BOOKER PRIZE nominated author Avni Doshi has described the reaction to her debut novel as “something she had never dreamed of” – although she admitted the “hard” struggle of dealing with criticism.
Doshi’s Burnt Sugar is a fictional account of the relationship between a mother and daughter in west India.
The 37-year-old’s work was nominated for the prestigious Booker Prize – previously won by a number of high-profile Asian writers including Kiran Desai, Arundhati Roy and Salman Rushdie – earlier this month.
Although Burnt Sugar has been widely praised in the literary world, Doshi also received some criticism, which she said was “hard”. “I guess I have a thin skin, it’s difficult to take on so many opinions,” the
Dubai-based author told Eastern Eye. “I’m trying to be as detached as I can from the reviews. I think it would be paralysing if I took all of it to heart.”
Burnt Sugar is one of six works in the running for the prize. The other nominees include The New Wilderness by Diane Cook; Tsitsi Dangarembga’s This Mournable Body; The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste; Douglas Stuart’s Shuggie Bain and Real Life by Brandon Taylor.
Some of these novels are sitting on Doshi’s nightstand, waiting to be read, she revealed. “I can’t wait to dive in,” Doshi, of Gujarati heritage, said. “I am so behind on all my reading at the moment, I just gave birth two months ago and haven’t really had a moment to read.”
Burnt Sugar follows the complicated relationship between Tara and her daughter Antara. Tara, described as a wild child in her youth, abandons her marriage to join an ashram, and takes her young daughter with her.
Antara suffers neglect at the hands of her mother, often left unfed and alone as Tara becomes increasingly enthralled by a local guru. Decades later, an elderly Tara is struck with dementia and Antara is faced with the task of looking after her mother, who mistreated her as a child.
Doshi, who is herself a mother of two, admitted Tara was a combination of her “fantasies and nightmares around motherhood”.
“She follows her desires without focusing on societal norms, something that isn’t expected from Indian women,” Doshi said. “Sometimes she seems self-destructive, but it is a product of her own childhood and upbringing.”
Acknowledging that many readers consider Tara to be the “villain” in the story, Doshi said she did not necessarily share the same view. “She’s a mother who probably shouldn’t have become one,” she explained.
Asked why she focused on a mother-daughter dynamic, Doshi said she believed the relationship was the “most formative and potentially the most damaging”. “It seemed like a natural thing to write about,” she said.
However, Doshi admitted to occasionally feeling she had to defend her choice. “Does this question get asked about books with father-son relationships? Or mother-son relationships? I’ll ask Douglas Stuart, when I meet him,” she said, referring to her fellow Booker shortlisted author, whose novel Shuggie Bain focuses on a young boy and his alcoholic mother.
Burnt Sugar’s publication in July coincided with a surge of protests relating to the Black Lives Matter movement. It also raised questions about equal opportunities in society and a debate on diversity and inclusivity across a number of sectors – including the publishing industry.
Doshi said she grew up with “a lot of privilege” and never considered how much her skin colour might affect what opportunities were available to her. “I suppose it was a blind spot (or) maybe I was scared to acknowledge it,” she said.
During the summer, many authors went public on social media on the advances they received from publishing houses. The hashtag #publishingpaidme went viral on Twitter – and Doshi admitted she was shocked by the discrepancies.
South Asian author Nikesh Shukla said he received a £3,000 advance for his third book, while white author Matt Haig reported receiving £50,000. “It showed that pretty much across the board, black and brown authors were receiving tiny advances when compared with white authors,” Doshi, who was born in New Jersey in the US, said. “There is clearly a lot more work that needs to be done. Systemic racism gets dismantled over generations, not over a few months.”
Doshi, whose favourite authors include Jenny Offill, Deborah Levy, Alexandra Kleeman and Carmen Maria Machado, said she “loved to read”. “I was always in the corner with my nose in a book, and I think that’s how I learned to write,” she said.
However, she was not confident about her writing ability for some time. “I did write a little (when I was young), but mostly in secret because I was incredibly self-conscious about expressing myself in any way,” Doshi recalled.
Considering her experiences now, what would her message be to other aspiring female authors? “Tell the stories you want to tell,” she urged. “Answer the questions you want to answer and don’t take sh*t from anybody.”
She admitted being on the Booker Prize shortlist was “something (she had) never even dreamed of”. “I’m so grateful that my editor at Hamish Hamilton saw potential and believed in my manuscript,” Doshi said. “When she called to tell me the news, I had to take a minute to situate myself... I genuinely thought I was hallucinating.”
Burnt Sugar by Anvi Doshi is out now. The Booker Prize winner will be announced on November 17
BRITISH police said they arrested five people on Saturday (30) after masked men tried to force their way into a hotel used by asylum-seekers, a day after the government won a court ruling on the use of another hotel to house migrants.
Two groups of anti-asylum protesters marched to the Crowne Plaza Hotel near Heathrow Airport before some demonstrators tried to break in, London's Metropolitan Police force said.
Two police officers suffered minor injuries, it said.
"We understand strength of feeling on these issues, but where peaceful protest crosses the line into criminality, including injuries to our officers, we will take immediate action," commander Adam Slonecki said in a statement.
In Scotland, protesters also demonstrated against the use of a hotel in the town of Falkirk, where asylum seekers are believed to be housed.
In a separate incident, three men were arrested late on Friday (29) outside another hotel used to house asylum-seekers in Epping in east London.
"The overwhelming majority of people in Epping tonight clearly wanted their voices to be heard and they did that safely and without the need for a police response," said assistant chief constable Glen Pavelin of Essex police.
"However, the right to protest does not include a right to commit crime and tonight a small number of people were arrested. Two officers sustained injuries which are thankfully not serious," he added.
The local authority in Epping is expected to decide on Monday (1) whether to challenge the appeals court decision in the Supreme Court.
At least 13 other councils are also considering pressing ahead with legal action over the use of asylum hotels in their areas, The Times daily reported.
The protests in Epping have spread to other parts of Britain, amid growing frustration at the continued arrival of small boats packed with migrants across the English Channel from France.
The government of prime minister Keir Starmer on Friday won a court ruling that overturned a previous court decision that asylum-seekers would have to be evicted from the hotel in Epping where a resident was charged with sexual assault.
Earlier, Starmer promised to "smash the gangs" enabling migrants to make the journey.
The prime minister posted on X on Saturday: "I am clear: we will not reward illegal entry. If you cross the Channel unlawfully, you will be detained and sent back."
But critics pointed out that more irregular migrants have arrived since the start of January 2025 than in the same period last year.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch backed Tory-run councils to pursue legal action against migrant hotels.
"Keir Starmer has shown that he puts the rights of illegal immigrants above the rights of British people who just want to feel safe in their towns and communities," Badenoch posted on X.
Concern about immigration has risen to the top of the political agenda in Britain after an increase in migrants using small boats to reach the country.
More than 32,000 migrants were being housed in around 200 hotels across the country at the end of June, according to government figures.
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INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his support for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Modi's office said.
Zelenskiy, speaking in his nightly video address on Saturday (30), said Modi supported Ukraine's call for a ceasefire in the war with Russia and hoped that notion would be heard at the forthcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China.
Modi's office, in a statement, said Zelenskiy shared the Indian prime minister's perspective on recent developments related to Ukraine, while Modi stressed India's support for efforts aimed at the earliest restoration of peace.
"The leaders also reviewed progress in the India-Ukraine bilateral partnership and discussed ways to further enhance cooperation in all areas of mutual interest," it said.
"I have just spoken with Indian prime minister Modi about precisely what is going on. Russia is continuing the war, continuing to kill," Zelenskiy said.
"It is important that the prime minister of India supports the idea that a ceasefire is needed and would be a clear signal that Russia is ready for diplomacy. We are counting on this being heard at the meeting in China."
The statement from Modi's office made no mention of a call for a ceasefire.
Ukraine, backed by European countries, has long called for a ceasefire in hostilities as an important initial step to resolving the conflict.
US president Donald Trump initially urged Russia to agree to a ceasefire, but since his talks this month with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska has said that a ceasefire is not a vital element in moving towards a solution.
Speaking earlier on Saturday after overnight attacks on southeastern Ukraine, Zelenskiy said Moscow had used preparation time for a meeting of leaders of both countries to launch new attacks on his country.
On Friday (29), Zelenskiy brought up Trump's deadline for deciding on new measures against Russia if Putin fails to commit to a one-on-one meeting with the Ukrainian leader.
(Reuters)
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India's prime minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Chinese president Xi Jinping during a meeting on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, August 31, 2025. India's Press Information Bureau/Handout via REUTERS
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi said New Delhi was committed to improving ties with Beijing in a key meeting with China's president Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a regional security forum on Sunday (31).
Modi is in China for the first time in seven years to attend a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, along with Russian president Vladimir Putin and other leaders from Central, South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East in a show of Global South solidarity.
"We are committed to progressing our relations based on mutual respect, trust and sensitivities," Modi told Xi during the meeting, according to a video clip posted on the Indian leader's official X account.
The bilateral meeting took place five days after Washington imposed punishing 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods due to New Delhi's purchases of Russian oil. Analysts say Xi and Modi are looking to present a united front against Western pressure.
Modi said an atmosphere of "peace and stability" has been created on their disputed Himalayan border, the site of a prolonged military standoff after deadly troop clashes in 2020, which froze most areas of cooperation between the nuclear-armed strategic rivals.
He added that an agreement had been reached between both nations regarding border management, without giving details.
Both leaders had a breakthrough meeting in Russia last year after reaching a border patrol agreement, setting off a tentative thaw in ties that has accelerated in recent weeks as New Delhi seeks to hedge against renewed tariff threats from Washington.
Direct flights between both nations, which have been suspended since 2020, are "being resumed", Modi added, without providing a timeframe.
China had agreed to lift export curbs on rare earths, fertilisers and tunnel boring machines this month during a key visit to India by China's foreign minister Wang Yi.
China opposes Washington's steep tariffs on India and will "firmly stand with India," Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said this month.
For decades, Washington painstakingly cultivated ties with New Delhi in the hope that it would act as a regional counterweight to Beijing.
In recent months, China has allowed Indian pilgrims to visit Buddhist sites in Tibet, and both countries have lifted reciprocal tourist visa restrictions.
"Both India and China are engaged in what is likely to be a lengthy and fraught process of defining a new equilibrium in the relationship," said Manoj Kewalramani, a Sino-Indian relations expert at the Takshashila Institution think tank in Bengaluru.
(Reuters)
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Bashir retired from the force while under investigation but will still face misconduct proceedings. (Photo credit: West Yorkshire Police)
A FORMER West Yorkshire Police officer has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison after being convicted of misconduct in a public office.
Wasim Bashir, 55, who worked as a detective constable in Bradford District, was found guilty of one count of misconduct in a public office for forming a sexual relationship with a female victim of crime. He was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, 29 August.
Bashir retired from the force while under investigation but will still face misconduct proceedings.
The charge related to an incident of abuse of position for a sexual purpose, with Bashir engaging in a sexual relationship with a woman who had reported to West Yorkshire Police that she had been the victim of a sexual offence. He was involved in investigating her case.
The conviction followed an investigation by West Yorkshire Police’s Counter Corruption Unit under the direction of the Independent Office for Police Conduct. During the trial, the judge directed the jury to find Bashir not guilty of a second count of misconduct in a public office.
Detective Superintendent Natalie Dawson, Deputy Head of West Yorkshire Police’s Professional Standards Directorate, said: “For a police officer to pursue a sexual relationship with a vulnerable woman who had come forward to report being victim of a sexual offence is nothing short of abhorrent.
“I want to reassure victims of crime and the wider public that this former officer is not representative of our organisation. One of the Force’s key purposes is to protect vulnerable people, and our officers and staff work tirelessly to protect people from harm and to safeguard victims.
“Former DC Bashir has retired from the organisation, but we will still continue with misconduct proceedings with a view to him being banned from gaining any further employment in the policing profession.”
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Protesters calling for the closure of The Bell Hotel, which was housing asylum seekers, gather outside the council offices in Epping on August 8, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
Court of Appeal has overturned injunction blocking use of Epping hotel for asylum seekers.
Judges say human rights obligations outweigh local safety concerns.
At least 13 councils preparing legal action despite ruling.
Protests outside the Bell Hotel lead to arrests and police injuries.
MORE than a dozen councils are moving ahead with legal challenges against the use of hotels for asylum seekers despite the Home Office winning an appeal in the Court of Appeal.
Judges ruled that meeting the human rights of asylum seekers by providing accommodation outweighed local safety concerns.
The injunction was secured by Epping Forest District Council after protests following the alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl by an Ethiopian asylum seeker.
The man has been charged and denies wrongdoing. A full hearing on the planning dispute over the Bell Hotel will take place in October.
At least 13 councils are preparing similar legal action, The Times reported, including Labour-run Wirral, Stevenage, Tamworth and Rushmoor. Epping Forest Council said it may appeal to the Supreme Court.
Asylum minister Dame Angela Eagle said the government remained committed to ending hotel use by 2029 and argued the appeal was needed to move migrants “in a controlled and orderly way”.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised the government for prioritising “the rights of illegal immigrants above the rights of British people” and urged councils to continue legal action.
Reform leader Nigel Farage said the government had used the European Convention on Human Rights “against the people of Epping”.
Councils including Broxbourne and Spelthorne confirmed they were pressing ahead with enforcement action on planning grounds.
Protests outside the Bell Hotel on Friday led to the arrest of three men, while two police officers sustained minor injuries.