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Category: UK News

  • St John’s Mar Thoma Church Celebrates Silver Jubilee

    St John’s Mar Thoma Church Celebrates Silver Jubilee

    The Christian community from the southern Indian state of Kerala began worshipping at the former parish hall of the St Paul’s Church in 1996 and has since played an integral role in the life of the faith community …. Reports Asian Lite Newsdesk

    The St John’s Mar Thoma Church in Cambridge Road in Hounslow will be celebrating their 25th anniversary with a special thanksgiving service on Sunday, March 7, 2021.

    Mar Thoma Metropolitan Dr Theodosius

    The Christian community from the southern Indian state of Kerala began worshipping at the former parish hall of the St Paul’s Church in 1996 and has since played an integral role in the life of the faith community.

    “The thanksgiving service and the web-based meeting that follows will be a joyous occasion for past and present members to look back and discover how their church came into being

     and how it has changed over the years,” said Rev. Binu John Varghese, vicar of St John’s.

    St John’s Mar Thoma Church

    Bishops, former vicars and dignitaries, both local and from around the world, will take part in the online meeting and the main message will be given by the newly installed head of the church in Kerala Most Rev. Dr Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan. Also taking part will be the present diocesan bishop for North America and Europe Rt Rev. Dr Isaac Mar Philoxenos and former diocesan bishop Rt Rev. Dr Euyakim Mar Coorilos.

    Former Church of England bishop Rt Rev. George Cassidy, Seema Malhotra MP and Daya Bai, a renowned social activist based in North India, will also take part in the anniversary meeting.

    The St John’s Mar Thoma Church has played a significant role in supporting charities in the UK and in India, a sincere commitment to humanitarian causes, a major participant in the Olive Branch charity for the homeless based on Hounslow High Street and a dedicated participant in the local prison ministry.

    A silver jubilee committee under the leadership of the vicar has been working with Mr Abraham K Thomas and Mr Shabu Varughese as convenors keeping in mind the current Covi-19 pandemic situation.

  • Michael Ellis appointed Attorney General

    Michael Ellis appointed Attorney General

    Michael Ellis has served as Solicitor General, Minister for Transport and Deputy Leader of the House of Commons….reports Asian Lite News

    The Prime Minister has appointed Northampton North MP Michael Ellis as Attorney General while Suella Braverman is on maternity leave.

    Michael Ellis has served as Solicitor General, Minister for Transport and Deputy Leader of the House of Commons.

    Ellis has expressed his pleasure and said “I am honoured to be appointed as Attorney General for England and Wales while Suella Braverman is on maternity leave.”

    “I look forward to working with the many excellent lawyers and officials to play my part in making law and politics work together at the heart of the UK constitution. I wish Suella well on her maternity leave,” he added.

    The Attorney General is the chief legal adviser to oversee the work of the Law Officers Departments which include the Crown Prosecution Service and Serious Fraud Office, and the Government Legal Department and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate.

    Also read:Kishan Devani named Board Advisor to IAMA

  • UK rolls out surge testing

    UK rolls out surge testing

    To bring life back to normal, UK is racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines.

    Hancock said even though data showed the number of new cases is falling, but the rate of decline has slowed….reports Asian Lite News

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTDgfVkN8Go

    UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced that surge testing was underway in parts of England after six cases of the coronavirus variant first found in Brazil were detected.

    “We’re putting in place surge testing in South Gloucestershire as a precaution. And I urge everyone to remain vigilant,” Hancock said at a virtual press briefing in Downing Street late Monday.

    Hancock said the six cases comprised three in Scotland and three in England.

    Five of them have been identified while officials are still seeking a missing person in England who has been infected with this variant of concern but did not complete the registration form properly.

    “We know that five of these people quarantined at home as they were legally required to do. We’ve been in contact with them and their families and we’re grateful to them for understanding the seriousness of the situation.

    Also read:Epic Games’ case against Apple in UK rejected

    “One of the six completed a test but did not successfully complete contact details,” he added.

    Hancock said even though data showed the number of new cases is falling, but the rate of decline has slowed.

    He urged the public to stick to the rules.

    “This shows how we all need to keep sticking to the rules. Let’s not blow it now,” he said.

    The UK’s overall coronavirus caseload and death toll stood at 4,194,289 and 123,187, respectively.

    So far, more than 20.2 million people in Britain have been administered the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine.

    England is currently under the third national lockdown since outbreak of the pandemic in the country. Similar restriction measures are also in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

    Also read:‘UK lockdowns take heavy toll on mental health’

  • Emissions standards for heavy vehicles in London

    Emissions standards for heavy vehicles in London

    Over 90 per cent of cars in central London now meet the Ultra Low Emission Zone standards.

    London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced that buses, coaches and heavy trucks will have to pay 300 pounds a day ($418) to enter Greater London if they do not meet low emission levels.

    Starting Monday, Khan introduced tighter London-wide emissions standards for heavy vehicles, reports Xinhua news agency.

    Under the new rules, heavy trucks, buses and coaches must now meet EuroVI emissions standards or pay a daily charge of up to 300 pounds across most of Greater London.

    The much bigger zone falls within the M25 orbital motorway around Greater London.

    The tougher emission standards across Greater London will match those already in force within the central London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

    City Hall said the introduction of tougher standards, alongside the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone later this year, is expected to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from road transport by around 30 per cent across London, and will prevent more than one million air pollution-related hospital admissions over the next 30 years, saving the NHS around 5 billion pounds.

    “Toxic air pollution causes long-lasting harm and is a national public health crisis. In London, it contributes to thousands of premature deaths every year. There is also evidence linking air pollution with an increased vulnerability to the most severe impacts of Covid-19,” Khan said.

    He said new figures prove that the Low Emission Zone and Ultra Low Emission Zone are accelerating the shift to cleaner vehicles.

    Over 90 per cent of cars in central London now meet the Ultra Low Emission Zone standards, according to City Hall.

    Also Read-Covid cases continue downward trend across London

    Read More-London Traveller Is Sweden’s First Mutant Virus Case

  • Kishan Devani named Board Advisor to IAMA

    Kishan Devani named Board Advisor to IAMA

    Kishan Devani BEM, FRSA a politician, consultant and educator has been honoured with being appointed Hon. Member of the Board Advisors the International Academic and Management Association (IAMA), based in New Delhi, India.

    International Academic and Management Association (IAMA) is one of the fastest-growing private, not-for-profit membership-based association in the world, working relentlessly towards eliminating academic and economic disparity by ensuring quality-focused, affordable, boundary-less and industry-centric education.

    Kishan Devani is a recipient of the British Empire Medal (BEM) from Her Majesty the Queen of England who currently holds various positions including Board Member of the Liberal Democrats; Treasurer’s Envoy for the Liberal Democrats; Vice President of teh Green Liberal Democrats; Vice President of the Liberal Democrats Campaign for Race Equality; Vice President of Liberal Democrats in Business.

    He is also an Associate Lecturer of Politics, International Relations & Diplomacy at the London Metropolitan University.

    Kishan has expressed his pleasure and said “I look forward to working with such a distinguished set of individuals and developing Education, Educational institutions and Teacher Quality across the world via the work IAMA carries out.’

    Also read:‘UK lockdowns take heavy toll on mental health’

    Kishan has also been accorded various national and international awards and honours for his contribution onwards the cause of the Asian community besides his role as spokesperson for Racial and Religious Equality.

    Professor Dr. Bikash Sharma, President & Founder of IAMA said “I would like to take this opportunity to personally welcome him on the Board. I am confident that IAMA as an organization shall benefit immensely from Mr. Devani’s vast experience and global connect.

    “Devani brings with him immense experience from varied fields ranging from politics to education to consulting. His role as a champion for the cause of racial and religious quality is in direct sync with one of the premises of IAMA where we have a similar focus, using equality as an underlying principle for ensuring quality, cost-effective and boundaryless education for all,” He added.

    IAMA came into existence in the year 2013 and is registered as a Trust under the Indian Trust Act.

    The Board of IAMA comprises of some of the best-known names from both the academic and the corporate world including the likes of John Mattone, Dr. Maurice Dimmock, Dr. Vijay Agarwal, Mr. Rajiv Manlal Gupta, etc to name a few.

    It currently has a membership base of over 200 institutions spread across 43 countries where it offers both academic and non-academic support to its partner institutions.

    Also read:UK backs Afghanistan on Taliban fight

  • ‘UK lockdowns take heavy toll on mental health’

    ‘UK lockdowns take heavy toll on mental health’

    England is currently under the third national lockdown since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country…reports Asian Lite News

    The implementation of Covid lockdowns brought social and economic life to a standstill .Mental health issues have grown dramatically amid the coronavirus lockdown in Britain, local media reported on Saturday.

    “What we perceive as straightforward symptoms, even something like a sore throat, even those calls are coming through with mental health issues,” Ruth Lander, a member of the training team for the non-emergency 111 service in North Wales, said.

    “It has definitely increased the mental health aspects to the calls we get — they may be elderly and struggling with loneliness or a young mum who has lost her support network and is struggling,” Lander said.

    “People are anxious and they are scared, and that’s the benefit of this service because we can explain and help those patients,” Lander added.

    According to Jason Killens, the chief executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service, even with increased public awareness of mental health support, the full effects of lockdown are only just emerging.

    “We expect these problems to increase and for them to become even more complex as people suffer different stresses in their lives across our communities,” Killens said.

    JOB LOSS

    “Everyone has been touched by the pandemic in some way — many people have lost their jobs, of course, and that creates anxiety and mental health problems too,” he said.

    “There is increasing recognition over recent years that mental health needs parity with physical health in terms of how we provide services and care for patients,” he said.

    “We have got a small number of mental health clinicians within our service and we expect to expand that this year… we realise there is more that we can do and that we can do better,” he added.

    England is currently under the third national lockdown since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country. Similar restriction measures are also in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

    Another 8,523 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,163,085, according to official figures released Friday.

    The country also reported another 345 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 122,415. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

    To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the United States have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines.

    Also read:UK backs Afghanistan on Taliban fight

  • UK backs Afghanistan on Taliban fight

    UK backs Afghanistan on Taliban fight

    Ghani, Johnson discussed bilateral ties and Afghan peace process

    British Prime Minister Boris Johnson held a telephonic conversation with the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani during which the former reiterated his country’s continued support to the latter’s fight against the Taliban, according to a statement by the British government.

    “Johnson on Friday reiterated the UK’s longstanding support for the Afghan government’s fight against the Taliban as part of the NATO coalition,” said the statement.

    “They agreed on the importance of making progress in peace talks to secure a sovereign, democratic and united Afghanistan and to preserve the gains made by civil society and women and girls,” the statement added.

    The Presidential Palace said in a statement that Ghani and Johnson discussed the bilateral ties and the Afghan peace process, Tolo news reported.

    The British Prime Minister assured President Ghani of his country’s continued support to the Afghan peace process, strengthened regional diplomacy, and UK’s support to Afghan forces, the Palace said.

    The statement further said that both of them also discussed the global efforts to tackle the pandemic and the roll out of vaccines in Afghanistan and the UK.

    Also Read-Queen Elizabeth: Think about others, take jab

    Read More-Biden stresses on immigration reforms

  • Queen Elizabeth: Think about others, take jab

    Queen Elizabeth: Think about others, take jab

    British Queen Elizabeth II on Friday urged those who are hesitant to take the coronavirus vaccine jab to “think about other people”.

    The Queen, 94, who had the jab in January, made the remarks during a video call with health leaders delivering the coronavirus vaccine across Britain, the Xinhua news agency reported.

    “Once you’ve had the vaccine you have a feeling of, you know, you’re protected, which is, I think, very important,” she said.

    “As far as I could make out it was quite harmless. It was very quick, and I’ve had lots of letters from people who have been very surprised by how easy it was to get the vaccine. And the jab — it didn’t hurt at all,” she added.

    The Queen’s remarks came after research showed that certain communities in Britain, especially some black and ethnic minority groups, reportedly remain hesitant to take the vaccine.

    “I think the other thing is, that it is obviously difficult for people if they’ve never had a vaccine… But they ought to think about other people rather than themselves,” she said.

    Another 9,985 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,154,562, according to official figures released Thursday.

    The country also reported another 323 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain stood at 122,070. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

    18.6 Mn Vaccinated

    The latest figures were revealed as more than 18.6 million people in Britain have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine.

    England is currently under the third national lockdown since outbreak of the pandemic in the country. Similar restriction measures are also in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

    On Monday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his long-anticipated “roadmap” exiting the lockdown.

    Schools in England will reopen from March 8 as first part of the four-step plan, which Johnson said was designed to be “cautious but irreversible”.

    Johnson said he is “very optimistic” that all coronavirus restrictions in England will be removed by June 21.

    To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Germany, Russia and the United States have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines.

    Also Read-UK to begin world’s first Covid human trials

    Read More-Hotel Quarantining Introduced to Arrivals in UK

  • Media Reach Fuels Covid Campaign

    Media Reach Fuels Covid Campaign

    They did it again. They broke the barrier to spread the message. A successful Covid vaccine campaign within a short span of time. Media Reach’s Television partnership in association with the British government regarding the Covid vaccine hits the targets. More than 20 adverts were commissioned in various languages with each channels own ‘sweetheart’ and within four weeks the spots were shot, approved and on air. The campaign has proven to be a tremendous success and seen by millions of people from various backgrounds, faiths and ethnicities and has done a lot to raise awareness of the NHS and their campaign …. Reports Asian Lite News

    They broke the barriers to spread the message to one of the most diverse population in the world. With unique tailor-made contents spear-headed familiar community champions and celebrities, the campaign reaches the niche audiences across the United Kingdom.

    London’s leading advertising agency Media Reach was approached by the British government to form a TV partnership to spread their Covid vaccine message to its diverse population representing every nook and corner of the work. The rainbow population of Britain speaks different languages and preserve their culture and traditions besides embracing the essence of Britishness.

    Also Read – ‘We Are The NHS’

    Media Reach, with its expertise on ethnic marketing, knew the pulse of the communities. The creative team produced 22 unique ads with the intention to air them on more than 20 BAME focused channels, ranging from well-known Indian channels such as Star (now Utsav), Sony Pictures, ZEE TV to popular Pakistani channels such as Hum and Geo. It clicked.

    “It is vital to accommodate all cultures and communities when building a successful campaign. Creating something to tick a box, does not serve any purpose. A successful campaign is not always about the number of views. But the physical impact it has,” said Media Reach’s CEO Saad Al Saraf.

     “The success of this campaign was down to understanding the editorial needs of the people and creating relevant content and I am delighted by the response so far,” Media Reach’s Director Javed Hussain added.

    Also Read – NHS encourages S. Asians to know their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes

    Minority channels such as Bengali Channel S, Phoenix TV, European channel Record Europa, Afro Caribbean channels such as Yanga, as well as faith based channels, were also invited to participate. Even young ethnic channels such as Brit Asia participated and called upon Apache Indian BEM to convey the UK government’s key message to young British Asians.

    All of the presenters used for the campaign were specifically chosen as they truly appealed to the audiences who needed to understand that the government had made huge progress and the vaccine would be primarily rolled out to the most vulnerable. Each person would be contacted accordingly when it was their turn.

    Within four weeks all ads were filmed, edited, approved and on air. All credit goes to the tireless dedication of the Media Reach team. They worked throughout day and night to meet the targets within four weeks.

    Undoubtedly the campaign has proven to be a raging success so far and has been appreciated by people from across the board, old, young and middle aged.

    Having created something so unique and bespoke is unlike something done solely by one media house and Media Reach were the only ones to historically fulfil such a task. The fact they did not solely focus on the South Asian Community, they included the Portuguese community, the Black and Afro Caribbean community as well as the Chinese demographic is unique and the first of its kind.

    Also Read – Medics, Police Appeal to Public to Stay at Home

  • British Indians Rap Plot To Create Rift

    British Indians Rap Plot To Create Rift

    Faith organisations of the Indian diaspora issued a joint statement and expressed concerns over the move to communalise the farmers protest, reports Asian Lite News

    Prominent Indian forums in the United Kingdom condemned the move by Khalistani miscreants with the support of some parliamentarians to divide the community by spreading fake news about the farm protest in India.

    Faith organisations of the Indian diaspora issued a joint statement and expressed concerns over the move to communalise the farmers protest.

    “We note with concern the continuing attempts being made to communalise the Indian Farmers Protest against the three farming laws as being a faith-based issue,” they said in the statement. “The fact is that the Indian Farmers practice different faiths and that this is an issue of their common interest. As is always the case there are people on both sides of the argument.

    “We fully respect the right to peaceful protest, humanitarian support and freedom of speech in a responsible manner as part of democratic traditions. We condemn attempts to communalise the Farmers protest and urge everyone to remain vigil.  The community cohesion in Britain needs safeguarding and nurturing whilst this campaign is underway in India. On this issue we stand in solidarity.”

    Mr Umesh Sharma, Chairman, Hindu Council UK; Mr Hamid Malik,  Founder/ President,  Federation of Indian Muslim Organisations, Midlands – UK;  Mr Arun Thakur,  President,  National Council of Hindu Temples UK;  Mr Gurmel Singh, Secretary General, Supreme Sikh Council UK were among the signatories.

    In another development, the largest organisation of the Malayalee community in Britain joined the condemnation. UUKMA (Union of UK Malayalee Associations ), an umbrella forum of 114 associations representing 100,000 plus Keralites, condemned the move.

    “We condemn in unequivocal terms about the irresponsible efforts by certain communal groups and media in the UK to sensationalise the ongoing farmers protest and to create communal tension in the UK, the organisation said in a statement. “The farmers protest in India is NOT a communal issue but part of its democracy. Indians cutting across religious or regional identities are supporting or are opposing the agriculture reform laws enacted by the Indian parliament.

    “Indians settled in the UK have been enjoying strong traditional inter-community relationship and enjoys their right to exercise their democratic rights independently and respectfully as well. We urge media and all community organisations in the UK to refrain from inflammatory statements and activities that can damage inter-community harmony in the UK.”

    The statement was signed by Manojkumar Pillai, National President of the UUKMA and Alex Varghese, National General Secretary.

    Also Read – Asian Media & Professional Talents Honoured in London