Park Village, on October 30, and was pronounced dead at the scene. He was an employee with…
A British Indian doctor battled for five hours to save a man’s life after the passenger went into cardiac arrest twice on a flight to India. Dr Vishwaraj Vemala, a consultant hepatologist at University Hospitals Birmingham, responded when the cabin crew on board the 10-hour-flight frantically started calling for a…
LIVE PERFORMANCE NEW YEAR LIVE PUNJABI CONCERT When: Sunday January 8 Where: Beck Theatre, Grange Road, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 2UE What: A live Punjabi music concert to celebrate the new year, which will be headlined by popular artists Jenny Johal, Jigar, Jang Dhillon, and Baldev Aujla Bullet. www.becktheatre.org.uk RAISE THE…
A robbery conspirator has been on the run following his temporary release and Derbyshire Police have appealed for information to find.Faruk Suleman, 52, convicted in 2018 of plotting to commit robbery and possess a firearm, was lodged in HM Prison Sudbury, serving a jail term of 13 years and six…
A 58-year-old Birmingham man died after waiting for three hours for an ambulance on Christmas Eve. His daughter, Minnie Rahman, took to Twitter to describe the tragedy and said that he died with his presents still unwrapped only ten feet away. After no beds could be found in the Midlands,…
A Birmingham man who grievously attacked his son-in-law with a meat cleaver due to a 'festering feud' over a trip to India has been jailed for eight and a half years.Bhajan Singh was under the influence of alcohol when he swung the weapon at the victim in the offender’s family…
It has been eight years since delivery driver Surjit Takhar was found dead near Shifnal but there has been no conclusive answer as to what led to his death.In 2015, road workers discovered human remains at the side of a motorway near Shifnal in Shropshire, some 30 miles from where…
A Cambridge professor who is a leading global figure in the economics of the natural environment, Professor Sir Partha Sarathi Dasgupta; COP-26 president Alok Sharma and drinks company Diageo’s CEO Ivan Menezes are among prominent Asians who have been recognised in the New Year Honour’s List published late last Friday…
AN ACTION-PACKED year for Asian music in the UK had everything from new talent, stunning songs and awesome albums to unforgettable live performances from big-name international stars. The musical melting pot of genres, languages and diverse artists illustrated everything that is great about Britain, and why the past 12 months…
The West Midlands’ first convicted woman county lines operator has been jailed for three and a half years.Henna Ashra from Harborne, Birmingham, made “significant gains” from her drug deals and became rich enough to spend £500 for a single haircut. She also flaunted her ill-gotten wealth by posting photos of…
The post-pandemic travel demand spike resulting in long delays for travellers seeking Indian visas has considerably eased in time for the busy Christmas travel period, visa facilitation service VFS Global said here this week. The restoration of the electronic visa (e-visa) facility for UK travellers earlier this month is expected…
Birmingham Edgbaston’s MP Preet Gill has urged the health secretary to hold a public inquiry into the alleged “toxic culture” at University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) that has had an “alarming impact” on staff and patient care. In a letter to Steve Barclay, Gill said she was “inundated” by messages from…
The centennial birth anniversary of His Holiness (HH) Pramukh Swami Maharaj (1921-2016) was observed at a special commemorative event in the UK parliament on Monday (19). The occasion saw the presence of a number of dignitaries, including the virtual presence of prime minister Rishi Sunak. At the centennial celebration, special…
“MY FATHER died on Sunday, November 20, at 5:55 pm at home, in his own bed, in New Delhi. “At the end, death came to him like a mother and lifted him up gently, tenderly, to carry him through the exit to the other side. It was sandhya, dusk, when…
Laboratory studies have proved that NoriZite nasal spray can block the infection of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, Birmingham Biotech announced on Thursday (15). The research confirmed the complete inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 infection for up to 48 hours when exposed to the unique blend of carrageenan and gellan gum. The…
British Indian dentist Dr Kiran Shankla has won the best Young dentist at The Dentistry Awards for the South East. There were 12 finalists in the category. "This is an extremely prestigious and distinguished award. It hasn't been won by a female Asian dentist for many years and is the…
Sanjeev Bhaskar OBE, Danielle Ward, Daniel Lawrence Taylor, Liam Williams, Morwenna Banks, Laurence Rickard, Nathan Foads, and Paul Doolan have come on board to mentor eight new comedy writers of Sky Comedy Rep, the new talent partnership between Sky Studios and Birmingham Rep. These new writers, who hail from different…
Preet Kaur Gill MP has sought an independent inquiry into the allegations of historic toxicity and bullying at University Hospitals Birmingham.She said reviews already announced by the NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (ICB) would not go far enough.The MP Birmingham Edgbaston MP and shadow cabinet minister for international…
There have been calls for the Labour leadership of Birmingham to take corrective action after a leaked internal survey revealed racism and inequalities in the distribution of funds to various wards.Some Labour councillors belonging to Asian and black communities claimed there was a ‘toxic culture' within the political group, which…
THERE should be a “home” in the UK for south Asian stories, feels director Abdul Shayek whose latest creation is bringing to life what it was for Bangladeshi women to survive 1971 war and restart in a strange new land. Tara Theatre is presenting Virtual Reality (VR) play titled AMMA…
Lancashire’s fast bowler Saqib Mahmood hopes to return to the England team before the next summer as he is recovering from a stress fracture of the back suffered in May this year.The 25-year-old cricketer, who made his Test debut against the West Indies in March is now training in the…
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said it has taken key steps to review and improve its policies to become more inclusive, establishing game-wide communities for under-represented groups and ensuring fair recruitment to strengthen its inclusion and diversity strategy.It said the game came together to commit to faster actions…
LIVE PERFORMANCE PADMAVATI - AN AVATAR When: Saturday December 10 Where: The Bhavan, 4A Castletown Road, London W14 9HE What: Renowned artist Bala Devi Chandrashekar presents a dance drama interpretation of an immortal classic from Gita Govindam. This production gives glimpses into the character of Padmavati, the divine consort of…
An Indian environmentalist who won a special award from then prime minister Boris Johnson has started a 30 city clean-up tour across UK. Vivek Gurav and his volunteers have picked up 5,000kg of rubbish, including 3,000kg of plastic while out running in Bristol in the past year. Gurav began plogging…
The West Midlands Police have urged the public to provide more information about an accident in which a 12-year-old schoolboy died after his e-scooter rammed a bus in Birmingham.Mustafa Madeem was riding the Voi machine to his Saltley High School when the accident took place just before 8 am on…
Police have so far arrested two men in connection with the murder of taxi driver Mohammed Istakhar, 44, who was found fatally stabbed in Solihull on 29 November. A 19-year-old man was detained in the Creswell area of Derbyshire on Tuesday (6) following a widespread public appeal for information. Last…
THE BBC should be ashamed that it has radio and television stations where newsrooms are entirely white and not representing the communities they serve. That is the feeling of current staff and former employees who have spoken to Eastern Eye. They said they warned the BBC that it would not…
HOW should we talk about a changing Britain? The 2021 census gives us the facts about who we are today. It is up to us to decide how to respond. Any constructive argument about how to respond to our changing demographics would need to meet three simple tests. Does it…
The trial of TikTok star Mahek Bukhari, her mother and six others for murder has been scrapped due to “ jury irregularity”.All defendants in the case would be tried again before a fresh jury next year, Justice Pushpinder Singh Saini said in a statement at Leicester Crown Court on Thursday.The…
A drug conspirator and firearms supplier from Salford who moved thousands of pounds of dirty money across the world has been jailed for 18 years. Sidaquet Sadiq who used the encrypted communications network EncroChat to trade in cocaine and heroin was also involved in the purchase and supply of firearms…
A gunman who killed a Digbeth businessman in a botched robbery in 2016 now faces life in jail. Tahir Zarif, 31, was convicted on Wednesday (30) for murdering Akhtar Javeed, 56, six years ago. Zarif was arrested by the British police in 2020 on UK plane after being extradited from…
LIVE PERFORMANCE MALKIT SINGH When: Friday December 2 Where: Arleston Hall, Arleston Lane, Derby DE24 3DH What: Bhangra legend Malkit Singh headlines a dinner and dance with his full live band. There will also be musical performances from Panjabi MC and HMC. www.eventbrite.com ANIRUDH When: Friday December 2 Where: OVO…
Civic leaders, MPs, experts and senior doctors have warned that the UK is sitting on a “ticking time bomb of disparities” among south Asian and black communities. They told Eastern Eye that the 2021 census figures, released on Tuesday (29 November) should raise concerns among government. They urged ministers to…
Britain’s former counter-terrorism head Neil Basu has criticised home secretary Suella Braverman’s “inexplicable” and “horrific” comments on migrants, drawing a parallel between her remarks and the ‘rivers of blood’ speech. “I find some of the commentary coming out of the Home Office inexplicable,” the most senior British Asian police officer…
The 17th edition Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention will be held from January 8 to 10 next year in Indore, Madhya Pradesh with the theme 'Diaspora: Reliable Partners for India's Progress in Amrit Kaal'. Guyana president Mohamed Irfaan Ali will be the chief guest for the event. The convention celebrates the…
The father of a junior doctor has paid tribute to his 'dedicated and selfless' daughter who took her own life due to 'work stresses and a family bereavement', according to reports. Dr Ravi Kumar told Birmingham Coroner's Court on Monday (28) that his daughter Dr Vaishnavi Kumar, 35, felt the…
Parminder Nagra, best known for portraying Jess Bhamra in Gurinder Chadha’s Bend It Like Beckham (2002) and Dr. Neela Rasgotra in the NBC medical drama series ER, is set to return to headline the second series of her hugely popular and thought-provoking crime drama DI Ray. Parminder stars in the…
LIVE PERFORMANCE BOLLYWOOD VOICE OF LEGENDS EXTRAVAGANZA When: Friday November 25 Where: Tyne Theatre & Opera House, 109-113 Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4AG What: British singer Navin Kundra headlines a high energy production with a full live band, where he performs everything from all-time Bollywood classics to western…
Ultimate Bhangra recently beat off tough competition from acts representing different south Asian dance disciplines to win the Just Naach Wolverhampton contest. The dynamic young group delivered a high energy Punjabi dance performance that dazzled audiences and judges. The wonderful win adds to the achievements of Ultimate Bhangra founder Parambir…
With the cost of living crisis forcing the NHS nurses to visit food banks and take strike action, one young chef Niaz Caan, from London’s Brick Lane has taken it upon himself to bring a nutritious hot meal to weary hospital staff members this winter and to also appeal to…
British Indian singer Jaz Dhami started a fundraising appeal for brother who had been diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer and was given just 'six months to live'. Dhami's brother Harvey has been diagnosed with Glioblastoma, an incurable and the most aggressive brain cancer, three months ago. "Harvey has a…
Opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer has called for an end to Britain’s dependence on immigration for its economic growth as he warned "the days of low pay and cheap labour" should be over.At a Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference in Birmingham on Tuesday, he said training up the British…
Britain needs more migrant labour to boost productivity as it faces a toxic mix of soaring inflation and shrinking growth, the country's main business lobby group warned Monday. The verdict from the Confederation of British Industry came at its annual gathering in Birmingham, Britain's second-biggest city. The CBI conference comes…
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday unveiled a new scheme for the world’s 100 most talented young professionals in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) as part of his vision to make the UK a "beacon" to attract the “brightest and best” from around the world. Addressing the Confederation…
A security guard working at an Asda store in Walsall has been praised for saving the life of a slavery and assault victim. The guard who has chosen to remain anonymous spotted the victim being beaten by two offenders in a Nissan Micra car. As he saw bruises on the…
Some 21 months after becoming paralysed waist-down and having undergone multiple spinal operations, an NHS surgeon is creating history on Thursday. Mohammed Belal is set to become the first doctor in the UK to conduct surgery after being paralysed. The neuro-urology surgeon, who suffered spinal injuries when he was hit…
TikTok influencer Mahek Bukhari’s mother Ansreen claimed a young man who was killed in a high-speed chase earlier this year had blackmailed and harassed her during their relationship. Saqib Hussain, 21, and his friend of the same age were killed after their Skoda Fabia was hit by one of the…
London mayor Sadiq Khan on Monday (14) said 40 per cent of Londoners think that they will struggle to meet their rent payments as he sought to bring together private renters, charities, advocacy groups, and politicians to call on the government to tackle the capital's spiralling rental crisis urgently, a…
The single mum status of a woman helped her to avoid prison as she was given a suspended sentence after the mother-of-two mowed down a pedestrian at a Tesco car park in Birmingham, reports said. Aimee Palmer, 28, from Coleshill, crashed her Ford Fiesta into complete stranger Paramjit Malhi after…
Noted Bollywood singer and composer Shankar Mahadevan, who is a member of the celebrated Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy songwriting trio, has been chosen to receive honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University (BCU) for his outstanding contribution to music and the arts. West Midlands Mayor Andy Street made the announcement on behalf of the…
Accents associated with England’s industrial cities and ethnic minorities including Indians are ranked the lowest in the prestige hierarchy, new research has revealed. People from lower socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to be mocked or singled out because of the way they speak, the study by academics from the Accent…
After investigations into the recent clashes involving some Muslims and Hindus in the city of Leicester, a UK-based think tank has debunked the narratives that RSS and Hindutva groups played part in the violent clashes, putting the wider Hindu community at risk from hate, vandalism and assault. https://twitter.com/HJS_Org/status/1588588731040411648?s=20&t=YGWMu5HCwDePRTaElFyxfQ Charlotte Littlewood,…
Britain's trade negotiations with India should prioritise reducing tariffs on manufactured goods to benefit sectors like the automotive industry, the mayor of England's second biggest metropolitan area told Reuters. Britain and India are seeking to strike a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA), but missed a late October deadline set by…
In a sensational revelation made during the hearing of a murder trial on Thursday (2), it was said that one of the two men who were killed in a car crash on the A46 in Leicestershire in February this year had made over 1,700 calls to TikTok star Mahek Bukhari's…
A Manchester man accused of being 'middleman' in a shooting which killed Salford student Aya Hachem has denied the charges saying that he was unaware of the murder plot. Louis 'Junior' Otway, 42, is accused of sending hitmen Anthony Ennis and Zamir Raja to shoot Pachah Khan, who owned the…
A new Indian visa centre has been set up in central London to boost capacity for processing applications alongside other measures, such as a doorstep service and document verification facility, to address high travel demand from the UK. Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami inaugurated the new India…
A row has broken out over a Diwali message that was sent on the morning of the festival on October 24 to the employees of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and the trust has launched an internal review of the matter. The controversial email, which made reference to the…
A young man who died in a high-speed car chase in southern England earlier this year had been madly in love with TikTok star Mahek Bukhari’s mother, more than twice older than him. Saqib Hussain and his friend, both aged 21, were killed after their Skoda Fabia was hit by…
A young Syria-born woman, murdered by her controlling partner in the UK, had feared losing access to her baby if she had reported the full extent of domestic violence directed at her, an inquest heard. Raneem Oudeh and her mother were stabbed to death outside the latter’s home in the…
Bollywood stars Taapsee Pannu and Anushka Sharma on Thursday welcomed the BCCI's landmark decision of equal match fee for its centrally-contracted female and male players in a bid to promote gender equality in cricket. As per the newly introduced system, the Indian women cricketers will now receive Rs 15 lakh…
Dr Nyla Raja a skin specialist who had faced an investigation by the General Medical Council and dubbed the "Queen of Botox" was cleared by a medical watchdog to work without conditions following an investigation launched by the General Medical Council (GMC), the Manchester Evening News (M.E.N) reports. Last year,…
The Conservative Friends (CF) of India and the Indian high commission in London recently hosted a joint reception at the annual Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham which was attended by more than 400 guests, including many high-profile ones. The event celebrated the importance of strong ties between the UK and…
Leicestershire’s chief constable has promised to punish anyone who threatens to spoil Diwali celebrations in his city. In a wide ranging exclusive Eastern Eye interview, Rob Nixon warned troublemakers to stay away from Leicester or feel the full force of the law. “If people from outside of Leicester are trying…
A jury has been sworn in for the trial of TikTok star Mahek Bukhari, her mother Ansreen and six others in connection with the death of two young men in a car crash in southern England earlier this year.The trial, scheduled to begin on Thursday is expected to last about…
LIVE PERFORMANCE THE BOLLYWOOD BRASS BAND When: Saturday October 22 Where: Blackheath Halls, 23 Lee Road, London SE3 9RQ What: The legendary Bollywood brass band continue their UK tour to celebrate 30 years of performing film songs in a unique way. Check the website for further dates. www.bollywoodbrassband.co.uk BOTOWN: THE…
Several British Indian organisations have collectively urged prime minister Liz Truss to ensure security for the Hindu community which is “living in a state of fear” following the recent violence in the country. Some 180 entities, including the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Sanstha UK, said the Hindus “feel like a community…
TikTok star and social media influencer Mahek Bukhari is set to go on a trial for murder next week along with her mother Ansreen Bukhari and six other people in connection to the deaths of two young men, reportedly cousin brothers, in a deadly car crash on the A46 in…
The UK is set to honour 75 Indian students and alumni for excellence in fields such as education, professional achievement, and making contributions to society, on the occasion of India's 75 years of Independence. On Wednesday (12), the nomination process for India's 75 achievers -- the Achievers Honours was declared…
Former Yorkshire spinner Azeem Rafiq and ex-head coach Andrew Gale are among five players who have been reprimanded by England’s Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) for historical social media posts, the country’s cricket board (ECB) said. Rafiq, who spoke out last year against the racism he faced at Yorkshire, apologised for…
LIVE PERFORMANCE DARBAR FESTIVAL 2022 When: Until Sunday October 16 Where: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS What: The annual classical Indian music festival featuring the finest live performers. This year’s line-up includes Shubha Mudgal, Sabir Khan, Ramana Balachandran, Satyajit Talwalkar, Wahane Sisters, Pandit Uday Bhawalkar, Eeshar Singh, Yashwant…
Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party, on Tuesday (11) visited the Bhaktivedanta Manor Temple in Hertfordshire to mark the beginning of the Hindu holy month of 'Kartik'. The visit came a week after the politician took part in 'Navratri' festivals in London. He was given a warm…
Days after the 10th anniversary of Taliban shooting in Malala Yousafzai's head, the Nobel Prize laureate arrived in her home country Pakistan on Tuesday, according to local media. The Express Tribune reported that Malala and her parents reached Karachi through Qatar Airways' flight 604 and were taken to her residence…
The UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was the major topic of discussion at the Conservative Friends of India (CFI) conference reception at Tory conference in Birmingham last week. Home secretary Suella Braverman, environment secretary Ranil Jayawardena, foreign secretary James Cleverly and international trade secretary Kemi Badenoch have participated in the…
The Bengali community celebrated Durga puja with a parade on the Thames and participated in the annual Diwali event of the Mayor of London. The Durga parade saw Golden Sunrise and an accompanying yacht carried the idol of Camden puja and Durga cutouts of Midlands Bengali Association, Birmingham and Bengali…
The British Chambers of Commerce hosted Labour leader Keir Starmer and shadow business and consumers minister Seema Malhotra MP for a roundtable at the Birmingham Energy Innovation Centre, a statement said. During the event on Thursday (6), which was supported by the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, the leaders heard…
Directors of a Birmingham-based wholesaler have contested their conviction over supplying “unsafe” hand sanitiser during the Covid-19 pandemic.While the product supplied by Big Living Ltd was advertised to have 80 per cent alcohol, some containers allegedly had less than 30 per cent of the ingredient.Birmingham Crown Court heard that the…
Three people have been charged with the murder of a Handsworth man who was fatally stabbed outside a Coventry mosque earlier this month. Haji Choudhary Rab Nawaz, 52, was found with severe injuries after a fight reported outside the Jamiah Masjid & Institute on October 2 and he died in…
A woman was jailed and has been ordered to pay a penalty of more than £27,000 for taking 150 illegal driving tests in England and Wales, according to reports. Inderjeet Kaur of Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, took driving tests for other people in Swansea, Carmarthen, Birmingham and London and earned more than…
In its first direct reference to the term "Hinduphobia", the UK's opposition Labour Party committed itself to fight against hate crimes of all kinds following communal clashes in Leicester and Birmingham in the wake of an India-Pakistan cricket match in August. Addressing one of Europe's largest 'Navratri' celebrations in London…
Britain’s Indian-origin Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, has blamed the recent “riots” in Leicester following an India-Pakistan cricket match on uncontrolled migration into the UK and the failure of newcomers to integrate. In her first speech since being appointed home minister at the Conservative Party annual conference in Birmingham on Tuesday…
LIVE PERFORMANCE MUSIC OF INDIA: ROOPA PANESAR When: Sunday October 9 Where: Curve Theatre, 60 Rutland Street, Leicester LE1 1SB What: The British sitar maestro, accompanied by tabla master Yashwant Vaishnav, presents an evening of the very best of Indian classical music. www.curveonline.co.uk DARBAR FESTIVAL 2022 When: Thursday October 13-Sunday…
Prime minister, Liz Truss, and chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, have “risked” the Conservative Party’s election chances because of their “incompetent handling” of the mini budget, Asian parliamentarians have told Eastern Eye. In a so-called mini budget on September 23, Kwarteng abolished the 45p higher tax rate. However, on Monday (3) the…
Britain's Home Secretary Suella Braverman on Tuesday accused her Conservative Party colleagues of plotting a “coup” against Prime Minister Liz Truss, forcing the party leader into a U-turn over plans to abolish the top rate of income tax for the country's highest earners. On the sidelines of the governing party's…
British home secretary Suella Braverman may ensure suspects anonymity before they are charged in a radical change to the existing criminal justice system, according to reports. The minister told a Young Conservatives event on Monday (3) that the government is considering such a proposal due to concern over the identification…
November 23, 2022 marks 80 years since the S.S. Tilawa ship was sunk in the middle of the Indian Ocean during World War 2. A commemoration has been organized on this date at the Royal Bombay Yacht Club, Mumbai, India. This will be the first time the incident is officially…
A company has been fined £3,000 for a host of hygiene-related issues at a Dixy Chicken restaurant in Edgbaston. The Acocks Green-based firm 349 DDR, which admitted nine hygiene offences, is also ordered to pay a further £2,423 in costs after the defects discovered in July last year. Birmingham’s City…
Preet Kaur Gill, the British shadow secretary of state for international development, has welcomed Air India's plan to increase flights between Birmingham and India from one a week to six. Reacting to the Indian carrier's decision to add more weekly flights to the UK, the MP for Birmingham Edgbaston said,…
Leicester city has remained calm for the past two days as no new untowardly incident was reported on the streets of East Leicester, according to reports. According to police, the Navratri observations are going on peacefully and Diwali celebrations are likely to take place as planned. A spate of communal…
Conservative Peer Lord Dolar Popat has written to British home secretary Suella Braverman seeking immediate action to ease tension in Leicester. In his letter, Lord Popat, the first Gujarati to represent the Tories in House of Lords, has urged the minister to "restore the ability of people in the country…
MPs, peers, religious and civic leaders are urging Hindus and Muslims to stand together after disturbances and protests in Leicester and the West Midlands. They are also calling on the police to communicate and better engage with south Asian communities to stop religious tensions from rising. Last week [20], hundreds…
Unfounded rumours on social media - about an attempted kidnap of a teenage girl and attacks on a mosque - fuelled trouble in Leicester earlier this month, a media report said. Tensions flared up between Hindu and Muslim groups leading to disorder on September 17 and further protests the next…
UK's opposition Labour Party has debunked baseless narratives pushed out by radical groups behind the recent clashes involving some Muslims and Hindus in the city of Leicester, including baseless allegations of interference by political forces in India. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Labour Convention of Indian Organisations (LCIO)…
UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman has met with local police officers and Hindu and Muslim community leaders in Leicester and assured them that thugs behind recent violent clashes would face the full force of the law. During a visit to the eastern England city on Thursday, the Indian-origin Cabinet minister…
An independent review will be conducted into the recent unrest in Leicester, the city's mayor Sir Peter Soulsby has said. The exercise aims at finding out the reasons for the disorder last weekend and what can be done to prevent confrontations in the future. However, no appointment has yet been…
While calm has been restored in Leicester amid “proactive patrols”, local MP Claudia Webbe has said people in her constituency left traumatised by the recent violence are too “scared” to go out. Community tensions in the English city, apparently sparked by a cricket match between India and Pakistan in Dubai…
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Wednesday stressed on the need to take prompt action against the continued violence against Hindus in Leicester and Birmingham. In a letter to British Prime Minister Liz Truss, VHP said they are alarmed at the ongoing violence in Leicester in which a large number…
A minor disorder during a protest outside a Hindu temple in the city of Birmingham involving fireworks targeted at police officers has resulted in a man's arrest and stop and search powers being deployed, UK police said on Wednesday (21). Videos of Tuesday's (20) protest outside Durga Bhawan temple on…
LIVE PERFORMANCE Lincolnshire India Day When: Saturday September 24 Where: The Engine Shed, Lincoln, LN67TS What: Free event by the Indian Cultural Organisation of Lincolnshire, which will present a day of live classical, Bollywood, and Bhangra performances, along with offering delicious Indian food. There will be free and exciting workshops…
Leaders of the Hindu and Muslim communities in the eastern England city of Leicester presented a united front on Tuesday as they appealed for harmony in the wake of violent clashes following an India-Pakistan cricket match, which has led to 47 arrests. Pradyumna Das, President of the city’s ISKCON Temple,…
A 20-year-old man arrested during the disorder in East Leicester over the weekend has been sentenced to 10 months in prison even as calm returned to the area after unsavoury incidents. Amos Noronha of Illingworth Road who appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Monday pleaded guilty to possession of an…
Allrounder Moeen Ali said Sunday that captaining England against Pakistan -- where his family have roots -- was a "huge and proud moment". England are on their first tour of Pakistan in 17 years, and will play seven Twenty20s. The first T20 will be played in Karachi on Tuesday. Captain…
Fifteen people have been arrested in East Leicester in response to public disorder “fanned by distorted social media” over the weekend. Policing operations continued on Monday although there were no further reports of disorder. The arrests came after Sunday’s protest which followed large-scale disorder the previous day amid tensions involving…
Racially and religiously aggravated crimes have hit new record in England and Wales, according to the latest figures from the Home Office. Police are investigating more than 80,133 crimes motivated by either racism or religious intolerance in the year ending March 2022, reported the Wales Online. There were 76,884 offences…
LIVE PERFORMANCE RUPI KAUR When: Friday September 16, Sunday September 18, and Monday September 19 Where: Corn Exchange, 2 Wheeler Street, Cambridge CB2 3QB; and Theatre Royal, New Road, Brighton BN1 1SD; and Gillian Lynne Theatre 166 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5PF What: The acclaimed poet continues her UK tour…
A Birmingham City University professor of British African-Caribbean heritage said he was not saddened by the death of Queen Elizabeth II who “represented white supremacy”.Kehinde Andrews said the longest reigning British monarch’s popularity was rooted in the white supremacist world which “came from the colonial era.”On the MSNBC channel’s special…
LIVE PERFORMANCE ALWAYS AND FOREVER When: Saturday September 10 Where: Elliot Hall in Harrow Arts Centre, 171 Uxbridge Road, Middlesex HA5 4EA What: A charity concert tribute performance to legendary Bollywood singers Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar, delivered by British music act KayKay and Co, in aid of Dementia UK.…
A Buckinghamshire man has completed the first of three gruelling challenges inspired by ‘three gems’ who died within 20 months of each other. Suki Sandhu, from Milton Keynes, took part in the London Duathlon on Sunday (4 September) in aid of the charity Brain Tumour Research, running 10km, cycling 44km…
Labour MP Preet Kaur Gill has urged the UK government to increase aid to Pakistan following unprecedented flooding which has left thousands dead. "It was a matter of huge concern that the government has only pledged £1.5m in financial assistance to Pakistan in response to the immediate humanitarian crisis. I…
Britain's Rishi Sunak, who lost the race to become Britain's prime minister on Monday, said the party must now unite behind winner Liz Truss. "It's right we now unite behind the new PM, Liz Truss, as she steers the country through difficult times," Sunak said on Twitter. Truss, 47, will…
MUSIC LEGEND KS BHAMRAH ON HIS MAGICAL JOURNEY AND MEANINGFUL NEW SONG Brilliantly talented bhangra legend KS Bhamrah is one of the greatest heroes of British Asian music. The legendary singer-songwriter has entertained audiences around the world as a respected solo artist and lead singer of iconic band Apna Sangeet.…
LIVE PERFORMANCE USTAD ASHRAF SHARIF KHAN, SHAHBAZ HUSSAIN, AND FRIENDS – IN CONCERT When: Sunday September 11 Where: Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA What: Master sitar player Ashraf Sharif Khan and tabla maestro Shahbaz Hussain, along with special guests, will perform live on stage. www.richmix.org.uk RUPI…
An Indian restaurant owner in Birmingham has hit back after a diner left an 'insulting' one star review about the outlet on Tripadvisor, media reports said. Raja Monkey on the Stratford Road received a one-star rating from an unnamed reviewer who had visited the restaurant earlier this summer. The diner…
LIVE PERFORMANCE MUMBAI MASALA When: Until Sunday August 28 Where: Proud City, 1 Mark Lane, Opposite Fenchurch Street Station, London EC3R 7AH What: Spicy new immersive Bollywood musical experience, featuring hip shaking dances, heart-breaking romance, hilarious comedy, and delectable cuisine. www.proudcabaret.com DILJIT DOSANJH When: Friday August 26 and Sunday August…
Indian pop superstar Neha Kakkar will headline two arena concerts this week in London (28) and Birmingham (29). The big blockbuster tour presented by leading promoters Rock On Music will see the sensational singer deliver her greatest hits and all-time classics with a full live band. Eastern Eye decided to…
As the result of the UK Prime Minister race nears, Rishi Sunak made his last bit of efforts to salvage the contest for the Conservative party leadership that most surveys favour Liz Truss to win. During the 10th round of hustings in Birmingham, Sunak pitched values like patriotism, family, hard…
We have all heard that regular sex brings with it many benefits, however, you may just be surprised at the range of benefits this act of intimacy is capable of bringing about, from lowering your risk of heart problems or cancer, to boosting your immunity and even helping you fight…
A rights group has accused the UK’s intelligence agencies of sharing information with Indian authorities about a Sikh campaigner before his “unlawful arrest”. Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton in Scotland, was detained in the north Indian state of Punjab while he was shopping with his wife in November 2017. In…
BRITISH ARTIST MOHAMMED ALI UNVEILS HIS IMMERSIVE NEW THEATRE PROJECT Having travelled the world from New York to Bangladesh, with his murals, performances, and installations, award winning street artist Mohammed Ali returns to his home city of Birmingham for a deeply meaningful new project. His immersive theatrical experience Waswasa –…
LIVE PERFORMANCE MUMBAI MASALA When: Until Sunday August 28 Where: Proud City, 1 Mark Lane, Opposite Fenchurch Street Station, London EC3R 7AH What: Spicy new immersive Bollywood musical experience, featuring hip shaking dances, heart breaking romance, hilarious comedy, and delectable cuisine. www.proudcabaret.com DILJIT DOSANJH When: Saturday August 20; Friday August…
Singing sensation Rahat Fateh Ali Khan returns for another major UK tour later this month and will be looking forward to entertaining audiences with his greatest hits. Although he has sung iconic qawwalis, delivered solo singles, performed Pakistani film/TV songs, and done stunning collaborations, like the Coke Studio classics, the…
The number of people from a South Asian background living with dementia is set to increase by 600 per cent within the next three decades. However, families in this community are less likely to access treatment and support when diagnosed due to a lack of culturally appropriate diagnostic tools and…
The Independence Day of Pakistan was marked by a flag-hoisting ceremony at the Pakistan High Commission London on Sunday (14) as the South Asian nation turned 75. Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, was also felicitated at the event. Moazzam Ahmad Khan, Pakistani High commissioner to the UK, hoisted the…
MIGRATION, capitalism and climate change are among the themes explored by British Asian artist Osman Yousefzada in his new work at the V&A in south London. A tripartite of site-specific installations, the works draw upon Yousefzada’s Pakistani heritage and commemorate the 75th anniversary of the country this weekend. What is…
Events such as this summer’s Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the Women’s Euros and Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games have a very important role to play in breaking down prejudice and stereotypes in society, according to a new report by think tank British Future for a major Inquiry by Spirit of 2012, published on…
Trent Boult giving up his New Zealand Cricket contract is another sign of a revolution sweeping through the game -- a change happening not at the leisurely pace of a test match but at the breakneck speed of a Twenty20 inning. A key figure in the teams that won the…
Britain's Olympic diving champion Tom Daley has blamed colonialism behind homophobic laws still in place across many Commonwealth countries. Daley visited 'the most homophobic countries in the Commonwealth' for a new BBC documentary. In the documentary, Tom Daley: Illegal To Be Me, he claimed that he discovered the colonial legacy…
Comedian Rinkoo Barpaga discusses his new one-man show Being a deaf British Asian isn’t highlighted in popular culture, and it is rarely discussed in everyday life. Rinkoo Barpaga is hoping to change that with his unique new one-man comedy show Made in India Britain, which recently premiered at the Edinburgh…
LIVE PERFORMANCE MUMBAI MASALA When: Until Sunday August 28 Where: Proud City, 1 Mark Lane, Opposite Fenchurch Street Station, London EC3R 7AH What: Spicy new immersive Bollywood musical experience, featuring hip shaking dances, heart breaking romance, hilarious comedy, and delectable cuisine. www.proudcabaret.com DILJIT DOSANJH When: Friday August 12 Where: The…
Ten members of crisis-hit Sri Lanka's Commonwealth Games contingent in Birmingham have disappeared in a suspected attempt to remain in Britain, a top sports official told AFP on Sunday. The nine athletes and a manager vanished after completing their events, the Sri Lankan official said, requesting anonymity. Three of them…
ENGLAND all-rounder Moeen Ali has warned that other players could follow teammate Ben Stokes in quitting one-day internationals and that the format could become completely obsolete if nothing is done to fix the game's hectic calendar. Stokes, England's test captain, announced his shock retirement from 50-over cricket at the age…
The 2022 Commonwealth Games is currently taking place in Birmingham. Sportspersons from England are making the country around with around 150 medals in total. Recently, England women's football team was crowned as European champions. But, the sports world is now discussing an unfortunate event in which nude pictures of England…
Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth, who is popular for portraying the Norse god of thunder, Thor, has showered praise on Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, stating that "she is worthy" of his MCU character's hammer. The praise comes after Chanu recently clinched India's first gold medal in the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2022…
As part of the Commonwealth Games legacy, 43 Commonwealth countries and 19 national and international organisations have come together to share expertise in organ donation and transplantation to save more lives. The Commonwealth Tribute to Life Project, led by NHS Blood and Transplant, is the culmination of three years’ work…
The International Cricket Council (ICC) will make a presentation to the Los Angeles Olympics organisers later this month in its bid for the sport to return to the Games after a gap of 128 years, sources told Reuters. Cricket has been shortlisted for potential inclusion at the 2028 Los Angeles…
LIVE PERFORMANCE MUMBAI MASALA When: Until Sunday August 28 Where: Proud City, 1 Mark Lane, Opposite Fenchurch Street Station, London EC3R 7AH What: Spicy new immersive Bollywood musical experience, featuring hip shaking dances, heart breaking romance, hilarious comedy, and delectable cuisine. www.proudcabaret.com DILJIT DOSANJH When: Friday August 12 Where: The…
An employment tribunal ruled that Labour MP Khalid Mahmood had dismissed former aide Elaina Cohen 'unfairly', according to reports. Senior adviser Cohen was dismissed a year after she raised serious concerns about alleged criminal behaviour by a work colleague, the tribunal heard. Meanwhile, the 61-year-old lawmaker for Birmingham Perry Bar…
Following a positive response to her initial letter to Birmingham Airport Executives on increasing the number of flights from Birmingham to Amritsar, Preet Kaur Gill MP has written to Air India to demand the number of flights increase from one flight per week to six per week which were flying…
An international theatre production about a family's journey through love, heartbreak, civil war, and migration touches down in UK in August for epic performances at Royal Lyceum in Edinburgh from August 8-14 and The Birmingham Rep from August 19-27. The multi-generational play, Counting and Cracking, follows a Sri-Lankan Australian family over four generations from…
MEMBERS of India’s elite athletic squad were on Thursday (28) given a rapturous welcome by fans on arrival in the UK, as part of a special event organised by the Indian High Commission and hosted by Birmingham City University (BCU). Hundreds of supporters from across the Indian diaspora -- drawn…
THE Indian High Commission in the UK and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), UK, organised a friendly T20 cricket match at the Indian Gymkhana in London on Sunday (24) to celebrate 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', an initiative of the Indian government to celebrate the 75th…
Britain's Olympic diving champion Tom Daley has condemned homophobia across Commonwealth nations on the eve of the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Birmingham on Thursday.Homosexuality is a criminal offence in 35 of the 56 nations that make up the Commonwealth, with many still enforcing colonial-era laws from the British empire.…
LIVE PERFORMANCE MUMBAI MASALA When: Until Sunday August 28 Where: Proud City, 1 Mark Lane, Opposite Fenchurch Street Station, London EC3R 7AH What: Spicy new immersive Bollywood musical experience, featuring hip shaking dances, heart breaking romance, hilarious comedy, and delectable cuisine. www.proudcabaret.com RIZWAN-MUAZZAM QAWWAL When: Saturday July 30 Where: St…
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday finally unveiled the host countries for the next major ICC tournaments in the women's category, with India to host the marquee 50-over 2025 World Cup. The next ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in 2025 will be hosted by India and Sri Lanka will…
After being ruled out of the upcoming Commonwealth Games, star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra expressed disappointment about not being able to represent the country at the prestigious event at Birmingham. Neeraj Chopra sustained a groin injury in the finals of the World Athletics Championships in Oregon on Sunday, where…
THE BBC received more than 200 'racism' complaints over comments made by one of its football presenters about England's Euros 2022 women’s team, The Telegraph reported. TV broadcaster Eilidh Barbour said that England’s all-white Lionesses highlights the lack of diversity in the women’s game while discussing the team's 8-0 win…
A taxi driver of a Birmingham suburb has been sentenced to six years of imprisonment for having sex with a vulnerable teenage girl after deliberately getting her to drink alcohol.Mohammed Zubair is also put on the sex offender register for life.Birmingham Crown Court heard that the married 58-year-old man took…
PARTITION, for so many people from south Asia, evokes the horrors of the violent and brutal separation of India and the creation of Pakistan. Less mentioned, however, is life before 1947, when people from different cultures and religions lived side by side largely in harmony for many years. Author Kavita…
LIVE PERFORMANCE MUMBAI MASALA When: Until Sunday August 28 Where: Proud City, 1 Mark Lane, Opposite Fenchurch Street Station, London EC3R 7AH What: Spicy new immersive Bollywood musical experience, featuring hip shaking dances, heart breaking romance, hilarious comedy, and delectable cuisine. www.proudcabaret.com AN EVENING WITH PARRY & REKHA When: Friday…
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the annual Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the presence of rule-breaking newcomers and rising stars like award-winning comedian Kai Samra. The exciting British talent follows up his critically acclaimed debut Underclass – recorded for Amazon Prime – with his new stand-up show Native, which runs…
ONE in three people from minority ethnic groups in the UK are living in areas most exposed to extreme heat, compared with just one in 12 white people, experts have warned. According to researchers at the University of Manchester and Friends of the Earth, almost 6 million people in the…
BRITISH INDIAN bhangra artist Balwinder Safri has been discharged from the hospital after being in a coma for 86 days following heart surgery, according to reports. His wife Nikki Davitt called the recovery 'a miracle' as Safri's family had been told to prepare for the worst. "He is incredible -…
ALNOOR MITHA had an idyllic childhood, spending his days climbing hills, swimming in lakes and listening to the sounds of lions roaring in his home town of Ngora in Uganda. Then, when he was nine, it was all snatched away in a heartbeat. He and his family were among the…
INDIAN cricketer Virat Kohli met his former U-15 teammate Dwaraka Ravi Teja in London. Teja shared the picture of their meeting on Twitter. Indian cricket team is in UK for the ongoing India vs England ODI series. Teja played for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League…
British rail workers and station staff will strike this month in disputes over pay and conditions, two unions said, announcing the latest in a growing catalogue of industrial unrest as workers demand wage rises to cope with soaring inflation. The 24-hour walkout by members of the RMT and TSSA will…
LIVE PERFORMANCE MUMBAI MASALA When: Until Sunday August 28 Where: Proud City, 1 Mark Lane, Opposite Fenchurch Street Station, London EC3R 7AH What: Spicy new immersive Bollywood musical experience, featuring hip shaking dances, heart breaking romance, hilarious comedy, and delectable cuisine. www.proudcabaret.com DARBAR FRINGE: JASDEEP DEGUN When: Sunday July 17…
BIRMINGHAM Edgbaston MP Preet Kaur Gill has written to Warwickshire's chief executive Stuart Cain regarding racist abuse being directed at Indian fans at Edgbaston stadium recently. "Racism is cancer in our society and we all have a duty to act when it raises its ugly head," the MP wrote in…
Controversial journalist Mazher Mahmood, who exposed many celebrities but ended up in jail himself for breaching the law, will be the subject of a new series on Amazon Prime.Mahmood, who had won several awards for investigative journalism, would often disguise himself as a rich Arab man because of which he…
An upset Muslim woman has pulled her children out of a Birmingham school alleging they were given pork sausages during lunchtime.Muslim religious text does not approve of consuming certain food, including pork, considered haram (forbidden).Mussrat Bibi, 41, claimed Hollyfield Primary School in Sutton Coldfield where her children Rayhaan and Sufiyaan…
INDIA star bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar wreaked havoc on the England batting lineup as he went on to become the first Indian bowler to bowl 500 dot balls in the T20s powerplays with his stunning spell. Bhuvneshwar gave India a perfect start defending 171 as the 32-year-old senior pacer removed English…
Birmingham Police on Friday said that a fan has been arrested for a 'racially aggravated public order offence', following reports of racist behaviour during the fifth rescheduled Test match between India and England at Edgbaston. A number of allegations were made on social media following the close of the Day…
PREET KAUR GILL along with 11 other West Midlands MPs with large Punjabi and Sikh diaspora have written to Birmingham Airport CEO Nick Barton about more regular direct flights to Amritsar, Punjab from Birmingham. Direct flights resumed in August last year as Covid travel restrictions were relaxed. But there is…
DEV’S LAW is a legislation that Meera Naran would rather have not been associated with, but tragic circumstances have made it an important part of her life and one that she is proud of. From Wednesday (6), all cars all new cars across mainland Europe and Northern Ireland will have…
A British Indian woman from Llanelli has been jailed for eight months for taking about 150 theory and practical tests for other drivers, Police said. Inderjeet Kaur, 29, admitted to driving test fraud on behalf of candidates between 2018 and 2020. According to Police, she committed the offences throughout England…
India are defeated and deflated now. But skipper Rohit Sharma on Wednesday said only "time will tell" how the crushing loss at Edgbaston impacts the side in the long run India let slip a golden opportunity to record their first series win in England since 2007 as the hosts, in…
LIVE PERFORMANCE MUMBAI MASALA When: Until Sunday August 28 Where: Proud City, 1 Mark Lane, Opposite Fenchurch Street Station, London EC3R 7AH What: Spicy new immersive Bollywood musical experience, featuring hip shaking dances, heart breaking romance, hilarious comedy, and delectable cuisine. www.proudcabaret.com USTAD SHAHID PARVEZ KHAN When: Saturday July 9…
Following his side's seven-wicket win over India in the fifth Test, England captain Ben Stokes said that his team is trying to re-write how Test cricket is played in England. A 269-run partnership between Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow helped England create history, with the side completing their highest successful…
Birmingham Airport authorities have urged the region’s parliamentarians to prevail upon Air India to operate more direct flights between the West Midlands city and India’s Amritsar.The airport chiefs said fleet shortages and spare part issues have hindered the efforts of two airlines’ to link the international destinations better.They, however, said…
