AV 19th July 2025

Trump to make second UK

visit in September P07

turns into a

FIRST & FOREMOST ASIAN WEEKLY IN EUROPE

Kash Patel denies resignation rumours amid Epstein files row P21

Shubhanshu Shukla returns safely to Earth after historic ISS mission P25

Ranbir-Alia pose with fan while holidaying in London P31

“ W E D E M A N D A N S W E R S ”

The preliminary report on the Air India crash, released four weeks after the June 12 tragedy, has left grieving families with more confusion than clarity While it rules out mechanical failure, several critical questions about responsibility and intent remain unanswered

Swathi Anil

As investigators released the preliminary report into the June 12 crash of Air India Flight AI171, families of the 260 victims say it brings little clarity or comfort

While officials focused on data and procedures, bereaved relatives feel their g r i e f a n d u n a n s w e r e d q u e s t i o n s h a v e been pushed aside For many, the report reads as a technical summary that fails to capture the depth of loss and pain they continue to endure.

Across the country, families are voicing frustration over the investigation’s pace and transparency

Some worry that premature conclusions are being drawn about pilot error without a thorough and impartial review, while others feel completely excluded from the process “They talk about sys-

tems. We’re still talking to empty chairs,” said the son of one passenger, capturing a growing sense of disconnection

ROOT S TO ROUTES

The tragedy of AI171 is not just an aviation incident it is a profound human crisis As the inquiry moves forward, the challenge lies not only in uncovering the f

parency and compassion

Switches se t to 'cut-off': Cockpit clue s and un answ ere d ques tio ns

The report ruled out any mechanical malfunction, maintenance lapse, or fuel contamination Experts also noted that the cut-off switches are protected by safety guards, making accidental activation highly unlikely The aircraft’s black box showed no systemic errors, intensifying the investigation’s focus on cockpit decisions

Continued on 26

Jadeja’s shines bright in narrow defeat at Lord’s

From the winding alleys of Amritsar to the shores of Sylhet, from Lahore’s poetry t o C o l o m b o ’ s s p i c e - s c e n t e d w i n d s , t h e roots of South Asian heritage run deep and wild But those roots did not stay still They journeyed Carried in the pockets of migrants, etched into diaries, folded into recipes, stitched into saris and dreams; they took flight, crossing oceans and borders In Britain, those roots found new r o u t e s : i n c o r n e r s h o p

, NHS wards and council chambers South

Asian history in the UK is a rich, layered tapestry of migration, resilience, and cultural exchange The lives we lead today, and the better future we hope to shape for generations to come, are rooted in the f o u n d a t i o n s l a i d b y t h o s e w h o c a m e before us, whose voices, values, and culture have become an enduring part of British life

T

, under the theme Roots to Routes, we celebrate not just where we come from, b

brought us here It's a story of movement, of ships and suitcases, of struggle and reinvention

Continued on 16

Continued on page 32

u ‘World’s oldest marathon runner’ dies at 114 in road accident Page-4

u Modi poised for the UK visit to finalise landmark free trade deal Page-22

Anusha Singh

Macron urges UK-France unity on global threats

French President Emmanuel M

Britain and France to confront g lobal instability and red uce overreliance on both t h

nd C hina

In a rare address to both

European leader to the UK since Brexit, Macron hailed the rekindling of bilateral

ties and urged collaboration on defence, climate, immigration, trade, and technological innovation

“ T h e U K a n d Fr a n c e must once again show the world that our alliance can make all the difference,” he declared, stressing that the t w o n a t i o n s m u s t s t a n d “hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder” to meet the challenges of the modern era Warning of the risks posed by “excessive dependencies”

o n g l o b a l s u p e r p o w e r s , Macron advocated for eco-

n o m i c “d e -r i s k i n g ” a n d a

d e e p e r Eu r o p e a n p a r t n e rship

He also highlighted the value of closer cultural and educational ties, proposing greater ease of movement fo r s t u d e n t s , r e s e a r c h e r s , and artists Joint work on a r t i f i c i a l i n t e l l i g e n c e a n d online safety for children, he s a i d , c o u l d b e p a r t o f a shared agenda

The speech comes amid a d i p l o m a t i c r e s e t u n d e r Ke i r St a r m e r, w h o h a s s o u g ht t o re p a i r re l a t io n s with European allies after years of post-Brexit turbulence

Macron, who shares a w a r m r a p p o r t w i t h K i n g Charles III, was also wel-

comed with full royal honours and attended a state banquet at Windsor Castle

T h e r e , t h e K i n g r a i s e d a t o a s t t o a n e w p h a s e i n Anglo-French relations, elevating the historic "entente cordiale" to an "entente amicale "

The three-day visit also saw major announcements, i n c l u d i n g a £ 1 1 b i

investment by French energy giant EDF in a UK nuclear project and a landmark c

Tapestr y to Britain in return

ongoing disagreements, particularly over asylum policy

both governments are collaborating on militar y planning for post-war Ukraine

Starmer hopes improved t i e s w i t h M a c r o n m a y unlock a long-sought asy-

l

France has so far resisted bilateral arrangements, urging the UK to work with the broader EU

Corbyn-Sultana party could split L abour vote

A new poll sug gests that a left-w ing party led by Jeremy C orbyn and Zarah Sultana cou ld sig nif icantly cut into L abour’s sup port, p articularly amo ng younger v oters

Conducted by Find Out

Now, the sur vey found that 15% of respondents would

b a c k a C o r b y n -Su l t a n a p a r t y, m a t c h i n g L a b o u r ’ s vote share Among 18–29ye a r- ol d s , s u p p o r t fo r t h e potential party rose to 33%, ahead of both Reform UK (24%) and Labour (18%)

Su l t a n a , M P fo r C o v e n t r y S o u t h , r e s i g n e d the Labour whip earlier this m o n t h t o c o - l e a d a n e w political movement with the fo

Though the party has yet to b

c h e d , Corbyn has promised it will s t a n d “fo r j u s t i c e ” a

Heathrow reveals £10bn upgrade to cut queues

Heathrow A irpo rt has set out a £ 10 billion inv estment plan to mo dernise its terminals, redu ce waiting tim es and improve bagg ag e hand ling by 2031 , p rom ising a “step-change” in passenger exp erience

Under the f ive-year blueprint, the UK’s busiest airport says 95% of passengers will clear central security in under f ive minutes, while baggage handling improvements aim to cut the rate of lost bags to just 1%, equating to 1 25 million fewer mishandled items annually

Heathrow also pledged an 80% on-time departure rate and more reliable ser vice for passeng

Aviation Authority (CAA) recently said its support ser vices "need improvement"

To accommodate growth, 70,000 square metres of new passenger space will be added across terminals by repurposing back-off ice areas New lounges, restaurants and shops will be introduced in Terminals 3 and 5, marking the f irst major expansion since Terminal 2 opened in 2014 The changes are expected to support an additional 10 million travellers

The plan coincides with new negotiations between the airport, airlines and the CAA over passenger charges Heathrow wants to raise the average fee from £26 57 per passenger to £33 26, a 25% hike, while airlines, which collect and pass on the charges to passengers, have voiced concern

Heathrow has until July 31 to submit new p r o p o s a l s fo r t h e t h i r d r u n w a y t o t h e Department for Transport, following the government’s reaff irmed support for expansion earlier this year

L abour MP accepted donations from asylum hotel group

L abo ur M P Ros ena

e

wealth redistribution and a f irmer stance on Gaza

The poll suggests that both Labour and the Greens could lose around six points to the fledgling party A sep-

vote

Tyron Surmon, Head of Research at Find Out Now, s

ly shows that a new left-wing

are only slightly affected, the

UK’s support, at

in the

Party members were report-

Westminster event Sultana has launched a fundraising and supporter sign-up page

However, concerns have emerged over transparency, with some organisers fearing the campaign infrastruc-

A llin-Khan accepted £3 ,750 in do nations f ro m t h e L o nd o n Ho tel Group (LHG), a c o m p any w i t h lu c ra ti v e tax p aye rfunded contracts to hou se asylum seeker s A n ad d it io n al £3 ,750 was g iven by th e g

Kent

L H G i

Da

Indian-born businessman whose hotel empire i n c lu d e s a t

housing asylum seekers More than 38,000 migrants are now in such accommodations, costing the Home Off ice £5 5 million per day; r

n w h e n Si r Ke i r Starmer vowed in June 2024 to end the use of asylum hotels and save taxpayers billions

A spokesperson for Allin-Khan said she is n o t a c q u a i n t e d w i t h G a u h a r Na w a b b u t knows his son, Meher Nawab, the company ’ s CEO The relationship, they said, has helped her address housing complaints from constituents

Shadow Home Secretar y Chris Philp criticised the donations, calling it “the height of hypocrisy,” and accused Labour of prof iting from what he described as an “illegal-immigrant asylum gravy train ” However, most of the contracts with asylum hotels were awarded under the previous Conser vative government, when Philp ser ved as a Home Off ice minister

A Labour source countered, “Hotel use s o a re d t o re c o rd l e v e l s u n d e r t h e To r i e s , reaching over 56,000 people The current Labour government is committed to ending their use by the end of this parliament ”

A spokesperson for Allin-Khan stressed that all donations were properly declared u n d e r p a r l i a m e n t a r y a n d E l e c t o r a l Commission rules Meher Nawab said LHG “works with government and charities to help provide accommodation for some of the most vulnerable in our society ”

I N B R I E F

FOUR HELD OVER CYBERATTACKS ON UK RETAILERS

Four individuals have been arrested in connection with high-profile cyberattacks on Marks & Spencer the Co - Op and Harrods the National Crime Agency (NCA) has confirmed Arrests took place at the suspect s homes, where electronic devices were seized The suspects are being held on suspicion of offences under the Computer Misuse Act, blackmail, money laundering, and involvement in organised crime The agency confirmed for the first time that Harrods was targeted by the same group responsible for the M&S and Co - Op breaches The same group has been linked to attacks on the US insurance industry and multiple airlines, including WestJet, Qantas and Hawaiian Airlines

ELECTRIC CAR GRANTS RETURN TO AID NET ZERO

Drivers will be offered grants of up to £3 750 to buy new electric cars as the government launches a major scheme to stimulate demand and meet its net zero commitments The £650 million fund will support the purchase of electric vehicles (EVs) priced under £37,000 The subsidy will be applied directly at the point of sale, with manufacturers reclaiming the money from the Treasury The initiative is set to run until 2029 The revived grant aims to close that gap and ensure Labour's plan to ban new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, with plug-in hybrids allowed until 2035, remains achievable It will also support manufacturers in meeting the UK's zero - emission vehicle mandate, which requires 28% of new cars sold this year to be electric, rising to 80% by 2030

POWER BILLS TO RISE AMID GREEN PROJECT DELAYS

Households are likely to see their electricity bills rise by at least £50 a year due to delays in key infrastructure projects critical to the UK s clean energy transition Two major power cable projects vital for connecting North Sea offshore wind farms to the grid, will miss the 2030 deadline, undermining Energy Secretary Ed Miliband s pledge to cut energy bills by up to £300 before the next election

The National Energy System Operator (Neso) has warned that the delays could add £4 2 billion to consumer bills in 2030 alone Because the grid will lack the capacity to distribute all the renewable energy generated, the government may have to pay developers not to supply electricity, costs that will likely fall on consumers

UK TOP TARGET FOR RUSSIAN CYBER ATTACKS

Britain has become the primary focus of Russian cyberattacks and sabotage efforts according to senior government officials as President Putin shifts his attention away from the United States amid diplomatic overtures from Donald Trump Officials say the UK is now bearing the brunt of Moscow s hybrid warfare , a mix of cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and infrastructure sabotage, with a sharp uptick in hostile activity recorded since January MI5 and other intelligence agencies have long warned that key sectors of the British economy and infrastructure are vulnerable to state -backed attacks The surge in cyber aggression coincides with ongoing efforts by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron to assemble a multinational peacekeeping force that could deploy in Ukraine if a deal is reached

Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife

Victoria Starmer meet French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron for a bilateral meeting in 10 Downing Street

Queen Camilla and King Charles III welcome the French President and his wife for a State Banquet at Windsor Castle

Zarah Sultana

Rosena Allin-Khan

Healing or harming?

The National Health Service is one of Britain’s proudest i n s t i t u t i o n s , b u t o v e r t h e p a s t f e w y e a r s , i t h a s b e e n stretched, battered and bruised by a perfect storm of underfunding, a global pandemic, and workforce burnout While the public has remained broadly supportive of NHS staff, especially doctors, that goodwill is wearing thin

Since the pandemic, the NHS has often felt like a weakened structure under constant strain As soon as one crisis is p a t c

p r e v i o u s Conservative government, strikes by junior doctors, consultants and nurses became common Waiting lists hit record highs, with BBC Newsreporting that over 7 6 million people were waiting for treatment in early 2024

Now, just as the new Labour government pledges to fix the NHS, junior doctors have announced yet another wave of strikes Nurses may follow This ongoing industrial action, particularly by doctors, is beginning to erode the public’s patience and trust

A recent YouGov poll cited by The Telegraph found that 49 per cent of the public now opposes the strikes by junior doctors Support for the industrial action has dropped sharply over the past year, as patients face longer delays, cancelled appointments and increasingly limited access to care The 29 per cent pay rise demanded by junior doctors has struck many as unrealistic, especially given the ongoing costof-living crisis affecting ordinary families

The public anger is not without precedent Lord Robert Winston, a respected medical expert and Labour peer, publicly resigned from the British Medical Association (BMA), describing its actions as “irresponsible” and “damaging to the profession ” Speaking to Sky News, he said: “With the state

our country is in, it is wrong to walk away from patients Striking is not a morally justifiable way to handle negotiations when people’s lives are at stake ”

His words echo the sentiments of many within the medical community who fear that the profession’s long-standing reputation for dedication and compassion may be permanently damaged Dr Rachel Clarke, an NHS palliative care doctor, warned in The Guardian that while fair pay is essential, the strike tactics risk losing public sympathy “Doctors must fight for their rights, yes, but never at the cost of patient safety,” she wrote

This is not just an issue within the UK It has struck a nerve among the South Asian diaspora as well, many of whom have deep ties to the NHS, both as medical professionals and as patients British Asians are heavily represented in the healthcare workforce According to NHS Digital, nearly 40 per cent of doctors in England identify as Asian or Asian British With such visibility comes a unique responsibility to uphold both professional integrity and community trust

The right to strike is legal, but that does not make every strike right When doctors refuse to work, even temporarily, they are not just withdrawing labour They are disrupting a vital service Every delayed diagnosis or cancelled surgery could mean the difference between life and death

Respect for doctors is not automatic It is earned, and it must be protected The South Asian community, which has given so much to the NHS, should lead by example in encouraging accountability, fairness and dialogue If doctors lose the public’s trust, they lose more than a pay dispute They risk losing the very foundation of the profession itself

A crash and a cloud of secrecy

By all measures, the Air India crash should have prompted a transparent, urgent and thorough investigation Instead, what we have received is a preliminary report riddled with gaps, technical ambiguities and a suspicious lack of accountability It raises more questions than it answers

According to India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the aircraft crashed just minutes after takeoff because fuel stopped reaching the engines The cause, we are told, was both engines shutting down due to the fuel control switches being in the "cut-off" position For any layperson, that sounds grave For aviation professionals, it sounds implausible

Fuel switches do not toggle themselves This is a deliberate action taken only after the plane has safely landed and is shutting down As a pilot and safety expert, Capt Amit Singh told The Hindu, “There is no operational logic or emergency checklist that would require both switches to be turned off mid-air during takeoff ” So, who cut the fuel supply? And why?

The Bureau’s report sidesteps this fundamental question Instead, it offers a snippet from the cockpit voice recording: “Why did you cut off the switch?” one pilot allegedly asks “I didn’t,” comes the response We are not told which pilot made the statement Nor are we given the full recording It is hard to believe that in the middle of an unfolding emergency, serious enough for the pilots to issue a Mayday call, these were the only words exchanged in the cockpit

Victims’ families, understandably devastated, now find

silence As reported by NDTV, they are demanding full access to the cockpit and flight data recordings “We just want the truth,” one relative said “Not a version edited to fit a narrative ”

The Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association has also weighed in, calling the report a thinly veiled attempt to lay the blame solely at the feet of the pilots In a statement cited by India Today, the Association said it was “inconceivable” that experienced crew members would willingly or accidentally cut off fuel to both engines during takeoff, a phase of flight where every second counts and every action is laserfocused on stabilising the aircraft

And yet, the Bureau has not shared the data from the Flight Data Recorder that would confirm exactly when the switches were turned off That is not a technical delay It is a choice The kind of choice that leads the public to wonder whether something is being hidden

Unfortunately, India is not the first country to face this c

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 is a grim reminder of how aviation disasters can fall victim to cover-ups, withheld evidence and powerful interests “Truth is often the first casualty when big entities are involved,” aviation writer Christine Negroni wrote in The Atlantic

In the case of the Air India crash, the victims and their families deserve far better They deserve answers that are not vague, manipulated or buried in bureaucratic jargon They deserve to know who turned that switch and why

M o r e

n o w whether the skies they fly in are safe and whether their lives matter more than the reputations of institutions Secrecy may shield some in the short term, but it corrodes public trust in the long run If this investigation concludes without any real accountability, it will not only be a tragedy It will be a national disgrace

India’s resilience: Cricket, diplomacy and defiance

Cricket is more than a sport in India Alongside Bollywood, it is one of the country’s great unifiers In the recent Test match at Lord’s, even in defeat, Team India displayed something powerful: resilience Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten 61 became a symbol of calm defiance, described by India Today as “each run a rebellion against the odds ” Despite falling short by 22 runs, the team’s unity shone through, especially when Mohammad Shami broke down after the match and was embraced by teammates, opposing team members and fans alike

Former England opener Jonathan Trott remarked, “Why couldn’t I have done what Jadeja did to give us a chance?” The answer lies in the Indian team’s resolve, a quality that reflects the nation's broader mood

Beyond the pitch, India is demonstrating similar determination on the global stage Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected in the UK by late July or early August to sign the much-anticipated Free Trade Agreement The deal is set to eliminate tariffs on 99 per cent of Indian exports and could unlock over £25 billion in bilateral trade over the next decade According to NDTV, this visit will also focus on defence and technology cooperation

For British Asians, this is more than policy It is personal These developments strengthen ties between India and the UK, elevating the role of the diaspora When India asserts

itself globally, it reflects a growing pride among those of Indian heritage living abroad

That same spirit is visible in how India is responding to

Canada, including attacks on temples and businesses, has sparked concern Comedian Kapil Sharma’s restaurant in Surrey was shot at in a targeted incident Indian-origin

Canadian MP Chandra Arya called it “ a chilling reminder of the growing influence of Khalistani extremism ” India’s government has responded with clarity and resolve, signalling that attacks on Indian identity, even abroad, will not go unanswered

India today is not just defending itself, it is defining its global role The determination shown by Jadeja and his teammates is echoed in India’s diplomacy, its trade negotiations, and its strong stance against those seeking to undermine its unity Cricket, diplomacy, and identity may seem like separate spheres, but for the global Indian, they are intertwined The cheers at Lord’s, the news about trade deals, and India’s strong messages to troublemakers abroad all send the same message: India will not be bowed

As Prime Minister Modi prepares to land in London to seal a transformative trade deal, the message is clear India knows who it is and what it stands for

Thought for the week

”Opportunities don’t happen, you create them.” Chris Grosser

Fifteen years ag o, on the 13 th of July, I lost m y grandm other Her passing was not just the end of a ch apter in our fam ily, but the quiet closing of a book filled with th e kind of prac tic al w isd om that no th ink tank, beh avi oural econom ist or Whiteh all adv iser could bottle or replicate And yet, if we could, I d are say we ’ d save billio ns in NHS budgets, social cohesion initiativ es, and even foreign p olicy headach es

Grandmothers-particularly the stoic, sari-wrapped kind who travelled continents by road are the unseen spine of civil society I once travelled with mine by car from the UK to India Through Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan With my grandmother Imagine that today She had no GPS, no TripAdvisor reviews Just inner compass and moral conviction And Khakhra And Thepla Her toolkit for health? No lab coats or clinical trials required Just: eat your greens, sleep at the right time, avoid fizzy drinks, drink water, work hard, don’t spend what you haven’t earned, donate, and do your duty That last one-do your duty-was a commandment, not a suggestion I remember my uncles being summoned in the dead of night to rescue a girl from an abusive arranged marriage somewhere in the Midlands, after a phone call from a concerned stranger “Someone must act,” she said So someone did

Her spiritual bar was high, but not performative I once told her I’d skipped morning puja because my mother had done it on my behalf “If your mother eats,” she replied, “will your stomach be filled?” Wisdom sharper than any TED talk

A visit to the Mandir with her was sacred Not religious obligation, but our time Like the walk through Indian alleyways where she made sure I was dipped in the Ganga as much about spiritual hygiene as ritual You were never just “brought up ” in her presence You were shaped, carved No rough edges allowed

Decorum, too, was drilled in with military precision Hair combed, shirts tucked, no jeans with holes in them When, as a teenager, I faxed a fiery letter to the editor of this very paper about the Hare Krishna campaign, CB Patel called her, not me Her reaction: “What have you done? CB is coming to meet you Will people laugh at us?”

She was terrified not of being wrong, but of being undignified I assured her, it was a good sign And my first ever published writing anywhere – 18 books later – thank you too CB a family friend from before this paper

Years later, when I spoke to a room of 200 British investors in Leeds, I made sure the jokes landed and that I spoke in Gujarati just for her, from the stage: “See, it’s good to make them laugh sometimes ” I wanted her to know: I commanded the arena With decorum

She also taught me what it means to win As a boy, I once sobbed at midnight over a German assignment I couldn’t finish She walked in, heard my whimpering, and said one thing: “I don’t care if you finish it but show some courage ” I did Three years later, I got the German prize in my final exams

We speak so often of national values, community cohesion, character education We hire consultants and commission reports But perhaps we need to listen to our elders more and Zoom less For all the algorithms and institutions trying to rebuild society, the glue we ’ re missing may simply be living in our homes, wearing a shawl, and quietly telling us to tuck in our shirts

Ex-Tory chairman defects to Reform as party eyes wave of new recruits

S i r J ak e B err y, a fo rm er

C o ns erv ati v e P a rty c h air -

man and key ally of Boris

J o h ns o n, h as d e fe cte d to Reform UK, d eclaring the party th e “real opposition” and accusing th e To ries of betraying their values and aband oning the British people Berry, who lost his seat in the 2024 general election, launched a blistering attack on his former party in a column for The Sun, saying it no longer stands for low taxes, free enterprise, or strong borders He praised Reform as Britain’s last hope to halt “managed decline,” and backed Nigel Farage to become the next prime minister

“

become a grotesque pant

“Reform gets it Reform lis-

R

with Nigel Farage leading, we ’ ve got something this country can actually trust

most high-profile to date and comes as Reform targets at least eight other for-

C

, Jonathan Gullis, Tom Hunt, B

Moore; most of whom were

their seats in the last election

However, some figures, i

being kept at arm

s length Farage said she would cause too much internal division and made clear that only t

d with Reform’s values would be welcomed “This is not a meal ticket We want peo-

Tories were a catastrophe in government,” he said Berry acknowledged his role in past Tory governments but insisted he had c o n s i s t e n t l y p u s h e d f o r tougher action on immigration and opposed tax hikes

H e s a i d h

b a c k e d J o h n s o n ’ s l e v e l l i n g - u p agenda but admitted, “The

Remembering the lives lost on

7/7

Krupesh Hirani AM

Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow

This month marks twenty years sinc e the 7 /7 London bomb ings, a tragedy that forever chan ged our city and lef t deep scars across our c ommunities

On that day in 2005, four coordinated suicide attacks on the London transport network claimed the lives of 52 innocent people and injured hundreds more It was the deadliest terrorist incident on British soil since the Lockerbie bombing and the first carried out by Britishborn extremists The impact still reverberates across London and the entire nation

Earlier this week, I was honoured to attend the commemoration service at St Paul’s Cathedral It was a solemn, powerful occasion, where survivors, families of the victims, emergency service workers, and public representatives came together to reflect, mourn, and stand united in defiance of hate The silence in that great cathedral was deafening, as we remembered each life l o

accusing Berry of behaving

move showed Farage was embracing the same

‘World’s oldest marathon runner’ dies at 114 in road accident

T h e " Tu r b a n e d T o r n a d o , "

In dian-born British runn er F auja Sin gh BEM , di ed at a ge 114 a ft er bein g struck by a vehicle in his nat ive v illa ge of Bias in Punja b, his biograph er confirme d H i s b i o g r a p h e r ,

K h u s h w a n t S i n g h , c o nfirmed the news on X, writing: “My Turbaned Tornado is no more He was struck by an unidentified vehicle in his village, Bias, while crossing the road Rest in peace, my dear Fauja ”

T h o u g h S i n g h h a d n o official birth certificate, his

family said he was born on April 1, 1911 He began running competitively at 89 and c o m p l e t e d s e v e r a l marathons until age 100 His

UK offers asylum to 24,000 Afghans after MoD data leak

Britain has secretly offered a s ylu m t o n ea rly 24 , 0 0 0

A f g ha n so ld i ers and th ei r families after a major d ata b reach , no w rev e aled fo llowing the lifting of a superinjunction

The leak has pushed the c o s t o f r e s e t t l i n g A f g h a n refugees to £6 billion, the MoD admitted, potentially creating a new hole in public finances

The revelation threatens to overshadow Chancellor

R a c h e l R e e v e s ’ s M a n s i o n House speech, as tax hikes are already being considered this autumn

It’s unclear whether the £6 billion cost of resettling

2 4 , 0 0 0 A f g h a n s h a s b e e n i n c l u d e d i n t h e g o v e r nm e

around the data breach has blocked scrutiny

The breach happened in February 2022, when a Royal Marine mistakenly shared a s

i n

t h e identities of asylum-seeking

affected

final race was a 10K at the 2013 Hong Kong Marathon, which he completed at 101

H e t o o k u p r u n n i n g after the deaths of his wife and son, inspired by watching marathons on TV While widely celebrated as the olde s t m a r a t h o n r u n n e r , Guinness World Records did not recognise his achievement due to lack of verified age documentation, which Singh said was never issued in his village under British rule Singh was a torchbearer at both the Athens 2004 and London 2012 Olympics

and appeared in ads with s t a r s l i k e D a v i d B e c k h a m and Muhammad Ali H e c r e d i t e d h i s endurance to daily walks on f a r m l a n d a n d a d i e t o f home-churned curd and dry fruit laddus

I n d i a n P M N a r e n d r a

Modi paid tribute on X, calling Singh “ an exceptional a t h l e t e w i t h i n c r e

t n e s s

“Pained by his passing My thoughts are with his family and admirers,” he wrote

Report warns Britain is a 'powder keg' after summer riots

reminder that behind every statistic is a person whose absence is still felt every day T

resilience and strength shown by Londoners in the face of unimaginable horror I will never forget the images of commuters helping each other, the bravery of emergency services workers rushing into danger, and the overwhelming sense of unity that followed London was shaken, but it did not fall apart

Through adversity, our communities stood strong, more determined than ever to reclaim our place and our voice Faith leaders, community organisers, and ordinary citizens worked tirelessly to bring people together, foster understanding, and prevent divisions from deepening We must continue that work today The fight against extremism, in all its forms, is a collective responsibility

At Mayor’s Question Time recently I brought this issue to the forefront and sought assurances that sufficient funding was going into tackling the unique challenges that London faces as a major capital city as the sheer volume of targets and locations in our city is vast

G

London with an uplift on our capital city grant to the tune of £63 million

7/7 taught us that terrorism seeks not just to kill, but to divide It thrives on hatred and fear We must always resist that As we reflect on the events of that terrible day, let us remember those we lost and renew our commitment to a more united, compassionate, and inclusive Britain

Their memory lives on in our grief, our unity, and in our resolve to never let hatred win

Several former Afghan s p e c i a l f o r c e s h a v e b e e n killed by the Taliban since 2021 Some now granted UK asylum had previously been rejected, but decisions were reversed after a major data breach

Initial court documents s u g g e s t

Healey will tell Parliament that 6,900 are being relocated due to the breach 4,500 a

arrive

Another 17,000 eligible u n d e

14,000 already in the UK or in transit

The breach is believed to have exposed data of up to 100,000 people

A f g h a n s o l d i e r s a n d t h e i r families It surfaced a year l a t e r v i a a n a n o n y m o u s Facebook post, which was deleted after MoD interven-

The U K is a “ pow der keg ” o f soc ial tensio ns th at co uld erupt again, warns a major report m arking a year since the Southport knife attacks sp arked nationwide riots

O n e i n t h r e e a d u l t s , around 15 million people, rarely or never meet others from different backgrounds

Up to 70% have never intera c t e d w i t h l o c a l a s y l u m seekers, amid growing divisions over immigration, cost o f l i v

declining trust in politics

Sir Sajid Javid and form e r L a b o u r M P J o n Cruddas, chairs of the new

Cohesion, warned that the UK’s social fabric is under

t action, they said, “the very basis of our democracy is at risk ” They pointed to rising political polarisation, falling

immigration as key drivers o

increasing the risk of unrest

and alienation

Last summer ’ s far-right riots, sparked by false claims that a Muslim asylum seeker was behind a deadly knife attack at a children’s dance c l a s s , s a w h o t e l s h o u s i n g asylum seekers targeted and widespread violence erupt across the UK The attacker was later identified as Axel Rudakubana, a 17-year-old Christian born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents

The ‘State of Us’ report by British Future and the B e l o n g N e t w o r k w a r n e d that the UK risks further u n r e s t u n l e s s l o n g - t e r m s o c i a l p r e s s u r e s a r e a d d r e s s e d D e s c r i b i n g l a s t summer ’ s riots as the worst targeted attacks in a generation, the report said minority communities, businesses, and police suffered most

Ministers weigh rescue of second major steel plant this year

M i ni s ter s ar e w ei g h i ng o p ti o ns t o s av e ano t h er major UK steel plant if its p are nt c o m p an y, L ib er ty Steel Grou p, faces ad ministra ti o n a ft er a key c o u rt hearing

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 R e y n o l d s i s reportedly considering taki n g S p e c i a l i t y S t e e l U K (SSUK) into full state control The company, which e m p l o y s 1 , 4 5 0 p e o p l e i n R o t h e r h a m a n d S h e f f i e

nationalised this year

i d i t w a s closely monitoring Liberty Steel, SSUK’s parent company, and hoped it could continue sustainably

L a b o u r M P s i n S o u t h Yorkshire have pushed for urgent support, as the plants have lost £340m over four

y e a r s R o t h

largest electric arc furnace, hasn’t produced steel in a year due to funding shortfalls

Owner Sanjeev Gupta, based in the UAE, is battling to retain control of parts of his GFG Alliance after its m a i n

, G r e e n s i l l Capital, collapsed in 2021 Gupta is now seeking fresh investment for SSUK ahead of next week’s insolvency hearing, telling unions he’s

a major investor, though past sale efforts have failed A spokesperson for the u

d : “Recent talks with the company suggest Liberty is in advanced discussions with a

s , w e remain seriously concerned about the future of SSUK If t

n

x t week, the government must step in to safeguard jobs and t

Nigel Farage Sir Jake Berry

Fauja Singh BEM

Sir Sajid Javid

Officer denies using excessive force at Manchester arrest

A police officer has d enied u sing “gratuitous” fo rce during an arrest at Manch ester

A irp ort, telling a court th at

h e ac te d p ro f es s io n al ly

w hile trying to detain a v iolent su sp ect

PC Zachary Marsden, of Greater Manchester Police,

w

called to Terminal 2 arrivals

M

20, had headbutted a cus-

t

Starbucks café

When officers attempted to arrest Amaaz, prosecutors said he resisted and was joined by his older brother, Muhammad Amaad, 26 The

pair allegedly subjected the o f f i c e r s t o w h a t w a s described in court as a “high level of violence ” Marsden, who gave evidence at Liverpool Crown

C o u r t , s a i d h e w a s “attacked” during the struggle and rejected claims that h e h a d “ s t a m p e d o n t h e head” of Amaaz He admitted delivering “ one strike to the facial region to stun the s u b j e c t , ” c l a i m i n g A m a a z had ignored repeated comm a n d s t o p u t h i s a r m s behind his back and had lifted his chest off the floor

Imran Khan KC, defendi n g A m a a

and said the force used was “not necessary ” and “gratu-

itous ” “You must have been furious at this point,” Khan

examination

Khan also argued that Marsden had made “ a series of mistakes” that were “not

police training,” leading to behaviour that “fell below the professional standards required of a police officer ”

Marsden defended his con-

actions on the day in question as “professional ” A m a a z d

o u r counts of assault, including against three officers His brother, Amaad, denies one count of assaulting a police officer The trial continues

Call for whistleblower protections in new DEI law

M inisters are being pressed to intro d uce legal p ro tect i on s fo r w h i s tl eb lo w

s w ho expose em ployers failing to co mply with upcoming UK d iversity, equity and inclu sio n (DEI) leg islation

The Equality (Race and D i s a b i l i t y ) B i l l , s e t t o b e published later this year, has been described by equalities minister Seema Malhotra as p a r t o f t h e g o v e r n m e n t ’ s “absolute” commitment to advancing DEI in the workplace

If passed into law, the bill would require compan i

e p o r t whether white and non-disabled staff earn more than their Black, ethnic minority a n d d i s

expected to create a dedicat-

and may require employers

Deprivation, ethnicity drive premature death inequality

Where you liv e in England and Wales has a strong link to yo ur risk of dying before the age of 75, with factors such as dep riv ation, ethnicity , an d ed u c ati o n d ri v i ng mu ch of the variatio n acro ss local areas, a new study has found T h e r e s e a r c h , c a

National Statistics (ONS) for the Health Foundation, is the first of its kind to examine the influence of these c h a

ture mortality at the local level It focused on deaths f r o m a n

March 2021 and December 2 0 2 3 B l a c

l h a d t h e highest premature mortality rate, with 696 deaths per 100,000 people, nearly

adjusted for ethnicity and w

born outside the UK, the gap narrowed to 2 3 times Once

socio-economic factors like deprivation and education were included, the difference fell significantly to 1 1 times T

that socio-economic status had the greatest influence on premature death rates, indicating it plays a major

and respiratory illnesses

Former Met commissioner

Ian Blair dies aged 72

Lo rd Ian Blair, former comm i s si o n er o f t h e M e tro p o l it an P o l ic e, h as died ag ed 72 A key figure in British policing , h e led the M e t t h ro u g h so m e o f i ts m o s t tu rb ul ent year s a nd was the first comm issio ner in over a century to resig n fro m office Blair took up the role in February 2005 with strong government support and a mandate to modernise the U K ’ s l a r g

Organisation (BEO), a civil rights group co-founded in 2021 by Foreign Secretary David Lammy and historian

Olusoga BEO argues that without safeguards, employ-

non-compliance could face retaliation, undermining the effectiveness of the legislation

C

will be essential to ensure

parency under the new law

Measles jab urged after child dies in Liverpool

Health officials are urg ing

t he p u bli c t o ch ec k th ei r m easles v accinatio n statu s f o ll o w i ng th e d ea th o f a c h i ld at A l d er H ey

C h i ld re n

s H o s p i tal i n L iverpo ol T h e c h i l d , w h o h a d measles and other underlying health conditions, died while receiving treatment, a c c o r d i n g t o T h e S u n d a y Times The hospital recently warned of a sharp rise in

measles cases among young p e o p l e , l i n k e d t o f a l l i n g u p t a k e o

, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine

Vaccination rates have d e c l i n e d n a t i o n w i d e o v e r the past decade, with just 8 4 % o f c h i l d r e n a c r o s s England fully vaccinated In Liverpool, coverage is even lower, with only 73% of fivey e a r - o l d s h a v i n g r e c e i v e d t h e r e c o m m e

d r o p p e d b e l o w 6 5 % T o achieve herd immunity and stop outbreaks, 95% of the population must be vaccinated Chris Streather, medical director for the NHS in

L o n d o n , s a i d , “ T h e M M R vaccine offers lifelong protection, and with measles cases rising, it is not worth the risk of going without this vital safeguard ”

Workers struggling to make ends meet

O ne in six workers in the UK are regularly unable to pay thei r bills, highli ghting the c ontinued pressure of t h e c os t of li v i n g c ri s i s , despite recent wage growth, ac cording to new research from the Work Foundati on

I n a s u r v e y o f 3 , 8 0 0 workers, 17 per cent said

t h e y s t r u g g l e d t o m

were keeping up with inflation

an unexpected £850 cost, the highest level in nearly a year The financial strain is driving a surge in second jobs, with 1 23 million people now juggling multiple roles, the highest number since records began in 1992

half of those aged 16 to 24 fearing job loss in the next year

troversy, Blair remained an active voice in public life Ennobled in 2010, he contributed to policing debates in the House of Lords

t i n g would come to define and u l t i m a t e l y u n d e r m i n e Blair’s leadership

Johnson Despite the con-

B u t j u s t m o n t h s i n t o h i s tenure, the 7 July 2005 terr o r i s t b o m b i n g s s h o o k London, killing 52 people Two weeks later, police mistakenly shot and killed Jean C h a r l e s d e M e n e z e s , a n innocent man wrongly susp e c t e d o

policing

Blair, born in Chester in 1953, joined the Met in 1974 An Oxford graduate, he rose through the ranks, serving in Surrey and Thames Valley before returning to the Met as deputy commissioner in 2000

Seema Malhotra

Inquiry chair criticises blood scandal compensation delays

The £11 8bn infe ct ed b lood

s ca n d a l co mp e n sa t i on

s ch e me is “ pr o fo un d l y unjust” in its dela y and fair-

n e s s, f or m e r H i g h Co ur t judge Sir Brian Langstaff has war ned

He said just 460 people have been paid so far, causi n g “ d i s t r e s s a n d

among victims and families

Since its launch in May 2023, o n l y 6 1 6 o

n made, totalling £488 3 million

A r o u n d 1 , 0 0 0 p e o p l e have been invited to start claims, but many especially relatives of the deceased still don’t know when or if

they’ll receive compensation W

3,000 dead since the scandal b

delays could stretch into the

continue to face uncertainty

Sir Brian Langstaff warned the lack of clarity is causing

one man who died before his claim was processed

Sir Brian Langstaff, who led a six-year inquiry into the infected blood scandal, concluded it was “not an accident” but the result of systemic and individual fail-

inquiry in May to examine

called the number of claims

progress is now picking

exclusion of those infected with HIV before 1982 from receiving payouts

for victim support lawyers, calling it unjustifiable He also condemned the government’s refusal to name the

compensation scheme

Met police chief flags racial death disparity

M et P olice chief S ir Mark Rowley called it “sh ameful” that Black boys in L ond on are more likely to d ie by 18 than white boys S peaking o n Sky New s, he said tackling racial d isparity amo ng crime su sp ects and victim s rem ains a “d iffi cult” iss ue for the force

Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley acknowledged p a s t f a i l u r e s i n p o l i c i n g Black communities, saying: “ W e s t i l l m a k e m i

W h i l e m

o f f i c e r s a r e “good people,” he said the l e g a c y o f m i s t r u s t , c o mbined with crime impacting

B l a c k c o m m u n i t i e s m o r e heavily, creates serious challenges

M e t C o m m i s s i o n e r Rowley called it “shameful” that Black boys in London a r e f a r m o r e l i k e l y t h a n white boys to die before age 18 He warned that stop and search and other police tactics land harder in communities with low trust, helping criminals thrive Rowley urged a joint effort to give

Black boys equal life chances and said other systems like education and criminal justice also need reform, calling the justice system “close to broken” and frustrating for officers when it fails to stop repeat offending He backed key proposals

f r o m S i r B r i a

Reeves to unveil £500m boost for youth services

hancellor

C

Rachel Reev es will u nv eil a £50 0m “Better Futures Fund” to support charities and com munity groups wo rking with children facing mental health challeng es, school exclusion, or crime

The fund aims to attract an additional £500m from local councils and partners The move comes amid growing pressure on Labour to scrap the two-child benefit cap, which would cost over £3 5bn annually

Reeves said: “I entered politics to help children facing the toughest challenges This fund will give thousands of young people and families a fairer chance after being overlooked for too long ”

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the government is building a “powerful alliance” with councils, charities, and philanthropists to transform the lives of vulnerable children Reeves will unveil the £500m Better Futures Fund during a school visit in Wigan, expanding the previous £70m “life chances fund ” The money will be delivered via social impact bonds, where private investors are repaid only if outcomes like reduced reoffending are met

Snaresbrook Crown Court in London, where over 100

Rowley noted the impact of

someone on bail is waiting four years for a trial, that’s simply unacceptable ”

Whistleblower faces removal after reporting elderly abuse in care home

A ca re worker who reported

a bus e at a UK care home now f aces deportation af ter being f ir e d " M e e r a " ( na m e c ha n ge d ), wh o c a m e f r om Ind ia on a s pon sore d v isa , s a id s he w it n e s s e d a c ol -

l eague pun ching an elderl y

m ale res ident

“I was a whistleblower,”

s h e s a i d “ T h e y f i r e d m e instead of addressing it and made me feel like a criminal

I’m not I was saving lives ”

Without a new sponsor, she risks removal from the UK

“I’m in trouble, and no one is

V&A

helping me, ” she added Meera says she was told by her manager to “change y o u r s t a t e m

g abuse She refused and was fired the following month, with the care home citing poor performance She reported the incident to police, leading to multiple arrests and an ongoing investigation The Care Quality Commission also inspected the home, which still holds a ‘good’ rating With no support from authorities and no

references, Meera now struggles to find a new sponsor to stay in the UK

Meera warned families to be cautious, saying, “In care homes like these, your loved ones your father, your par-

claimed some homes deliberately hire migrant workers because they are less likely to speak out due to fear “Local staff know their legal rights They can complain, they can

their voice Migrants often can’t,” she said

probes claims teens were racially profiled on school trip

T h e V i c to ri a a nd A lb e rt

Mu seum has launch ed an i n ve s ti g ati o n af t er s ta f f were accused of racially p rofiling Y ear 10 students from City Academy, Bri sto l, duri ng a schoo l trip o n J une 1 1

Teachers are calling for a boycott, while parents say p u p i l s

since met with V\&A management

Michaela Wilde, a staff member and NEU Bristol rep, has launched a petition

demanding an apology from the V&A after students on a school trip were allegedly racially profiled The group, studying creative subjects, v

venues A teacher said V&A s

pupils and later took them to a basement room where t h

c h e s would be conducted, with staff given conflicting explanations

A teacher said one student was accused of saying

prompting V&A staff to prepare to search the group The school chose to leave instead A parent said the pupils returned upset, feeling watched and treated dif-

petition, with nearly 350 signatures, accuses the V&A of

demands

written apology,

racism training for staff

Officials said the Life Chances Fund supported successful schemes like AllChild’s in-school mental health programme, which helped cut persistent absenteeism Former PM Gordon Brown backed a £1bn investment in social impact bonds to boost services such as Sure Start and youth zones While Reeves faces pressure to scrap the two-child benefit cap, doing so would cost £3 6bn, posing a challenge as she also funds other key benefits following recent U-turns

Independent MP says Anderson told him to 'shut up' at PMQs

Yorksh ire’s first Independent MP since 1907 , Iqbal Mo ham ed , says he was the one Reform's Lee A nd erson told to "sh ut up" at a recent PM Qs

Iqbal Mohamed

Mohamed, who won Dewsbury and Batley on a pro-Gaza platform last summer, beating Labour by 7,000 votes, also revealed plans to join a new party with Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana He was heckling the leader of that party, Nigel Farage, whilst he was on his feet in the Commons, talking about Brexit

After Mr Farage told MPs “The main reason the people of Britain voted for Brexit in 2016 was because we wanted to take back control of our borders”

Mr Mohamed told he shouted “It’s because they were lied to” during PMQs, calling Brexit “the biggest fraud in British history ” He clarified the remark was tongue-in-cheek but insisted those responsible should be held to account He criticised figures like Boris Johnson and parties like UKIP and the Brexit Party for misleading the public “Me holding a pint doesn’t make me a man of the people,” he added Mohamed also confirmed ongoing talks about forming a new party with Jeremy Corbyn, saying there’s a growing appetite for “true” Labour

Last year, Mr Mohamed, Jeremy Corbyn, and three other MPs formed the ‘Independent Alliance’

I N B R I E F

JOB SEEKERS SURGE AT FASTEST RATE SINCE COVID

Job seekers surged in June at the fastest pace since the 2020 Covid lockdown according to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and KPMG The rise is linked to economic uncertainty and April s tax hikes, including a £25bn increase in employer national insurance contributions A survey of 400 UK recruitment firms found permanent job placements dropped at the fastest rate in nearly two years, with rising redundancies and slowing pay growth Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces pressure to revive the economy amid fears of autumn tax hikes Business leaders warn further taxes could worsen uncertainty KPMG’s Jon Holt said employers are cautious, though growth in services and clear trade plans could boost confidence Retail saw the biggest decline in hiring while only construction and engineering recorded vacancy growth

GPS TO REPLACE SICK NOTES WITH JOB COACHES AND GYM REFERRALS

The Government has launched a new pilot scheme to help sick people return to work and reduce the rising benefits bill Under the £64 million WorkWell programme GP surgeries in 15 regions will each receive £100 000 to offer specialist employment support alongside sick notes Instead of simply signing patients off doctors will work with employment coaches to help with CVs cover letters and job searches

The government is introducing reforms under Labour s Plan for Change to move from a system that "manages sickness" to one that promotes "health, work, and prosperity " The £64 million WorkWell scheme, launched last October, offers physiotherapy and counselling to help people return to work The reforms, part of wider welfare changes, drew criticism and led to concessions from PM Keir Starmer, who said the current system has “wrong incentives” and rising costs The government says the goal is a fairer, more sustainable system focused on prevention and long-term health

NEW HOME SALES IN LONDON PLUNGE TO RECORD LOWS

Sales of new homes in London have plunged to catastrophic levels, marking the worst market crisis since the early 1990s, according to a new report Preliminary data from Molior reveals just 3 950 new homes were sold in the capital in the first half of 2025 Molior director Tim Craine revealed on LinkedIn that just 3,950 new homes were sold in London in the first half of 2025 only 9% of the Government’s 44 000 target He warned the market is as bad as in early 2009 or the 1990s crash, noting, “At least back then the market was allowed to function ” Craine added that low sales mean developers won’t build creating a demand crisis even after supply-side issues like BSR are resolved Molior also reported a sharp decline in private housing starts with just 731 new private homes breaking ground in the first half of 2025 a drop of 57% compared to the same period last year

Sir Mark Rowley

Rachel Reeves

Trump to make second UK state visit in September

Donald T rum p has accepted

a n i n v i tat io n fr o m K i ng C harles III fo r a second state v isit to the U K, Buckingh am P alace has confirm ed

H e a n d f o r m e r F i r s t

Lady Melania Trump will be

h o s t e d a t W i n d s o r C a s t l e from 17 to 19 September, as Buckingham Palace remains under renovation His first state visit was in 2019, hosted by Queen Elizabeth II State visits for second-

t e r m p r e s i d e n t s a r e r a r e , typically limited to informal meetings over tea or lunch

However, Trump’s visit will include a ceremonial welcome and a state banquet at Windsor’s St George’s Hall, with senior royals including the Prince and Princess of Wales expected to attend

I n F e b r u a r y , P r i m e

Minister Keir Starmer personally delivered the King’s invitation to Trump at the White House, which Trump described as a “great, great honour ” The visit follows the King’s symbolic trip to Canada amid ongoing tensions over US tariffs seen as a gesture of support for Ottawa

Trump, a vocal monarchist, has long praised the Royal Family and is expected to visit Scotland later this month to open a new golf course Starmer is also set to meet Trump informally during the visit, as the UK looks to strengthen ties and influence the former president on key trade and diplomatic issues

T r u m p ’ s p r e v i o u s U K visits have not been without controversy In July 2018, he met Queen Elizabeth II for tea at Windsor Castle, drawing criticism for breaking royal protocol by walking in front of the Queen during a ceremonial inspection That trip was not a formal state visit

A y e a r l a t e r , i n J u n e 2019, Trump and the First

London

Tensions were especially high during the 2019 visit f

London Mayor Sadiq Khan

right values and warned of his global influence

arose when neither London Mayor Sadiq Khan nor then Home Secretary Sajid Javid w

banquet held for President Trump, prompting speculation about deliberate exclu-

odd ” Previously, he critic

sharing tweets from the farright group Britain First

This time, Trump’s visit is expected to avoid large public events due to heightened security, much like in 2 0 1 9 w h e n h e w a s f l o w n between venues and there was no procession along the Mall

“No parliam ent sp eech, just ‘ a goo d tim e ’ ”

Donald Trump has said he does not want parliament recalled during his state visit to the UK, praising Prime Minister Keir Starmer for “straightening out” what he called a “sloppy” Brexit

, T r u m p

declined: “Let them enjoy their break I want to have a good time and pay respect to King Charles a great gentleman ”

A longtime supporter of B

potential had yet to be fulfilled but credited Starmer w i t h m a k i n g p

o g r e s s : “ I really like the prime minister, even though he’s a liberal He did a good trade deal with us ”

new respect for him now that he had “ won the presid

not an easy crowd to break into these are smart people heading successful countries ”

Asked if world leaders w

, Donald Trump said, “I think

nice ”

On Russia, he said he was “disappointed, but not done” with Vladimir Putin following a NATO deal to arm Ukraine “We had a deal done four times, then he attacks a nursing home in Kyiv what the hell was that about?” he said Asked if

Bestway celebrates 50 years honouring Sir Anwar Pervez

Bestway Group marked its

ng i

founder, S ir Anwar Perv ez OBE, H Pk The celebration b ro u g h t to g

e r 8 0 0 g u e st s, i nc lu d i ng d i g n itaries, parliamentarians, and close friend

the Bestway fam ily H

O’Leary, the evening celebrated Sir Anwar Pervez’s journey from a small village in Pakistan to founding a global business employing over 50,000 people

“His is a story of grit,

Lord Zameer Choudrey CBE

success, community investment, and philanthropy ” Highlights included

Jenkins OBE, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Escala with the N

King Charles hosts Indian cricket teams at Clarence House

Hi

welco med the Ind ian Men’s and Women’ s cricket teams, along with their co aches and BCC I officials, at Clarence H

Ghosh were also

Siraj’s unlucky dismissal, the King remarked on the ball rolling onto the stumps-Gill replied with a smile, “It’s a g a m e o f c r i c k e t ” C h a r l e s also shared a light moment w i t h R i s h a b h P a n t a n d Jasprit Bumrah, and interacted warmly with the rest of the men ’ s and women ’ s squads

L a d y w e r e h o s t e d a t Buckingham Palace for his o f f i c i a l s t a t e v i s i t H e p r a i s e d t h e Q u e e n a s a “great, great woman

and patriotism

who

However, both visits were met with

In a rare BBC interview, the former president said he lowered tariffs specifically for the UK because of the special relationship, calling B r i t a i n “ a t r u e a l l y ” a n d adding: “I think they’d come to our aid in a war I’m not sure others would ” W h i l e R e f o r m U K ’ s Nigel Farage urged a parlia-

nobody ” Trump, who once called NATO “obsolete,” now says it’s “becoming the opposite of that ” He criticised the US bearing most of the cost but noted: “Now they’re paying their own bills ” H e s a i d h e s u p p o r t e d NATO’s collective defence p r i n c i p l e , b u t q u e s t i

n e d whether all members would back the US in a conflict “I believe the UK would fight with us The relationship is a really good one ”

Finchley in Barnet, Barking town centre in Barking & Dagenham, and Erith

Ealing in Ealing, Edmonton Green in Enfield, and Hayes

among the selected areas

Additional

Hounslow town centre in Hounslow, Finsbury Park

Merton, and East Ham in Newham

Prime Minister Keir Starmer with US President Donald Trump

Lord David Cameron presenting shield to Sir Anwar Pervez with Bestway Group Board members

HEF launches South London Chapter to drive growth and prosperity

The Hin du Economic Forum ( HEF) UK launched its South

tural pride, Economic as purp o s e - d r i v e n

Forum as a space for collaboration and prosperity

S h a n k a r s t r e s s e d t h a t

HEF is a results-driven platform where trust builds business, visibility drives influe n c e , a n d s h a r e d w i s d o m fuels growth, over £250,000 in deals were generated in

Vaishali Yadav, who played key roles in launching the chapter, spoke about their vision for a cooperative, selfsustaining ecosystem

Nitin Techchandani, CIO of HEF UK, concluded the evening with a heartfelt vote

g key contributors and high-

HEF now runs five active

U K c h a

, Buckinghamshire, Glasgow, South London, and the soonto-launch Edinburgh chapter (1 November 2025)

Focused on mentorship, collaboration, and business growth, HEF connects leade

evening opened with a meditation session and was warmly hosted by Shweta Singh

HEF UK President Anil

P u r i w e l c o m e d g u e s t s a n d

h i g h l i g h t e d t h e F o r u m ’ s g r o w i n g n

C E O K S h a n k a r o u t l i n e d HEF’s ethos, Hindu as cul-

the past month alone He also announced key initiat i v e s l i k e t h e B u s i n

and HYEN to support future entrepreneurs

Chapter, delivered a passion-

HEF’s power to unite and uplift Hindu businesses glob-

point for grassroots econom-

being, and spiritual strength as key pillars of a thriving

lighting major achievements,

investors, and the creation of

(HWEN) to support women

Trade Agreements to be held

Ditton Manor Each initia-

HEF’s mission to drive

dharmic values and collective empowerment

Soulful fusion of music, dance and healing in Hounslow

C o nnecting the Do ts transformed Th e Arts C entre Hou nslow into a space of music, h ealing, and cultural celebration, led by British

A si a n a lt- ro c k d u o

C o m p o u nd Rad iu s ( R ad i u s a nd A d i ti )

Held on June 28 , 2025,

t h e e v en t f u se d E astern and Western

m u si c al i n fl ue nc es w ith spiritual th emes, c re ati n g a p o w e rf u l afternoon of connectio n and com munity wellbeing

T h e d u o o p e n e d w i t h original acoustic pieces like “Song for Humanity,” “Path of Bliss,” and “Apni Kahani,”

j o i n e d b y t a b l a m a e s t r o Yamin Choudhury (Shagor Bhai) They also introduced five ‘Prabhat Sangeet’, spiritually uplifting songs composed by Guru Shri Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, who believed music should be a force for

g their Hounslow debut Acclaimed psychotherapist Neha Malik spoke on music and trauma healing, accompanied by Radius on handpan Monidipa Seal captivated the audience with an Odissi dance on the five elements, set to Radius’s elect r o n i c r e i m

The evening also featured a

moving Mohan Veena r

Sundaram, UK’s only

instrument and disciple of Grammy-winner

Shagor Bhai on tabla T

ended with a collaborative performance of the original title track ‘Connecting the Dots’,

(Mohan Veena), Radius (guitar), and Yamin Choudhury (tabla) a powerful fusion of Eastern and Western sounds

C

Hounslow and senior Indian diplomat, encouraged youth to embrace cultural expression and social service The e

advocate Jyoti Bhogaita

Culture and devotion shine at SNJPM’s 50th anniversary

Shree N avyug Jain Pragati M andal ( SN JPM) , on e of the U K’ s oldest J ain organis ations, was founded i n 1974 by Ramanb hai Shah, Vi nodbhai Shah, a nd the late Din eshbhai Shah to promote Jai n values an d c reate a strong, supportive c om munity

To mark its 50th anniversary, SNJPM hosted the Pratishtha Mahotsav, consecrating a 13-inch solid silver idol of the 23rd Jain

Community members at the event

Tirthankar, Shree Parshvanath Bhagwan Led by Shri Kuldeepbhai Nakodavale with music by Shri Pratikbhai Gemavat,

th e Year’ at

Glo bal Health A wards 2025 The recognition high-

commitment to

Kumkum Mandir saints bring spiritual satsang to London

S ai n ts fro m S h ree

S w a m i nar aya n M a nd i r Kum kum , Maninagar founded by the rev ered S ad guru

S h a st ri S h ree

A nand priyadasji Sw am i w ill arrive in London from 25th July 2025 to promote Ind ian culture and spiritual values

F r o m 2 6 J u l y t o 1 8 August, the saints will reside a t S h r e e S w a m i n a r a y a n

Siddhant Sajeevan Mandal, K u m k u m , U K , l o c a t e d o n Parr Road, Stanmore During t h i s p e r i o d , d e v o t e e s c a n

r e c e i v e s p i r i t u a l g u i d a n c e through divine discourses by Shree Premvatsaldasji Swami

a n d S h a s t r i S h r e e H a r i k r i s h n a s w a r u p d a s j i

S w a m i h e l d e v e r y e v e n i n g from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM,

a n d o n S a t u r d a y s a n d Sundays from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM

D u r i n g t h i s s p i r i t u a l tour, a range of uplifting prog r a m m e s w i l l b e h e l d , including devotional singing

( k i r t a n b h a k t i ) , r e c i t a t i o n s ( p a r a y a n ) o f S h r e e

A b j i b a p a s h r e e ’ s t e a c h i n g s ,

S h o d a s h o p c h a r p u j a n ( 1 6fold worship) of Shree Hari, c o l l e c t i v e a a r t i s , y o u t h camps, and more

Speaking about the visit, S a d h u P r e m v a t s a l d a s j i o f K u m k u m M a n d i r s h a r e d t h

London has been serving the community for the past 12 years To commemorate its 1 2 t h P a t o t

will take place from 1st to 3rd August, culminating in the main ceremony on Sunday, 3rd August, f

'Offbeat Sari' showcases modern twist on tradition

Midlands Arts Centre ( M AC) p re s en ts ‘ T h e Offbeat Sari’ , a majo r e xh ib i ti o n f

D e si g n M u

eu m , Londo n, running fro m 2 8

to 2 N

ve mb

F

e t o attend and o pen daily (1 1am–5pm), the sho w explores h ow the iconic sari is being reimagined in mo dern urban India

Once seen as too traditional, the sari is now a canvas for innovation and identity The exhibition features standout pieces like Tarun Tahiliani’s foil jersey sari for Lady Gaga, and experimental designs by Abraham & T h

woven steel

the celebration featured rituals, cultural performances, and a vibrant community gathering

C u r a t e d b y P r i y a Khanchandani, this is the only UK tour stop outside London “The sari is a symbol of identity and resis-

tance,” said Khanchandani MAC has also commissioned Birmingham designer Jashaan Gill of Jheez to create a sari-inspired fashion piece blending denim streetwear with fabric from his mother’s wedding outf i t h o

design

Sp eaking to Asian V oice, Jashaan Gi ll said, “It was an immense honor to receive this commission from the M i d l a n d s A r t C e n t r e f o r t h e i r S a r i S e a s o n T h i s opportunity allowed me to deeply explore my cultural roots while blending them w i t h t h e s t

Harpz Kaur and the talented MUA Gurpreet Kaur brought

Community dignitaries and members present at the event

Pranav Vora, CEO

Director and Nirav Patel, Registered Manager - Director of AUM Care with the award

British Asian alt-rock duo (Radius and Aditi) with Darshan S Grewal, former Mayor of Hounslow and senior Indian diplomat (middle)

Shree Premvatsaldasji Swami

Shastri Shree Harikrishnaswarupdasji Swami

Young comic creator raises funds with big imagination

A t ju s t se v en y ear s o ld ,

A di tya Vikram is alread y showing that imagination and empathy m ake a pow -

erf u l tea m A b u d d i ng comic book creator with a head fu ll of id eas and a pencil that’s never far from his h and, A ditya spends h is tim e sketching ou t sup erhero ad ventures and kicking foo tballs, bring ing the sam e energy and enth usiasm to both worlds His biggest inspiration?

D a v P i l k e y , t h e b e l o v e d author of Dog Man and Captain Underpants Like Pilkey, Aditya is a storyteller at heart His days are filled with comic books, big questions like “why?” and “what if?”, and a wild imagination that rarely slows down

Recently, that imagina-

t i o n t o o k a m e a n i n g f u l leap from fiction to real life At his school, Eaton House The Manor, Aditya

l a u n c h e d h i s v e r y f i r s t comic book sale, an initia-

t i v e h e c a m e u p w i t h entirely on his own From w r i t i n g a n d i l l u s t r a t i n g each story to designing the

c o v e r s a n d s e t t i n g t h e

p r i c e s , h e m a n a g e d t h e e n t i r e c r e a t i v e p r o c e s s from start to finish

But it wasn’t just about sharing his stories Aditya wanted his comics to do some good Without hesi-

t a t i o n , h e d e c i d e d t o donate half the proceeds to a cause close to his heart

“I want to give it to

L i t t l e V i l l a g e , ” h e s a i d

“They help kids who don’t have what they need ” With that simple but powerful decision, Aditya set up his stall, confidently

p r e s e n t e d h i s c o m i c s t o classmates, and sold nearly £200 worth of his hand-

made books Moved by his thoughtfulness, his parents

c h o s e t o m a t c h t h e f u l l amount, for a donation to Little Village, a charity that s u p p o r t s f a m i l i e s w i t h babies and young children

l i v i n g i n p o v e r t y a c r o s s London

“ A s p a r e n t s , i t w a s incredibly moving to see him channel his creativity into something so mean-

i n g f u l , ” t h e y s h a r e d “ I t reminded us how deeply children can connect with t h e w o r l d a r o u n d t h e m , a n d h o w m u c h t h e y ’ r e capable of when given the space to lead ” A d i t y a ’ s c o m i c b o o k

world is filled with imagination, action, and heart

“There are lots of comics about superheroes and vill a i n s f i g h t i n g , ” h e t o l d A s i a n V o i c e “ S o m e o f

m i n e a r e l i k e t h a t t o o , about big catastrophes and how they get fixed Right now, I’m working on a new one My favourite character is Tanker He’s really s t r o n g , h e h a s d i f f e r e n t s u i t s , h e c a n l i f t r e a l l y

h e a v y s t u f f , a n d h e c a n transform into things ”

Another of his stando

formidable villain named

“Two brothers, Tony and Ward, are sent from Earth

really smart, he can even control electricity on Earth from his own planet, like stop the trains or something!”

While Aditya’s stories

worlds, they also reflect his own Many of his comics

are inspired by his Indian h

t with family in Delhi and Bombay

“In one comic, Robin Hood travels to India to fight the bad guys, ” he said with a grin “One of the villains even says ‘Aram se!’, that means ‘slow down’ in Hindi ”

His trips to India have also been a source of creativity “I created four of these comics while visiting my grandparents,” he said “Some took just a few days, but one of them took a whole month to finish!”

Despite his age, Aditya is already thinking like a mentor When asked what advice he’d give to other young creators, his message was simple and full of e n c o u r a g e m e n t : “ G o o d luck with your comics! I h o p e m i n e a n d y o u r s inspire lots of people And I hope you do really well ”

Bradford schools set the standard for student wellbeing

S c h o o l s a cr o ss th e Brad ford dis trict w ere

h ono ured at the annual

H ea lt h y M in d s C h art erm ark S c h o o ls

A w ards for th eir o uts tan d ing

m

H o

ny c elebrated th e ded ication of teach ers and staff in creating inclusiv e, supp ortiv e learning env ironments

Duffy and Lord Mayor M

praised schools for prioritising wellbeing and fostering inclusive, supportive environments

Citibond hosts summer lunch in Stanmore

Renow ned trav el com pany

C itibond recently ho sted a v i b ran t S u m m e r L u nc h

P arty at Ev erest A berco rn

R es tau r ant i n S ta nm o r e, bringing tog ether ov

00 gu ests for an afternoon o f celebration and networking Attendees included key figures from the airline and travel industry, long-standing partners, well-wishers, friends, and notable media personalities, among them C B P

Editor of Asian Voice and

with his team

Set against a backdrop of sunshine, the event offered a warm, festive atmosphere

cross-sector networking In his welcome address, H

late Alpa Shah, a beloved

family, with a heartfelt tribu t e a

n t o f silence He also announced an upcoming charity initiative inspired by her wishes,

with details to follow soon Founded in 1974 and led by the esteemed Shah fami-

years of expertise in tailor-

tours More than a business event, the gathering celebrated lasting relationships, shared values, and

The Chartermark, led by B r a d f o r d C o u n c i l ’ s E d u c a t i o n

g y Team and funded by Public Health, promotes a whole-

s c h o o l a p p r o a c h t

e m otional wellbeing Schools are awarded silver, gold, or platinum status based on the depth and sustainability of

t h e i r s u p p o r t f o r p u p i l s , staff, and families

T h i s y e a r , t h r e e s c h o o l s P a r k A s p i r

top Beacon School status for outstanding impact on stud

mark for others in the district

For the first time, two l o c a

y schools, Strong Close and Hirstwood, joined the programme and received silver

health from early childhood Dr Laura Halliwell and

increasingly offering culturally sensitive mental health support This year

winners

Imaam Muhammad Zakar (JIMZ) Independent School earned a Gold Award, show-

schools to student wellbeing

Aditya Vikram

Aditya at his first school comic sale

Hitesh Mehta (Director of Citibond) and Rajiv Shah (Director of Citibond)

School children present at the event

L to R: CB Patel, Jyotsna Shah, Cllr Robert Rigby, Kishore Shah (Director of Citibond) and Pooja Raval

Stopping boats but not bombers

Last week’s agreement between UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron was hailed as a turning point in controlling illegal migration

The new one in, one out deal means migrants arriving in small boats on UK shores may be returned to France, while Britain agrees to accept an equal number of vetted asylum seekers

The plan also boosts patrols along the French coast, embeds UK and French liaison officers in each other’s command centres and introduces high-tech surveillance tools such as drones, radar systems and detection dogs to stop small boat launches before they begin This agreement is not just about migration It also includes r e n e w e d d e f e n c e a n d

ernised coordination on nuclear deterrence, maritime security and counter-terrorism And yet, while we see strong action on boats, we see far less courage in conf r o n t i n g s t a t e s p o n

attacks

Terrorism has left scars across continents The attacks on New York on 11 September, London on 7 July and Mumbai on 26 November were not isolated or spontaneous Each involved extremist groups with links to Pakistan, either through its military, intelligence networks or protected terrorist organisations Osama bin Laden was found living near Pakistan’s top military a c a d e m y i n A b b o t t a b a d O n e o f t h e L o n d o n 7 / 7 bombers, Mohammad Sidique Khan, reportedly trained in camps in Pakistan The 2008 Mumbai attacks were c

Pakistan, with direct coordination from handlers across t

Kashmir, 26 innocent tourists were gunned down by terrorists who reportedly asked their religion before openi n g

“Sindoor” stand-off between the neighbours

The UK and France are rightly building walls against illegal boat crossings But what about those who shelter or back the terrorists? The irony is hard to miss Western c o u n

Pakistan over its role in cultivating and harbouring terrorists The excuse is perceived to be Pakistan’s strategical importance But this soft approach has cost lives across the globe, including in Britain Terrorism cannot be defeated by targeting only the foot soldiers while sparing those who train, fund or protect them

The UK–France pact rightly focuses on joint maritime forces and upgraded command infrastructure But should not those same mechanisms also target the roots of global terrorism, not just its symptoms? The agreement shows that bold moves are possible when political will exists If stopping illegal migrants is a priority, stopping the spread of terrorism must be an even greater one It is not enough to say terrorism has no religion

We must also acknowledge that it often has sponsors, sanctuaries and silence from the international community Until Western nations apply equal pressure on countries that fund or protect terrorists, whether for religious, political or strategic reasons, the fight will remain incomplete Stopping boats is only the beginning Now let us stop the bombers too

Dr Nars inhbhai Patel

Respected and Honourable CB Bhai, Jai Shri Krishna Jai Swaminarayan

We are all keeping well here, and I sincerely pray to the Almighty for the good health and happiness of you and your family For quite some time, I have wished to share something from my heart with you, and today, I have finally found the moment to do so

I m e t y o u d e c a d e s a g o w h e n I h a d c o m e f r o m

Zimbabwe It was during our nephew Priyesh’s (son of Usha and Vipinkumar) 21st birthday celebration that I had the brief opportunity to meet you I was with Mahendrabhai and Vipinkumar at the time and just managed to say, “It’s a pleasure meeting you, ” and with a smile, I added, “You are a very handsome man ” Even after all these years, whenever I see your photographs in Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, it feels as though your personality hasn’t changed a bit You remain just as impressive and charismatic

One could truly say that you have lived a life of success and purpose You have had the privilege of engaging with dignitaries from diverse walks of life, inspiring your journey through those experiences In fact, I would say you need not go on a pilgrimage, the life you have led has itself been a path of spiritual value You worked hard to help resume the direct Air India flight and succeeded in that mission You have met world leaders, saints, and spiritual masters alike and have been blessed by their presence and guidance

What’s even more remarkable is that you may be among

In February, the government established an independent working groupto advise on a definition of Islamophobia

Much secrecy surrounded this initiative No one really knew how the working group was formed, or how it would conduct its consultation exercise, or whom they would approach for such consultation Depending on who you spoke to, the reason for doing this now is to justify the APPG (Muslim) definition that the Labour Party had already adopted (but a definition that has widely been derided for being corrupt in its content and purpose), or, it was to seek another definition that would be more palatable that could then become government policy and part of the legislative process

The Working group consists of:

• The Right Honourable Dominic Grieve KC, BarristerChair of the group

• Professor Javed Khan OBE, Managing Director of EQUI

• Baroness Shaista Gohir OBE, CEO of Muslim Women’s Network UK

• Akeela Ahmed MBE, Co-Chair of British Muslim Network

• Asha Affi, Independent Consultant

The fear surrounding APPG (Muslim) definition is genuine since it basically muzzles everyone from even expressing their concern about anything Islamic, or Muslims Basically, it would become the defacto blasphemy law specifically to protect one faith from any challenge or criticism anddestroy the very concept of ‘Freedom of Speech’

The repulsion to what the government was seen to be doing has become more pronounced Especially after the fiasco of how it handled the Pakistani grooming gang ’ s statutory inquiry The great British public are visibly switched on and have declared, enough is enough The Labour Party is getting thrashed in the polls The credibility of the Prime Minister is now the lowest it has been for any PM to date The pressure to at least make it look like a proper consultation has grown and recently the working group opened the consultation to a wider audience You can, should you feel so inclined, make your own contribution to this i m p o r t a n

https://forms office com/Pages/ResponsePage aspx?id=EGg0 v32c3kOociSi7zmVqI6tIfR9NoRNi6VcrK9V665UQTdRVzRM M0I4UTA0R0ZCNzBJQ0s4TVNYMS4u

A bit of advice, you don’t necessarily have to give your ethnicity (which no doubt they will use to track what each group thinks and potentially use it in ways that undermine etc) It seeks a response to whether it should be called ‘Islamophobia’, ‘anti-Muslim hatred’, ‘anti-Muslim racism’, ‘anti-Muslim prejudice’ or 'Muslimophobia' Don’t fall for the trap, if there is to be a definition then it should be called Anti-Muslim Hatred This aligns with Antisemitism and Anti-Hindu Hatred – terms that actually mean something tangible, without discriminating against any other faith

A phobia is defined as something that is an irrational fear However, almost every person I have spoken to (and they come from all backgrounds and all faiths) have clearly expressed to me that they do have a RATIONAL FEAR of Islam i e Their fear of Islam is real, it’s tangible, it’s something that impacts daily in how they live their lives and how they see the world around them Therefore, to use the term, ‘Islamophobia’, meaning an irrational fear is missing the mark by a long shot

Why do good honest Brits have such a rational fear of

A heartfelt letter from a reader

the very few individuals who have had the privilege of meeting all three spiritual heads of the Swaminarayan Sampraday Receiving blessings from such revered saints has truly sanctified your life

You have also seen tough times In your early days, you worked incredibly hard, and through it all, your wife stood firmly by your side Together with Pushpaben, you built a life filled with grace and purpose It is through your joint dedication and unwavering service that Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar continue to shine today Your siblings have always respected you deeply, and the sense of teamwork you have built at Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar under your leadership is truly admirable May God always protect you; that is my sincere and heartfelt prayer

Today, my daughter Usha (Kinu) underwent surgery for breast cancer Her treatment is ongoing, but she’s doing better now She’s mentally very strong Vipinkumar was also in the hospital for three months Thankfully, he recovered My eldest son, Vijay, had a serious illness too, but he is in a better condition than before My second son, Jatin, is also facing health problems His wife, Heena, was diagnosed with cancer as well, but after surgery, she too is doing better Her treatment is ongoing

Our youngest son, Daxesh, had a severe injury Both Daxesh and Vipinkumar could have been lost if there had been even a day’s delay in their treatment, but by God’s grace and the timely care of the doctors, they were saved

I always say that you were saved because you served

Islam? After all, at the grassroots most of us are friends with Muslims, we interact with our Muslim brothers and sisters, and we even have thingsthat are of common interest between us Yet, there is still a very clear and pronounced fear of Islam

I suspect the academics will use all sorts of distorted reasoning to rationalise their hypothesis and come up with 101 different reasons to ignore this legitimate fear

Over the past three decades we have seen terrorism in the name of Islam We have witnessed thousands of Islamic terrorist groups spring up right across the world Every single day somewhere in the world there is a terrorist attack committed by an Islamic group in the name of Islam Just a few examples tell a clear story:

9/11 Attacks (2001):The attacks on the United States, carried out by Al-Qaeda, had a profound global impact and led to significant shifts in counter-terrorism efforts

Madrid Train Bombings (2004):A series of coordinated bombings on commuter trains in Madrid, Spain, resulted in numerous casualties and injuries

London Underground Bombings (2005):Suicide bombings on the London Underground and a bus resulted in a significant number of deaths and injuries

ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria):ISIS emerged as a

beyond

Attacks in France:France has experienced multiple attacks attributed to Islamist extremists, including those in Paris in 2015 and Nice in 2016

Attacks in the UK:The UK has also seen several attacks, including the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017, and other incidents in London and elsewhere

Attacks in India:2000 Church bombings of South India, Kurnool train crash, 2000 terrorist attack on Red Fort, 2001 Attack on Indian parliament, 2025 Pahalgam attack, 2000 Amarnath pilgrimage massacre, 1993 (+ 2002, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2011) Mumbai attacks To name just a few

I can probably write a 1000 pages detailing many of the terrorist attacks by Islamists However, the examples show us clearly that there is a real reason why many people do have a rational fear of Islam

Many nations have now started to proscribe terrorist organisations These can be far left, far right, Marxist, and of course Islamists I did some checking and guess what, in the UK we have proscribed 75 organisations/groups And what is shockingthat 80% of these are Islamic

When an ordinary citizen is faced with such unwarranted attacks on their streets, witnessing the same attacks right across the world, and theysee that the vast number of terrorist groups are also Islamic – then is it any wonder they end up having a real fear, a rational fear, of Islam?

The wokes, the PC Brigade, the lunatics on the left, and those who come out on hate marches against Israel, might want to ignore reality They are the boisterous (with apparently all the time on their hands)who take to our streets, our airways, infiltrate political parties, infiltrate our institutions, and appease to terrorism However, the silent majority of sane people will at some stage say, enough is enough I suspect the tolerance of the British is now stretched to its very limit Government should be minded and take note before it’s too late

your parents with such genuine devotion Even today, our sons, daughters-in-law, daughter, and son-in-law continue to care for us deeply, serving us with love and earning blessings through their actions

That’s all for now, dear brother My heartfelt prayer is that your entire family remains happy, healthy, and always blessed May God grant you all the health, happiness, and blissful life you truly deserve - Yashodab en (Vimuben) Bhupendra bhai Pa tel Jai Swaminar ayan

CB Patel reflects

I have personally experienced many divine interventions from Pujya Bapa (Pramukh Swami Maharaj) Whenever I faced a dilemma, I would place my concerns or questions before Him, and He would respond Himself, guiding me with clarity and grace

Note: It is with immense pride and honour that I share this heartfelt letter of blessings, originally written in beautifully clear Gujarati by our respected elder, Yashodaben (Vimuben), at the remarkable age of 93 What makes it even more special is that she was raised in Salisbury, the capital of S o u t h e r n R h o d e s i a i n 1 9 3 2 , n o w k n o w n a s H a r a r e , Zimbabwe, where she learned Gujarati To witness such touching and eloquent expression at this age is truly inspiring I feel deeply blessed to receive the heartfelt blessings of an elder sister of such stature

- CB Patel, Publisher & Editor

Kapil Dudakia

Wes Streeting slams doctors’ strike as public trust in medics falters

H ea lt h S e cr eta ry We s S t ree ti ng h as co n d em n ed

t h e B ri ti sh M ed i c al

A ss o c i ati o n ’ s ( BM A ) d ec i -

sion to call a fiv e-d ay strike by resid ent d octors later this m o nth , d e sc ri b in g th e action as “unconscio nable” and w arning it co uld severel y u nd e rm i ne th e N HS reco very and public trust in the profession

R e s i d e n t d o c t o r s , f o rmerly known as junior doctors, are set to stage a full walkout from 7am on Friday

2 5 J u l y t o 7 a m o n

W e d n e s d a y 3 0 J u l y T h e strike is part of the BMA’s campaign to secure a 29% pay rise, which it argues is necessary to restore doctors real-term pay to 2008 levels

The government has rejected further pay talks, insisting recent settlements have been generous and fiscally responsible

Streeting expressed frustration with the BMA, stating that after last year ’ s 22% pay deal and this year ’ s 5 4%

u p l i f t , t o t a l l i n g a 2 8 9 % i n c r e a s

British history has seen its m e m b e r s r e c e i v e a 2 8 9 % pay rise only to immediately

r e s p o n d w i t h s t r i k e s , ” h e said “The NHS recovery is hanging by a thread, and the BMA is threatening to pull it ”

He added that the decision was especially frustrating because fewer than half of the 53,766 resident doctors eligible to vote in the BMA ballot supported strike

a c t i o n T u r n o u t w a s 5 5 % , with around 90% of those voting backing the walkout

To add to the mess, a YouGov poll for The Times suggests public opinion is turning against the strikers

While 59% supported junior

d o c t o r s ’ i n d u s t r i a l a c t i o n ahead of last year ’ s general election, that figure has now dropped to 36%, with 49%

o p p o s i n g t h e w a l k o u t

A m o n g o l d e r v o t e r s , t h e shift is even more stark: 70% of over-65s now oppose the

s t r i k e s , u p f r o m 5 1 % l a s t year

Speaking at the Health and Care Select Committee, S t r e e t i n g s a i d : “ I c a n n o t fathom how any doctor, in

g o o d c o n s c i e n c e , w o u l d

m a k e i t h a r d e r f o r N H S

m a n a g e r s t o e n s u r e s a f e

staffing levels This strike will lead to delays, cancelled a p p o i n t m e n t s , a n d m o r e suffering for patients ”

He accused the BMA’s resident doctors committee of opting for confrontation over collaboration, criticising them for allegedly advising members not to inform their employers in advance of the strike, thereby maki n g c o n t i n g e n c y p l a n n i n g harder “That’s shockingly i r r e s p o n s i b l e , ” S t r e e t i n g said Co-chairs of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, D r M e l i s s a R y a n a n d D r Ross Nieuwoudt, defended the decision to strike, claiming they had “made every effort” to avoid action and blaming the government’s refusal to negotiate on pay “Without a credible offer to k e e p u s o n t h e p a t h t o restore our pay, we have no choice but to call strikes,” they said

Leading medical figures have warned that the strike could cause lasting damage to public trust in the profession Professor Sir Stephen Powis, the outgoing medical director of NHS England, said the walkout would lead to “tens of thousands” of c a n c e l l a t i o n

s t Public support is falling, and we need to think really hard about whether this strike is justified ”

Lord Darzi of Denham, a prominent surgeon, warned,

“The public’s trust in doctors is earned, not guarant e e d I f e a r i t w i l l n e v e r recover if the BMA proceeds with strikes that are plainly unjustifiable ” T

Robert Winston,

Labour

resignation from the union over the planned strike A B

Times, “I feel very strongly that this isn’t the time to be striking Strike action completely ignores the vulnerability of people in front of you ” Senior NHS leaders have echoed the concerns Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of

Mortimer, chief executive of

strike would lead to thousands of cancelled appoint-

Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, said the short notice for a fiveday strike would hit patients just as the NHS had begun to reduce waiting lists

A survey of NHS trusts by NHS Providers revealed that 89% of leaders believe the strike will harm their ability to meet financial targets, and an equal number fear worsening waiting lists More than 80% said it would n

care

D e s p i t e c a l l s f r o m

Streeting and others to call

o f f t h e s t r i k e , t h e B M A insists that only a concrete

c o m m i t m e n t t o f u l l p a y restoration will prevent further walkouts With neither side backing down, the NHS now faces another wave of disruption at a time when it is already under significant pressure

Patients in Surrey still stuck in NHS backlog

H undreds o f th ousands o f p atients in Surrey are facing lo ng delays for NHS care, i ncluding c ancer treatments and major o perations, with more th an 200, 000 p eo ple still on waiting li sts, accordi ng to local h ealth leaders

Despite some progress since the Covid-19 pandemic, many patients are still

national 18-week target for

shortages and IT issues

Measures such as harm reviews, waiting list checks,

have been introduced Yet only 55% of patients are

NHS chief hails arrival of ‘golden age’ in cancer treatment

C a n c e r ca r e i s e n t e r i n g a t ran sform ative er a, wit h new t rea tme nts mak ing the dise ase more ma nag eable a nd le ss d e a d ly , a cc or d in g t o Pr ofe ssor S ir Ste phen Pow is, t he out going na tiona l med ical d irector of NHS Eng lan d I n h i s f i n a l i n t e r v i e w

b e f o r e r e t i r e m e n t , P o w i s said the NHS is on the cusp of a “golden age ” of cancer treatment, driven by breakt h r o u g h s i n p e r s o n a l i s e d medicine and immunotherapy “People are living longer with cancers and surviving cancers, and we are curing some cancers, and that trend will continue over time,” he said

T

national timeframe Surrey Heartlands ICB,

Peter's, Royal Surrey, and Epsom, has seen a decline in its waiting list from a

n September 2023 to 143,000 in March 2025 Still, 61,500 patients have waited over 18

year

O v e r t h e p a s t f i v e d e c a d e s , c a n c e r s

rates in the UK have doubled Half of all patients now s u r v i v

post-diagnosis, compared to a quarter in the early 1970s For breast cancer, the tenyear survival rate is now 75% New therapies, such as personalised cancer vaccines using mRNA technology, are s h o w i n

lung, skin, bowel, brain and p

years

Powis highlighted the growing use of genetic pro-

filing to tailor treatments

using the body’s immune system to attack tumours He also pointed to the role of prevention in eliminating certain cancers, such as cervical cancer, which the NHS aims to eradicate by 2040 through HPV vaccination

W i t h 3 8

c e r diagnoses annually in the UK, and half the population expected to face cancer in t h

s described the shift toward more targeted, effective and less invasive treatments as a revolution in cancer care

Neighbourhood health services to launch from September

Local councils and NHS leaders are being urged to apply to join the initial wave

o f t h e p r o g r a m m e , w h i c h aims to bring care closer to home; including tests, posto p e r a t i v e s u p p o r t , m e n t a l health care and community nursing teams

T h e i n i t i a t i v e f o r m s a k e y p a r t o f t h e Government’s 10-year health p l a n , u n v e i l e d b y P r i m e

M i n i s t e r S i r K e i r S t a r m e r

last week In his speech, he pledged to end the “hospital by default” model, stating that by 2035, most outpatient care should be delive r e d o u t s i d e h o s p i t a l s e ttings Applicants will need to s h o w c a s e i n n o v a t i o n i n c o m m u n i t y c a r e a n d , i f selected, will join a national coaching scheme this summ e r F r o m S e p t e m b e r , 4 2 s i t e s w i l l b e g i n d e l i v e r i n g services, with priority given t o a r e a s f a c i n g t h e m o s t s e v e r e h e a l t h i n e q u a l i t i e s

Streeting said, “If we are to get patients cared for faster, on their doorstep and even in their own home, then we need to shift the focus of the NHS from hospitals to the community ” Streeting also extended an open call to local health services to become “pioneer neighbourhood health sites” and lead a major reform of NHS delivery

The Government is also i d e n t i f y i n g s i t e s f o r n e w neighbourhood health centres, which will eventually operate 12 hours a day, six days a week, staffed by doct o r s , n u r s e s , p h a r m a c i s t s and social care professionals

To drive the programme forward, the DHSC and NHS England have set up a joint taskforce chaired by Sir John Oldham H e a l t h S e c r e t a r y W e s

New NHS plan to tackle 'sick note culture'

The gove rnment is launching a major pilot scheme t o cu r b B r i t a in ’ s r is in g “ si ck note culture ” b y urging GPs t o h el p pat ient s ba ck int o w or k r a t h e r t h a n si g n in g them off

Under the plan, surgeries i n 1 5 r e g i o n s w i l l r e c e i v e funding to connect patients with employment advisers, gym memberships, and community support, rather than d e f a u l t i n g t o f i t n o t e s H e a l t h S e c r e t a r y W e s Streeting said Britain “ can’t

afford to keep writing people off,” pointing to 11 million fit notes issued last year, 93% of which simply declared peop l e u n f i t f o r w o r k , o f t e n without offering support to return

T h e £ 6 4 m i l l i o n “WorkWell” scheme aims to embed employment support into primary care, tackling r i s i n g e c o n o m i c i n a c t i v i t y due to health conditions like anxiety, depression, and back pain Instead of being signed off, a patient with depression might get help finding flexib l e w o r k , w h i l e s o m e o n e with a minor injury could be referred to a physiotherapist o r g y m T h e g o v e r n m e n t hopes to support 56,000 people into work by next spring, a m i d c o n c e r n s o v e r t h e growing welfare bill and economic stagnation

N H S l e a d e r s s a y worklessness worsens ment a l h e a l t h a n d a r g u e t h a t employment support should now be part of the health service’s treatment strategy

Minority, deprived kids face riskier ICU outcomes

C h i l d re n fr o m eth n ic minority g roup s and d isadv a nta g ed b ac kg ro u nd s i n the U K face a significantly h i g h e r r is k o f d e at h an d c o m p li c at io n s a fte r be i ng ad m i tte d to p ae d i atr ic intensiv e care units (PICU s), acco rding to a m ajor new stu dy R e s e a r c h e r s f r o m I m p e r i a l C o l l e g e L o n d o n analysed 14 years of nationw i d e d a t a , c o v e r i n g o v e r 160,000 critically ill children aged 15 and under The findi n g s , p u b l i s h e d i n T h e Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, reveal that children f r o m A s i a n b a c k g r o u n d s were 52% more likely to die in intensive care than white

c h i l d r e n T h o s e f r o m

d e p r i v e d a r e a s h a d a 1 3 % greater risk of death

T h e s t u d y also found that m i n o r i t y e t h n i c children tended

t o a r r i v e i n P I C U s m o r e s e v e r e l y i l l , stayed longer, an a v e r a g e o f 6 6 hours compared to 52 for white c h i l d r e n , a n d were more likely to be readmitted within 60 days of discharge

Lead author Dr Hannah Mitchell said the reasons for these disparities were comp l e x , i n v o l v i n g s t r u c t u r a l issues such as discrimination, language barriers, and poorer access to healthcare

S e n i o r a u t h o r P r o f e s s o r Padmanabhan Ramnarayan n o t e d t h

BMA Junior Doctors strike rally opposite Downing Street in June 2024

Wes Streeting

Wimbledon finale turns into a star-studded style fest

T h i s ye ar ’ s W im bl ed o n d rew a star-stud ded crow d, with celebrit i es fr o m bo t h Ho l ly w o o d an d Bollywo od flo cking to the stand s

T he grand finale wasn’t just a tennis spectacle but a style m oment, as A-listers turned out in their sea-

s o na l be s t, ad d i n g g la m o u r to C entre Cou rt From sleek sum mer suits to elegant d resses, it w as as m uch abo ut fashion as it was abo ut sp ort

The finals saw a dazzling lineup of stars in attendance, adding a touch of glamour to Centre Court I

Andrew Scott looked sharp and shared a laugh as they watched

C

embrace of Indian tradition

brought her signature flair to the stands in a chic white and blue Ralph Lauren ensemble from the Spring 2025 collection, complete with a whimsical strawberry pin Styled by her sister Rhea Kapoor, the look was finished with vintage, reworked Manolo Blahnik heels,

modern edge

Ben Seed

Several Bollywood celebrities lit up the stands at Wimbledon

W

e s a n

P

n c e s s Charlotte were all smiles, soaking u p t h e l i v e l y a t m o s p h e r e H o l l y w o o d s t a r M a t t h e w McConaughey, dressed in a crisp white suit, showed his admiration for tennis legend Andre Agassi Fashion icon Anna Wintour and Australian actress Nicole Kidman

w e r e s p o t t e d s h a r i n g a l i g h t moment before the match British rapper Stormzy and Dame Helen Mirren made an unexpected but delightful pair, trying to stay cool

u n d e r t h e s u m m e r s u n K e i r a Knightley and her husband, musi-

c i a n J a m e s R i g h t o n , e n j o y e d a stylish day out, while actress Daisy Edgar-Jones took in the championship match with her partner,

2 0 2 5 , w h e r e J a n n i k S i n n e r t r iumphed over Carlos Alcaraz in a gripping men ’ s final to claim his first title Preity Zinta and her husb a n d G

among the attendees, with Preity sharing photos on Instagram capturing the heat of the day literally as she fanned herself between s

watching an unbelievable game of tennis!” she wrote, congratulating Sinner and praising Alcaraz’s spirited performance

Veteran actress Neena Gupta

d

Wimbledon, turning heads in

with soft rose prints She paired it with a halter-neck blouse and a gold brooch, confidently standing o

joined by Javed Akhtar, enjoyed the finals with Shibani sharing photos captioned, “Strawberries & cream,

Ankita Konwar also made a stylish appearance, with Ankita calling it

Instagram

Urvashi Rautela turned heads with her unique accessory a bag adorned with four Labubu dolls She also shared a moment with the Princess of Wales, writing, “Truly

Bollywood stars spotted during the

Chopra and Nick Jonas, Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli, Janhvi Kapoor, and Avneet Kaur proving that Wimbledon wasn’t just about the game, but also a celebration of global star power and standout style

Stats chief quits amid call for new leadership

S ir Robert Cho te h as resigned as

c h a ir m an o f th e U K S ta ti st i cs A uth ority, amid gro wing concerns o ver the p erformance o f th e Office f o r Na ti o nal S t ati s ti c s ( ON S ) , w hich th e auth ority ov ersees

H i s d e p a r t u r e f o l l o w s a s c a t h i n g g o v e r n m e n t - c o m m i ssioned review earlier this year that found the ONS faced “deep-seated” problems affecting the reliability of its core data The Bank of England has also raised alarm over ONS labour market figures, which

rates C a b

McFadden said new leadership was essential to restore trust in the statistics that inform government policy In a letter to Parliament, the Cabinet Office’s top civil servant, Catherine Little, said a new chair would be better placed to respond to the review's findings Sir Robert, who has chaired the authority since 2022, will become p

Government sources insisted his

stressed that robust statistics are

His exit follows the May resigna-

grounds In April, an independent review led by Sir Robert Devereux concluded that many of the ONS’s problems stemmed from leadership decisions and a neglect of core economic data

OBR warns UK is living beyond its means

Britain is living beyond its m eans and faces a bleak fiscal outloo k u nless urgent actio n is taken, th e Office fo r Bu dg et Resp onsibility ( OBR) has warned

In a major report on long-term risks to the public finances, the

O B R s a i d t h e c o u n t r y c a n n o t afford many of the promises it has made, urging ministers to make “hard choices” on tax and spending The UK’s budget deficit, at 5 7% of GDP, is among the highest in the developed world, while debt has reached 94% of GDP; its high-

est level since the 1960s Among the biggest pressures are the cost of achieving net zero, estimated at £803 billion by 2050, with £10 billion a year falling to taxpayers largely through lost fuel duties Pension spending is also set to rise sharply, driven by the ageing p o p u l a t i o n a n d t h e t r i p l e l o c k , which will add £15 5 billion a year by 2029 compared to linking pensions to earnings alone

O B R

warned that without reform, debt could soar to 270% of GDP within

HCUK raises concerns over Islamophobia Council

The Hindu Council UK (HCUK) ha s e x p

op h ob i a Council, set up by Deputy Prime Mi n is t e r A n g e l a R a y n e r MP

Ch a i r e d b y b a r r i st e r D o mi n ic G r ie v e , t h e c ou n ci l r

d l y in cl ude s on ly Muslim member s and buil ds on t he APPG’s 2019 defin itio n of Isl am ophob ia , for which Grieve wrote the for ewor d

50 years He said Labour’s new fiscal rules, which allow more flexible accounting by offsetting assets like student loans, carry new risks and leave only £10 billion of headroom

O t h e r p r e s s u r e s i n c l u d e increased NHS spending, welfare reforms and an unfunded pledge to raise defence spending to 3 5% of G

said the government would main-

rules” but acknowledged the economic challenges highlighted by the OBR

advocate Lord Young was it opened to the public and then only for a

approach and the revival of Tony B

HCUK fears the council’s narr o w m a k

u p c o u l d l e g

HCUK and one from Anil Bhanot Islamophobia

ignored While recognising Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s commit-

HCUK believes attacks on Hindus by Islamist extremists have been

fully grasps interfaith sensitivities HCUK is now urging Hindu temple trustees to respond to the consultation, open until Sunday, 20 July 2025 Two suggested responses t

i m i s e Islamist narratives and risk shaping UK policy in ways that harm both Hindus and the vast majority of moderate Muslims The organisat i o n p o i n t s t o g r o w i n g m e d i a rhetoric about a “ common hatred” b e t w e e n H i n d u s a n d M u s l i m s , which it strongly rejects, emphasisi n g i n s t e a d a l o n g t r a d i t i o n o f “ common love” between the communities Initially, the consultation process was restricted to a few select organisations Only after a judicial r e v i e w c h

MPs, candidates facing ‘industrial’ scale abuse

MPs and po litical cand idates are facing reco rd lev els o f abuse and harassm ent, with the Government w arn i ng o f “ i n d u st ri al -s c al e ” in ti m i d at i o n and a nno u n ci n g plans to better pro tect those in public life

D e m o c r a c y M i n i s t e r Rushanara Ali said the hostility now faced by politicians is deterring young people from entering politics and threatening democratic participation “We’ve lost colleagues, Jo Cox, Sir David Amess, a n d s e e n o t h

s s e r i o u s l y attacked,” she said “The scale of abuse during last year ’ s election w a s u n p r e c e d e n t e d a n d d e e p l y concerning ” Ali herself was targeted during t h e c a m p a i g n , a s w e r e s e v e r a l Muslim women candidates Videos captured pro-Palestinian activists heckling her supporters in east London, and a fake leaflet depicted her with devil horns Labour MP Shabana Mahmood also reported

Ali

Rushanara

multiple incidents of harassment while canvassing MPs say the abuse goes beyond individual issues, pointing to wider public mistrust and the ease with which politicians can now be contacted, or targeted, online

A n E l e c t o r a l C o m m i s s i

n report found over half of candidates faced abuse or intimidation, with 13% describing it as serious Chief executive Vijay Rangarajan said the trend poses a threat to both personal safety and democratic integrity

Labour could push 1 million into higher tax bracket

Labour could pul l up to one mil lion work ers into highe r ta x ban ds b y 2030 if it ex tends the freeze on in come tax thresholds, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has war ned

tax,

insurance or VAT, he has refused to confirm whether the threshold freeze, originally introduced by the Conservatives, will be lifted in 2028 as planned

Sonam Kapoor

Javed Akhtar Farhan Akhtar and Shibani Dandekar

Janhvi Kapoor

W H E R E W E L L N E S S M E E T S W O M E N ’ S V I S I O N

Subhasini Naicker

In an era d ef in ed b y m i nd fu l choices and a g rowing demand for h ealthi er, m ore su stainable lifestyles, w omen entrepreneurs are lead ing th e w ay in reimagini ng e v ery d ay h ab i ts i n cl u d i ng how w e drink A t the forefront is ‘Kho ki’, a bo ld new brand fou nded by Vandana Banerjee, offering premiu m, non-g rape w ines made entirely from fruit

Her journey took her from social gatherings in the UK to vineyards in Spain and Germany, where she discovered the art of fruit winemaking What began as

a p e r s o n a l q u e s t h a s b e c o m e

‘Khoki United Ltd ’ , a trailblazing brand that champions conscious

c o n s u m p t i o n , i n c l u s i o n , a n d taste

S p e a k i n g t o A s i a n V o i c

a b o u t h e r p e r s o n a l j o u r n e y , Vandana shared, “I was dealing with health issues, and as a mother and carer, I found the nonalcoholic drink choices severely

l i m i t e d , u s u a l l y j u s t s p a r k l i n g w a t e r o r s u g a r y s o f t d r i n k s

That’s when I began to wonder:

t h e r e m u s t b e o t h e r s l i k e m e l o o k i n g f o r h e a l t h i e r , m o r e m e a n i n g f u l a l t e r n a t i v e s A f t e r

Covid, people became more conscious of wellness and fruit consumption I thought, why not drink fruit? In 2021, I travelled across the Gulf, Europe, India, and South Asia to research beverage trends and met producers

c r e a t i n g i n n o v a t i v e , n a t u r a l , f r u i t - b a s e d d r i n k s I r e a l i s e d

there was not only demand from consumers but also an opportunity to support farmers and tackle food waste That’s how Khoki was born, crafting delicious, fermented fruit beverages that align with the global rise of low- and no-alcohol lifestyles After a year of research and sampling, we regi s t e r e d t h e c o m p a n y i n November 2023 and began trad-

ing in 2024 The response has been incredible ”

tioned to lead in mindful con-

, Vandana told, “Women carry a significant emotional and physical load, whether at home, work, or in society That’s why initiatives led by women, especially those focused on health, wellbeing, and inclusion, hold a special kind of power My mission with Khoki is to build trust, especially among women We want to feel safe, seen, and supported in our choices, to enjoy something that tastes good and feels good without worrying about hidden ingredients or side effects As someone in my 50s, I know how hard it is, particularly during menopause, to feel included at social occasions Even one glass of wine can f e e l l i k e t o o m u c h A b e t t e r choice for women who want to socialise without compromise, to feel relaxed, confident, and well It’s more than a drink; it’s an invitation to feel empowered

“I’ve found inspiration from women acro ss the w orld w ho are changing the g am e ” R e f l e c t i n g o n

r s who inspired her, Vandana told, “As a woman entrepreneur in a

, I

e often been the only woman in the room But I’ve also found powerf u l i n

across the world who are changing the game, like female winemakers in Spain who grow and produce their own wines, and a remarkable entrepreneur in Ziro Valley, Arunachal Pradesh, who c r a f t s 0 % k i w i w i n e w h i l e empowering her village community Meeting her was a turning point for me ”

She added, “While most of my clients are men, I don’t enter this space to compete, I come as a consumer and as a voice for those who’ve been overlooked My mission is to offer better, healthier choices and build a more inclusive, conscious drinking culture, one where everyone feels welcome ”

Offering advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs, Vandana shared, “I spent 15 years in advertising and another 15 in education, including teaching children with special needs Then, unexpectedly, I stepped into the beverage industry, with no prior experience in food and drink, imports, or trade I started from scratch But by taking small, determined steps, I now stand confidently in a field that’s incredibly tough, e s p e c i a l l y f o r n e w c o m e r s a n d women ”

She added, “What keeps me going is the belief that people are ready for healthier, more conscious alternatives and they’re responding To any woman with an idea: don’t give up If you see a gap, pursue it with everything

C

a n g e begins with action ” V a n d a n a a l s o c r e d i t s h e r daughter Aditi for being part of the journey “When she told me, ‘ M o m , t h a n k y o u f o r c r e a t i n g something so good,’ I knew this was more than a product it’s about making people feel seen, included, and empowered That’s the real impact I want to make ”

One in three UK maternal deaths linked to children’s services, study finds

A third of w omen who d ied d uring p regnancy or within a year of g iving birth had been known to ch ild ren ’ s social care serv ices, with one in five of these d eaths due to suicid e, acco rding to g round-breaking new research

Between 2014 and 2022, 1,451 m a t e r n a l d e a t h s w e r e r e c o r d e d , and 420 of the women had prior contact with children’s social care, according to data from the MBR-

A C

review programme

A fifth of maternal deaths were due to suicide, a third to other psychiatric causes such as drug-related deaths, and 5% to homicide, according to a new study published

i n ‘ B M J M e d i c i n e ’ L e d b y r e s e a r c h e r s f r o m K i n g ’ s C o

U n i v e r s i t

L

f Oxford, it is the first UK study to e x a m i n e t h e h i g h n u m b e r o f m a

with children’s social care involvement

O f t h e s e w o m e n , 6 5 % h a d experienced domestic abuse before or during pregnancy, and a third had faced abuse in childhood A

records revealed fragmented sup-

social care services leading to overwhelming and disjointed care

Many of the women who died had histories of trauma and abuse

and, despite trying to keep up with

faced judgment instead of support, said lead author Kaat De Backer from King’s College London

She noted that lack of coordination among professionals added pressure on mothers, but access to dedicated multidisciplinary teams

d break down these barriers The

reform in how pregnant women with social care involvement are treated by clinicians and support agencies

NHS hero honoured with Elizabeth Emblem

Dr Poor nim a Nair Bal upuri, a belo ved G P at St at io n View Medical Centr e in Bisho p Au ckland, has been post hu mou sly awar ded t he Elizabeth E mblem fo r her selfless ser vice dur ing the Covid-19 pandemic Working tirelessly on the frontlines, Dr Nair continued to care for patients in the face

Government failing to act on domestic abuse deaths, report finds

The v oices of wom en killed by a partner or ex-p artner are bei ng igno red , and the g ov ernment is failing to act on lessons from their deaths, a d am ning rep ort by the dom estic abuse comm issioner h as fo und I t r e v e a l e d t h a t h a l f o f t h e national recommendations from d o m e s t i c h o m i c i d e r e v i e w s (DHRs) are not implemented, with only a quarter fully carried out Domestic abuse commissioner

N i c o l e J

a “deeply concerning” lack of government oversight in responding t o d

w

(DHRs) Between 2019 and 2021, DHRs made 110 national recommendations, mostly directed at the Home Office Only 25% were fully

were unaware of the recommendations made to them, and none had informed local review authors of any action taken

(DHRs) are being overlooked, with

little evidence their national recommendations are being implemented, a major missed opportunity Domestic abuse commissioner Nicole Jacobs called it a case of

accountability

With the government’s VAWG (violence against women and girls) strategy expected in September, Jacobs warned it risks becoming a mere “spending review strategy” without real vision She also criticised the failure to link VAWG e

plan, despite the health service’s f

“The strategy must align with NHS efforts to truly protect lives,” she said

Abortions at record high

T h e p r o p o rti o n o f p r eg na nc i es ending in abortion in England and Wales h as reached its high est lev el since record s began, with nearly 3 0 per cent of co nceptions in 2022 resulting in a legal term ination, official figures sho w A c c o r d i n g t o d a t a f r o m t h e

Office for National Statistics, 29 7 per cent of pregnancies ended in abortion in 2022, up from 26 5 per cent the previous year and significantly higher than the 20 8 per cent recorded in 2012 The rise has been observed across all age groups since 2015

In total, 247,703 conceptions led to legal abortions in 2022, a 1

i c s exclude miscarriages and illegal abortions Experts, including the British Pregnancy Advisory Service ( B P A S

linked to the cost-of-living crisis as likely factors behind the rise

The record figures come in the wake of a major legal shift in abortion law Under legislation passed b y M P s l a

,

m

n

n England and Wales will no longer face prosecution for ending a pregnancy after 24 weeks or without t h

a change described as the most significant reform in abortion law in 50 years

Caroline Ansell, a spokesperson for the Christian charity CARE ( C

abortion in England and Wales is h

o r t h o s e w h o believe every life, no matter how small, is valuable ”

Medical abortions carried out at home, through the telemedicine model introduced during the pandemic, accounted for 61 per cent of all abortions in 2022

Campaigners warn of daily abuse faced by sportswomen

23-year-old So nay Kartal walked off C entre C ourt to a standing o v at io n af te r h e

Wim bled on run came to an end While many praised the British No 3 for her performance, a vid eo shared o n Wim bledon’s Faceboo k pag e also drew a w av e of cruel remarks about h er app earance

Campaigners say sportswomen face a “unique and horrific bur-

of great personal risk Tragically, she lost her life on 12 May 2020 after contracting the virus

Her courage, compassion, and unwavering dedication to the NHS embody the very spirit of service This national honour recognises her extraordinary sacrifice and the lives she touched through her care

Boulter and Jodie Burrage spoke out Around 1,000 comments on Wimbledon’s posts about Sonay Kartal were deleted last week, but many hateful messages remained online for over 24 hours A W i m b l e d

said their social media tools flag n e

backed by manual moderation to remove abuse quickly But former British No 1 Johanna Konta said the club should do more, noting that delays are inevitable unless someone is constantly monitoring “I doubt Wimbledon wants abuse on its platforms, but keeping it fully clean is tough,” she said Wimbledon uses an AI-powe r e

Threat Matrix to track players’ public social media profiles The t

threats, racist, and sexist comments in 35 languages and is supported by a team of human moderators for added oversight

Vandana Banerjee

Nicole Jacobs

Dr Poornima Nair Balupuri

Indie artist Gini on music, identity and going global

Subhasini Naicker

Indian ind ie sensation Gini is rapidly rising as one of the most promising voices in the country’ s ind ep en-

d en t m u s i c s ce ne Wi t h

so u lfu l h i ts lik e S u ko on,

A as aa n, and o th ers r esonating d eeply with listeners, she has alread y carv ed out a loyal fanbase

H e r h e a r

smooth vocals, and unique

s o u n d h a

c lovers across India Now, Gini is set to take her music global, with her first-ever international performance scheduled in the UK, marking an exciting new chapter in her artistic journey

describes the experience as surreal She said, “The fact that there are people outside of India that want to hear music written by this g i r l

has been to her is incredible It makes me so happy

t o e x p e r i

more Also, there’s so many people from India, whether it be students or profes-

s i o n a l s w h o m i g h t f e e l homesick, I feel like bringing a piece of home to them through my music ” When asked to describe her music, Gini calls herself “ a traveller, a scrummager,

a c o l l e c t o r o f m e m o r i e s and emotions ” She adds, “There’s no set sound for I’m still growing, but the stories I tell through my lyrics are my identity They speak of all the places I lived in growing up as the daughter of a fighter pilot and an author, all the cult u r e s , l a n g u a g e s , a n d colours I’ve experienced ”

Talking about her creative process, Gini explains,

“ I s e e h a p p e n i n g a r o u n d me I see a moment of time as it passes, and my brain turns it into an entire scene or film that unfolds in front of my eyes I simply pen down what I see and tell the story My melodies are

"I am the sum of everyone and everywhere that has shaped me. Every place we were posted to-the people, cultures, food, languages, all of it has given me context as a

human."

what I hear when I read or write a word Everything I read is a colour, a texture and a visual ”

One of her most pers o n a l s o n g s i s A a s a a n , which she says resonates w i t h m a n y “ I t t e l l s t h e

s t o r y o f s o m e o n e w h o

w a n t s t o l i v e l i f e i n t h e world outside, but is afraid of leaving where they are comfortable Will they be able to find a home away from home? On the contrary, the second half of the song is the opposite story; someone who has worked as hard as they could in order to achieve everything they wanted, but they miss home If they were to go back home, would they lose e v e r y t h i n g t h e y ’ v e achieved? I didn’t know it when I wrote it, but I ended up living out the lyrics to ‘Aasaan’, and I think many people go through similar times in their life ” Gini finds inspiration beyond music “It’s rarely f r o m m u s i c t h a t I d r a w ideas,” she reveals “Music is how I express myself I read, I run, I observe people, I explore I let life surprise me Even solitude is a wonderful space for inspiration ” For Gini, representing i d e n t i t y a n d h e r i t a g e through her art is essential “It’s incredibly important,” she says “I am the sum of everyone and everywhere that has shaped me Every place we were posted to the people, cultures, food, languages, all of it has given me context as a human The least I can do is pay homage to that ”

Looking ahead, Gini is excited about what’s next “I have a new song coming o u t a t t h e e n d o f t h i s m o n t h , w h i c h I ’ m s u p e r excited about,” she shares “More tour dates and festival shows are lined up, this time with my band, unlike last year when I performed almost all my sets solo But above all, it’s the process of c r e a t i n g n e w m u s i c t h a t continues to thrill me the most ”

AI brings war memories to life at Imperial War Museum

Soon , v isitor s to t he Impe rial W ar M use um (IW M) will be a ble to ask hist orical quest i on s d ir e ct ly t o v e t er a n s a nd eye witne sse s, tha nks t o

a g r oun d bre a k in g AI- pow -

e r e d t r an sfo rm a tio n of it s a udio archive

The museum has used

a r t i f i c i a l i n t e l l i g e n c e t o make its collection of 20,000 hours of oral histories inter-

a c t i v e f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e Recorded testimonies from servicemen and women dating back to 1945 have been

t r a n s c r i b e d , s u m m a r i s e d and indexed, allowing users

t o “ c o n v e r s e ” w i t h t h o s e who experienced war firsthand

Set to launch later this year, the project is expected to become a vital tool for students, researchers, family

historians and anyone interested in the personal side of conflict Among the voices i n t h e a r c h i v e a r e F i e l d M a r s h a l B e r n

about his wartime caravans;

The Smallest Stories to Extraordinary

Dr Priya Virmani’s celebrated book

A s o u l - s ti rr i ng e ve ni n g u n f o ld ed at OM N OM as audiences gathered fo r Th e S m al le s t S t o ri e s to E x tr ao r di n ar

by D r P ri y a

Vi rmani’ s celebrated bo ok Designed to up lift and h eal, the immersi ve event invited guests to “ come with wh atever feels h eavy and leave ligh t ” Central to the evening w a s D r V i r m a n i ’ s s t o r y

ancient Indian wisdom and integrating it with modern

science, reflecting her two decades of research in well-

Krishna’s childhood, which Dr Virmani linked beautifully to everyday life and spiritual growth

A heartfelt conversation f o l l o

expert and community leader, delving into themes of flourishing, joy, and emo-

healthy vs toxic positivity, detachment, and embodied self-care, all through a sci-

entific lens

Bollywood actor Vivek O

h e book’s foreword, joined via video with a moving message on kindness and read from the foreword

Supported by OMNOM, Biz Law UK Ladies Group, I n s p

, City Hindus UK, and the South Asian Heritage Trust, the evening culminated in joyful celebration, with the audience rising in a collective movement of joy

Audience feedback was glowing:

“I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish ” – Shalini Beri

“Amazing to learn how our brain functions in line with emotions ” – Pritha Mukherjee

“A million thanks to Priya ” – Betania Fernandes

Nihal Arthanayake goes stand-up at cultural showcase

lled

nnoun

that accla imed b roadcaste r, pres e n t e r , j o ur n a li s t , a n d author ‘Ni hal A rthan ayak e ’ w i ll m a k e h i s ‘ s t a n d - up co

S L C C C omedy & Musi c Night on S a t u rd a y 26 t h Ju l y a t Batters ea A rts C entre

N i h a l A r t h a n a y a k e

said,“So, instead of buying a motorbike to deal with m y m i d - l i f e c r i s i s , I ’ v e decided to become a standup comedian And where

better to do my debut than surrounded by Sri Lankans w h o ’ l l t h r o w p i l e s o f kotthu at me if I’m rubbish!”

The founders of the Sri Lankan Culture Collective a d d e d , “ W e ’ r e a b s o l u t e l y delighted to welcome the brilliant Nihal Arthanayake f o r h i s m u c h - a n t i c i p a t e d stand-up comedy debut As a champion of Sri Lankan diaspora arts and culture, Nihal embodies the spirit of SLCC creativity, community, and fearless selfexpression This isn’t your amma ’ s Sri Lanka Expect bold comedy, genre-defying music, and a cultural experience like no other We’re flipping the script on how Sri Lankan identity is seen and celebrated Come for the culture, stay for the c o m m u n i t y a n d l e a v e transformed ”

Javed Akhtar returns to SOAS for landmark NISAU event

T he N a t i on a l I n d ia n

St ud en t s & A l umn i Un ion UK (NISAU UK), in pa rtnership with the SOAS South

A sia In st it ut e a nd B ait ha k

U K, h os t e d ‘ J a v e d Ak h t a r

Live in London – ANANT:

h u m a n t r a n s c r i b e

than two decades The system also identified key people, places and military units m

dings The £90,000 project, c o m p l

d Capgemini, is believed to be a global first N i c k H o d d e r , I W M ’ s director of digital engagem

being a conscientious object

, Winston Churchill’s private secretary, recalling the time Churchill had to be reminded to be polite to Charles de Gaulle

The entire archive was processed using Google’s AI model, Gemini 2 0, which completed in three weeks a task that would have taken

, “You can ask the interviewees things like, ‘What were

y o u m o s t a f

d o f ? ’ o r search by emotion, not just e v e n t s I t o p e n s u p a n entirely new way to research history ” Next, the museum plans to apply the same AI technology to its vast archive of 11 million wartime images

Mu sic & P oe tr y ’ a t SOA S, Univer sity of London

The event was a unique blend of performance and t r i b u t e , b r i n g i n g t o g e t h e r t h e l i t e r a r y l e g a c i e s o f

R a b i n d r a n a t h T a g o r e a n d

Javed Akhtar

I n t h e f i r s t a c t , a r t i s t

Sangeeta Datta, with pianist

A m i t D e y , p e r f o r m e d

T a g o r e ’ s s o n g s t r a n s l a t e d into Urdu by Akhtar - a mov-

i n g f u s i o n o f B e n g a l i a n d

H i n d u s t a n i t r a d i t i o n s t h a t transcended time and language

In the second half, Javed Akhtar joined NISAU Chair Sanam Arora and Sangeeta

D a t t a f o r a w i d e - r a n g i n g conversation on Indian cinema, creativity in the age of

a l g o r i t h m s , w r i t i n g , l a nguage, and India itself

“This wasn’t nostalgia,” said one young attendee “It felt like a TEDx for the soul I’d never read Tagore before, n o w I c a n ’ t s t o p t h i n k i n g about how modern his emotions feel ” I n a s p o n t a n e o u s moment, Arora invited the audience to sing ‘Kal Ho Naa

H o ’ , p r o m p t i n g t h e e n t i r e r o o m t o r i s e i n c h o r u s Shabana Azmi, present in the audience, stood to film the moment, a moving tribute f i l l e d w i t h e m o t i o n a n d unity

“That wasn’t planned b u t i t w a s p e r f e c t , ” s a i d Arora “It was an eruption of g r a t i t u d e W h

that’s not just

tribute

it’s a homecoming ” A full -circle momen t at SOAS

The event took place at SOAS, University of London, where Javed Akhtar holds an H o n o r a r y D o c t o r a t e a n d both he and Shabana Azmi were named NISAU’s first H o n o r a r y F

The event also

A N T ’NISAU’s new global platform for immersive, multi-sensory conversations that unite the poetic and political, classical and

Gini

Nihal Arthanyake

Dr Priya Virmani

I N B R I E F

AUTISM DIAGNOSIS SURGE THREATENS FUNDING CRISIS

A sharp rise in autism diagnoses among pupils is fuelling a crisis in England’s special educational needs system with ministers warning that spiralling costs could push local councils toward bankruptcy New figures show the number of children receiving Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for autism has tripled over the past decade In 2022 149 217 out of 639,000 children with EHCPs were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder EHCPs legally guarantee tailored education support for children with complex needs Over the same period, the number of children with EHCPs for social, emotional and mental health difficulties more than doubled to 71 304 In contrast, claims relating to physical disabilities rose by only 14%, to just under 15,000 The financial pressure is mounting rapidly The special needs system now costs £12 billion a year, up from £8 billion in 2021-22, and the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has warned that this presents a “substantial and growing risk” to council finances

CALL FOR MENTORS FOR BOYS TO TACKLE EDUCATION GAP

A new think tank is urging the government to appoint a dedicated minister for boys and launch a national strategy to address their persistent underperformance in education The Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys is calling for urgent action to tackle what it describes as a neglected crisis as it highlights that boys consistently trail girls in primary tests, GCSEs, A-levels and university results While more boys achieve top A grades at A-level, girls outperform boys overall across all levels The think tank wants a government-backed research programme to explore the reasons behind boys’ struggles and a campaign to boost their educational confidence and aspirations It also proposes expanding mentoring schemes particularly involving relatable male role models such as tradespeople teachers Scout leaders and cadet officers Modelled on previous campaigns like This Girl Can it also calls for a boys initiative offering careers guidance, particularly into sectors where men are under-represented, such as healthcare and education

FATHERS SUE TO ENFORCE SCHOOL PHONE BAN

Two fathers are taking legal action against the government in a bid to force all schools to ban smartphones, arguing that current policies fail to protect children’s safety and well-being Will Orr-Ewing and Pete Montgomery have written to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, warning they will seek a judicial review over what they describe as the Department for Education’s (DfE) failure to safeguard children from the harms of smartphones Backed by charities the legal move is aimed at securing a statutory ban on smartphones during any school-related activity not just within the classroom Their legal letter argues that allowing phones breaches children s human rights under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, protection against inhuman or degrading treatment, and possibly Article 2, the right to life The DfE recently updated guidance urging schools to have “clear policies” on phone use but stopped short of mandating bans It now has 14 days to respond to the judicial review application

Chatbots becoming children’s new confidants

A growing nu mber o f children and teenag ers are turning to A I ch a tb o ts f o r c o m p an i o ns h ip , comfort and em otio nal suppo rt, often treating them like trusted fr ie nd s , ac c o rd i ng to a ne w report

The study, by online safety organisation Internet Matters, found that children as young as nine are sharing personal details and seeking advice from chat-

b o t s s u c h a s C h a t G P T ,

Snapchat’s My AI and character ai Many users described the experience as similar to talking to a friend

O f t h e c h i l d r e n w h o h a d used a chatbot, 33 per cent said it felt like speaking with a friend, a

figure that rose to 50 per cent among vulnerable young people Around 12 per

c e n t s a i d t h e y turned to AI because they had no one else to talk to W h i l

a t b o

ChatGPT, are main-

m ework help or probl e m - s o l v i n g , o t h e r s like character ai or Replika are designed to simulate friendship or even romantic relationships

r

ing body image issues ChatGPT offered supportive advice and d i r

To understand how chatbots

posed as a young girl experienc-

Pay teens to work, not stay in school

Teenag ers wh o d on ’ t th ri v e i n s c h o o l should be offered paid w o rk p l ac em e nts fu nd ed by the gov ernm en t, ac c o rd i n g to Pau l Greg g, the g overn m en t’ s l ab o u r market ad viser

Gregg, a professor o f e c o n o m i c a n d social policy at Bath University, warns that the growing number of 16- to 24-yearolds not in education, employment, or training (Neets) is a “ticking time bomb ”

ket, as many young

s without ever having worked “That’s really scary, ” he said, warn-

mobility

Gregg also blames welfare cuts, particularly to the work allowance in 2

With 872,000 young people currently in that category and welfare spending projected to hit £100 billion by 2030, Gregg proposes reviving a model similar to t h e 1 9 8 0 s Y o u t h T r a i n i n g

Scheme; offering jobs with training and state-paid wages, potentially exceeding current education benefits like the £26 05 child benefit or £30 weekly Education Maintenance Allowance

He believes this intervention could prevent long-term disengagement from the labour mar-

inactivity and calls for reforms that would make part-time work more accessible for people with medical conditions

He suggests a broader strategy linking health and employment, including sugar taxes and weight loss treatments, to tackle rising economic inactivity, especially among under-35s

To address poverty, Gregg advocates deeper reforms than simply scrapping the two-child benefit cap He proposes increasing capital gains tax on second homes and regulating the housing market to slow rent growth and reduce inequality

Character ai not only responded empathetically but also followed

researchers said could help isolated children feel seen and supported

However, the report, titled ‘Me, Myself & AI’, warned that such realistic responses blur the l i n e s b e t w e e n h u m a n a n d machine, making it difficult for c h i l d r e n

interacting with artificial intelligence “These same features that make bots feel supportive can also heighten risks,” the report said

The study, based on surveys of 1,000 children aged 9–17 and 2,000 parents, found that 43 per c

number from 2023

Students find greater happiness at smaller universities

Stud ents at smaller and mo re remote universities report sig nificantly higher levels of satisfaction than their peers at larger institutions, new data shows

B i s h o p G r o s s e t e s t e University in Lincoln, a former teacher training college with just 2,300 students, topped the student satisfaction analysis based o

Students (OfS) The university, which gained its status in 2013, o

childhood studies, psychology, archaeology and history

While the OfS does not publish overall rankings, The Times

seven key measures: teaching, learning opportunities, assessm

c a d e m i c support, organisation and management, learning resources and student voice

T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f W a l e s Trinity Saint David ranked second, followed by Liverpool Hope University, another institution with roots in teacher training

The University of the Highlands and Islands came fourth, while fifth was the University of St Andrews, famed for educating the Prince and Princess of Wales Some institutions also saw m a j o r y e a r - o n

y e a r i m p r o v ements in student satisfaction At the other end of the table, SOAS U n i v e r s i t y o f L o n d o n r

lowest out of 128 institutions, followed by the University of Edinburgh and the University of Buckingham, which recently saw i

d and reinstated Also in the bott o

Glasgow University Surprisingly, two of the UK’s

, Cambridge and Oxford, ranked 93rd and 100th respectively

The survey drew responses from over 357,000 final-year students, representing 71 5 per cent of those eligible All areas of student experience saw an improvement over the previous year

More children ditching smartphones for mental health

C hildren are increasingly stepp i n g ba ck fr o m th e ir sm artp hones and social media in a bid to protect their mental h ealth, focus and sense of safety, new research shows A global study by audience

r e s e a r c h f i r m G W I , b

d o n responses from 20,000 young people and their parents across 18 countries, found that 40% of 12- to 15-year-olds now take regular breaks from screens, an 18% rise since 2022 Rather than rely-

young people are inde-

their digital use

E

shift reflects growing awareness among chil-

screen time Professor

Futures for Children centre, said

echoes these findings, showing

Back-to-school costs soar past £100 per child

Parents are n ow spe ndin g over £10 0 per chi ld to get re ady for the n ew school year , with ma ny tu

opti ons to

al burden , accordin g to a recent survey

The average spend per child has reached £108 59, with shoes a c c o u n t i n g

expense for 44% of parents, followed by blazers (16%) and stationery (11%), the research by MyVoucherCodes found

To cut costs, 42% of parents now buy second-hand schoolwear, while 38% purchase plain

uniforms and add school logos

annually on average One in eight parents start shopping during the first week of the summer holidays, and 1 3

MyVoucherCodes said, “School uniform costs add pressure to household budgets It’s encouraging to see families finding creative and affordable solutions ” The findings are based on a OnePoll survey of 1,000 parents conducted in June and July

many children are taking

use, muting negativity online, seeking out positive digital expe-

riences, and in some cases quitting platforms altogether

O f c o m ’ s 2 0 2 4 r e p o r t s u pports this trend, revealing that a third of children aged 8 to 17

o m u c h time online Among 16- to 24year-olds, nearly half now use “do not disturb” modes and turn off notifications; up from 40% in 2023

Younger users are also more likely to delete apps to reduce usage or support their mental wellbeing

School suspensions in England highest since 2006

Scho ol suspensions and exclusions in Eng land have reached their hig hest level in nearly

decad es, according to new data f

from the previous year, while permanent exclusions rose 1 6 % t o

represented

Paul Gregg

It’s about how heritage isn’t just preserved: it’s lived, transformed, a n d p r o u d l y p a r a d e d d o w n t h e high streets of Britain today

D i s c u s s i n g t h i s l e g a c y , D r M aya P arm a r, R ese arc h F el lo w , R em a ki ng Br it ai n: S o u th A si a n C onnections and Netw orks, 183 0s t o th e P res e nt; D ep ar tm e nt o f English, Queen M ary U niv ersity of L ond on said, “The theme of ‘Roots to Routes’ invites us to reflect on how South Asians in Britain are deeply entwined with British history and heritage Our roots lie not only in the subcontinent, but also in the long-standing presence of South Asians in Britain itself for example, in early migrants such as lascars, ayahs, pedlars, and students

“There are too the wider legacies of Empire, which include historical migrations to places like East Africa, post-war settlement in Britain, and the broader processes o f d e c o l o n i s a t i o n a c r o s s S o u t h A s i a a n d o t h e r f o r m e r B r i t i s h colonies, all of which brought our families here The memories of these journeys are often embedded i n , f o r e x a m p l e , f o o d , m u s i c ,

and many of these cultural productions have become weaved into the British cultural repertoire ” Th e present and a brighter future

Today, British Asian identity is more fluid, empowered, and selfdefined than ever before A new generation is reshaping what it means to be Asian in the UK, and in the world, proudly rooted in h e r i t a g e , y e t u n a f r a i d t o b r e a k a w a y f r o m o u t d a t e d l a b e l s a n d

e x p e c t a t i o n s S o c i a l m e d i a h a s opened up vibrant spaces for dialogue, where stories of struggle, joy, and success are shared and amplified

B e i n g A s i a n t o d a y i s n ’ t j u s t about where you come from, it’s about what you build, represent, a n d e x p r e s

food that fuses traditions, fashion that blends East and West, films

t h a t c e n t r e d i a s p o r a s t o r i e s , o r a c t i v i s m t h a t d e m a n d s e q u i t y , British Asians are not only reclaiming their narratives, they’re writing new ones In doing so, they’re challenging stereotypes, reshaping cult u r e , a n d l i g h t i n g t h e w a y f o r future generations

E m p h a s i s i n g t h e r o u t e s o u r r o o t s h a v e e n a b l e d , D r P a r m a r said, “Our ‘Routes’ now extend through British restaurants, stages, p o l i t i c a l s p h e r e s , a n d d i g i t a l spaces, where South Asians are reimagining their place in Britain’s

ROOTS TO ROUTES

narrative, not as outsiders, but as e s s e n t i a l c o n t r i b u t o r s T h e s e r o u t e s a r e i n t

, and culturally rooted, forging a British identity that honours the p a s t w h i l e a c t i v e l y s h a p i n g t h e future ”

According to Jasv ir Singh C BE, C o - F o u nd e r o f S o u t h A s i an Heritage M onth and Chair of C ity Sikhs, British Asian identity today i s u n d o

empowered than it was a generation ago “Our parents and grandp a r e n t s o f t e n h a d

o c h o o s e between preserving their culture and trying to fit in to British society Now, younger South Asians are finding ways to ensure that both can coexist at ease whether that’s in creative industries, politics, entrepreneurship, or grassroots activism”, he said

He further added, “Their confidence comes from standing on the s h o u l d e r s o f t h o s e w h o c a m e before, while also refusing to be boxed in by traditional expectations or societal stereotypes That is the epitome of our theme this year, Roots to Routes Looking to the past, not forgetting our history, and yet forging new and confident paths to the future ”

On being asked if he believes there will be a point in the future w h e n c e l e b r a t i n g S o u t h A s i a n i d e n t i t i e s a n d c u l t u r a l

c o g n it i o n s l i k e S A H M w o n ' t b e a s i m p o r t a n t , h e s a i d ,

Month as a month with built-in obsolescence I look forward to the day when it doesn’t have to exist But until South Asian stories and narratives are understood across the country as being the stories

a

whole, it will still be needed and it won't disappear anytime soon

“These recognitions are vital

T h e y ’ r e n o t j u s t a b o u t c e l e b r ation they're about education, solidarity, and legacy And even when we reach that future, taking time

t o h o n o u r h e r i t a g e w i l l a l w a y s have value It roots us, connects us, and reminds us of the richness in Britain’s national story ”

“British Asian wo men are reshaping th e narrativ e ” British Asian women have long been the quiet force behind the preservation and evolution of cultural heritage in the UK Often operating behind the scenes, raisi n g f a m i l i e s , k e e p i n g t r a d i t i o n s alive, cooking from memory, and translating ancestral values into daily life, they have acted as cultural anchors But today, they’re not just preserving heritage; they’re reshaping it, challenging norms, and claiming space in literature, leadership, activism, and the arts

Saima Mir, Author of Tim es Bestseller Th e K han & Vengeance t a l k s a

i

A

i a n women today are reshaping the narrative of success and heritage, stating, “British Asian women are reshaping the narrative of success

i v e ways We have the vantage point of coming from nations steeped in art, culture, and the intersectionality of Islam, Hinduism, Sikhi, and Christianity, as well as Judaism and Zorastrianism

“As women, we give birth to sons, and so our success includes that of men At a time when society is in dire need of community, and people are feeling isolated and alone, we are the bridge between collectivist and individualistic cultures We are lucky enough to have been handed the tools of building community by our mothers and grandmothers We cook, we invite people to break bread, we nurture, we manage families, and we take all of these invaluable skills into

translate them to strategy and success ”

fluidity between public and private, East and West, and tradition a n d p

g grounded in all that is good about my heritage and ancestry whilst

keeping in mind the things I'd like to embrace about the country of my birth, is a gift I get to define what being British Asian is for me I am not solely British and I am not solely Asian, I am a mix of both and this gives me a unique perspective on life, motherhood, and success I do not want to sacrifice one for the other ”

According to Mir, storytelling is a strong way to bridge heritage and progress “According to Mir, s

“Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have Stories change the world through whispers, they show us what's possible, and what our lives could look like They also give us an insight into the challenges we've faced, and the obstacles we have overcome They show us how resilient we are, and how magical ”

She feels that stories like The Khan are meant to entertain but a l s

d d e d , “They are meant to remind women of our power, and show us a path to our potential, and reclaim the narrative of who we are from a British Asian lens The novel was a space for me to explore things others didn't want to talk about and do it in a safe arena ”

A father-son journey of heritage and identity

For Cllr P rabh akar Kaza and his son Cllr Aaditya Kaza, the idea of “Roots to Routes” is more than just a them e, it’s a lived experience

From building a life in the UK f r o m s c r a t c h t o s t e p p i n g i n t o public service as local councillors in Hertsmere, their intergenerational story reflects the evolving journey of British Asians today: grounded in heritage, yet globally oriented

“We’ve had to be our own g o d f a t h e r s , ” s a y s P r a b h a k a r , recalling the early days of migration “There were no references or safety nets, we built everything from the ground up ” Like many o f h i s g e n e r a t i o n , c o m m u n i t y and family became his compass “What sets us apart is our strong sense of community We’ve created something lasting by supporting one another ” T h a t f o u n d a t i o n , o f resilience, faith, and education, w a s c o n s c i o u s l y p a s s e d o n “Education has always been nonnegotiable But learning comes from many places; grandparents, a u n t s a n d u n c l e s s h a p i n g o u r worldview Stories passed down build a sense of identity and legacy ” For Aaditya, who moved from India to the UK during his school years, those roots have stayed w i t h h i m e v e n a s h i s p a t h diverges toward a more globally fluid identity “I am a first-generation Indian my links to the s u b c o n t i n e n t

group, ” he says N o w a n e l e c t e d c o u n c i l l o r himself, Aaditya reflects on how his father's journey has shaped his own “We are built on the efforts and legacy of t h o s e w h o h a v e come before us This i s s o m e t h i n g w e s h o u l d

While I don't have

family of my own,

encourage finding a creative avenue link-

and teaching, as best we can, the rich history of the subcontinent, especially when they are growing up in a western country and wouldn't have as strong a link as we did ” Their shared story is marked by both contrast and continuity W

worked to survive and establish

belonging “That British idea of children becoming independent at 16 never really applied to us, ” says Prabhakar “In South Asian families, we remain emotionally and morally connected well into adulthood That continuity matters ” But while parental support remains strong, so too does the belief in each generation finding i

emphasis on education but there is an understanding that success l

n

, ” Prabhakar adds “We want our children to succeed, not by our definition, but by theirs ” F o

e

c i n g b o t h h e r i t a g e a n d change “We’re global Indians,” he says “India will always be in our blood, but the UK is our home We live in times where your cultural identity can form one part of who you are; not a limitation, but a strength ”

Newham initiates South Asian Heritage Month with vibrant community events

Newham is c elebrating Sout h Asian Heritage Month from 18 Jul y to 17 August 2025 with a wide-ra nging program me of free event s s howc asing the rich cul tur e, history, and cr eativity of South Asian comm unities

T h e t h e m e f o r t h i s y e a r i s

“Roots to Routes”, reflecting the j o u r n e y s a n d c o n t r i b u t i o n s o f S o u t h A s i a n s w h o h a v e m a d e Newham their home The monthl o n

mances, exhibitions, creative workshops, talks, and film screenings, hosted in local libraries, UCL East, and community spaces across the borough One of the highlights is Patterns of Belonging, a year-long exhibition at UCL Culture Lab, feat u r i n g P h u

n d artworks exploring the legacy of the 1947 Partition Another key event is Goodnight Maharajah, a t h e a t r e p e r

story of Maharajah Duleep Singh,

the last King of Punjab

F a m i l i e s c a n e n j o y C

o Desh, a dance performance and workshop for children aged 5–11 by the Akram Khan Company, combining traditional Kathak with contemporary dance

C r e a t i v e w o r k s h o p s i n c l u d e Mughal-inspired collage and printmaking, an introduction to risog r a p h p r i n t i n g a t R a b b i t s R o a d Press, and a Knit & Knatter club at East Ham Library where participants will make blankets inspired by South Asian floral designs

The programme also features a range of film screenings and talks, including documentaries on South Asian maritime history in the Royal Docks, the Bengal Famine of 1943, and South Asian contributions during the Second World War A spec i a l s c r e e n i n g o f S a n t o s h w i l l include a Q&A session All events are free and open to the public, with booking recommended

Saima Mir

Dr Maya Parmar

Jasvir Singh CBE

Prabhakar and Aaditya Kaza

From politics to pop culture: South Asians making their mark in the West

ingly visible and influential

, breaking barriers in politics, arts, business, and m ed ia

One compelling example is Zohran Mamdani, a U

American who made headlines as a member of the New York State Assembly Elected in 2020, Mamdani

S

i s platform to champion housing justice, workers' rights, and racial equity A former

c o m

rapper, his presence reflects a new generation of politi-

c a l l y e n g a g e d , c u l t u r a l l y

g r o u n d e d S o u t h A s i a n s reshaping public life

I n t h e U K , p o l i t i c i a n s like Rishi Sunak, the first B r i t i s h A s i a n P r i m e

M i n i s t e r , a n d S u e l l a

B r a v e r m a n , t h e f o r m e r

H o m e S e c r e t a r y , h a v e brought South Asian heritage to the very heart of government Their leaders h i p , t h o u g h i d e o l o g i c a l l y diverse, highlights the growing influence of the diaspora in shaping national policies and public discourse

The arts and entertainment worlds have also seen a South Asian renaissance In the US, Mindy Kaling has paved the way with shows

l i k e N e v e r H a v e I E v e r , while actors like Riz Ahmed, S i m o n e A s h l e y , a n d

“We remember who opened the door

Aw ard-winning psychoth erapist, reluctant activist, and auth or S abah

Ch oudrey has sp ent ov er a decad e building spaces for queer and trans peo ple of colour

Sabah Choudrey on being brown, trans and unapologetic

for us”

communities more inclusive ”

From co-founding Trans Pride Brighton, the UK’s first trans pride event, in 2013; to supporting trans youth through Gendered Intelligence and cocreating the Colours Youth Network, their work has been rooted in visibility, healing, and structural change In recognition of this impact, they’ve been shortlisted for The Ethnicity Awards in the Outstanding Contribution to Communities category; a powerful moment of visibility for LGBTQ+

n g global audiences In literature, writers like Meera Syal, Mohsin Hamid, and Kamila S h a m s i e h a v e b r o u g h t n u a n c e d n a r r a t i v e s o f m i g r a t i o n , i d e n t i t y , a n d belonging into the Western literary canon

Meanwhile, in business, the diaspora boasts some of the most powerful names in t h e W e s t S u n d a r P i c h a i (CEO of Alphabet/Google) and Satya Nadella (CEO of Microsoft) lead the world’s top tech firms In the UK, Sir A n w a r P e r v e z ( B e s t w a y Group) and Surinder Arora (Arora Group) have built bill i o n - p o u n d e n t e r p r i s e s Nisha Katona, a former barrister, has become a culinary i c o n a s t h e f o u n d e r o f M o w g l i S t r e e t F o o d a n d

Leena Nair, CEO of luxury brand Chanel, represents a powerful voice in the fashion world

T h i s r i s e i s n o t j u s t a b o u t v i s i b i l i t y , b u t a l s o about agency Today’s South Asian voices are shaping cult u r a l a n d p o l i t i c a l l a n dscapes, challenging stereotypes, and broadening definitions of what it means to belong in the West With each new success story, the c o m m u n i t y c o n t i n u e s t o rewrite its role in Western societies moving from the margins to the mainstream

M a i t r e y i R a m a k r i s h n a n h a v e g a i n e d i n t e r n a t i o n a l a c c l a i m I n m u s i c , a r t i s t s such as Joy Crookes, Tesher, and Nav are blending diasp o r i c s o u n d s w i t h m a i ns t r e a m g e n r e s ,

Remaking Britain: Uncovering South Asian histories

R e m a k i n g B r i t a i n i s a n a mbi tio us re se arch pr oje ct e xp loring th e d eep-root ed i mpact of Sou th Asia n pe o-

p le a nd commu nit i es o n Bri ti sh li fe f rom the 1830 s t o tod ay Funded by the AHRC and led by the University of Bristol and Queen Mary University of London, in

p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e British Library, the project

e x a m i n e s h i s t o r i c a l records and collects oral

h i s t o r i e s t o h i g h l i g h t

South Asians as agents of change across culture, politics, society, and the economy The result will be a f r e e , i n t e r

v e d i g i t a l resource that makes this vital history widely accessible T h e p r o

f f i c

l a u n c h e

o n T u e s d a y 2 2 July in Cardiff, in collabor a t i o n w i t h S o u t h A s i a n H e r i t a g e M o n t h T h i s m a r k s a m

contributions to Britain

South Asians being acknowledged in mainstream spaces Named on the Diversity Power List 2025 and now serving as Vice Chair of the Inclusive Mosque Initiative and Director at Middlesex Pride, Sabah brings a unique voice to South Asian Heritage Month; one that’s proud, intersectional, and grounded in lived experience

Yet, Sabah’s relationship with their heritage hasn’t always been straightforward “When I was growing up in Hounslow, I didn’t really think about heritage,” they say “Especially when you ’ re in a South Asian area, it’s just the norm ”

It wasn’t until they moved to Brighton that things changed “I started to realise I stood out I was different I’m a visible person of colour,” they explain “That’s when I began to reflect more deeply on my South Asian heritage ”

Coming out as a lesbian, and later as trans, brought even more clarity “I realised that my gender and my race, my culture, are deeply connected You can’t separate them Even the way masculinity and femininity show up looks different in our communities ”

From food and dress to expressions of gender, Sabah now sees heritage not as something fixed but as the living root of their identity “It’s how I relate to others, how I connect It’s become essential to how I understand myself and the world ” Rep resentation and fear

As a visible trans South Asian, Sabah is painfully aware of the challenges that come with being at the intersection of multiple marginalised identities A key one is the lack, and nature, of representation

“Growing up, the few portrayals we had of queer or trans South Asians were overwhelmingly negative,”

they recall “It was always people being rejected, being hurt That builds a culture of fear ” Fear, they say, is a major barrier “Why choose to be different when it feels safer to stay silent, to be

It’s also why they remain a fierce advocate for everyday allyship “People like me remember who opened the door for us We talk to each other We share which services made us feel safe, which people respected our identities That word of mouth matters ” Their advice for allies is refreshingly grounded: don’t wait for queer and trans South Asians to ask if they can participate, design your spaces to include them from the start “You don’t have to build a whole new organisation,” Sabah says “Just take one step that makes our lives a little

‘normal’? That fear is deeply rooted in tradition, especially in faith-based South Asian communities ”

For many, religion also becomes a line that cannot be crossed “When someone doesn’t conform, the reaction is often, ‘My faith can’t be wrong, so you must be,’” they explain “But if we were more open, we could have such meaningful conversations about faith and identity ” Sabah speaks from experience After growing up with one rigid view of Islam, they later rejected it, only to rediscover and reclaim it on their own terms “Now, I feel more connected to both my religion and my community It’s no longer about ticking boxes, it’s about curiosity and care ” C reating space fo r others

One constant in Sabah’s work has been the emphasis on creating space, for themselves, for others, for people whose identities don’t fit easy categories

“That’s why I wrote my book,” they say, referring to ‘Supporting Trans People of Colour’, published this year “A lot of what we ’ ve been talking about is in there: practical ways to support people like me, to make workplaces and

easier That’s what allyship looks like ” For families and communities wondering how to be supportive, Sabah suggests turning inward “Ask yourself: What does being South Asian mean to me? What have I been taught about gender, masculinity, femininity? Who taught me that? Have I ever questioned it?”

These are questions Sabah believes everyone should ask, not just queer and trans people “I love being trans and queer because it gives me the chance to think about these things all the time And sometimes, just by being myself, I see my family and friends start to reflect too ” They describe how family members sometimes open up, saying things like, “I used to be a bit boyish as a girl” or “There was someone I knew growing up who was like you too ”

“We don’t always realise how common these experiences are, ” they say “Even just imagining, 'What if I wore drag?’ or ‘What if I explored this part of myself?’, can be transformative ” A generation w ith m ore questions and more tools When asked if they’ve

noticed a shift among younger South Asians, Sabah lights up “Absolutely Young people today have so many more spaces to explore their identity; online, at school, among friends When I was growing up, all I had was whatever was on TV or in the library ” Now, they see young South Asians expressing themselves through creativity; art, content creation, personal storytelling “It’s inspiring And it reminds me how powerful intergenerational conversations could be ” They’d like to see more of those “Especially for people like us, who live at these multiple intersections, we ’ re always going to be a minority We need to hear from each other across generations ” Relu ctant, bu t unstopp able Sabah calls themselves a “reluctant activist”, a phrase that speaks to the emotional toll of their work “I didn’t choose activism because I had free time I did it because I needed those spaces to exist I needed to survive ” So much of their community work was built out of necessity “We shouldn’t always be the ones creating everything, fighting for space, doing the emotional labour,” they say “We should be able to rest To be joyful ” Which brings us to selfcare, something Sabah admits doesn’t come easily “When you re immersed in this kind of work, it’s hard to slow down You feel like if you ’ re not present, you ’ re failing someone ” But a friend once told them, “Sabah, the revolution needs you to be well ”

“That stayed with me It reminded me that this is a long journey We need to rest now if we want to keep going To keep showing up ” Self-care, for Sabah, is not a luxury it’s survival And it’s not just bubble baths or holidays “It’s learning not to compare myself to others It’s asking: What do I need to do to keep doing this work from a place of strength?”

As South Asian Heritage Month begins, Sabah hopes conversations like these reach new ears “You have a platform, and maybe your readers aren’t the kind of people who would follow me on Instagram or come to a trans pride event That’s why this matters ” Their message is clear: inclusion doesn’t start with a policy or a rainbow logo It starts with reflection, with asking better questions, with opening the door and remembering who held it open for you

Sabah Choudrey

Zohran Mamdani

Leena Nair

Dear Financial Voice Reader, Alpesh Patel

Your Pension Checklist: Stop Sleepwalking into Poverty

There's an old financial joke: "What’s the difference between an independent financial adviser (IFA) and a pigeon? The pigeon can still make deposits on a Ferrari Harsh? Perhaps But given the track record of many pension funds, not entirely unfair

Most people approach their pensions with the enthusiasm usually reserved for a dentist's waiting room It's u n c o m

, unlike teeth, you can’t get a new set if you ruin your pension

A recent DIY pension checklist that I put together forced investors to confront the unsettling truth about their retirement savings Here are five essential checkpoints everyone must adopt:

1 Do you actually know what's in your pension?

Ask yourself right now: can you name your pension fund's top 10 holdings? No? Well, that’s akin to not knowing the ingredients of your dinner You could be unwittingly funding deforestation, tobacco, or worse actively managed UK small caps Demand a full factsheet, and read it If boredom is a barrier, remember boredom is preferable to poverty

2. Fee transparency: or the art of daylight robbery

Imagine paying £5 for a latte but not realising there's an additional £15 hidden ‘milk frothing fee’ Welcome to pension fee structures Most investors remain blissfully ignorant of the full charges imposed by platforms and advisers Find out all fees, explicitly Then compare with a bog-standard ETF at 0 07% annual charges Spoiler: you ll be furious

3 Performance anxiety: did your pension outperform a simple index tracker?

In 2022, many pension funds significantly underperformed basic index trackers A pension returning under 10% annually over the past decade is effectively charging you money for nothing (dire straits, indeed) Check your returns and compare them with the S&P 500 tracker often cheaper and smarter than the suited ‘expert’

4 Holdings sanity check: Beware ‘di-worsification’

If your pension manager proudly shows you a portfolio of 100 stocks, each holding less than 1%, you might as well throw darts blindfolded Excessive diversification often turns pensions into expensive index trackers Ask tough questions: "Why am I paying for an actively managed fund that's passively following the market?"

5 Adviser Value: are you smarter yet?

Has your adviser ever truly educated you about investing strategy? If the answer ’ s "no", you're essentially paying for confusion Advisers should demystify finance, not perpetuate ignorance to justify fees It's like hiring a chef who never lets you taste the dish

Why trust anyone who won't transparently show you how to cook your financial future?

In essence, pensions aren't complicated they're made complicated by those who profit from obscurity My plea: demand transparency, challenge the orthodoxy, and don’t accept laziness or mediocrity The real scandal isn't poor pension returns; it's the public's passive acceptance of them The checklist above is your roadmap out of pension mediocrity Apply it today, or risk retiring into poverty tomorrow

Bank of England warns of rising global risks

T he Bank of E ng land has w arned th at rising g eopo litical tensions, trade disputes, and pressure on sovereign debt markets are heightening risks to global economic stability, with direct im plicatio ns for the UK’s financial system

In its latest Financial Stability Report, the Bank noted that the UK’s status as an open economy with a large financial sector makes it especially vulnerable to international shocks Governor Andrew Bailey said that even with a UKUS trade deal in place, escalating global trade tensions, particularly involving the US, could impact the UK economy “It’s not just the UK’s trade deals that matter, but what happens globally,” he said

Despite these risks, the UK’s banking sector remains robust, and most households and businesses are expected to continue meeting their debt obligations Household debt-toincome ratios have declined to their lowest since 2001, and most firms can withstand a 10% drop in earnings, similar to the 2008 crisis, while absorbing higher borrowing costs

However, the Bank cautioned that certain sectors, especially those reliant on high-risk financing like leveraged loans, could face refinancing challenges Private equitybacked firms now account for 15% of UK corporate debt and 10% of private sector jobs, raising concerns about transparency and leverage in private markets

UK maritime leaders eye India’s expanding blue economy

UK-bas ed leaders in mari

pi ng, a nd port i nfrastruc-

tu

House in Lon don this week

f or

Investm ent Mee t, ai med

t posi tioning India as a prime destination for s us tainable an

growth J

High Commission of India i

Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the event showcased the vast opportun

maritime sector under the

Vision 2047

Delivering the keynote,

outlined key areas of

ping, shipbuilding and recycling, and innovative financing

Ravi Gurumurthy joins DESNZ board leadership

The Department for Energ y S ec u ri ty a nd Ne t Z ero (D E S NZ) ha s nam ed Rav i Gu rum u rth y , ch i ef exec utive of the UK ’ s innov ation agency Nesta, as its new lead non-execu tive director G u r u m u r t h y , a f o r m e r senior civil servant at the now-defunct Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), will be joined on the DESNZ board by Sue Ferns, deputy general secretary of the Prospect union, who has also been appointed as a non-executive member E n e r g y S e c r e t a r y E d

Ravi Gurumurthy

M i l i b a n d w e l c o m e d t h e appointments, saying, “Ravi and Sue are two of the foremost figures in the clean e n e r g y s e c t o r a n d t h e i r e x t e n s i v e k n o w l e d g e a n d experience will be an invalu-

able asset to the department as we deliver our mission as part of the Plan for Change, b r i n g i n g e n e r g y s e c u r i t y , lower bills and good jobs for the nation ”

G u r u m u r t h y h a s l e d Nesta since 2019, following s e n i o r r o l e s a t t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l R e s c u e Committee, where he oversaw innovation in services for communities affected by crisis His previous UK gove r n m e n t e x p e r i e n c e i n c l u d e s l e a d i n g D E C C ’ s strategy team and advising the foreign secretary on cli-

policy

moment,” said Gurumurthy “We are seeing huge innovation in our energy system, with new technologies and business models emerging,” he added “In the coming weeks, I l

n g with colleagues across the department to reduce bills, i m p r o v e

growth as we make the transition to net zero ”

Asian firm acquires Kings Court Hotel

Saluja and Karamvir

invest in refurbishing and

Warwic

regional acquisition for the privately held company,

brokered the

“We’re excited to bring Kings Court Hotel into our portfolio,” said Saluja “It has a s

loyal customer base We see real potential to enhance its offering while preserving its historic charm ” S i

site, the hotel originated as a 17th-century farmhouse and n o w o p e r a t e s w i t h p u b l i c areas, event and conference facilities, and the capacity to host weddings of up to 130

Non-dom exodus could cost UK

Labour’s p rop osal to scrap th e no n- d o m ic i le d ta x regime could leave a £ 4 billion g ap in th e UK’ s public finances and result in over 3,0 00 job losses, acco rding to n ew ana ly si s b y t h e Centre for Econom ics and Business Research (CEBR) T h e t h i n k t a n k f o u n d that if just a quarter of the U K ’ s n o n - d o m s , a r o u n d 10,000 individuals, choose to leave the country, tax revenues could fall by £4 6 bill i o n o v e r f i v e y e a r s T h e study, commissioned by the Land of Opportunity campaign group, also warned of 3,163 private sector job losses

The report also highlighted concerns about overvalued equities and compressed bond spreads, warning that riskier assets remain vulnerable to sharp corrections While recent market disruptions have been short-lived, the Bank stressed that financial system vulnerabilities remain and must be closely monitored in a volatile global environment We al th y f

e increasingly us ing life insurance policies to shield their estates from i nh eritance tax (IHT) amid Rachel Reeves’ s upco ming tax refo rms

as a result

High-profile non-doms s u c h a s s t e e l t y c o o n Lakshmi Mittal are reportedly considering relocating in response to the proposed changes Other wealthy figu r e s , i n c l u d i n g b i l l i o n a i r e heiress Anne Beaufour and i n v e s t o r M a x G o t t s c h a l k , have already left, according to reports

The policy could halve Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s c u r r e n t £ 9 9 b i l l i o n f i s c a l headroom, potentially leaving little space for future s p e n d i n g c o m m i t m e n t s

in the UK

£4bn

work with stakeholders to ensure the revised regime r

E c o n o m i s t s a l s o w a r n e d that the upcoming autumn budget will further reduce that headroom due to welfare U-turns, rising costs for winter fuel payments, and sluggish growth

about using life cover to offset IHT bills have more than doubled since the chancellor’s

W h i l e L a b o u r h a s defended its plan, Treasury officials now say they will

TK Ramachandran addressing the attendees

A da n i E nt e r pr ise s Lt d h a s

se en it s lat e st bon d issu e,

scribe d within t hre e hours of ope ning The ra pid upta ke signa ls stron g inve stor confide nce in t he G auta m Adan il e d co n g

pr evious mark et v ola tilit

which was initially slated to remain open until July 22, is now expected to close early d

data revealed bids exceed-

oversubscribing the offering These NCDs, a debt instrument used by compan i e s t o

,

promise investors a fixed interest payment of up to 9 3% per annum

T h i s s u c c

Adani Enterprises' second public issuance of secured,

ible debentures The swift

India born Sabih Khan appointed as Apple COO

extensive expertise in supply chain management to the forefront His appointment arrives at a critical juncture

a s A p p l e s i g n i f i c a n t l y transitions a portion of its iPhone manufacturing from China to India

executive in a to p leadership p osi ti on withi n a major global t e ch n o l o gy co r p o r at i o n, a t r en d n o ta bl y s e en w i t h

Mi crosoft' s Satya Nadella and G oogle's Sundar Pi chai

Khan, a 30-year veteran at Apple, previously served as Senior Vice-President of Operations He succeeds Jeff Williams in a long-planned

s u c c e s s i o n , b r i n g i n g

T h i s s t r a

h

f t , where approximately 20% of A p p l e ' s g l o b a l i P h o n e p r o d u c t i o n ( v a

originates from India as of March 2025, comes despite opposition from figures like Donald Trump Trump has a d v o c a t e d f o r manufacturing to return to the US, and more nativist

sharply with the challenges the Adani Group faced fol-

which led to

listed entities

Sa msung, the world s lar gest smart phone manufactur er, is p o is e d t o s ig n i fi ca n t l y

e x pa n d it s sm a r t ph on e pr oduction in India for t he Amer ican mar ket, mirr or in g a strat egy a lre ady a dopte d by its rival Apple This pot ential shift is con tingent on more

f a v ou r a b l e U S t a r i ffs for g o od s m a n uf a ct u r e d in I n d ia , a cc or d i n g t o Wo nJoon Choi, Samsung's gl obal

p r e s id e n t a n d ch ie f

o p e r a t in g of fic e r o f t he Mobile e Xpe rience div ision

S p e a k i n g a t t h e g l o b a l launch of the new Galaxy Fold7 and Flip7 devices, Choi

r e v e a l e d t h a t S a m s u n g i s c l o s e l y m o n i t o r i n g t h e evolving US trade policies,

p a r t i c u l a r l y u n d e r t h e

D o n a l d T r u m p administration “Uncertainty in the US is currently very high, and because of that we have been preparing against

a n u m b e r o f d i f f e r e n t scenarios," Choi stated He confirmed that Samsung is ready to produce for the US

f r o m m u l t i p l e f a c t o r i e s , i n c l u d i n g I n d i a , a n d i s a l r e a d y s h i p p i n g s o m e Indian-made smartphones to the US

Samsung has established

m a j o r p r o d u c t i o n h u b s i n both India (Greater Noida)

significant

The rapid absorption of this bond issue underscores a renewed investor appetite for Adani Group's securities, suggesting that market confidence in the conglomerate's financial health and growth prospects has largely recovered This successful fundraising provides the flagship firm with crucial capital for its various business ventures and expansion plans

executives Khan's vast experience is

global supply chain dynamics a n

ensuring Apple's continued

n g diversification

a n d V i e t n

i l e t h e I n d i a n f a c t o r y p r i m a r i l y serves domestic demand and exports to other regions, the Vietnam facility has largely f

particularly to the US Choi

s manufacturing locations to

changes in tariff decisions,

diversification also prepares Samsung for broader supply chain challenges, including potential restrictions on rare earth minerals from China Choi assured that Samsung's

y chain mean there have been no production disruptions in t

sell

ICICI Pru MF plans £1bn IPO; Prudential to divest 10% stake

plan

in the compan

The offerin

pproxima

confirme

by ICICI

nk This IPO marks another significant market event in the current year, following H

£1 25bn offering last month and Hexaware Technologies' £876mn raised in February

which boasts average assets under management (AAUM) of nearly £95bn for the AprilJune quarter, according to A

Bank holds a majority 51% stake in the fund house, the remaining 49% is owned by

Musk's Starlink clears final hurdle for India launch, groundwork begins

E lo n M u s k's s ate ll it e i nternet v entu re, S tarli nk, h a s rec e iv ed cr u ci a l fi na l au t h o ri s ati o n f ro m t h e I nd i a n Na ti o nal S p ac e

P ro m o ti o n an d

A u tho ris atio n C entre ( INS PA C e) , clearin g the p ath for its services to launch in I nd i a T h i s f o llo w s t h e

D ep a rtm e nt o f Telecomm unicatio ns (DoT) granting Starlink th ree key l ic en se s o n J u ne 5 th , i nc lu d in g G lo b al M o b il e

P e rs o nal

C o m m u n i ca ti o n

b y S a tel li te ( GM P C S ) ,

C o m m erc i al V ery S m al l

A perture Term inal (VSA T), an d I nt ern et S e rv i c e Provid er (ISP)

The IN-SPACe approval, granted to Starlink Satellite

C o m m u n i c a t i o n s ( S S C P L ) , s p e c i f i c a l l y a u t h o r i s e s t h e provisioning of the Starlink

G e n 1 c o n s t e l l a t i o n , w h i c h comprises 4,408 low-earth

o r b i t ( L E O ) s a t e l l i t e s

c a p a b l e o f d e l i v e r i n g 6 0 0

G b p s t h r o u g h p u t a c r o s s India The authorisation is valid for five years or until t h e e n d o f t h e G e n 1 c o n s t e l l a t i o n ' s o p e r a t i o n a l life, whichever comes first W i t h b o t h m a j o r r e g u l a t o r y h u r d l e s n o w overcome, Starlink is set to

c o m m e n c e w o r k

H

L

Nair is taking over at a t i m e w h e n t h e F M C G

c o m p a n y i s n a v i g a t i n g sluggish growth, weighed d o w n b y t e p i d u r b a n demand over the past few quarters While there are

s i g n s o f r e c o v e r y , a f u l l r e v i v a l s t i l l s e e m s t o b e some time away N a i r , a n a l u m n u s o f

i s actively seeking lower duties for its electronics exports to the US, a move that could cement its role as

global tech giants

U ni l e v e r ’ s be a u t y & wellbei ng business, a s MD & CEO Nai r, who joined HUL 30 ye ars ag o, wi ll be th e fir st wo ma n to lea d the consume r goo ds gi ant T h e L o n d o n - b a s e d Nair, 53, will take over the corner office in Mumbai on Aug 1, succeeding Rohit Jawa who will step down as MD & CEO on July 31 Nair has been appointed for five years Analysts termed the development as surprising “ N a i r i s l i k e l y t o b e a n aggressive MD We expect gradual recovery in volume

critical

g r o w t h , ” a n a l y s t s a t

N u v a m a I n s t i t u t i o n a l

Equities said

S y d e n h a m C o l l e g e a n d S y m b i o s i s I n s t i t u t e o f B u s i n e s s M a n a g e m e n t , Pune, joined HUL in 1995, r i s i n g u p t h e r a n k s t o become executive director, home care, HUL, between

2 0 1 4 a n d 2 0 2 0 , a n d t h e r e a f t e r , e x e c u t i v e director, beauty & personal care, HUL, from 2020 to 2 0 2 2 S u b s e q u e n t l y , s h e w e n t o n t o b e c o m e t h e g l o b a l c h i e f

Tesla enters India with ‘experience center’ in Mumbai

Te sla has for mally launche d it s oper ation s in In dia wit h the open in g of its first showroom - d ubbed a n “ expe rien ce cen ter ” - in M um bai’s Ban dra Kurla C omplex (BKC) The move ma rk s the ele ctr ic v ehicle gian t’s lon g-awa ited ent ry into t he wor ld’s t hird-larg est ca r ma rk et, though it come s without t he ma nufacturin g inve st men t tha t India had long hope d for The 4,000 square

near BKC D e s p i t e y

lobbying by the Indian g o v

n m e n t a n d a policy overhaul aimed at attracting Tesla to set up local manufacturing, the company has indicated that it currently has no plans to build vehicles in India Instead, it has opted to import a limited

number of vehicles and accessories, navigating India’s steep import duties -around 70% - to begin sales This launch comes at a time when Tesla is g

factories and slowing demand in key markets The Model Y is the world’s top-selling electric car and i t s p o p u l a r i t

n I n d i a w i

o f f e r i n

i g h t o n consumers ’ acceptance of high import duties Hefty tariffs had been a major factor weighing on Tesla’s decision around when to enter the Indian market, CFO Vaibhav Taneja said during the automaker’s first-quarter earnings call

Gautam Adani

Sabih Khan

ICC issues arrest warrant for Taliban leader over women's persecution

T H E H A G

I n ter nat io n al C

( IC C) has issu ed an arrest warrant for Hibatullah A khu nd zada, th e Tal iban s s up rem e lead er, and Abdu l Hakim Haqqani, h ead

o f Afg hanistan's Suprem e C ourt

T h e w a rra nt s, m ad e p u bli c , accuse them of the crim e ag ainst h umanity of p ersecuting w omen and girls since the Taliban seized p ower nearly four years ag o This ground-breaking move by the ICC specifically targets the systematic and widespread oppression of Afghan women a

A

Taliban have imposed draconian

ing the unprecedented, unconscionable and ongoing persecut

have lauded the decision, calling it a vital step towards accountability

However, the Taliban swiftly rejected the court's authority,

hatred toward the holy religion o

in brief

NIKKI HALEY’S MOTHER DIES AT 86

Former US Ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has lost her mother Raj Kaur Randhawa who died on July 4 at the age of 86 Haley shared the news in a heartfelt post on X describing her mother as feisty and fun smart and witty and deeply faithful and generous She added, I m convinced she left us on the 4th of July because she wanted to go out with a bang She loved this country and all it gave to her, my dad, and our family for over 50 years Raj Kaur Randhawa’s death comes just over a year after the passing of her husband, Ajit Singh Randhawa, who died on June 16, 2024

women face severe limitations on their ability to work and participate in society

The warrants also encompass the persecution of individu-

employment, freedom of movement, and public life Girls are banned from attending school

als perceived as allies of girls and women and those not conforming to the Taliban's gender poli-

community

The ICC's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, had sought these warrants in January, highlight-

Jemima slams Pak govt for blocking sons’ access to Imran

I S L A M A B A D : P a ki s tan ’ s p olitical temp erature spiked after Jemima Go ld smith , exw i f e o f ja il ed f o rm er P M Im ran Kh an, accu sed g ovt of d enying their sons th e right to speak w ith their father and threatening them with arrest if they attem pt to visit the co untry

Goldsmith said her sons, Sulaiman and Qasim Khan, have not been allowed to s p e a k t o I m r a n , w h o h a s been held in solitary conf i n e m e n t i n R a w a l p i n d i ’ s Adiala Jail for nearly two years “Pakistan’s govt has now

said if they go there to try to see him, they too will be a r r e s t e d a n d p u t b e h i n d bars,” she wrote on X “This isn’t politics It’s a personal vendetta ” Her intervention h a s t r i g g e r e d w i d e s p r e a d reactions, with PTI accusing govt of using intimidation t a c t i c s a h e a d o f a m a j o r protest planned for Aug 5 to mark two years of Khan’s incarceration Reports sugg e s t t h e s o n s , c u r r e n t l y based in the UK, were planning to join the protest Adviser to the PM on p o l i t i c a l a f f a i r s R a n a S a n a u l l a h , s a i d : “ I f t h e y

come to lead a violent movement, the consequences will f o l l o w ” T h e r o w c o m e s amid speculation, including u n c o n f i r m e d r e p o r t s o f President Asif Ali Zardari’s possible resignation and a rumoured meeting between K h a n a n d l o n g t i m e r i v a l

Nawaz Sharif in jail Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi has rejected the reports, calling them part of a “malicious f o r e i g n c a m p a i g n ” a n d denying claims Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir is b e i n g c o n s i d e r e d f o r t h e presidency

Insurgents kill 9 bus passengers in Balochistan

QU ET T A : Pak authorities retrieved the bulletr id d en bo d i e s o f n in e b u s p a ss en g er s ki dnapped by insurgents in the m ountainous so uthw es ter n p r o v i nc e o f B al o ch i s ta n, o f fi c i al s said

T h e s e p a r a t i s t

B a l o c h L i b e r a t i o n F r o n t (BLF) claimed the killings of the nine labourers, saying they were involved in spying f o r P a k i s

agencies In the past also Baloch separatists indulged i n s i m i l a r k i l l i n g s i n t h e eastern province of Punjab

G o v t o f f i c

N a v e e d Alam said the bodies with bullet wounds were found in t h e m

seized from two buses “We are identifying the bodies

their families,” he said,

working as labourers, were returning home to Punjab

s foiled three insurgent attacks before the kid-

arch rival India of backing the militants

New Delhi denies accusations by Islamabad that it

region

Despite this defiance, the warr

and Haqqani, if they travel to a

transfer to The Hague, marking a crucial moment in the fight for justice for Afghan women

Pak crackdown on YouTube channels of govt critics

I S L A M A B A D : A lp h a bet -o w n ed Y o u T u be has informed ov er two d ozen Pakistani government critics that their channels may be blo cked, fo llowing a local court ord er seeking a ban for anti-state content T he ch annels at risk inclu de those of the main opp osition party, its jailed leader and form er Prim e Minister Im ran Kh an, and several prominent j ournalists

T h e j u d i c i a l m a g i s t r a t e c o u r t i n Islamabad issued the order on June 24th, acting on a report from the national cyber c r i m e i n v e s t i g a t i o n a g e n c y T h i s a g e n c y a c c u s e d t h e c h a n n e l s o f s h a r i n g h i g h l y provocative and derogatory contents against state institutions and officials of state of Pakistan

R i g h t s c a m p a i g n e r s a r e v e h e m e n t l y o p p o s i n g t h e p o t e n t i a l b a n , w a r

would severely undermine free speech in Pakistan With traditional media outlets o f t e n a c c u s e d o f s t i f l i n g d i s s e n t , s o c i a l media platforms remain one of the few avenues for critical voices YouTube has notified the 27 content creators that their channels could be removed if they fail to c o m p l

minister for Interior, indicated that the creators could also face criminal charges

A s p o k e s m a n f o r K h a n ' s P T I p a r t y lamented the move, stating, "It’s not only about anchors getting fired or YouTube channels getting banned It’s what they are not allowing to be told and the rights abuse they are trying to hide from the world " This escalating pressure on digital platforms signifies a deepening concern for freedom of expression in the country

Pak drama group stages adaptation of Ramayana in Karachi

KA R A C HI : A Paki stani dram a g rou p is making waves by stagi n g a n ad a p tat io n o f t h e Ramayana, a p owerful legend of g ood v ersus ev il deep ly rooted in H in d u m yth ol og y , in K arach i c i ty of P ak i st an' s S in d h p rov ince

Drama group Mauj, staging the Ramayana at the Karachi Arts Council over the weekend, has won appreciation for their efforts to bring the epic to life by using AI enhancements

Director Yoheshwar Karera said he never felt that staging t h e R

people disliking

efforts put into the production and the actors' performance

Art and film critic Omair Alavi said he was impressed by the sincerity in the storytelling, and the dynamic lighting, live music, colourful costumes, and evocative designs all added to the grandeur of the show

Producer Rana Kazmi, who plays the part of Sita, said she

INDIAN ORIGIN TRAINEE PILOT KILLED IN CANADA CRASH

An Indian origin trainee pilot was among the two people killed in a tragic midair collision involving two training aircraft in Canada The crash occurred about 400 metres from a runway used by Harv's Air pilot school near Steinbach South Airport in Canada s southern Manitoba The dead pilots were identified as a 21-year-old Sreehari Sukesh a resident of Kerala and his classmate Savanna May Royes a 20-year-old Canadian citizen The Indian Consulate is in contact with the bereaved family, the pilot training school and local police to provide all necessary assistance," the Consulate General said in a post on X Sreehari had already obtained his private pilot's licence and was pursuing his commercial pilot certification, according to local media reports

STAFFER SUES CITI AFTER BEING FIRED FOR RACIST COMMENTS

A Citi staffer who was fired for allegedly saying it was a “nightmare to work with Indians is suing the bank, claiming she faced discrimination over her menopausal symptoms and long Covid conditions Ann Watson former senior vice president in Citi’s Finance Solutions Group, slapped the bank with a lawsuit after she was fired in 2023 During an internal virtual job interview, Watson allegedly told an interviewer of Indian heritage: The project failed because I was working with a team of Indians No offense to you Kapil but you know what Indians are like to work with It’s a nightmare ” The bank claimed that after Watson made the alleged racist comment, she was placed in an online waiting room

GIRLS SCHOOL BOMBED IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

An under-construction govt primary school for girls in Pakistan s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was damaged in an IED blast by unknown militants, police said No casualties were reported as the building was unoccupied at the time of the explosion The device was detonated with a powerful blast, causing substantial structural damage to the building

NO MORE

‘SIR’

FOR WOMEN OFFICIALS IN BANGLADESH

Bangladesh’s interim govt has overturned a long-standing protocol requiring women officials to be addressed as “sir”, calling it an “odd” relic of ex-PM Sheikh Hasina s regime A statement issued by the press wing of the caretaker govt said the directive mandating the use of sir” for women in official roles had been “annulled” A new committee has been formed to revise other protocol-related directives, the statement added A woman bureaucrat said the caretaker govt took the call without consulting women officials The tradition began during Hasina s tenure but many women officers supported it finding the address gender-neutral ” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity

in brief

CHINA

DETAINS

FEMALE EROTICA WRITERS

Police in China have detained dozens of young women authors in a genre of gay erotica widely known in Asia as “boys love during a nationwide crackdown on online pornography The detentions since March have triggered debate on social media about limits of free speech and apparent sexist nature of the crackdown, while stirring sympathy for the authors, many of whom hail from low-income backgrounds The writers, all aged in their 20s and early 30s, published their work on Haitang Literature City, a niche pay-to-read online platform specialising in the erotic fiction genre popular with women that features relationships between men The website is censored in China Though the number of women detained are not known more than a dozen Chinese lawyers have publicly offered pro bono aid to authors and Haitang readers summoned by police

NOBEL LAUREATE SAYS IRAN ISSUING DEATH THREATS

Iran’s security services have threatened the life of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi after her native country’s war with Israel, the Norwegian Nobel Committee and activists said Mohammadi said the threats have come through both her lawyer and other indirect channels as she’s kept up public statements about Iran’s theocracy, women’s rights and others issues, the committee said “The clear message, in her own words is that I have been directly and indirectly threatened with physical elimination’ by agents of the regime ” the committee said in its announcement Iran’s govt hasn’t responded to Mohammadi’s recent remarks

IRAN SETS TERMS TO RESUME NUCLEAR TALKS WITH US

Iran s foreign minister said that his country would accept a resumption of nuclear talks with the US if there were assurances of no more attacks against it, state media reported Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said in a speech that Iran has always been ready and will be ready in the future for talks about its nuclear program, but, “assurance should be provided that in case of a resumption of talks, the trend will not lead to war ” Araghchi said that if the US and others wish to resume talks with Iran, “first of all there should be a firm guarantee that such actions will not be repeated The attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities has made it more difficult and complicated to achieve a solution based on negotiations ”

EUROPEAN HEATWAVE CAUSED 2,300 DEATHS

Around 2,300 people died of heat-related causes across 12 European cities during the severe heatwave that ended last week, according to a rapid scientific analysis The study targeted the 10 days, ending July 2 during which large parts of Western Europe were hit by extreme heat, with temperatures breaching 40°C in Spain and wildfires breaking out in France Of the 2,300 people estimated to have died during this period, 1,500 deaths were linked to climate change, which made the heatwave more severe according to the study conducted by scientists at Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine The study covered 12 cities including Barcelona Madrid London and Milan where the researchers said climate change had increased temps by up to 4°C

Kash Patel denies resignation rumours amid Epstein files row

ct or Ka sh Pa tel has denied rumours

on not to re lease more files rel ate d to the la te Je ffrey Epstein In a st atemen t poste d on social me dia plat form, Patel dismissed online spe cul at io n, say in g, “Th e conspiracy theories just aren’t true, neve r ha ve been ”

He added, “It’s an honour to serve the President of the United States – and I’ll continue to do so for as long as he calls on me ” The denial comes amid rising tensions within conservative circles after US Attorney General

Pam Bondi and the FBI released a joint memo announcing the clos

into Epstein, the billionaire sex offender who died in federal custody in 2019

The memo concluded that no credible evidence was found

client list” or blackmail operation involving Epstein The decision has drawn sharp criticism from MAGA-aligned figures

Attorney General Todd Blanche

between the agencies Despite that, NBC News reported that Bongino is considering resignation after a “heated confronta-

Bondi President Donald Trump, who once lived near Epstein in Palm Beach, expressed growing irritation over renewed media

engaged in

conspiracy to blackmail high-profile visitors, including Britain’s Prince Andrew, to his homes in New York, Florida, New Mexico and the US Virgin Islands

Indian Americans lead Forbes' list of richest US immigrants

Israel and Taiwan, which each have 11 This significant presence underscores the burgeoning economic footprint and influence of the Indian diaspora, particularly within the tech and finance sectors The overall list includes 125 foreign-born billionaires from 43 countries, collectively holding a net worth of $1 3 trillion, representing 18% of America's total billionaire wealth

contingent is Jay Chaudhry, the founder of cloud security giant Zscaler, with an impressive net worth of $17 9 billion Chaudhry's journey epitomises a self-made success story, having moved to the US in 1980 from a remote Indian village where he studied under a tree He launched several successful start-ups before establishing Zscaler in 2007 Notable additions to the list over the past three years include t e c h t i t a n s S u n d

India’s most wanted fugitive among Khalistani terrorists arrested in US

STOCKT ON: Eig ht indiv idu als , i nc lu d i ng P av it tar

S i ng h B ata la , an a ll eg e d gang ster o n India’s National Inv estigation Ag ency (NIA ) “ m o s t w ant ed ” li s t, w ere arr es te d i n t h e U ni te d

States Th e arrests, made by th e F BI a nd lo c al la w enforcement, are linked to a ki d n ap p i ng an d t o rtu re inv estigation in S an Joaquin County

The San Joaquin County S h e r i f f ’ s O f f i c e c o n f i r m e d the arrests, stating that their operation was part of the FBI’s Summer Heat initiative, a nationwide effort targeting violent offenders and gang members who terrorize our communities Batala, associated with

the banned terror organizat i o n B a b b a r K h a l s a International is wanted in India for involvement in terror activities

T h e o t h e r s u s p e c t s arrested were identified as D i l p r e e t S i n g h , A m r i t p a l S i n g h , A r s h p r e e t S

, Sarabjit Singh, Gurtaj Singh, and Vishal All accused face multiple charges, including

kidnapping, torture, wrongful confinement, intimidating or threatening a witness, a s s a u l t w i t h a s e m i

a u t omatic firearm, and making criminal threats They were booked into the San Joaquin County Jail

A d d i t i o n a l l y , t h e i n d ividuals were charged with p o s s

gun, an unregistered loaded handgun, and the manufacturing and selling of highc a p

a n d a s h o r t - b a r r e l r i f l e D u r i n g t h e s e a r c h e s , a u t h o r i t i e s seized at least six firearms, including a fully automatic Glock, hundreds of rounds o f a m m u n i t i o n , s e v e r a l h i g h - c a p a c i t y m a g a z i n e s , and over $15,000 in cash

Mamdani secures key union endorsement in

N EW YO R K: Ma yoral candidat e Zohr an Ma md ani has received a sign ifica nt b oost to his campaign, secur ing the endorsement of t he Unit ed Fe d e r a t i on of Te a c he r s ( UF T) , o n e o f N e w Yo r k City’s most infl ue ntial l abour un ions With just over 100 days until the gen eral ele ction, the UFT, repre se nting over 200,000 tea che rs a nd e d uca t io n pr o fe s si on a l s , voted to back Mamdani ov er the in cumb ent Ma yor Eric

A da m s T hi s ma r k s Mamdani’s most substant ia l endorsement to date Hailing the decision as supporting the campaign of working people, Mamdani p o s i t i o n e d h i m s e l f a s t h e definitive labour candidate

New York mayoral race

in the contest A vocal critic of charter schools, his platform pledges to expand the city’s public teaching workf o r c e a n d s i g n i f i c a n t l y increase investment in state education M i c h a e l M u l g r e w , President of the UFT, cited Mamdani’s stance on housi n g a f f o r d a b i l i t y a n d h i s commitment to bolstering public school funding as pivotal reasons for the union’s support Mulgrew also highlighted Mamdani’s openness to shifting mayoral control

o f t h e s c h o o l s y s t e m towards a broader coalition, a n o t a b l e d e p a r t u r e f r o m nearly two decades of centralised authority under successive mayors

W h i l e t h e U F T h a d r e f r a i n e d f r o m e n d o r s i n g during the Democratic primary due to internal divis i o n s , i t s g e n e r a l e l e c t i o n endorsement signals growi n g m o m e n t u m b e h i n d M a m d a n i ’ s c a n d i d a c y

Several other major unions, i n c l u d i n g t h e N e w Y o r k

S t a t e N u r s e s A s s o c i a t i o n , SEIU 32BJ, the Hotel Trades Council, and the New York

C i t y C e n t r a l L a b o u r

C o u n c i l , h a v e a l s o a n n o u n c e d t h e i r b a c k i n g However, DC 37, the city’s largest union, which supported City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams in the primary, has yet to declare its stance for the general election

( M i c r o s o f t C E O ) , a n d N i k e s h Arora (Palo Alto Networks CEO)

A striking trend from the Forbes report is that 93% of these immigrant billionaires are self-made, with a significant majority nearly two-thirds having amassed their fortunes in the technology and f i n a n c e i n d u s t r i e s T h i s h i g hlights the powerful role of immi-

American wealth creation

Shots fired at Kapil Sharma's café in Canada

SU R R EY , BR IT IS H C O LU M BIA : A re staur an t re porte dly link ed to r enown ed India n com ed ian Kap il S har ma , k now n a s Kap 's C afé, wa s t arg ete d in a shootin g inciden t in S ur re y, Brit ish C olumbia For tuna te ly, no in juries were r eport ed de spit e the alar ming a tt ack

R

swiftly claimed by Harjit Singh Laddi, a Germany-based operative of the proscribed terror organisation Babbar Khalsa, who is c

n Agency's (NIA) most wanted list Laddi cited remarks made about the attire of Nihang Singhs on a television show hosted by Kapil Sharma as the motive behind the assault A video clip, widely circulated across social media platforms, purportedly shows a lone individual discharging a full magazine from what appears to be a semi-automatic pistol directly into the building housing the café Despite the flurry of gunfire, initial assessments indicate that the property did not sustain any significant structural damage

The incident has raised concerns about the reach of extremist elements and their willingness to target businesses based on perceived grievances related to media content Kapil Sharma, a household name in India, has a significant fan base globally, making this incident particularly high-profile Canadian authorities are expected to investigate the claims of responsibility and the circumstances surrounding the shooting, while the property's minor damage meant disruptions to operations are likely minimal The alleged motive underscores the sensitivity surrounding religious and cultural representations, even in entertainment

(Alphabet CEO), Satya Nadella

Pavittar Singh Batala

Kash Patel

c

Doval challenges foreign press on 'Operation Sindoor' damage claims

media to produce even one

i mage s howing damage on

S pe a k i ng a t t he 62 n d

c onvocati on of IIT Madras , D ova l a ss erte d tha t I nd ia s u c c e s

c

P

mi nute operation on May 8,

c ommencing at 1:05 am and

c oncluding at 1:28 am

called out

c o n

satellite images revealing

i n g

The New York Times, for

p u b l i s h i n g i m a g e s a n d

n a r r a t i v e s s u g g e s t i n g Indian damage "You tell me one photo, one image, which shows any damage

t o a n y I n d i a n s t r u c t u r e ,

e v e n a g l a s s p a n e b e i n g

b r o k e n , " h e s t a t e d ,

and after May 10, implying India s capability

The NSA lauded India's p

warfare during Operation Sindoor, expressing pride

indigenous systems such as B

integrated air control and command systems, radar, and battlefield surveillance

referenced a slightly bad experience in 2020 that led

choice not to import

20 killed as bridge collapses near Vadodara

self-reliance

D

urging the graduating IIT engineers to contribute to making India great by 2047 across military, economic, and scientific spheres He

knowledge systems at IIT

graduation certificates

Dalai Lama thanks India for its unwavering hospitality

I n a h ea rtf el t m e s sa g e m arking his 90 th birthd ay, the Dalai L am a co nv eyed his p r of o un d i nd eb ted ne ss to the Ind ian go vernment and i t s p eo p l e fo r t h ei r u n w av e

it y since 1 959

His statement, read out at a day-long conference in t h e c a p

q u e s

d C h i n a s historical claims over Tibet, referencing the tumultuous period when he and many

T i b e t a n s f l e d t h e i r

h o m e l a n d f o l l o w i n g t h e ‘ C h i n e s e C o m m u

s t invasion of Tibet’ over 66 years ago

a Bhumi, a classical Sanskrit term meaning 'Noble Land'

India has provided him with the crucial freedom a n d o p p o r t u n i t y t o c

studies of ancient Indian

acknowledging its status a s t h e w o r l d

s t p o p u l o u s c o u n t r y a n d largest democracy but also revering it as the sacred land o

enlightenment was attained

Confederation and attended by nearly 500 participants, i

l a r s , c u l m i n a t e d i n a declaration This document hailed the 14th Dalai Lama f o r h i s c o n s i s t e n t c h a m p i o n i n g o f t h e preservation of rich Tibetan culture and the vital pursuit of religious freedom The gathering underscored his profound global impact and the world's deep respect for h i s l i f e l o n g d e d i c a t i o n t o p e a c e a n d s p i r i t u a l scholarship

Modi poised for the UK visit to finalise landmark free trade deal

P ri m e Mi n i s te r N ar en dr a Mo di is rep o rtedly s et to embark on a si gnificant visit

t o th e U ni t ed K i n gdo m , with exp ectatio ns high that a long-anticipated free trade a greeme nt (F T A) b etwee n India and Britain will finally b e s i g ne d T h i s v is i t , if c o nfir med, wo uld mark a p ivotal moment in bi lateral relations, aiming to u nlo ck

s u b s ta n ti al ec o n o mi c o p p o r tu n i ti e s f o r bo th nations

Sources suggest that the comprehensive trade deal, w h i c h h a s b e e n u n d e r

n e g o t i a t i o n f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s , i s n o w n e a r

conclusion The agreement is poised to reduce tariffs on a wide range of goods and

enhance cooperation across

manufacturing to financial services and education For India, the FTA represents a c

partnerships and boosting its export-led growth For t

U K

stronger economic ties with one of the world's fastestgrowing major economies T h e p o t e n t i a l v i s i t underscores a mutual desire

expected to cover broader

including defence, climate

expressed optimism about

innovation

While the precise dates for the visit are yet to be

d , t h e momentum behind the FTA n e g o t i a t i o n s s u g g e s t s a n i m m i n e n t b r e a k t h r o u g h

The successful conclusion of this agreement would not o n l y c e m e n t a r o b u s t economic partnership but also send a strong signal of confidence in the future of I n d o - B r i t i s h r e l a t i o n s o n the global stage

Muslims are world’s fastest growing religious group: Pew

A recent analysis by the Pew Research Centre reveals th at M u sl im s em e

e d

w or ld ’ s f as te st -g ro w i ng r el ig io u s g r o u p b etw e en 20 10 and 2020

T h e g l o b a l M u s l i m p o p u l a t i o n s u r g e d b y 3 4 7 m i l l i o n , s u r p a s s i n g t h e c

o t h e r r e l i g i o n s , t h e r e b y boosting their share by 1 8 percentage points to 25 6% of the world's inhabitants

This significant growth is largely attributed to their

i s t i a n s , d e s p i t e r e m a i n i n g t h e w o r l d ' s l a r g e s t r e l i g i o u s group, experienced a decline in their global population s h a

a t i o n , o f t e n t e r m e d ‘ nones ’ , formed the second f a s t e s t - g r o w i n g c a t e g o r y ,

increasing by 270 million to r e a c h 1

u l l percentage point to 24 2% of the global population Hindus grew at roughly the same pace as the world’s overall population, reaching nearly 1 2 billion by 2020

a n d m a i n t a i n i n g a s t a b l e 14 9% global share Within I n d i a , w h e r e 9 5 % o f t h e world's Hindus reside, their p r o p o r t i o n o f t h e population stood at 79% in 2020 (a slight decrease from 80% in 2010) Meanwhile, the Muslim share in India r o s e f r o

4 3 % t o 1 5 2

d u r i n g t h e s a m e d e c a d e H i n d u s s t a b l e g l o b a l representation is attributed to fertility rates resembling the global average and a low p r o p e n s i t y f o r r e l i g i o u s switching Buddhists were the only m a j o r r e l i g i o u s g r o u p t o r e c o r d a d e c r e a s e i n t h e i r g l o b a l n u m b e r s d u r i n g t h e p e r i o d T h e P e w a n a l y s i s underscores that demographic f a c t o r s , a l o n g s i d e r e l i g i o u s s w i t c h i n g , a r e p i v o t a l i n reshaping the world's religious landscape

Twenty people were killed wh en six v eh icles and their occu pants fell into the Mahi river after a p ortion of a 4 0year-old d ilapidated Gambhira bridge collapsed near Mujp ur village, 27 km from Vadodara city One perso n is still missing Initially, 1 3 fatalities were reported as rescue teams, including the fire brigade and NDRF, scram bled to the scene

Rescue operations have been arduous, complicated by parts of the bridge and vehicles trapped in the riverbed's muck, making body recovery exceedingly difficult Officials also noted hazardous conditions, with soda ash present in t h

sulphuric acid posing a chemical threat, which authorities are working to neutralise The body of Sukha Vagadiya was among the latest retrievals, pushing the confirmed death count to 20

A particularly tragic development is the sudden demise of Narendra Parmar, 45, who was initially hailed as a 'lucky' survivor after enduring the 60-foot fall Parmar, who was riding pillion and whose driver drowned, was recovering at SSG Hospital and even recounted his ordeal to officials However, he unexpectedly collapsed and died, shocking his family who were preparing for his discharge

In the wake of the disaster, the state government has acted swiftly, suspending four engineers from the Roads and Buildings department, including Executive Engineer N Nayakawala Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has ordered a comprehensive re-inspection of all bridges across the state Police have registered an accidental death case under the

investigation to establish accountability for the collapse, a

India and Kuwait bolster bilateral ties and diaspora welfare

I nd ia ' s Am b as s ad o r to K u wa i t A da rs h S w ai k a en ga ge d i n s ig ni f i c an t di sc u s si o n s wi th K u wai t' s Deputy P rime Mini ster and Minister of Interior, Fahad You sef Saud Al-Sabah Th e ta lk s f o c u s ed o n c ru ci a l bilateral develo pments and ma tt er s c o n c er ni n g t h e welfare o f the vast Indian diasp ora in Ku wait

The Indian Embassy in K u w a i t c o n f i r m e d t h e s e interactions via a post on X, h i g h l i g h t i n g t h e

A m b a s s a d o r ' s e f f o r t s t o apprise the Deputy Prime Minister of important issues impacting both nations

S w a i k a a l s o m e t w i t h

A z i z A l - D e h a n i , A s s i s t a n t

F o r e i g n M i n i s t e r f o r

C o n s u l a r A f f a i r s , w h e r e discussions spanned various b i l a t e r a l c o n s u l a r a n d labour matters These highlevel engagements follow a recent visit by an all-party

I n d i a n d e l e g a t i o n , l e d b y

BJP MP Baijayant Panda, as part of India's diplomatic o u t r e a c h o n ' O p e r a t i o n Sindoor'

F o r m e r F o r e i g n

S e c r e t a r y H a r s h V a r d h a n Shringla, a member of the delegation, noted Kuwait's strong condemnation of the P a h a l g a m a t t a c k a n d i t s f i r m s t a n

terrorism He emphasised the existing joint working g

counter-terrorism between I n

, a n d Kuwait's influential role in

Terrorist Financing Beyond security, energy remains a cornerstone of the

and is highly regarded, often considered the community of first preference among all expatriate populations

Ajit Doval

Dalai Lama

Prime

Govt must be a catalyst for growth: PM Modi

t hrough 'Rozgar Mela s' to over one mill ion since October 2022

Addressing the new recruits, Modi underscored India's dual, limitless strengths: its vast youth demographic and its robust democracy He hailed this youthful power as both the nation's greatest asset and the strongest guarantee for a bright future The Prime Minister urged the young public servants to always pri-

o

g them and easing their difficulties would swiftly propel the nation forward

Beyond creating permanent government jobs, Modi highlighted his administration's vigorous focus on generating new employment opportunities within the private sector

promises to provide Rs 15,000 to youths securing their first private sector job, effectively covering their initial month's salary With a substantial allocation of £10bn, this scheme is projected to gener-

The Prime Minister also cited a recent

Organisation (ILO), noting that over 900mn citizens in India have been brought under the umbrella of welfare schemes over the last decade, signifying a significant expansion of social security He proudly announced that nearly 250mn people have successfully risen out of poverty, an achievement openly praised by global institutions like the World Bank Modi concluded by stating that India is now ranked among the top countries for decreasing inequality, a transformation garnering international attention

BAPS leader Brahmavihari Swami meets Gujarat CM

Prominent BAP S lead er Brahmavihari

Swami m et Gujarat C M Bhu pendra Patel at his residence in Gandhinag ar

He up dated the C M reg arding BAPS ' global p rojects and discussed m atters

fo r th e d e v el o p m en t o f G u j ara t, exchang ing ideas fo r future prog ress tow ards the spiritual, cultural, and prosperous development of the state CM Patel expressed his appreciation for the humanitarian work done

b y B A P S s w

Swami recounted the contributions of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj towards

the welfare of Gujarat and his love for all its people He also offered special prayers for peace, happiness, and prosperity across the state, the nation, and the world

Indian negotiators leaving for US to hold further trade talks

com pr eh en siv e

ag

iscussio

nt wi th the Un ited St ate s De spit e prev ious ta lks of an int er im or mini-dea l, India 's g over nmen t has cla rified it 's a iming for a full, "complet e de al" without bein g con stra ined by de adlines

Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set a September-October deadline for a bilateral trade agreement However, with reciprocal tariffs announced globally by the US, an interim arrangement had been considered Notably, India has so far been excluded from Trump’s recent imposition of revised reciprocal tariffs on other nations, including close partners like Japan and South Korea, effective August 1st Still, the end of the month is seen as a crucial period for India to potentially offer concessions to the US

around agricultural products, whiskey, and automobiles, areas where India remains hes-

Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has firmly stated that the government will not be bound by artificial deadlines, prioritising India's national interests above all Rajesh Agarwal, India s chief negotiator for the US trade deal, reiterated that the government is striving to finalise a robust agreement Highlighting India's track record of implementing 14 free trade agreements with 26 countries, he noted the ongoing efforts to integrate with major global markets "We just concluded an agreement with the UK, we are in an advanced stage of negotiations with the European Union, we are trying to negotiate and finalise a deal with the US," Agarwal stated at an export logistics event He emphasised that such agreements would create immense opportunities for India to become a key part of global value chains, ensuring predictability in tariffs and the regulatory landscape for long-term investment decisions

Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya's execution in Yemen postponed

The e xecut ion of Ke ral a n urse Nimisha Priy a that was set to be ca rried out on Wedne sday in Ye me n ha s be en postponed, sources said

The Indian government has been trying everything and providing all possible assistance in the 36-year-old's case in recent days to allow her family and the negotiation team more time to reach a mutually agreeable solution with the family of the victim, Talal Abdo Mahdi Despite the sensitivities involved in the case, Indian officials have been in regular touch with the local authorities of the jail in Sanaa, Yemen s capital, where Priya is currently lodged Earlier, it was reported that strong efforts are underway to defer the execution of the

Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, who holds the title of Grand Mufti of Indiastepped in for discussions with Mahdi's family to convince them to accept blood money in exchange for forgiveness

Kanthapuram held talks with religious authorities in Yemen, following which, a meeting took place in Dhamar on Tuesday It

prominent scholar and Sufi leader Sheikh Habib Umar bin Hafiz, at the behest of Kanthapuram Representatives of Umar bin H

Mahdi's family, according to reports

INLOVING MEMORY

Shrimati Sushilaben Kantibhai Patel

Date of Birth - 30/08/1930

Date of Passing - 07/07/2025

Shrimati Sushilaben Kantibhai Patel

“It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of our mother Sushilaben Kantibhai Patel on Monday 7th July 2025.

Our mum, a stalwart in our family, the last of a noble generation whose presence shaped us in all ways that we are still discovering. May her soul rest in peace.”

Jai Swaminarayan.

Ketan and Angela Patel (son and daughter-in-law)

Jaymini and Rashmikant Patel (daughter and son-in-law)

Rita and Jagdish Patel (daughter and son-in-law)

Paru and Adrian Blake (daughter and son-in-law)

Pranaye and Nadine (grandson and granddaughter-in-law)

Seema (granddaughter)

Priya and Gabriel (granddaughter and grandson-in-law)

Reema and Sumantara (granddaughter and grandson-in-law)

Andrew and Livia (grandson and granddaughter-in-law)

Jack (grandson)

Etienne, Ameline, Sachi and Keya (great grandchildren)

(Wife of Late Shri Kantibhai Chhotabhai Patel of KARAMSAD)

Narendra Modi

Swami Brahmaviharidas of BAPS Meets Shri Bhupendra Patel, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat

NORTH-EAST

Actor Vijay to lead protest over Tamil Nadu custodial death case

C H E N NA I : Ta mi lag a V ettri Kaz hag am ( TV K) c hief and acto r-turned- politician

V ij ay is set to lead a m ajor public protest

d e m and i ng ju s tic e f o r A j i th K u m ar, a p riv ate security guard w ho alleg ed ly d ied in police custody in Sivagang ai district

T his m arks V ijay's first public ag itation since lau nching his political p arty

Ajith Kumar died in police custody last month A sessions court judge's report confirmed illegal custody and torture, and the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the CBI to file a final report by August 20

F o l l o w i n g m o u n t i n g o u t r a g e , t h e

Tamil Nadu government transferred the case to the CBI, which officially took over the probe Chief Minister MK Stalin, who apologised to the family, ordered CBI probe saying, "there should be no doubts

o

jewellery theft complaint filed by a woman n a m e d N

- b a s e d o n w h

c h A j i t h Kumar was picked up - has also been handed over to the central agency

The state has already taken action against local police officials: five police personnel have been arrested, the DSP

suspended, and the Sivagangai SP has been placed under compulsory wait TVK is demanding a HC-monitored Special Investigation Team to probe the case further Families of other custodial death victims are expected to join the

cause Vijay personally met them at the TVK headquarters

Political observers view this protest as a show of strength by Vijay, who has positioned himself as the chief ministerial f a c e o f T V K T h e p a r t y h a s a l s o categorically ruled out any alliance with the BJP ahead of the 2026 state elections

Anti-sacrilege bill introduced in Punjab assembly

C H A N D I G A R H : Pun j a b Ch i ef

M inister Bhagwant Mann introduced the Punjab Prevention of Offences against Holy Scripture(s) B ill, 2025, which proposes puni shment ranging from a mini mum of 10 years to li fe i mprisonment for acts of sacrilege

Though the Bill was tabled in the Vidhan Sabha, discussion on it has been deferred Following the debate, the Bill is expected to be referred to a S e l e c t C o m m i t t e e f o r d i s c u s s i o n s with all stakeholders

The holy scriptures referred to in

t h e A c t i n c l u d e t h e G u r u G r a n t h Sahib or its extracts - such as Pothis and Gutka Sahib - as well as the Bhagavad Gita, Quran, and Bible

Individuals convicted under the proposed law will also be liable to pay a fine of Rs 500,000, which may be extended to Rs 10,00,000 Offences under this law will be cognizable, non-compoundable, and will be tried b y a S e s s i o n s C o u r t O n

Superintendent of Police (DSP) and a

investigate such cases T

drafted after the Indian Penal Code ( P u n j a b A m e n d m e n t ) A c t , 2 0 1 8passed by the state Assembly - was referred back to the state government

Government noted that the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) had replaced the IPC, and any amendments needed to align with the provisions of the new code

The Bill also includes punishment for abetment of sacrilege Anyone w

scripture, or its part, will face three to five years in jail, along with a fine of up to Rs 300,000

Sacked Bengal teachers clash with police near state secretariat

K O L K A T A : A l ar g e nu m ber o f

eli g i b le an d u nta in te d s c h o o l teach ers, w hose appo intments w ere a nn u lle d by th e S up r em e C o u rt, scuffled with the West Bengal Police w h en th e i r ral ly w a s s to p p e d at H o w rah M ai d an, a few ki lo m eter s ahead of their destination, the state secretariat Nabanna

The agitators, organised under the banner of 'Sikshak Adhikar Manch' (Teachers' Rights Forum), pushed and shoved against a human barricade set up by police, leading to tension on the g r o u n d a f t e r p r o t e s t e r s r e m a i n e d steadfast on reaching the secretariat and meeting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with their demands

T h e p r o t e s t e r s w e r e f i n a l l y stopped by the police with iron wall barricades, which were earlier set up further ahead at Mullick Fatak on the G T R o a d , w i t h t h e l a w e n f o r c e r s a p p e

systems to not

to any form of force or violence

Popular model, influencer San Rachel commits suicide

P U D U C HE RRY : Pud ucherry's famo us mo del San Rachel co mmitted su icid e Sh e h ad gained mu ltiple titles, such as Miss Pud ucherry 2020, M is s Be st A ttitu d e 20 1 9, M i ss Dark Qu een Tamil Nadu 2019 and Qu een of M ad ras in 20 22 and 2023 Police fo und a suicide note from the spot in which she d id no t blame anyone for her death S an Rachel had mortg ag ed h er jewellery for her work and was also und ergoing treatm ent du e to kidney problems Po lice suspect that she may h av e taken this step d ue to heavy debt and stress

Shankar Priya created a different identity in the modelling world regardless of colour It is being said that she was undergoing treatment at JIPMER Hospital for the last few days due to kidney problems

According to reports, she might have taken this extreme step due to the losses incurred while organising fashion shows Police have registered a case and is investigating the matter Rachel, who has won many titles including Miss Pondicherry in 2020-2021, Miss Dark Queen Tamil Nadu in 2019 and Miss Best Attitude in the same year, has also won the Miss World title in the Black Beauty category

SGPC to discuss working of Takhts on Aug 5

AM RIT S AR: The Shi romani Gu rdwara Par ba nd hak Commi ttee (SGPC) h as calle d a specia l me eti ng o f its me mbe rs on Aug ust 5 to de liber ate on t he wo rki ng of the fiv e Sikh T akhts

SGPC chief secretary Kulwant Singh Mannan said t h e m e e t i n g w i l l b e

president, Harjinder Singh Dhami

temporal seat of the Sikhs - and Takht Patna Sahib f o l l o

punishment to SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal

The Takht Patna Sahib had declared Badal a “tankhaiya” for repeatedly ignoring its summons Badal was accused of interfering in affairs of the Bihar-based temporal seat

The decree was overturned by the Akal Takht, citing its supremacy over all other temporal seats Currently, jathedars of three of the five Sikh temporal seats - Akal Takht, Takht Damdama Sahib and Takht Kesgarh Sahib - are appointed by the SGPC, which is controlled by the SAD The jathedars of the other two Takhts - Patna Sahib in Patna and Hazur Sahib at Nanded in Maharashtra - are appointed by their separate management panels

Kolkata law college rape case: State submits report to HC

Manipur governor reviews welfare measures for displaced

chaired a high-level review meeting at Raj Bhavan to assess the ongoing relief and

Displaced Persons (IDPs) residing in various camps across the state One of the key aspects of the review was the dedicated IDPs portal, designed to facilitate real-time data management and improve service delivery Officials briefed the Governor on how the portal is being effectively used to streamline

in the management

The agitators were seen engaging in verbal spats and repeated scuffles with the police in their efforts to move p a s t

occasional flare-ups The protesting teachers -- insisting on publication of

complete list of tainted and untainted c

n a l reinstatement to their jobs, among other demands - sought an audience with the chief minister for an official response

We will not sit for any exam We have been wronged against and it is the responsibility of the government to reinstate us with our salaries in our o r i g i n a l p o s i t i

teacher said "We have been told that the chief secretary is ready to meet us But we want the chief minister in that meeting as well We want the highest executive authority of the state to a

teacher said

K OL KA T A : The West Beng al go vernment submitted a sealed repo rt on the p rog ress of th e inv estigation into th e rape of a 24 -year-old stud ent at a law college in South Kolkata to the Calcutta High Cou rt Th e state’s counsel also presented the case d iary to the d ivision bench of Justice So umen Sen and Justice Smita Das De, and the court went thro ugh the victim’s statem ent taken und er Section 183 o f the BNSS and medical docum ents as well

After this, the bench observed, “The progress report is to be given to the victim We are not divulging what we have seen A comprehensive report will be served to the victim’s advocate on the condition that the progress report will not be divulged to any agency It shall not be shared with any authority without the permission of court, it is only for the information of the victim ”

The victim is satisfied with the investigation till date, according to her counsel Police have also submitted a report on why local officers “did not take any preventive measures ” despite having been allegedly informed of threats made against the victim

The law college has submitted a report as well: according to college sources, the college had put up notices in the months of September and November last year, stating that students cannot stay in college beyond college hours, but the students “did not follow” the instruction

governance and public service delivery amid ongoing challenges The meeting concluded with directives to further strengthen the institutional framework supporting IDPs

priority

MIZORAM GOVERNOR, ZPM GOVT ON COLLISION COURSE

Mizoram Governor Gen (retd) V K Singh s move to impose Governor s rule in the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) in view of its constant political instabilty has upset the Lalduhoma-led Zoram People s Movement (ZPM) government, which has criticised him for allegedly undermining the democratic norms Since its current term began in 2023, the CADC has seen two mass defections and two noconfidence motions with the first-ever BJP-led executive committee of the Council toppled last month following which the ZPM staked claim to its leadership The CADC set up in 1972, is an autonomous body under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which is meant to ensure autonomy in the governance of the Chakma-inhabited belt in the state s Lawngtlai district After the BJP was voted out from the CADC leadership through a noconfidence motion the ZPM with the help of defectors from the BJP – staked claim to forming the next CADC panel Following the ZPM s bid, the Governor sought the opinion of Chief Minister Lalduhoma s Council of Ministers on the issue which disapproved of the dissolution of the CADC

MIGRANT LYNCHED IN ARUNACHAL FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING GIRLS

Curfew was imposed in Roing town in Arunachal Pradesh s Lower Dibang Valley district as tensions flared after a migrant youth from neighbouring Assam was lynched by a mob for allegedly sexually assaulting several girls police said The 19-year-old man identified as Riaz-Ul Kurim from Bongaigaon, was taken into police custody after it came to light that he had allegedly sexually assaulted several girls of a school The parents of the girls, who filed a complaint with the school authorities, had nabbed the youth and thrashed him before police rescued him and took him into custody However, a mob barged into the police station, dragged the youth outside and beat him up As he was rescued and taken to the hospital they followed him and thrashed him again, ultimately leading to his death The youth used to work at a construction site near the school, police said So far, eight minor girls - aged between six and nine - have undergone medical examinations

Lower Dibang Valley Superintendent of Police Ringu Ngupok said the boarders of a hostel of the school were allegedly sexually assaulted over the course of a week by the youth

WEST BENGAL

Thalapathy Vijay

Shubhanshu Shukla returns safely to Earth after historic ISS mission

I n d i an a st ro na u t G ro u p

C ap tain Shu bhanshu Shukla returned safely to Earth on T uesd ay, marking the suc-

c es s fu l c o nc lu s i o n of a

g rou nd breaking m ission to

t h e In ter na ti o nal S p a ce

S tation (ISS), the first by an Indian national Shukla was part of the four-member Axiom-4 crew a

G

a c e , w h i c h splashed down in the Pacific

O c e a n

h

s

c o

o f California at approximately 3:01 pm IST The capsule’s safe landing followed a fiery reentry and a 22-hour return journey from orbit

PM Modi hailed Shukla’s mission as a historic milestone “I join the nation in welc o m i n g G

Earth from his historic mission to Space As India’s first a s t

International Space Station, h

dreams through his dedication, courage and pioneering spirit It marks another milestone towards our own H

S p

Mission – Gaganyaan,” PM

Modi said in a post on X S

Force pilot, flew alongside

veteran US astronaut Peggy Whitson, Slawosz UznanskiWisniewski of Poland, and T

They boarded Grace at 3:30

(2:00 pm IST) on

President nominates four distinguished personalities to Rajya Sabha

P r es i d en t D ro u p ad i M urmu h as nom inated

four d istinguished indi-

v id u als to th e Ra jy a

S ab ha fi lli ng v ac anc ies

t h at h ad re m ai n ed v acant for nearly a year

P r i m e M in is te r

Narend ra Mod i took to X to announce the nominations, which includ e p rom inent lawyer U jjwal Nikam , retired diplomat Harsh Vard han Shring la, n o tab le R S S w o rke r f ro m K era la C S ad anandan Master, and

e m i ne nt h is to r ia n M eenakshi Jain

S a d a n a n d a n M a s t e r ' s n o m i n a t i o n p a r t i c u l a r l y highlights resilience in the face of political violence A former school teacher and a strong advocate of RSS philosophy, he lost both his legs in a brutal attack by alleged CPM cadres in 1994 Despite the gruesome assault that

l e f t h i s l i m b s m u t i l a t e d

b e y o n d r e j o i n i n g , M a s t e r , n o w d e p e n d e n t o n p r o st h e t i c l e g s , c o

d h i s social work and challenged

the use of violence in political disagreements Master, currently the vice-president of BJP's Kerala unit, unsuccessfully contested assembly elections in 2016 and 2021 U j j w a l N i k a

, a renowned public prosecut

relentless pursuit of justice i n h i

Mumbai terror attack convict Ajmal Kasab and prose-

who embody national causes

career diplomat, served

government and played a key role in India s G20 Presidency His nomination brings extensive

y proceedings Finally, eminent historian Meenakshi Jain has been recognised for her signifi-

Indian historiography, par-

detailing aspects of India's

for Rama,' have earned her admiration in Hindutva circles

US visa costs soar for Indians with new 'integrity fee'

I nd i an t rav ell ers and s tud ents are facing sig nificantly h ig her co sts fo r US v isas, w

m Ja nu ary 26

T his ad ditional charge will

p ush th e cost of a B1 /B2 visa

f ro m u nd er ₹1 6, 0 0 0 to aro und ₹ 37, 50 0 Almost all n on- i mm i g rant categ o ri es, inclu ding student visas, will

s ee a s i m i la r h i ke T h i s a nn o u nc em e nt, p ar t o f a

b ro a d er U S i m m i g r ati o n

p r o ce s s o v erh a u l, h a s alread y d isrup ted numero us travel p lans

C o n c e r n s e x t e n d

b e y o n d t h e i m m

S

Rai of Hyderabad Overseas Consultant highlighted that

the visa integrity fee is only refundable under strict conditions, including full compliance with visa terms and departure within five days of expiry "This is like asking every applicant to put down a security deposit for good b e h a v i o u r , " R a i r e m a r k e d , noting that any overstay or v i o l a t i o n w

amount

Indian students, already grappling with rising tuition and living expenses in the US, are particularly affected Many are now reconsidering their study plans or rushing

s before the new fee comes

i n t o e f f e c t I m m i g r a t i o n consultancies like I20 Fever have reported a 20% spike in

application process ahead of the deadline

With nearly 1 9 million Indian visitors entering the

October 2024, consultants anticipate a surge in applicat

potential drop post-January While the US Department

describes the fee as a compliance tool rather than a

this policy could complicate matters for US universities

a

y given the current ambiguity surrounding the refund process

the ISS to begin their return to Earth

became the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh

Hungary, which sent their

International Space Station I

ISRO celebrated the success, calling it a “milestone” for the country’s space ambi-

toward the launch of India’s f

2027 D

week stay aboard the ISS, S

sunrises and sunsets from orbit

ISRO said that Shukla completed all seven planned

achieving all mission objectives

“Experiments on Indian strain of tardigrades, myoge-

and moong seeds, cyanobacteria, microalgae, crop seeds,

have been successfully completed,” ISRO said in a statement

Tragedy in Gurgaon: Tennis player allegedly shot dead by father

A prom isi ng 2 5-ye ar- old tenn is player R adhi ka Yadav who c ompeted on the junior in te rn ationa l c i r cu i t, w a s a l le ge dl y sh ot dead by her fa ther at their fam ily home i n Sector 57, G urgaon

According to police reports, Radhika was in the kitchen on the first floor of their residence when her father, Deepak Yadav, allegedly fired three bullets at her One bullet struck her neck, with two more hitting her in the back The sound of t h e g u n s h o t s a l e r t e d D e e p a k ' s y o u n g e r brother, Kuldeep, who lives on the ground floor He rushed upstairs to find a bleeding R

Neighbours quickly arrived and helped transport her to a private hospital, but the young athlete was pronounced dead upon arrival Deepak Yadav, 49, was swiftly arrested

and subsequently charged with murder following a formal comp

n

f i l e d

y K u l d e e p Authorities have recovered the weapon used in the fatal incident: a licensed revolver belonging to Deepak

reportedly

home when

Preliminary investigations suggest the motive behind the shocking act was a dispute over Radhika's tennis academy Deepak Yadav reportedly confessed to the crime, stating he was unhappy with his daughter running the academy and felt humiliated by taunts from villagers about living off her earnings The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting the devastating consequences of domestic disputes

Madhya Pradesh CM captivated by Abu Dhabi BAPS Mandir

Dr Mo han Yad av , the chief m inister of Madh ya Pradesh, v isited th e BAP S Hind u Mandir in A bu Dhabi during the Guru Purnima celebrations

He was welcomed by the head of the Mandir, Swami Brahmaviharidas who guided him through it's incredible history and purity of purpose The CM was deeply touched and s p i r i t u a l l y u p l i f t e d b y t h e s e r e n e aura, stunning architecture, and the devotion-filled atmosphere of the Mandir

He was fascinated by the meaningful exhibition on the importance of a true Guru, where he resolved to serve society selflessly and ceaselessly While offering prayers at all the sacred shrines, he was overjoyed to see

the sacred soil from Jabalpur - the birthplace of HH Mahant Swami Maharaj, the creator of the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi

The CM praised the Mandir as a global symbol of spiritual harmony, cultural unity, and timeless values

India seeks cooperation, not competition, with Africa: PM Modi in

Prim e Minister Narendra Mo di concluded his five-nation tour in Windhoek, ho ld ing a bilateral meeting w ith Nam ibian Presid ent Net u m bo Na nd i - Nd a it w ah D i sc u s si o n s focused on bolstering ties in d efence, maritime security, d igital technology, UPI integratio n, energy, and critical minerals Addressing Namibia’s Parliament, Modi articulated India’s vision for Africa "freedom to future” emphasising a commitment

stressed that India seeks to build and grow t

Namibia

remarks are widely interpreted as a subtle critique of China's extensive presence on the continent, as many African nations increasingly seek diversified partnerships

According to an Indian statement, Modi thanked Namibia for its strong support and solidarity following the Pahalgam attack, with both leaders agreeing to strengthen the global fight against terrorism They also committed to working together to amplify the voice of the Global South

resources "Let us create a future defined not by power, but by partnership, not by dominance, but by dialogue, not by exclusion, but by equity," the Prime Minister stated He underscored that Africa should

Ujjwal Nikam Harsh Vardhan Shringla

C Sadanandan Master Meenakshi Jain

Radhika Yadav

Swami Brahmaviharidas and Dr Mohan Yadav performing rituals

“We demand answers”

Continued from page 1

The aircraft’s black box showed no

decisions

The preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into the Air India Flight 171 crash reveals that both engine fuel cuto f f s w

l l y m

d from ‘ run ’ to ‘ cut-off’ within a second of each other during take-off, causing the engines to lose power Cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?” with the other denying responsibility, though the report does not identify who said what Approximately 10–14 seconds later, both switches were turned back to ‘ run ’ , initiating an automatic restart,

o n e e n g

recover in time The report rules out

g engine issues as causes However, it stops short of explaining why or how

t

crucial questions unanswered

Investigators are now reviewing Captain Sumeet Sabharwal’s medical and mental health records as well

Though he passed a Class I medical exam as recently as September 2024, several colleagues have reported that h e h a d e x p e r i e n c e d e p i s o d e s o f d e p r e s s i o n a n d e m o t i o n a l s t r a i n following his mother’s death in 2022 His complete medical history has been handed over to the investigative team,

e v e n a s A i r I n d i a a n d i t s p a r e n t company, Tata Group, maintain that no anomalies were found in his fitness records Air India’s CEO, Campbell

W i l s o n , h a s c a u t i o n e d a g a i n s t p r e m a t u r e s p e c u l a t i o n a n d emphasised the need for a thorough investigation Meanwhile, pilot unions have voiced concern over an early bias

t o w a r d s p i l o t e r r o r , d e m a n d i n g a b r o a d e r , t r a n s p a r e n t i n q u i r y t h a t includes all possible causes ranging f r o m h u m a n e r r o r t o s a b o t a g e o r suicide

A p r o m i n e n t g l o b a l p i l o t s '

o r g a n i s a t i o n h a s i s s u e d a s t r o n g c a u t i o n a g a i n s t d r a w i n g " h a s t y conclusions " The international body

e m p h a s i s e d t h a t a c c i d e n t investigations are inherently complex, demanding meticulous analysis of all

a v a i l a b l e e v i d e n c e , i n c l u d i n g f l i g h t

r e c o r d e r s a n d w r e c k a g e T h e y underscored the critical importance of a t h o r o u g h , f a c t - d r i v e n i n q u i r y t o ascertain the definitive causes of the tragedy

Grief beyond the black box: Families seek truth, not theories

Beyond the technical findings, the

e m o t i o n a l f a l l o u t c o n t i n u e s t o

d e v a s t a t e f a m i l i e s E v e r y s e a t o n Flight AI171 held a story, a student returning home, an elderly couple en route to a pilgrimage, a father heading b a c k t o h i s d a u g h t e r T h e l o n e

s u r v i v o r , V i s h w a s K u m a r R a m e s h , n o w u n d e r p s y c h i a t

r e , reportedly suffers from deep trauma

“He’s alive, but not living,” a relative shared

Talking with Asian Voice, Praful Patel, a friend and busi nes s partner of c ra s h v i c ti m P a nn

remembered the horrible time he had as he visited both the crash scene and the Civil hospital Panna and Praful used to work together to help poor children completely free of charge He t a l k s a b o u t

i s i t stating “when we reached the civil hospital Ahmedabad, we realised that n o t a s i n g l e p e r s o n s u r v i v e d O n e person survived out of 241, but it was a sheer luck” He adds “So many people in the civil hospital There was just kind of 1000s and 1000s of people wanting to find out what happened” Praful along with Panna’s family who came to India for giving DNA test visited the site and states, “It was completely black out, black buildings and all the trees burnt out, all the p i e c e s o f h e a t , o f m e t a l a n d everything We couldn't believe that the bodies were dismembered” Praful says that even if they find a solution, they cannot bring the lost lives back

H e a l s o a p p r e c i a t e s t h e s e r v i c e provided by Air India to the families of victims

S am e e r R a f i k, c ous i n of c r as h victi m Fai zan Rafi k from Lei ces ter, expressed his frustration and grief in an interview with the BBC following the release of the preliminary report "I've just read the report and it doesn't m a k e a n y s e n s e t

"

s a i d , questioning the lack of clarity in the f

voice recordings to the families of the victims, stating that only by hearing

what happened in the final moments could they begin to understand the truth If they want to release the audio to family members only, I will be more than happy to fly to India and listen to it I will go straight away," he said "I lost my loved one I know what my family are feeling, and no one will understand my pain "

, whose husband Lawrence died in the crash, passionately called for justice, telling the BBC that "'Action should be taken against those responsible '" The c o us i n of c r e w me m b e r Lamnunthem Singson conveyed that their family was "'trying to make sense of our loss,'" grappling with whether k n o w i n g

d alter their grief

Ba d a s ab Sy ed , wh o lo s t hi s brother, sister-in- law, and their two ch il dren , expressed being left with more questions than answers by the report For Shweta Parihar, who los t her hus ban d Ab hin av, the ongoing investigation offered "'little comfort,'" as she tragically told, "'What is the point of the investigation now? We are finished '"

Rafi q D awood, whose 25-year-old son Faizan perished, articulated, "'We d o n ' t h a v e w o r d s t o d e s c r i b e o u r pain,'" adding, "'We don't know about t h e f u e l s w i t c h o r o t h e r t e c h n i c a l details The fact is that we have lost our son '" A relative of Sai yed J aved Ali, who died with his wife and two chi ldren, l a m e n t e d , " ' O u r h o p e s h a v e b e e n shattered,'" and called on the Indian g o v e r n m e n t , s t a t i n g , " P r o p e r investigation should be done to find what caused the crash"

Legal experts in India and the UK h a v e b e e n a p p r o a c h e d b y r e l a t i v e s s e e k i n g a c c o u n t a b i l i t y “ T h e y w a n t answers, not assumptions,” said an aviation legal counsel involved in the c a s e T h e U

Administration (FAA) confirms receipt

report While the NTSB leads the US

work and collaborating

committing to promptly

Air India adjusts UK routes in phased rollout

After the preliminary report on the Air India AI171 accident on June 12, 2025, the airline has announced a phased restoration of its international flight schedules, which were scaled back during a "Safety Pause" to allow for additional Boeing 787 inspections and to accommodate longer flying times due to airspace closures Partial resumption begins on August 1, with full restoration targeted by October 1 Between August 1 and September 30, Air India will operate three weekly flights between Ahmedabad and London Heathrow, replacing the current five-weekly service to Gatwick Delhi-Heathrow flights have already been fully restored to 24 weekly services from July 16, while Bengaluru-Heathrow will reduce from six to four weekly flights starting August 1 Amritsar-Birmingham will remain at two weekly services until August 31 before returning to three in September, while Delhi-Birmingham continues at two weekly flights The Amritsar-London Gatwick route (AI169/170) remains suspended until September 30 Other international routes, including those to Amsterdam and Sydney, have also undergone schedule adjustments Air India acknowledges the removal of some previously planned services between August and September and is contacting affected passengers with options for rebooking or full refunds Once the restoration is complete, the airline will operate over 525 international flights weekly across 63 routes

Jaishankar seeks de-escalation, fair trade with China amid thawing ties

India's External A ffairs Minister S Jaishankar's first v isit to C hina in six years sig nals a notable thaw ing of Sino-Indian relations During his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Jaish ankar pressed Beij ing to furth er ad d ress l i ng e

escalation, w hilst simu ltaneou sly urging an end to restrictiv

trade measures

Jaishankar acknowledged good progress in normalising bilateral ties, attributing it to the successful resolution of friction points along the border and both sides' ability to maintain peace and tranquillity He stressed that this forms the fundamental basis for mutual strategic trust and for smooth development of bilateral relations, emphasising the incumbency on both nations to address remaining border

approach to the relationship, the Indian side underscored t h

momentum established since the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping last October D

India's concerns regarding China's export controls, which could adversely affect domestic manufacturing He urged avoiding restrictive trade measures and roadblocks to foster mutually beneficial cooperation

Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers' meeting, Jaishankar reminded Wang that combating terrorism, separatism, and extremism is a primary mandate for the grouping, asserting India's hope for a strong uphold of zero tolerance for terrorism He also underlined the need for cooperation on

r

hydrological data provision by the Chinese side

Omar scales fence to honour martyrs amid police barricades

J

dramatically s caled a fence at Sri nagar ’ s Naqs hband Sahib s

members entry to pay tribute to the 19 31 martyrs This act i

on Territory’s elected government and the Centre-appointed Li eutenant G overnor ’ s admini stration

"I was subjected to physical grappling," Omar stated, asserting his determination "I’m made of sterner stuff I w

protectors of the law need to explain under what law they were trying to stop us "

Authorities had sealed the site a day earlier and placed several politicians, including Omar, his father and National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah, and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, under house arrest Blocked by police barricades and CRPF vehicles, he and Deputy CM Surinder Choudhary proceeded on foot Minister Sakina Itoo arrived on a scooter, while Farooq Abdullah came in a threewheeler, highlighting the extraordinary measures taken

A video shared by Omar shows him scaling the shrine’s wall after being refused entry "We succeeded in offering prayers," he declared "They think these graves matter only on July 13 If not July 13, then July 12, 14, or any other day, we will come and remember the martyrs "

commemorates the killing of 22 civilians outside Srinagar jail in 1931 during protests against Maharaja Hari Singh The event has become a flashpoint in Kashmir’s evolving identity since Article 370 was revoked in 2019 Since then, police and security forces have been under the direct command of LG Manoj Sinha, while the Omar-led elected government holds no authority over law enforcement Omar quoted BJP stalwart Arun Jaitley to underscore the friction, stating, "Democracy in J&K is a tyranny of the unelected "

S Jaishankar and Wang Yi

Panna Nagar (victim)

Bitter but better

ercury rises, South

sustenance

A m o n g

n y vegetables favoured during this season, karela, or bitter gourd, stands out not just for its unmistakable taste,

b u t f o r i

m p r e s s i v e health benefits Karela may be an acquired taste, but it has long held a place of pride in Indian, Pakistani,

B

Lankan kitchens

Rich in vitamins C, A,

a n d E , a n d p a c k e d w i t h antioxidants, this knobbly green vegetable is known

i n A y u r v e d a a n d U n a n i traditions for cooling the body, a particularly useful property during hot spells

O n e o f k a r e l a ’ s m o s t praised benefits is its ability

t o h e l p r e g u l a t e b l o o d

s u g a r l e v e l s I t c o n t a i n s

c o m p o u n d s t h a t m i m i c i n s u l i n , m a k i n g i t a

managing type 2 diabetes

N u t r i t i o n i s t s c a u t i o n , however, that it’s best used alongside, not in place of, prescribed medication

I n s u m m e r , w h e n digestion can slow down due to heat, karela acts as a

ForGlow from within, beyond the six-step skincare routine

years, the skincare world has been captivated by elaborate routines: double cleanses, layering serums, exfoliating acids, and jade rollers Social media feeds overflow with shelves lined with bottles promising instant glow and ageless skin

s u m m e r s k i n i s

heat rash or acne

W h i l e i t s b i t t e r n e s s might deter some, there are p l e n t y o f w a y s t o e n j o y k a r e l a I

cuisine, it is often stuffed with spices, stir-fried with onions, or cooked in lentil

n

w i t h o u t s t r i p p i n g a w a y nutrients

As we adapt to warmer s u m m e r s i n t h e U K , i t ’ s w o r t h r e v i s i t i n g t h e s e a s o n a l w i s d o m o f o u r ancestors, adding it to the modern British Asian diet

g e n t l e d e t o x i f i e r I t a i d s d i g e s t i o n , p r o m o t e s g u t h e a l t h , a n d i t s a n t i m i c r o b i a l p r o p e r t i e s can even help in tackling

Tailor your workout to your personality, say experts

M atching your worko uts to your personality cou ld lead to better results, according to new res ea rc h fr o m U niv ersity C ollege L ondon

People who are more introverted and prone to n e g a t i v e e m o t i o n s m a y benefit from solo exercise

r o u t i n e s w i t h p l e n t y o f breaks In contrast, extroverts often thrive in group settings like team sports or high-energy classes such as B a r r y ’ s B o o t c a m p o r

SoulCycle

I n t e r e s t i n g l y , t h o s e with more open personalities tend to exercise regul a r l y r e g a r d l e s s o f h o w much they enjoy it “Our brains are wired differently, w h i c h a f f e c t s h o w w e respond to exercise,” said

D r F l a m i n i a R o n c a o f UCL’s Institute of Sport,

Exercise and Health

In a study involving 86

U K p a r t i c i p a n t s , researchers measured fitness levels before assigning half to an eight-week home

w o r k o u t p l a n , w h i l e t h e o t

normal lifestyle The more neurotic participants who followed the fitness plan saw a significant drop in stress levels

This insight comes at a time when stress and inactivity are on the rise In the U S , nearly 40% of adults

a r e o b e s e , a n d w o r k p l a c e stress contributes to an estim a t e d 1 2 0 , 0 0 0 d e a t h s a n n u a l l y E x p e r t s s a y understanding your personality could be key to making exercise both effective and e n j o y a b l e a n d a t o o l t o improve mental well-being

Lose sleep, gain weight

Chronic sleep loss doesn’t just leave you groggy, it quietly rewires your body’s hunger controls. When you skimp on sleep, your brain boosts ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and lowers leptin (the fullness hormone), creating the perfect storm for cravings and overeating Worse, your tired body burns calories more slowly, storing more fat, especially around your belly So those midnight Netflix marathons may be tipping the scales; not just from popcorn, but from your body s sleepy sabotage

But while topical treatments have their place, a growing number of people, and experts, are recognising a simple truth: great skin doesn’t start in the bathroom True skin health is built from the inside out What you eat, how you move, how much sleep you get, and how you manage stress all play a critical role in how your skin looks and feels

T

momentum as people shift from chasing quick fixes to cultivating long-term wellness In other words, a healthy lifestyle is becoming the new skincare essential

Here’s how to go beyond the six-step skincare routine and rejuvenate your skin naturally through food, movement, and mindful living

Nourish to flourish

Your skin reflects what you feed your body A diet rich in whole, nutrientdense foods can help prevent inflammation, support collagen production, and boost radiance

• Antioxidants found in berries, dark leafy greens, and green tea fight free radicals that contribute to ageing

• Omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish, walnuts, and flaxseeds help maintain the skin’s moisture barrier and reduce irritation

• Vitamins C and E, present in citrus fruits, nuts, and seeds, promote healing and protect against environmental damage

• Zinc and selenium, found in mushrooms, seafood, and whole grains, aid skin repair and may help reduce breakouts

• And of course, hydration is essential Water, herbal teas, and water-rich foods like cucumber and melon help keep skin supple and clear

Exercise for a natural glow

Movement isn’t just good for your h e

Cardiovascular exercise improves blood circulation, helping deliver oxygen and nutrients to skin cells Sweating can help detoxify pores, while strength training balances hormones that influence skin health Yoga and stretching, meanwhile,

reduce puffiness

Sleep: The ultimate night treatment

Sleep is when your body goes into repair mode and that includes your skin

During deep sleep, the body boosts collagen production and regenerates cells

Aiming for 7–9 hours of quality sleep each night can visibly reduce dark circles, dullness, and fine lines To optimise rest, maintain a consistent sleep schedule and minimise screen time before bed

Balance stress, balance skin

which can lead to breakouts, oil imbalance, and premature ageing Building small rituals like meditation, breathwork, time in nature, or even simple

journaling into your day can help regulate stress and support skin harmony

Keep skincare simple and consistent

R

routines, dermatologists often recommend a consistent regimen built around the basics: a gentle cleanser, a moisturiser suited to your skin type, SPF during the day, and a treatment serum at night if needed In a culture obsessed with quick fixes and cosmetic perfection, it’s easy to forget that skin health is a reflection of overall wellbeing True radiance comes from within: through balanced nutrition, daily movement, restorative sleep, and mindful living Treat your skin as a mirror of your lifestyle, not just your skincare shelf The glow will follow

Tweaks that make a big skin difference

1 Start your morning with warm water and lemon

A gentle detoxifier that aids digestion and hydration two essentials for clear, glowing skin

2 Switch to a silk or bamboo pillowcase

Reduces friction, prevents skin creasing, and is gentler on sensitive or acneprone skin

3 Take a brisk 20-minute walk daily

Boosts circulation and oxygen flow to the skin, plus reduces stress both vital for a healthy complexion

4. Snack on seeds

Pumpkin, sunflower, and flaxseeds are rich in zinc and omega-3s nutrients your skin loves

5. Set a “tech curfew” an hour before bed

Better sleep = better skin Less screen time also means less blue light exposure, which can impact collagen

Beat the heat with refreshing, healthy and cooling drinks

As Britain braces for another summ er h ea tw av e, st ayi n g h y d ra ted isn’t ju st about comfort, it’s essential for your health

High temperatures can quickly lead to fatigue, headaches, and even heat-related illness, especially for the elderly, children, and those with u

While it’s tempting to reach for sugary soft drinks or endless iced coffees, healthier, hydrating alternatives can cool you down and support your wellbeing

Here are some refreshing, nutrientrich drinks to help you stay cool, energised, and hydrated no matter how hot it gets Cucumber and mint water S i m p l e b

mint is a natural coolant Cucumber has a high water content and contains

, while mint aids digestion and adds a cooling sensation Let it infuse in the

flavour

Watermelon & basil cooler

d packed with lycopene, an antioxidant that helps protect your skin from sun damage Blend fresh watermelon with ice, a splash of lime, and a few basil leaves for a sweet, cooling treat Coconut water with a citrus twist N

, coconut water is ideal for replacing fluids lost through sweat Add a squeeze of lemon or orange juice for vitamin C and a refreshing kick Homemade lassi Swap sugary fruit smoothies for a

favourite: lassi Blend plain y

pinch of salt or honey, and spices like cumin or cardamom For a sweeter version, add mango or strawberries The probiotics in yoghurt support gut health a n

temperature

Aloe vera juice

Aloe is known for its cooling, anti-inflammatory properties Look for unsweetened aloe vera juice, dilute it with cold water, and add a splash of pomegranate or apple juice for flavour

While ice-cold drinks offer instant relief, they can sometimes shock your system Room temperature or slightly chilled beverages hydrate more efficiently, especially if you ’ re overheating With UK summers getting warmer, it’s worth keeping a few of these easy, healthful recipes on hand Not only do they beat the heat, but they nourish your body from the inside out

Karan Johar backs censor board amid criticism

Amid growing criticism of the CBFC over its strict censorship of films like ‘Punjab 95’, ‘Santosh’, and ‘Janaki vs State of Kerala’, filmmaker Karan Johar offered a contrasting view at the trailer launch of ‘Dhadak 2’. Despite the film reportedly undergoing 16 cuts, Karan praised the board, saying it's “trying to protect sensitivity.”

Supriya Pathak opens up on bond with Shahid Kapoor

Pankaj Kapur and Neliima Azeem separated when Shahid Kapoor was still young. He was raised primarily by his mother, while Pankaj later i d actor Supriya ak in 1988. Supriya Pathak, who shares two children with Pankaj Kapur; Ruhan and Sanah recently spoke about her bond with step-son ahid Kapoor s my son We

share the same relationship any mother has with her child,” she said, recalling first meeting him when he was six “Ruhan, Shahid, Sanah they’re all my kids I love them, fight with them, laugh with them I’m friends with all three ”

On managing blended family dynamics, Supriya credited her joint family upbringing “Relationships come naturally to me I’ve never felt forced, they’re part of who I am, ” she said

In an earlier chat with Twinkle Khanna on ‘Tweak India’, Supriya Pathak recalled her first meeting with Shahid Kapoor “He was very warm, and there was no defiance from either side We instantly liked each other as people, and that connection just continued,” she said, adding that even though Shahid wasn’t always around, they naturally bonded whenever they met

Madhavan on modern manners “Chivalry

now offends”

Overthe years, Bollywood has seen many muscular heroes, but only a few have become true heartthrobs actors who charm with just a glance or smile Shah Rukh Khan is one, and in the early 2000s, R Madhavan earned that status with films like ‘Alaipayuthey’, ‘Minnale (Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein)’, and ‘Dumm Dumm Dumm’

Now 50 and still graceful, Madhavan recently admitted that men of his generation ofte struggle to keep up with modern sensibilities Speaking about his role in *Aap Jaisa Koi*, he tol “They were raised differently Even if they mean well, the way they were taught to show respe to women is not always aligned with today’s values ”

R Madhavan reflected on how traditional gestures of chivalry are now sometimes seen offensive “I was raised to open car doors, let women go first, stand when they’re standing b today, some see that as patronising,” he said “It confuses men who mean well but are navigatin new norms What seems courteous to one may feel offensive to another ”

He added, “Dharma Productio has always told stories with responsibility and sensitivity ‘Dhadak 2 ’ may be mainstream, bu dares to ask tough questions I’ve never feared telling the truth cinema is my way of fighting back

‘Dhadak 2 ’ , a remake of the critically acclaimed Tamil film ‘Pariyerum Perumal’, tackles caste based injustice and marginalisatio

Addressing the film’s delay, Karan Johar said, “Yes, it took tim but the censor board was understanding and compassionate They respected the film’s sensitivi and so did we it was a collaborat effort ”

He also acknowledged the challenges of working with certification timelines, adding, “Filmmakers often submit late and then complain about last-minute cuts But with ‘Dhadak 2 ’ , there w no compromises ”

Fatima Sana Shaikh, who stars alongside R Madhavan in ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’, said cinema gradually evolving as audiences grow more vocal abo gender issues However, she noted that toxic characte ill i glorified because people relate toxic character, you should al he said, adding that change tak onditioning runs deep “Cinem and if men are gently made ill learn ”

Rajkummar Rao on lost lead role in ‘Gangs Of Wasseypur’: “Script changed”

Despite delivering many acclaimed films, ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ remains Anurag Kashyap’s most iconic work

Rajkummar Rao, who played Shamshad, revealed that the film was initially pitched with him and Nawazuddin Siddiqui at the centre of the story

While promoting ‘Maalik’, Rajkummar said, “I hadn’t worked in a while when Anurag sir offered me ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ Initially, the story revolved around Nawaz and me I was excited to play a parallel lead in such a film ”

Rajkummar Rao shared that ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ was initially meant to revolve around his character and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, but the script later changed “One day, Anurag sir told me, ‘The script is here, but your role is much smaller now ’ I felt bad we had travelled and prepared a lot but I still chose to be part of it, and I’m glad I did,” he said

Rajkummar and Nawaz visited Wasseypur to prepare for their roles, with Rajkummar recording locals to nail the accent Despite his reduced screen time, he left a strong impression in the film His latest release, ‘Maalik’, directed by Pulkit, hit theatres on July 11 The film stars Rajkummar alongside Swanand Kirkire, Manushi Chhillar, Saurabh Shukla, and Huma Qureshi

Genelia says “I thought I was forgotten, but people surprised me”

Genelia

Deshmukh’s latest film ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ has won hearts and performed well at the box office. It marked her return to a full-fledged role in a Hindi theatrical release after 13 years, her last being ‘Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya’. Since then, she appeared in OTT films like ‘It’s My Life’ and ‘Mister Mummy’.

Genelia Deshmukh, who returned to the big screen after over a decade shared that she once feared being forgotten “I didn’t think I mattered anymore But hearing people say they want to see more of me is the best compliment,” she said

It was Aamir Khan who suggested her for the film after asking her husband Riteish about her work Genelia auditioned for the role and was thrilled to land it “I think auditioning is a great way to get a film,” she added

The film follows a group of specially abled adults training for a basketball tournament, with Aamir playing their tough coach and Genelia his supportive wife

Genelia, whose next film with Emraan Hashmi was recently announced, reflected on the success of ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’: “The way collections grew over the weekend shows the power of word of mouth I’m happy it found its audience, especially for the ‘sitaares’ (the specially abled cast) It’s my first film that focuses on inclusion, and I really wanted it to do well for them ”

Ranveer Singh, Bobby Deol team up for mega project

Bollywood’s powerhouse Ranveer Singh is teaming up with ‘Animal’ star Bobby Deol for a high-octane project that promises intense transformations

According to sources, both actors will be sporting completely new looks and have been prepping extensively behind the scenes This marks their first on-screen collaboration, and fans can expect a visually striking and physically demanding performance from the duo

Ranveer Singh and Bobby Deol are set to team up for a major upcoming project, with both actors undergoing intense physical transformations for their roles “They’ve been preparing for this for quite some time,” a trusted industry source revealed

The insider added, “After Ranbir Kapoor, now Bobby is joining hands with Ranveer With two such powerhouse performers, this is shaping up to be a massive film ”

Details about the project, including the plot and supporting cast, are still being kept tightly under wraps

Ranveer Singh will next be seen in ‘Dhurandhar’, unveiled on his 40th birthday

Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film also stars Sara Arjun, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Akshaye Khanna, and Arjun Rampal It’s reportedly inspired by NSA Ajit Doval’s life

Meanwhile, Bobby Deol was last seen in ‘Ek Badnaam Aashram 3 – Part 2 ’ and made his Telugu debut in ‘Daaku Maharaj’ He will next play Emperor Aurangzeb in the Telugu period drama ‘Hari Hara Veera Mallu’, releasing July 24, 2025

Kajol opens up on parenting under constant media glare

Kajol,

seen in the horror film ‘Maa’, opened up about parenting in the spotlight and how her children, Nysa (22) and Yug (14), have dealt with constant paparazzi attention. “Honestly, they’ve handled it with more grace than I have,” she said.

Reflecting on Nysa being followed by cameras since age 14, Kajol added, “It’s not right You need security, and can’t do normal things ” While she still finds it difficult, she admits, “We have no choice but to change our perspective and handle it with dignity and grace ”

When asked about her biggest fear as a mother, Kajol says without hesitation, “The one thing you fear most is something physically harming your child, that’s something you may never recover from Everything else, like failure or criticism, can be fixed with time ”

Kajol admits she was stricter when her kids were younger, but now that they’ve grown, she can’t scold them as much “They still know there are lines you don’t cross, that’s key to becoming better human beings,” she says

On lessons from her mother, veteran actor Tanuja, Kajol adds, “I’ve inherited a lot from her; her voice, her presence, and especially her belief in discipline I realised, after years of rebelling, that children need structure to grow, like a tree needing support to stand tall That structure comes from love and discipline ”

MON 21 JUL - FRI 25 JUL 2025

09:00 Deshi Beats

17:30 Rasoi Show

18:30 Rangai Jaane Rangma

19:00 Shyam Dhoon Lagi Re

19:30 Rashi Rikshawali

20:00 Kanku

20:30 Moti Baa Ni Nani Vahu

21:00 United States Of Gujarat

21:30 KAHI DE NE PREM CHHE ! –PREM NU PRATIK

22:00 Baa Vahu ane Baby

SATURDAY 26 JULY 2025

09:00 Deshi Beats

MON 31 JUL - FRI 25 JUL 2025

17:00 Shani-Karmfal Daata

17:30 Sau Dahda Sasuna

18:00 S i

18:30 BALIKA VADHU SEASON 1

19:30 RAMACHARI

20:00 Anmol Bandhan

20:30 Madhubala

21:00 Comedy Nights with Kapil

22:30 Choti Sardarni

23:00 Udaariyan

SATURDAY 26 JULY 2025

17:00 Shani-Karmfal Daata

17:30 Sau Dahda Sasuna

17:30 Rasoi Show

18:30 Rangai Jaane Rangma

19:00 Shyam Dhoon Lagi Re

19:30 Rashi Rikshawali

20:00 Kanku

20:30 Moti Baa Ni Nani Vahu

21:00 United States Of Gujarat

21:30 KAHI DE NE PREM CHHE ! –PREM NU PRATIK

22:00 Baa Vahu ane Baby

SUNDAY 27 JULY 2025

09:00 Deshi Beats 11:00 Kanku

11:30 SAMPOORNA MAHABHARAT

17:30 Shyam Dhoon Lagi Re

19:30 Rashi Rikshawali

20:00 Baa Vahu ane Baby

22:30 Rashi Rikshawali

23:00 Moti Baa Ni Nani Vahu

00:00 Baa Vahu ane Baby

18:00 Silsila Badalte Rishton Ka Season-1

18:30 BALIKA VADHU SEASON 1

19:30 RAMACHARI

20:00 Dance Deewane Superhits

20:30 Madhubala

21:00 Comedy Nights with Kapil

22:30 Choti Sardarni

23:00 Udaariyan

SUNDAY 27 JULY 2025

17:00 Shani-Karmfal Daata

17:30 Sau Dahda Sasuna

18:00 Silsila Badalte Rishton Ka Season-1

18:30 BALIKA VADHU SEASON 1

19:30 RAMACHARI

20:00 Dance Deewane Superhits

20:30 Madhubala

21:00 Comedy Nights with Kapil

22:30 Choti Sardarni

23:00 Udaariyan

Sanjay Dutt on ‘Leo’: “Lokesh

wasted me, I’m angry”

While in Chennai promoting ‘KD –The Devil’, actor Sanjay Dutt spoke to the media about his career, costars, and upcoming projects. When asked about director Lokesh Kanagaraj, Sanjay gave a cheeky response, saying he’s “angry” with him for giving him a limited role in ‘Leo’.

He also spoke fondly of his bond with South Indian legends “I respect Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan they are my seniors, and I’ve learned a lot from them,” he said “I’ve worked with Rajinikanth in multiple films; he’s one of the most humble people I’ve met I also really enjoyed working with Thalapathy Vijay ” Sanjay Dutt, who played Antony Das, Leo's father, in ‘Leo’, humorously expressed his disappointment with director Lokesh Kanagaraj, saying, “I’m angry at Lokesh because he didn’t give me a big role He wasted me!” He went on to praise several South stars, adding, “I love Ajith sir, we ’ re close friends I’ve watched many of Rajini sir’s films and I’m excited for ‘Coolie’ I’ll also watch ‘Thug Life’ for Kamal sir ” Lokesh Kanagaraj’s upcoming film ‘Coolie’, starring Rajinikanth, is among the most awaited releases of the year The film also features Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj, Shruti Haasan, Reba Monica John, Junior MGR, and Monisha Blessy It hits theatres on 14 August

Shruti Haasan says she’s open to adoption, afraid of marriage

Actor Shruti Haasan recently opened up about love, marriage, and motherhood on Ranveer Allahbadia’s podcast She shared that she has always wanted to be a mother but finds the idea of marriage “petrifying ”

“I’m not afraid to say it I’m scared of marriage,” Shruti said, adding that even while dating Shantanu Hazarika, she never felt the need for it “I’ve worked hard to be my own person, and the idea of tying it to a piece of paper feels scary I believe in love, loyalty, and commitment I just don’t need marriage to prove it ”

Shruti Haasan revealed she once came close to marriage, but the relationship ended due to compatibility issues something she feels is crucial, especially when considering children On motherhood, she said, “I’ve always wanted to be a mother, but not a single parent I believe two parents are important for a child Maybe I’ll adopt someday children are fascinating ”

Shruti was last seen in ‘Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire’ and will next appear in ‘Coolie’, ‘Train’, ‘Jana Nayagan’, and ‘Salaar Part 2: Shouryanga Parvam’

Vishnu Vishal reveals Aamir Khan helped them become parents

Actor

Aamir Khan recently attended the naming ceremony of Vishnu Vishal and badminton player Jwala Gutta’s daughter in Hyderabad, where he also named the baby Mira The couple was deeply moved by his presence Vishnu revealed the special reason behind Aamir naming their daughter and the significant role the ‘Taare Zameen Par’ actor played in their journey to parenthood

Vishnu Vishal opened up about how Aamir Khan played a pivotal role during a difficult phase when Jwala Gutta had almost given up on becoming a mother

“We had been trying to have a baby for nearly two years, and after 5–6 failed IVF cycles, Jwala, who is 41, was on the verge of giving up, ” he shared “At that time, Aamir sir stepped in When I told him about our struggles, he said, ‘Stop everything and come to Mumbai ’ He took us to a doctor there and insisted Jwala stay with him and his family for 10 months He treated us like family every time I travelled back and forth What he did for us was nothing short of a blessing ” Vishnu added, “Eventually after a couple more IVF cycles

Jwala became pregnant The moment we found out, I told Aamir sir he would name our baby If it weren’t for him, Mira wouldn’t be here That’s also why Jwala got emotional during the naming ceremony ” On the work front, Aamir Khan was last seen in Sitaare Zameen Par The film has performed decently and the box office; however, it has received great critical acclaim

Vijay Sethupathi’s son Surya on nepo kid tag: “It’s not a bad thing”

Vijay Sethupathi’s son, Surya Sethupathi, recently made his debut in Anl Arasu’s action film ‘Phoenix’. Recently, he opened up about being labelled a ‘nepo kid’ and said he doesn’t view it negatively.

Surya previously faced backlash for describing his childhood as difficult while mentioning that his father gave him 500 a day Now, he appears more reflective and acknowledges the privileges that come with being a star kid

“There’s nothing wrong with being called a nepo kid It means your father built a legacy, and now it’s your turn to create something of your own, ” he said in the interview “As a nepo kid, you need to work even harder than your dad There are barriers to break and struggles to face but those struggles come with valuable lessons ”

Surya Sethupathi shared that his aim in cinema isn’t to “win” anything but to simply enjoy the craft “There’s nothing to win in cinema I just want to do a lot of action films and try different stunts My goal isn’t big I just want to enjoy my art form,” he said

Surya makes his lead debut in ‘Phoenix’, which follows a young wrestler’s fight against powerful forces The film also stars Abhinakshathra, J Vignesh, Sampath Raj, and Devadarshini Before this, Surya appeared as a child actor in several of his father’s films, including ‘Naanum Rowdy Dhaan’, ‘Viduthalai Part 2 ’ , and ‘Sindhubaadh’

Ranbir-Alia pose with fan while holidaying in London

Bollywood

star Ranbir Kapoor recently grabbed attention with his look as Lord Ram in the first glimpse of ‘Ramayana’, sparking excitement among fans Amid the buzz, he’s currently in London enjoying time with wife Alia Bhatt

P h o t o s

separately with a fan on the streets have surfaced online Ranbir looked sharp in a

Chelsea boots, and black spectacles, while Alia kept it chic in a black dress and oversized grey blazer, flashing a bright smile for the camera

o

Ranbir, Alia, and Neetu Kapoor flew

posing for paparazzi at the airport Soon

surfaced online, showing him warmly interacting with fans

The first glimpse of ‘Ramayana’, starring Ranbir and Yash, left audiences

a n d B o l l y w

shared the video on Instagram, writing, “Some things don't need words This

Watford-shot

Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana’, alongside

Lakshman The film will release in two parts Diwali 2026 and Diwali 2027

Alia is gearing up for the release of her spy action film ‘Alpha’, co-starring

Sharvari and directed by Rahul Rawail, set to hit theatres on 25 December 2025 She and Ranbir will also reunite on screen with Vicky Kaushal in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Love & War’

bollywood film set for release

Film production in Watford continues to thrive, with the town serving as a backdrop for the upcoming Bollywood blockbuster ‘Nikita Roy’

Billed as a supernatural thriller, the Indian-language film features several scenes shot in Watford, reinforcing the town’s growing status as a global filming hotspot

The film stars popular Indian actress Sonakshi Sinha in the lead role, with IMDb

describing the plot as: “The protagonist discovers a mysterious book which pulls her into the darker side of human nature ” Alongside Watford, scenes were filmed across Hertfordshire, London, and Mumbai

Directed by Sinha’s brother Kussh in his debut, ‘Nikita Roy’ is now set to release in India on July 18, after a slight delay reportedly to avoid clashing with Brad Pitt’s ‘F1 The Movie’ ‘Nikita Roy’ is a Hindi-language film, though it's unclear when or how UK audiences will be able to watch it and spot some familiar locations

Watford remains a popular filming destination, with the nearby Warner Bros studio in Leavesden hosting major productions, including the upcoming ‘Harry Potter’ TV series

Kashyap

praises

Ananya, says other star kids lack freedom

Filmmaker

Anurag Kashyap recently reflected on the challenges star kids face in Bollywood, noting that while some like Ananya Panday have evolved especially after Siddhant Chaturvedi’s nepotism remark others struggle due to being held back by their own parents

Anurag named his favourite star kids, including Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Ananya Panday, Ayan Mukerji, and southern actors like Dhanush and Fahadh Faasil

Praising Ananya Panday’s recent performances, Anurag Kashyap credited her growth to Siddhant Chaturvedi’s now-viral nepotism remark “I think she took it personally Something shifted in her after that,” he said, referring to the 2019 interview where Siddhant responded to Ananya’s idea of struggle with, “Their struggle begins where our dreams are fulfilled ”

Kashyap added, “After that, I saw her in ‘CTRL’ and ‘Kho Gaye Hum Kahan’ She’s taking risks, experimenting, and not playing it safe unlike many others ”

Anurag Kashyap believes many star kids struggle because their parents hold them back “The kids are actually smarter, but parents often interfere under the guise of protection,” he said “They try to shape a safe, successful path instead of letting their

Ali Fazal on losing key roles balancing Bollywood and Hollywood

Actor Ali Fazal, known for international roles in ‘Furious 7’, ‘Death on the Nile’, ‘Victoria & Abdul’, and ‘Kandahar’, admits that juggling Indian and global projects often comes at a cost

He shared, “It’s tough I’ve missed out on two or three projects I really wanted My colleagues did a great job, so it would be unfair to name them But it’s all good I’m happy for them ” Ali Fazal admits that working in the West often results in long gaps between his appearances in Indian films “People often say, ‘Tum itna dikhte nahi ho (you’re not seen much),’” he says “But what can I do when I’m trying to balance both industries? I’ve seen what’s possible internationally, and I want to do more there ” When told that his major Hollywood roles often fly under the radar compared to other Indian actors, Ali laughs and says, “I’m not oblivious to it It’s not that I don’t care I do At the end of the day, we ’ re presenting ourselves, and I want to do that well ”

For now, Ali Fazal is turning his focus back to Hindi cinema He recently appeared in Anurag Basu’s romantic drama ‘Metro In Dino’, and will next be seen in Rajkumar Santoshi’s ‘Lahore 1947 ’ , alongside Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Shilpa Shetty, and Shabana Azmi He’s also set to reprise his fan-favourite role as Guddu Pandit in ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’, which will serve as the grand culmination of the hit series

V

unb eate n at 61 off 181

a t non-st riker's end a s India

we re bund le d out on 170 while chasing 193 r un s in t he third Te st match against Engl and at Lor d's With this win, Eng land take s 2-1 l ead in the five-Test mat ch ser ie s of the Ande rson-Tendulk ar Trophy 2025

T

The last day of the third

India requiring 135 runs and England having to pick six

w

The day favoured England a s t h e y p

beyond tea But it did In the end, Bumrah played 54 balls for five runs and later Mohammed Siraj played 30 balls and bridged the gap to just 22 runs And just when hopes glistened and danced

Indian women seal series-clinching victory over England

Ind ia captain Harmanp reet Kaur h as cred ited the Wom en ’ s Prem ier L eague ( WPL ) for helping her players g ather th e experience needed to execu te strateg ies at the h ighest lev el afte r th eir seri es- cli nch i ng tri um p h o v er E ng land i n an ongoing T20 International series

India registered a dominant six-wicket win in the fourth T20I to seal their first ever women ’ s T20I series victory against England With the win, the visitors have taken an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series

c k e d u p f o u r wickets before lunch but were made to work hard for the remaining two wickets in the last two sessions

the advantage

I n d i a l o s t t h e b i g wickets of Rishabh Pant (9), KL Rahul (39), Washington S

steer India over that elusive victory target of 193 set by England on Sunday No one w

out The two along with Jadeja batted for more than t

u r s Lord's, the home of cricket,

c

more Jadeja's heroics with valuable support from Siraj

without a fight

Sachin's portrait unveiled at Lord's MCC museum

C ric keting legend Sach in Tendu lkar h as been besto wed with a rare honou r, as his p ortrait was unveil ed at the p restigiou

h allo wed hall s of the 'Home of C ricket'

T h e s t r i k i n g p o r t r a i t , c o m m i s s i o n e d b y t h e

painted by acclaimed Australian artist

Tendulkar in his iconic India whites,

artwork now takes its place among an esteemed collection featuring other

Lara, solidifying Tendulkar's enduring legacy in the sport's rich history

immense humility and honour at the unveiling "Lord's has always held a special place in my heart," he remarked, adding, "To have my portrait unveiled here, among so many legends, is truly a special moment " MCC President Mark Nicholas lauded Tendulkar as a global icon, affirming that the portrait serves as a fitting tribute to his unparalleled c

Tendulkar's status as one of the game's most revered figures, celebrated not just in India, but across the cricketing world

Tottenham Hotspur hosts Indian talent from partner club Kickstart FC

A group of pr omisin g young footballe rs from Ben galuru ha s concluded a wee klong in te nsive t rain ing pr ogra mme at T o t t e n h a m Ho t sp u r , m a r k in g a s i g

C

s on going par tne rship with Kick star t FC

T h e i n i t ia t iv e u n d e r sc o r e s B r it is h club's commitm ent to nurt uring t alent a nd suppor ting foot ba ll dev elopment in In dia

The collaboration, forged during a visit by Club legends Ledley King and O s s i e A r d i l e s t o B e n g a l u r u i n November 2023, aims to bolster the

c a p a b i l i t i e s o f l o c a l c o a c h e s a n d p l a y e r s T h i s w e e k ’ s p r o g r a m m e i n L o n d o n o f f e r e d K i c k s t a r t p l a y e r s bespoke technical training sessions led b y T o t t e n h a m ’ s G l o b a l F o o t b a l l Development coaches, complemented

b y e s s e n t i a l h e a l t h a n d n u t r i t i o n workshops The aspiring athletes also tested their skills in matches against l o c a l U K g r a s s r o o t s t e a m s a n d

benefited from an exclusive coaching masterclass delivered by Ledley King himself

King expressed his admiration for the Indian players' passion, stating, "You could see how passionate this group were about football and their d e v e

g o o d p l a y e r s , s o i t ’ s j u s t a b o u t reinforcing the small details that make a big difference ” He believes the world class facilities and coaching will elevate their game

Among the participants was Vivek, a 16-year-old talent whose

earned

series of college

Kickstart FC, highlighted Vivek’s increased maturity this year and praised the partnership’s role in

another level Danny Mitchell,

Club’s pride in Vivek's progress as an example of the programme's impact

o supporting the women's game, with Kickstart FC’s Women’s team recently finishing as runners-up in the Indian Women’s League Tottenham’s Global Football Development team annually impacts around 45,000 players and coaches worldwide

Kishor Kumar Sadhak's rare feat: Two hat-tricks in consecutive overs

S pin bow ler Kisho r Kum ar Sad hak has created history by claim ing two hattricks, that too in back-to-back overs

P layi ng fo r Ip sw ic h and Co lch ester C ricket Club in UK, Sad hak, end ed the T wo Counties Champio nship Division

S ix g am e with figures of 6-21

A look at the scorecard shows that Sadhak bowled five of his victims while the sixth batter was caught With the

victory by seven wickets It must be noted that Sadhak also chipped in with one more wicket, a run out of Jaskaran

Sadhak scored an unbeaten 14, hitting two fours and a six as his team chased down the target in 21 overs According to reports two hat-trick in the same game has happened before A

claimed two hat-tricks in

Sheffield Shield game for New South Wales in 2017 In England, the report added, this has previously happened 113 years ago

“We are really grateful that we were able to do this (series win) I’m really proud of my team the way we played this series It was really important to get that momentum and I’m really happy with the way we all contributed,” Kaur said at the postmatch presentation

The WPL concluded its third season earlier this year, with several young Indian talents making a mark and earning n a t i o n a l c a l l u p s K a u r a c k n o w l e d g e d t h e t o u r n a m e n t ’ s impact

“We have now played three seasons of WPL We’ve got a lot of experience from that It’s a good sign that we are now able to execute in international cricket too ”

India had entered the series after having lost all six of their previous multi-game bilateral T20I series in England This time, the ‘ women in blue’ set the tone from the opening match itself with a record-breaking 97-run win They followed it up with another historic performance in Bristol, where a 24-run win marked England’s first-ever women ’ s T20I defeat at that venue “We had very good camps back home before coming here We worked on all our plans, accordingly we have executed everything here Everybody knew their role and accordingly we all played,” Kaur said In the third match, I n d i a ’ s s p i n n e r s d o m i n a t

England to a modest 126/7, which the visitors chased down with three overs to spare to seal a memorable win

Brief score: India 127/4 in 17 overs (Mandhana 32, Shafali 31, Rodrigues 27*) beat England 126/7 (Dunkley 22, Radha 215, Charani 2-30)

Badminton stars Saina Nehwal and Kashyap Parupalli part ways

Indian bad minton icon Saina Nehw al h as announced her s e p ara ti o n f ro m h u s ba nd and fe llo w sh u t tle r K as h ya p P arupalli The coup le, w ho were to gether for over a decad e and tied the knot in 201 8, confirmed their d ecision to p art w ays throug h a statem ent shared by S aina on Instag ram “Life takes us in different directions sometimes,” Saina wrote in her post “After much thought and consideration, Kashyap and I have decided to part ways We’re choosing peace, growth, and healing – for ourselves and each other I’m grateful for the memories and wish nothing but the best moving forward Thank you for understanding and respecting our privacy during this time,” the statement read on social media The announcement has taken the sports fraternity and fans by surprise, especially given the couple’s long-standing partnership both on and off the court Saina and Kashyap have been among India’s most prominent badminton figures, often seen supporting each other at tournaments and celebrating professional milestones together

While the reason behind the separation remains personal, Saina’s message emphasized mutual respect and the shared intention to move forward positively

India's compound duo creates world record

Ind ia’ s com pound archers once again hog ged th e limelig ht as Rish abh Yadav and Jyothi S urekh a Vennam led th e country’ s superb sh ow in clinching th e top seeding in both ind iv idual and team events at th e fo urth and final stag e of the Archery World C up in M ad rid

Twenty-two-year-old Yadav not only topped the men ’ s qualifying, but also set a world record with women ’ s top seed Vennam to score 1431 and surpass the previous mixed team world record of 1429, held by Denmark’s Tanja Gellenthien and Mathias Fullerton since the Krakow-Malopolska 2023 European Games

“It’s special because the (compound) mixed team is newly added to the Olympics,” said Yadav “We didn’t shoot mixed team together at the last two stages, but now we ’ re back We’re happy with the consistency we have together,” Yadav, who also won mixed team gold with Jyothi at the season opener in Florida, added

Kishor Kumar Sadhak