Diaspora News Briefs | DesPardes.com

UK, SEP 24: A MAN chanting from the Koran in a trancelike state stabbed a 25-year-old woman to death and seriously injured another woman who tried to help.

The daylight attack took place in Silk Street, Salford where the killer had been seen attempting to get into cars.

The dead woman was Slovakian Terezia Sternbergerova who was hoping to become a student at nearby Salford University.

She was chased down the street by her killer who caught and repeatedly stabbed her.

Passers by, including 56-year-old Katherine Moore, tried to help. She was stabbed six times in the back and arm.

The man then turned on other witnesses before being knocked down by a car.

Courageous Mrs Moore spoke of her ordeal as she was recovering from her wounds in Hope Hospital.

She said: "There was absolutely no reason for what happened to me and Terezia.

"I think her death will stay with me. I'll get over my injuries. I'll never get over her dying."

Other witness told of how they came across the killer.

One said: "He was a nut, trying to get into cars. He looked like he was in a trance, chanting things out of a book, I think it was the Koran. It was awful."

He said a little later a group of lads came round the corner and raised the alarm about the attack.

The witness went to the scene.

He said: "By the time I got there the young woman was dead by the side of the car.

"He was attacking the other woman and then he started coming at us. It was a good job someone in a car knocked him over to stop him - I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't."

A woman who lives nearby to the death scene said she saw the killer chasing his victim down the street and thought it was a domestic argument.

"I saw the other woman stop to let the girl in her car, but he stabbed her too.
"It was like something out of the movies, I can't get it out of my head."

A 21-year-old man has been arrested and is being held in a secure mental unit.
Police are waiting for the result of a medical assessment before taking further action.

Chief Superintendent Brian Wroe said: "It is important to reassure the community there were no extremist connection whatsoever.

"This attack was carried out be one person who we have in custody and we are not seeking anyone else."

Ethnic recruiters learn from US

UK, SEP 24: POLICE from Greater Manchester have travelled to America to find out how to increase recruiting from ethnic minorities and improve race relations.

A delegation of officers visited Phoenix, Arizona, to take part in the 32nd National Black Police Association Education and Training Conference.

Police chiefs set up the Respect programme to develop the way the force deals with issues like race, sexuality, disability, and gender.

Among those from Manchester who went to the US conference was head of the Respect programme, Superintendent Martin Harding.

Also in the team was Chief Inspector Karin Mulligan, Pc Fay Wilson and Pc Charles Crichlow, chairman of the Greater Manchester Black and Asian Police Association.

Pc Crichlow said: "There is nothing like the conference in the UK. It is a unique event which looks at issues such as recruitment of ethnic minority officers and leadership as well as issues around the use of stop and search powers by the police.

"Through a series of workshops, we also looked at ethical issues around the criminal justice system and gun crime.

"But we were also able to bring a lot to the conference by helping to give a global perspective to the issues being discussed.

"In terms of some of the procedures and processes we are putting in place here in Greater Manchester, a lot has been influenced by what we have learned from this and previous year's conferences.”

Khan mania hits the UK

UK, SEP 24: Britain’s Bollywood boom reached its pinnacle during the August bank holiday weekend as thousands of fans travelled to London to see King of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan perform at the Temptation 2004 concert.

The concert broke all UK Bollywood box office records being a sell at it two venues, London and Birmingham..

Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Rampal, Preiti Zinta, Rani Mukherjee and former Miss World 2000 Priyanka Chopra caught the pulse of the audience as they danced to melodies from their smash hit movies, recreating the screen magic live.

The stage was lit up by an electric mix of high impact drama, pulsating dance sequences and a displays of colour and vibrancy, which splashed the stage throughout.

But it was hearththrob Shah Rukh Khan who stole the show after leaving female fans delirious for more as they stamped, screamed and went hysterical as he appeared on stage.

He performed to songs from his most memorable movies, Mohabattein, Khabie Kushi Khabie Gham, Dilwale Dulhanie Le Jayenghe, Devdas and Main Hoon Na. Some lucky fans were even invited on stage to sing with him.

At a press conference before the two shows the star said he owed his international success to his British fans.

He said: "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the love and support of my fans in Britain, they have been with me all the way, thank you."

He said he would like to carry on making good movies, maybe even crossover films but Hollywood does not interest him yet.

"It is not a goal of mine to work in Hollywood. I am happy where I am. My ambition is to be part of a film industry recognised by the world.

"Of course, no one has offered me a role in Hollywood yet!" During the conference, whilst smoking, Shah Rukh said he would like to quit and set a good example for his fans.

He said: “My wife hates it, my children don’t like it , so yes I would like to quit smoking, maybe I’ll try and do it after the shows, inshallah.”

He also said he was still recovering from back problems and though doctors advised him not to take part in strenuous work, it hadn’t stopped him from going ahead with Temptation 2004.

He added: “Of course I still have back problems, but doing this show is important to me. My doctor will probably tell me off when I go back to India.”
He also told his young fans to believe in their dreams.

Added Shah Rukh: “You need to believe in yourself, work hard and focus. The only thing that matters in life is the core of you, everything else is peripheral, the cars and houses are not the important things in life.”