Sunak joins Goldman Sachs as senior adviser P20 ------------------
Air India crash: 7 families get second set of remains P26 ------------------
Setback to Saif Ali Khan and family over £1 5bn ancestral property P26 ------------------
Deepika Padukone becomes first Indian actress on ‘Walk of Fame’ P31
over unexplained losses, a statutory inquiry has confirmed that both the P
H
r i z o n I T s y s t e m w a s f a u l t y y e t continued prosecuting based on its data
A r o u n d 1 , 0 0 0 s u b - p o s t m a s t e r s were wrongly convicted, and thousands more were suspended or dismissed The first volume of Sir Wyn Williams’ inquiry report exposes the s c a n d a l ’ s d e v a s t a t i n g h u m a n t o l l , i n c l u d i n g f i n a n c i a l r u i n , m e n t a l health trauma, and loss of life
At least 13 suicides may be linked to the scandal, with 59 others reporting suicidal thoughts and 10 attempti n g s u i c i d e T h e r e p o r t a l s o c o ndemned the Post Office’s “unnecessarily adversarial” approach to the 1 0 , 0 0 0 v i c t i m s s e e k i n g c o m p e n s ation, calling the findings “profoundly disturbing ”
O n e p o s t o f f i c e o p e r a t o r described the trauma as “immeasura b l e , ” c i t i n g a m e n t a l b r e a k d o w n , depression, alcohol dependence, and multiple suicide attempts According to the report, around 1,000 operators
w e r e w r o n g f u l l y p r o s e c u t e d between 1999 and 2015 due to faulty Horizon software, with another 50 to 60 possibly charged but not convicted. Despite evidence of system faults, Post Office leaders insisted the data was reliable
N H S R E F O R M
R I S K S E X C L U S I O N
PM Starmer’s 10-Year Health Plan pledges to shift care from hospitals to communities and prioritise prevention, but doubts remain over funding, infrastructure, and staffing For South Asian communities, who are longstanding contributors to the NHS, persistent health disparities and cultural barriers raise questions about whether these reforms will deliver meaningful change
Subhasini Naicker
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has launched the government’s 10-Year Health Plan, aiming to bring the NHS closer to home through a new Neighbourhood Health Service
These centres, based in local communities, are designed to ease pressure on hospitals by shifting care into more accessible settings and improving early intervention and prevention.
Staffed by teams of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, social care workers, and volunteers, the centres will offer a full range of healthcare services under one roof, with extended hours and local outreach Additional support services, including debt advice, employment help, and stop-smoking programmes, will also be available to address wider factors affecting health
This plan builds on Lord Darzi s diagnosis that the NHS is in critical condition” due to long waiting times, low staff morale, outdated technology, and growing public health challenges The reforms focus on three core shifts: hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention
Marking the NHS’s 77th anniversary, the Prime Minister also paid a personal tribute to the health service In a video released by No10, he met Ben Huntley, the Advanced Nurse Practitioner who cared for his brother during his final weeks of life before passing away from cancer last Boxing Day Starmer thanked Ben for the compassion and dignity shown, calling the care a “lifeline” for his family.
global push: Brics reforms and historic Ghana visit
on: R emembering the 7/7 L ondon
Tributes have poured in for Nila Patel , a “kind-hear ted”
m o t he r- of -t w o wh
a fte r a lle gedly being assa ul t-
e d foll owing a ca r crash in Le icester cit y cent re The 56-year-old pedestri-
a
moments after a car overturned in the area
c
23, from Leicester, has been charged with Patel’s murder He also faces multiple other charges, including dangerous
S
costs has already raised nearly £20,000
T h e c a s e c o m e s j u s t weeks after the murder of Bhim Kohli, another shocking incident that has added to public anxiety over safety in the city
L
from the party whip fo llo w i n g rep o rt s questioning his use of C ovid-19 suppo rt loans worth tens of th
While maintain-
Ni l a ’ s c h i l d r e n , Ja i d e n and Danika, paid tribute to their mother, saying: “We are h e a r t b ro ke n , b u t w e w a n t the world to know who our mum truly was
grappling with a high overall crime rate, recording approximately 136 crimes per 1,000 residents between May 2024 and April 2025 This places the city around 51% above the national average and 41%
h
Midlands regional average, ranking it among the highercrime areas in England
beauti-
deser ved so much more ” A
s bodily harm, assaulting an emergency worker, and actual bodily harm relating to a separate incident in London
expected to return later this year
M ore than 200 gu rdw aras across th e United King dom h ave united to form the UK Gurd wara A lliance, a new bod y aim ed at providing a c o ll ec ti v e v o ic e fo r th e British Sikh com munity and r es ett in g i ts re la tio n s h ip w ith the g overnm ent
The Alliance was off icially launched this week in a UK Parliament committee room, coinciding with the 20th anniversar y of the AllParty Parliamentar y Group for British Sikhs
The initiative has been hailed as an excellent step by
R a m e s h Si n g h A r o r a , Pakistan Punjab's Minister
fo r M i n o r i t y A f f a i r s , w h o travelled to London for the launch He emphasised that
a collective voice is extremely powerful and will not only facilitate engagement with the UK government but also improve links between gurdwara bodies globally The
with prominent Sikh instit u t i o n s s u c h a s t h e A k a l Takht in Amritsar and the PSGPC in Pakistan
One of the Alliance s primar y objectives is to address t
Kuldeep Singh Deol, former p
Gu
k Gurdwara, Smethwick, state
outdated and out of step
g e s t h e s e institutions face He argued that the Commission relies on advice from individuals l a c k i n g s u f f i c i e n t u n d e rstanding of gurdwara operations, despite local authorities widely recognising gurdwaras as key Sikh institutions with extensive community reach
The Alliance, made up of 25 leading gurdwaras representing regional networks, will address issues affecting g u r d w a r a o p e r a t i o n s a n d engage with the UK government on wider Sikh community concerns This unif ied effort marks a strong push by British Sikhs to have their voices heard at the national level
A We st L o nd o n m an h a s been jailed for life fo r attacki ng a c h i ld u nd e r 1 3 and a tte m p ti n g to rap e a w oman
Nav ro o p Si n g h , 2 4 , o f Mellow Lane East, Hayes, was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday ( July 4) to life in prison with a minimum term of 14 years
The investigation began
a f t e r Si n g h a t t e m p t e d t o rape a woman in her 20s in
Southall Park on October 13
Posing with a fake gun he had assembled, Singh waited o n a b e n c h i n t h e e a r l y hours, targeting victims as
safety
On October 23,
child
park Police swiftly tracked
Singh, and arrested him on Sunday, October 27
Si
attempted rape of a woman aged 16 or over, rape of a girl under 13, assault of a girl under 13 by penetration, and two counts of possession of an imitation f irearm with
a n indictable offense
A c t i n g C h i e f Superintendent Sean Lynch praised the courage of victim-sur vivors and their families, calling the conviction "a testament to their braver y and our off icers’ thorough investigation " He said the police remain committed to
Parliament business dealings complied with all regulations, the South Basildon and East Thurrock MP said he requested the suspension as a "precautionar y measure "
The ‘Sunday Times’ reported that Reform UK MP James McMurdock took out £70,000 in Bounce Back Loans through two companies J
Health and Fitness Limited raising questions about their eligibility
JAM Financial reportedly had just one employee and under £5,000 in assets pre-pandemic, while Gym Live was dormant until early 2020 McMurdock said all business dealings were professionally reviewed and fully compliant, calling the suspension a “ precautionar y measure ” R e fo r m U K h a s l a u n c h e d a n i n t e r n a l investigation, with McMurdock pledging full cooperation
He won South Basildon and East Thurrock by just 98 votes in July 2024 and will now sit as an independent He is the second of Reform’s f ive MPs to lose the whip, following Rupert Lowe in March
Parents in Britain are now set to receive statutory bereavement leave following a miscarriage, a significant and long-awaited change in employment law The government has confirmed amendments to the Employment Rights Bill granting mothers and their partners the legal right to take time off work to grieve a pregnancy loss regardless of the gestational stage Previously statutory bereavement leave was only available for stillbirths (after 24 weeks of pregnancy) or the loss of a child under 18 This new provision, championed by Labour MP Sarah Owen and the Women and Equalities Committee, acknowledges the profound emotional and physical impact of earlier pregnancy loss The new law will entitle parents to at least one week of protected leave, ensuring they do not have to rely on sick leave or annual leave during such a difficult time This move aims to provide essential support and help destigmatise miscarriage, allowing families the necessary space to heal without added financial or professional pressure
A De lh i c o u rt h as o f f ic i al ly d e cl are d S an ja y Bh an d ari , a U K-based arms co ns u lta nt, a fu g i ti v e ec ono m ic of fend er Th is ruling, marks a c ru c i al s te p in I nd i a's effo rt s to bring to justice indiv i d u a ls w h o h av e absconded from th e country to ev ad e leg al pro ceedings related to f inancial crim es
Bhandari, who reportedly fled to London in 2016 following raids by the Income Tax department in Delhi, has been under investigation by multiple Indian agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED) The ED f iled a criminal case against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in 2017, taking cognisance of an Income Tax department chargesheet f iled under the antiblack money law of 2015 The court's decision empowers the ED to conf iscate Bhandari's assets, both in India and abroad, which are estimated to be worth crores of rupees This fugitive tag is applied to individuals who have committed scheduled offences involving an amount of 100 crore (£8 4 million) or more and have refused to return to India to face prosecution
Despite India's persistent efforts to extradite Bhandari from the United Kingdom, a UK court recently rejected the plea, citing conc e r n s o v e r h i s s a fe t y i n I n d i a n p r i s o n s However, the Delhi court explicitly stated that the failed extradition attempt does not render him an angel or immune from prosecution for the violation of Indian laws Bhandari now joins a list of high-prof ile individuals declared fugitive economic offenders by Indian courts
The UK has recorded its first rise in births since 2021 driven in part by a 14% increase in babies born to fathers over 60 according to the Office for National Statistic s Last year, 1,076 births were registered to men in that age group, up from 942 the year before Overall, 594,67 7 live births were recorded in 2024 a 0 6% increase from 2023 though the figure remains among the lowest since 197 7 A record 33 9% of babies were born to mothers born outside the UK, with India, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Bangladesh among the top countries of origin Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson urged young people to consider starting families earlier, citing economic concerns and long-term consequences of a declining birthrate The West Midlands and London saw the largest regional rises while Wales and five English regions including the northeast recorded declines The average age of parents continues to rise
The head of the Metropolitan Police, Commissioner Mark Rowley, has called for UK football clubs to contribute to the £70 million annual cost of policing their matches Mark argued for a polluter pays approach, questioning why event organisers rather than local communities bear the financial burden of policing security at games Most of this cost he noted is spent on Premier League fixtures Mark s comments align with his broader push for radical police reforms including reducing the current 43 police forces in England and Wales to between 12 and 15 larger entities He contends the existing 1960s model is "not fit for purpose" and hinders the effective response to modern threats, advocating for bigger forces to better utilise technology and streamline operations Despite a recent 2 3% annual funding increase for policing, many forces view this as insufficient Mark stressed that reforms are essential to ensure police make the best use of every pound the government can give, given the substantial drop in public safety spending over the past decade
Rape is not only the most heinous crime committed against women, but also one of the most poorly addressed In theory, society says it condemns rape In practice, it often condemns the victim The numbers paint a brutal truth Despite the scale of sexual violence, most victims choose silence, not because they lack courage, but because the system lacks compassion
More than 71,000 rapes were reported in England and Wales in 2024 However, only 2 7 per cent resulted in formal charges Consider the magnitude of betrayal this figure represents For every 100 women who put themselves through the trauma of a police report, 97 will see no justice What message does that send to the next survivor?
This is where the silence begins Over 80 per cent of women who suffer sexual assault do not report it, not because it didn’t happen, but because the burden of proof is placed on their pain They are asked: What were you wearing, drinking, saying? Were you sure you didn’t lead him on? The accused is given the benefit of the doubt The victim is given doubt without benefit
To make matters worse, some men exploit the system, especially those with power, money, or influence, rarely face consequences While survivors hide in the shadows, afraid of being disbelieved or shamed, sometimes they give up on justice, at the cost of secret financial pay offs demanded by their families
The real issue is this: whether it is a victim silenced by
shame or a predator protected by wealth, the system fails at both ends A culture that claims to support justice allows the rich and powerful, including women who abuse their position, to escape accountability Mohammed Al Fayed’s story, for instance, is not unique It is just one of the rare ones that surfaced
Sometimes the justice system is slow Survivors wait years, reliving their trauma, while perpetrators walk free Over 11,000 rape cases are still waiting for trial More than 1,600 involve children And while we debate statistics, the perpetrators go about their lives, protected by delay and denial Take example of the sex grooming cases, victims w
roamed free, protected by race bias and local government failures
But the root problem goes deeper We need more than faster trials or better policing, but we need more is to shift the male and the societal mindset that condones objectification, questions consent, and mocks vulnerability This is not just about laws It is about what we tolerate in our homes, offices, private chats, and media
Until we hold both perpetrators and enablers, regardless of gender, equally accountable, until we believe victims without conditions, and until we see rape not as a woman's shame but a criminal's crime, nothing will truly change Justice delayed is injustice But justice denied through silence, stigma, or systemic apathy is a stain on all of us
Terrorism is not just a national issue It is a global crisis that transcends borders, faiths, and ideologies In every corner of the world, innocent lives have been lost, families torn apart, and communities forever scarred by the horrors of violence carried out in the name of misguided belief or political anger
Whether it is the 7/7 attacks in Britain, 9/11 in the United States, 26/11 in Mumbai or the the attacks in Pahalgam, terrorism leaves behind one universal truth: grief knows no nationality
On a recent international tour, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited several nations, Ghana, and Brazil During his address at the Brics summit, he made a strong appeal for global unity against terrorism “Terrorism in any form or ideology is against humanity No matter where it occurs or who commits it, terrorism must be universally condemned and isolated,” Modi said He emphasised that political disagreements or ideological differences can never be an excuse to support violence “Some countries still see terrorism as a tool of foreign policy This mindset must end Those who shelter terrorists should be held accountable,” he added
His remarks found resonance around the world, especially after the recent attack in Pahalgam Parliamentary delegations visiting other countries at the time reiterated one consistent message: terrorism is never an option Whatever one ’ s political position, supporting terrorism means abandoning the principles of peace, justice, and human dignity
The world has witnessed this tragedy repeatedly On 7 July 2005, London was rocked by home-grown terrorism British
citizens, radicalised in their own country, carried out coordinated attacks on buses and trains Today, the victims were remembered, with Labour leader Keir Starmer in attendance Among the dead were many British Asians including British Muslims, a stark reminder that terrorism does not discriminate and its victims are often the very communities it claims to represent
But while the world rightly condemns terrorism, it has also become clear that the aftermath of these events has reshaped how certain communities are perceived Since 7/7, many Muslims have faced rising suspicion and hostility A bearded man walking down the street, regardless of his actual faith, can be wrongly targeted or attacked simply because he is mistaken for being a Muslim Religion has become something people fear rather than understand This tragic shift in perception not only fuels hatred but also deepens the divide that terrorism aims to exploit
This is why the world must rally against terrorism in the way India and others are doing, with consistency, clarity, and moral conviction Nations must raise their voices against terrorism, not selectively but universally Too many people have lost loved ones Too many communities have been changed forever The world today is not the same as it was before 9/11 or 7/7 These events have redefined how we live, travel, and trust
Terrorism cannot be tackled in isolation It requires global unity, equal accountability, and unwavering support for justice, not prejudice The time to act together is now
For more than 200 years, the United States has been ruled by just two main political parties, the Democrats and the Republicans This system has given Americans stability, but also serious problems like constant arguments, political deadlock, and growing public frustration Now, with people losing faith in traditional politicians, a new player might be entering the field Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, known for creating Tesla and SpaceX, may be about to shake up American politics with a brand-new political party called the “America Party ”
Musk’s relationship with President Donald Trump has been full of ups and downs At first, Musk supported some of Trump’s policies, especially when it came to cutting red tape and growing the economy But after events like the storming of the Capitol and disagreements over Covid-19 policies, Musk began to speak out more often against both major parties Recently, he suggested that he might back or even run candidates for seats in Congress His goal? To break political deadlock and bring “ common sense ” back to Washington
S o m e w e l l - k n o w n p u b l i c f i g u r e s l i k e M a r k C u b a n a n d Andrew Yang are already supporting the idea
This move comes at a time when Americans are looking for something new A Gallup poll from 2024 showed that 63% of Americans think the country needs a third major party But it’s not easy The American voting system makes it hard for new parties to win, and most media only focus on the two big players Still, Musk has money, popularity, and a direct line to
millions through social media He plans to be smart about it by focusing on a few winnable seats instead of trying to win everything at once
If a strong third party appears in America, it would bring the country closer to systems seen in other places, like the United Kingdom In the UK, voters can choose from several parties: the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens, and more This gives people more choice and often forces politicians to work together In fact, in the UK’s 2019 general election, the Liberal Democrats got over 11% of the national vote Many UK voters believe that having more than two big parties creates a better government, with more voices being heard
Elon Musk says his party would not follow left or right politics Instead, it would focus on solutions, using facts and innovation He is especially interested in big issues like artificial intelligence, space, and protecting freedom of speech online, topics that other parties often ignore His party could attract young voters, independents, and those who feel that neither Democrats nor Republicans represent them anymore
Of course, there are risks Some people worry a third party could split the vote and help extreme candidates win Others say Musk is too unpredictable But in a time when many Americans feel let down by politics, even trying something new could start a real change Whether Musk’s party wins or not, it may be the beginning of a new chapter in American democracy
Thought
for the week
“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”- Mahatma Gandhi
Alpesh Patel
India, wary of international condemnation and hesitant a
miscalculation: they refrained from initially neutralizing Pakistan's military air defenses As Indian fighter jet missiles crossed into Pakistani airspace, they encountered a far more hostile reception than anticipated Although all Indian pilots returned safely, their aircraft bore clear
observers to question the strategic calculus behind their Government's cautious approach
against both military and civilian targets within Indian territory, ratcheting tensions upward Faced with these direct provocations, India escalated by decisively targeting Pakistan's military installations, specifically employing cruise missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads to attack Pakistani nuclear command and control centers
nuclear threshold
Despite internally recognizing India's deep-seated
opportunity to internationalize the conflict dramatically, calling on the United States to mediate Islamabad's manoeuvre, reminiscent of historical Iranian and Iraqi diplomatic, yet comical, playbooks, sought to portray itself as a responsible actor compelled to seek global a
Pakistan's de facto Prime Minister Munir's theatrical overtures went as far as offering the Nobel Peace Prize to former US President Trump and subsequently promising I
gestures met internationally with skepticism India, maintaining its steadfast policy against thirdparty intervention, rejected these overtures outright, e f
appeals to global powers as
tacit admission of defeat, especially given the substantial damage inflicted upon Pakistan's military infrastructure Notably, the vaunted Chinese-supplied air defenses protecting key installations proved notably inadequate, severely denting Islamabad s claims of military preparedness and technological parity
narrative culminating in Prime Minister Munir's self-
sensationalism, New Delhi's terse official statements underscored the gravity and inevitability of their actions without inflaming further rhetoric Winners speak as India did, losers as Pakistan did The victory Pakistan achieved was due to a tactical, possibly naïve error, of not taking out first Pakistani military defences India focused so much on the terror camps, they forgot Pakistan defends those camps with its military installations with a dose of plausible deniability Knowing this, they were a legitimate first strike target It was an uncharacteristic tactical error, quickly rectified, reminiscent of Western Nato fair 'rules of engagement' which benefit no one but the enemy India's deliberate restraint coupled with Pakistan's exaggerated dramatics reveals an asymmetric approach not just in military doctrine, but also in public diplomacy Yet, beneath the surface-level optics and bravado lies an enduring reality: Pakistan knows the red lines have shifted, it air defences are exposed India knows not to be so naïve and instead adopt the Western doctrine – first, we knock out military installations India plays “fair” enough anyway by not deliberately targeting civilians
unlike Pakistan
K in g C h a r l e s I II , Pr i me
Min ister Keir St ar mer , the D uk e a n d D u ch e ss of Edinburgh joine d survivors, e merge ncy respon ders, an d b erea ved famil ie s a t St Paul’s Ca thedral to mark the 20th
a n n i v e r sa r y of t h e 7 J ul y London bombings
The ceremony honoured the victims of the deadliest t e r r o r i s t a t t a c k o n B r i t i s h soil, in which four coordinated explosions on three Tube trains and a bus claimed 52 lives and injured hundreds more Among those in attendance were London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Home Secretary
Y v e t t e C o o p e r , a n d o t h e r dignitaries who gathered to remember the lives lost and the courage of those who responded
At 8 50am, the moment the first bomb had detonated in 2005, Starmer and Khan
l a i d w r e a t h s a t t h e H y d e Park 7 July memorial, joined by senior officials including
M e t P o l i c e C o m m i s s i o n e r
M a r k R o w l e y a n d B r i t i s h
T r a n s p o r t P o l i c e C h i e f
Constable Lucy D’Orsi
During the service, survivors and families reflected on how the city has changed in the two decades since the attacks Four candles, representing the bombing sites;
R u s s e l l S q u a r e , A l d g a t e ,
E d g w a r e R o a d , a n d Tavistock Square were carried through the cathedral by emergency service represen-
t a t i v e s , f o l l o w e d b y a
m o m e n t o f s i l e n c e a t t h e altar
T a k i n g t o I n s t a g r a m , Mayor Khan wrote: “Today, we mark 20 years since the h o r r e n d o u s 7 J u l y t e r r o r attacks shook our city We remember the 52 lives lost
a n d t h e m o r e t h a n 7 0 0 i n j u r e d b y t h e s e c o w a r d l y acts To those who seek to s p r e a d h a t r e d y o u w i l l n e v e r w i n L o n d o n s t a n d s united We choose hope over fear, unity over division, and continue building a safer city for all ” A s t h e U K m a r k e d 2 0 y e a r s s i n c e t h e L o n d o n b o m b i n g s , g l o b a l l e a d e r s
c a l l e d f o r u n i t e d a c t i o n against terrorism Speaking at the Brics Summit in Brazil, I n d i a n P r i m e M i n i s t e r N a r e n d r a M o d i d e s c r i b e d
t e r r o r i s m a s t h e g r e a t e s t threat to humanity, citing the recent Pahalgam attack as a direct assault on India’s identity and dignity Modi urged Brics nations to stand together, stressing that those who support terrorism directly or indirectly must be held accountable
“ C o n d e m n i n g t e r r o r i s m must be a principle, not a c o n v e n i e n c e , ” h e s a i d , adding that lasting peace is
e s s e n t i a l f o r h u m a n i t y ’ s progress and that Brics has a key role in securing it
“We must t ack le ant iMusl im hate
British Muslims have faced i n c r e a s e d r a c i s m a n d Islamophobia as the suicide bombers were linked to a terrorist group that claimed to have acted in the name of Islam All four of the suicide bombers were under the age of 30 and three were Britishborn sons of Pakistani pare n t s f r o m a r e a s o f L e e d s
While most extremists are misguided and misuse religion to justify violence, the v a s t m a j o r i t y o f M u s l i m s s t r o n g l y c o n d e m n e d t h e attacks and made it clear that such actions go against the t r u e t e a c h i n g s o f I s l a m
Many worked to dissociate their faith from terrorism, emphasising that these indiv i d u a l s d i d n o t r e p r e s e n t their beliefs or their community
9/11 and 7/7 changed the way the West looked specially at Muslim youth Imam
i m c o m m u n i t i e s w a s profound and is felt by many to this day ” Asim, who then lived in Leeds, recalled how the community felt a collect i v e s e n s e o f g r i e f a s t h e country mourned for the 52 deaths and hundreds injured by the bombings But there was also an additional and silent layer of suffering within the Muslim community"guilt and the need to justify their sense of belonging , he reportedly added
Similarly, Fahad Khan, a youth worker, who was 18 at the time of the atrocity, told the BBC recently, that the local people were traumat i s e d a s t h e n e w s f o r e v e r changed people's perception of the Muslim community,
e s p e c i a l l y y o u n g M u s l i m men He added: "It changed that narrative to someone who looked like me - and that's a lot to deal with ” Jabe er Butt OBE, Chief E x e cu t iv e o f t he R a ce Equal it y Founda tion, speaking to Asian Voice about his experience on the day said, “I
Collapsed Prax Lindsey refinery owners took £11.5m amid crisis
asset i
th e UK , reportedly extracted a staggering £11 5 millio n in p ay and divi dends in the years leadi
its collapse
significant questions about
hundreds of jobs hang in the balance and concerns m
security T
had arrived at Euston Station
a r o u n d 1 0 a m , u n a w a r e o f what had happened My bus was diverted, and as I walked t o
s when I realised something terrible had occurred As the day unfolded, it became clear that innocent people had lost their lives in a horrifying act o f v i o l e n c e L e a r n i n g t h a t the attackers were a small g r o u p o f y o
damaging narrative soon fol-
y blamed all Muslims for the
T
i s response, rooted in racism and anti-Muslim hate, has only created more division without addressing the real causes of violence ” He added, “There have been some positives, many mosques and other religious i n s t i t u t
n s h a v e a c t i
y w o r k e d t o d i s p e l m y t h s about their faith and communities, which is important to recognise However, it’s also clear that many Muslims continue to feel they don’t
b e l o n g H e a r i n g s t o r i e s o f people having their burqas forcibly removed is shocking And when political leaders say they wouldn’t speak to someone wearing a burqa, it
r a i s e s s e r i o u s q u e s t i o n s
Why single out a form of d ress to j usti fy di s engagement? It reinforces the idea t h a t M u s l i m i d e n t i t y i s somehow unacceptable ” O n t h e r o
f a i t hbased leadership and interc o m m u n i t y d i a l o g u e i n healing the wounds left by 7/7, Jabeer Butt said, “It’s
v i t a l l y
m p
t a n t M a n y faith leaders have stepped up not only contributing t o e v e r y d a y l i f e b u t a l s o engaging in public and polit-
mosques open their doors, take part in local celebra-
Queen’s passing This visible
During the Covid-19 vaccine rollout, some faith leaders questioned its efficacy not out of hesitancy, but a desire to see clear evidence that it worked across all communities They had every right to
v
c y , prompting the government t o c a l l f o r a n i m m e d i a t e investigation into the conduct of its directors The plant, one of only a handful o f l a r g e o i l r e f i n e r i e s remaining in the UK, has b e e n g r a p p l i n g w i t h s u b -
s t a n t i a l l o s s e s s i n c e i t s
a c q u i s i t i o n b y t h e P r a x
G r o u p i n 2 0 2 1 R e c o r d s i n d i c a t e t h e r e f i n e r y
incurred approximately £75 million in losses between its takeover and February 2024
D e s p i t e t h e s e m o u n t i n g financial difficulties at the operational level, the priv
and-wife team, are reported t
cantly through their remuneration and dividend payouts This
A p olice officer found gu ilty
o f do m es tic abuse ag ainst two women has been sente nc ed to 1 2 0 h o u r s o f
u np a i d w o rk T a ri q Mahm ood, 4 5, received the c o m m u
t y s ent enc e a
E d i nb u rg h S h eri f f C
u r t, w here he w as also placed under supervision for two years and m ad e subject to f o u r- yea r no n -h a ras s m en t o rd er s p ro te cti ng h is v i ctims
Mahmood was convicted of repeatedly kicking one woman and acting abusively towards a second, who was p r e g n a n t , b e t w e e n A p r i l 2 0 1 9 a n d F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 2
a c r o s s E d i n b u r g h a n d M i d l o t h i a n T h e c h a r g e s detailed patterns of control-
l i n g b e h a v i o u r , i n c l u d i n g
b l a m i n g o n e v i c t i m f o r childlessness, accusing her o f a f f a i r s , a n d r e p e a t e d l y
shouting Towards the second victim, he threatened to remove her child, dictated her clothing, and referenced her childhood trauma
Police Scotland swiftly c o n d e m n e d M a h m o o d ' s a c t i o n s , s t a t i n g t h e y g o against everything the serv i c e s t o o d f o r a n d c o mmending the victims brav-
e r y i n c o m i n g f o r w
Following his conviction on 2 n
d o n restricted duties and later suspended The court heard he intends to resign from t h e
served for 16 years, includi n
Midlands Police However, campaigners are demanding s
Hirdman, whose ex-partner and former officer was convicted of assault, said police
W
y should you still be called a police officer?” she asked T h e S c o t t i s h Government said new legisl a t i o
accountability, with faster m i s c o
under review
Lisa Nandy questions BBC response to Gaza documentary
C u l tu re S e cr eta ry L i s a Na nd y h as c ri ti c i se d t h e BBC’s hand ling of a co ntrov ersial Panorama d ocumentary on th e Israel-Gaza war, q u es ti o ni ng w h y n o st af f have been dismissed d espite the pro gramm e being found to contain seriou s edito rial failings T h e B B C ’ s E x e c u t i v e C o m p l a i n t s U n i t ( E C U ) recently upheld complaints a g a i n s t t h
w h i c h a i r e d i n D e c e m b e r 2023, after finding that it misrepresented key details a b o u t e v e n t s d u r i n g t h e conflict and failed to meet the broadcaster’s standards of impartiality and accuracy Speaking on the matter, Nandy said that while the B B C h a d a p o l o g i s e d a n d taken the findings seriously, it remained unclear why no disciplinary action had been taken She said it was crucial that “accountability follows failure,” particularly when public trust is at stake
T h e p
m m e f a c e d criticism for omitting key context and for failing to p r o p e r l y v e r i f y c e r t a i n claims Nandy emphasised t h e i m
parency and editorial independence at the BBC but said these must come with “ r e a l c
q
e n c
e n standards are breached ” She also urged the BBC board to reflect on its internal culture and restore confidence in its journalism
The incident has reignite d w i d
s during times of international crisis, especially in covering sensitive and contested global events
Zarah Sultana, th e MP for
C o v en try S o u th , h a s resi g ned f ro m the Labo ur P arty following h er susp ension and anno unced plans to co-found a new po litical
p a rty a lo ng si d e J ere m y C orbyn Corbyn, who was suspended from Labour in 2020 and barred from standing as a party candidate last year, has confirmed ongoing talks but is reportedly hesitant to assume a formal leadership role, favouring a collective structure instead Her move aligns with Corbyn’s longgestating vision of a new l
and anti-establishment politics
A l t h o u g h t h e r e i s a n agreement in principle to form a new party, sources suggest discussions on leadership and timing remain unresolved Sultana’s decla-
r a t i o n c a u g h t s o m e l e f twingers off guard and was
s e e n b y s o m e i n s i d e r s a s p r e m a
“ p r i n c i p l e d d
c i s i o n , ” adding that she would play a key role in creating “ a real alternative ”
“The democratic foundations of a new kind of
political party will soon take
s h a p e , ” h e w r o t e o n X , promising a movement that offers what the current system lacks: hope
Sultana has long been regarded by allies as one of the most prominent voices on Labour’s left Before her s u s p
by issues such as Gaza
Prior to the announcement, in a message posted o n X , S u l t
:
“Westminster is broken, but the real crisis runs deeper ”
S
party system offers “nothing but managed decline and b
framed as a transformative alternative
Home Secretary Yvette
A 1 5 -y ea r- o ld bo y wh o killed 80 -yearold Bhim Koh li in a L eices ters hi re park will h av e his sev eny ear s en ten ce rev iewed for being p o te nti a lly t o o lenient The C ourt of App eal will assess the case und er the unduly lenient sentence schem e
C
claims, noting that the former Labour MP had consistently held views very different from most in government In media interviews,
threat to Labour
Labour MPs reacted to Sultana’s departure with a mix of disappointment and relief , with those on the party’s left saddened by her exit, while others welcomed i
Independent Alliance, giving it a larger parliamentary presence than the Greens or Plaid Cymru
L abo u r ’ s flag sh i p wo rkers’
r i g h ts re fo rm s, in cl u d i ng
d ay- o n e p ro t ec ti o n f ro m
u nfair dismissal, the righ t to
r eq u es t rem o te w o rk i ng ,
a nd a b an o n ze ro - h o ur s c ontracts, wi ll not be fully im plem ented until 2027, fol-
l o w i ng s tr o ng o p p os i ti o n from business groups
The Employment Rights Bill, spearheaded by Deputy P r i m e M i n i s t e r A n g e l a
R a y n e r , w a s d u e t o p a s s before summer but has now been delayed until autumn due to parliamentary delays and continued negotiations
O n c e p a s s e d , s o m e e l e -
ments, such as repealing the Trade Union Act and protection against dismissal for striking workers, will take immediate effect However, the most controversial measures will be staggered over the next two years
U n i o n s w i l l g a i n n e w p o w e r s f r o m A p r i l 2 0 2 6 , allowing them to win formal recognition with as little as 2% workforce support
A new Fair Work Agency will also launch, with powers to enter homes and seize evidence during investigat i o n s i n t o w o r k p l a c e l a w breaches
T h e g
v
t h a s offered concessions to ease b u s i n e s s c o n c e r n s
Employers will be allowed to apply a statutory ninemonth probation period for new hires, during which dismissal claims will be subject t o a l o w e r c
a t i o n c a p B u s i n e s s S e c r e t a r y Jonathan Reynolds assured a “light-touch” enforcement
a p p r o a c h , b u t a c k n o w l -
e d g e d t h a t s o m e f i r m s remain uneasy
The Federation of Small B u s i n e s s e s w a r
reforms could damage hiring and economic growth
‘Nationwide blitz’ targets asylum seekers with jobs
T h e H o m e O ff i c e h a s a nn o u nc ed a “ nat io n wi de blitz” targeting asylum seekers working i llegally, followi ng contro versy o ver th ose i n asylum h otels taking fo od d el i ve ry j o b s I n a b ri e f statement, it said enforcement teams would lau nch a m aj o r o p er at i o n f o c u s in g o n the gig economy, parti cu larly delivery riders
The Home Office said
i t s o p e r a t i o n w o u l d u s e “ s t r a t e g i c , i n t e l - d r i v e n activity” to target migrants suspected of working ille-
g a l l y w h i l e i n t a x p a y e rfunded accommodation or receiving financial support
The crackdown follows reports that some asylum seekers, banned from working, have used others’ log-
ins to work for companies l i k e D e l i v e r o o a n d U b e r E a t s I t c o m e s d a y s
Chris Philp shared a viral video showing bikes with delivery bags outside an asylum hotel in London F o l l o w i n g a m e e t i n g with Home Office ministers, Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat agreed to step up facial ID checks for riders
T h e H o m e O f f i c e warned that asylum seekers found working could lose s u p p o r t , a n
£60,000, director bans, or
enforcement since Labour took office
A s y l u m a n d i m m i g r a -
tion remain politically sensitive amid rising Channel crossings, despite progress on clearing the claims backlog Keir Starmer plans to discuss a potential “ one in, o n e o u t ” d e a l w i
week, allowing returns of s
n exchange for formally resettling asylum seekers with UK ties
Home Secretary Yvette
C o o
underway to curb the “pull f a c
w o r k through global cooperation and arrests Shadow Home
Secretary Chris Philp criticised Labour’s inaction, citing his visit to an asylum hotel where delivery bikes were openly visible
A spokesperson for the Attorney General's Office said Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP was appalled by the "violent, cowardly attack" and extended sympathies to Bhim Kohli’s family
After reviewing the case, she referred the 15-year-old boy’s sentence to the Court of Appeal, which will decide whether to increase it A 13-year-old girl, who was 12 at the time, received a three-year youth rehabilitation order and will not face a sentence review, as the threshold was not met Both had denied involvement in the attack that led to Kohli’s death the next day In April, a jury convicted both teenagers of manslaughter, though the boy, then 14, was cleared of murder
Leicester Crown Court heard that Bhim K o h l i w a s r a c i a l l y a b u s e d a n d v
attacked by the boy, while the girl filmed and laughed during the assault
Mr Kohli was found injured in Franklin Park, near his home in Braunstone Town, and died the next day from a spinal cord injury He had been walking his dog, Rocky, following his usual routine when he was attacked
H i g h C o u r t j u d g e M r J u s t i c e T u r n e r
described the assault as a "cowardly and violent attack on an elderly man who did nothing to deserve it
Victims of gro oming gangs in Greater Manchester hav e lost tru st and confidence in the auth orities d ue to years of neglect and systemic failure, according to a d am ning repo rt by the Inspecto rate of C onstabulary
The review found that Greater Manchester Police had historically offered a “ poor level of service” to victims and survivors of child sexual exploitation, while Manchester City Council was accused of operating with excessive secrecy, hampering investigations The report was commissioned by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and examined the actions of the police, health services, and ten local councils
Currently, 1,099 suspects are under investigation for child sexual exploitation in the region Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson issued a formal apology, stating: “I am sorry that when you needed us, we were not there for you ”
The scandal first came to national attention in 2011 when journalist Andrew Norfolk revealed widespread abuse of white girls by predominantly Asian men A recent review by Baroness Casey concluded that many perpetrators evaded justice due to authorities’ fear of being perceived as racist
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has since announced a public inquiry into grooming gangs
The report also highlighted delays in investigations caused by the city council’s refusal to share key documents Ofsted found some files were so heavily redacted they were nearly unusable
Burnham pledged, “Never again will any child here be labelled or dismissed when they come forward to report concerns ”
Far-right extremists are now emerging as the most serious domestic terror threat in the UK, experts have warned likening their radicalisation to that of Islamic jihadists The warning comes ahead of the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 London bombings, which killed 52 people and injured more than 770 in coordinated attacks on the capital s transport network Ross Downing, head of an extremism research team advising security services said a new generation of far-right radicals is embracing ancient mythologies particularly Norse legends to justify violence and terrorism He described their growing belief in a warrior mindset” that encourages followers to kill or even die for a perceived racial cause They believe that dying in a so-called racial holy war will send them to Valhalla, Downing said He added that far-right extremists envy the fear that Islamic terrorists inspire, despite viewing Muslims as a threat to European civilisation
Household energy bills could rise by over £100 a year by 2031 to fund major upgrades to the UK s gas and electricity infrastructure, potentially undermining Ed Miliband’s pledge to cut energy costs
Energy regulator Ofgem has approved an initial £24 billion investment for the largest expansion of the grid since the 1960s The plan is aimed at modernising outdated systems and preparing the country for a low-carbon future Ofgem said the investment would increase annual network charges to £324 by the end of the decade an extra £104 on current bills However it argued that efficiencies and reduced energy generation costs would soften the overall impact with net bill increases estimated at just £24 per year or under 40p a week The announcement casts doubt on Labour s commitment to slash energy bills by up to £300 annually by 2030 through ending the UK's reliance on gas for electricity generation
Plans to ban alcohol advertising have been dropped from the government’s tenyear NHS strategy following strong opposition from the drinks industry and concerns within government over economic impact Ministers had considered a total ban or a 9 PM watershed, similar to rules being introduced for junk food However, these proposals were removed after pressure from Treasury and business departments who argued they could harm economic growth Health officials had also hoped to introduce minimum unit pricing for alcohol, but that measure was rejected early in the planning process Tougher health warnings highlighting links between alcohol and cancer are still under consideration, but are unlikely to become mandatory on all bottles Industry groups welcomed the decision Emma McClarkin CEO of the British Beer and Pub Association warned that advertising restrictions were “misguided” and risked bankrupting pubs She said the plans were anti-growth anti-business” and not included in Labour s 2024 manifesto citing record-low levels of underage drinking
Prop erty inv estors could have an exciting ,
g
One third of all sales were to first-time buyers in the first three months of this year, up 30% on 2024, and an all time high
What’s more, mortgage a
2
while approvals for remort-
g a g i n g a l s o i n c r e a s e d i n May, by 6,200 to 41,500
This marked the first rise
s i n c e l a s t y e a r a n d t h e largest hike since February
2 0 2 4 I t a p p e a r s b u y e r s have a renewed vigour for getting on the ladder, with m a n y w i l l i n g t o b o r r o w more just to have place of their own
This may only continue
t o o S a v i l l s r e s e a r c h r e v e a l e d e a s i n g s t r i n g e n t
m o r t g a g e s t r e s s t e s t i n g rules could cause first-time
b u y e r n u m b e r s t o r i s e M o r e r e l a x e d m o r t g a g e
rules could see the number
o f f i r s t - t i m e b u y e r s p u rchasing a home rise by 24%, or more than 80,000, over the next five years For property investors, h f
ting empty Pitching these properties to more affluent first-time buyers could pay dividends
Of course, all investors
advice to ensure their plans are right for them, howev-
,
investors want
Hetal P atel, the proprietor of Stop ‘ n ’ Shop on Sh ifford
C r es ce nt i n M
nh ea d , has been ap pointed the new na ti o na l p r es id ent o f t h e Fed, a prominent UK retail
across th e U K and Ireland Patel, who has a distinguished history of serving the organisation at various levels, including branch, district, and national secured
vote by delegates at the Fed’s annual conference held in
ment, Patel remarked, "As an independent retailer with more than 25 years ’ experience in the industry, and a
member of the federation for 21 years, it has been a long journey to reach this all-important milestone in both my life and my career " H
gratitude to all those who have supported him along his path
and
to the Fed's members throughout his tenure
A n ew di r ec t ai r li n k between India and th e UK too k off as IndiGo, a budget Indian ai rline, launched its first long- haul service co nn e ct i ng Mu mb ai w i th Manchester Flight 6E0031, operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, departed Mumbai at 4:18am and landed at Manchester Airport at 9:40am on 1 July, completing the nearly 10hour journey This marks I n d i G o ’ s e n t r y i n t o l o n gh a u l i n t e r n a t i o n a l t r a v e l , with the airline now offer-
new government to deliver their commitment to build a stable, more secure and prosperous future for all Syrians ” The move comes amid a b
o f p o l i c y t o w a r d s S y r i a f o l l o w i n g the ousting of President B a s h a r a l - A s s a d b y Islamist-led insurgents in December, ending over 13 years of civil war The UK has pledged £94 5 million i n h u m a n i t a r i a n a i d , aimed at both immediate relief and long-term recovery, as well as supporting n e i g h b o u r i n g c o u n t r i e s hosting Syrian refugees
Lammy’s visit follows a major shift in US policy, w i t h P r e s i d e n t D o n a l d
Trump recently ending a l o n g - r u n n i n g s a n c
programme against Syria, allowing it to rejoin the international financial syst e m B r i t
n
s o e a s e d s a n c t i o n s i n A p r i l , unfreezing assets linked to Syria’s central bank and 23 o
financial and energy institutions, while maintaining targeted measures against former regime figures A
Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and President Ahmed al-
ing three weekly nonstop
Thursdays, and Saturdays
3 2 , i s s c h e d u l e d t o depart Manchester later the s a m e d a y , a r r i v i n g i n M u m b a i a t 1 : 2 5 a m o n Wednesday P i e t e r E
domestic network He said
c e w i l l strengthen economic, educational, and cultural links between India and the UK Manchester Airport's mana g i n g d i r e c t o r , C h r i s Woodroofe, welcomed the s e r v i c e , n o t i n g i t m a k e s Manchester the only northern UK airport with a direct India connection R e t u r n f a r e s s t a r t a t £426 for economy and £870 for business class IndiGo is the first airline to offer nonstop service on this route
Sharaa, Lammy underlined the UK’s support for an “inclusive and representat
He stressed that a stable Syria would reduce irregular migration, curb terrorism, and ensure the dism
weapons stockpiles
Lammy will next visit Kuwait to discuss regional security, deepen bilateral ties, and announce a new
U K - G u l f p
The controversy over Bob Vylan’s chant at Glastonbury targeting the Israeli military has done more than spark political outrage It has reinforced a growing sense of mistrust among many British Asians, particularly those with roots in India, who feel the BBC applies its standards unevenly While the broadcaster was quick to condemn the chant and issue public apologies, many wonder why
aligned with it
There is a widely held view that India is routinely shown in a negative light by the BBC, while neighbouring Pakistan is often given a softer tone, particularly when serious issues such as terrorism or minority rights are at
institutional habit, the perception is real Time and again,
explained away, while every misstep by Indian authorities is highlighted with moral certainty
This imbalance also colours coverage of Israel and Palestine While it is essential to report on the suffering in Gaza, there is often little attention given to the fear and trauma faced by Israeli civilians or to the rise in antiSemitic incidents in the world Balanced reporting should reflect the complexity of these conflicts, whichever side aligns with popular protest When terms like intifada or death to the IDF are broadcast without context or caution, it raises doubts about the BBC’s judgment and priorities T
problematic Its flagship current affairs programme is called Verified Live, yet among sceptics it is being referred to as Verified Lie That name reflects a deeper concern: that the national broadcaster no longer reflects the views or interests of all parts of the UK, but selectively filters g l o b a
Glastonbury incident has revealed more than just a single lapse in oversight It has pulled back the curtain on a pattern that many in the Indian diaspora have recognised for years Fairness should not be a selective virtue
Dr Narsin hbhai Patel
World War III is no longer a far-fetched scenario but a genuine concern echoed by experts and citizens alike At the centre of this storm is the growing rivalry between the US, China and Russia
This development, along with volatile conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, create a powder keg where a single spark could ignite widespread hostilities There is also the swift erosion of strategic restraint The growing willingness of states, and the proxy actors operating on their behalf, to transgress established red lines and engage in conflict, is profoundly troubling
T h e g l o b a l c o m m u n i t y m u s t a c t w i t h u r g e n c y , revitalising diplomatic efforts and restoring systems of coordination before we drift toward a catastrophe
Jubel D 'Cr uz
Rishi and Divya Mehta begin their journey together
businessman Shri Yogesh Mehta and Smt Rita Mehta,
celebrated his engagement to Divya, daughter of Delhibased entrepreneur Shri Manoj Arora and Smt Alka Arora, in a splendid ring ceremony on 20th June 2025
The couple were united in a traditional wedding ceremony on 21st June at Sugandh Farm, surrounded by loved ones and festive cheer
Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar family warmly congratulate the newlyweds and wish them a life filled with love, happiness and lifelong companionship
World Population Day is observed annually on July 11th about global population issues This day highlights critical topics such as family planning, gender equality, poverty, maternal health, and human rights
Programme in 1989, World Population Day was inspired by public interest in Five Billion Day on July 11, 1987, when the global population reached five billion This day encouraged worldwide attention to population issues, aiming to promote sustainable development and well-being
The primary goals focus on addressing population-related challenges and their impact on sustainable development These include advocating for universal access to family planning services to enhance maternal and child health, and promoting equitable access to healthcare for all Emphasis is placed on the critical role of gender equality in driving longterm development, with support for initiatives that ensure equal opportunities for women and girls across all sectors Together, these efforts aim to create healthier communities and more inclusive, resilient societies
We as an ordinary world citizen can participate by: Reduce personal consumption, minimise waste, and make
Encourage open dialogue and raise awareness about the challenges and opportunities related to population Donate to or volunteer with organisations working on population and development issues Contact elected officials and advocates for policies that support sustainable development and reproductive health By taking these actions, individuals can contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future for all Suresh and Bhavna Patel
“Let’s talk about aviation safety, not just one airline” in AV dated 28 June – 4 July 2025 emphasises the importance of aviation safety as a whole This is not a blame game, but to find the root cause and look for improvements so these kinds of tragedies can be minimised, if not eliminated Tata Group has committed long-term support to the families affected, showing that they are not only taking care of customers but also all those affected directly or indirectly by this sad incident S i n c e t h e
important; no shortcuts should be accepted India, as a country, has talented manpower which can be easily trained Technical know-how is also available, which can reduce human errors
There are some issues, like birds and other nuisances around the airports, which need to be dealt with firmly to make sure that our skies are safe Manufacturers should also share vital safety information to make sure that precious lives are not lost due to trivial errors
Hit esh Hing u
The screening of "Sholay" at Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival, Italy is a celebration of cinematic history This uncut version, featuring deleted scenes and the intended ending, allows us to revisit the brilliance of this 1975 masterpiece Gabbar Singh s iconic dialogues remind us of the film s enduring impact
TS Karthik
Council
track to become the
t local authority i n the UK to permanently implement a four-d ay working week, fo llowing a two- year tri al that s howed cost s avings and stable servic e deli very
2023, allowed staff to work 8 0 % o f t h
c t e d hours for full pay on the condition they maintained full productivity Of around 730 employees, only four opted out A study by academics from Salford, Bradford, and C a m b
found that nine of 24 services improved, 12 stayed consistent, and only three declined during the trial period
T h e c o u n c i l s a y s t h e scheme could save £400,000 a n n u a l l y b y r e d u c i n g s t a f f turnover and cutting reliance
o n a g e n c y w o r k e r s Applications for council jobs
One year on from the general election and Labour h av ing wo n the m and ate to go vern w ith one of the bigg est landslide majorities ev er, w e ask the question, is there room for o ne more m ajor political party in th e U K?
The far-left are finally realising that their subservience to the Labour Party will not yield any more results By the far-left, I do mean the Marxist, the Islamists, some Unions, the wokes, Black Lives Matter, the Jihadists, Extension Rebellion, the pronoun nutters and others This group over the past two decadeshave infiltrated the Labour Party with a wish to control it from within We have witnessed the rise of local councillors who stem from this group From this vantage point, there are many more MPs now who come from that band on the far left of the Labour Party They even managed to get one of their own to lead the party in Jeremy Corbyn I remember the Labour Party conference in 2019, the far left literally took over and silenced the sane voicesleft in the party You may recall, t
regarding Kashmir in support of Pakistan It was the party
Islamists), Labour members were allowed to express lies and misinformation about India and Kashmir Not ONE Labour MP (including those on their front bench today) intervened to stop this utter travesty
Anyway, back to business with another party in British politics It seems that whilst Keir Starmer and Labour won an election only a year ago, those on the far-left are finding that they are being side lined In my view there are at least
However, many of them are spineless and whilst they hate everything about Keir, they will follow the Labour whip and do as they are told However, heads are now emerging from the parapet, and voices of impatience getting louder Last week we witnessed the biggest drubbing any prime minister has had for decades when Labour MPs promised to defeat the government’s own welfare bill Starmer was brought to his knees and had to literally throw the very core of the bill into the bin
Zara Sultana who was a Labour MP last week finally made her mind up and told Keir where he can go with his whip She resigned from the Labour Party and in the same breath declared that she with her comrade Jeremy Corbyn, were going to establish a new political party that would be on the ‘true left’and on the far left of today’s Labour This raises some very interesting questions The first one, is there room for another political party? The answer is of course yes It’s not the number of parties that matter, it’s whether they can command the confidence of the electorate Assuming they do form another political party, what happens next?
We know there are some independent MP’s who might be encouraged to come together under one roof And then you have quite a few in Labourwho have hitherto not had the courage to make a change, but seeing such a party emerge, I should not be too surprised if as many as 50 Labour MPs cross the floor to join Zara and Corbyn
I suspect Corbyn will orchestrate this drama to grab the headlines and gain momentum Once the floodgate o p e n
members They will also lose some of the Unions (UNITE I understand is already supporting Zara and Corbyn)
rose 120%, and staff turnover dropped by 40% A vote on making the change permanent is expected to pass on July 17
Bridget Smith, the council’s Liberal Democrat leader, s a i d t h
i m p
v e d w e l l b e i n g a n d more stable services “At a time when national satisfaction with councils is falling, w e ’ r e b u c k i n g t h a t t r e n d , ” she said However, the move h a s f
n t called for the scheme to be scrapped, and local opposition councillors have raised concerns about transparency
P u b l i c p e r c e p t i o n a l s o remained largely unchanged, with only 45% of residents
s u p p o r t i n g t h e f o u r - d a y w e e k R a
council tax services
We could soon be with five mainstream parties Labour will still have the most MPs, however, we’ll have a far-left group that could have as many as 75 MPs And that brings an interesting dynamic in how business might be done in parliament Labour has a working majority of 165 This could be reduced to less than a 100 if many of the far-left M P s j o
bandwagon gathers pace, I wonder if that might entice even more Labour MPs to join the new party? Can you imagine if this rag tag collection of MPs from the left numbered more than 121? You may wonder why 121? The answer, the Tories currently have 120 MPs, and given it’s the 2nd largest parliamentary party theybecome the King’s official opposition Can you imagine if the party lead by Zara and Corbyn had enough MPs to form the King’s official opposition! It would be carnage in parliament This is virgin territory We’ll be faced with the left, and the far left taking chunks out of each other on the floor of the House of Commons, whilst the Tories sit on the side and watch
Add to this mix that a far-left party is likely to secure around 10% of the vote share come the next general election Most of this will come from Labour, but I suspect it will attract disgruntled electorate from other parties as well Remember how Reform started small, but today they are taking support away from the Tories, as well as Labour and other parties
Of course, much of the above is mere speculationnow, and it all depends on many eventstaking place in a timely fashion I for one can’t wait to see how this plays out now
A g r ou p of s e a ms t r e ss e s from Newport , Wa les, have han dcra fte d 264 white sashe s, one for ever y femal e MP,
t o ma r k 97 y e a r s si n ce women were gr anted e qual v ot in g r ights in t he UK
to each other ”
Seamstress Lucy Harris, who led the project, said: “I'm proud to do this for them They work for us, and w e n o w h a v e a v o i c e ” V o l u n t e e r s a g e d 1 5 t
Two years after their eig htyea r- o ld d au g h t ers , N u ri a Sajjad and Selena L au, were tragically killed when a car cr as h ed i nto T h e S t u d y P rep a rat o ry S c h o o l i
occu rred on July 6 2023 ,
in
S
sashes as a tribute to the struggles of the suffragette movement and the historic Equal Franchise Act of 1928,
w h i c h g r a n t e d
l l w o m e n over 21 the right to vote on the same terms as men The sashes were distributed at W e s t m i n s t e
H a l l o n Wednesday
party
A
m
deaths of the girls
48, was arrested at the scene in 2023
W
Prosecution Service initially opted not t
n June last year, attributing the crash to an unforeseen
tionally declared, pledging to continue their fight
brance event on Wimbledon Common, Smera Chohan mother of Nuria spoke of the family’s ongoing struggle for justice “We have had to fight very hard,” she said, “but we remain committed t
about what happened
prior medical history, the Metropolitan Police subse-
Freemantle was rearrested
the review-identified lines of inquiry progressed The g
Chohan, Sajjad Butt, Franky Lau, and Jessie Deng, welcomed the reopened investig
pursuit of truth and the full facts
waiting, we want a version of events that adds up " The school's former headteacher highlighted the ongoing lack
The initiative was organised by Centenary Action, a campaign pushing for gender equality in Parliament, w h e
e w o m e n c u r r e n t l y
m a k e u p a r o u n d 4 0 % o f MPs The organisation was f o u n d e d b y D r H e l e n Pankhurst, granddaughter of suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst and great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst
E a c h s a s h i s m a d e o f white twill and features a purple ribbon on one side and green on the other c o l o u r s s y n o n y m o u s w i t h the suffragette movement
Every sash is also numbered
t o r e f l e c t t h e r e c i p i e n t ' s place in the all-time list of f e m a l e M P s “ O n l y 6 9 4
w o m e n h a v e e v e r b e e n elected,” said Dr Pankhurst
“ T h e s e s a s h e s c o n n e c t women to that legacy, and
c o n t r i b u t e d , s e w i n g t h e sashes at Re:Make, a comm u n i t y r e u s e s p a c e i n
Newport
Harris first collaborated with Dr Pankhurst in 2018, c
Day She was asked again last December to revive the effort Labour MP Jessica Morden, who helped deliver the sashes to Westminster, called the moment “ powerful” and praised the “brill
s involved “This is a fitting tribute to those who fought for women's right to vote,”
s h e s a i d “ B u t i t a l s o r e m i n d s u s t h a t t h e r e ’ s more to do 264 is not 50% True equality is still ahead ”
Six months on, the stree ts of B ir mingham rem ain in the grip of a deepening r ubbis h
a p oc a l y p s e , wi th r e s i de n t s e nduring the grim reality of overf lowing bins and mount -
i n g pi l e s o f re f us e W ha t b e gan a s a dis pute a m ong was te coll ection workers has e s c al a te d int o a prol ong ed s trike, transf orm ing parts of B ritain's sec ond-l arges t city into an unsightly and uns anitary la nds cape
The protracted industrial action has led to an unpreced e n t e d a c c u m u l a t i o n o f household waste Mounds of black bags, discarded food, and general refuse now line pavements, spill from communal bins, and attract vermin, posing significant pub-
l i c h e a l t h c o n c e r n s T h e
o n c e - b u s t l i n g u r b a n e n v ironment is marred by the pervasive stench and visual
b l i g h t o f u n c o l l e c t e d
g a r b a g e , c r e a t i n g a d a i l y o r d e a l f o r i t s i n h a b i t a n t s
Despite numerous attempts at negotiation, a resolution
between the city council and s t r i k i n g w o r k e r s r e m a i n s elusive, leaving citizens frus-
t r a t e d a n d e x a s p e r a t e d Families are forced to navigate streets choked with rubb i s h , a n d l o c a l b u s i n e s s e s face the challenge of maint a i n i n g h y g i e n e s t a n d a r d s amidst the escalating crisis T h e i n i t i a l i n c o n v e n i e n c e has long since morphed into a severe disruption to daily l i f e , i m p a c t i n g e v e r y t h i n g f r o m l o c a l c o m m e r c e t o community morale
T h e o n g o i n g ‘ r u b b i s h apocalypse’ serves as a stark r e m i n d e r o f t h e v i t a l r o l e played by essential public services and the profound consequences when they falter Concerns are mounting over the potential for increased health risks and further deterioration of living conditions Birmingham's residents continue to hope for an end to t h i s p r o t r a c t e d d i s p u t e , yearning for the return of clean streets and a sense of civic normalcy
The memorial, held just
short
o n s u s p i c i o n o f c a u s i n g death by dangerous driving following a review of the case Det Supt Lewis Basford urged against speculation as
At the memorial, attended by hundreds from the community and emergency services, the parents voiced
bereaved families
T h e e m o t i o n a l v i d e o r e u n i t e d
NHS staff with patients and their families, highlighting the impact of dedicated care workers With deep
p
mother, sister, and wife have all
w
s a i d , “ B e n , y o u m a d e s u r e m y brother felt cared for and respected That meant everything to us ”
As part of the Plan for Change,
t h e g o v e r n m e n t i s i n v e s t i n g a n additional £29 billion annually to modernise the NHS Over the past year alone, it has delivered over 4 million extra appointments and recruited 1,900 more GPs, with a focus on reducing waiting lists and building a future-ready health service
Despite generations of South Asian doctors and nurses shaping the NHS, health inequalities in South Asian communities remain stark From limited access to cult u r a l l y s e n s i t i v e c a r e t o h i g h e r rates of diabetes, heart disease, and maternal health issues, the gaps
p e r s i s t L a n g u a g e b a r r i e r s , s y stemic bias, and mistrust further hinder engagement
As Labour rolls out its 10-year NHS plan promising neighbourhood-level reform, the question remains: will it finally deliver for
S o u t h A s i a n c o m m u n i t i e s o r leave them behind once again? Will it truly rev ive the NHS at all?
T h e g o v e r n m e n t ’ s 1 0 - y e a r health plan comes at a time when the NHS is under immense pres-
s u r e F o r o v e r a d e c a d e , i t h a s struggled to provide timely access to GPs, A&E, surgery, ambulances, and mental health services
At the same time, public trust i n t h e s y s t e m h a s d e t e r i o r a t e d sharply Polling by Ipsos ahead of the NHS’s 77th anniversary found that just one in five people are satisfied with the NHS, and around 6 0 % f e e l t h e r e ’ s b e e n l i t t l e improvement since Labour took office Rebuilding trust will require
m o r e t h a n p r o m i s e s , i t w i l l demand delivery
At the heart of the plan is a shift from hospital-based care to community-focused services The government aims to establish 250–300 neighbourhood health centres across England, offering integrated care 12 hours a day, six days a week Services will range from diagnostics and rehabilitation to smoking cessation, employment advice, and mental health support It’s a holistic vision but one thing in mind if it is delivered when the system is already grappling with staff shortages, morale issues, and industrial action
The government also hopes to move the NHS from analogue to digital, with the NHS app being central to this transformation AId r i v e n t o o l s w i l l h e l p p a t i e n t s describe symptoms, receive guidance, and manage appointments independently However, there are serious concerns about data security Previous breaches have shaken public confidence, so how will the government ensure these systems are truly secure before encouraging widespread adoption? Digital access also raises questions about inclusivity Many older patients, non-English speakers, and digitally excluded groups may find navigating these tools difficult
Workforce issues pose a significant challenge to the success of the 10-year NHS plan With NHS
England reducing staffing as part of its merger with the Department of Health and Social Care, and the g
reliance on overseas recruitment,
unlikely to ease in the short term
While Labour has pledged to create 2,000 new nursing apprenticeships and expand medical school places, these are long-term strategies In the meantime, the current workforce, already stretched thin, will be expected to carry the weight of an expanding service, raising seri-
, morale, and retention
Funding remains a major stick-
pledged an additional £29 billion annually to modernise the NHS and support its long-term plan While this figure sounds substan-
address the scale of the crisis from fixing outdated infrastructure to expanding community services, training new staff, and safeg u a r d i n g d
e d s more than one-time injections; it requires sustained, well-targeted investment Without that, can the government realistically deliver on its ambitious promises or is it simp l y s t r e t c h i n g a l r e a d y s t r a i n e d resources further?
For South Asian communities, who have long contributed to and relied on the NHS, the plan raises a d d i t i o n a l c o n c e r n s H e a l t h inequalities remain pronounced, with higher rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers There is also evidence of mistrust and poor access, often compounded by language barriers and cultural stigma Community groups and temples could play a major role in bridging this gap
One promising element of the plan is the emphasis on early years and prevention through initiatives like family hubs These could be vital for South Asian children, who often face elevated health risks
B u t u n l e s s t h e s e h u b s a r e c odesigned with communities and r e f l
i r potential may go untapped
In the end, the government’s vision for a modern, decentralised, AI-enabled NHS is bold, but the path to achieving it is full of struct u
W i t h o u t a d e q u a t
n g , a strong workforce strategy, and a clear plan for digital inclusion and trust, will the vision become reality or remain just another political promise?
Call for inclu sive, cu lturally sensitive health care under new plan
healthcare delivery leads to misc
T r u s t, h i g h
g strain on NHS services “Waiting lists are longer than ever, staff morale is low, and sickness levels are rising,” she said “We’ve lost staff and are still heavily reliant on overseas workers, despite plans to shift towards a UK-based workforce That transition won’t happen overnight it will take time
nurses are stretched thin, covering more shifts and facing mounting p
e where overwork leads to burnout and even more staff shortages ”
among South Asian patients
Lakhanpaul,
aediatrician at Whittington NHS
Addressing the barriers South Asian patients still face, Professor Lakhanpaul said, “There remains a significant mistrust of the NHS among South Asian communities, with many feeling discriminated against and struggling to access care To change this, we need a workforce that truly reflects the c
vices with those communities understanding their cultural and r
care accordingly This builds trust and encourages engagement ” She also highlighted language as a persistent barrier “There’s still heavy reliance on family members, including children, for interpretation, which can compromise conf
welcomed Labour’s 10-year NHS plan but expressed disappointment at its limitations “There are positive aspects, espe-
and treatment,” he said “However, the plan falls short of expectations, particularly given previous com-
inequalities It says comparatively little about the needs of Asian and minority communities ”
Jabeer highlighted the impact of misinformation and unequal access to healthcare in minority
“People with learning disabilities already face shorter life expectancies,” he said, “but our research shows that individuals from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are dying even younger than their white counterparts ”
He pointed out a stark con-
death for white people with learning disabilities is around 62, for Asian individuals it s just 34
services exist, many are online, and evidence shows that patients prefer face-to-face support We need to expand and improve these services to better meet the needs of diverse communities ”
Continued on page 11
The NHS is undergo ing a major digital transform ation, with the aim o f m odernising outd ated systems, improving efficiency, and d elivering better patient care F rom electronic health record s to AI-d riv en diagnostics, dig italisatio n pro mises faster and m ore streamlined services However, this shift h as also exp osed serious vulnerabilities most notably a rise in data breaches that p ut sensitiv e p atient information at risk These develop ments raise pressing questio ns about th e NHS 's read iness to safeguard data in an increasing ly digital world
Speaking to Asian Voice, Abhishek Ghosh, CEO of Praeferre, cautioned against rushing into automation without safeguards “Moving everything to AI sounds exciting, but it’s risky if not done carefully The risks are significant in terms of data privacy, loss of clinical judgement, and accountability If AI systems malfunction or generate biased outputs, especially in high-stakes areas like diagnostics or triage, the consequences could be severe, ” he said “One wrong decision by an algorithm could affect thousands Automation can certainly help with the NHS’s current bottlenecks, but we cannot afford to lose human judgement in patient care ” Ghosh also highlighted the broader challenges of modernising NHS infrastructure, comparing it to “renovating a house while people are still living in it ” He
pointed to outdated legacy systems, fragmented digital infrastructure, and slow government procurement cycles as major hurdles “AI models need clean, standardised data, but NHS records are often incomplete, handwritten, or stored in incompatible formats,” he explained “On top of that, we ’ re facing a national shortage of skilled AI and cybersecurity professionals, which only compounds the problem ” With cyberattacks on the rise, Ghosh warned that the NHS has become an easy target “It’s a goldmine for hackers massive volumes of sensitive data, overworked IT teams, and outdated systems,” he said “All it takes is one hospital running Windows XP to expose the whole system to ransomware The attack surface spans hundreds of hospitals, GP practices, and third-party vendors, making the risk even more complex and urgent ”
A key concern for Ghosh is ensuring that patients have
control over their own data a crucial factor in building public trust “Trust is everything,” he stressed “If people feel disempowered or surveilled, AI adoption in healthcare will stall Patients need transparency about how their data is being used Regulations like GDPR and the AI Act now require that, and tools like Praeferre’s data control app give patients a way to manage consent dynamically across services ”
To make AI work safely and effectively within the NHS, Ghosh believes investment must focus on two core areas: infrastructure and governance “We need clean, interoperable data systems, along with tools that support explainability, fairness, and audit trails throughout the AI lifecycle,” he said “Just as important is a robust governance framework clear accountability, ethical oversight, federated consent, and mechanisms to address patient grievances Only then can we ensure that AI enhances care without compromising safety or trust ”
As the NHS moves towards digital services, there is growing concern about how this shift may impact older patients A sp okesperson from Bhaktivedanta Manor said, “Older members of the South Asian community may face language barriers, and many are less comfortable with modern technology such as online booking systems or QR codes This can make it harder for them to engage with the mainstream healthcare system ”
Continued from page 10
“That’s a significant gap, ” he added, noting that many of these deaths are from preventable causes like pneumonia
Jabeer stressed the importance of early intervention “If proper systems were in place, like regular annual health checks from age 14, many of these outcomes could be avoided But there’s evidence that these services are not reaching
A s i a n c o m m u n i t i e s i n t h e w a y they should ” He called for better healthcare access and monitoring t o t a c k
deeply rooted inequalities
Commenting on how commun i t y
a n i s a t i o n s a n d t e m p l e s can support NHS outreach and education, a spokesperson from B haktivedanta Manor said, “This is an important area for collaboration and growth Temple community halls offer an ideal space to promote healthy living NHS staff could be invited to deliver talks and presentations at appropriate times, with messaging tailored to the cultural and religious setting Linking health advice to concepts from Ayurveda, relevant scriptural
r e f e r e n c e s , a n d q u o
s f r o m respected Swamis or sadhus could make these sessions more engaging and meaningful for the community ”
d tougher public health rules to tackle obesity and smoking For nursing and midwifery, it places greater r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o n c o m m u
based care, advanced practice, and digital readiness, yet does so witho
shortages, retention, or training pathways And while visionary, the plan still lacks clarity on social care, funding, and infrastructure Without sustained investment and s
ambition risks staying on paper rather than transforming lives ”
Dr Mum taz Patel, President of
the Royal College of Physicians, welcomed the UK government’s vision for the NHS over the next decade, highlighting key commit-
"To meet the government’s ambitions in the 10-year plan, the pharmacy sector urgently needs fair and sustainable longterm funding to close the existing gap."
Experts w elcome NHS plan but w arn of gaps in deliv ery
The 10-year NHS plan has been broadly welcomed for its ambition to transform healthcare delivery, but serious concerns remain Key challenges around infrastructure,
s u s t a i n a b l e f u n d i n g , w o r k f o r c e capacity, and the lack of specific focus on the needs of South Asian communities risk undermining its success Without concrete strategies to address these issues, the vision for a more inclusive, effic i e n t , a n d c o m m u n i t y - c e n t r
NHS may fall short of its promise
Founding director of British
S i k h N u r s e s , Ro h i t S ag o o s a i d ,
“The NHS’s new 10-year plan signals a bold shift from hospitals to communities, analogue to digital,
m
paigns, including outpatient care reform, a shift to neighbourhood care, and increased training opportunities
W h i l e D
plan’s recognition of NHS staff challenges, career progression, and diversity, she expressed concern over the projected staff numbers for 2035, noting that AI and technology alone won’t solve capacity issues She called for a clear implementation strategy with detailed
becomes a reality
Dr Patel also emphasised the
addressing health inequalities She
patient-focused digital tools She urged the government to maintain
medical school and postgraduate training places, particularly in light of potential reductions in international recruitment F i n a l
and supported medical workforce t
Engagement and Belo ng ing at the R o yal P h arm ac eu ti c al S
e Government’s ambition to trans-
form the NHS and deliver more
Technicians are vital to improving patient access and outcomes across community, general practice, and h
Highlighting the RPS Vision for Pharmacy, she stressed the impor-
teams to ensure safe, equitable, and accessible care “With the right support, pharmacy teams can play a transformative role in prevention and population health under the 10-year plan ” O
“Community pharmacies remain
wellbeing and morale To meet the government’s ambitions in the 10y e a
o r u r g e n t l y needs fair and sustainable longterm funding to close the existing gap ” Professor Habib Naqvi M BE, C hief Executive of the NHS Race a nd He al th O bs er v at o ry, w e lcomed the Government’s Plan for Change, calling it a step toward making the NHS more accessible and fair “Patients will soon be able to book, cancel, and move appointments via the NHS App, and selfrefer to services like mental health support, physiotherapy, and audiology reducing GP workload and cutting waiting times,” he said
O n t h e f u n d i n g m o d e l , Professor Lakhanpaul said Labour will need to rethink its approach “I d o n ’ t s e e h o w t h e p r o p o s e d changes can be delivered under the current funding model,” she said “You can’t expect more from a syst e m w i t h o u t i n c r e a s i n g i n v e
ment If no additional funding is being promised, then there must be a clear and sustainable plan for how the money will be used differently ” She warned that without proper resourcing, Labour risks damaging public trust “They’ve made big promises for a healthier future, but
erode That’s a long-term problem ”
stressed the risk of further staff
“Labour wants more communitybased staff and greater support in underserved areas, but that’s not easy to achieve, especially without f
e issues aren’t addressed, we’ll continue to see staff leaving or being s
implement the changes needed ”
improve care delivery, while anticipating the forthcoming reports on workforce planning and training reforms A m a nd e ep Do l l, H ead o f
As Sir Keir Starm er marks his first anniv ersary in Do wning Street following Labour’ s histo ric landslid e v ictory last July, a growing number of voices, both w ithin and ou tside th e party, are questioning wheth er the gov ernm ent is deliv ering on its pro mise of
focus on devolution, warning that government departments have “forgotten” the promise of a “devolution revolution” South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard echoed her call for greater investment in local policing and culture “This government listens, and I hope it learns,” he
change
After securing 411 seats and a majority of 156, Starmer’s first year has been marred by internal dissent, high-profile U-turns, and faltering poll numbers Labour currently trails at 23% behind Nigel Farage’s rising Reform UK, which leads with 28% Among the defining moments of the past year are three trade deals, five policy reversals, a commitment to defence spending at 2 5% of GDP, eight ministerial resignations, 49 Labour MPs rebelling on welfare reforms, and record small boat crossings
The glimpse of this turbulence was seen when Chancellor Rachel Reeves was seen in tears in the Commons amid backlash over the government’s welfare bill Later, at the launch of Labour’s 10-year NHS plan, Starmer faced a pointed question from a TV journalist: “You’ve U-turned on reforms, your MPs don’t trust you, and markets are losing confidence Isn’t this the very chaos you vowed to end?”
To this, Starmer admitted recent challenges, “I’m not going to pretend the last few days have been easy They’ve been tough But I also know that we will come through it stronger ” The mood has shifted dramatically since the jubilant scenes of July 2024, when supporters lined Downing Street with flags, hopeful for a new political era after 14 years of Conservative rule
Senior Labour figures now openly concede the first year has not gone to plan Regional mayors are also claiming that Keir Starmer’s government feels “disjointed” from the wider Labour Party just one year Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram described No 10 ’ s repeated missteps as “ a mess of our own making” and criticised the lack of internal cohesion “People want to support Starmer, but it’s hard when mistakes keep happening, and they’re avoidable,” he said West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin called for a renewed
said, contrasting Labour’s performance with the Conservatives’ “absolute shambles”
According to an expert analysis by Dr Karl Pike, a Lecturer in Public Policy at Queen Mary University London, the first year of Keir Starmer’s Labour government has been marked by a cautious start, internal challenges, and key fiscal decisions It began on a muted note with a controversial winter fuel payment cut and a four-month wait for the first Budget
Progress was made on early pledges like Great British Energy, although issues in education, particularly teacher recruitment, and school funding persist The government also took initial steps to reset relations with the EU, but questions remain about the ambition of its post-Brexit strategy, especially as it intersects with migration policy Looking ahead, four key risks remain: the need for further tax increases, challenges of longterm delivery, economic drag from Brexit, and a growing threat from populist parties like Reform UK
Dr Pike points out that Starmer’s leadership may risk becoming a “Macron strategy”, relying on liberal voters to block populism rather than inspire with a progressive mandate while public expectations for visible improvements are rising, particularly in the NHS, schools, and housing
“We’re committed to building a diverse workforce and delivering culturally sensitive care”
Anusha Singh
Im agi ne a h e alth ser vic e that meets you wh ere you live, catch es warni ng signs before th ey beco me emergencies and th e op eratio n is smoo th
This is the vision at the heart of Labour’s new 10year health plan, a sweep-
designed to modernise the
investment, the plan also promises to bridge longstanding health gaps, starti
c minority voices a seat at the table, then embedding c
reach
Asian Voice spoke to
P r e v e n t i o n i n t h e Department of Health and
S o c i a l C a r e , a b o u t w h a t makes this plan different, and how it aims to deliver tangible change, especially f o r c o m m u n i t i e s w h o ’ v e been left behind
This isn’t the first time a government has unveiled an ambitious plan for the NHS What sets this one apart from previous reforms that promised similar shifts but ultimately fell short?
Okay, so this plan is a 10-year plan for health, it’s not just about the NHS It’s about community services,
p r i m a r y c a r e , s e c o n d a r y care, and prevention It’s really about changing the entire health ecosystem to improve patient care and deliver better, faster serv i c e s f o r c o m m u n i t i e s across England and backed by £29 billion of investment
We have three key pillars The first is from hospital to community, bringing care closer to home, creating a neighbourhood health service that speaks to local communities, and allowing people to access care in the way that works best for them
The second is analogue
t o d i g i t a l M a n a g i n g
h e a l t h c a r e s h o u l d b e a s easy as online banking So,
w e ’ l l b e e x p a n d i n g t h e NHS app and using technology across the health system to improve services This includes giving people better and more accessible d a t a , a n d h e l p i n g t h e m manage their own health more effectively
The third pillar is from s i c k n e s s t o p r e v e n t i o n We’ll work with partners to make the healthy choice the easy choice, supporting individuals to live healthier lives and aiming to prevent illness before it starts
Youmentioned the importance of community care Asian Voice speaks to the British Asian community regularly, and many feel they’ve been disproportionately affected How does the ministry plan to rebuild trust, ensure past mistakes aren’t repeated, and close racial health inequalities?
One of the first things that we did, and I think one o f t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t aspects of how this plan has been put together, is that w e a c t u a l l y m a d e s u r e those voices were involved from the very beginning In b u i l d
n g t h i s p l a n
w
' v e had the biggest conversation about health that the country has ever seen, with over a quarter of a million c o n t r i b u t i o n s , i n c l u
g from Asian voices These came from both individuals and organisations, whether specifically around health or representing the Asian community more broadly And what we're going to ensure is that wherever we see health inequalities, we will be actively tackling t h e m , w
of widening participation
Additionally, we're expandi n g t h
Scheme with a focus on diversity This is to address the issue you ve identified, ensuring better representation of people from minority ethnic groups in senior management roles
You mentioned digital transformation in the NHS How is that helpful and do you think this shift risks excluding older patients or those who aren’t tech-savvy from accessing the care they need?
R es id ent d o c to r s i n England, form erly known as junior doctors, hav e v oted to s tri k e o v er a 29 2 % p a y demand, th e British Medical A ssociation announced T he ac tio n co u ld exte nd u nti l Janu ary, m arking the first national NHS strike s ince their last walkout end ed in July 20 23
The BMA said 90% of r
days, with the previous government refusing their pay demands Labour ended the strikes with a 22% pay deal, but fresh action could now force hospitals to reschedule hundreds of thousands of
tions
Danny Mortimer, chief e x e c
N H S E
h e r strikes could lead to tens or even hundreds of thousands of cancelled appointments, leaving patients in pain and frustration While acknowle
training, he warned industrial action would heavily
patients
The BMA called the
4%
“woefully inadequate,” reiterating doctors’ demand for a 29% rise over several years t
Co-chairs Dr Melissa
access to an NHS dentist, said she was “sick of MPs p r o m i s i n g t h e e a r t h ” a n d failing to deliver
r eform the den
contr act, d e s p it e i t b e in g a ce n t r a l e lect ion promise
Speaking during a visit to Bedfordshire, he said he wouldn’t commit “unless I’m 100% certain I can achieve the promise ” Talks with the B r i t i s h D e n t a l A s s o c i a t i o n
The dental contract has been flagged by the Public A c c o u n t s C o m m i t t e e a s a key cause of the NHS dentistry access crisis
During a visit to a GP surgery in Leighton Buzzard, H e a l t h S e c r e t a r y W e s
e r t h a t ’ s through community-based h e a l t h c a
u
o r b y m a k i n g
e t h a t t h e w
k f o r c e better reflects the communities it serves We’re comm i t t e d t o c r e a t i n g a f a r m o r e d i v e r s e w o r k f o r c e and ensuring that healthcare delivery is culturally sensitive
In terms of managing conditions, we're working with a range of charities to provide personalised support The goal is to help p e o p l e f r o m a l l b a c kgrounds manage their conditions, live their lives fully, and access information and healthcare in a way that makes sense to them
Similarly, we often hear from British Asian NHS staff feeling undervalued and underrepresented in leadership roles, despite making up a significant part of the workforce. What concrete steps is the government taking to address this imbalance?
C o m m u n i t y c a r e a n d staff in primary care are k e
important to involve indi-
there
no room for prejud
ment in the NHS It will just not be tolerated We’re
s the NHS We're also creati n g 2 ,
n g apprenticeships and introducing new medical school places targeted at schools with a strong track record
W e a r e d e f i n i t e l y expanding access through online platforms, including v i a
means is that people who
prescriptions, or accessing test results online will be able to do so This, in turn, frees up the rest of the system for those who want or need face-to-face conversations with a clinician, such as for discussing their medication, for instance
It’s important to note that not all older people are e x
that those who prefer to
"Community care and staff in primary care are key, so it's been really important to involve individual voices when it comes to the workforce."
use online services can do so if it works for them, but anyone who wants to see their GP, clinician, or pharm a c i
l absolutely still be able to It’s an option that frees up in-person consultations for t h
t from them, while helping people like me, who might f
avoid adding pressure to the system unnecessarily
b e g a n a y e a r a g o , b u t progress remains unclear P a m W i d d i s o n f r o m N o r f o l k , w h o e n d u r e d m o n t h s o f p a i n w i t h o u t
Streeting said he was “hesitant to make promises about dates and deadlines” without certainty, noting that “trust i n p o l i t i c i a n s i s i n e v e n shorter supply than dentists or money ” While the government’s 10-year health plan targets a reformed dental contract by 2035, Streeting said immediate priorities include urgent d e n t a l a p p o i n t m e n t s a n d school tooth-brushing programmes He admitted the situation was “challenging” and is reviewing budgets to cut waste
To reduce bureaucracy, the government will abolish N H S E n g l a n d a n d h a s o r d e r e d i n t e g r a t e d c a r e boards to halve their running costs by year-end
Swathi Anil
T he b eloved local li brary , on ce a corners tone of communi ties across the Uni ted Ki ngd om, is
i ncreas ing ly b ecomin g a
re lic of the past A d istre ss ing trend of closure s an d s ign ifi can t cuts to serv ice s ha s s wept
a cros s the nati on, dri ven
b y a con fluen ce of factors i ncludin g bud get aus terity , e volvin g read ing habi ts, a nd the ubi qui tous ris e of d igita l altern ativ es
Since 2016 alone, nearly 200 council-run libraries have either
shuttered their doors permanently or transitioned to volunteer management, fundamentally altering the landscape of public access to literature and vital community resources
This decimation, as described by former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen, is particularly acute in the most deprived areas, which are four times more likely to have lost a local facility than their more affluent counterparts Beyond outright closures, almost 950 surviving libraries have seen their opening hours reduced, further diminishing their accessibility and impact
Behi nd the s ta ck s: The re ason s f or declin e
The narrative of library decline is complex, interwoven with financial pressures and a shift in societal engagement with reading Local councils, grappling with severe budget cuts, often view libraries as an accessible target for savings, despite their statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service Spending on libraries has plummeted by almost half in real terms since 2009-10 This financial squeeze impacts not only staffing, with over 2,000 jobs lost since 2016, but also the quality and variety of book stock, and the ability to offer diverse community programmes
Parallel to these fiscal challenges is the changing nature of readership While book sales remain surprisingly robust, the traditional act of reading for pleasure, particularly among adults and younger
generations, has seen a decline The increasing trend of e-books and digital content, while offering convenience, presents a challenge for libraries struggling with prohibitive licensing costs and restricted availability from publishers As Aasha Chauhan, founder of 'A Box of Stories', notes, "As more libraries close due to funding cuts and shifting usage patterns, the need for alternative spaces of discovery, imagination, and connection becomes urgent "
Chauhan highlights a paradoxical situation:
"While adult reading for pleasure has declined, particularly among men, younger adults, and working-class communities, children’s reading enjoyment and frequency are also at historic lows Yet, book sales remain surprisingly strong, and print continues to dominate across age groups
Her initiative, 'A Box of Stories', aims to make reading not go towards extinction, operating as strong supporters of traditional libraries rather than replacements "At A Box of Stories, our mission is to democratise access to great stories, especially books that may never reach readers due to market oversupply or limited visibility," she explains Chauhan's work focuses on actively building and nurturing online communities where readers can connect, share, and discuss books, essentially creating "a modern, decentralised version of the communal experience libraries once offered " She stresses the powerful role of storytelling in keeping people connected in a time when public, shared spaces are disappearing Wa y to look forwar d: Pre servi ng cultural capi tal
The implications of vanishing libraries extend far beyond simply losing access to books They represent a significant loss of cultural capital and vital community hubs
Bijal Shah, a bibliotherapist and founder of Book Therapy, highlights the broader challenge stating "Authors
and Publications are competing with screens Decrease in reading is a cross-generational issue; when parents are not following the reading trend, you can't expect children to read " Shah advocates for ‘book therapy’ as a solution, promoting the unconscious healing and therapeutic value of reading to bring back
awareness, as detailed in her book 'Bibliotherapy: The Healing Power of Reading' Through her initiative, she attempts to bring awareness to people that books have a therapeutic value Libraries historically serve as egalitarian spaces, providing universal access to knowledge and fostering a sense of belonging Author Vaseem Khan vividly recalls his formative years: "I knew I wanted to be an author when I was young But we had little money in our house It was in my local library in east London where I found books that I wanted to read, books that encouraged me to write my first novel, aged 17 " He powerfully states that losing libraries takes away many such points of engagement " Khan emphasises their role as gathering places, reducing urban anonymity through diverse events from yoga to children s activities “To lose libraries would cost us cultural capital at a time when we can least afford to lose it," he warns
The battle to save these institutions requires active participation from communities As Khan suggests, preserving libraries demands that we visit them, borrow books, attend events, and fight for them While digital advancements and innovative literary initiatives offer supplementary avenues for reading and connection, they cannot fully replicate the multifaceted role of a physical library, a place of quiet contemplation, communal gathering, and democratic access to a world of stories, truly a vital pillar of British society
Over 1,0 00 people gathered at O
Saturday 28th Ju ne 2025 to c el ebr ate
com munity
To mark the occasion, the Oshwal Association of the UK hosted ‘The Festival of Unity’, a vibrant outdoor
faith, community, and harmony The celebration was enriched by the presence of
tives
The day was the culmination of over six months of
prepared to reflect the purity of the occasion A commemorative souvenir booklet, filled with memories and messages, was released to mark the milestone
Months of rehearsals led t
Oshwal members, support-
moment was the grand Aarti and Mangal Divo ceremony, bringing everyone together in collective devotion
True to Oshwal spirit, the event was complement-
served to over 1,200 guests, lovingly prepared and generously shared
None of it would have been possible without the u n
volunteers the true heroes
logistics to hospitality, their warmth and selfless service embodied the unity being celebrated
A curated heritage exhibition featured rare archival photos, tracing the Derasar’s journey from Bhoomi Pujan to Pratishtha Mahotsav, and honoured the many dignit
e s a n d A c h a
y a s w h o have graced the temple over the past 20 years
The success of the celebration was driven by a dedicated Core Team comprising OAUK Trustees and key members from various subcommittees, each contributing their expertise in event planning, technology, facilities, and spiritual coordina-
,
played vital roles Their combined efforts, professionalism, and passion brought this oncein-a-generation celebration to life T h e F e
o f U n
was a heartfelt celebration of shared values, community spirit, and faith As the community looks ahead, it honours its proud past and the vision of its pioneers
The Oshwal Centre and its Shikharbandh Derasar stand as lasting tributes to their legacy and the generosity of its donors
Anusha Singh
A s the UK sweltered und er i t s l ate s t h ea tw a v e, w it h tem peratures soaring across the country and red alerts issued for vu lnerable g rou ps, the urg ency of the climate crisis becam e imp ossible to ig no re
T h i s w a s n o
u n e 2 0 2 5 w
h e world’s hottest month on record, the thirteenth such monthly record in a row Extreme heat has become more frequent, intense, and prolonged, threatening lives, d
g summer is not just a symptom of global heating but a warning signal that the window for meaningful climate action is narrowing
Y e t a m i d t h e g r o w i n g threats, there is still cause for cautious optimism The UK has already cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 54% since 1990, placing it ahead
o f m a n y o t h e r a d v a n c e d
e c o n o m i e s A c c o r d i n g t o Nicholas Davies, head of clim ate p o l i cy a t Gr een
A lliance, "This demonstrates
that, with the right policies
a n d s u p p o r t i v e m a r k e t forces, the 2050 Net Zero target is achievable "
Prog ress m ad e: Energy and transport transformations
According to Davies, one
o f t h e c l e a r e s t a r e a s o f progress has been the electricity sector In 2010, coal and gas accounted for 80% of the UK’s electricity By 2024, coal had been phased out entirely the last coal-
f i r e d p o w e r s t a t i o n i n Ratcliffe-on-Soar was shut
d o w n i n O c t o b e r T o d a y , more than half of Britain’s electricity comes from clean, renewable sources like solar and wind
T h a t s h i f t i s a l r e a d y delivering tangible results: t h e U
2023 alone T
most polluting sector of the economy, road transport has s
recent years One in four cars sold in the UK is now electric This surge is largely driven by the government’s 2030 target to end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles "Encouragingly, manu-
said "The compound effect of more drivers switching to E
r l y adopters of electric vehicles have been wealthier househ o l d s w
"
Davies noted "They save up to £700 a year charging at home instead of paying for fuel But for those without driveways, public on-street charging is more expensive due to a 20% VAT rate, compared to just 5% at home
Equalising this would make a big difference " Davies also emphasised the importance of investing in public transport "People shouldn’t have to own a car at all," he said "In London, 60% of people don’t, thanks to reliable, 24/7 public trans-
p o r t T h a t s a m e f r e e d o m needs to be available in cities across the UK " R e c e n t l y , t h e g o v e r nment allocated £15 billion to nine city regions to improve local transport "It’s a step in the right direction," Davies
a d d e d " E f f i c i e n t p u b l i c transport lets lower-income f a m i l i e s l i v e l o w - c a r b o n lives without the financial burden of car ownership " Where th e gaps remain:
Heating and homes
Heating remains a major challenge Homes account for around a fifth of the UK’s emissions, mainly from ineff i c i e n t g a s b o i l e r s H e
e times more energy efficient, offer a cleaner solution But the uptake has been slow " A t t h e m o m e n t , i t ’ s
wealthier households who are taking up the government’s generous £7,500 heat pump grant, said Davies " W e n e e d a m e a n s - t e s t e d approach so lower-income f a m i l i e s c a n a c c e s s c l e a
heat too "
Renters face further barriers Installing heat pumps in rented homes is complic
little incentive That’s why Davies welcomed the government’s plan to mandate energy efficiency standards in rented properties by 2030 "Right now, landlords only have to meet an E rating on
means many tenants are living in cold, draughty homes
The new C-rating standard will reduce bills and emissions
“Th e next d ecade is ou r only window to co urse-correct”
Experts say that achieving net zero requires more
imagination, inclusion, and global equity
S h iv Rao C h a ll a, Fo und er o f 3 R Zero waste, put it bluntly: "The waste crisis of our world is rooted in ignorance In every landfill lies a story we choose to o
misplaced potential
towards a zero waste society And this can be achieved only through active innovations As someone rooted in the Global South, I believe w h e n i n
, the dream of a sustainable, waste-free society becomes a reality Because waste is not always the end, sometimes it’s a new beginning ” Challa’s vision sees cli-
mate solutions not as technocratic mandates but as a reimagining of our relationship with the planet Waste is not always the end," he says "Sometimes it’s a new beginning "
For Dr Jyotirm oy Roy, F o u nd er an d C E O o f GreenEnco, the stakes are high, especially for countries in the Global South "The consequences of missing our climate targets will be both
extreme weather with more heatwaves, floods, droughts threatening lives and livelihoods "
He points to ecosystems nearing collapse: coral reefs, Arctic ice, and the Amazon r
regulate the planet’s climate
Once lost, they don’t regenerate quickly "
Roy also underscores the looming public health crisis "We could see millions of climate refugees, heatstroke, respiratory issues, and rising food insecurity It’s not a choice anymore Countries must accelerate clean energy adoption, especially in the power and transport sectors The next decade is our only window to course-correct "
Asked whether the pace of solar deployment is sufficient, Roy is clear: "No Solar is a cornerstone of decarb o n i s a t i o n , b u t t h e p a c e isn’t fast enough to meet net-zero goals He calls for u r g e n t a c t i o n o n t h r e e fronts: faster policy implem e n t a t i o n , g r i d u p g r a d e s and storage integration and inclusive innovation
" I n n o v a t i o n i s n ’ t j u s t about new tech," he says "It must empower local communities, schools and institutions "
“We need to celebrate and learn from Indian h eritage”
For Dr Talia Hussain, a L o n d o n- ba s ed r es ea rc h er, c l i m a t e j u s t i c e i n t e r s e c t s w i t h c u l t u r e , c o l o n i a l i s m and consumption
"The fashion industry is o n e o f t h e w o r s t c l i m a t e o f f e n d e r s , " s h e s a y s " I t pushes a culture of disposability buy more, buy new, discard the rest That system demands enormous energy
and creates both climate and waste crises "
Dr Hussain also advocates for decolonising sustainability "Colonial legac i e s a r e a l i v e i n f a s h i o n , f r o m t h e d e c i m a t i o n o f
India’s historic textile industries to the exploitation of g a r m
s h , Pakistan selling fast fashion
t h a t s i d e l i n e s t r a d i t i o n a l clothing "
B u t t h e G l o b
she says, has answers "India
t advanced sustainable textile cultures in the world We need to celebrate and learn from that heritage " She also calls for more British Asians to be included in the climate conversation "We are seeing the impact of climate change firsthand in both the UK and South Asia We need to stop focusing on what we might have to give up and instead talk about what we gain We have a chance to build a new legacy, a better, fairer world for the next generation " While the UK has made i m p o r t a n t s t r i d e s , i t n o w f a c e s i t s t o u g h e s t c l i m a t e challenges in home heating, t r a n s p o r t e q u i t y , w a s t e m a n a
m e n t a n d p u
c t r u s t A s N i c h o l a s D a v i e s reminds us, "This is a critical moment The progress so far shows that Net Zero is possible But the next five years will determine whether it remains within reach "
That said, climate action is no longer a burden, it’s an o p p o r t u n i t y : f o r b e t t e r homes, cleaner air, stronger c o m m u n i t i e s a n d a f a i r e r economy As this summer ’ s h e a t w a v e r e m i n d s u s , w e can’t delay The time to act, boldly, urgently, and inclusively, is now
“C lim ate chang e is making it hard er for m illions to access basic needs” N av j o t S aw h ney , fo u nd er o f T h e Wa sh in g M
P
t, s
d , “Climate change is already making it harder for millions to access basic needs A r o u
e lack water at home, forcing m
girls, to walk long distances just to wash clothes, adding h o u r s o f u n
a b o u r Energy access is also worsening, with climate disasters straining fragile infrastructure In refugee camps and conflict zones, electricity is often unreliable or nonexist
machines unusable That’s where the Divya machine helps, it needs no electricity and uses half the water of hand washing, offering practical relief in areas hardest hit by climate disruption ”
lived experience are
to effective climate solutions “The best ideas don’t come
they come from listening,” he said “ T
machine exists because of Divya, a woman in South India whose daily struggle with limited water and time inspired our design Since
feedback We also collaborate with local organisations to ensure cultural fit and manufacture locally where possible, creating jobs and keeping solutions grounded W
solution, they’re more likely to use it and that’s how lasting impact is made,” he added
spreading may be harming rivers
Sewage sludge is spread over vast areas of UK farmland under minimal regulation and little monitoring
f o r t o x i c s u b s t a n c e s Though marketed as “black gold” for its nitrogen and phosphate content, experts w
, PFAS, endocrine disruptors, pharmaceuticals, and heavy metals
About 87% of the UK’s 3 6 million tonnes of sewage sludge ends up on farmland each year often containing b a n n e d a n d h a r m f u l s u bstances like PFOS, hormone disruptors, antibiotics, and industrial toxins, according to industry tests
S c i e
annually on European farm-
land via sludge, with the UK
affected
D e s p i t e t h i s , o u t d a t e d rules from 1989 only require testing for a few heavy meta l s E
y insiders say regulations are no longer fit for purpose
There are about 34,000 r e g i s
g e sites in England, mostly on or near farmland In 2023, over 768,000 tonnes of dry sludge were spread across 152,000 hectares similar to figures over the past decade
C o u n t i e s h i t h a r d e s t i n c l u d e H a m p s h i r e ,
L i n c o l n s h i r e , N o r t h Yorkshire, and Essex, which host more than 6,300 sites
The h ead of a n en vir onmen tal c harity has warned that Atlanti c salmon could f a c e ex t i n c t i o n i f t he i r young can ’t reach the s ea J u v e n i l e s a l m o n , o r smolts, in the River Itchen i n H a m p s h i r e a r e s t r u ggling to navigate barriers on their way to the ocean, p r o m p t i n g t h e E n v i r o n m e n t A g e n c y t o launch a study to find solutions Dr Dave Rumble, CEO o f W e s s e x R i v e r s T r u s t , w a r n e d t h e f u t u r e o f Atlantic salmon looks “pretty bleak” and extinction is a r e a l t h r e a t w i t h i n y e a r s
without urgent action
T h e E n v i r o n m e n t A g e n c y i s s t u d y i n g t h e l o w e r R i v e r I t c h e n , f r o m Woodmill to Mansbridge, to find ways to help smolts reach the sea Options may include improving fish passage, restoring habitat, and i n c r e a s i n g c o m m u n i t y involvement “The river has changed a lot in the last decade,” said p r o j e c t m a n a g e r J a c k i e Mellan “We need to boost its ecological resilience and salmon’s chances of returning to spawn ” Juvenile salmon starting their spring migration from the River Itchen are struggling to pass key barriers n e a r t h e e s t u a r y , e x p e r t s say T h e E n v i r o n m e n t Agency explained that hist o r i c s e a l o c k s t r u c t u r e s , now used to control water levels in Riverside Park, crea t e s t r o n g c u r r e n t s t h a t cause smolts to bunch up These delays disrupt migrat i o n a n d r e d u c e t h e i r c h a n c e s o f s u r v i v i n g t o return and spawn T h e a g e n c y i s n o w working with partners like W e s s e x R i v e r s T r u s t t o m a k e t h e p a s s a g e m o r e “smolt friendly ”
The fourth Be the Change panel discussion on climate change will be held on 14th July at the Cholmondeley Room, House of Lords
Organised in collaboration between Asian Voice and the Royal Air Force (RAF), the event will feature a panel of three experts and a moderator, representing diverse backgrounds, who will share their insights on one of the most critical global issues
of our time
The RAF, which has set an ambitious goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, will be represented by several of
its personnel at the event. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn more about the RAF as an employer and explore the various career paths it offers
The panel discussion will be followed by a Q&A session and networking opportunities
The evening will be hosted by Lord Raj Loomba CBE
CB Patel, Chairman, Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, will deliver the closing vote of thanks
Flight Sergeant S unita A ven, affectio nately know n as ‘ Sunny,’ h as had a d iverse and fulfilling career in the Ro yal A ir Force (RAF )
She was born and raised in Cardiff as the youngest of seven siblings As a child, Sunny dreamed of becoming an actress, but that aspirations faded She eventually pursued hotel management, but life had other plans
Initially, joining the military seemed like an unattainable goal It wasn’t a career path she had ever considered, but once she made the decision, she never looked back Her father had reservations about her being a female and a female of colour, and that the military was not a place for an Indian female, and that she could face a lot of racism
Sunny’s time in the RAF has taken her to various parts of the world, including the Falkland Islands One of her most rewarding roles was as the welfare officer for phase one recruits at RAF Halton, where she mentored new recruits daily, helping them overcome challenges and guiding them to success brought her immense satisfaction
In her current role as the HR analyst, Sunny works with a close-knit team of fellow flight sergeants Her leadership role has also taught her the importance of valuing people as individuals People are valued for who they are, for their knowledge, skills, and personality This perspective is one of the most important lessons she believes she has learned during her time in the Service
As a mother, Sunny has juggled raising her children with the demands of military life Despite the challenges, she has made it work and actively encourages young people especially her son and his friends to consider a career in the military
The RAF has offered Sunny a wealth of opportunities that civilian jobs often can’t match From being posted to different locations to tackling a variety of responsibilities, every day brings something new, every day is a new adventure
Serg eant Messam was born in Cov entry in 1 995 and joined the Royal Air Force in 20 15 and after basic Police training, her first posting was RAF Halton w here sh e was em ployed in what w as th e General Policing Duties (GPD) sectio n
In 2017, Messam became a RAFP Ambassador and joined the RAF Ethnic Minorities (EM) Network, working with the Network promoting the RAF in schools She was also interviewed for Black History Month, for No 10 Downing Street and represented the RAFP and the EM Network at the Festival of Remembrance on two occasions as well as at the Battle of Britain Service held at Westminster Abbey in 2020
In 2018, Messam was posted to RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire on General Policing Duties, before being seconded onto the Service Police Legacy Investigations Team, investigating historical war crimes, and being deployed on Op KIPION, as part of the Air Transport Security team in 2020
In Oct 2020, Messam specialised within the RAFP and moved across to the Specialist Police Wing staying there for a year, before being posted on promotion to Substantive Corporal, in 2021 to RAF Wittering
In 2022, Messam was awarded the Diversity and Inclusion Rising Star Award and was promoted to Sgt in 2024 and began her new role in Jan 2025
Messam has represented the RAF Women’s Rugby League team in the 2019 and 2025 and has previously represented the RAF in Rugby Union Throughout her career, she has had a variety of interests, including scuba diving and parachuting Messam is currently undertaking a degree in Criminology and Psychology, alongside her career
Iamdelighted to host the fourth edition of the Be The Change panel discussion on climate change, taking place at the Cholmondeley Room, House of Lords, on 14 July While the UK Government s commitment to achieving net zero by 2050 is commendable, it is
important to emphasise that every global citizen has a role to play in mitigating the climate crisis. If we are to leave the environment in a better state for future generations, change must begin with each one of us
This is why I am particularly pleased that this panel discussion is titled Be The Change Whether it involves adopting lowcarbon technologies, choosing sustainable products and services, or reducing carbon-intensive consumption, individual action is key Encouragingly, there is now far more public information available about climate change than there was a decade ago, and we are seeing a growing willingness among citizens to support the efforts of
governments, civil society, and local authorities to combat environmental degradation.
As I have always maintained, climate change disproportionately affects women and marginalised communities Through our work with widows in various parts of the world via the Loomba Foundation, we witness the direct and indirect impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations
Therefore I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my friend, CB Patel, Chairman of ABPL, for highlighting this urgent and burning issue through such a timely and meaningful initiative, in association with the RAF The event on 14th July deserves every success
Alpes h Pat el OBE is a Vis iting Fell ow at Oxf ord University, CEO, and internat ionall y bes t-sel ling Financial Tim es author, widely recognis ed as a l eading author ity on invest ing and entrepr eneurs hip Through his ass et managem ent firm, he inves ts in renewable energy projects l ike wind farm s and support s clim ate c hange solut ions As a UK Governm ent Dea lmaker , he hel ps br ing glob al tech companies , such as t hose specialising in carbon capture , to the UK He has advis ed the Prime M iniste r on UK -India relations and s erves on the Counc il of Chat ham Hous e, the Board of the United Nations Ass ociation (UK), and ICICI Bank’s Private Banking Division
Speaking on what inspired focus on climate-conscious investments, Alpesh said, “Quite simply, it made both moral and financial sense Early on, I saw the numbers stacking up sustainable companies weren’t just ethically appealing; they showed strong potential for growth Climate change isn’t just an environmental threat, it poses serious financial risks as well By investing in renewable energy and climate-focused businesses, we were not only reducing exposure to those risks but also backing companies built for long-term resilience The inspiration was clear: aligning profit with purpose wasn’t just idealism it was sound strategy Our focus, and full credit to my team, was on
wind farms in Eastern Europe and biofuels in India We’ve since exited those investments, as returns and successful exits remain a key part of any investor’s expectations ” Giving an example of a tech company he worked with to combat climate change, Alpesh said, “One standout is Carbon Clean Solutions
They’re pioneering industrial carbon capture, helping major industries cut emissions and move toward net zero, affordably and at scale
"Climate change isn’t just an environmental threat, it poses serious financial risks as well "
They’re on track to exceed a $1 billion valuation The credit, once again, goes to the incredible team, this time at the UK Government’s Department for Business, whom I’ve had the privilege to work with ”
On how the intersection of technology, finance, and
climate action will evolve, he added, “Over the next decade, these three areas will be inseparable I recently spoke with HSBC’s climate finance leads, Ajay Yadav and Ramanjeet Arora, and was impressed by the sophisticated metrics they apply to assess climate impact across lending and investment Expect AI-driven climate risk tools, blockchain for transparent sustainability tracking, and fintech opening green investments to everyday investors Cross-sector collaboration will accelerate fuelled by policy, public demand, and investor expectations The future belongs to companies that fuse innovation with purpose ” On the barriers to directing large-scale capital toward green solutions, Alpesh said, “The biggest hurdles are uncertainty around returns, perceived risk, lack of incentives, and unclear regulations We need globally consistent policies and standardised ESG reporting to build investor confidence Scaling up green bonds and sustainabilitylinked loans can also unlock capital by offering clearer pathways ” To young entrepreneurs in the climate space, he advised: “You’re entering the right sector at the right time If funding is a challenge, tap into the growing network of climatefocused incubators and accelerators Tell your story well clearly show how your solution addresses urgent climate needs ”
“Infrastructure must evolve to give back to nature”
It has rightly been said, “Inspiratio n hid es in ev eryd ay mom ents, waiting fo r someone to no tice ” For Pro fessor A nush a Shah, that mom ent came d uring h er first job back in Delhi Am id a blistering heatwav e, she noticed an elderly labou rer working under the scorching sun, building for the midd le class and elite, yet clearly at risk of h eatstroke w ith no pro tection in place
“That moment left a lasting impression on me, ” she shared “It struck me that climate change isn't just about technical solutions or emissions targets; it’s about people And if our work disproportionately harms the most vulnerable, then we ’ re failing ”
That experience taught her to approach her work more holistically Today, she has built a legacy from that lesson
The immediate past President of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and notably only the third woman and the first person of colour to hold the post in the Institution’s 205-year history, Prof Shah successfully influenced the nature and people positive agenda with approx 100,000 civil and infrastructure members globally, she now serves as the Global Senior Director – Climate, Water and Nature at Arcadis in London and that’s just the tip of her achievements
For Professor Anusha Shah, sustainability is no longer enough “We need to take things a step further,” she says “Sustainability is the bare minimum ”
“We’re now driving regenerative design thinking , where we don’t just
Ruby Raut, an environmentalist and cofo und er of WU KA (Wake U p Kick A ss) is at the forefront of a mo vement that connects menstrual equity with clim ate action, challenging deep-rooted cu ltural taboos along th e way
Ruby’s journey began in Nepal where menstruation was shrouded in shame “The word for period in Nepali is ‘nachune’, which literally means ‘untouchable,’” she says When she first started menstruating at age 12, she was sent away to her aunt’s home and wasn’t allowed to touch plants, go out in the sun, or speak to men This practice, known as ‘Chhaupadi’, is now illegal in Nepal but remains ingrained in many rural traditions
“No one explained why I
minimise harm to nature , but also restore and replenish what we ’ ve taken from the planet ” For her, this shift means fundamentally rethinking what infrastructure is, why we need to build, where we build, how we build and who it serves
Throughout her career, Prof Shah has brought this vision to life through realworld projects During her tenure as the Chair of the Thames Estuary Partnership board, her team reimagined stretches of the Thames riverbank using vegetation to stabilise the edges, improve biodiversity, increase land and property value and enhance local well-being She points to other examples as well: Castlefield Viaduct in Manchester, once a disused Grade II listed viaduct, now repurposed as a ‘sky garden’, a green community-focused or the Jordan River Project in Hong Kong, where an open drainage channel was transformed into a vibrant public ecosystem with fish, butterflies, and clean flowing water as part of the ‘Rivers in the City’ project Prof Shah also emphasises the value of traditional South Asian practices in informing future
infrastructure models “Our communities have long used mud architecture, bamboo, compost, intercropping; methods that are now gaining global attention ”
Combining these techniques with an enterprising, innovative and minimalistic mindset of ‘jugaad’, and modern digital technology, she believes, can create hybrid systems that help both people and nature thrive “A well-managed green space can slow down water runoff, capture carbon, clean the air, and support mental and physical health sometimes on its own or in combination with a hightech/ grey solution ”
For Prof Shah, the conversation around infrastructure must begin with the right questions: What problem are we trying to solve? Who benefits? And what kind of future are we enabling?
"Climate change isn't just about technical solutions or emissions targets; it’s about people. And if our work disproportionately harms the most vulnerable, then we’re failing.”
“Infrastructure is not just about roads and bridges, it’s about life, access, dignity, and our very survival in complete harmony with nature,” she says “Nature, in many ways, is the best engineer We just need to remember how to work with it ”
Dr Komal Raj Aryal is a L ectu rer in Crisis and Disaster M anag em ent at Aston Business School with over 25 years of experience in local risk g overnance His work streng thens local risk, response and resilience gov ernance cap abilities support to lo cal authorities in the U K and S outh East Asia He currently leads and co-lead s three UK RI-NERC and ESRC -funded projects (2024– 2029) focused on ev idence-based policy and multi-lev el disaster risk reduction and response gov ernance
Dr Aryal told Asian Voice that climate-related disasters are becoming more frequent and severe, driven by both environmental vulnerability and human activity He emphasised the need for adaptive, forward-looking strategies, noting that while some impacts can be mitigated through collaborative risk and resilience management planning, others demand a more proactive and integrated approach to monitor emerging risks
Advising on communityled disaster planning in South and Southeast Asia, regions already facing severe frequent climate impacts, Dr Aryal believes key lessons from these areas can inform the UK’s approach to climate adaptation “Over the past 25 years, working with communities in countries like India, Taiwan, Nepal and Japan, I’ve learned that raising awareness of localised hazards is essential,” says Dr Aryal “In places like Taiwan and Japan, public education about potential disasters plays a vital role in building resilience but communicating these risks
effectively with most vulnerable remains a challenge ”
Reflecting on the UK context, he adds, “managing crisis and emergency here is largely seen as a government responsibility, but we ’ ve increasingly realised that government efforts alone aren’t enough Community involvement and volunteer mobilisation are crucial for which we in the UK can learn from countries like Taiwan where crisis and emergency is part of every second priority for geopolitical and natural hazards exposure ”
Through collaborations Dr Aryal is helping to foster two-way knowledge exchange between the UK and Asia “This sharing of global best practices is key to
"It
is essential to raise awareness and be transparent about hazards, risks, and safety concerns."
building stronger, more prepared communities at home ”
On the biggest gaps in UK climate resilience, Dr Aryal said “Rising temperatures are exposing serious infrastructure gaps
had to stay away I just felt ashamed and deeply alone,” she recalls “Wearing old sari rags that weren’t hygienic or leak-proof, going to school without proper toilets it all made me feel like my body was a burden ” Those experiences, she says, seeded her lifelong commitment to dignity, access, and sustainability in menstrual health
That mission led to the creation of WUKA, one of the UK’s first brands of reusable, leak-proof period underwear But Ruby is clear: her work isn’t just about comfort or convenience It’s about the environment, too
“Disposable pads are up to 80% plastic, and each one can take up to 500 years to decompose,” she says “Yet menstrual products are often
left out of climate conversations because they’re seen as too personal, too taboo That silence has a cost ” In the UK, she was stunned by the variety of period products on the shelves, but disappointed by how unsustainable most were “We see the plastic in tampon applicators, but we don’t talk about what goes
into pads, how often they’re used, or where they end up, ” she says For Ruby, breaking the silence around menstruation is critical, not just for gender equality, but for climate resilience “If we want to build a greener future, we need to talk about all the waste we produce, including the products half the population uses every month ”
She also sees cultural stigma as a shared global issue “In South Asia, periods are publicly restricted In the West, they’re hidden in silence Both approaches create shame and ignorance,” she explains “That’s why conditions like endometriosis go undiagnosed, and why sustainable period choices aren’t widely known ”
Many Victorian-era buildings aren’t designed for heatwaves, leading to health risks, especially for the elderly, and reduced productivity The recent rise in heat-related deaths highlights the urgent need for better localised risk communication ” He added, “Development in flood-prone areas continues under planning frameworks that often rely on outdated climate assumptions, leaving homes inadequately protected, for instance, with electrical installations still positioned at ground level
Concurrently, public education on climate and disaster preparedness remains limited, particularly within increasingly diverse and multilingual communities Enhancing the UK’s climate resilience requires coordinated policy action to modernise building standards, integrate climate risk into spatial planning, and expand inclusive local risk communication and education strategies ” Reflecting on key lessons for building climate resilience, Dr Komal Raj Aryal underscored the importance of clear, localised risk communication “It is essential to raise awareness and be transparent about hazards, risks, and safety concerns, ” he said “From my experience in Nepal and more recently in India, particularly in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu, and Manali, I’ve observed that communities often fail to grasp the urgency of preparedness until a disaster occurs, as seen during the last two years events in Shimla, Manali and Kullu ”
But Ruby isn’t just challenging stigma, she’s changing policy In 2021, she led the successful campaign to remove the 20% VAT on period underwear in the UK, calling out the absurdity that eco-friendly, reusable options were taxed while single-use plastics were not
“It took nearly five years, ” she says “We didn’t have a
“Periods
are natural, plastic pollution doesn’t have to be. Change begins with open, compassionate conversations "
blueprint, but we built awareness, gathered evidence, and brought people along It was a crash course in how slow, but powerful, policy change can be ” Her fight continues with a campaign to eliminate VAT on period swimwear, another essential product unfairly taxed as a luxury “We’re better prepared now, ” she says, “and we know we ’ re not alone ” At the heart of Ruby’s work is a simple belief: no one should feel ashamed of their body or their impact on the planet “Periods are natural Plastic pollution doesn’t have to be,” she says “Change begins with open, compassionate conversations That’s how we break the cycle of shame, of silence and of waste ”
Duri ng his rec ent vi sit to London, the respected head of SG VP-Chharodi Gurukul, HH Swami Madhavpri yadasj i, graced the home of his longtim e fri end, CB Patel, Publisher/Editor of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samchar
Known for his humility and dedication to good causes, Swamishree has made a significant impact in the fields of education, social service and environmental work He arrived at CB’s residence with Thakorji, whom he worships daily and a special sthavan and poojan ceremony was held in Thakorji’s honour
Swamishree was welcomed with deep respect and heartfelt bhavpoojan, while guests were warmly introduced and received On this occasion, Velji Vekaria, former President of the Kutch Leva Patel Samaj, gave a thoughtful and detailed introduction of Pujya Swamishree This was followed by a meaningful satsang, where Swamishree shared wisdom and joy with everyone present, leaving the gathering inspired and spiritually uplifted
Swamishree said, “Our goal today is to light the lamp of humanity Our dharma teaches us ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah may all be happy’ While some religions focus only on their followers, our ancient rishis and sages extended their compassion to all living beings - animals, birds, trees, rivers and nature itself ”
Stressing on the importance of preserving our culture and values, starting at home, he added, “Today, the human mind is becoming dry like a desert,” he said
“With so much time spent on machines, people are turning into robots We must protect the warmth in our hearts the love, kindness, and care that makes us human ”
Swamishree shared that 75 years ago, the founder of the Gurukul tradition, HH Gurudev Shastriji Maharaj Shri Dharmjivandasji Swami, had already asked an important question: “How do we make sure that modern life doesn’t take away our humanity?”
Gurudev believed that to protect our culture and values, we must begin by caring for and nurturing children at childhood
He followed two key teachings from the
Shikshapatri of Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan as life’s guiding principles: “Pravartaniya Sadvidya Bhuvi Yatsukrutam Mahat” – Spread true knowledge and good deeds in the world, and “Sarva Jeeva Hitavaha Seva Pravritti” – Serve all living beings with kindness and selflessness These mantras remain at the heart of the Gurukul’s mission even today SGVP Gurukul’ s ongoing m ission of knowledge and s ervic e Swamishree
Madhavpriyadasji shared a brief overview of the educational, social and environmental work being done by SGVP Gurukul He said, “We are simply carrying forward the noble mission started by Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan and our Gurudev ”
He explained that SGVP now has five branches, with its main campus in Chharodi, Ahmedabad There, SGVP International School, ranked among the top three in India, welcomes students from over 20 countries The Gurukul also runs Darshanam Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, where students (rishikumars) learn all four Vedas While Samaveda scholars are rare today, nine rishikumars at SGVP are receiving deep training in this field Today, over 200 rishikumars are studying at SGVP free of cost, dedicated to preserving Indian culture Many graduates are now spreading this knowledge across India and around the world
At Memnagar Gurukul in Ahmedabad, nearly 500 students from rural backgrounds are receiving quality education by contributing just one rupee a day, just Rs 360 (roughly £3 10) for an entire year Similarly, at Droneshwar Gurukul, students from nearby villages are also benefiting from access to good
SGVP Gurukul is currently supporting the education of over 1,100 students As part of a special effort to uplift rural girls, the Gurukul offers completely free education to girl children from remote areas To support their journey, a hostel is also being built to house 500 girls, providing a safe and nurturing environment to study and grow
A radiant flame o f social s ervice
SGVP is deeply committed to social and environmental service too One of its major contributions is a modern hospital that combines allopathy, Ayurveda and yoga to offer complete and holistic healthcare This hospital is equipped with the latest facilities and runs with the aim of serving humanity
Each year, SGVP carries out many service projects In summer, it distributes sandals to those in need, this year alone, 10,000 pairs were given During mango season, the Gurukul donated 7,000 kg of Kesar mangoes to old age homes, orphanages, hospitals, and the underprivileged
SGVP also works hard to protect the environment It has planted and cared for hundreds of thousands of trees, built 1,000 check dams to fight drought, and revived thousands of wells
The Gurukul is also guiding farmers to move from chemical to natural farming, promoting a healthier, eco-friendly way of life
G ujarat Sam ac har’ s i nvaluable s ervic e to the Guj arati language
Swamishree praised Gujarat Samachar for its key role in keeping the Gujarati language alive and thriving He said, “Through Gujarat Samachar, respected CB Patel has given great
preach and what we practise ”
Similarly, he said, society too pays attention not just to a speaker’s words, but also to their behaviour
D o not measure women ’ s contributi ons i n economic terms alon e
T h
L
service to our mother tongue It is through our language that we keep our values, culture and faith alive In the UK, Indians have built a unique identity different even from other Asians and CB Patel has played a big part in that
His contribution is so inspiring that we always feel drawn to him and enjoy meeting him again and again ”
Present at the gathering at CB’s home in honour of Swamishree were NCGO Chairman Vimalji Odedra, former Secretary Jitu Patel, Subhash Thakrar OBE, Manu Ramji (King’s Kitchen), Jigar Shah, Govind Kerai, Ravji Hirani, Velji Vekaria and others
Swamishree had warm and meaningful conversations with the group, discussing various social and spiritual topics in an uplifting and inspiring atmosphere
Subhash Thakrar OBE asked: “We hear so many talks about Hindu Dharma, yet why does it feel like society is drifting away from it?”
In response, Swamishree shared a heartfelt reflection and asked, “Are we, as Hindus, as loyal to our Dharma as followers of other religions are to theirs? Do our daily lives truly reflect Hindu values?” He said these are questions every Hindu should ask themselves honestly
Swamishree went on to explain, “Our sages have taught that Dharma is not about what we say or know it’s about how we live Whether at home, in society, or in spiritual life, actions speak louder than words If we want to raise children with strong values, parents must create a value-based atmosphere at home
Children observe everything closely they quickly notice if there’s a gap between what we
During the gathering, respected Kutch-based industrialist Manu Ramji expressed concern that women are still not given the opportunities they truly deserve Jigar Shah agreed, saying that women's role in economic growth is still not as visible or strong as it should be Vimalji Odedra, a well-known Maher community leader and businessman, highlighted the rising number of divorces today and stressed the need to revisit family and social values
In response, Swamishree shared thoughtful insights, saying these issues should not be seen only through the lens of economics While women ’ s progress in education, business and other fields is important, he reminded everyone that the role of a mother is sacred and unique, something men cannot replace
He added that, like birds returning to their nests, our thoughts must return to education, not just academic success, but life education
Swamishree also reminded everyone that even within one family, people have different personalities and views He quoted philosopher Khalil Gibran, saying that a happy family is one where everyone ’ s individuality is accepted and respected Instead of forcing children to fit our moulds, we should help them discover and grow into who they truly are They should also learn that life is full of change, ups and downs, success and failure, and they must be equipped with the strength and balance to face it all
Govindbhai of Amazing Tiles shared a powerful message from our scriptures, which speak of the four purusharthas Dharma (righteousness), Artha (wealth), Kama (desire) and Moksha (liberation) He said problems begin when we focus only on Artha and Kama, while forgetting Dharma and Moksha
CB thanked Swamishree for his visit and all those who joined the occasion
three-course
s C lu b o f Kingsbury p roud ly celebrated its 35th handov er cerem ony on Sunday 6 July at Bombay Central Café Bar & Restaurant in Harrow Th e event marked the transition of lead ership from outgoing Presid ent Hema Mistry to incom ing Presid ent S ushil Do kwal, with Hono urable M ayor of Brent, Cllr Ryan Hack, in attend ance The ceremony featured a festive atmosphere, complete with
sion highlighted the club’s
key members playing
have achieved remarkable milestones, including raising £70,000 for St Luke’s H o
with the Asian Foundation for Help and Pranasha, contributing £10,000 to Cancer Research (UK), and funding 111 weddings under one roof in Valsad, alongside numerous other impactful activities Leicester Diwali celebrations scaled back over safety concerns
L e ic e st er ’ s
n ic Di w a li celebrations will be sig nificantly scaled dow n this year d ue to serious public safety c o nc er
, L
c
te r C i ty C ouncil has annou nced Major changes include
Br
n e ra defined by co urage, convictio n, a n d an u n
n a ti o n al i de n ti ty a nd respo nsi bility I had the ho nour
o f kn o wi n g Lo r d T eb bi t a nd recall him fondly as a p ri ncip led p o li t i ci a n , a lo y al C a bi n et
m i ni s t er u nd er Ma rg ar et T hatcher, and a man deeply co mmitted to th e valu es o f s elf-reliance, patrio tism, and p erso nal resp onsibility
As a key figure in Margaret Thatcher’s Cabinet, Lord Tebbit served with distinction in several critical roles including as Secretary of State for Employment and later as Chairman of the Conservative Party He was known for his directness and clarity, never shying away from speaking the truth, however uncomfortable it might be In doing so, he became a voice for the hardworking, aspirational Britons who wanted to make their own way in life values that resonated deeply with the British Indian and wider immigrant communities
F o r m a n y U g a n d a n A s i a n s l i k e m y s e l f , f
y expelled from our homeland by Idi Amin in 1972, Britain offered a sanctuary and a second chance Though Lord Tebbit was not directly involved in Edward Heath’s original decision to allow us to settle in Britain, his role in s h a p i n g t
integration and responsibility made him a prominent voice in encouraging immigrant communities to embrace British values while retaining their cultural roots
L o r d T e b b i t ’ s n o w - f a m o u s “ T e b b i t T e s t ” questioning whether immigrants supported England at c r i c k e t w a s o f t e n m i s u n d e r s t o o d o r mischaracterised To some, it was controversial But to many of us, it was a challenge rooted in a desire for cohesion and loyalty It was not about exclusion, but about shared identity a way of asking: if you have made Britain your home, do you feel pride in it? Do you support your country, not just in politics or economy, but in spirit?
As a proud British Indian and a proud Hindu, I have always felt that being British and being true to one ’ s h e r i t a g e a r e n o t c o n t r a d i c t o r y T h e y a r e complementary I support England in every match, celebrate Diwali in the House of Lords, and sing the n
integrated patriotism Lord Tebbit stood for a Britain where people of all backgrounds contribute, belong, and stand together
Lord Tebbit’s own life was marked by courage and resilience He and his wife Margaret were victims of the Brighton bombing in 1984, an attack that left her severely injured Yet he returned to public life with characteristic strength and never allowed bitterness to cloud his judgement
His passing is a loss to British politics, but his legacy endures in the values he championed, the debates he provoked, and the loyalty he inspired May he rest in peace
Continued from page 01
Sir Wyn William s criticised the P ost Of fi c e ’ s “ u n nec es s ar il y ad v ers ar ia l” ap p ro a ch to c o m p
n, w
ic h often led to reduced settlements He urg ed urg ent action to ensure “full and fair” redress and recomm end ed free go v ernm e nt-f und ed leg al ad v i ce fo r victim s and compensatio n for affected family m em bers
called on ministers, the Post Office, and Fujitsu to outline a restorative justice programme by then His report, based on 225 days of hearings and 298 witnesses, did not specify total payouts, but over £1 billion has reportedly been paid to 7,300 operators as of June
wrongly accused The ordeal led to
hospitalisation She said the stigma still
campaigned against, gained national attention through ITV’s ‘Mr Bates vs
legislation to exonerate victims, passed in June
It has also been revealed that nearly
persecuted, have died before receiving any compensation for the profound injustices they endured Horizon inquiry uncovers deep trauma
financial ruin, prison, or even death
Horizon IT scandal
pregnant in 2010 after being falsely a
imprisoned on her son ’ s 10th birthday
Reflecting on the new inquiry report, she said she feels "heartbroken, angry
delivered faster, she rejected the Post Office’s apology: “I don’t accept it Go behind bars and then I’ll think about it ”
businessman, pleaded guilty to fraud in 2009 to avoid jail after Horizon errors
Though his conviction was quashed in 2 0 2
l awaiting full compensation and says the stress led to a heart attack, loss of vision, and lasting mental health issues
Anjana and Baljit Sethi, who ran t
discrepancies They were bankrupted, s
w o r k , w i t h t h e i r c o m m u n i t y
reputation in ruins
Former sub-postmaster Harjinder
Butoy spent 18 months in prison longer than any other victim of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal after being wrongly convicted in 2007 of
s t e a l i n g o v e r £ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 f r o m h i s Nottinghamshire branch
It took 15 years to clear his name
“We lost everything,” he said, recalling h o w h i s f a m i l y w a s f o r c e d i n t o bankruptcy and his conviction made finding work nearly impossible
Though exonerated in 2021, Butoy s a i d t h e t r a u m a r e m a i n s “ I w a n t p e o p l e t o k n o w w h a t w e w e n t through and for someone responsible to face justice ”
Pramod Kalia spent 23 years living w i t h t h e t r a u m a o f a w r o n g f u l c o n v i c t i o n a f t e r b e i n g a c c u s e d o f stealing £22,202 01 from his post office
b r a n c h H i s n a m e w a s e v e n t u a l l y
cleared, but the damage ran deep he attempted suicide multiple times, his marriage nearly broke down, and he was estranged from his son for 17 years
A t t e n d i n g t h e r e l e a s e o f t h e
Horizon IT Inquiry’s first report, Kalia welcomed its findings that Post Office bosses knew the software was faulty but insisted it was reliable Yet he said the organisation was still “playing dirty tricks” on compensation
“Someone should look me in the eye and admit they were wrong, ” he said “It feels personal like a grudge for daring to challenge them ”
Kalia also paid tribute to the 350 victims who died before justice came, including at least 13 believed to have taken their own lives
‘Full, fair and prompt redress’ for victims
B u s i n e s s S e c r e t a r y , J o n a t h a n Reynolds said, “The publication of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry’s report today by Sir Wyn and his team marks
a n i m p o r t a n t m i l e s t o n e f o r subpostmasters and their families I welcome the publication today and am c o m m i t t e d t o e n s u r i n g w r o n g e d subpostmasters are given full, fair, and prompt redress
“The recommendations contained i n S i r W y n ’ s r e p o r t r e q u i r e c a r e f u l
reflection, including on further action to complete the redress schemes The government will promptly respond to t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s i n f u l l i n Parliament ”
In a statement to Parliament, Post O
acknowledged the profound human toll of the Horizon scandal, following the release of the first volume of Sir W
praised the courage of the postmasters and the thoroughness of the Inquiry, w h i c h
n documents and laid bare the scandal’s
jobs, bankruptcies, ruined reputations, mental health trauma, and, in some cases, loss of life T h o m a
9 recommendations and pledged a full government response by the October
recognition that redress efforts aim to be fair and timely, he admitted that
Shortfall Scheme must be addressed
compensation rising from £236 million to nearly £1
billion in a year, and over 4,200 postmasters receiving fixed-sum
Ma rgaret Thatcher, has died aged 94 A
chairman in the 1980s, he w a s a k
Conservative politics and
party's right wing
took on the trade unions and f
million unemployed to “get on your bike” and find work
A s T o r y c h a i r m a n ( 1 9 8 5 –1987), he helped Thatcher
s e c u r e h e r t h i r d e l e c t i o n
win A key figure in her 1975
leadership bid, he earned the n i c k n a m e “ C
s t a n c e a n d e m b r a c e d h i s
‘Spitting Image’ puppet as p a r t o f h i s p e r s o n a a s
“Thatcher’s enforcer ”
L o r d T e b b i t s u f f e r e d serious injuries in the 1984 IRA bombing of Brighton’s Grand Hotel, which left his
controversy in 1990 with his “cricket test” on immigrant loyalty A staunch Thatcher l
Tory MPs for ousting her, nor Lord Heseltine, whom h
debate
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch
Labour leader Keir Starmer offered condolences, noting his strength after the
i
P
i P
called him “ a giant of the C o n s e r v a t i v e P a r t y ” w h o showed “great courage ” Lord Tebbit was also the person who introduced the
government will extend compensation to close family members who suffered
controversial “cricket test” in t h e 1 9 9 0 s t o m e a s u r e i m m i g r a n t l o y a l t y , s u g g e s t i n g t h e y s h o u l d support England over their countries of origin He later claimed such a test might h a v e p r e v e n t e d t h e 7 / 7 London bombings remarks widely criticised as outdated B y 2 0 1 8 , h o w e v e r , T e b b i t softened his stance, telling The Indian Express the test was “immaterial now, ” and p r a i s e d t h e i n t e g r a t i o n o f B r i t i s h A s i a n s a n d B l a c k athletes, saying race was “ no longer an issue ” H i s l a t e r r e m a r k s r e f l e c t e d
c o n t r i b u t i o n s o f t h e immigrant communities in
the UK In Lord Popat’s book ‘A British Subject: How to Make It as an Immigrant in t
B
C o u n
n
h e World’, Lord Tebitt, paying tribute to the British Indian community in the UK, said, “ T h e y g a
Treasury than they ask for ” (Please see Lord Popat’s column for more) L o
d peacefully at his home in Bury St Edmunds at 11:15pm on Monday
Dear Financial Voice Reader, Alpesh Patel
I put on my Barrister wig this past week to go on TikTok
Ladies and gentlemen, the financial services industry has a dirty little secret One that dresses itself in tailored suits, polished brochures, and three-page disclaimers
I t ’
performance although there’s plenty of that too
It’s language Specifically, the kind designed not to illuminate, but to obscure
And so today, in the court of public opinion, I put before you the accused:
Wealth Manager Jargon
Mr Wealth Manager
Let’s begin with your most popular spell:
What, exactly, is an “Active Blended Solution”?
Is it a performance strategy or performance art?
A
diversified, risk-profiled balanced fund with an income tilt”?
To the average investor, that sounds less like a pension product and more like a Yoga position
Why, I ask you, does your advice require a glossary?
Why must every client meeting feel like a TED Talk where the goal is not clarity but compliance with opacity?
We’re not talking about investment insight We’re talking about financial fog
You claim this is sophistication I submit it’s selfpreservation
Because if the client actually understood how their money was performing
Or how much they were paying in layers of fees dressed up as “strategic allocation”
They might take action
They might leave
Let us take an example straight from your polished factsheets
You offer a portfolio with a “volatility-adjusted, multifactor allocation strategy with macro overlays ”
Translation?
“We’re guessing, but with conviction ”
Or this one:
“ T a c t i c a
budgeting framework ”
In English?
“We move things around when we panic ” You don’t communicate, Mr Wealth Manager You camouflage
This isn’t just irritating It’s dangerous
Because when someone asks, “What exactly is my pension doing?”, and you respond with three charts, a pie graph and a six-syllable acronym that’s not advice
That’s theatre
And the only drama the client should experience is from their grandchildren, not their retirement account
So I say this:
Enough
If you're reading this and your latest investment update made you feel more confused than reassured, If you ’ ve nodded along in a meeting while thinking “I have no idea what this man just said”, then perhaps it’s not you who’s under-informed It’s them who are over-complicated
The Sentence?
Reclaim your understanding
Put your provider and their language on trial
And if you want a second opinion, without the theatre, without the jargon, without the fees dressed in Latin
See more free resources at www campaignforamillion com
Because your wealth deserves clarity, not confusion in a pinstripe suit
checking com pany, Logic ally, has gone into adminis tration, acc ording t o The Times
Founded in the wake of the 2016 Brexit vote and US
over 200 staff across the UK, India, and the US Its
engineer, was driven by a personal tragedy; the death of his grandmother in India,
abandon chemotherapy for a “special juice ” His vision
scale and bring “truth to the
digital world
Logically provided factchecking services for tech
TikTok under its Logically Facts brand and developed AI tools to detect online
the company was hit hard
X (formerly Twitter) cut off data access, and when the b
especially following Donald Trump’s return to power
L
y ’ s contract with the Karnataka state government in India, which critics feared could
company its accreditation
partnerships with state or p o l i t i c a l e n t i
budget ”
Economists have warned
Goldm an Sach s has appointed fo rmer P rim e Mi nister
R i sh i S u nak a s a se ni o r adv iser, bring ing on board a seasoned policymaker amid g ro w i ng g eo p o l it ic a l a nd reg ulatory uncertainty T he bank announced the mov e o n Tuesday
Conservative MP in north-
resigning after the
defeat last July, Sunak
that the £5 billion shortfall
Labour MPs would need to be addressed “There is a cost to the welfare changes that
“That will be reflected in the
books This could include £5 billion from the abandoned welfare reforms, £1 25 billion following the reversal of cuts to winter fuel payments, and several billion more due to rising borrowing costs
R e e v e s ’ a l l i e s s u g g e s t that Labour rebels will now share the responsibility for any tax increases “This is a
direct consequence of what happened,” one said “They have to own that ” T h e c h a n c e l
c o m m i t m e n t t o f i s c a l d i s c i p l i n e , s a y i n g , “ T h e e c o n o m i c s t a b i l i t y w e ’ v e restored, enabling four Bank o f E n g l a n d r a t e c u t s , h a s only been possible because
rules We’ll continue to do so because they’re essential for t h e l i v i n g s t a n
costs that businesses face ” With a budget due in the autumn and increasing fiscal pressures, Reeves now faces
holding tight to her promise of economic
P h ar m ac eu ti c al g ia nt
A s tra Z ene ca is rep or ted ly c on s id eri ng r elo c at i ng i ts m ain s to ck market li sting from London to th e U nited
S ta tes , as fr u st rat io n s m o u nt o v er th e U K ’ s operating env ironment
Multiple sources say the company's CEO, Sir Pascal
S o r i o t , h a s p r i v a t e l y expressed a preference for moving the FTSE 100 firm’s £163 billion listing across the Atlantic One source familiar w i t h h i s t h i n k i n g a l s o suggested the possibility of shifting AstraZeneca’s legal domicile
Such a move would be a
major setback for the UK
g o v e r n m e n t ’ s i n d u s t r i a l strategy, which was recently o u t l i n e d , a n d c o m e s j u s t ahead of a separate policy p l a n f o c u s e d o n t h e l i f e
sciences sector Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already a n n o u n c e d n e w i n f r a s t r u c t u r e i n v e s t m e n t s aimed at transforming the Oxford-Cambridge corridor i n t o E
Valley
AstraZeneca's departure w o u l d a l s o d e a l a n o t h e r blow to the London Stock Exchange, which has been struggling to retain major companies amid a growing t r e n d o f f i r m s o p t i n g f o r New York listings
Soriot, who has led the c o m p a n y s i n c e 2 0 1 2 , h a
criticised several aspects of the UK healthcare system,
AstraZeneca’s breast cancer drug Enhertu
and global connections are seen
David Solomon said he was “excited to welcome Rishi back” to the firm, noting that Sunak will collaborate with leaders across the company to advise clients world-
insights on the macroeconomic and geopolitical landscape, ” Solomon added
chancellors George Osborne
transitioned into finance
partner
investment firm Centricus
b y corporate buyers and 154 by financial buyers
Nearly 40% of all exits in the past decade have taken place in just the last two and a half years, highlighting a sharp uptick in founder-led sales and investor activity
Cliadhna Law, Head of D i r e c t a n d P r o f e s s i o n a l Sales at Charles Stanley said that the current landscape s u g g e s t s a s h i f t t o w a r d s g r e a t e r f l e x i b i l i t
I n d i a's m ark ets r eg u la to r S ebi banned U S-based foreign fund Jane S treet from t h e I nd i an m ar ket fo r
m ani p u l ati ng st o ck s a nd
d eri v a ti v es se g m e nts ov er several years to m ake h uge illeg al gains
Jane St, known for their quant-based trading strategies, has also been asked to d i s g o r g e n e a r l y £ 4 8 5 m nillegal gains accrued to them
b y t r a d i n g o n t h e N S E between Jan 2023 and March 2025, a Sebi order said This is the highest-ever disgorge-
m e n t a m o u n t o r d e r e d b y
Sebi for any kind of illegal activity in the market
In an interim order, Sebi banned JSI Investments, JSI2
I n v e s t m e n t s , J a n e S t r e e t Singapore and Jane Street Asia Trading, from trading in the Indian market until further notice The markets
regulator’s investigation will continue
So far, Sebi has identified two types of manipulative strategies One was to buy heavily in Bank Nifty’s 1 2 c o n s
futures in the morning ses-
options on the index, selling
the afternoon to pull down
prices to eventually make
concentrated selling or buying in the last two hours of
index levels and make profits
The investigation report noted that although Jane St
profits from the rest more than made up for the losses
S ta t e-o wne d BE M L s a id i t h a s s e c ur e d t wo e x po r t orders worth $ 6 2 3 million f or s upply of heavy-duty bul ldozers and motor gra der s to Russ ia and Uz bekistan
T h e c o m p a n y h a s secured two distinct orders, i n c l u d i n g o n e f r o m a C I S nation for the supply of 10 units of its heavy-duty bulldozers, specially engineered to perform in extreme cold climates with temperatures plunging as low as -50C
T h e s e c o n d , m a i d e n -
o r d e r f r o m U z b e k i s t a n , includes the supply of one
u n i t o f t h e h i g h - p e r f o rmance motor grader, essential for infrastructure devel-
o p m e n t a n d r o a d m a i n t enance within mining opera-
t i o n s W i t h U z b e k i s t a n becoming the 73rd nation to be added to BEML's global exports portfolio, this development reinforces the comp a n y s e x p a n d i n g i n t e r n ational reach and its credibility as a preferred partner for a d v a n c e d , m i s s i o n - c r i t i c a l equipment
T h e l
complex terrain and high demand for durable and d e p e n d a b l e h e a v y machinery
"This is a significant w i n f o r B E M L a n d a reflection of our growing g l o b a l c o m p e t i t i v e n e s s O u r e n t r y i n t o t h e Uzbekistan market and cont i n u
d s u c c e s s i n t h e C I S region reaffirm our strategic vision to become a leading player in the international m i n i n g a n d d e f e n c e m a rkets, BEML CMD Shantanu Roy said
B E M L , u n d e r t h e Ministry of Defence, operates in three verticals - cons t r u c t i o n a n d m i n i n g , r a i l and metro, and defence and aerospace
Luxmi Group, owner of t he iconic Mak aibari Te a Estate, has acquired a major it y stake in UK-b ased Brew Te a Co B re w Te a dea ls excl usive ly with ort hodox t ea a nd has b oth a n on line and offline pr ese nce in the UK
L u x m i G r o u p a c q u i r e d an 80% stake in the company, while the remaining 20% r e m a i n s w i t h t h e e x i s t i n g promoters After Tetley and
T
s h t e a company being acquired by an Indian corporate, though it may not be of the same magnitude
Brew Tea Co was founded in Manchester by Phil and Aideen Kirby and has grown into a specialty tea brand, having a revenue between 5 million-10 million pounds
According to Brew Tea, its subscription service, deliveri n g 5 0 0 g o f l o o
bags
10,000 homes across the UK
“ b r e w e d i n o v e r 4 0 , 0 0 0 kitchens” For most of its history, India produced orthodox wholeleaf teas Since the 1950s, CTC (crush-tear-curl) processing revolutionised tea b y e n a b l i n g m a s s p r
lower costs Today, over 80% of India’s tea production is CTC, catering to the global d e m a n d f o r b a g g e d , c o m -
moditised tea Luxmi Group has estates i n A s s a m , D a
l i n g a n d Rwanda “As India celebrates its bicentennial of tea grown first in Assam, we are honoured to help bring the traditional craft that made Indian tea world-famous back into g l o b a l f o c u s , ” s a i d R u d r a C h a t t e r j e e , M D o f L u x m i Group
India's goods and service s tax (GST) coll ections in June rose by 6 2% to £18 45 bn, m arking the sl owest pace of expans i on s in c e l as t S ep t em b er The figur es for tr ansac tions in M ay s ugges t a softening of domes tic dem and, with c oll e c t i on s f r om in t e rn a l s our c
doubl e-digit growth of 11%, reac hing £4 5 6bn This latest GST data follows a period of strong performance in April and May, d
monthly collections exceeded £20bn The current subdued growth also aligns with r e c e n t i n d i c a t o r s o f w e
k i n d u s t r i a l p r o d u c t i o n a n d muted growth in direct tax collections during the first quarter of the current finan-
cial year Pratik Jain, a partner at
stating, "Around 6% growth in GST collections, coupled with less than 4% growth in advance tax collection during the first quarter of FY26, does indicate softening of demand and a cautious outlook " He suggested that conservative consumer spending could be a contributing factor, with h
the coming months Karthik Mani, partner for indirect tax at BDO India,
, coinciding with the eighth anniversary of GST's introduction He expressed opti-
muted growth in collection on a year-on-year basis is just an aberration " The figures prompt a closer examination o
ket conditions
Indi a's m anu facturing sector experienced a significant surge in June, reaching a 14mo nth hig h in activity This robu st g row th was primarily p ro p e ll ed by a sh a rp i nc re as e i n ne w o rd ers , no t ab ly f ro m o v e rs eas , w hich in turn trig g ered a reco rd up turn in em p loym ent, according to surv ey results
T h e H S B C I n d i a
M a n u f a c t u r i n g P u r c h a s i n g M a n a g e r s ’ I n d e x ( P M I ) climbed to 58 4 in June, up from 57 6 in May This headline figure comfortably surpassed its long-run average of 54 1, indicating a robust improvement in the health o f t h e s e c t o r A r e a d i n g above the 50-point mark sig-
SBI
nifies expansion, while anything below indicates contraction in the survey, compiled from responses of 400 manufacturing firms June witnessed a notably quicker u p t u r n i n n e w o r d e r i n f l o w s , w i t h t h e r a t e o f e x p a n s i o n m a r k i n g i t s strongest pace in nearly a year Companies attributed this increase to heightened marketing efforts and a subs t a n t i a l s u r g e i n
also expanded at their fastest rate since April 2024 This acceleration was fuelled by
acceleration was predominantly led by manufacturers of intermediate goods, with
goods segments experiencing a discernible slowdown in comparison The overall uplift underscores a positive trajectory for job creation and industrial output in the country
T he State Bank o f India h as moved to classify Reliance Communi cati ons (RCom)'s lo an ac co unt as fraud , a dec ision p ublicly disclosed by RCo m T h i s a c t i o n d i r e c t l y implicates Anil Ambani, the company's former director, and signals SBI's intent to report him to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), setting
The st rong debut of HD B Fina ncial Service s on the bourses e arlier this week is ex pe ct ed to fire up t he IPO moment um Star tups are adding to the IPO rush: Meesho filed it s dra ft IPO paper s with marke ts regul ator Seb i through the confident ia l route, seek in g to raise up to £425mn through a fresh issue of shares
The current month may see $2 4 billion in primary market fundraising, almost matching the $2 5 billion peak seen in Dec 2024, edging p a s t J u n e ’ s $ 2 - b i l l i o n m a r k , s a i d P r a
Bulusu, joint CEO at IIFL Capital Since last week, Pine Labs, Shadowfax, Wakefit, and Curefoods have filed their draft papers With markets making a comeback after geopolitical tensions eased in West Asia, more
startups are expediting filing of draft papers SoftBank-backed Lenskart is expected to file draft papers in two weeks, sources said
“After a five-month lull, the resurgence in India’s IPO market reflects more than pent-up supply Confidence is returning as secondary markets stabilise, geopolitical tensions ease, and institutional risk appetite strengthens The immediate catalyst has been the calming of global jitters combined with the smooth absorption of large block deals like the SingtelB
investors are back in force,” said Bulusu For the full year, the IPO market remains on track to raise $23-24 billion, with marquee offerings from LG Electronics India, NSDL, and JSW
the stage for renewed legal b a t t l e s
p r oceedings
The classification stems from a 2020 forensic audit by BDO, which prompted SBI’s fraud panel to flag the a c c o u n t N o t a b l y , C a n a r a Bank had similarly declared t h e l o a n a s f r a u d i n N o v e m b e r 2 0 2 4 , t h o u g
that order was subsequently
High Court
In its latest review, an S B I c o
d significant financial irregularities These include the alleged diversion of £1 26bn – representing 41% of the total £3 15bn loans – to connected parties The findings s u g g e s t s a n c t i o n e d f u n d s w e r e m i s u s e d , r o u t e d t h r o u g h s u b s i d i a r i e s t o obscure transactions, and manipulated the company ’ s b o o k s v i a i n t e r - c o m p a n y loans and circular transactions designed to conceal
facts
L a w y e r s f o r A m b a n i c o n t e n d t h a t S B I ’ s o r d e r was issued ex-parte and in breach of natural justice They argue that the showcause notices are outdated u
s , that Ambani held no executive role in RCom's operations, and that SBI failed to p r o
ments for a proper reply They demand the order's withdrawal and a personal hearing, highlighting that s
other non-executive directors were withdrawn, sug-
n
Ambani RCom, currently under
appointed by the National
(NCLT), maintains the clas-
" impact due to protections afforded by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code once a resolution plan is in place
QU ET T A : Dozens of m ilitants arm ed w ith g uns and rockets storm ed a police station and set f i re to tw o ban ks i n re
sou thw estern Pakistan, killing a boy and w ounding nine others befo re fleeing, officials said
T h e b o y d i e d w
attackers fired on civilians indiscriminately during the attacks in M a s t u n
n Balochistan province, said Jan Mohammad, a local govt administrator Mohammad said some of the insurgents were also killed in the shootout with security forces
A p r o v i n c i a l g o v t spokesman, Shahid Rind, said
assailants No group immediate-
ly claimed responsibility, though suspicion is likely to fall on the o
Army, or BLA, which often targets security forces and civilians in Balochistan and elsewhere The province is also home to militants linked to the Pakistani
Taliban and the Islamic State group 94 killed in terrorist attacks
At least 94 people, including
across Pakistan in June this year, according to a new report The
DHA K A : Form er P M Sh eikh Hasina w as s entenced to six mo nth s i n pri so n in a contemp t o f court case by th e Bang ladesh International C rim es Tribunal (ICT ) as it tries h er for “crimes against humanity” cases in absentia Th e sentence is classified as non-rig orou s im prisonment
This marks the first time that Hasina, 77, has been sentenced in any case since she resigned as PM in Aug last year, following a mass uprising that led to the fall of her Awami League govt and she fleeing to India I n “ c r
accused of using security forces to abduct, murder and torture activists during the JulyAug uprising The Muhammad Yunus led interim govt has sought her extradition
H a s i n a w a s
member panel of the tribunal, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, after it reviewed h e r a l l
prosecutors said threatened witnesses in ongoing hearings
The ICT also simultaneously sentenced
Bangladesh Chhatra League leader Shakil Akanda Bulbul in the case In the audio clip, Hasina is allegedly heard telling Bulbul over phone that “I have had 227 cases filed against me, so I have received a licence to kill 227 people ”
A S T A N
f ro m wearing clothing in public th at obscures the face and imp edes facial recognition, becomi ng th e late st Cent ral Asi an c ou n try to restrict veils worn by Muslim women
P r e s i d e n t K a s s y m - J o m a r t T o k a y e v signed a law banning clothing that interf e r e s w i t h
n
n p u b l i c places Such clothing is now only allowed for medical reasons, during adverse weather and at sporting or cultural events in the majority Muslim country
Tokayev previously said the ban was an opportunity to celebrate the ethnic identity of Kazakhstan “Rather than wearing faceconcealing black robes, it's much better to
wear clothes in the national style," he was quoted as saying by Kazakh media
“Our national clothes vividly emphasise our ethnic identity, so we need to popularise them comprehensively ” According to official data, almost 70 per cent of Kazakhstan's population practises Islam, with Christianity the second most practised religion
The latest clothing ban follows similar restrictions on face veils by other Central Asian countries Neighbouring Kyrgyzstan passed a law earlier this year prohibiting
Kyrgyzstan conduct street patrols and raids to enforce the ban on the niqab face veil worn by some Muslim women, according to local media
monthly security report released by Islamabad-based think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict
said from Jan to June 2025, there
across the country, resulting in 737 deaths Among the deceased were 284 security forces personnel and 273 civilians In June alone, 78 terror attacks claimed the lives of 53 security personnel, 39 civilians, and 2 members of peace committees In response
Pakistani security forces intensi-
tions during June, eliminating 71 militants These operations also resulted in the deaths of 2 security personnel and 2 civilians, it said
TE H RA N: Millions of Afgha n m igra nt s and ref ugees in Iran have been ask ed to l eave or f ace arrest as a deadline s et by the governm ent c om es to an end
Sunday’s target date neared amid public concerns over security in the aftermath of the 12-day conflict with Israel, which the United States joined with air strikes on Iran’s uranium-enrichment facilities But humanitarian organisations warned that mass deportations could further destabilise Afghanistan, one of the world’s most impoverished nations Iran is home to an estimated 4 million Afghan migrants and refugees, and many have lived there for decades
In 2023, Tehran launched a campaign to expel foreigners it said were living in the country “illegally” In March, the Iranian government ordered that Afghans without the right to remain should leave voluntarily by Sunday or face expulsion Since then, more than 700,000 Afghans have left, and hundreds of thousands of others face expulsion
More than 230,000 departed in June alone, t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s I n t e r n a t i o n a l Organization for Migration said The government has denied targeting Afghans, who have fled their homeland to escape war, poverty and Taliban rule Batoul Akbari, a restaurant owner, said that Afghans living in Tehran were hurt by “anti-Afghan sentiment”, adding that it was heartbreaking to see “people sent away from the only home they have ever known ”
IS L A M A BA D : In a m ove that h a s rattl ed P a ki st an ’ s al read y frag ile tech landscape, Microsoft h as announced the closure of its l oc al of fi ce, end i ng a 25 -ye ar p resence in the country
The tech giant, as part of its
through its regional hubs and authorised resellers, rather than maintaining a direct presence on t
firmed the shift in a statement to TechCrunch, saying it reflects a model it already uses in various
quick to assure that existing customer agreements and services will continue unaffected, and that the quality of support will remain consistent
The decision, though affecting only five employees locally,
ness and tech
Microsoft services such as Azure and Office Unlike in India, Microsoft never
limiting its footprint to liaison and sales operations Still, the
more symbolic than numerical,
troubling signal about Pakistan’s
An Indian national in Singapore was sentenced to six months jail for biting off a colleague s ear after a heated argument Senthilkumar Vishnusakthi, an electrician at Ty Engineering, pleaded guilty to one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to 31-year-old Nesamani Hariharn The victim was seated on his bed when Senthilkumar returned to Kallang Dormitory, where both the Indians stayed, in a drunken state Senthilkumar began loudly talking about the victim spying on him and reporting back to their work supervisor about his poor work performance The duo began a heated argument and Senthilkumar punched the victim's back and managed to get hold of him and bites off his colleague s earlobe
An Indian origin man was arrested after allegedly attacking a fellow passenger aboard a Frontier Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Miami The incident, partially captured in a video, shows a physical altercation between Ishaan Sharma of Newark, New Jersey, and fellow passenger Keanu Evans The confrontation began shortly after Sharma returned to his seat Evans who was seated directly in front of Sharma said that the assault was unprovoked He claimed Sharma began making threatening remarks Evans said he initially tried to defuse the situation by alerting flight attendants and pressing the assistance button However, he alleged that Sharma escalated the conflict by physically grabbing him by the neck
Dr Neha Gupt, a 36-year-old pediatrician, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the drowning death of her 4-year-old daughter, Aria Talathi The arrest was made in Oklahoma City following an investigation by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Homicide Bureau The incident occurred on June 27 when police department responded to a call reporting a drowning child in a residential pool at El Portal Florida Fire Rescue transported Aria Talathi to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead Following an investigation detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Gupta She was taken into custody in Oklahoma City
Dr Tina Shah raised more than $260 000 within 24 hours of launching her campaign for Congress in New Jersey’s 7th District a powerful opening salvo in what s expected to be one of the country s most competitive House races Her campaign reported that the haul is not only the highest single-day fundraising figure in the race to date but also one of the strongest nationally for any challenger Shah, a practicing ICU physician and first-generation Indian American, is making healthcare reform the centerpiece of her bid to unseat Republican incumbent Tom Kean Jr
players
However, the move coincides with Microsoft’s largest round of global job cuts, with over 9,000 positions recently
Information and Broadcasting has attributed the company ’ s exit to this wider organisational r
y , Microsoft had already been quie
as
The death toll from a collapsed multi-story residential building in southern Pakistan rose to 16 as search operations to find survivors continued for the second day Rescuers pulled 10 more bodies from the rubble during an overnight operation, officials said The govtrun Civil Hospital said in a statement it had received the 16 bodies, adding several of the injured had been hospitalised Rescue workers are using heavy machinery to search for at least eight more survivors believed to be trapped under the debris, said emergency officials Residents said the building was located on a narrow street hampering efforts to bring in additional heavy equipment
An Indian origin father and son duo were sentenced for their involvement in an illegal operation of importing and distributing opium and tobacco, uncovered by Australian authorities earlier this year The South Australian duo faced court, following an Australian Border Force (ABF) investigation that found drugs and illicit tobacco hidden across multiple Adelaide locations, including their Indian grocery and takeaway store in Plympton Surveillance footage revealed the son selling these items to customers
Swat Valley and Gilgit-Baltistan are battling deadly floods triggered by relentless monsoon rains and glacial lake outburst floods in Pakistan At least 72 people have died nationwide, including 14 in Swat and 23 in Astore (Gilgit Baltistan) where a passenger bus plunged into a swollen river Another 25 people were rescued from the surging Indus near Shadi Khan in Punjab’s Attock district In both regions roads bridges and homes have been swept away leaving mountain communities stranded In Gilgit-Baltistan floods threaten power lines and roads in Diamer, Skardu, and Astore, while downstream provinces fear the Indus s surging flow
Thailand s Constitutional court suspended PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra, pending an ethics investigation over accusations she was too deferential to a senior Cambodian leader when the two discussed a recent border dispute in a phone call that was leaked Paetongtarn has faced growing dissatisfaction over her handling of the dispute, which involved an armed confrontation on May 28 in which one Cambodian soldier was killed In a call with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, she attempted to defuse tensions - but instead set off a string of complaints and public protests by critics who accused her of being too fawning
Turkish police detained three more employees of a satirical magazine raising the number of people taken into custody over a cartoon that authorities claim depicted the Prophet Muhammad to four The cartoon, published in LeMan magazine drew a string of condemnation from govt officials and sparked an angry protest outside the magazine s Istanbul office LeMan, in a statement, denied the allegations and insisted the drawing was intended to portray a Muslim man named Muhammad and was meant to highlight the suffering of Muslims
Europe’s heat wave is set to peak over the coming days, triggering red alerts from France to the Swiss Alps warning people to take extra precautions against the extreme conditions The top of the Eiffel Tower will be shut to visitors over the next few days as temperatures in Paris climb as high as 41°C Red alerts have been issued for the French capital and 15 other departments due to the heat wave that’s been baking the country since June 19 London could hit 34°C before cooling down Temperatures across the Iberian peninsula could climb even higher with 43°C forecast for parts of Spain, where an unusually persistent weather pattern made last month the hottest June on record
ha
mly de clar ed
silenced The escalatin
oundt able in Florida
During his remarks, Trump labelled Mamdani “ a lunatic," "a pure, true communist," and "a
further escalated his rhetoric by
arresting Mamdani, stripping his citizenship, and deporting him, s
’ll have to arrest him " Trump
would "look over everything " Mamdani, who emigrated to
statements as
"His statements are not just an attack on me, but a warning to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: if you speak
the US from Uganda as a child in 1998, responded with a resolute statement "The President of the United States just threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, put in a detention camp and deported, not because
o wns The d ev elopm ent com es ju st a month after M usk’ s h igh p
P resident Do nald Trum p While the party’s exact platform is unclear, Musk says he aims to shake up America’s two party political system, which is dominated by the Democratic and Republican parties Musk hinted at what his new party would stand for by reposting another user on X, who stated
that the outfit’s agenda will be focused on reducing debt, modernising the military with AI, less regulation, free speech and
centrist policies Musk has also p u b l i c l y s p e c u l a t e d
o
Representatives and the Senate in order to exercise greater politi c a l
Republicans hold a slim majority in both chambers at present In 2024, Musk used his siz-
Republican party to victory over the Democrats According to the Washington Post, Trump spent roughly $288 million last year to
T E NNE SS E E: The Tennessee state thro ugh a resolution honored BAP S’s global spiritual leadership and humanitarian impact, and reco gnized Puj ya Brah mav iharidas S wami for spearhead ing the creatio n of the BA PS Hind u Mand ir in Abu Dhabi
He was also acknowledged the relief work during the 2001 Bhuj earthquake, humanitarian support throughout the Covid pandemic, and establishing relief camps for refugees during the Ukraine-Russia conflict - all carried out under the guidance and blessings of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj and His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj Reflecting the respect held for him across the state, Governor Bill Lee extended a warm welcome through his Senior Advisor, John DeBerry, and House Representative Mark Sparks, who traveled to Atlanta to personally honor Pujya Brahmaviharidas Swami
during a large spiritual assembly of over 2,000 people
This recognition highlights the strong alignment between Tennessee's core values and BAPS’s guiding principles of selfless service, unity, and uplifting all individuals
D A L L A S : T h e F B I h as ad d ed C i nd y
Rod rigu ez Singh, a US citizen with ties to India and Mexico, to its T en M ost Wanted Fu gitiv es list for th e alleged murder o f her six-year-old son, Noel Alvarez Th e rew ard for inform ation leading to h er arrest h as been increased to $250,0 00 Singh, 40, was charged with capital murder in October 2023 She was last seen on March 22, 2023, boarding a flight to India from Texas with her husband, Arshdeep Singh, and six of their children Noel was not with them and has not been seen since October 2022
Authorities began investigating after a welfare check revealed Singh had falsely claimed Noel was with his biological father in Mexico Witnesses later reported Singh believed Noel was “possessed” and feared he
would harm her newborn twins The child, who had severe disabilities and required oxygen support, was allegedly neglected and abused Singh gave conflicting stories about Noel’s whereabouts, including a claim that she sold him in a supermarket parking lot Police found no evidence supporting this Investigators believe Arshdeep Singh disposed of a carpet the day before the family’s departure, which a police dog detected for human remains
A federal warrant for Singh’s arrest on charges of unlawful flight was issued in November 2023 The case has drawn national attention, and officials hope the increased reward and publicity will lead to her capture
Anyone with information is urged to call
made him the largest donor in that election cycle Trump then
Efficiency (DOGE), with a remit to slash government expenditures in an effort to reduce the national debt
partnership
dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” The bill restricted tax credits for electric vehicles, which directly impacted Tesla, Musk’s $1 trillion dollar electric vehicles company
W ASHI NG TO N : Indian Amer ican lawma kers ar e vocifer ously condemning Pr esident Dona ld T rump's e xpa nsi ve tax a nd spending package , which r ecently narr owly pa ssed the Senate with V ice Pre si de nt JD Vance ca sting the tie-bre aking vote The contenti ous ‘One Big Beautiful Bi ll A ct’ n ow r e t ur n s to t he H ous e of Repre se ntatives, where its ultima te fa te r emains unce rta in give n the Repub li cans' slim ma jority Having previously cleared the House by a single vote before Senate amendments, the legislation faces renewed and staunch resistance, particularly from Indian American legislators They collectively brand the bill a direct assault on America’s working class and vulnerable populations, with many dubbing it everything from a ‘Big Bad Betrayal’ to ‘the most cruel, harmful, and immoral’ bill in recent memory Pramila Jayapal urged citizens to act, stressing it is not too late to stop this bill Raja Krishnamoorthi branded it a ‘moral failure’, accusing Senate Republicans of ramming through a budget bill that guts our social safety net and slashes over $1 trillion from Medicaid to fund substantial tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy He warned millions would lose healthcare and families would go hungry
Ro Khanna highlighted projected losses of 2 million SNAP benefits and 11 8 million insurance policies by 2034, but blasts fossil fuel subsidies Shri Thanedar decried the ‘big, ugly, deficit-raising, Medicaid-cutting, shafti n g
the-rich-even-richer mega bill’, stating it would raise the deficit by $3 3 trillion and cause 16 million Americans to lose healthcare Suhas Subramanyam noted the Senate amendments intensified cuts and debt, while Ami Bera underscored House Democrats'
Despite President Trump's push for a July 4 finalisation, razor-thin margins and mounting resistance suggest further debate is likely
CH EN N AI : Supe rsta r actor -
p o li t i ci a n Vi j a y ha s b e e n
c o n fi r m e d a s t h e ch i e f m in ist er ia l can didat e of his fled glin g pa rt y, Tamizha ga V e t r i Ka zh a g a m , f o r t h e 2026 Ta mil Na du e le ct ion
At the party's executive meet in Chennai, Vijay also made his political stance clear - there will be no alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party "TVK will never align with our policy enemies and divisive f o r c e s , " t h e a c t o r t h u n d e r e d , emphasising what he has been saying for months now
another scathing attack on
religious lines" and warning
never work in Tamil Nadu, where the roots of social
equality run deep "
He warned the DMK that it was pushing the project through without
flood-prone runways and other safety concerns
Vijay also made his feelings clear about the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - which he claims is 'secretly owned' by the BJP - and said there could be no deal with that party either Neither sentiment is new; back in March he launched all-out attacks on the BJP and DMK - over everything from delimitation, the 'imposition' of Hindi, devolution of GST collections, the increase in crimes against women, a n d t h e c e n t r e s
election plan
But making enemies of the BJP and DMK doesn't leave too many alliance options for Vijay The actor, though, doesn't appear too flustered about his alliance options Instead, he has his eyes set on large-scale mobilisation; the TVK has set itself an ambitious
t a r g e t o f s i g n i n g u p 2 0 m i l l i o n members before next year's election
To that end, Vijay will hold a statewide t o u r b e t w e e n S e p t e m b e r a n d
December to consolidate grassroots support
C H A N D I G A R H : P un j ab ’ s f arm er u nions hav e decid ed to o ppose the land po oling initiativ e of the s tate g overnment, claiming that the policy o f mo netising Punjab’s land to earn rev enu e wo uld di splace farmers en m asse
T h e u n i o n s , w h i c h a r e constituents of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), have decided to first c o n v e n e a n a l l - o u t f i t m e e t i n g a t Chandigarh on July 18 to discuss the issue and then hold “flag marches” on
J u l y 3 0 T h e f l a g m a r c h e s w i l l b e
o r g a n i s e d i n v i l l a g e s w h e r e t h e government wants to acquire land u n d e r t h e n e w l y l a u n c h e d l a n d
p o o l i n g p o l i c y , f o r s e t t i n g u p residential, commercial and industrial projects
V a r i o u s f o r u m s , i n c l u d i n g t h e SKM, SKM (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), are now thinking of launching a joint protest against the policy
KMM said that they were left with no option but to join hands, or risk losing P u n j a b ’ s f e r t i l e f a r m l a n d t o r a p i d urbanisation and/or industrialisation “ W e a r e i n t a l k s t o f i g h t u n i t e d l y against the policy,” he said
After participating in a meeting of representatives of constituent unions of the SKM, Harinder Singh Lakhowal of the BKU (Lakhowal) said the policy w a s “ a n t i
displace them from their fertile land to arid or brackish land
“Though the government claims it will give a compensation of Rs 30,000 per annum per acre for three years when the land is given under land pooling policy, it is an accepted fact t
n d development So, for the remaining s e v e n t o 1 2 y e a r s , t i l l t h e l a n d i s developed, the farmer will neither get compensation nor the allowance,” he said
Calcutta HC bars tainted candidates from fresh recruitment
i nstr uct ed th e Sch oo l Se rvice Co mmissio n ( SSC) t o c ondu ct the fr esh recr uit ment o f t each ing and non-teac hing staff excluding t h o se wh o w er e i de nt i f ie d a s “ u nderserving” a nd “t ainted” duri ng the i nvestigat ion into th e cash-for-jo bs sc am
Despite the arguments made by the SSC’s counsel Kalyan Bandyopadhyay, Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya ruled the application of any tainted candidates from the 2016 panel will have to be rejected The high court made it clear those who were identified having used u n f a i r m e a n s
aided schools will not be allowed to participate in the recruitment process
In April, a division bench of the Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court verdict from last year which cancelled the employment of 25,753
BE NGA L U RU : C hoose either electio n g uarantees or dev elopm ent - a close aid e of Karnataka Ch ief Minister Siddaram aiah told a public rally, risking a fresh political flas hp oint am id an app arent p ow er stru gg le in th e so uthern state's ruling dispensation
Basavaraj Raya Reddy, an MLA and economic adviser
addressing a gathering during the inauguration of a school building in his Yelburga constituency
"Say I don't want rice or anything, if you say, "only build village roads", we will do that too I will suggest Siddaramaiah stop it as people are asking us to, should I tell him?" he was heard saying in Kannada
"If you want an asphalt road or a school, understand that everything can't be done at once You need to make it clear, say you don't want these other benefits, stop all that If you ask us to build roads, we will build roads If you say, build temples , we ll build only temples It is because we must manage everything with the funds available," he added
T
significance as Siddaramaiah faces a litmus test with his o w n M L A
concerns The statement also refilled the opposition arsenal after their demands for Siddaramaiah to resign in the aftermath of the Bengaluru stampede fell on deaf ears
A M R I TS A R : A for m er sa rp an ch a ssocia t ed wit h t he
Shir oman i Aka li Da l (SA D) wa s shot in Saidupur v illage , un der the R aja Sa nsi a re a of Am ritsar d ist rict
The deceased has been identified as Palwinder Singh
The incident occurred around midnight, allegedly over an old rivalry in the neighbourhood According to initial i n v
Shubham Masih, a resident of the adjacent house
P o l i c e o f f i c i a l s s t a t e d t h a t t h e m u r d e r w a s t h e outcome of a personal enmity that had escalated over t i m e T h e
parking Investigation Officer Baghel Singh said the latest altercation began over a ladder placed by Palwinder Singh to help an electrician fix a power issue by climbing a pole Shubham allegedly came out of his house, threw down the ladder, and when confronted, pulled out his licensed revolver and fired seven rounds Three of the bullets struck Palwinder Singh, killing him on the spot The victim's son, Amritpal Singh, revealed that there had b e e n n o c o m m
Shubham's for some time
Following the shooting, Shubham Masih fled the scene Police arrived shortly after the incident was reported, took possession of the body, and sent it for a post-mortem
Manipur, which is under President's rule, p
sheltering people displaced by ethnic violence since May 2023 and resettle them through a s
programme Chief secretary PK Singh said that the state was in talks with the ministry of
displaced based on an assessment of how many people were prepared to leave the relief camps immediately “The process has already begun The number of displaced people has dropped from 62,000 to 57,000 The second phase of rehabilitation is slated to begin by Oct and the third in Dec Singh said financial assistance for resettlement would be provided in three categories Beneficiaries in the first group – 7,000 to 8,000 people whose houses were destroyed in arson - are eligible for around Rs 300,000 each to rebuild their homes The second category has 7,000 people who fled their villages to escape violence, but whose houses were spared They will receive financial assistance to start life afresh The last group will have people who are unable to
number can be anything between 8,000 and 1
houses,” Singh said
At least three people lost their lives due to electrocution in flood-hit Dimapur as heavy monsoon rains battered Nagaland over the past few days, officials said The victims were electrocuted in their homes in the Burma Camp and Kuda Village areas, where floodwaters inundated residential zones, forcing people to wade through chest-deep water Flight operations at Dimapur Airport were completely suspended after floodwaters submerged the runway and parking areas Multiple flights, including those of IndiGo and Air India Express, were cancelled Passengers have been advised to check with airlines for updates National Highway 29, the lifeline connecting Dimapur and Kohima has been severely affected by landslides disrupting vehicular movement and endangering commuters Dimapur Kohima and Niuland are among the worst-affected districts In Niuland alone around 70 villages are reported to be impacted Bridges homes fisheries and paddy fields have suffered extensive damage raising concerns over food security In Dimapur s Half-Nagarjan area, floodwaters rose to three feet, with residents using boats and even swimming to navigate the streets Authorities rescued 52 people from inundated zones as part of ongoing evacuation efforts
Dismissing the entire panel from 2016 who had “qualified” in the 2016 state level selection test, the SC bench had said, “In our opinion, this case is where the entire selection process has been vitiated Manipulation and fraud
o
intention to cover up have tainted the selection process beyond repair ” About the tainted candidates, the apex court had said: “For candidates who have been specifically found to be tainted, their entire selection process has been rightly declared null and void d
illegalities which violate Article 14 and 16 of the Constitution As such the a p
s h Bhattacharya, who is also a CPM Rajya Sabha MP, and advocate Anindya Mitra appearing on behalf of the “deserving candidates” said the apex court had c l e a r l y m e n t i o
candidates cannot participate in the recruitment process
K OL KA T A : C alcutta HC directed West Bengal gov t to lo ck stu dents u nion roo ms at all state co lleg es and universities HC also asked the state to issue an o rd er so th at no student is permitted to enter th e union room w ith ou t th e w ritten perm i ssi on of the reg istrar or another competent person
However, the union room of the south Kolkata college, where a law student was raped on June 25, would be accessible to the investigating agency until further order, the court said
A division bench of justices Soumen Sen and Smita Das De issued the directives while hearing a PIL on the ‘illegal’ use of union rooms in the absence of elected student bodies The last union elections in a majority of state colleges was held in 2017, while in Presidency University and Jadavpur University, it was held in 2019 and 2020, respectively
The bench said if a student wanted to access a union room, the purpose should be disclosed in the letter seeking permission for the same The court, however, c l a r i f i e d t h
room/rooms identified and used as the students union room ” , and will not include recreational or common rooms After the HC order, some Kolkata colleges scrambled to lock their union rooms K O L
A high-voltage drama unfolded at the Adamtilla tea estate, located near the India-Bangladesh border in Patharkandi s Sribhumi area in Assam after locals caught one suspected Bangladeshi cattle thief leading to serious allegations against the Border Security Force (BSF) According to reports, three cows were stolen from the residence of Shia Shankar Kairi, a resident of the border village In a swift response villagers managed to nab one of the suspects and subjected him to a physical confrontation before alerting authorities The situation escalated when personnel from the BSF stationed at Mohangul Camp arrived on the scene and allegedly attempted to rescue the accused by whisking him away in a BSF vehicle This triggered massive protests from the local population who accused the BSF of sheltering the intruder instead of handing him over to state authorities Enraged residents blocked the BSF vehicle for nearly two hours, demanding that the accused be handed over to the Assam Police The crowd refused to relent insisting on due legal procedures to be followed After a lengthy standoff and heated exchanges, BSF officials took the accused back to their camp
The Da lai Lama turne d 90 on Sunday last surrounded b
Chine
in Tibe
in 1959
Sitting before a packed audience that included hun-
and nuns who braved incessant rain to see him, he said: “When I look back on my life, I see that I have not wasted it at all I live my life in the serv i c e o
beings,” he added
capped a week of celebra-
said he plans to reincarnate after his death, ending years of speculation that he might be the last person to hold the role He also said that the next Dalai Lama should be and recognized as per past Buddhist traditions Earlier, Dalai Lama said he hoped to live until the age of 130
Lama has said his successor
Many exiled Tibetans, however, fear China will name its
own successor to the Dalai Lama to bolster control over Tibet, a territory it poured troops into in 1950 and has
India 's Ministry of Defe nce granted prel im ina ry approval for ten s ignifica nt acquisition projects , coll ectively va lued at over £1 05bn
These encompass a wide range of advanced m ilitary hardware, f rom special is ed spy air
c
q uick-react ion air def ence mis siles and underwater autonom ous ves sel s, aiming to signif ic antly bols ter India's def ence capabilities
The largest project to receive Acceptance of Necessity (AoN), the initial step in the lengthy procurement process – is the indigenous construction of 12 mine countermeasure vessels (MCMVs) for the Indian Navy, estimated at approximately £370mn
These specialised warships, crucial amid expanding maritime cooperation between C h i n a a n d P a
detecting and destroying underwater mines used by adversaries to disrupt shipping and naval operations The Navy currently relies on limited "clip-on" systems, highlighting a major capability gap this project aims to fill over the next decade
The second substantial project, valued at
£302mn, involves the procurement of new
Organisation (DRDO), these highly mobile systems are designed to intercept hostile fighters, helicopters, and drones within a 30km range Three regiments are earmarked for the Army and three squadrons for the Indian Air Force, enhancing the nation’s multi-layered air defence network, which proved vital during the recent Operation Sindoor hostilities
Furthermore, the Ministry approved a £1bn project for three ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance) planes These sophisticated aircraft will be equipped with advanced indigenous sensors to identify and help target high-value enemy assets on the ground with greater precision for fighter jets and missiles, enhancing real-time intelligence gathering
The approvals also include smaller projects such as autonomous underwater vessels for surveillance
T he Indian A rm y is set to receive the first three of its six long -delayed Apache AH64E attack helicopters this m onth Th is com es as part of a £569mn deal signed with
t
T
m anufactured gunships are expected around Ju ly 1 5, w ith the remaining three to fo llow by Nov em ber US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth recently assu red Defence Minister Rajnath S ingh that all six heav y-d uty chopp ers would be d elivered this year
These six Apaches for the Army will supplement the 22 already inducted by the Indian Air Force under a separate £1 39bn deal from September 2015 One of the IAF's choppers was unfortunately damaged in a
hard landing in Ladakh last April The Army had raised its Apache squadron in Jodhpur last March, but deliveries have faced multiple delays due to
These formidable helicopters are armed with Stinger air-to-
ground missiles, guns, and rockets
Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is poised to roll out the first Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)
Tejas Mk1A from its new Nashik production line by the end of July D K Sunil, HAL CMD, confirmed that the integration and test firing of the indigenous Astra air-
August
UAE offers Indians lifetime Golden Visa for just Rs 23,00,000
T
Golden Visa, making lifetime residenc y in the co untry far mo re accessible to Indians Unlike the traditio nal route, which requ ired prop erty investments worth at least AED 2 millio n ( £466,000) o r significant business stakes, this new sch eme o pens doo rs for eli gible individuals at a fractio n of the co st, starting from Rs 23, 00,000
Those who opt for this visa can do any business or professional work in the UAE
With over a billion Indians already calling the UAE home and having strong ties, the Golden Visa move could greatly aid those looking to settle more permanently in the Arabian nation Rayad Kamal Ayub of the Rayad Group, which has been mandated to
carry out the Golden Visa process, termed it a golden opportunity for Indians However, only around 5,000 Indians will be able to apply for this nomination-based visa in three months, beneficiaries and people involved in the process said India and Bangladesh have been selected
and VFS, have been chosen to test the initial rollout of the Golden Visa These bodies would then forward the applications to the UAE authorities Those with a Golden Visa are allowed to sponsor their family members to join them in Dubai "You can also keep servants and drivers based on this visa You can do any business or professional work here," Rayad Kamal was quoted as saying
Buddhism It also says it will reject anyone chosen without Beijing’s consent Worl d l eade rs an d cel ebrities sen t wishe
Rubio, sent their wishes to the Tibetan leader The celebration was also attended by hundreds of followers from around the world including H
which views the Dalai Lama as a separatist, has repeatedly said that it alone has the authority to approve the next spiritual leader of Tibetan
Richard Gere Onl y Dal ai can pick successor: In dia
China’s claim that it has
decisive say in choosing the Dalai Lama’s successor and asserted that the issue could
dance with the wishes of the Tibetan spiritual leader and established Buddhist traditions The Dalai Lama’s position is of immense importance, not just for Tibetans but for millions of his follow-
with him, in accordance with
India's
Rijiju told reporters
A high-leve l India n de leg ation con cluded a crucial visit t o Lausan ne, the Olympic capit al, e nga ging in t he Inte rna tiona l Olympic Commit tee ’ s (IOC) con tinuous dialogue proce ss T hi s
t hor oughly ex plor e the opport un ity and fe asibility of India hostin g a futur e edition of t he Olympic and Pa
Olympic Association (IOA) President P T Usha, alongside senior officials from the IOA and the Union government’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports The discussions served as a vital platform for the Indian representatives to articulate their vision for h o
invaluable insights directly from the IOC regarding the stringent requirements for the
Games and the committee's ambitions for the future trajectory of the Olympic movement Sanghavi emphasised the transformative potential, stating, "Hosting the Games would be a monumental step for Gujarat, fostering unprecedented growth and inspiring a new generation We are eager to be a
months of this process " Usha underscored India’s evolving relationship with the Olympic Movement, not-
spirit of Olympism,
Games in India would not just be
spectacular event, they would be one of generational impact for all Indians " This visit marks a significant stride in India s aspiration to bring the world's premier sporting event to its shores
It is with deep sadness that we inform you of the passing of Tejasbhai Amin to Akshardham
Damyantiben Amin, was born at Whipps Cross Hospital and raised in Leyton, East London He had a younger brother, D
Publisher and Editor His family instilled strong Hindu values, and he was born into the Swaminarayan faith
At a young age, he connected to the Anoopam Mission Swaminarayan Satsang which is inspired by Sant Bhagwant Sahebji He attended boarding school in India for 5 years and was under the care of Sadguru Sant Pujya Shantidada and Sadhu Pujya Pareshdasji and he excelled academically and also evolved his spiritual journey
On returning to the UK he settled quickly into work in the financial industry and worked for the Canary Wharf Group as a Financial Analyst
He was a devoted Satsangi and part of the Anoopam Mission UK youth group, regularly attending the Mandir (temple) for seva (selfless service) From the time of the inauguration of the deities at the Anoopam Mission Mandir in 1989 he was very focussed on faith as a foundation and pillar of his life He performed many different forms of seva on the Mandir campus and for all devotees whole heartedly with humility
He met his life partner Nilpaben and got married in the United States and settled in Charlotte in North Carolina where he continued to pursue his career in the financial sector He has a son (Saiyam), who is now 13 years old and who was his whole world He was also a devoted follower of Pragat Guruhari Mahant Swami Maharaj and performed seva at the BAPS Mandir in Charlotte
Tejasbhai had a great passion for life His determination and loyalty were unwavering towards his family and valued friendship groups He was an Arsenal football fan and was very competitive, he loved all sports and used to regularly attend various annual community tournaments He was an intelligent, charismatic gentleman who had a very smart dress code which was admired by all
He unfortunately had been fighting with cancer for just over five years so life was very challenging However, his faith in Lord Swaminarayan gave him the strength in this adversity to stand tall and fight internally with everything he had This was a testament to his resilience and courage
We will always remember his infectious personality, smile, and generosity to all Always there to help others when needed and not letting circumstances dim his light from within Tejasbhai will be missed dearly May Lord Swaminarayan rest his soul in peace and love
Jai Shree Swaminarayan
Se ve n fa milies of victims of t he AI 1 71 cr ash re ce ived a ‘second se t’ of r ema ins from the Civil Hospit al The se re main s we re from t he 16 m or e foun d a t the wre ckag e sit e in M egha nina gar during post -disa ster ope ra tions, a nd we re ma tched wit h DNA sa mple s provide d by kin This
h a n d ov e r m a y m e a n a s e c on d fune ra l for som e victims
A c o n s e n t f o r m h a d b e e n distributed among relatives of the d e c e a s e d , i n c l u d i n g p a s s e n g e r s , c r e w m e m b e r s , d o c t o r s , t h e i r relatives and local residents, which sought permission to carry out last rites of remains that may be found during the further clearing of the spot or during medical analysis,
s a i d a n o f f i c i a l O u t o f t h e remaining 10, nine have consented to the hospital carrying out last rites, whereas a response from one family of the victim is awaited, said a sources
The families, all from different parts of Gujarat, including Anand, N
approach them in case of a DNA match
The sources said that the new s e t
compared to the first “Some have part of the body, whereas some have one or more bones Due to the nature of the crash, it is possible
caused the fragmentation,” said an official associated with the process
AP robe team submits preliminary rep ort
m investigating the Ahmedabad Air India plane crash has submitted its preliminary report to the civil aviation ministry, sources said It
conclusion the investigators from
Bureau have arrived upon into the crash that resulted in the death of 260 people According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Crash Protection Module (CPM)
safely recovered, and on June 25, 2025, the memory module was successfully accessed and its data
black box - known as a “golden chassis”- was used to verify the successful recovery of the data The probe is being overseen by
U n i on h om e mi n i s t er a n d m i n i s te r of c ooperation Amit Shah launched the Sardar Patel Cooperative Dairy Federation Limi ted ( SPC
unified umbrella
This fresh chapter in India’s cooperative sector was being scripted from ‘milk city’ A
venture of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk M
markets the $11 billion brand Amul
“ T h e S
Federation will help farmers at a level that Amul does by engaging in fair practices of procuring milk and providing appropriate pricing,” said Shah after unveiling the logo of Amul’s new venture at a function at Amul Dairy This event marked the completion of f o u r y e a r s s i n c e t h e f o r m a t i o n o f t h e ministry of cooperation Representatives of milk producers from 20 states, other than Gujarat, from where Amul procures milk, were present at the gathering The new federation will have an initial corpus of £20mn
“ T o d a y , 3 6 , 0 0 , 0 0 0 i n G u j a r a t a n d 20,00,000 more across India power Amul’s operations Thanks to their efforts, Amul’s current turnover stands at £8bn Next year, we will cross £10bn - and the profit will go s t r a i g h t i n t o t h e a c c o
0 women, ” said Shah He stressed that the cooperative model was not about enriching individuals but uplifting entire communities, with Amul standing as a model of inclusive economic success
federation, which will be governed under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002, was being formed in the year that marks the
declared by the United Nations, and the fourth year of the formation of the ministry of cooperation The year also marks 150th birth anniversary year of Sardar Patel, who sowed the seeds of Amul The governing structure of the new federation will comprise multiple stakeholders, including a GCMMF representative (20% equity), representatives of 10 milk unions of Gujarat (60% equity),
farmers from outside Gujarat (20% equity) Shah lauds Sarhad Dairy’s salt cooperative
Dairy for registering the first cooperative for salt production “ S
untouched by the cooperative movement Today, that gap has been filled,” Shah said while addressing a function in Anand that
function, Shah launched a series of projects
was a passionate advocate for preserving Indian culture and language Through her tireless efforts, she inspired and e m p
Indian
Patel and the
Mandal, 10 Sampson Road, Sparkbrook B11 1JA
the Director General of AAIB
confirmed that the
Air India accused of 'bullying' families
Air India has been accused of “bullying” the families of victims killed in the Ahmedabad disaster amid claims they were forced to sign papers disclosing their financial dependency to the deceased in an alleged attempt to slash compensation payments Peter Neenan, a partner at London-based law firm Stewarts who is speaking to around 40 families, accused Air India of trying to hound out those who were financially dependent on a crash victim so they could underpay them
Airline rejects charges
While rejecting the allegations, Air India said that they are making considerable efforts to process payment of interim compensation as soon as possible The airline said they are seeking information to establish family relationships to ensure that the advance payments are received by those entitled to them Whilst the questionnaire does ask family members to indicate with a “ yes ” or “ no ” as to whether they are “financially dependent” on the deceased, Air India believes this is an entirely fair and necessary question in order for us to process payments to those most in need of assistance
As part of
Se ptember 2025 The ev ent is join tly being orga nised by Sa rda rdha m
Or gan isa tions (NC GO) UK
The event is expected to be graced by Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel, who has been invited as the Chief Guest To formally extend the invitation, a
their visit, they met Councillor Anjanaben Patel, Mayor of Harrow, along with NCGO o f f i c e b e a
Sardardham; Vimalji Odedra, President of NCGO UK; Jitu Patel, Joint Secretary of N C G O U K ; S a r d a r d h a m V i c e P r e s i d e n t
K a n t i G a d h i
Manish Kapadia and Ganpat Dhameliya
T
London was first envisioned during a UK visit in May by Ganpat Dhameliya, Manish K
Following fruitful discussions, it was agreed to hold this event in London as part of the global celebrations of Sardar Patel’s 150th birth anniversary
The Sardarkatha will be narrated by Shaileshbhai Sagpariya, whose powerful and heartfelt storytelling is expected to make a
to India and
on the values he stood for
In a setback to actor Saif A li Khan an d his family, who inherited £1 5bn properties owned by Bhopal 's erstwhil e rule rs, th e M ad hy a Pra de sh H ig h Co urt h as se t aside the trial court s verdict given over two decad es ago, an d orde red a retrial in the c ase
In its order, the single bench of high court of Justice Sanjay Dwivedi set aside the judgment and decree of the trial court which upheld Pataudis (Saif Ali Khan, his mother Sharmila Tagore and his two sisters Soha and Saba) to be the owners of the properties
It also directed the trial court to make all possible efforts to conclude and decide the matter within one year Nawab Hamidullah
was the last ruling Nawab of the princely state of Bhopal
He and his wife Maimoona Sultan had three daughters Abida, Sajida and Rabia Sajida married Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi and became the Nawab Begum of Bhopal T
former Indian cricket team skipper married Sharmila Tagore
A
daughter Abida migrated to Pakistan, Sajida became the owner of the properties Later, her son Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi became the successor of these properties estimated to be valued at nearly £1 5bn, which were inherited by Saif Ali and his siblings
Nehal Modi, brother of fugitive Nirav,
N
aud case
His arrest follows a formal
and an active Interpol Red Corner Notice issued at the request of India’s Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate A B e l g i
losses exceeding $2 billion He is alleged to have aided his brother Nirav in tampering with evidence,
Authorities also allege that Nehal helped launder millions of illicit funds through shell companies
The funds, investigators claim, were routed with the help of Nirav Modi, the primary accused, who remains in a UK prison while fighting extradition to India Nehal’s extradition hearing is set for July 17 Although his legal team is expected to
bail, US prosecutors have indicated they will oppose the request
Swathi Anil
Prime Ministe r Nar end ra Modi
r ecen tly conclud ed a sig nifica nt
d i p lo ma t ic
ou r
ly
p rojecte d Ind ia 's growing influe nce on the globa l sta ge
This tour was marked by a passionate appeal for comprehensive reforms of global institutions at the Brics Summit in Rio and a historic, first-ever address by an Indian leade
G
Modi's engagements during this crucial period unequivocally highlighted India's steadfast commitment to amplifying the voice of the
G
stance against the pervasive threat
o
efforts to forge deeper economic and technological cooperation with partner nations This comprehensive outreach reflects a dynamic and forward-looking foreign policy that seeks to shape a more equitable and multipolar world order
Brics: Championing global governance reforms
At the Brics summit in Rio, PM Modi made a fervent plea for comprehensive reforms of global institutions, including the UN Security
development banks He argued that institutions established in the last c
change, pandemics, terrorism, and cybersecurity Modi stressed that progress cannot come without giving voice to the Global South, a p
oned during its G20 Presidency, w h i c h n o
African Union securing a permanent membership in the G20
A particularly impactful outcome from the Rio summit was Brics's strong condemnation of the h e i n o u s t e r r o r i s t a t t a c k i n Pahalgam Modi asserted that "condemning terrorism should be our principle, not just a convenience," urging for zero tolerance and an end to double standards in count e r i n g t h i s g l o b a l m e n a c e T h e Brics declaration further backed a c o m p r e h e n s i v e r e f o r
U N S C , a l i g n
n g p e r f e c t l y w i t h India's long-standing demand for a more democratic, representative, effective, and efficient global body that adequately reflects contempor a r y g e o p o l i t i c a l r e
e s Furthermore, Modi reiterated the critical importance of secure and reliable supply chains for critical
minerals and technology, issuing a stern warning against any country's
resources for selfish gain He also
announced India's ambitious plan to organise an AI Impact Summit next year, demonstrating India's leadership in fostering global coop-
Intelligence and digital governance
The expanded Brics bloc, now comprising 11 key emerging economies,
advancing inclusive multilateralism and addressing the legitimacy and
global institutions
Ghana: Bolstering bilateral cooperation
In a historic first for an Indian l
Ghanaian Parliament, reiterating
reforms in global governance He explicitly underlined India's deep commitment as a steadfast partner in Africa's development journey,
Development Framework, Agenda 2063, to secure a bright and sus-
tainable future for its people Modi stated that India and Ghana have
comprehensive partnership, plac-
ing a strong emphasis on enhanc-
During his impactful day-long visit, Modi was conferred with Ghana's prestigious national award, ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’, by President John Dramani Mahama, a profound testament to the deepening bond and mutual
respect between the two vibrant democracies The two nations also
aiming to double bilateral trade from the current $3 billion to an ambitious $6 billion over the next five years, signalling a robust and expanding economic relationship D
strategically strengthening defence and security cooperation, with a p a r t i c u l a r f o c u s
armed forces, maritime security, defence supplies, and cybersecurity, reflecting a shared vision for regional stability Indian compa-
E ven as the US slapped fresh tariffs on several nati ons, US President D onald Trump on Tuesday said Washington was close to maki ng a trade deal with India Trade negotiators from Was hington and N ew D elhi are pushi ng to finalise a tariff- reducing deal, b ut disagreements over dairy and agric ulture sectors are delaying the proces s
"We've made a deal with the United Kingdom, we've made a deal with China, we've made a deal - we're close to making a deal with India Others we met with, we don't think we're going to be able to make a deal So we just send them a letter," he said at the White House
Trump's remarks came after the US unveiled the first in a wave of promised letters that threaten to impose higher tariff rates on key trading partners, including Bangladesh, Thailand, South Korea and
Japan, to come into effect starting August 1
"We're sending out letters to various countries telling them how much tariffs they have to pay Some will maybe adjust a little bit depending if they have a cause, we're not going to be unfair about it," the US President said
US- India Mini Trade D eal
Both sides are at loggerheads over a number of issues, including Washington's
genetically modified crops - a long-standing red line for New Delhi due to risks to its farmers
The US is also pressing for greater market access to the Indian agricultural and dairy sectors But both these sectors are also likely to be kept out of the purview of the proposed deal due to concerns over rural livelihoods and food safety
a
and productive discussions
nies are set to cooperate in the exploration and mining of critical minerals in Ghana, highlighting a crucial economic partnership in a
sector of growing global import a n c e M o d i e x p r e s s e d I n d i a ' s unwavering deep commitment to voicing the concerns and aspirat i o n s o f t h e G l o b a l S o u t h a n d specifically thanked Ghana for its strong solidarity against terrorism, s h o w c a s i n g a s h a r e d r e s o l v e t o combat this global threat India also generously offered to share its extensive experiences in the fields of health, pharmaceuticals, digital public infrastructure (including the highly successful UPI), and skill development, further solidifying its comprehensive development partnership with Ghana and reinforcing the spirit of South-to-South cooperation
Strengthening diaspora bonds across continents
Prime Minister Modi's recent t o u r p r o m
w a r m and enthusiastic interactions with the Indian diaspora across various nations, highlighting the strong cultural and ancestral bonds that connect India to its global community
In Brazil, he received a grand welcome from the Indian community in Rio de Janeiro, with a vibrant cult u r a l
Upon his arrival in Brasília for a
Bhutto ’ s comm ents on o ffering ext raditio n of wanted Pakistani t errorists to India seems to have hit a raw nerve wit h Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz S a e ed ’ s s o n Ta lh a R ea c t i ng sh a r p ly t o t h e rem ar ks Bhu tto m ad e in a recent inter view, Talha acc used him of making an “ir respo nsible offer ”
Instead of offering extradition of Pakistani citizens, Talha said the Pakistan govt should be demanding the extradition of Indian leaders He also questioned Bhutto’s credibility, alleging that his family has a history of towing the Western and Indian narrative against Pakistan
During the interview with Qatar-based Al Jazeera, Bhutto had asserted that his country had no objection to extraditing terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to India as a “confidence-building measure ” Pakistan is ready to extradite “individuals o f c o n c e r n ” t
state visit, the diaspora continued their enthusiastic reception Modi attended a press meet along with Brazil President Lula where he init i a l l y
a a n d President Lula for such a warm welcome He also noted that receiving such an honour from Brazil government is not only a proud moment for him, but for the whole Indian community He stated how India and Brazil’s similar interests can lead to achieving tremendous success in bilateral trade, for which he used the example of India’s love for
h a t both the countries will work togethe r
agreement and also talked about the i
n India and Brazil in the area of energy
Argentina saw an exuberant Indian
mini-India’, with chants of "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and "Modi-Modi" echoing through the streets In Ghana, he also addressed the I n d
n g their significant contributions and r
Trinidad and Tobago, Modi made a landmark announcement, extending Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora This signific
ancestral connections and provides a pathway for descendants of indentured labourers to reconnect with their roots, underscoring the vital role the Indian diaspora plays in strengthening India's global connections and its soft power
Prime Minister Modi is anticipated to visit the UK, likely on July 24, for the signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) This visit, his first to the UK since Labour leader Keir S
aims to formalise the comprehensive trade deal concluded in May
showed “willingness” to cooperate in the process, Bhutto had said while responding to a question about extraditing LeT chief Saeed and J a i s h - e - M o h a m m a d ( J e M ) k i n g p i n M a s o o d Azhar as a gesture of good faith
In a video statement, Talha claimed that B h u
brought shame to Pakistan globally “Bilawal Bhutto’s suggestion to hand over his father to India, a hostile country, is unacceptable and will be opposed by us and our community,” he said Both Saeed and his son Talha are listed as global terrorists by the US treasury department Shortly after Talha’s video, Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), the political offshoot of the LeT/Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), released a statement claiming India was involved in terrorism in Pakistan and the Indian State was the mastermind of vicious terror campaigns in Pakistan and around the world
A s temperatu res rise and app etites lig hten, summ er offers the perfect opportu nity to nourish your g ut with fresh, seasonal p rod uce and nutrient-rich foods A health y gut d oesn’t just aid d igestion; it suppo rts your imm une system , moo d and o verall wellbeing Here’s a guid e to some of the best g ut-friendly fo ods to includ e in your UK summ er d iet
Fermented foods are a top choice for gut health thanks to their natural probiotics Kefir, a fermented milk or water drink, is refreshing and packed with beneficial bacteria Live yoghurt, particularly Greek or natural varieties, offers similar benefits and works well in smoothies or with fruit Sauerkraut and kimchi are also great fermented options, adding tang and spice to summer dishes, while kombucha is a fizzy fermented tea that’s now a staple on many supermarket shelves
Seasonal fruits are rich in fibre and antioxidants Berries such as strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries are abundant during UK summers and act as prebiotics, feeding the good bacteria in your gut Apples, plums, and peaches also support digestion and keep things moving thanks to their soluble fibre content
When it comes to vegetables, look out for asparagus, a natural prebiotic, along with hydrating courgettes and cucumbers Leafy greens like spinach, rocket and kale add fibre and nutrients to salads and wraps
W h o l e g r a i n s
source of fibre Quinoa, lentils, and chickpeas are ideal for hearty summer salads, while oats (especially in the form of overnight oats or muesli) are gentle on digestion and help regulate blood sugar levels Nuts and seeds, particularly flaxseeds, chia seeds, and almonds, provide healthy fats and fibre to support gut function Add them to breakfasts or sprinkle on salads for an easy boost
Finally, don’t overlook herbs and extras like mint, ginger and olive oil Mint cools and soothes the digestive tract, ginger combats bloating, and olive oil helps maintain a healthy gut lining
With a little planning, your summer menu can be delicious, refreshing and gut-friendly; leaving you feeling lighter, healthier and more energised
Kate on cancer recovery:
“Finding your new normal takes time”
The Princess of Wales has shared a heartfelt reflection on her cancer journey, shedding light on the lesser-discussed emotional toll of recovery During a visit
t o t h e c a n c e r w e l l b e i n g
c e n t r e a t C o l c h e s t e r Hospital, Kate spoke of the pressure patients often feel to quickly resume normal life once treatment ends
d e s p i t e s t i l l n a v i g a t i n g p h y s i c a l a n d e m o t i o n a l aftershocks
“ T r e a t m e n t ’ s d o n e , then it’s like, ‘I can crack on, get back to normal,’
b u t a c t u a l l y t h e p h a s e afterwards is really difficult,” she said “You’re not
necessarily under the clinical team any longer, but you ’ re not able to function
a “rollercoaster,” where people need time and space to find their “ new normal ” K a t e ’
which offers holistic support through counselling, massage, creative outlets, and peer groups She highlighted the value of tailored care and shared that h e r o w
though she hasn’t yet tried reflexology
Snooze to detox
Your brain has a specialised “drainage system” called the glymphatic system, which becomes most active while you sleep. It works by flushing out toxins, waste, and harmful proteins such as betaamyloid, which is linked to Alzheimer’s disease Unlike other parts of the body, the brain doesn’t use the lymphatic system, making the glymphatic pathway essential for brain health Poor sleep or chronic sleep deprivation can impair this system, potentially increasing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive decline over time
As tennis grips the nation, a top orthopaedic surgeon warns players to protect their hips and knees from lasting damage.
AsWimbledon captures the nation’s attention, a leading knee specialist is urging Brits, especially tennis enthusiasts, not to neglect their joint health
While tennis is a fantastic way to stay active and social, it’s also a sport that can place significant strain on hip and knee joints due to sharp pivots, sudden stops, and lunges, particularly on hard courts
In fact, former GB tennis champion Andy Murray is no stranger to joint pain During his 20-year career, he underwent multiple hip surgeries to
including a joint resurfacing procedure This allowed him to continue competing until he retired from professional tennis last year
According to Sport England, over 250,000 people aged 55 and over now play tennis regularly With more older adults picking up the racquet, the timing is ideal to raise awareness of joint care - especially for hips and knees which can take a significant impact during a game, whatever your standard of play
Director at Practice Plus Group, says it’s crucial to look after our joints at any age and offers advice for those concerned “Knees and hips are two of the hardest working joints in the body They support nearly every movement we make, from walking and bending to sports like tennis or running And yet, they’re often ignored when discomfort starts ”
It could be arthritis, don’t delay Mr Ahad warns that many people don’t realise they’re living with symptoms of osteoarthritis, cartilage or ligament damage until the pain becomes difficult to ignore
“
swelling, or pain that doesn’t go away, it could be more than just wear and tear These can often be an early sign of arthritis You might also notice your leg starting to bow slightly or that you're struggling to climb stairs and have less range of movement These aren’t things to brush off and are best checked as soon as possible ”
However, there is plenty that can be done to protect joint from choosing lower impact sports to supporting j o i n t s t h r o u g h b u i l d i n g m u s c l e strength, he continues “Movement is medicine Low-impact exercises like cycling, swimming, and walking are incredibly effective in strengthening t h e s u r r o u n d i n g m u s c l e s w i t h o u t overloading the joint And for those already experiencing discomfort, it's often about modifying and not stopping your activity
“It’s also important to work on muscle strength Strong glutes, quads, a n d h a m s t r i n g s
h i p s B u t when we stop exercising due to pain, t h o s e m u s c l e s w e a k e n , w h i c h c a n make the problem worse That’s why keeping up with strengthening and stretching is so important, even a few minutes a day at home can make a difference ”
Support joints with a balanced diet
What you eat can also affect joint health Choosing a balanced diet and keeping weight in check can help keep budding tennis players in the game for longer He said, “Maintaining a healthy weight dramatically reduces the pressure on your joints Every extra pound you carry can add several pounds of force to your joints with each step, so eating well is a must
“There’s growing evidence that diets rich in omega-3s - like oily fish - along with olive oil, berries, leafy greens, and nuts, can support joint health On the flip side, reducing processed foods and red meats may help ease inflammatory symptoms, especially in people with arthritis
“Supplements can be beneficial for some too such as glucosamine, chondroitin, or collagen While the science is mixed, they’re safe for most and may be worth trying if you're struggling ” If all else fails, Mr Ahad advises seeing a GP or consultant as soon as possible, as delaying can inevitably make the problem worse and may lead to further complications
“Don’t ignore persistent knee pain, it could be your body asking for help E a r l y i n t e r v e n t i
physiotherapy, lifestyle changes, or in some cases, surgery, can make a big difference With timely joint surgery, you can avoid long-term damage and stay on the courts longer Just be sure to moderate your game and only begin playing again when you are fully recovered Then think more gentle rallies rather than a Centre Court performance!”
NHS patients in England can ask their GP for a referral to Practice Plus G
under ‘Patient Choice’, you don’t have to go to your local hospital if wait times are lengthy
supermarkets and food manufacturers work with ministers to encourage healthier
items, adjusting loyalty schemes to reward healthy purchases, or even redesigning store layouts to highlight better options
I f w e reduced our calorie intake by just 50 a day, we could lift more than 300,000 children and two million adults out of
obesity,” he said on the BBC As part of the plan, major f
required to report on the volume of healthy food they s
include:
• Vouchers via a new app for people who eat healthily or exercise regularly
• Doubling places on the N H S D i g i t a l W e i g h t Management Programme
• Reviewing advertising r u l e s a r o u n d a l c o h o l t o match junk food restrictions
T h e b a c k d r o p t o t h i s strategy is stark One in five children are living with obesity by the time they leave p r i m a r y s c h o o l , r i s
deprived areas The cost to the NHS is estimated at £11 billion a year
According to The Food Foundation, 1,000
However, some critics, including Conservative MP Helen Whately, accused the
A groundbreaking st udy pub lished in Sc ience reveal s t hat the human brain continues to generate new neurons in the hippoc ampus well into late
about age-re lated neuronal decline
Institutet in Sweden analysed brain samples from individuals aged 0 to 78 using innovative DNA carbon dating and sin-
neurons, in adults
By applying machine learning, the team mapped stages of neuron development and detected dividing progenitor cells marked by Ki-67, a protein indicating active cell division They found significant variation between individuals: some adults had many progenitor cells, while others had few, suggesting notable differences in cognitive resilience and brain aging
This research builds on earlier animal studies demonstrating adult neuro-
genesis in species like mice and primates, but it provides direct molecular evidence in humans The implications are profound; understanding how new neurons form later in life could transform approaches to treating neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders
Overall, the study confirms that our
adulthood than previously believed It opens the door to therapies that could harness lifelong neuroplasticity to support brain health and mental well-being
The first look of ‘Ramayana’, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, and Yash, was unveiled on Thursday Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the three-minute teaser showcases grand visual effects, with brief glimpses of Ranbir as Lord Ram and Yash as Ravan toward the end
Scored by Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman, the teaser opens with the depiction of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, setting the stage for the epic clash between Ram and Ravan described as “the war to end all wars ” Its stylised credits evoke the tone of ‘Game of Thrones’, though no actual footage from the film is revealed ‘Ramayana’ is being promoted with the tagline “Our Truth, Our Story ” Ranbir Kapoor, last seen in ‘Animal’, plays Lord Ram in his first mythological role, raising high expectations after ‘Adipurush’ failed to impress Sai Pallavi stars as Sita in what could be a breakthrough role for North Indian audiences She also appears in Aamir Khan’s upcoming ‘Ek Din’ Yash, known for ‘KGF’, plays Ravan and co-produces the film, calling the role “the most exciting” of his career
The cast also includes Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, and Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi, and Arun Govil in key roles
Reportedly made on a massive 835 crore budget, ‘Ramayana’ is set to be the most expensive Indian film to date surpassing ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ ( 600 crore) and ‘Adipurush’ ( 500 crore)
The debate over implementing eight-hour shifts in the Bollywood film industry has intensified following Deepika Padukone’s reported exit from ‘Spirit’, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga. Her ‘Chhapaak’ co-star
Vikrant Massey has voiced support for shorter working hours, saying he hopes to adopt a similar approach in the near future
Bollywood, saying he hopes to adopt it soon "I aspire to do something like that very soon but it should be a choice," he said,
production He added that he'd be willing to cut his fees to support the shift, noting, "If I can’t give my producer twelve hours, I can’t expect the same pay It’s a give-and-take And as a young mother, I think Deepika deserves it "
Deepika Padukone was initially
reportedly exited after some of he
profit share, and exemption from delivering lines in Telugu were declined She was later replaced by Triptii Dimri
Gustaakhiyan’, alongside debutante S
y Santosh Singh and produced by Mans and Varun Bagla under Zee Studios a Mini Films, the film based on R
cinemas on 11 July
actor Sanjay Kapoor and Maheep Kapoor’s daughter, Shanaya Kapoor, is set to make her debut with ‘Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan’ She opened up about being trolled after her first advertisement, saying she took the criticism as constructive feedback.
“I was facing the camera for the first time, so the audience’s opinion matters to me, ” she said “I go through comments and articles I want to learn from them I can’t take it to heart Getting to face the camera is a privilege, and the least I can do is listen to my audience ”
Shanaya Kapoor, daughter of Sanjay and Maheep Kapoor, reflected on her journey to the big screen in a recent interview “I know I have to earn my place,” she said, recalling her father’s advice during challenging times “He told me, ‘You’re not facing the camera yet, but if you love acting, then act attend workshops, perform for an audience Focus on what’s in your control, because everything else isn’t ’” She added that witnessing the industry’s unpredictability up close made her more grounded and grateful
Shanaya was initially set to debut in Shashank Khaitan’s ‘Bedhadak’, which was eventually shelved She now stars opposite Vikrant Massey in ‘Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan’, a love story between a visually impaired musician and a theatre artist At the film’s trailer launch in Mumbai, her father grew emotional as she finally prepares for her big debut
Directed by Santosh Singh and produced by Mansi and Varun Bagla under Zee Studios and Mini Films, the film is adapted from Ruskin Bond’s short story ‘The Eyes Have It’ and hits cinemas on July 11
X (formerly Twitter) He questioned the need for extensive promotional campaigns for films and series
specific titles, recent films like ‘Thug Life’, ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’, and ‘Metro In Dino’ have drawn attention for their heavy promotional campaigns
filmmaker, Hansal Mehta is known for
Mohanlal’s daughter, Vismaya Mohanlal, is set to make her acting debut with the Malayalam film ‘Thudakkam’, directed by ‘2018’ fame Jude Anthany Joseph and produced by Antony Perumbavoor’s Aashirvad Cinemas
Announcing the project on social media, Mohanlal wrote, “Dear Mayakutty, may your ‘Thudakkam’ be just the first step in a lifelong love affair with cinema ”
Pranav Mohanlal welcomed his sister Vismaya to the film industry with a heartfelt Instagram post, sharing the ‘Thudakkam’ poster and writing, “Incredibly proud of and excited for her as she takes her first step into cinema ”
Director Jude Anthany Joseph also shared an emotional note, calling the project a personal calling “When Lalettan and Suchichechi entrusted me with Maya’s debut, I saw the joy in their eyes I won’t let them down This is a small, heartfelt film, and I hope it marks the beginning of a lasting collaboration with Antony Chetta ”
Before stepping into films, Vismaya Mohanlal explored fine arts and poetry Her poetry collection ‘Grains of Stardust’ was published by Penguin Random House India on February 14, 2021 She shared, “I never planned to write a poetry book Most of the poems were typed on my phone on the subway, while listening to music, or inspired by nature and art ” She added that the idea for the book came from her brother after rediscovering old sketchbooks
Music composer Anirudh Ravichander has shared exciting insights about his uncle Rajinikanth’s dance number “Chikitu” in the upcoming film ‘Coolie’. In a video released by Sun Pictures, Anirudh revealed that the song brings back the superstar’s classic dance style. Though the choreography was challenging, he said Rajinikanth pulled it off with ease.
In a behind-the-scenes clip shared by Sun Pictures, music composer Anirudh Ravichander opened up about Rajinikanth’s energetic dance number “Chikitu” from the upcoming film ‘Coolie’ He revealed that Rajinikanth usually avoids listening to songs before a shoot except for ‘Hukum’ but made an exception this time by hearing “Chikitu” during filming “After the first day, he said he liked the song but found the dance tough, as it brought back his old, rugged style,” Anirudh said “But when we saw the visuals, we were blown away it’s Rajini sir in full local ‘tapori’ style, after nearly 30-40 years ”
Anirudh also praised the creative team behind the track He credited director Lokesh Kanagaraj, a fan of actor-filmmaker T Rajendar, and choreographer Sandy Master for bringing the song to life The “Chikitu” music video, which released earlier this month, features scenes from ‘Coolie’ and includes appearances by Anirudh, T Rajendar, and lyricist-singer Arivu The high-energy number has since gone viral online
Hamsini Entertainment has acquired the overseas rights for ‘Coolie’, while Asian Multiplexes Pvt Ltd will handle its Telugu distribution The film is set to release worldwide on August 14, 2025 Meanwhile, Rajinikanth is currently shooting
FormerIndian cricketer Suresh Raina is set to make his acting debut, following in the footsteps of Harbhajan Singh. He will play the lead in a Tamil film based on cricket, which was recently launched in Chennai.
Suresh Raina, currently in Amsterdam, shared via video call that he chose a Tamil film for his acting debut because the story resonated with him “It’s a cricket film set in Tamil Nadu, and since I’ve played many matches in Chennai and received so much love from fans, I thought why not start here?” said Raina, fondly known as ‘Chinna Thala’ by Chennai IPL supporters
The film, a cricket drama set in Tamil Nadu, will be directed by debutant Logan and is slated to begin shooting in October 2025, with key sequences planned at Ahmedabad’s
s u l Pookutty will handle sound design, while Santhosh Narayanan will compose the music
Explaining his decision to debut in Tamil, Suresh Raina said, “Since I’ve played many matches in Chennai and received so much love from the fans, I thought why not start with something from Chennai?”
Director Logan shared that Raina has a genuine fondness for Tamil cinema “He admires Suriya, often listens to ‘Munbe Vaa’, and Kamal sir’s ‘Vikram’ is one of his favourite films,” he
controversy over Kamal Haasan’s remark on the Kannada language continues a month on, with a Bengaluru court now issuing an ex parte interim injunction restraining him from making further comments on the language
The order was passed by an Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge after a suit was filed by Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP) president Mahesh Joshi, seeking to prevent Haasan from making defamatory statements against Kannada language and culture
Following the plea by the complainant, the court issued an injunction restraining Kamal Haasan from making or publishing any remarks suggesting linguistic superiority over Kannada or making statements against its language, literature, land, or culture A summons was also issued, with the next hearing set for August 30
The controversy began in May during the ‘Thug Life’ music launch in Bengaluru, where Haasan claimed Kannada “ was born out of Tamil ” The remark sparked backlash from pro-Kannada groups After he stood by his statement and declined to apologise, the film was not released in Karnataka
Despite a delayed court victory, ‘Thug Life’ was never released in Karnataka and struggled at the box office elsewhere
The film marked Kamal Haasan’s reunion with Mani Ratnam after 37 years but failed to impress critics or fans Co-starring Silambarasan, Trisha, Aishwarya Lekshmi, and others, it grossed only 93 crore worldwide and is now streaming on Netflix
Actor Deepika Padukone expressed her pride and joy on Instagram after being honoured with a star on the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, becoming the first Indian actress to receive this recognition.
Her name was announced during a live press conference at Ovation Hollywood by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, as part of the Motion Pictures category for the Class of 2026 She joins global stars like Emily Blunt, Timothée Chalamet, Rami Malek, Rachel McAdams, Stanley Tucci, and Demi Moore
Deepika Padukone took to Instagram Stories to react to the honour, summing up her emotions in a single word: “Gratitude ” She is the first Indian actress to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
The only other Indian to be honoured before her was Sabu Dastagir, an actor and son of an
elephant mahout, who gained fame with the 1937 film ‘Elephant Boy’ Earlier this year, Mindy Kaling became the first South Asian woman to receive the honour
Deepika Padukone was named among the 35 honorees for the Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2026 in the Motion Pictures category, selected from hundreds of nominations The announcement was made by Walk of Famers Eugenio Derbez and Richard Blade
This year ’ s honorees span five categories film, television, live performance, music, and sports entertainment Notable names include Emily Blunt, Rachel McAdams, Rami Malek, Molly Ringwald, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shaquille O’Neal, and Good Morning America anchors Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos Director Tony Scott and special effects artist Carlo Rambaldi will be honoured posthumously
Anshula Kapoor once blamed herself for parents’ split: “Felt I wasn’t good enough”
Anshula Kapoor, daughter of producer Boney Kapoor and his first wife Mona Shourie Kapoor, recently opened up about the emotional trauma she faced as a child after her parents' separation She revealed that at just six, she blamed herself for their split
“I thought maybe I wasn’t a good enough daughter,” she said The feeling deepened when her father had Janhvi Kapoor with his second wife, Sridevi “I know it sounds horrible, but when Jaanu was born, I felt like maybe something was wrong with me, ” Anshula added
Anshula Kapoor shared that while both her parents, Boney Kapoor and Mona Shourie, reassured her she wasn’t the reason for their separation, as a child, she found it difficult to process the situation “I don’t believe that anymore, ” she said, “but back then, I was just a child trying to make sense of
what went wrong and thought maybe *I* went wrong ” She also reflected on how overhearing adult conversations may have shaped her feelings “Maybe I heard something from an aunty or a friend and misinterpreted it in my head,” Anshula said, adding that this was a part of her childhood trauma she’s since worked through with her siblings and family
Boney Kapoor married Mona Shourie in 1983 and had two children, Arjun and Anshula The couple separated in 1996 the same year he married Sridevi, with whom he had two daughters, Janhvi (1997) and Khushi While Anshula has mostly stayed away from the spotlight, she’s been open about her journey of healing She recently appeared on Amazon Prime Video’s reality show ‘The Traitors’, marking a step into the public eye
For tennis fans worldwide, Wimbledon is more than just a tournament it’s a celebrated tradition and one of the sport’s most prestigious events
Held annually in London, it
British elegance, as top athletes compete on iconic grass courts Off the court, Wimbledon draws
charm
Actor Priyanka Chopra took a break from promoting ‘Heads of State’ to enjoy a day at Wimbledon on Wednesday, joining the starstudded Royal Box with husband Nick Jonas
Priyanka looked chic in a white dress and sunglasses, while Nick
requires formal attire Olivia opted for a chic yet casual look, pairing h e r o u t f i t w i t h t h i n B a y o n e t t
glasses, Khaite’s Simona shoulder bag, and a mix of gold and silver rings Partridge complemented her in a light blue collared shirt and a
Actor Aamir Khan, currently receiving praise for his latest film ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’, will serve as the official Chief Guest at the 16th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), taking place from August 14 to 24.
The festival will feature a special retrospective on his contributions to Indian cinema, culminating in a spotlight on ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ and a live conversation with Aamir and director RS Prasanna
Dominic Cooper, Tom Daley, and D
attendance N
Instagram Stories, including their Royal Box invites and a sweet snap o
posted a photo of Nick from across the table, capturing their relaxed day together
were spotted at Wimbledon on Monday watching Novak Djokovic in action Dressed in stylish formal wear, the couple cheered on the tennis star Kohli shared a photo on Instagram, writing, “What a match It was business as usual for the gladiator @djokernole,” which D j o k o v i c l a
d W h i l e reports suggest the couple may have relocated to England for a quieter life for their children, no official statement has been made
‘Déjà Vu’ singer Olivia Rodrigo made a stylish appearance at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships with her actor boyfriend, Louis Partridge The couple watched the match from the prestigious Royal
B
understated elegance Also spotted at the event were actor John Cena and his wife Shay Shariatzadeh Shay wore a blueand-white striped sleeveless dress
J
h n s p o r t e d a t a n t h r e e - p i e c e s u i t p a i r e d w i t h a b l u e c h e c k e r e d jacket Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali K han enjoy fam ily time in L ond on
As many celebrities flock to L o n d o n t h i s s u m m e r t o a t t e n d
W i m b l e d o n o r t a k e a b r e a k , Kareena Kapoor Khan is among t h o s e e n j o y i n g a w e l l - e a r n e d v a c a t i o n S h e i s c u r r e n t l y holidaying in the city with her husband, Saif Ali Khan, and their sons, Taimur and Jeh The family w a s r e c e n t l y s p o t t e d s t r o l l i n g t h r o u g h C h i n a t o w n , s a m p l i n g local cuisine and soaking in the v i b r a n t a t m o s p h e r e V i d e o s o f their outing have surfaced online, delighting fans Kareena has also been sharing snippets from their UK trip on social media, including p e a c e f u l m o m e n t s i n t h e countryside and family time across London
Speaking about the festival, Aamir Khan said, “I’m humbled and thrilled to be part of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne I look forward to connecting with audiences, sharing some of my most cherished work, and engaging in conversations that celebrate the power of cinema With ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’, we aimed to tell a story that embraces inclusivity and neurodivergence with sensitivity and heart I’m grateful the film has resonated with so many, and I’m excited to share this journey with Melbourne and spotlight the stories that truly matter ”
Festival Director Mitu Bhowmick Lange said she is “honoured” to welcome Aamir Khan to the event “Aamir Khan’s work reflects remarkable depth, sensitivity, and a fearless commitment to storytelling He’s an artist who has consistently used cinema as a powerful tool for social change, and his journey continues to inspire generations,” she added
Ind
ia secu red a histo ric 3 36-run victory ov er Eng land at Edg baston, marki ng their fi rst-ev er Test wi n at the venue Skipper Sh ubm an Gill starred with twin centuries wh ile A kash Deep 's 10-w icket haul dismantled England's batting lineup The triu mph lev eled the series 1-1 , setting up an exciting finale at Lord's India's triumph not only levelled the five-match series 1-1 but also marked their first-ever Test win at Edgbaston, B
widespread acclaim, particularly for skipper Shubman Gill, who scored 269 and 161 in the two innings to lead from the front, and Akash Deep, whose 10-wicket match haul was instrumental in dismantling England's batting
The victory at Edgbaston will go down as one of India's f
youthful brilliance with tactical mastery and set the stage for an electrifying showdown at the Home of Cricket
Coming to the match, England once again opted to field first After getting KL Rahul (2) early, an 80-run stand between Yashasvi Jaiswal (87) and Karun Nair (31) helped India gain some footing in the match Skipper Shubman Gill had valuable partnerships of 203 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (89) and a 144-run stand against Washington Sundar (42), helping India towards 587, scoring 269 in 387 balls himself, with 30 fours and three sixes
Shoaib Bashir (3/167) was the pick of the bowlers for E n g l a n d , w h i l e C h r i s W o a k
managed two each
In England's first innings, India had them on the ropes with 84/5 However, a 303-run stand between Harry Brook and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith sent India on an endless hunt for leather and answers However, Siraj (6/70) and Akash Deep (4/88) got something out of the new ball
and took down the last five wickets for 20 runs, bundli runs, gaining a 1 India's respo century partners ( 2 8 ) a n d K L R continued his go boundary-filled 1
n d wicket between (65) and Gill upp w h i l e G i l l m another epic 17 with Jadeja, sco 162 balls, with 1 fours and eight
in 118 balls, wit
declared at 427/6
England was re Jamie Smith (8 glimmer of hop they were skittl runs, losing by 33
p e l l (6/99), who ended up taking a 10 wickets in the test
I n d i a ' s t e e n a g e
Va ibha v Sur ya van shi produced on
of t he most de v ast at in g
g r oup cr ick et a s his ce nt ur y h elpe d
se cur e serie s v ict ory for his U19 te am on the t our of Eng lan d
Suryavanshi, 14, hit his first century in an Under-19 ODI, smashing 143 off 78 balls against England in Worcester in the fourth match of the five-game series to hand India an unassailable 3-1 lead
Suryavanshi has been in sensational form in 2025, taking the Indian Premier League by storm earlier in the year by s m
Royals against Gujarat Titans
cricket when he hit a 35-ball hundred in April, the second-fastest century in the tournament's history
During the ODI series, Suryavanshi had scores of 48, 45 and 86 in the first three matches In the fourth match, he turned on the afterburners, needing only 52 balls to get to three figures
The opener hit 10 sixes and 13 fours as he shared a 219-run partnership with Vihaan Malhotra (129) for the second
wicket
The twin tons helped India post a massive score of 363-9 in their 50 overs In reply, England's U19 side put up a brave fight, maintaining a high tempo b u
bowled out for 308 in 45 3 overs, falling short by 55 runs For England, Rocky Flintoff - son of England great Andrew Flintoff - scored a superb century to keep up the fight
Flintoff, 17, hit 107 from 91 balls with the help of seven fours and four sixes to keep his team within striking distance
T he Indian go vt said it h as clear ed th e a rrival of P akistan h oc key teams for th e fo rt hc oming men ’ s Asia Cup in Bi har ’ s Rajgir and F IH Junio r W orld Cu p in Tamil N adu ’ s Madur ai and C hennai later t his y ear, put ting an end t o th e specu lat ion s u rr o u nd in g t h e n ei gh b o u r in g n at i o n ’ s part icipatio n in t he t wo prestigiou s eve nt s
The govt also gave a go ahead to the Pakistani shooters’ participation in the ISSF Junior World Cup, scheduled at the Karni Singh Shooting Range (KSSR) in Sept, and also its differently-abled athletes for the World Para-Athletics
C
Capital’s Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Sept-Oct
The Asia Cup will be played from Aug 27 to Sept 7, while the 14th edition o f t
W C (
competition) will be held from Nov 28 to Dec 10 The tournament will feature 24 teams for the first time and India and Pakistan are clubbed in the same pool T h e A s i a C u
qualifier for the 2026 men ’ s World Cup, c
Belgium
Sports ministry sources said that the clearances for the Pakistan hockey teams have come from the ministry of external affairs (MEA) and ministry of home affairs (MHA) and the same has b e e n c o m m
c a t e d t o t h e h o s t national federation - Hockey India (HI)
The decision was part of the Indian govt’s efforts to keep politics and sports aside, while following the statutes of the Olympic Charter, which calls for the inclusiveness and harmony among the participating nations despite their political differences
Indian javelin su perstar Neeraj C hop ra clinch ed th e inaugural NC Classic as
h e realised h is dream of ho sting and com peting in a world class ev ent in front of the hom e cro wd and family m em bers
The 27-year-old double Olympic
m e d a l l i s t e m
w
n n e
w
h h i s third round throw of 86 18m at the Sree
K a n t e e r a v a S t a d i u m i n B
u r u watched by his parents This was his third straight title, having won in Paris Diamond League (June 20) and Golden
S p i k e
2 4 ) Kenya’s 2025 world champion Julius Yego was second with 84 51m while
Rumesh Pathirage (84 34m) of Sri Lanka was third It was a tough outing for all the competitors as they had to throw under a strong wind blowing almost head-on
Chopra later said he wasn’t happy with the distance but was satisfied, considering the windy conditions
“Of course, I wanted to win My g o a l w a s t o c o m p l e t e t h i s e v e n t successfully It has went off smoothly,” Chopra, who had crossed 90m in the Doha Diamond League in May with a throw of 90 23m, said later at the press conference “I was expecting a good result but the wind was quite heavy
and I am happy to win It was mentally quite tough for me as I knew people expected me to win I had come here after participating in two events and hence I was under pressure to perform in front of home crowd
“Wind was blowing from the front and even changing direction, so it was difficult conditions ” He admitted he had some technical issues while throwing against the wind in the first few attempts He was seen having discussion with his coach Jan Z e l e z n y , w h
w meters away, after almost every throw
The Indian Wom en ’ s Cricket Team, which is in England fo r T20I and ODI series, was welcom ed at a com munity g athering at the Indi a Ho use in Lond on on Satu rd ay 5 J uly, with applaud s and cheers by an em otional d iaspora
The Indian team along with head coach Amol Muzumdar gathered on the grounds of the High Commission of India as His Excellency Vikram Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to the UK welcomed the players by calling them “genuine heroes” for inspiring all, revolutionising sports, and representing India at its best from every corner of the country, while sharing his own personal story of watching some of them play, after arriving in the UK in his current role
Deputy Indian High Commissioner Sujit Ghosh hosted a quick Q&A with the players and head coach followed by brief interactions with fans, including young supporters The gathering also saw presence and speech by Seema Malhotra MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Migration and Citizenship of the UK and Shivani Oberoi, from England and Wales Cricket Board
The team was also welcomed by Vishakha Yaduvanshi, Consul General of India in Manchester to Old Trafford Stadium before the fourth T20I against England
holding on for a n
women ’ s T20 in ter nat ional at t he Kia Ov al
England stand-in captain Tammy Beaumont's decision to bat first - after winning the toss - was rewarded with a brilliant opening 137-run opening stand, before Sophia Dunkley's dismissal for 75 sparked a flurry of wickets over the final five overs Danni Wyatt-Hodge fell for 66 as England lost nine wickets for 31 runs in 25 deliveries, eventually ending on 171-9, w
impressing for the tourists
In reply, Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana put on an 85run partnership and quickly pushed India ahead of the required run rate, before Lauren Filer took two quick wickets to set up a thrilling finish
India stumbled over the closing stretch and left themselves 12 from Lauren Bell's final over, where the tourists fell short on 166-5 as England claimed the win required to stay in the fivematch series with two more games to go England experienced early top-order wickets in the first two matches of the series but avoided a repeat performance when batting first, reaching 44 without loss in the powerplay despite some unconvincing shots from an out-of-form Wyatt-Hodge
Wyatt-Hodge was dropped by Rodrigues when on 19 but cleared the same fielder for a maximum in the next over, with Dunkley completing a 35-ball half-century - her sixth in women's T20Is - before both accelerated the run rate after halfway