As Britain faces rising hostility toward immigrants despite falling net migration, fuelled by divisive rhetoric, the protests, political blame games, and economic anxieties highlight how politics, not facts, drive the immigration debate
The past few days have opened a disturbing new chapter in Britain’s struggle with its multicultural iden-
assault that has sent shockwaves
Even as the nation reeled, London’s
right rally against immigration, one
recent years T
backdrop of rising public anxiety over migration. In August, nearly
pressing issues facing the country, according to Ipsos polling Concern
almost a decade, surpassed only by levels recorded at the height of the 2015 European migrant crisis This growing unease is not confined to Britain Across the globe, migrants are facing intensified hostility, with calls in many societies for tougher measures and stricter controls
Continued on 12
Community enhances security for upcoming Navratri festivals
With the festive season kick starting amid rising anti-immigration sentiment and heated political rhetoric, public safety has become a growing concern Event organisers and authorities are stepping up security measures to ensure that celebrations remain peaceful and inclusive for everyone
Subhasini Naicker
The UK is home to one of the most diverse cultures, reflected clearly in its food, traditions, and community life
This diversity is also visible in the country s calendar of celebrations. Major Indian festivals such as
many more are celebrated openly across the UK, with large gatherings, music, dance, and food that bring together not only the Indian diaspora but also people from other c
part
However, the festive spirit also brings challenges Big public events mean larger crowds and the need for careful planning to keep everyone safe.
sentiments and political tensions, there is extra concern this year as
organisers are tightening security with CCTV, controlled entry points, and closer coordination with local councils, police, and medical teams These measures are not meant to dampen the spirit of celebrations but to ensure that families, women attending alone, and visitors of all
vals without fear Continued on 17
US President
Donald Trump arrives in the UK for historic second state visit
Trump wished Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a happy 75th birthday during a phone call, later sharing the exchange on Truth Social Modi reciprocated, publicly thanking the US president for his wishes.
unprecedented second state visit, as we went press The US president and First Lady Melania Trump touched down at London Stansted on Tuesday evening aboard Air Force One, ahead of a packed schedule over the next two days The itinerary includes meetings with King Charles, military parades, and a possible flypast by the Red Arrows alongside British and American F-35 jets Just hours before landing, Trump wished Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a happy 75th birthday during a phone call, later sharing the exchange on Truth Social Modi reciprocated, publicly thanking the US president for his wishes (more on Page 25)
For UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has faced a turbulent fortnight following the forced resignations of
Mandelson, the visit presents an opportunity to reset political momentum and position Britain as a hub for American investment On Wednesday, Trump will be greeted by King Charles at Windsor Castle for a day of ceremonial grandeur, including a carriage procession, gun salute, military flypast and a state banquet, designed
between the two nations
Continued on 11
u Navratri special Page-16-17
u PM Modi gets birthday call from Trump, hours after ‘positive’ trade talks Page-25
u PM Modi's North-East India tour weaves together reconciliation and political confrontation Page-26
Anusha Singh
Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets with US President Donald Trump at Trump Turnberry golf course in July
Protesters fly a union flag at the anti-immigration rally on 13 September 2025
Phillipson and Powell launch Labour Deputy race with divergent visions
Bridget Ph ill ip son and Luc
visions fo r the role
not to “look backward” at its f i r s t -y
Powell pledged to be an independent voice willing to challenge Keir Starmer Phillipson is viewed as No 10 ’ s preferred c
l was recently removed as leader of the House of Commons Powell pledged to be a “full-time deputy leader” and an “independent voice,” contrasting with Phillipson’s likely dual role as education secretar y “I want this Labour government to succeed, and that means having diff icult
c o n v e r s a t i o n s , ” s h e t o l d members “I won’t snipe from the sidelines, but when we ’ re wrong, I’ll say so ” Launching her campaign
i n Su n d e r l a n d , P h i l l i p s o n vowed to take on Reform UK, urging members to shape the next election with a “hope, not grievance” campaign and to continue Angela Rayner’s
Bridget Phillipson Lucy Powell
focus on giving members a s
Manchester Central seat as “half red wall, half urban,” warned of challenges from Reform and the Greens and called for a bold vision to unite Labour’s coalition and the countr y Candidates must secure n
m c o nstituency parties and aff iliates before ballots are sent to members A hustings will be held at the Labour conference, with voting open from 8 to 23 October and the result
Washington, Tyne and Wear,
escape, and she embraced her role as education secretar y, staying in place during Sir Keir Starmer’s recent reshuf-
school background
Her childhood was harsh: her house, squeezed between a disused railway and industrial wasteland, often lacked
Shunned for receiving free
impressed peers with her aca-
nothing, but she was supported by her mother and grandfather, who encouraged read-
lessons
G overnment to tie grassroots funding to gender equality
The culture secretar y said the g overnment will push to guarantee equal access to grassroots sport, noting that g irls s ti ll lose out despite i ncreased local i nvestment
Cu l t u r e S e c r e t a r y L i s a
Nandy told the culture, media
a n d s p o r t c o m m i t t e e t h a t girls’ teams are often forced to t r a i n l a t e a t n i g h t b e c a u s e boys’ teams get priority for f a c i l i t i e s S h e c a l l e d t h i s
“unacceptable” and said the government may attach funding conditions to sports bodies to guarantee equal access for girls
Calls for greater inclusion of girls’ and women ’ s sport
h a v e g r o w n s i n c e t h e Lionesses’ triumph and Emma R a d u c a n u ’ s 2
S O p e n w i n T h
g
v e r n m e n t h a s pledged up to £400 million to upgrade grassroots facilities
with a focus on inclusivity, and plans to extend funding conditions to all sports Last month it also announced two new cricket domes, including o n e i n Fa r i n g t o n , n e a r Preston, to boost the women ’ s game year-round “The new domes are just the start of our a m b i t i o n , ” Na n d y t o l d t h e CMS committee, highlighting cricket’s “incredible” impact on communities
UK’s first regional ‘super-university’ set for 2026
T he UK’s f i rst “super-univ ersity ” will be creat ed by me rgi ng th e unive rsi tie s of Kent and Gree nwich, the BBC rep orts
Na m e d t h e L o n d o n and South East University Group, it will have a single
v i c e - c h a n c e l l o r f r o m autumn 2026 The Off ice for Students welcomed the move, noting that f inancial pressures, affecting 40% of English universities, may
prompt more mergers
T h e Un i v e r s i t y a n d College Union warned the BBC that redundancies are “almost certain” from the merger UCU general secretar y Jo Grady called it a “takeover by Greenwich,” with Kent near insolvency, and criticised the government for failing to interv e n e , s a y i n g t h
m
v e offers little stability to students, staff, or the sector
T h e D e p
Education welcomed the merger, the f irst of its scale in the UK , creating a uni-
and Aver
f inancial foundation
L abour donor evicts family, raises rent by £900
According to a news r e p or t fr om T he G ua r d ia n , L a b o ur
donor Lord Wahee d Al li al legedl y evicted a famil y of f ive fr o m a n o r t h
L on d o n r e n t a l
b e for e hi k in g t he
r e n t b y n e a r l y £1,000 a mont h T h e f a m i l y, with school-age children, had paid £4,800 for the f ive-bedroom townhouse for four years After receiving a section 21 “ no fault” eviction notice in June, the property was relisted at £ 6 , 0 0 0 T h e t e n a n t s o f fe r e d t o p a y t h e increase, but were refused, and the home was re-let for £5,700, a 19% rise
The government plans to end no-fault evictions under the renters’ rights bill and, in many cases, ban landlords from raising rents for at least six months after evicting tenants Shelter says such evictions are a leading cause of homelessness, allowing landlords to evict with just two months’ notice and no reason
The father of the family evicted from Alli’s property told the i newspaper they pleaded to meet the higher rent to avoid disrupting their children’s schooling and exams, but were refused Reflecting on Alli’s role as a Labour peer and major donor, he added: “The hypocrisy feels too much I voted Labour and I’m incredibly disappointed ”
Before Labour came to power, it pledged to “immediately abolish no-fault evictions,” but the renters’ rights bill has no set implementation date Ministr y of Justice data show 11,400 households in England were forcibly evicted between July 2024 and June 2025
Waheed Alli, worth an estimated £200m, has donated over £500,000 to Labour since 2020 and is one of its largest donors He drew attention last year for gifts to Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner, including clothing for Starmer’s wife, and Starmer has temporarily used Alli’s £18m penthouse
Parents face £2, 500 fine for term-time holidays
A s autu mn arrives, some families may consider h olid ays abroad after summ er trips proved too expensiv e However, taking children o ut of school w ithout p ermission is unauthorised and can lead to f ines if a child misses f ive days or m ore
Fines for unauthorised school absences increased in August 2024 to £80 within 21 days or £160 within 28 days, per parent and per child , with non-payment potentially leading to court A second f ine within three years is £160, and further breaches can result in parenting orders or f ines up to £2,500 Children may only miss school if ill, obser ving a religious holiday, granted exceptional leave, lacking transport, or travelling with gypsy/traveller families for work The Df E says f ines for unauthorised absences are used by local authorities to cover administration and attendance support, with any surplus returned to the government
I N B R I E F QUARTER OF PARENTS CONCERNED ABOUT SEX AND RELIGION CLASSES
Nearly a quarter of parents say their children have encountered ageinappropriate content in religious education or sex and relationships lessons A survey of almost 6,000 parents found 23% reported such issues, rising to 32% in private schools compared with 22% in state schools RSHE has been contentious, updated to cover topic s like pornography and sexting, but some parents objected to private providers’ lesson content, especially on gender identity, and copyright restrictions limited sharing Updated guidance from July effective next September, requires schools to teach safety relationships online awareness, and respectful friendships, while keeping parents informed Parentkind’s survey found half of parents were always told about lesson content while 33% were not Seventy per cent of parents supported external providers for RSHE, and 64 per cent were satisfied with RSHE and RE content versus 8 per cent who were unhappy Fifty-three per cent said teaching these subjects is mainly a parental responsibility
BBC INVESTIGATION LEADS TO SUSPENSION OF NINE MET OFFICERS
The Metropolitan Police has suspended nine officers and referred itself to the police watchdog after a BBC investigation into Charing Cross police station The IOPC is probing 11 current or former Met officers and one staff member over alleged excessive force, discriminatory and misogynistic comments, and failing to challenge misconduct The accusations, featured in an upcoming BBC Panorama documentary reportedly occurred on and off duty between August 2024 and January 2025 Officers involved range from constable to sergeant The Met has suspended nine officers and removed two from frontline duties, while the IOPC investigates a former officer referred by another force IOPC director Amanda Rowe called the allegations “concerning ” and Met Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist described them as “disgraceful ” announcing immediate changes to the custody team and leadership at Charing Cross Similar misconduct, including a racist and misogynistic WhatsApp group was uncovered in 2022 , contributing to former commissioner Dame Cressida Dick ’s resignation DI
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Waheed Alli
Why does Britain feel so broken?
On September 13, central London became the stage for a deeply divided Britain More than 100,000 people, led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, marched under the banner of Unite the Kingdom
Waving the St George’s red-and-white cross and the Union Jack, the organisers billed it as “Britain’s largest free speech festival ” Yet, much of the rhetoric at the rally was laced with antiimmigrant and anti-Muslim sentiment Chants of “ we want our country back” rang out, while placards bore slogans such as “stop the boats,” “send them home,” and “enough is enough, save our children ” Over 1,000 officers were deployed to police the gathering, yet violence broke out, at least 26 officers were injuredpunched, kicked, or struck by objects In defiance of the hatefilled spectacle, thousands of counter-protesters staged their own demonstration across the capital With placards declaring “Refugees welcome” and “Smash the far right,” the anti-racist marchers chanted “Stand up, fight back!” It was a powerful reminder that Britain’s streets are contested spaces; between division and solidarity, between exclusion and inclusion
But the larger question remains: how did Britain become so hostile toward immigrants in just one year? Where did things unravel? Back in July 2025, Nigel Farage warned of “civil disobedience on a vast scale ” Today, that warning feels prophetic
There is also a political dimension that cannot be ignored Not long ago, Britain was led by the son of immigrants, Rishi Sunak, its first Indian-origin Prime Minister His leadership was critiqued, but never in the language of racial hate What changed under Keir Starmer? After the violence, Starmer stated that Britain would not tolerate people feeling intimidated “because
of their background or the colour of their skin ” Yet, after his own “island of strangers” remark, those words ring hollow Moreover, after witnessing last year ’ s violent far-right riots, why was permission even granted for this latest gathering?
Asian Voice has long celebrated the resilience and contribution of immigrants to Britain International students sustain universities; foreign doctors and nurses keep the NHS afloat; migrants prop up a struggling care sector Meanwhile, many local Britons remain out of work, with post-pandemic health conditions driving reliance on government benefits The economy quite literally depends on immigrants, whose hard work and tax contributions strengthen the nation
Yet, these successes are overshadowed by the challenge of illegal migration It cannot be denied that crimes involving illegal migrants and organised gangs have stoked resentment The government’s spending on asylum hotels, alongside rising taxes and cuts to benefits for locals, only sharpens the anger and creates fertile ground for far-right mobilisation Even within the community, many acknowledge the need to address illegal migration Yet, what is the point when reason is drowned out by rage? How does one engage with a crowd so consumed by hate that it has abandoned all sense and rationality?
The tragic reality is that law-abiding immigrants, those who contribute honestly and follow the rules, pay the highest price and if the government fails to tackle illegal migration, address crime, and ease economic pressures, the far-right will continue to grow Only genuine action, not political posturing, can stem this tide Otherwise, Britain risks a future where extremists find themselves not on the streets but inside No 10
Modi at 75: From Vadnagar to the world stage
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will celebrate his 75th birthday on September 17 Born as Narendra Damodardas Modi in 1950, in the small town of Vadnagar in Gujarat’s Mehsana district, Modi’s journey from humble beginnings to the highest office in the country is one of determination, resilience, and service He first rose to national prominence as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, a role he held for three consecutive terms from 2001 to 2014 Since then, he has been elected Prime Minister of India three times, beginning in 2014, reshaping the political and development landscape of the nation
One enduring feature of Modi’s birthdays has been that he has consistently chosen public service over personal celebrations On his 73rd birthday, he visited Odisha, meeting beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban and launching development projects worth over ₹3,800 crore, alongside ‘SUBHADRA’, a women-centric scheme benefiting over one crore women In 2021, his 71st birthday saw a record 2 26 crore COVID-19 vaccines administered in one day
In the run-up to his 75th birthday, PM Modi undertook a significant tour of India’s Northeast, marking his first visit to Manipur in over two years, following the ethnic violence that broke out in May 2023 Modi travelled from Imphal to the K u k
addressed local communities, assuring them of the Centre’s c
Manipur a “land of determination,” he praised the resilience of its people and promised that the state would emerge as a “ symbol of peace, prosperity and progress ”
The Prime Minister also interacted directly with victims of
Nepal’s
the violence at Churachandpur’s Peace Ground While critics argue that his outreach came too late, many see it as an important step toward healing divisions, especially as the visit was accompanied by the inauguration of projects worth ₹71,000 crore, designed to boost infrastructure, connectivity, and ease of living across India’s eastern and northeastern regions
From Manipur and Mizoram, Modi continued his tour to Kolkata, where he inaugurated the Combined Commanders’ Conference, before heading to Bihar There, he launched development projects worth ₹36,000 crore and inaugurated the National Makhana Board, reflecting a renewed push for regional economic empowerment The timing of these visits is notable, coming just months before crucial assembly elections in West Bengal and Bihar
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, citing rapid urbanisation, migration, and large-scale additions and deletions over the past two decades The exercise aims to eliminate duplicate entries and ensure only eligible citizens remain on the rolls However, the Supreme Court has cautioned that any illegality in the methodology could invalidate the entire revision process
Modi’s 75th birthday is more than a personal milestone; it comes at a defining moment in India’s democratic journey Tested on many fronts- global diplomacy, foreign policy, security challenges and national development- he continues to stand firm just as he has over the past twelve years, emerging not only as a transformative leader at home but also as a towering statesman on the world stage
Gen Z drives historic push for change
The past three years have brought seismic shifts across India’s neighbourhood; from Sri Lanka’s economic collapse to political upheavals in Pakistan and Bangladesh, each marked by mass protests that toppled governments Nepal has now joined this pattern What began as anger over a government social-media ban and a hit-and-run that killed an 11-year-old girl quickly swelled into nationwide demonstrations demanding the resignation of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli
Although triggered by specific incidents, the youth-led movement channelled deeper frustrations with corruption, nepotism, chronic political instability, and economic stagnation, including high unemployment and the exodus of young workers abroad Violence, allegedly fuelled by infiltrators, forced the Army to impose curfews and broker talks, exposing the fragility of Nepal’s institutions and the conspicuous absence of its president, an unsettling signal for New Delhi British Nepalis feel both pride and pain over the protests They applaud the youth’s demand for accountability but fear the bloodshed and destruction could destabilise Nepal Many urges restraint and dialogue, warning that violence only deepens wounds and invites outside influence, while calling for justice and responsible leadership
The protests had been simmering long before the app ban Weeks earlier, a viral “ nepo kid” campaign spotlighted the lavish lifestyles and alleged corruption of politicians’ children, sharpening public resentment toward a system that has produced 14 governments in just 17 years Gen Z organisers then pushed dissent into uncharted territory: despite a nationwide
Instagram and even held a virtual vote that chose former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki as interim prime minister, an audacious experiment in participatory democracy Social media itself became a key weapon in this revolu-
tion Young activists used it not only to coordinate protests but also to guard against sabotage, creating a dedicated “factchecks” channel on Discord to counter misinformation, fake news, and rumours that could derail the movement
A few months earlier, calls to restore the monarchy had already underscored growing disillusionment with the secular republic Nepal abolished its 239-year-old monarchy in 2008 after mass protests forced King Gyanendra Shah to step down, yet many citizens remain frustrated by chronic political paraly
, rumours that Gyanendra had met demonstrators were quickly debunked when an old video of him with young people resurfaced and was misrepresented online
For India, Nepal’s upheaval poses both strategic and immediate risks The open 1,700-kilometre border that sustains trade can just as easily enable smuggling, trafficking, and anti-India activity, prompting New Delhi to tighten checks and deploy drones At the same time, China is deepening its Belt and Road footprint while Washington revives its $500 million Millennium Challenge Compact, raising fears that Nepal could become another arena of US-China rivalry
Against this backdrop, the appointment of 73-year-old Sushila Karki as interim prime minister undermines claims of a Western-backed “colour revolution ” A veteran of Nepal’s democratic struggles, she fought corruption from within the judiciary, helped topple the monarchy, and has no foreign ties, her education at Benares Hindu University and her husband’s long record of anti-monarchy activism reinforces her local credibility Yet India still faces immediate fallout: critical hydropower projects such as Arun-3 and Phukot Karnali risk delay, and the release of some 33,000 prisoners, including violent offenders who looted weapons, adds a volatile security threat
Thought for the week
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself ” Franklin D Roosevelt
and Pakistan learn that India 2025 is no pushover
India’s diplomatic behaviour has changed dramatically On 10 11 September 2025 at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland and Pakistan learned the hard way that the old Nehruvian habit of silently absorbing lecturing is gone India’s counsellor Kshitij Tyagi, representing the Permanent Mission in Geneva, responded to remarks from both countries with the kind of sharpness usually reserved for major power spats He called Switzerland’s plea for India to protect minorities and uphold media freedoms “surprising, shallow and ill informed” He reminded the Swiss that as UNHRC president they should avoid wasting the council’s time with false narratives and should instead focus on Switzerland’s own problems of racism, discrimination and xenophobia The sting was sweeter because Switzerland had tried to club India with Syria, Turkey and Serbia while urging it to take “effective measures ” to protect minorities and freedom of expression
Tyagi’s riposte offered an invitation that seemed half sarcastic, half mischievous: India is ready to help Switzerland address those domestic challenges That line flipped the moral narrative, implying that the world’s largest and most diverse democracy has more experience managing pluralism than a wealthy Alpine nation which sometimes struggles with its own xenophobia It also marked India’s confidence in confronting Western (or
played the role of the polite supplicant, absorbing admonitions about Kashmir or minority rights 2025 ’ s India, flush with economic growth and geopolitical relevance, is less deferential Switzerland learned that even “friends” will be publicly chastised if they parrot talking points from NGOs or Brussels
Pakistan’s reprimand was even more bruising When Islamabad’s delegate repeated the usual accusations about Kashmir and human rights, Tyagi described Pakistan as a “terror sponsor ” and mocked its own leadership’s recent self description as a “dump truck,” saying the metaphor was apt for a state that deposits “recycled falsehoods and stale propaganda” He evoked the 2025 Pahalgam attack –when Pakistan sponsored terrorists turned a meadow of joy into a killing field – and reminded the Council of the 9/11 attacks, the 2019 Pulwama bombing and the 2016 Uri assault “We need no lessons from a terror sponsor, no sermons from a persecutor of minorities and no advice from a state that has squandered its own credibility,” he said Pakistan, Tyagi added, continues to finance and shelter the networks that threaten global security
This muscular diplomacy plays well domestically Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s supporters see it as long overdue assertiveness, a sign that India will no longer tolerate hectoring from countries that either ignore their own sins or harbour terrorists Yet there is a trap here Critics want India to overreact – to lose its cool and thereby lose its friends The example of Israel’s response to Hamas’s atrocities on 7 October 2023 is instructive Hamas provoked Israel hoping for a reaction that would alienate public opinion and isolate the Jewish state Israel fell into that trap; as the months wore on, global sympathy bled away and calls for sanctions grew Pakistan and separatist groups would love to goad India into a similar spiral of anger and vengeance So would the Khalistanis
An Asia centric foreign policy column cannot resist a cricketing analogy: India needs to play like Virat Kohli at his disciplined best, not like a batter who swings at every bouncer Tyagi’s barbs were witty and controlled; they struck back without inviting escalation That should be the model Yes, call out hypocrisy Yes, remind the world that India’s democratic credentials are often stronger than those of its critics But resist the temptation to take every insult personally or to punish well meaning friends for sloppy language When Switzerland blunders, as it did this week, a polite but firm correction suffices When Pakistan hurls propaganda, remind the Council of its terror record and move on Let others call out Islamabad; the evidence is ample and the world is listening
India’s rise means it will be scrutinised like any other power A confident great power responds with facts and h
showed both the promise of the new muscular India As it takes on the West and its neighbours, it must remember that the goal is not to win shouting matches but to win allies and investment In politics as in markets, reputational capital matters A little wit helps too
Alpesh Patel
MIDLANDS/NORTH
Man held after racially aggravated rape in Oldbury
A m an in his 3 0s has been arrested o n suspicion of rap -
i n g a S i kh w o m a n i n a “ rac ially mo tiv ated ” attack in Old bury, West M id lands
T h e a l l e g e d v i c t i m , a British-born Sikh woman in her 20s, told police a racist remark was made during the a t t a c k O f f i c e r s h a d b e e n seeking two white men in connection with the incident
Chief Supt Kim Madill called the arrest a “signifi-
c a n t d e v e l o p m e n t ” a n d
speculate as the investigation continues
B e f o r e t h e a r r e s t , t h e
victim said: “I would never wish this on anyone I was simply going about my day on my way to work, and w h a t h a s h a p p e n e d h a s deeply affected us Through it all, my family has been my r o c k , a n d m y c o m m u n
t y has stood strong beside me ”
Last weekend, members
o f t h e S i k h c o m m u n i t y p r o t e s t e d , m a r c h i n g f r o m Smethwick to the scene of the attack in Oldbury, holding signs reading “Stop sex-
ual violence against women ” and “We stand with our sist e r ” T h e S i k h F e d
reportedly told the victim, “You don’t belong in this country, get out ” M
place near the Smethwick office of MP Gurinder Singh Josan, who urged the community to let police carry out their investigation West
B
“absolutely horrible,” while Birmingham Edgbaston MP Preet Kaur Gill condemned the racism and misogyny, pledging to work with police to protect the community Ilford South MP Jas Athwal linked the assault to rising racial tensions, highlighting its impact on women and ethnic minorities
T h e N a t i o n a l I n d i a n Students and Alumni Union UK (NISAU) condemned the “ h o r r i f i c
y said: “To be told to ‘ go back
home’ while suffering such violence is beyond abhorrent it is an assault not only on one individual, but on every principle of dignity, humanity, and belonging ” NISAU added: “We stand in full solidarity with the victim, her family, and the Sikh community at this deeply painful time ”
A c k n o w l e d g i n g t h e impact on international stud e n t
: “Peaceful protest is a democ
hate, and intimidation can n
” T h e y urged anyone feeling unsafe to “call 999 in an emergency o r 1 0 1 t o r e p o r t t o t h e police,” and added that univ e r s i t i e s a n d
available for support ”
“International students and diaspora communities e
communities, and country,” N
continue working “to ensure the UK remains a safe, welc
respected destination ” They c
Kingdom ”
Indian-origin man gets life sentence for killing mother after row
A 3 9-year-old Indian-origin m an has been j ailed for life
w ith a minimum of 15 years
f o r k i ll in g h i s m o th e r i n Birmingham
S u r j i t S i n g h a d m i t t e d fatally attacking 76-year-old
M o h i n d e r K a u r i n September last year after a
r o w o v e r a T V r e m o t e Birmingham Crown Court heard Kaur died from multiple blows inflicted by her intoxicated son
“ T h i s
n g has torn apart a family, and our thoughts remain with
e v e r y o n e a f f e c t e d , ” s a
D
Barnes
Singh, who cared for his w
drunk Tests later showed cocaine and alcohol in his system He told a relative
about the attack before leaving, prompting a 999 call O
the living-room floor; she died later in hospital Singh returned to the house and was arrested on the spot While in custody, Singh told police, “I didn’t mean to do it I just lost my head ”
Officers said Mohinder K a u r d
l e blows, though it was unclear if a weapon was used The court heard Singh chased, kicked, and stamped on his frail mother in a “sustained attack over a considerable period,” the judge said
Surgeon leaves patient under anaesthetic for sexual encounter
A tr i bu na l h e ard th at Dr Suhail Anjum, 44 , h ad sex with a nurse in a T am eside Hosp ital o perating th eatre while a patient w as und er anaesth etic
T h e c o n s u l t a n t a n a e sthetist left a colleague to monitor the patient during surgery and met “Nurse C” in another theatre, where a staff member walked in and caught them
A t a t r i b u n a l , G M C
lawyer Andrew Molloy said Dr Suhail Anjum left theatre five during a surgery on 16
S e p
found in a sexual encounter with “Nurse C” in theatre eight by “Nurse NT,” who reported it
T h e p
acknowledged it could have endangered care
H e l e
CHANGE OF NAME
I Nazish Mohiuddin Mohammed and My wife Fatima Urooj both being the parents of Aminah, Born on 11-1-2009, and residents of 20 sandpit close, collingtree, Northampton, NN4 0AX, United Kingdom, declare that we have changed our daughter's name from Aminah to Aminah Mohammed for all future purposes.
Place- 16-10-274/12, Malakpet, Chaderghat, Hyderabad, PIN-500036, Telangana, India
Cardiac surgeon’s abuse went unchecked at Blackpool Hospital
A c c o rd i ng to LancsL ive, heart surg e o n A m a l B o se , described as “arrogant and crud e, ” mo lested five staff members at B lac k p o ol V i ct or i a Hospital
As head of the card i o v a s c u l a r d e p a r t -
ment, he used his seniority to sexually assault younger colleagues, creating what victims called a culture of unchecked inappropriate behaviour
One victim was groped while scrubbing for surgery and once found him resting his head on her shoulder, creating what she called a toxic environment Another said he deliberately grabbed her breast in the operating theatre after putting on gloves
A third reported that he groped her while taking a pen from her pocket, called her “fresh meat,” and frequently stood too close, but her complaint was ignored
One woman said Bose pulled her top down, exposing her bra, which changed her view of him from “harmless to something more, ” prosecutor Huw Edwards told the court Another said his behaviour was “wellknown,” claiming he touched her inappropriately every time they met, leaving her anxious, often sick, and forced to change her shifts to avoid him
Bose, 55, of Thurnham, Lancaster, was convicted in June of 12 sexual assaults on five female staff at Blackpool Victoria Hospital between 2017 and 2022 and cleared of two other charges Defence barrister Tom Price KC said Bose now recognises the seriousness of his actions He has lost his medical career and works as a parcel delivery driver
Man and accomplice convicted over shooting
A m a n w h o fired shots at a h o u s e i n Oldbury, West Mid lands, faces j ai l al o ng s i d e his accom plice A saan Hussain, 3
Dr Suhail Anjum
i d e Hospital in 2024 and has since moved to Pakistan
Anjum told the tribunal he hopes to resume his UK m
the incident a “one-off error of judgment ”
He said it happened during a stressful period after his wife’s traumatic childbirth, which strained their relationship and affected his m
hearing is ongoing
Khan near Sand well Valley Country Park and fleeing to Wales in a sto len Hyund ai
The pair were arrested after returning to Birmingham Hussain, of Edgbaston Road, and Khan, from Navigation Road, denied i n v o
Wolverhampton Crown Court
P o l i c e
showing he scouted the house days earlier
O n t h
d r o v e a Hyundai and fired two rounds at the living room and bedroom windows A later search of Khan’s home uncovered a self-loading pistol with live ammunition hidden under her bed
Forensic analysis confirmed the pistol was not used in the shooting Hussain was charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, while Khan faced charges of assisting an offender
a
ammunition Both were found guilty on
October Police said it was “miraculous” no one was injured
Detective Sergeant Lucy Mooney said the attack was planned, with Hussain scouting the area and arranging transport beforehand Khan assisted him afterward and was found with an unrelated gun The case is part of Operation Target, an ongoing effort to tackle organised crime
I
N B R
I E F
LEICESTER UNIVERSITY STAFF TO STRIKE OVER JOB CUTS
Staff at the University of Leicester (UoL) plan a three-week strike over proposed job cuts aimed at saving millions the University and College Union (UCU) said According to LeicestershireLive UoL bosses are considering closing the Schools of Education Chemistry and Geography Geology and the Environment, along with Modern Languages and Film Studies in the School of Arts, Media and Communication The history department and professional services could also face redundancies due to a shift toward teaching-focused roles The union warned that hundreds of staff could be affected, threatening the university’s academic mission and student experience University leaders said no decisions have been made and stressed their priority is supporting staff and students while maintaining education quality Industrial action at the University of Leicester will run from Monday September 29 to Friday October 17 disrupting the first weeks of teaching
TEENAGERS SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR SOLIHULL MURDER
Three teenagers have been sentenced to life for the murder of 17-year-old Reuben Higgins, who was stabbed after trying to barricade himself inside Vape Minimarket in Marston Green, Solihull on 29 October last year Abdurrahman Summers, 19, and two 16-year-olds were convicted in May At Birmingham Crown Court, Summers, 19, was jailed for life with a minimum of 19 years, while the two 16-year-olds received 17 and 15 years’ detention Summers, on licence for previous robberies, and the others attacked 17year-old Reuben Higgins after he was chased into Vape Minimarket in Marston Green One teen stole Reuben’s phone as he lay dying which has never been recovered Police said the attack began when Reuben and his friends were confronted by four teens one still at large He was fatally stabbed four times in a brief very aggressive assault described as a pack of wild animals
given " Safwan Adam – Apology
An article published in our 5-11 July issue asserted that Safwan Adam, a director of Stay Belvedere Hotels Ltd, had “vanished” and been forced to flee the UK in the wake of the reported cancellation of that company’s contract with the Home Office We now accept that this is untrue, as Mr Adam has not fled or left the UK, nor in fact does he have any reason to leave the UK We are happy to set the record straight and apologise to Mr Adam for a n
Surjit Singh
Amal Bose
Asaan Hussain and Sima Khan
Reuben Higgins (victim)
quits over explicit messages about Diane Abbott
year, resigned as Downing Street’s Director of Strategy
explicit conversation about Diane Abbott involving a sex toy, calling it
outrageous
After ITV News contacted
years ago when he was
involved other female staff H
d already planned to leave the government but brought his
avoid distracting from the vital work of this govern-
ment,” and offered a “deep” apology for the hurt caused
D
the messages as “appalling,” calling Diane Abbott a trailblazer who has long faced abuse Ovenden made the remarks in 2017, a year after
language He later became
director and, after the 2024 election, a senior adviser to
scandal adds to a turbulent period for the government, which recently saw the res-
Angela Rayner over a stamp duty issue and the dismissal
Jeffrey Epstein
Indian-origin man duped of Rs 1 crore in scrap factory scam
U K -b as ed T e ji n d er S i ng h
h a s al leg ed l y a c cu s ed
V ish wajit Sharm a, son o f a f orm er p olic e of ficer, and h is family of defrau ding him
o f 1 crore in a car-scrap investm ent scheme, according to 'The T ribune'
Tejinder claimed he met Sharma through fellow NRI
Parminder Singh and Surjit Gill, who convinced him to
s e t u p a s c r a p
S
y were buying land worth 27 crore for the project
P o l i c e C o m m i s s i o n e r
Gurpreet Singh Bhullar has
Economic Offences Wing, which has summoned both parties
gone to Sharma’s family’s personal accounts and that the land for the project was
accused in Sonipat P a r m i
Tejinder 1 crore, transferring funds to the proposed firm’s account They later discovered the money had
h
d previously filed a separate fraud complaint, still under
Economic Offences Wing, s
Tejinder Singh has filed
Vishwajit
Tiny sinkhole shuts Isle of Wight road for a week
A 1 0 p -s iz ed s in kh o l e i n Co wes has kept an Isle of Wigh t r oad cl osed f or ov er a week, after Island Ro ads
f o u n d a l ar g er v o id beneath th e su rface
Resident Josie Parsons said far worse roads need attention, calling the clos u r e o v e r a “ 1 0 p h o l e ” senseless and urging the
Elderly
c o u n c i l t o e n d I s l a n d Roads’ contract Another local, Dave Johnson, joked repairs might drag on until Christmas while awaiting
an expert
One commenter even thought the story was an
A p r i l F o o l ’ s j o k e u n t i l checking the date
Island Roads told the BBC the small hole signaled a larger void beneath the surface, prompting the road’s closure after inspection for safety reasons
woman murdered, man arrested over alleged plot
7 2- y ea r- o ld US c i t i ze n
R u p i n de r K au r w as mu rdered and her body burned
i n a s h o p a t a h o u s e i n
K ilaraipu r village S he had been stayi ng th ere awaiting
a U K - b as e d ma n fr o m
M eh ma S i ngh W al a, wh o allegedly promised to marry h er T h e h o u s e o w n e r ,
Sukhjeet Singh Sonu, who had filed a complaint on August 18 about Rupinder’s alleged detention, has con-
told police he acted at the behest of Charanjit Singh, t h e U K - b a s e d , w h o promised him Rs 50 lakh T h e d e c e a s e d ’ s s i s t e r , Kamal Kaur Khaira, had earlier alleged that Sonu killed Rupinder while she stayed a t h i s h o u s e i n J u l y a n d s o u g h t t h e U S E
Police have registered a murder case against Sonu in conspiracy with Charanjit Singh Grewal and are yet to r e c o v e r R u p i
Zara Sultana urges ban on MPs as landlords
F o rm er L abo u r M P Za ra
Sultana has called for a ban on M Ps being land lo rds, targeting h er fo rmer p arty
The Coventry South MP,
Corbyn, tabled an early day motion urging legislation to stop MPs from owning or letting residential properties while in office The move follows homelessness minister Rushanara Ali’s resignation over renting her home for £700 more after tenants left
Sultana left Labour last year after being stripped of the whip and resigned her membership in July She is
housing crisis,
Eight diners fall ill at Indian restaurant in Greater
Manchester
Evening News* reports the incident is linked to Dosa Kingss Fire engines and police cars lined Northenden Road as crews responded to the incident, briefly cordoning off the area An initial gas leak suspicion was ruled out G r e a t e r M a n c h e s t e r P o l i c e s a i d t h e y r e c e i v e d reports around 12:40 pm of diners falling ill and treated several for minor reactions Trafford Council and Health and Safety Executive offic
stances, we are temporarily closed We sincerely apologise for
f e s s e d t o k i l l i n g h e r a n d d e s t
d y H e
offline Last Thursday, the family learned of Rupinder’s s u s p e c t e d m u r d e r a n d Sonu’s detention by Dehlon police
y Rupinder and asked her to come to Kilaraipur, while she transferred large sums to Sonu and his brother A police report confirms Sonu confessed to killing her at Grewal’s instance for Rs 50 lakh Evidence has also been r e c o v e r e d f r o m S o n u ’ s house
“Britain’s kindest plumber” accused of faking charity acts
Acc ording to Th e Times, a s o c ia l e n te r p r is e l e d b y a t r a de s m an c a l l e d “ Br it a in ’ s k indes t p l um be
s be en ac cus ed of faking charitable ac ts Depher CIC, a plumbing company claiming to assist vulnerable customers for free, misled donors while raising £2 million, the Fundraising Regulator found, breaching r u l e s b
often referencing death and suicide
The watchdog launched its probe after a BBC investigation last year accused the
images of vulnerable people without consent and fabricating stories of good deeds
rescue of an elderly woman from suicide was false, as she had died years earlier
denied three times, was also accused of using funds to buy a house and car, allegations he denied, calling the claims a “witchhunt
d Depher, now inactive, mis-
y using images of the same people on social media with different stories It continued sharing personal images
Zara Sultana
Paul Ovenden
Sole survivor of the Air India tragedy still recovering as victims’ families face indifference
T he sole surviv or of June’ s A ir India crash remains in India und ergoing treatment for his injuries, wh ile grieving British families say they continue to face “silence and indifference” from authori-
t ie s o v e r th e h and l in g o f their loved ones ’ remains
V i s h w a s h K u m a r Ramesh, 40, who has family in Leicester, walked away from the wreckage of the aircraft after it went down on June 12 His brother Ajay, seated just across the aisle, was among the 241 others killed
Mr Ramesh’s wife has since returned to the UK with their young son, while he continues his recovery in I n d i a S p e a k i n g t o T h e Times, she said, “Our son understands but still misses h i s d a d E v e r y t h i n g h a ppened in front of him, and the main thing is he lost his brother He’s not talking to anyone in the media, even in India ” For families of the victims, grief has been com-
p o u n d e d b y w h a t t h e y describe as a catalogue of errors and indignities in the a f t e r m a t h o f t h e d i s a s t e r
A v i a t i o n l a w y e r J a m e s H e a l y - P r a t t o f K e y s t o n e
Law, who represents more t h a n 2 0 B r i t i s h f a m i l i e s , revealed cases where caskets
c o n t a i n e d “ c o m m i n g l e d ” remains or, in one instance, the body of the wrong person In a letter to the Foreign S e c r e t a r y , M i t e n P a t e l who lost his parents Ashok and Shobhana Patel and T o m D o n a g h e y , w h o s e brother Fiongal GreenlawMeek also died, condemned t h e t r e a t m e n t t h e y h a d received “For the last three months, we have tried to seek answers through the p r o p e r c h a n n e l s , b u t w e have been met with silence a n d e m p t y g e s t u r e s W e c a n n o t m o u r n i n p e a c e u n t i l a c c o u n t a b i l i t y f o r these wrongs are acknowl-
edged and addressed ”
Meanwhile, US lawyer Mike Andrews, representing over 100 families in laws u i t s a g a i n s t B o e i n g , h a s dismissed speculation that the pilots may have deliberately or mistakenly shut off the aircraft’s fuel controls He told The Independent such theories were “ unsupp
d b y e v
a n d unjust to the dead ” Instead, he pointed to long-standing technical concerns involvi n g t h e p l a n e ’ s p o t a b l e water system, which runs close to sensitive electroni c s B o e i n g b u l l e t i n s a n d FAA warnings dating back years, he argued, show the risks of leaks were repeatedly flagged but never properly resolved
Essex cricket chair disbarred over false Oxford claim
T h e c h ai rm an o f E s s ex
C o u nty C ri c ke t C l u b,
A nu rag M ohindru, has been d is ba rre d af te r a tri bu n al found h e fabricated acad emic credentials to enhance a jo b application
The Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service (BTAS)
r u l e d t h a t M o h i n d r u , a
c r i m i n a l l a w y e r , f a l s e l y claimed he had studied at O x f o r d U n i v e
s
t y t o strengthen his bid for tenan-
c y a t 2 3 E s s e x S t r e e t Chambers between 2012 and 2013 He was ordered to pay £54,780 in costs and suspended immediately, pendi n g a n y a p p e a l A s e c o n d m i s c o n d u c t c h a r g e w a s dropped
A c c o r d i n g t o t h e B a r S t a n d a r d s B o a r d ( B S B ) , Mohindru told interviewers at 23ES that he had studied b i o m e d i c a l s c i e n c e a t Oxford before sending a CV a l l e g i n g h e h a d s t u d i e d medicine there from 1993 to 1994, later continuing his studies in the United States O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y c o n -
firmed it had no record of him
The BSB said Mohindru had “deliberately exaggerat-
e d h i s a c a d e m i c a c h i e v ements and qualifications in an attempt to improve his tenancy prospects ” Mohindru denied knowingly providing false infor-
m a t i o n , i n s i s t i n g h e w a s “certain” he did not send the CV used as evidence at the tribunal, which he claimed w a s p r e p a r e d w i t h i n p u t from at least two other people
E s s e x C o u n t y C r i c k e t Club said its board would meet over the weekend “to
d i s c u s s a n a p p r o p r i a t e course of action ”
Starmer adviser’s former firm paid over £1m by Thames Water
T h a m e s Wa t e r h a s p a i d m or e t ha n £ 1 mi ll i on t o Ha kluyt, a corpora te i ntell i g e n ce c o mp a n y pa r tow ned an d f ormerly run by K e i r S t a r me r ’ s b u s i n e s s a dvis er Varun Ch andra , as the utili ties fi rm see ks to a void rena tiona lisa tion, the Guardi an can rev eal Chandra, who stepped
d o w n f r o m r u n n i n g Hakluyt last July to join No 10, still retains a multimill i o n - p o u n d s t a k e a n d i s entitled to dividends from the Mayfair-based firm A Downing Street source said Chandra had no personal
involvement with Thames while at Hakluyt and made all required declarations on joining the government Since 2023, Hakluyt has p r o v i d e d T h a m e s w i t h p o l i t i c a l a n
e l y with the company ’ s strategy director, Cathryn Ross, a former chief executive of r e g u l a t o r
spring, Chandra personally intervened in last-minute talks with US private equity group KKR, including discussions with co-founder
Brother of jailed Briton questions UK stops
Th e brother of Jag tar
Singh Jo hal, a British Sikh jailed in Ind ia since 20 17, has writte n t o th e H o m e Office after repeated ly being s to pp ed at U K ai rp or ts b y bord er police
G u r p r e e t S i n g h
J o h a l , a L a b o u r
c o u n c i l l o r
Dumbarton, says he has been stopped four t
November 2023, and at Glasgow airport in April, July 2024 and July 2025 Each time he was directed at the e-gates to “seek assistance” before being questioned “I don’t know if this is an attempt to intimidate me, but I will not stop seeking justice for my brother,” he told The Guardian
His concern comes as a rare tort claim against British intelligence reaches court on 6 October Jagtar’s lawyers, supported by Reprieve, allege he was arrested in Punjab after a UK intelligence tipoff and tortured into a false confession Much of the case will be heard in closed session because of security issues, though parts will be public
The claim is partly based on a 2020
Commissioner’s Office, which described UK intelligence sharing that led to the torture of a British national abroad Lawyers believe this refers to Jagtar
A UN working group has ruled Jagtar’s detention “lacks legal basis” and is discriminatory Indian prosecutors have failed to produce credible evidence in eight years, with state-level charges dismissed in March 2025 Federal charges remain pending
The Home Office has refused to explain Gurpreet’s repeated stops, citing national security and crime prevention powers
Prison education budgets slashed despite Labour pledge
P riso ns acro ss E ngland and Wales are cutting sp ending o n classroom edu cation by as much as 50%, despite Labour’s general election p ro mise to imp ro ve “ access to learning” for offenders
At HMP Leicester, the education budget will fall by 46 5%, while a women ’ s prison faces a 26% reduction and another men ’ s prison a 25% cut, according to sources In s o m e c a s e s , t h i s w i l l m e a n f e w e r b a s i c English and maths courses and reduced hours for specialist literacy teachers
Labour’s 2024 manifesto promised to expand education in prisons, warning that reoffending rates rise when prisoners lack the skills to reintegrate into society But the Prison Governors’ Association (PGA) says most prisons will now see real-terms education budget cuts of at least 5%
“These cuts will have an immediate and direct impact on the ability of governors to provide a meaningful regime and purposef u l a c t i v i t y , ” s a
solution
Several politically connected Hakluyt staff have
including a former speech-
Rishi Sunak
MI6 officers, Hakluyt has worked with almost half of
than three-quarters of the
m Wheatley He warned the reductions could u
“earned progression model,” under which prisoners complete courses to qualify for earlier release
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) says the n a t i o n a l e d u c a t i o n b u d g e t r e m a i n s unchanged, but governors argue rising contract costs mean provision is shrinking Dame Sally Coates, who led a landmark review in 2016, called the move “ a disaster,” adding that better education would reduce reoffending
An MoJ spokesperson said the government was reforming prison education to focus on vocational skills and employment pathways, insisting, “The national budget f o r e d u c a t i
reduced ”
I N B R I E F
LIB DEM MPS WARN ED DAVEY TO ‘RAISE HIS GAME’
Sir Ed Davey is facing growing unrest within the Liberal Democrats with MPs warning that his leadership could come under threat unless he improves communication and changes his style Several MPs have urged the Lib Dem leader to drop his trademark stunts, which one colleague dismissed as “bullshit,” and instead focus on connecting more effectively with both his parliamentary team and the public The discontent surfaced after internal election for chair of the parliamentary party Although Davey led the party to a record general election result some MPs are frustrated at what they see as a failure to build momentum since Disquiet has been simmering for months, with backbenchers increasingly concerned that the party is not cutting through with voters Party insiders now warn that unless Davey adapts his leadership approach and gives his MPs a stronger voice, pressure on him is likely to intensify
‘BLANK FIRING GUNS’ FUEL CRIME SURGE
Firearms imported from Turkey and Italy as “blank firing guns” and sold online as “ideal for props in films and plays” can be converted into deadly weapons in minutes Prices range from £50 to £400 Police are aware of so-called “gun factories” in major cities that carry out the conversions for a fee Sources told LBC that these “converted blanks” have become the most popular type of firearm among organised crime gangs due to their easy availability and low cost Over the past two years converted guns have been used in several murders across the UK In response the Home Office and National Crime Agency (NCA) are moving to ban several popular brands that have flooded into the country from Europe, aiming to curb their role in violent crime
HMRC LOSES
£836M
TO TAX LOOPHOLE
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) lost £836 million to a tax loophole exploited by small businesses in 2022-23, significantly higher than previous estimates of £570 million The practice known as phoenixing, involves companies deliberately liquidating and then reestablishing as new, identical, debt-free businesses While common in the retail sector, phoenixing is illegal when used to evade taxes or other debts HMRC said pandemic-era delays in companies declaring insolvency contributed to the spike in losses Phoenixing accounted for roughly a fifth of HMRC’s total uncollected tax revenue that year A National Audit Office report last year revealed that overall tax evasion cost HMRC an estimated £5 5 billion between 2022 and 2023 with small businesses responsible for 81% of the losses a 66% increase compared with 2019-20 The findings underline ongoing challenges for HMRC in policing complex corporate structures and recovering owed taxes, as authorities warn that phoenixing remains a major drain on public finances
Jagtar Singh Johal
Anurag Mohindru
Ed Davey
t
Millions
bring together community
cists, dentists, optometrists, p a r a m e d
scribers, local councils and t h
aim is to give people seamless access to the right care
a
own community
T h e s e r v i c e s p r o v i d e e n d - t o - e n d , t a i l o r e d s u pport, looking beyond symptoms to wider causes of poor h e a l t h , r e d u c i n g u n n e c e ssary hospital trips, preventing complications, and sparing patients the frustration of being passed between services
The initial focus will be on people with long-term conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, angina, high blood pressure, MS and epilepsy, particularly in areas facing t h e g r e a t
n
Over time, the model will e x p a n d t o c o v e r m o r e patient groups
Backed by £10 million in funding, the first wave of the programme began on 9 September 2025, covering 43 sites from Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to Sunderland
highlighted in the NHS’s 10 Year Health Plan, aiming to
nationwide
He alth an d Socia l Care Secret ary Wes Str eeting, at t h e K i n g ' s F
highlighting the work of the government, said, “We are building an NHS fit for the future, one that fits around people’s lives and is an integral part of their community
“Neighbourhood health s
H S works - bringing care closer
to home while helping to tackle this nation’s shameful health inequalities Through our Plan for Change, we will s t o p p
n g bounced around a broken system as we get the health service back on its feet ”
Further in his address, he added, “Nothing is more corrosive to our plan to turning around the NHS, and with it, our nation’s health, because i
potential of a workforce of more than 1 5 million people that we stand any chance of rescuing the NHS from the biggest crisis in its history, and to meet the challenge of building the NHS we need for this century ”
Young Ju-Jitsu champion breaks records
T his year has been remarkable for young Ju-Jitsu athl et e A
formid able comp etitor
g
l d medals, one silver, and two bronze in just the first half of the year Her gold medals h i g h l
edge, while the silver and b
r resilience and drive to excel under pressure
Aara Patel’s outstanding achievements have earned her selection for Team GB, marking a major milestone in her Ju-jitsu journey She will compete internationally
Dr Nik Kotecha OBE DL, Chairman and Founder, RandalSun Capital
We’ re a ll f amilia r with le agu e t ables –co mparing e ve ryth ing from foo tba ll t eams t o unive rsities th ese day s In 20 24, th e S ecret ary of Stat e a nnou nced th at NHS Eng land would br ing in new per forma nce crit eria and publish a NHS T rust per forma nce le ague ta ble, ranking o rga nisa tio ns ‘ r ela tiv e to the ir pe ers ’
A complex series of comparators and ranking mechanisms was devised, but as not all NHS Trusts are created equally, and the communities they serve can be very different, the league tables recently published don't really offer the ability to draw direct conclusions It's interesting though, to see that specialist hospitals take the top eight places within the league table and it's a rural Healthcare Trust- Northumbria, that is the first large NHS Trust on the list, at
in Belgium this January and Italy in October against top global opponents Balancing intense training with competition
Aara has shown remarkable growth as both an athl e t e a n d a n i n d i v i d u a l , inspiring teammates, coaches, and the wider Ju-jitsu community With six golds, one silver, and two bronze already, and the honor of w e a r i n g t h e T e a m G B badge, she is poised for even greater accomplishments in t h e n e x t c h a p t e r o f h e r career
Leicester MPs urge council to restore full
Diwali celebrations
T wo L eicestershire M Ps are p ushing to ov erturn p lans to scale back Leicester’ s Diwali celebrations in 20 25, one of the largest festiv als outside India
Safety concerns have led the city council to reduce
t h e e v e n t t o l i g h t s a l o n g
B e l g r a v e R o a d a n d t h e wheel of light Fireworks,
s t a g e e n t e r t a i n m e n t , a n d
D
C o s s i n g t o n S t r e e t Recreation Ground, which
p r e v i o u s l y h o s t e d f o o d stalls, funfair rides, fashion, arts, and the annual fire gar-
d e n ,
l l b e c a n c
e d Leicestershire Police cited “uncontrolled crowds” and “ n e a r - c r u s h i n c i d e n t s ” i n recent years, warning that continuing in the previous format posed a “serious risk to public safety ” H
P
Neil O’Brien and Leicester East MP Shivani Raja say the festival should not “become a shadow of its former self ” They are calling on Leicester City Council to “revive the full Diwali experience” on B e l g r a v e R o a d , i n c l u d i n g fireworks, cultural performances, food stalls, rides, and the Diwali Village They also urge collaboration with the local community, businesses, and safety officials to “create a plan that honours tradition while keeping peo-
ple safe ” A petition launched by t h e M P s , s i g n e d b y o v e r 1,100 people, reads: “Every autumn, Leicester’s Diwali celebration on the Golden Mile captivates the hearts, and lights up the streets of our city In 2025, the festival risks being reduced to just the lights Let’s not allow t h i s f e s t i v a l t o b e c o m e a shadow of its former self Leicester’s Diwali deserves t o s h i n e i n f u l l – b r i g h t , bold, and welcoming ”
position 9 It s no surprise really that NHS trusts in central London perform well generally within the league table It's often felt, and very often evidenced, that city-based institutions have advantages in access to skilled labour pools, retention of talent, given city amenities, and a higher proportion of resources being available/invested As a Midlands businessman I was dissatisfied to see key regional trusts sitting way down the list - University Hospitals Leicester only appearing at rank 101, following Nottingham University Hospitals at rank 100 University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, Worcestershire and United Lincolnshire respectively achieve a ranking of only 108, 110 and 122 I was interested to read that the Department of Health officials were quoted as saying “This isn't naming and shaming ” but it's easy to see how discontent with ‘the NHS’ could be exacerbated by these snapshot rankings There
are so many facets to an NHS service, so many services in fact within any individual Trust Single number rankings will hide areas where there are key strengths if these are drowned out in the numbers calculation by perhaps financial or administrative poor performance Whilst the latter is definitely linked to aspects of patient experience in the long term, if these hide, say, excellence in access to cancer care, it's a potentially unhelpful read-out for patients, trying to choose service providers in an informed way I m hopeful that Trusts take the initiative and challenge their rankings by promoting individual areas of excellence, which doubtless there are across many of our NHS Trusts That would be truly helpful information for patients (you and me!) to have at their fingertips I'm hopeful too, that those finding themselves at the top of the list, because of excellence or perhaps serendipity, don't rest on their laurels either
Aara Patel
Wes Streeting
Shivani Raja Neil O Brien
Saheb Dada visits CB Patel’s residence with blessings and inspiration
Rashmi Amin
role
p
the family’s guiding
t s w
m i , P a p p u b h
i , Jayendrabhai, Yogendrabhai Patel, and Meenuben
W e l c o m i n g h i m w e r e
C B ’ s c l o s e f a m i
Master Dharm, and cousins from the USA, Pannaben and Rajendrakumar Consulting editors of Gujarat Samachar
J y o t s n a S h a h a n d K o k i l a Patel, as well as Jayshreeben
( d a u g h t e r o f P u s h p a b e n ’ s
e l d e r s i s t e r ) , a l o n g w i t h
R a j e n d r a k u m a r S u r e n d r a
P a t e l , B h a v i n i b e n , a n d
Ashwin Amin were also present for the blessed occasion
H e a v y t r a f f i c d e l a y e d
Dadasaheb’s arrival, but CB’s friends and family used the time for a lively, inspiring exchange CB drew on his 53 years of experience to share
m e m o r a b l e i n s i g h t s a b o u t key organisations, community leaders, and spiritual figures like Morari Bapu and
R a m e s h b h a i O z a H e a l s o
e n c o u r a g e d S u r e n d r a b h a i and me to further develop
e n t e r t a i n m e n t a n d t h e a t r e activities
A f t e r t h e d e l a y , S a h e b
Dada was warmly received by
e v e r y o n e p r e s e n t w i t h kumkum tilak, flowers and a ceremonial shawl On this occasion, Saheb Dada shared the purpose of his visit, saying, “My primary reason for c o m i n g i s t o p e r s o n a l l y check on Pushpaben’s wellbeing Honouring Saheb Dada and the saints’ observance of Chaturmas, Bhumiben, guide d b y P u s h p a b e n a n d S a r o j b e n , a r r a n g e d f r e s h
duced a friend, Dr V S Patel, t o B a p a H e w a s a c h a i n smoker and carried a knife, y
g
God’s name should not emit s m o k e ’
m
He discarded his cigarettes, redirected his energy to studies, and eventually earned a PhD, later becoming ViceChancellor of Sardar Patel University Yogibapa’s guid-
fruits, dry fruits and rajgira sheera, with hot snacks for other guests
At the gathering, Saheb Dada praised CB’s enduring l o v e f o r h i s v i l l a g e a n d Gujarat, noting his regular v i s i t s a n d p r a y e r s a t
Mahadevji in Bhadran He added that Pushpaben’s illn e s s h a d k e p t h e r a n d Sarojben from the Ashram, which moved him to visit after CB’s repeated invitations
Reflecting on cherished m e m o r i e s , S a h e b D a d a shared, “During my college y e a r s , I w a s d e v o t e d t o Mahadev and would meditate for a few minutes before v i s i t i n g t h e S w a m i n a r a y a n t e m p l e E a r l y e x p o s u r e t o religious values and temple f e s t i v a l s s h a p e d m y l i f e , e v e n t u a l l y l e a d i n g m e t o meet Yogibapa, who inspired me to start wearing tilak and c h a n d l o f r o m m y c o l l e g e days onward
“When I studied at D N School in Anand, teachers like Vitthalbhai Saheb and I s h w a r b h a i S a h e b i n s t i l l e d s t r o n g v a l u e s , t h o u g h m y youthful energy and love for f i l m s c a u s e d c l a s h e s , e v e n l e a d i n g m e t o l e a v e t h e
s c h o o l Y o g i b a p a ’ s s i m p l e guidance, ‘We should give up c i n e m a , s h
d n ’ t w
u
c h a n g e d m y h a b i t s , a n d I gave up films entirely
“During college, I intro-
c e s , w i t h additional support through partnerships with local hospitals Schools in these vil-
books and clothing to support students’ education
The entire project, with an estimated expenditure of $50,000 to $60,000, is funde d b y R
h b h a i Kansagara, making him a key benefactor of the initiative started by CB
A n o o p a m M i s s i o n h a s also collaborated with vario
e
their uniforms, a large quantity of old clothing became available Anoopam Mission received 35 to 40 containers of these clothes, which were d
ance completely changed the path of a young man who might otherwise have gone astray ”
Reflecting on CB’s visit to the tribal areas of Rajpipla,
S a h e b D a d a r e c a l l e d h o w deeply he was moved by the lack of basic education and healthcare for the local residents After returning, CB
Anoopam Mission, saying, “I
Rajpipla It is my wish that
this village ” Acting on his suggestion, the Mission ini-
Within two to three years, the positive impact of their work encouraged other villages to seek support, and today, Anoopam Mission has adopted 36 villages in the region
Each adopted village now
medical team, including doct
Palanpur
Recognising this contrib u t i o n , t h e E d u c a t i o n Officer of Narmada district f o r m a l l y c o m m e n d e d t h e saints of Anoopam Mission, noting, “Through your donation, the number of students in our schools is increasing,” and honoured them for their efforts
R e c a l l i n g m e m o r i e s , Saheb Dada spoke of Gujarat Samachar, originally run by K u s u m b e n I n 1 9 7 6 , Kusumben envisioned starting a newspaper in New York to serve the Gujarati diaspora from Africa, who eagerly a w a i t e d n e w s f r o m t h e i r h o m e l a n d , f r o m w e a t h e r updates to village happenings
S a h e b D a d a e x p r e s s e d h i s j o y m e e t i n g S a r o j b e n , Jayshreeben and Bhumiben, and offered prayers for the g o o d h e a l t h o f e v e r y o
Pushpaben
Navnat Vadil Mandal hosts memorable celebration
U nd e r th e lea d er sh i p o f P resident Natu M eh ta, the Navnat Vadil M andal hono u red a to tal o f 21 m embers 7 from the 1 990 s and 1 4 from the 1985 batch The event was a pro ud m oment for both the m embers and the M andal A ttendees widely praised the p rog ramme as w ell as th e d eli cio us meal p r ep a red b y t h e K i tc h en C omm ittee
The event was coordinated by Bansari Rupani and Mina Sanghani, with crucial support behind the scenes from Kishore Batavia, who
and curated the music, and Jagdish Sanghani, who managed the flyer design, print-
Those reaching their 90s included Manharlal L Mehta, S
Jayman P Mehta, Manjula H Shah, Kusumben M Kamdar, and Ramanlal R Mehta
Jasvanti G Doshi, Nirmala
Nilu R Jashapara, Kumudlal P Mehta,
J Mehta,
If time didn’t matter, what would you pursue?
Rohit Vadhwana
Time is th e most powerful boundary in our lives Every goal, personal or professio nal, com es with a tim eline We may wish to giv e o ur best, but the ticking clock often forces us to d eliver w ithin a fram e that m ay not allow our true po tential to com e ou t
In the professional world, timelines dominate: a project, a presentation, a speech, or even a construction tasknone can wait Missing the deadline often undermines the quality of the work What counts is not only what you deliver, but also when
The same applies to personal life Society attaches a lot of importance to deadlines for education, marriage, career, and family Graduate by a certain age, find stability soon after, get married in time, start a family before it feels “too late ” In this race, excellence often takes a backseat to timeliness Delay, no matter the reason, is seen as failure
But what if time didn’t matter? What if you had all the hours, years, and decades you needed? Imagine living life without the ticking clock at your back Would you build your dream home, slowly and lovingly, with your own hands? Or perhaps, like many dreamers, you would take up something that always felt “too late” to start Maybe you’d spend a year in the mountains, writing the book you always carried inside you Or you might travel differently moving slowly, spending months in one city, learning its culture and language, instead of rushing through a checklist of tourist spots Others may devote themselves to music or art, finally taking violin or piano lessons, not for recognition, but for the sheer joy of learning and enjoying the process
When we ask these questions honestly, we often discover something surprising: much of what we do every day is the opposite of what we would truly choose Urgent tasks consume our energy, while meaningful desires get postponed, sometimes indefinitely
So pause for a moment If time were limitless, how would you reorder your priorities? Which dreams would you nurture first, and which obligations would you leave for later? The answers may reveal that what feels urgent today might not be what truly matters tomorrow (Expressed opinions are personal)
presented by Mina Sanghani
K Mehta, Urmila S Parikh, Saroj S Sheth,
M
Champa B
S
RAJENDRA PATEL from the US joyfully celebrated his 80th birthday on 14 September at the Blue Room, Harrow, surrounded by his wife Jayshree (niece of CB Patel), siblings’ families, and close relatives in the UK Heartfelt messages poured in from his children-Kandrap, Neetu, Mital, Avani and his grandchildren Jai, Raja, and Deo
Sarla
Jyoti
Manjulaben
Shah, Chandrakant
Varia,
Mehta
L-R: Kishore Batavia, Jagdish Sanghani, Mina Sanghani and Bansari Rupani
Sardar Patel’s legacy shines with grand Sardarkatha celebration in London
A s part of th e 150th birth anniv ersary celebrations of
S ardar Vallabh bh ai Patel, a g rand Sard arkath a w ill be h eld at th e Navnat C entre, Hayes, London o n 20 th and 21 st September 2025 Jointly
o rg an is ed by S ard ard h am ,
A h m ed a ba d a nd th e National Co uncil of Guj arati Org ani sati ons ( NCGO-U K)
w it h s u p p o rt f ro m th e Indian diasp ora, the event p ays tribute to India’s Iron M an, w hose visionary lead -
e rs h i p u ni fi e d o v er 50 0
p r i nc ely st ate s i n to th e
U nio n of Ind ia
A delegation of around 20 people from India will attend this historic event,
i n c l u d i n g S h a i l e s h
S a g p a r i y a , G a g j i S u t a r i y a (President of Sardardham,
A h m e d a b a d ) a n d M a n i s h Kapadiya (Co-ordinator of Sardarkatha)
The Sardarkatha will be n a r r a t e d b y S h a i l e s h Sagpariya, celebrated for his engaging and thought-pro-
v o k i n g s t o r y t e l l i n g t h a t vividly brings Sardar Patel’s life, leadership, and values
t o l i f e A f o r m e r S e n i o r
C l a s s - I O f f i c e r w i t h t h e
dents preparing for competi
y bias toward caste or com-
H
m
small village of Moviya in Saurashtra, he supported his family through farm work, o
n d polishing, all while excelling academically He earned a B C o m G
M
a n d later secured third rank in the GPSC Class-I Officers’ Examination after completing his M Com Known for his simple yet powerful narratives, he is the author of 33 books, many of which are a w a r d
e r s A highly respected speaker, h i s l e c t u r e s a n d s e m i n a r s
Gujarat and India, inspiring thousands
from India and the UK will attend, making this a landmark celebration of unity, leadership, and shared her-
expected to draw large audi-
vision, integrity, and enduring influence
event serves not only as a tribute but also as a powerful reminder of Patel’s lasting legacy of courage, consensus, and nation-building that transcends borders
For more details, see page number 05
LCUK brings community together through sport
T h e L o h a na C o m m u ni ty
U ni te d K i n g d o m ( L C U K)
h o s te d it s A nn u al S p o rt s
F e st iv al 20 25 w i th rec o rd
p articipation and hig h ener-
g y Led by S andeep Saujani and o rganised by the L CUK
C o m m i tte e, th e ev e nt brought together members
o f all ages to celebrate sport, teamw ork, and comm unity sp irit
Amishree Raivadera
The festival was over-
s e e n b y P r e s i d e n t Bharatbhai Sodha and the
E x e c u t i v e C o m m i t t e e ; S u n i l b h a i M a j i t h i a , P r a k a s h b h a i M o d i , Ashokbhai Rach, Jayantibhai
R a i t h a t h a , a n d N i s h i t Kotak with support from T r u s t e e s P a n n a b e n R a j a , Rajul Tejura, Archna Sodha,
B h a v e s h C h a n d a r a n a , a n d
K i r i t b h a i K
were expertly managed by
Trust Hall attracted over 35 individual participants and
Suchak, with support from
community volunteers
Hertfordshire Sports Village hosted six sports events: 5a-side football led by Jinal Sachdev, children’s indoor
Arjun Kotecha, table tennis overseen by Neil Morjaria a
squash led by Ravi Rajdev
The TAG Zone, managed by
Sachdev, served as a social hub for families to connect
The festival will conclude on Sunday, 21st September, with the Golf Tournament at Aldenham Country Club, managed by Chirag Kotecha and Pradip Chandarana
Beryl Carr sets Guinness Record for volunteering at 103
B eryl Car r, a re ma rkab le 103y ear-old, has be en named t he worl d’s olde st femal e volunt eer Ev ery we ek, she dona tes her time at t he Friends Café in Ea ling H ospital , serving as a cashie r and making sandwiche s She b egan voluntee ring a t 81 in 2003, prepar in g mea ls and operat ing t he till, a nd after more than 20 ye ars of de dicate d service, she has n ow bee n r ecognised in t he
Guinne ss Worl d Recor ds Born in Acton in 1922, Beryl Carr grew up in Ealing w
moving to Cambridgeshire with her husband After his p a
Ealing to be near her daughter Val and began volunteering “I didn’t know anyone, and my daughter suggested it I said I’d do whatever was needed, and I’ve been here e
‘MyLondon’
works
cashier and helps with sandwiches “I love the
than sitting in front of the TV,” she said “Volunteering helps others, but it also gives you a new lease on life I’d recommend it to anyone, at any age ”
British Hindus unite at Harmony Conference 2025
Th e Harmony Conference 2025, them ed ‘ViśvaDharm a Prakāśena –U niv ersal Values for All’ , brou ght tog ether over 250 deleg ates from 120 organisations across 100 U K towns, including 71 com munity gro ups and 22 Mandirs
With educators, councillors, mayors, and parliamentarians in attendance, the event highlighted the unity and growing visibility of British Hindus Featuring 16 workshops, 18 community stalls, and supported by 35 volunteers from nine organisations, the conference marked a landmark moment for the community
The day began with a serene Deep Prajvalan (lamp lighting) ceremony led by Piyush Mistry, Dr Ram Vaidya, Her Grace Visakha Dasi ji, Brahmacharini Shripriya ji, Kailash Parekh, Brhni Shripriya ji, and Mamta Subramanyam
A Sanskrit invocation by Brahmacharini Shripriya ji set a spiritual tone, emphasising clarity of vision and collective effort to uphold dharma Religious leaders and dignitaries highlighted the importance of unity, safeguarding heritage, and civic responsibility Her Grace Visakha Dasi ji underscored spiritual depth as a foundation for Sanatan Dharma, while Sant Bhagwant Sahebji of Anoopam Mission praised Action for Harmony for uniting communities and promoting universal values without fear
support, fair consultation on cremation policies, and visa access for priests
The Hindu Education Board UK highlighted progress, including 25 SACRE roles filled, development of 70 GCSE Hinduism lesson plans and teacher guides, Mandir visit resources, and teacher training With an annual funding need exceeding £80,000, the Board urged community support to sustain and expand these initiatives
The Harmony Conference 2025 tackled key challenges for the British Hindu community, focusing on identity, education, security, safeguarding, and religious practices Delegates stressed the need for recognition as British Hindus, greater representation in RE curricula and SACREs, protection for temples, action against anti-Hindu hate crimes, culturally sensitive foster care, elderly
Political engagement was a key focus under the theme “Awakening the Dharma of Democracy ” Delegates learned how the community has increased its political presence, endorsing the Hindu Manifesto 2024 across parties, hosting 10 hustings nationwide, training 300 aspiring leaders (40 of whom were elected councillors), and running voter registration campaigns with direct MP
engagement Leaders encouraged participation across 100+ constituencies and nurturing the next generation of leaders Interactive workshops provided practical strategies on tackling grooming, safeguarding youth, Mandir school education, countering anti-Hindu hate and caste myths, ethical investments, and mobilising community engagement Key initiatives highlighted included Hindu Remembrance Day (20th Sept 2025), the Marigold Badge Mission, UK Parliament Week, Teacher Appreciation Day, Raksha Bandhan outreach, and Hindu Awareness Month featuring exhibitions, talks, and national campaigns to promote Hindu Dharma
The conference concluded with blessings from senior religious leaders and reflections from dignitaries, including the High Commission of India Suresh Wadhwani, trustee of Chinmaya Mission, praised Action for Harmony: “Bringing 120 diverse organisations together to speak with one voice is an incredible achievement Our diversity is our strength, and Action for Harmony is showing that ” Organisers Nitin Palan MBE and Nilesh Solanki closed the event by urging the community to “Communicate, Cooperate, Collaborate, and take ownership of challenges together With unity and support, British Hindus can ensure their voice is heard,
Shailesh Sagpariya Gagji Sutariya
respected, and celebrated ”
L to R : Piyush Mistry (Shree Prajapati Association UK), Dr Ram Vaidya (HSS UK), Her Grace Visakha Dasi ji (ISKCON UK), Brahmacharini Shripriya ji (Chinmaya Mission UK), Kailash Parekh (BAPS UK) and Mamta Subramanyam (Heartfulness UK)
Nilesh Solanki - Joint Director of Action for Harmony
Nitin Palan MBE- Joint Director of Action for Harmony
The LCUK Sports Festival Team
Participants playing table tennis at the event
Modi’s roadmap for a transparent and prosperous India
“Modi’s citizen-focused governance boosts growth” in Asian Voice dated 13-19 September 2025 shows a clear determination of the PM that he means growth and prosperity for the future generation He is not interested in petty politics, but rather growth-oriented changes, with a vision on how to improve the lives of ordinary citizens
GST 2 0 is an example of his bold strategy of not accepting any bullying techniques by the US president In the heart of Mr Modi, ordinary Indians are always the top priority He wants to use the technology fruitfully so that all the people from rural as well as urban areas can take advantage of the same He wants to cut inefficiency in the administration and bring more transparency in day-to-day office work, which is required by the common man
Rationalising the tax structure will support the businesses as well, so they can concentrate more on the actual business without worrying too much about the admin side of it An innovative and simple tax structure will support growth by reducing costs and increasing domestic consumption, which is needed to withstand the tariff war
The era of indecision is over One has to have a futuristic outlook, keeping in mind the aspirations of the younger generation Today’s youth is more interested in transparency, speed and ease of doing business, which Mr Modi’s vision can provide
Hitesh Hingu
Save birds from declining
Bird populations in India are declining due to exposed electrical wires, mobile towers, and poor management Highvoltage lines and tower collisions pose lethal threats
U n l i k e c o u n t r i e s l i k e G e r m a n y w i t h u n d e r g r o u n d wiring, India lacks safeguards We must act cover cables, regulate towers, and manage urban planning better To save birds from declining, we must focus on habitat conservation, reducing threats like window collisions and pesticide use, and creating bird-friendly environments
This includes planting native species, providing food and water sources, and keeping cats indoors Addressing climate change and supporting sustainable practices are also crucial
Jubel D'Cruz
Reach newspapers face 600 job losses amid AI and digital shift
R ea ch , p u b li s h er o f t h e
M irror, Exp ress , S tar, and n u m er o u s reg io n al t it les i nc lu d i ng th e M a nc he st er Ev ening News, Birmingham M ail, and Li verpoo l Ech o, h as put 60 0 jobs at risk in its latest restructure Th e mov e r ef lec ts sh if ti ng re ad e r h a bi ts , d e cl in i ng ad r ev -
e nu e s, an d th e g r o w in g im pact of artificial intelli-
g en ce o n n ew s c on su m ption
Of the roles at risk, 321
a r e e d i t o r i a l p o s i t i o n s
A d d i t i o n a l r o l e s a f f e c t e d stem from a commercial and production restructure and
t h e c r e a t i o n o f a c e n t r a l sports hub, announced in July, which will serve both national and regional out-
l e t s T h e p u b l i s h e r a l s o plans to create 135 new roles, prioritising staff whose jobs are at risk
C h i e f c o n t e n t o f f i c e r
David Higgerson described the reorganisation as “the biggest we ’ ve ever undertaken, ” aiming to shift towards video, audio, and live news, while realigning resources to match ambitions New chief executive Piers North highlighted plans to expand digital subscriptions, along-
s i d e R e a c h ’ s c o n t i n u e d reliance on advertising, following a 3 4% revenue drop in the first half of the year
Imam jailed for sexually abusing four children
A N e w h a m co m m u n it y
lea der has bee n sen ten ce d to 10 ye ar s in prison for sexua lly assa ult ing four child re n over n ea rly a de ca de Qari Sher Mohammad, 6 1 , o
, Forest Gate, abused his position of trust while working
C h a t h a m , Kent Between March 2014 and October 2016, he inappropriately touched a young g
mosque duties The victim reported the abuse in 2018 M o h a m
and interviewed in April of t
charged at the time due to
impact on the child
Between May 2022 and December 2023, Mohammad t
children He was arrested on December 11, charged with sexual touching of a child,
6 counts at Canterbury Crown Court in March
n Friday, September 12, to 10 years in prison and will be
subject to a five-year Sexual
upon release
D
Conor Middleton of Kent Police said: “This man was in a position of authority
immense courage by reporting his actions, and I commend them and their parents for assisting our investigation Mohammad is now s e r v i n g a p r i s o n s e n t e n c e and should reflect on the i m p a c t o f h i s a c t i o n s o n these vulnerable victims ”
Fraudster jailed for £1.3m Heathrow parking scam
A fra u d s ter w h o d u p ed trav ellers ou t of more than £1 3 million through a fake Heath ro w ai rp o rt p arki ng business has been sentenced to 3 2 m onths in p rison
S o n n y K a u s h a l , 3 7 , director of Airtime Parking
L t d , w a s a l s o o r d e r e d t o r e p a y o v e
following an investigation
The Assisted Dying Bill: A Swinging Pendulum
Lord Dolar Popat
With both sides of the political ideological spectrum still bitterly divided over The Assisted Dying Bill, tensions and nervousness have certainly begun to increase considering the progress of the bill
Having crossed its first hurdle, the Assisted Dying Bill has passed through the House of Commons and now resides in the fate of the Lords
Last week, in the House of Lords the second reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill took place Spanning over the course of two full days, Peers came together to scrutinise the bill and share their thoughts
This bill is simply not a matter of political ideology, it is one that reflects a deep personal stance to all who engage with it One’s beliefs on the bill are influenced by cultural, religious, and moral factors If the bill successfully makes it through the House of Lords, it will usher one of the greatest social changes Modern Britain has ever seen in the 21st Century
For us British Hindus, this bill presents something profoundly difficult to comprehend The complexities of the bill make it particularly challenging to come to a steadfast decision For me, my culture and faith guide me in everything I do and part of this is believing that one must not disturb the timing of the cycle of life and death
An ideal death in our faith is a conscious one Which means the bill interferes with one ’ s ability to pass in this desired way
The intricacy of the bill means it becomes intertwined with personal experiences, faith, and religion All of which are influencing factors into which side of the fence we sit on I do believe we should all pay our duties and that our soul and body should go at a time that is natural Yet it would be selfish of me to assume that this is the path every individual would choose, particularly in m o m e n t s o f o v e r w h e l
p h y s i c a l s
f e r i n g Ultimately, one can only make such a choice when they find themselves confronted with it
Publishers are increasi n g l y d i v e r
streams as AI tools such as G
i c kthroughs by up to 90% The N
Journalists expressed con-
rounds of redundancies
Between 2022 and 2023, Reach cut nearly 800 jobs, marking one of the largest annual losses in UK newspaper history At the end of 2 0 2
3 , 5 0 0 staff, down from a peak of 5,500 in 2018
b y H
trading standards team He a d m i t t e d o n e c
n t o f fraudulent trading and two counts of engaging in unfair
c o m m e r c i a l p
i c e s a t Isleworth Crown Court on Tuesday
A i r t i m e P a r k i n g h a d been advertised as offering “ s a f e a n d s e c u r e ” v e h i c l e storage with CCTV, 24-hour patrols, and premium valet, p a r k - a n d - r i d e s e r v i c e s capable of accommodating 1 , 0 0 0 c a r s I n r e a l i t y , customers’ vehicles were left
i n i n s e c u r e l o c a t i o n s , including a field in Datchet,
r o a d s i d e s t r e e t s i n H i l l i n g d o n , a n i n d u s t r i a l estate, and even Heathrow’s short-stay car park Some
v e h i c l e s w e r e d a m a g e d , r e c e i v e d p a r k i n g f i n e s , o r
h a d k e y s l o s t , w h i l e
c u s t o m e r s f a c e d e x t r a
c h a r g e s , m i s
u t t l e services, and unresponsive staff Judge HHJ Edmunds KC said Kaushal “hid behind a m a s k o f i g n o r a n c e a n d i n c o m p e t e n c e ” t o j u s t i f y running companies in ways that disregarded legal and c o m m e r c i a l n o r m s , concealing his dishonesty
K a u s h a l w a s a l s o
o r d e r e d t o p a y £ 3 , 0 5 3 i n compensation and £14,320
i n c o s t s a n d h a s b e e n
b a n n e d f r o m a c t i n g a s a
c o m p a n y d i r e c t o r f o r 1 0 years He has three months
t o p a y t h e c o n f i s c a t i o n order of £708,606, with a risk of five more years in prison for default
Prince Harry meets father King Charles after year apart
Pr ince Ha rry met his fa ther , Kin g Char le s, a t C lar en ce House in Lon don, their fir st inpe rson me etin g sin ce Fe br uary 20 24 Buckingham Palace said the private tea lasted around 50 minutes Afterwards, Harry told reporters, “Yes, he s great ” The meeting is viewed as a step toward mending their strained relationship and rebuilding trust
T h e K i n g t r a v e l e d f r o m S c o t l a n d t o
London on Wednesday, while Prince Harry, based in the US since 2020, has been in the UK this week for charity events Harry had expressed a desire to reconcile in a May BBC interview, saying, “I would love a reconciliation with my family ” Their last meeting was soon after the King’s cancer diagnosis last year Although Harry has visited the UK for court cases and
other events, he had not seen his father until now The Palace said it would not comment further on the private 50-minute meeting H a r r y , w h o l i v e s i n C a l i f o r n i a w i t h Meghan and their children, held charity events in London and Nottingham during his visit He has previously expressed frustration at not being able to speak with his father, saying in a BBC interview, “There's no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious ” T h e m e
a t t e m p t s t o m
t h e f a m
l y r i f t , a f t e r Palace and Harry representatives were photographed together in July in what was dubbed a “ peace summit ” There were no signs of Harry meeting Prince William, with the brothers keeping separate schedules
Throughout my many years as a Member of the House of Lords, I must say the lobbying around this bill – whether in support or opposition, has been excessive It simply portrays the deep philosophical and moral passions members of our community and wider society hold
The voices in the chamber last Friday carried far more than the usual conversations in Westminster For each Peer I sensed in the chamber how truly passionate each one felt Our former Prime Minister, The RT Hon The Baroness May of Maidenhead opposed the bill and described it as ‘ a license to kill’ In addition, My Noble friend, The Right Honourable Lord Polak spoke out to say that over 20 years ago he was given 6 months to live Providing the foundational basis for his opposition to the bill
Prevalent concerns throughout the debate included how the bill would operate in practice, particularly in relation to how the most vulnerable in society would be affected It is already known that towards the end of life many individuals face the deeply human and spiritual challenge of loneliness Thus, the question remains of how the legislation would be facilitated towards this problem
Whatever belief we may hold, it is crucial we pay close attention to the debate surrounding the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill Engaging with arguments from both perspectives allows us to sharpen our judgement and critical thinking skills To form conclusions that are informed and grounded in principle
We are grateful to all letter writers for more and more versatile letters well within word limit
Please keep contributing as always. If you are new, then write to anusha at anusha singh@abplgroup com
Disclaimer
The views, thoughts and opinions expressed by our readers, letter writers and columnists are solely their own They do not reflect the views or policies of our publication While we encourage open dialogue and diversity of opinion, Asian Voice / Gujarat Samachar is not responsible for the views expressed
Qari Sher Mohammad
K A P I L’S K H I C H A D I
(Dis)Unite the Kingdom?
They say that on Satu rday 13 th Septem ber some 15000 0 peo ple (tho ugh some estim ate this fig ure to be as hig h as 3 50 000 ) came out to vent their concerns about a range o f issues including illeg al migrants, taxes, energ y co sts, grooming gang s, ho using , crime, and the economy
The protest march orchestrated by Tommy Robinson would not normally get such traction However, the Prime Ministers’ betrayal on core issues, and the government’s incompetence on many national issues meant that people with concerns got an opportunity to protest under the flag of the nation We have witnessed Labour Councils refusing to fly the national flag and the Union Jack And when Starmer said he’ll smash the gangs, one year on and it seems the gangs have smashed Starmer
Let's get one thing straight upfront - I don't support Tommy Robinson or his ilk This does not mean that at times he does not raise a legitimate issue or have something important to say - e g Pakistani grooming gangs etc
As far as Unite the Kingdom protest march is concerned, most media attempted to show that it was all 'far-right' and mostly 'violent' Both of those assertions being totally wrong
Most people on the march were ordinary Brits And many were women, granddads and grannies etc Yes, there were far-right nutters whose only wish was to create problems But let’s be honest, let’s compare what happened yesterday with the Notting Hill Carnival
The figures are as I have them today It’s clear from the above which of the two is bad for London, yet many in the media and politicians on the left wanted to paint everyone on the Unite the Kingdom march as racists If we persist in delivering two-tier policing, two-tier news, two-tier governance – is it any wonder the masses are saying, enough is enough
Violence in all its forms is to be rejected but let us also tell the truth The responsibility rests with our media, commentators and politicians to tell the truth Lying will lead to anarchy And anarchy will lead to civil disobedience And civil disobedience is the beginning of the end of a nation united
My concern is very simple The relatively small number of farright nutters who still exist want any excuse to vent their violent frustrations And when they do, they will target anyone who looks like a Muslim (yes, no one wants to tell it as it is) Their immediate target will be the Muslim community, but please remember, these numptees are not very intelligent They will target everyone who looks like a Muslim And hate and discrimination is often indiscriminate, and Hindus, Sikhs, Jains will all be targets Mosques, Gurdwaras and Hindu Mandirs will all be targets And let’s not forget their traditional enemy, the Jewish community who will also be targets
For several decades politicians on the left have pandered to the Islamists This has led to them not only protecting the likes of the Pakistani grooming gangs, but as more information becomes available, it seems some politicians and even the cops took part in these heinous crimes against white vulnerable women and girls
The Tories failed to deliver on their promise of sorting out illegal migrants and grooming gangs Again, because we had gutless leaders and Tory MPs who are more akin to the Labour right then being a true-blue Conservative
Is it any wonder that Nigel Farage and Reform are doing so well in the polls? All Farage had to do was tell the voters that all illegal migrants will be thrown out as soon as possible Yes, so simple And this nonsense of not being able to do it legally has always been a wet excuse The British can opt out of any international treaty that infringes its national sovereignty We can kiss the ECHR goodbye with great ease, the only thing missing was the will to make it happen Reform is in a perfect place; they are the only party that does not have a good or a bad track record They just don’t have any record, which ironically is their USP Their message on illegal migration has been loud and clear, and it resonates with the ordinary Brit from the left, the right and the centre
The Unite the Kingdom protest march is in my view the final warning to not just the politicians, but to the nation itself If we don’t see seismic changes to national policies soon, I fear the madness that it will unleash will impact and affect the good law-abiding LEGAL migrants Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, who are the most integrated and the most contributory ethnic groups are likely to suffer the most
In my view, to save this nation we need the Labour government to collapse as soon as possible Starmer represents the best they have, and he is a failure The rest are all left and far left comrades who will be pandering to the extremists The Tories are finally waking up, but can the public trust them again? And that leaves just Reform UK And let me make my position clear, I am not in the Farage camp, and on any other day I don’t believe this nation would be in the Farage camp either However, given the state of play we have today, I can see why voters may well place their trust in Reform Will the Unite the Kingdom protest march unite the people? Will it unite them to bring to power Reform? And if they do, are we sure we will end up with a ‘United’ Kingdom, or will Disunity be the real winner?
US President Donald Trump arrives in the UK for historic second state visit
and UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves
“Transatlantic Taskforce” to deepen
Business leaders including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and OpenAI’s
forums Google confirmed it would invest £5 billion ($6 8 billion) in the UK, including a new data centre out-
services
A Downing Street spokesperson d
opportunity” at “ a crucial time for global stability and security ”
Yet the trip is already overshadowed by controversy Mandelson’s dismissal over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has cast a diplomatic shadow, raising awkw a r d q u e s t i o n s a b o u t S t
’ s judgment and potential discomfort for Trump, who has faced scrutiny over his own past association with Epstein The episode is expected to
loom over Thursday’s meeting at C h e q u e r s , t h
i m e m i n
p
t e r ’ s country retreat, where the two leaders will discuss tariffs on steel and a l u m i n i u m , U k r a i n e ’ s w a r w i t h Russia, and the ongoing crisis in Gaza
Protests are expected as criticism o f T r u m p ’ s p o l i c i e s a n d r h e t o r i c mounts in the UK The Stop Trump Coalition staged a demonstration in W i n d s o r o n T u e s d a y a n d p l a n s a n o t h e r i n c e n t r a l L o n d o n o n Wednesday
W r i t i n g i n T h e G u a r d i a n ,
London Mayor Sadiq Khan accused Trump of doing more than anyone else in recent years to “fan the flames of divisive, far-right politics around the world ” Khan described the US president’s domestic use of the military and targeting of minorities as “straight out of the autocrat’s playbook ”
While acknowledging the pragmatic need for strong UK–US ties, Khan argued that Britain should not shy away from criticising a leader who has “perhaps done the most to fan the flames of divisive, far-right politics ”
spectacle Continued from page 1
He added that the special rela-
tionship “includes being open and honest with each other,” noting that this sometimes requires being a critical friend and speaking truth to power Khan previously clashed with Trump during the president’s first state visit in 2019 O n T u e s d a y , a r o u n d 7 0 protesters gathered outside Windsor Castle for the start of
series of
peacefully marched from Windsor
Henry VIII gateway
Security preparations have been
potential disruptions Trump will be
State Marco Rubio, who is scheduled to hold talks with newly appointed UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper For Starmer, the stakes are high: he must use the optics of royal ceremony and US investment to steady his premiership after weeks of political missteps, even as protests and past scandals threaten to overshad-
Angela Rayner faces £56,500 stamp duty bill
Angela Rayner, the former d ep uty prime m inister, faces a potential bill of up to £ 56,500 for failing to pay full stamp duty on a second home in Hove, East Sussex
When she purchased the property in May, she paid £30,000 instead of the required £70,000 Additional costs include £1,000 in interest and a likely penalty of £6,000–£12,000 for “careless behaviour ” If Rayner cannot pay the full sum within 30 days, HMRC could offer a repayment plan of up to 24 months, during which interest would continue to accrue Her finances have been strained by her breach of the ministerial code and subsequent resignation, which c u t h e r s a l a r y f r o m £ 1 6 1 , 4 0
£93,904 Her mortgage repayments of roughly £3,500 per month would leave her with a take-home pay of
around £5,300, down from about £8,000
Tax specialists predict the penal-
£12,000 Patrick Cannon, a stamp duty lawyer, noted that HMRC usu-
ments if a taxpayer demonstrates cash flow issues, though interest continues to accrue Rayner’s team has declined to comment on whether she will accept her £16,876 severance, which she
reporters last week: “I am working with expert lawyers and with HMRC to resolve the matter and pay what is due
plan, the total cost, including inter-
£56,500 Questions may also arise over Rayner and other trustees’ handling of her son ’ s trust, which purchased her remaining share of her family home in Ashton-under-Lyne for £162,500
Lawyers warn islamophobia definition could hinder police
A formal def inition of Is lam ophobia being devel oped by minis ters
lawyer ha s warned Tom Cross KC said the proposed definition, set up by Angela Rayner b
prime minister on September 5, might
despite ministers insisting it would be “non-statutory ” The working group was established to advise on “ appro-
describing prejudice and discrimination against Muslims
C
legal action if Steve Reed, the new c
with the definition Lord Young of Acton, from the Free Speech Union, said: “We have put the government on notice that we won’t hesitate to bring legal action Any attempt to trespass on the jurisdiction of agencies like the Equality and Human Rights Commission would be unlawful
A legal opinion from Cross argued the definition could infringe on the powers of bodies such as the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Sentencing Council A Labour s
“complete nonsense from an activist lawyer ” A government spokesman said, “We would not accept any definition of anti-Muslim hatred which stops c
and
Kapil Dudakia
Donald Trump
Peter Mandelson
Sadiq Khan
Angela Rayner
Unite the Kingdom or fall apart?
Yet experts warn that while anxieties are mounting, the facts behind migration patterns and their economic and social impact are often far more complex than the rhetoric suggests
Rh etorics at play
Immigration has long been a complex policy issue in the UK
But in recent years it has shifted from policy-debate to political battleground Across parties and leaders, immigration is now used as a tool to draw contrasts between politicians and tap into public anxieties, to signal being “tough” to voters who feel economic, cultural or community pressures and to define identity: who belongs, who is “ us, ” who is “them ”
According to a new report, UK media and politicians are fuelling hostility towards immigrants through the language they use, with people of colour disproportionately portrayed as outsiders
The Runnymede Trust analysed more than 63 million words from 52,990 news articles and 317 House of Commons debates on immigration between 2019 and the July 2024 general election It found that the rhetoric has contributed to “reactionary politics and backlash against antiracism which has emboldened the far right in this country ”
The report, A Hostile Environment: Language, Race, Surveillance and the Media, shows that “illegal” has become the defining term linked with migrants and immigrants and used even more frequently in the 2019–24 period than between 2010–14 Researchers said this reinforces the perception of migration as inherently unlawful
Since 2014, hostile environment policies have also “expanded and normalised the surveillance state” through laws, data sharing and reporting measures, the study claims
Filtering immigration-related terms in the news by nationality, “Chinese” and “Indian” ranked highly, particularly in UK-focused reporting “Overwhelmingly, when the UK news media represents immigrants, the image invoked is of an ethnically minoritised person, ” the report said Parliamentary debates revealed similar trends While “illegal,” “tackle,” and “reduce” dominated migration discussions, MPs were more sympathetic when discussing Ukrainians, using words such as “guest” and “brave ”
“Racist discourse from the highest levels of UK society, including politicians and the media, is used to frame immigration as an existential threat to the British way of life this works to justify ever more hostile immigration policies ” the report concluded
Starmer’s infamous “island of strangers” speech stands as a glaring symbol of this disconnect Even in the aftermath of the recent protest, he tried to reclaim the moral high ground, posting on X, “Britain is a nation proudly built on tolerance, diversity and respect Our flag represents our
diverse country and we will never surrender it to those that use it as a symbol of violence, fear and division ” Ironic, isn’t it?
Meanwhile, Parliament echoed with speeches condemning the far right and denouncing the open displays of racism on London’s streets Yet one cannot help but feel this outrage comes far too late, an afterthought, when the damage is already done
Net migration is falling, so why is rage mounting?
Despite the drumbeat of headlines and rising public unease over immigration, the reality is strikingly different: fewer people are actually coming to the UK This goes further to prove that the issue is political Official figures show net migration fell by half in 2024 and is expected to decline further as tougher visa rules take hold Health and care visas, once a lifeline for an overstretched NHS, have dropped sharply Humanitarian routes are closing too fewer Ukrainians are escaping the war, and Afghans fleeing the Taliban have seen doors slammed shut with the closure of the Afghan scheme Student migration, often caricatured as an unchecked flood, is also shrinking
Applications in August were down 1 5% on 2024 and a staggering 18% compared with 2023
Meanwhile, the fixation on small boats and asylum seekers obscures the truth: they make up less than 5% of arrivals The largest group is students, nearly half of all newcomers, who cannot settle permanently but pay hefty fees and later join the workforce
Skilled workers are the second largest, accounting for 20%, with dependants at 11%
A Home Office report linked some visa types granted between 2019 and 2023 to Pay As You Earn (PAYE) records for the 2023-24 financial year Most visa holders recorded earnings, and those without records had likely already left the country Importantly, work is not limited to those on employment visas: nearly half of people on family visas (48%) reported PAYE earnings, excluding self-employed individuals
Dependants, often a focus in immigration debates, are also frequently in work PAYE data shows 67% of health and care worker dependants, 45% of skilled worker dependants, and 25% of senior or specialist visa dependants earned income
Adjusting for those who have left the country increases these figures By contrast, newly arrived refugees and humanitarian visa
holders are the least likely to be employed, with roughly 28% in work
Employment figures challenge the narrative too The Migration Observatory at Oxford notes that while employment data is patchy and varies by visa type, recent migrants’ job rates are “not far off existing residents or longstanding migrants ” And their earnings grow quickly: by 2024, the median non-EU migrant earned as much, or more, than the typical UK worker The numbers tell a quieter, inconvenient story
Shrimoyee Chakraborty, who moved to the UK 14 years ago for her master’s and is now an entrepreneur based in Brussels, took to Instagram to voice her
frustrations over the protest She said, “I paid three times the cost of education that you would pay After I paid that, in order to apply for a job, I had to make sure I got a job paying more than £35,000 back in those days so that a company would sponsor my visa I couldn’t just apply for any job, right? So again, I had to earn £35,000 a year, which meant I had to work much harder than everybody else and pay a lot more taxes
“And lest I forget, every time I had to apply for my visas, the government took thousands of pounds from me Then I became an entrepreneur in the UK, I employed people, like many other Indians, and I created jobs I paid my taxes because someone like me has to pay taxes I barely use the NHS, and my child goes to a private school, so I don’t even take up free education And it’s not just me, there are many people like me
“Finally, I think you ’ re forgetting your history a little bit England colonised the whole world, where you did not migrate legally You came, took our wealth, took our money, took everything, and left And then, when you had to fight the World War, you had to call us immigrants back to help you
Also, you don’t have enough doctors; most of the doctors in the UK, as well as bankers and other high tax-paying people, are immigrants I hope you remember that when you ’ re protesting about it ”
Alba Kapoor, R ac ial Jus tic e Lead at Amn es ty International said, The devastating tidal wave of racist sentiment which has been fuelled by a number of farright actors with the backing of foreign billionaires, and the scenes in the middle of our capital last week must act as a major wake up call to this government There is an urgent need for a reset in our national debate - away from dangerous and irresponsible rhetoric coupled by misinformation and hostile migration policies We encourage Ministers to back their words up with action: tackling racist violence must finally be made a priority " So, do recent migrants impose a long-term cost on the UK, as Farage has claimed? Current evidence suggests this is unlikely Most new arrivals do not immediately enter the school system and contribute to NHS funding, while the majority work and pay taxes, indicating they are unlikely to cost more than other residents
Cabinet ministers call for stronger minority protections
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has condemned rising racism and homophobia as being “laughably” mischaracterised as free speech, calling for a stronger defence of minorities from the government Speaking to the LGBT Foundation on Monday, Streeting addressed what he called “the elephant in the room, ” acknowledging growing concerns over whether the current administration is truly supportive of marginalised communities
Reflecting on far-right protests over the weekend, he said, “These are not the kinds of scenes any of us want to see in our country ” Streeting highlighted the specific fears faced by Black and Asian communities, describing an “increasingly visible tide of racism” that hides behind national symbols and falsely claims to champion free speech “Free speech, that is, unless that freedom includes the right to worship a different God, march through central London protesting atrocities in Gaza, or
just walk down Oxford Street without being verbally abused or having your hijab torn off,” he said Streeting also raised concerns about the safety of trans people, noting that “trans people in our country today feel less safe than they did 10 years ago ” He stressed the importance of respectful debate, saying: “We’ve got to be able to have debate and disagreement, and we ’ ve got to be able to do it well, because otherwise what happens is division is exploited, our country becomes polarised ” The comments, some of the strongest from a cabinet minister, came amid a weekend of public unrest Shabana Mahmood, Britain’s first female Muslim Home Secretary, also spoke out, asserting, “You can be English and look like me ” Speaking to Parliament on Monday, she condemned the violence, saying, “Those who turned to violence on Saturday do not represent who this country really is,” and added, “We are, in truth, a tolerant country and, yes, we are a diverse one, too ”
Union jacks and onion bhajias
Amid chants of “reclaim th e cou ntry, ” far-right protesters draped in Union Jacks were spo tted tucking i nto Indian street fo od
Videos circulating online show demonstrators buying naan wraps and crispy onion bhajias from a stall labelled “Indian Street Food,” sparking widespread debate on social media Many users questioned the credibility of the protesters’ message, while others
highlighted the irony of far-right activists enjoying the very cuisine often associated with the communities they claim to oppose The clips underline the reality of Britain’s cultural diversity, where Indian food has long been woven into the national mainstream With curry widely regarded as a national dish, the scenes raise the question: how do individuals protesting immigration reconcile
their love for a cuisine brought to Britain by immigrants themselves?
Social media reactions have ranged from humour to outright ridicule, as the videos expose the contradictions within the farright movement In a country shaped by centuries of migration, these moments highlight the complex relationship between nationalism and cultural appreciation
Continued from page 1
Shrimoyee Chakraborty
Alba Kapoor
Shabana Mahmood Wes Streeting
South Asian Muslim women in sport and physical activity
S p o rt En g land ’ s g ro u nd breaki ng
T his Girl C an was launched on 10
S ept with a p owerful new camp aig n, We L ike the Way You M ove,
re de fini ng w h at w o m en g etti ng activ e lo oks like and champio ning
u nd er-represented g roup s, including So uth A sian Muslim wom en
T h i r t e e n s t r e e t - c a s t w o m e n from across England take centre
s t a g e i n t h e T V a d v e r t , s h o w n moving in ways that reflect their real lives – from family bike rides, dancing in the kitchen and pregnancy yoga, to wheelchair rugby, boxing and walking football
Soundtracked by a reimagined version of the BodyRockers’ iconic track I Like the Way, the campaign comes as a new study reveals how far the world of sport and physical activity still has to go in representing all women
Using AI-powered analysis of over 4,000 publicly available photos from sports clubs, community centres, parks, gyms, swimming pools and other leisure facilities across England, sourced via Google Maps, the study found that Black w o m e n , S o u t h A s i a n w o m e n , w o m e n w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s , o l d e r women and pregnant women are almost entirely erased from the picture of sport and physical activity presented online
F i n d i n g s f r o m t h e a n a l y s i s included that women of colour were virtually invisible Out of 8,559 women pictured, only 61 were South Asian, despite South Asian women making up 6 8% of t h e p o p u l a t i o n ( 2 0 2 1 C e n s u s data) Almost half of these images were confined to London-based f a c i l i t i e s , w i t h e n t i r e r e g i o n s showing next to no representation of women of colour
Despite being unseen in the w o r l
c a l activity, data from Sport England reveals that South Asian Muslim women would feel more welcome if they were offered women-only sessions (47%), if there was flexibility with clothing/ dress (31%), a
understand their needs (25%)
sleep, social connection, and self-
incentives for engaging in physi-
Muslim women
K a t e D a l e , D i r e c t o r o f
Marketing at This Girl Can and Sport England, said, “A picture is worth a thousand words, and our findings show that some South
activity spaces that should welcome them making it harder to feel they belong When excluded, they miss out on the physical, m e n t a l , a n d s o c i a l b e n e f i t
c h
p e n s health inequalities Truly inclusive spaces allow everyone to find
activities that work for them, and while This Girl Can has inspired over four million women to get active in the past decade, inequality persists We are here for the women left behind, and together w
what being active looks like ”
Yashmin Harun is Founder and Chair of Muslimah Sports Association, said, “South Asian Muslim women have long faced barriers to being active – from a
limited flexibility with clothing
Association and other communi-
show how, when provided with
women are motivated to overcome their barriers and get active
With This Girl Can’s We Like the Way You Move campaign highlighting what South Asian Muslim women need, it’s an exciting time
where we can move, belong, and thrive on our own terms ” To find out more, visit https://www thisgirlcan co uk/move
Bodhana Sivanandan: The youngest female to beat a chess grandmaster
Bo d hana Si vanand an, a 1 0 -yearo ld British ch ess prodig y of Indian h eritage, mad e history o n Sunday by def eati ng Grandm aster P eter Wells in th e final round o f the 2025 British C hess C h am pi onshi ps i n L iverpo ol At 10 years, fiv e mo nths, and th ree d ays, she is now th e yo u nges t fem ale ev er to beat a g rand master, surpassing A merican C arissa Y ip ’ s record of 1 0 years and 1 1 months set in 2019
B o d h a n a , a W o m a n F I D E Master, has roots in Trichy, Tamil
N a d u H e r f a t h e r , S i v a n a n d a n Velayutham, an IT professional, moved the family to London in 2007, where Bodhana was born and raised Despite her young age,
she has quickly become a rising star in British chess
H e r e x c e p t i o n a l t a l e n t w a s recognised early: at just eight years old, she was invited to 10 Downing Street in August 2023, where thenPrime Minister Rishi Sunak was preparing to announce a financial package to support chess in the U K B o d h a n a ’ s v i c t o r y m a r k s another milestone in her meteoric rise and highlights her as one of the brightest young talents in the global chess scene
Gender identity influences views on equality, study finds
A ne w Br it is h S o c i al A tt it u d es ( BS A) repo rt sho w s that g end er i d e nti ty is m o re s ig n if i can t f o r w omen than men, and that people w itho ut high er education are more li kely to des cribe th em selv es as strongly masculine or feminine
The survey found that 66% of w o m e n s a i d b e i n g f e m a l e w a s “extremely” or “ very ” important to h o w t h e y s e e t h e m s e l v e s , c o mpared with 52% of men who felt the s a m e a b o u t b e i n g m a l e Respondents were asked to selfreport how central their gender identity is to their sense of self
Among those identified as male, 13 s
none of those identified as female self-identified as men Older adults and those without degree-level education were more likely to feel strongly aligned with traditional gender roles Less than a third of men under 35 described t h e m s e l v e s a s v e r y m a s c u
i n e , compared with 41% of men over 35 Among women, 35% of younger participants felt very feminine, vers u s 4 6 % o f o
n Education also mattered: 44% of men without qualifications reported feeling very masculine, compared with 31% of degree-holders; for women, the figures were 49% versus 36%
NICE urges fertility clinics to stop offering unproven treatments
Bo th NH S a nd p ri v at e fer ti li ty clinics are being adv ised to stop offering unproven “add -on ” treatments that do no t im prov e the chances of having a baby, under draft g uidelines from the National In st i tu te f o r H ea lth an d C are Excellence ( NIC E)
y warns against procedures such as e n d o m
healthy semen, and endometrial
e c e p t i v i t y t e s t i n g E x p e r t s s a y these interventions can create false h o p e a n d s u b j e c t p a t i e n t s t o unnecessary procedures during an already challenging time
A s u r v e y b y t h e H u m a n
F e r t i l i s a t i o n a n d E m b r y o l o g y
A u t h o r i t y f o u n d n e a r l y t h r e equarters of people undergoing fert i l i t y t r e a t m e n t b e t w e e n September and October 2024 used a d d - o n s , y e t o n l y 3 7 % r e p o r t e d being informed of the associated r i s k s N I C E a l s o r e c o m m e n d s widening access to fertility preser-
vation services such as egg, sperm, or embryo freezing for patients at r i s k o f f
endometriosis, those undergoing s u r g e r y
organs, and people with genetic or metabolic conditions
T
three full cycles for women under 40 and one full cycle for women aged 40–41, provided they meet clinical criteria Funding, however, i
care boards
Dr Fergus Macbeth, chair of NICE’s fertility guideline committee, said, “People undergoing fertility treatment are vulnerable to u
should focus on treatments we know work to protect patients and maximise their chances of success ” The draft guidelines are open for public consultation until 21 October, with final recommendations due in 2026
Arundhati Roy reveals complex relationship with mother
Arund hati Roy’ s “ imperious” and “cruel” mother, who d ied in 2022, was the autho r ’ s mo st compelling subject Alth oug h Roy d ed icated The God of S mall Things to h er, she had nev er written abo ut h er until now
H e r m e m o i r , M o t h e r M a r y
Comes to Me, reveals the emotiona l a n d p h y s i c a l c r u e l t y s h e endured Roy recalls her mother, M a r y , a t t e m p t i n g t o a b o r t h e r pregnancy, mocking her as a child, calling her a “bitch” at nine, and saying she was a “millstone around my neck ” She grew up in India with her older brother while their father was absent and alcoholic
Despite her mother’s cruelty, Roy said she was “heart-smashed” by her death and puzzled by the intensity of her grief Her brother n o t e d , “ S h e t r e a t e d n o b o d y a s b a d l y a s s h e t r e a t e d y o u ” R o y wrote that she had “constructed myself around her” and felt unanchored after her passing I n s t e a d o f a c o n v e n t i o n a l memorial, she planted a grove of banana trees, ginger, chilli, pepper, ferns, and orchids, with a stone slab reading: “Beloved Mary Roy,
D r e a m e r W a r r i o r T e a c h e r 07 11 1933 – 01 09 2022 Founder
P a l l i k o o d a m ” S h e o m i t t e d t h e word “mother” intentionally, saying she wanted to honor her mother for what she valued, not motherhood itself
Roy, 63, of New Delhi, said she
was wary of Western ideologies that demonize mothers “It’s okay if mothers are difficult,” she said, noting she understood her mothe r ’ s s t r u g g l e s f r o m c h i l d h o o d Mary Roy, however, was admired publicly: she founded a school in Kerala, Pallikoodam, and won a 1986 Supreme Court case securing equal inheritance rights for Syrian Christian women R o y , w h o l e f t h o m e a t 1 6 , stressed her memoir focuses on their complex relationship rather than biography or therapy “The challenge was can I convey that you cannot have a neat opinion about this woman?” she said The title references the Beatles, whose music she listened to as a teen, and she keeps a bookmark with her mother’s final words: “There is no one in the world whom I have loved more than you ” Arundhati Roy
The study also linked gender
issues “Hyper-feminine” individuals were less supportive of equal parental leave and adoption rights
those with androgynous identities
Susan Banducci, co-author of the report, said: “Traditional gender norms remain deeply embedded, but younger and more educated groups show signs of change How society interprets masculinity and femininity continues to shape
Long Covid tied
to heavier periods in women
W om e n w i th l on g C ov i d ma y experi ence longer, heavier periods, increasing the ri sk of iron defi ci enc y and worse nin g c ommon s ymptoms, doc tors say
A UK survey of over 12,000 women found symptom severity fluctuated across the menstrual cycle and worsened during periods Early tests showed hormonal changes and inflammation of the womb lining, though ovary function appeared unaffected The study suggests a two-way
link: long Covid can affect perio d s , w h i l e m e n s t r u a l c y c l e changes may influence symptom severity Dr Jacqueline Maybin of the University of Edinburgh said the findings could help develop treatments for women with long C o v i d a n d m e n s t r u a l d i s t u rbances Worldwide, around 400 million people have or have had l o n g C o v i d , i n c l u d i n g n e a r l y 2 m
n d r e p o
i n g symptoms lasting four weeks or more
Yashmin Harun Kate Dale
Bodhana Sivanandan
Freebourne blends futuristic tech with a gripping murder mystery
Asian Voice spoke to British Asian politician and journalist Salman Shaheen about his new debut book ‘Freebourne’
Subhasini Naicker
S et in a near-fu ture English town, ‘Freebou rne ’ is a specu lativ e murder m ystery th at fuses a tense th riller with p ro fo u nd q ues ti
f re e w i ll a nd th e rap i d adv ance of technology
It will be published by Roundfire Books, the fiction imprint of Collective Ink, on October 28
How did the idea for‘ Freebourne’ first come to you?
I’ve always loved speculative fiction, the grounded kind found in Black Mirror or Kazuo Ishiguro’s ‘Never Let Me Go’, where a near future feels familiar but is subtly altered by technology
T h a t s m a l l s h
e
m e explore big questions: What defines human nature? Are we shaped by birth or society? How does technology change who we are? As a politician, I’m drawn to stories that blend philosophy and politics, and I wanted to
c a p t u r e t h o s e i d e a s i n
‘Freebourne’, set in an idyllic English town of the near future Years ago, I was the literature editor of Varsity,
t h e s t u d e n t n
I i n t e r v i e w e d o n e o f m y heroes, Jill Paton Walsh She said the best way to weave serious themes into a book was through a gripping mystery That advice stayed with m e , a n d o n e m o r n i n g a l l those influences, technolog y , p h i l o s o p h y , p o l i t i c s , clicked together, along with a twist I can’t reveal but which I hope will surprise
r e a d e r s T h a t ’ s h o w ‘Freebourne’ was born How did you balance realworld detail with the book’s speculative AI and tech elements?
‘Freebourne’ is set in a very near future that feels real and familiar I grew up i n a q u i e t r u r a l t o w n i n Suffolk, and I wanted read-
e r s t o e x p e r i e n c e
F r e e b o u r n e m u c h a s m y p r o t a g o n i s t , D r H a r r y Coulson, does, an ordinary
E n g l i s h t o w n w h e r e l i f e moves at a slow, everyday pace, only with a few subtle
c h a n g e s T o i m a g i n e t h o s e c h a n g e s , I l o o k e d a t t h e dizzying speed of AI Even today, graduates face jobs
t h a t n o l o n g e r e x i s t , a n d i n d u s t r y l e a d e r s l i k e S a m Altman warn of technology ’ s power I wondered what might happen if tech could alter our minds directly In
t h e n o v e l , H a r r y i n v e n t s Polaris, a device that visualises memories and eases
t r a u m a m o r e e f f e c t i v e l y than any drug This break-
t h r o u g h s p a r k s f i e r c e debate Some hail it as healing; others see it as science
o v e r s t e p p i n g , t h r e a t e n i n g t h e e s s e n c e o f h u m a n i t y The story unfolds amid a clash of science and faith, a s k i n g h o w f a r p r o g r e s s should go and how we can guard against its dangers, a
w o r l d j u s t a f e w d e c a d e s ahead, yet entirely believable
Several characters raise questions about trust, morality, and power Was there one character you particularly enjoyed writing? I’m genuinely fond of all
t h e c h a r a c t e r s i n ‘ F r e e b o u r n e ’ , e a c h d r a w n from different walks of life and packed with quirks The p r o t a g o n i s t , D r H a r r y Coulson, is especially close to my heart A fundamentally good man, he’s lost his wife and his business, and comes to Freebourne hoping to rebuild his life while d e v e l o p i n g h i s b r e a kthrough technology, Polaris Harry lives by seven “geek rules” inspired by the sci-fi c u l t u r e h e g r e w u p w i t h Rule One, borrowed from ‘Star Trek’, is “the needs of t h e m a n y o u t w e i g h t h e needs of the few,” a principle that drives him to help when he finds a woman ’ s body in the snow instead of walking away I also loved writing the
s u p p o r t i n g c a s t E l l i o t
Nwosu, a sharp, ambitious local politician, is a kind of Littlefinger from ‘Game of T h r o n e s ’ : c a l c u l a t i n g , opportunistic, and eager to turn the murder in his constituency into a chance to climb the political ladder
S a c h i n , a y o u n g B r i t i s h Asian man struggling with q
t myself, growing up between cultures and trying to reconcile two worlds And then there’s River, the free-spirited hippie who runs the wonderfully eccentric Rainbow
bohemian venue I’ve ever visited Together these chara c t e r s , a
t h s e
w
a l others who reveal their own secrets as the story unfolds, create a lively, unpredictable community
Ambika Mod, Daisy Ridley to headline ‘Pride and Prejudice’
Gaza fundraiser
A mbika M od, actor of ‘ One Day’ and Daisy Ridley from th e fi l m ‘ S tar War s ’ w i l l h e ad l in e a t ab le r ead o f ‘P ride and Prejudice’ to raise funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians
The one-off event takes place on 12 October at the Troxy in east London, hosted by Nish Kumar, and also features Jameela Jamil, Asim Chaudhry (People Just Do N
(Doctor Who), and Morfydd C l a r k ( T h e L o r d o f t h e
Rings: The Rings of Power, Saint Maud)
The event is organised
London-based film professionals Last year, an auction of items donated by stars
and comedians Jeff and Shazia Mirza, with Nida Manzoor (We Are Lady Parts) directing
with the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth on 16 December and precedes the
adaptation starring Emma Corrin, Jack Lowden, Olivia Colman, Fiona Shaw, and Rufus Sewell
New stamp collection highlights Manx Aviation and Military Museum
Museum has been relea se
Founded at Ronaldsway in 2000, the museum preserves wartime memorabilia and history, with the stamp collection highlighting key e
Korean War
The stamp launch coincides with a commemorative s h e e t l e t
k i n g t h e 8 5 t h anniversary of the Battle of B r i t a i n , f e a t u r i n g d e s i g n s from past Isle of Man Post Office issues
Graham Brogden of the RAF Benevolent Fund said it honours “the strength and resilience of ‘the few’ who f o u g h t f
r e e d o m , ” w h i l e M a x i n e C a n n o n o f IOMPO added the releases p a y “ t r i b u t
c o u r a g e , commitment, and sacrifice, preserving these stories for future generations ”
The set celebrating the military museum showcases e x h i b i t s l i k e m e d a l s , wartime photographs, and posters M u s e u
“privilege” to be part of the museum since its inception and watch it “ grow beyond a n
stamps offer “ a glimpse of the countless historical treasures ” housed there
Christie’s to auction Aga Khan’s Indian and Persian masterpieces
Next m onth in L ond on, C hristie’s w ill auction 95 I nd i a n a nd P ers i an painting s from th e coll ec ti o n o f P r in ce and Princess S ad rud din A ga
K h an E s ti m a ted
b etw e en £ 2 , 0 0 0 and £ 1 m , th e s ale o n 2 8 October is exp ected to exceed £8m
been launched to design
remaining part of the current campus, aiming to revi-
Trafalgar Square and create
a fresh, vibrant experience for visitors
Of the £375m pledged, £ 1 5 0 m c o m
foundation of Sir Michael M o r i t
n d H
i e t Heyman, and £150m from the Julia Rausing Trust
F o u n d e r t r u s t
Hans Rausing said, “My late wife Julia was a passionate supporter of the National G
memory, will allow others
and inspiration she cherished
comes from the National
the
with Tate and other museums worldwide
Founded by Parliament in 1824, the gallery offers free entry and houses the nation’s Western European paintings from the late 13th to early 20th century
T h e c o l l e c t i o n , assembled between the 1 9 6 0 s a n d 1 9 8 0 s , f e atures Ottoman, Mughal, D e c c a n i , a n d R a j p u t works, along with 17thcentury Isfahani pieces
b y R e z a A b b a s i a n d Company School paint-
i n g s b y G h u l a m A l i
K h a n a n d S h e i k h
M u h a m m a d A m i r o f Karraya, spanning the 16th to 19th centuries
P r i n c e S a d r u d d i n A g a Khan, born in France in 1933
a n d U N H i g h
Commissioner for Refugees
S t u a r t C a r y W e l c h described visitors to the couple’s home as “struck by his penchant for the h a p p y a n d l y r i c a l , ” reflected in works featuring gardens, animals, and people The couple a c q
w i n g t h e y w e r
exchanged as personal gifts, says Sara Plumbly, Christie’s head of Islamic and Indian art
P l u m b l y n o t e s t h a t
f r o m 1 9 6 6 t o 1 9 7 7 , a n d Princess Catherine collected t h e w o r k s a t t h e i r L a k e Geneva home, Chateau de B e l l e r i v e , m a n y b e a r i n g l a b e l s s h
Salman Shaheen
Ambika Mod
The spirit of London’s South Asian celebrations
Cllr Krupesh Hirani
Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow
Over the p ast few weeks, I have had the p leasure of joining th ousands of L ond oners at ev ents in my constituency at Rangeelu Gujarat and the Wembley Mela These vibrant festivals were not only joyous occasions but also reminders of the incredible contribution South Asian communities continue to make to London and to Britain’s cultural life
Both events were filled with music, dance, food and colour What struck me most was the way they brought together people of all ages and backgrounds Families turned out in their thousands and whether you had roots in Gujarat, Punjab, Bengal or elsewhere in South Asia there was a shared pride in celebrating the heritage that enriches our capital city
As a London Assembly Member travelling across my constituency of Brent and Harrow and across London, I see how our diversity as our strength These events exemplify the very best of British values: democracy, individual liberty, the rule of law and mutual respect and tolerance for those with different faiths and beliefs At Rangeelu Gujarat, I met young people who are learning about their heritage while also taking their place in a modern, inclusive Britain At Wembley Mela, I saw how traditions can adapt and thrive in a city where cultures mix and flourish side by side
South Asians have played a central role in building modern Britain They work for our NHS, run businesses, contribute to the arts, politics and sport, and enriched the fabric of everyday life Celebrations such as these allow us to honour that legacy while also looking forward to the future They remind us that our community’s story is not just about migration but about innovation, resilience and leadership
It is also important to acknowledge that this spirit of togetherness cannot be taken for granted At a time when some seek to divide communities, we must continue to uphold the values of respect and tolerance that underpin our society By coming together at events like these, we send a powerful message London is a city for everyone, where every culture has a place and every community can thrive
I want to thank the organisers, volunteers and performers who made both events such a success Their hard work ensures that our traditions remain alive for future generations while strengthening London’s reputation as one of the most diverse and dynamic cities in the world Celebrating our heritage is not only about looking back It is about building the kind of society we want for tomorrow
Conman escapes prison using fake “get out of jail free” letter
A c co rd i ng to T h e S u n , c o nm a n Ju nead A hmed, 36, e s ca p ed p ri s o n u s i ng f o rg ed “ g e t o u t o f j ai l f re e ” d ocuments
C o n v i c t e d o f f r a u d i n 2 0 2 3 f o r posing as a doctor to rent a property and buy a £2m home, Ahmed tricked HMP Chelmsford staff in June by sending a fake High Court letter claiming he’d been approved for release Staff were fooled, allowing him to walk free though his attempt to use the same method to free two more inmates failed The other inmates were not released after the fake letters raised suspicions, and Ahmed was returned to custody In November, he was jailed for four years for six f r a u d o f f e n c e s H e n o w faces an additional sentence after pleading guilty to cons p i r a c y t o e s c a p e p r i s o n Five others involved in the attempt have also been convicted and are due for sen-
tencing in October
Judge Mary Loram KC at C
“ very meticulously planned” and a serious offence, even without threats of violence Ahmed had tried to use the same method to help fellow inmates Charlie Whittaker, serving a one-year sentence for a fatal fight, and Adam M
fond of Mohamed, telling h i s w i f e h
d t o “change his life” by freeing h i m W h i
Nepal enters new era after youth revolt
In a historic move, fo rmer
Ch ief Justice Su shila Karki
Minister
H
lows Gen Z-led protests that toppled the previous government and plunged the nation into political uncertainty Karki, known for her anti-corruption stance, was the youth movement’s clear choice to lead a caretaker
Nepal toward a democratic future
Karki’s high-profile legal career bolsters her appeal to the protest movement As Nepal’s first female Chief
“firebrand judge” unafraid to challenge powerful fig-
main task is to oversee fresh
elections, with polls set for March 5, 2026
Beyond elections, Karki
unrest, including the mass
inmates, many convicted of serious crimes, creating a major internal security crisis
Concurrently, the econ
by coordinated attacks on f
which led to billions in losse
attention Her administration's ability to tackle these m o n u m e n t a l s e c u r i t y a n d economic issues will be a crucial test of its legitimacy and its capacity to rebuild a nation deeply fractured by division and protest
B o r n
eldest of seven in
farming
Sushila Karki’s family had c
democratically elected PM, B
Koirala She earned a BA f
Campus (1972), an MA in
Banaras Hindu University, I n d i a ( 1 9 7 5 ) , a n d a n L L B from Tribhuvan University (1978)
For Indian nationals in Nepal, the protests turned into a tense and dangerous
External Affairs issued travel advisories urging caution as violence erupted Among
Ghaziabad, who was critically injured when rioters set fire to the Hyatt Hotel she was staying
and
Indian tourists were
“Nepal’s strength lies in its resilience and unity through differences”
Amid Nepal’s political turm o il an d w i d es p re ad protests, Nepalis w orldw ide stand in so lid arity with the peop le, backing calls fo r j usti ce an d a cc o u nta bi l it y British Nepalis applau d the youth’s demand s but w orry th at t h e v i o le nc e c o u ld destabilise the country, urging fo r d ialogu e, restraint, and responsible lead ership Asian Voice spoke to diaspora mem bers about Gen Z’ s protests London-based P rashant Ku n w ar , w h o w o r k s t o strengthen UK-Nepal ties, condemned the violence in Nepal: “What began as a
p e a c e f u l G e n Z p r o t e s t
d e m a n d i n g a c c o u n t a b i l i t y and an end to corruption
h a s b e c o m e a n a t i o n a l tragedy The killing of 72 p e o p l e a n d h u n d r e d s injured is a deep wound on N e p a l ’ s c o n s c i e n c e T h e state is out of touch with its youth, and hope is crushed when power chooses violence over dialogue ”
He added, “Brutality has
only fueled unrest While youth voices must be heard, destruction of property and l i v e l i h o o d s i s n o t t h e a n s w e r O r d i n a r y c i t i z e n s suffer, and those responsible must be held accountable Nepal teeters on the e d g e , w i t h g o v e r n m e n t
b u i l d i n g s b u r n i n g , b u s in e s s e s c o l l a p s i n g , a n d t o u r i s m u n d e r t h r e a t Without trust in leadership, where do we go from here?” Kunwar also warned of broader consequences: “A fractured Nepal would not o n l y h a r m c i t i z e n s b u t
could expose the country to e x t e r n a l f o r c e s w i t h n o r e g a r d f o r i t s i n t e r e s t s S u r v i v a l , d i g n i t y , a n d s o v e r e i g n t y a r e a t s t a k e
Even in this dark hour, we must remember that toler-
a n c e , c o m p a s s i o n , a n d r e s p e c t a r e e s s e n t i a l Nepal’s strength lies in its r e s i l i e n c e a n d u n i t y t h r o u g h d i f f e r e n c e s W i t h o u t t h e s e , p o l i t i c a l change alone cannot heal the nation ” H e c o n c l u d e d , “ N e p a l stands at a crossroads: one p a t h l e a d s t o c h a o s , t h e
other to dialogue, accounta b i l i t y , a n d h e a l i n g T h e c h o i c e s m a d e n o w w i l l decide whether the country rises from this crisis with c o u r a g e a n
m
r falls The road ahead is long, but the future depends on what we do together ” M a jo r ( ret d ) T i ken d ra Dewan JP said, “The patriots of Nepal must remain vigilant to ensure that Deep State actors or political factions linked to Gen Z do not hijack this historic movem e n t l e d b y t h e n a t i o n ’ s genuine youth Evidence of internal sabotage is clear: government offices were set a b l a z e , p
destroyed, critical data lost, and the costs of rebuilding
responsibility for his silence while Nepal burned, as law
w i t h maintaining order, resorted to indiscriminately targeti n g i n n
c e n t y o u n g protesters demanding justice ”
Teenage boys now gaming more than attending school
warm, mostly in low-efficiency properties Some tenants reported skipping hot
indoors, or heating only one room
The charity urged the government to enforce rules
expect more calls this
that renters must be able to d
fear, and any delay would leave them trapped in unaffordable, substandard housing R e n t e r s o f t
n l i v e i n draughty, poorly insulated homes, with 57% rated EPC D or lower Those in EPC E homes spent an extra £317 on energy last winter, rising to £440 in the leakiest properties Despite potential savings, many avoid requesting u p g r a d e s , f e a r i n g t e n s i o n w i t h l a n d l o r d s o r r e n t i n c r e a s e s , C i t i z e n s A d v i c e found
Teena ge boys ar e spe nding mor e time gaming t ha n in school , re sea rch suggests A sur vey of parent s found boys aged 15 to 17 a verage d ne arl y 34 hours of ga ming pe r week , e x ce e di n g En g l a n d’ s mi n imum school hours of 32 5
The study, published by M u m s n e t a n d b a s e d o n a poll of over 1,000 parents by Ygam, a charity addressing gaming and gambling harm, f o u n d t h a t m o s t p a r e n t s a c k n o w l e d g e d b e n e f i t s , i n c l u d i n g s t r e s s r e l i e f , improved digital skills, probl e m - s o l v i n g , a n d c r i t i c a l thinking
However, 79% of parents were concerned their children spent too much time g a m i n g , a n d 6 7 % f e a r e d a d d i c t i o n A v e r a g e w e e k l y gaming increased from 16 8 hours last year to 20 4 hours this year Over half of parents (55%) said their child p
Sushila Karki
Major (retd) Tikendra Dewan JP
Major (retd) Tikendra Dewan JP
Many firsts among UK-Europe’s Durga puja celebrations this year
The cost-of-living crisis and the volatile UK economy have impacted everybody in Britain, often leading to a feeling of isolation and stress. Yet the Bengali community (originally from Bengal, India, now settled in the UK), remains resilient, determined to convert those challenges into something inspirational
Such is the story of W arwickshire Sarbojonin A young organisation, with members from various professional backgrounds, is starting a brand-new Durga puja this year in the heart of Warwickshire at We ston-und erW eat her ly Villa ge Ha ll fr om 26 t o 28 Sept ember They believe this is a crucial time to come together and create a community hub
Subhadip Cha tte rjee, speaking to Asian Voice, said, “Our inspiration came from the belief that community, culture, and a sense of belonging are more vital than ever when times are tough Durga Puja, at its heart, is a festival of hope, resilience, and the triumph of good over evil By starting this new Puja, we are creating a space where we canreaffirm our community spirit, preserve our culture, find strength in unity and last but not the least to pass on our heritage to the future generation
“We were tired of traveling long distances to join celebrations and felt a strong need to create a community hub right here Warwickshire Sarbojonin therefore started with a simple idea among a few Bengali families
shipping is substantial
This also allows personal touch, customisation, and preservation of tradition
Also engaging the local community with the heritage of raising the idol until Durga puja,” said Chatterjee
The idol is being made by Debabra ta Mukhopa dhya y, one of the core members of the group, and an automobile engineer by profession but also a passionate artist
The main Durga pratima (idol) is around 5 feet
Along with its background (chala) and base it will be around 6 5 feet Rest of the idols are around 2 5 feet, to be fitted onto the ‘chala’
The theme of the first year ’ s puja is the essence of
G hosh, speaking to Asian Voice, said, “After years of travelling to London or further, we felt now was the right moment to start one here and hopefully we have built something that will continue to grow every year
“Our idol has been lovingly crafted in India by traditional artisans and shipped here It will be around 6 feet, and Ma Durga will be depicted in her traditional form - graceful, divine, and powerful Every puja has its own soul For us, the uniqueness lies in the fact that this is North Kent’s very first Durga Puja It’s entirely community-driven, built from scratch without corporate sponsorship, purely on the strength of collective goodwill and residents coming together That sense of togetherness and fresh beginning makes it truly special “There will be bhog prasad served at night for approx 200 visitors each day of the puja, lovingly prepared by our volunteers We’re also planning cultural performances, organised by our younger generations ”
here in Warwick We have a shared longing for the rich cultural experience of Durga Puja, a festival that brings a sense of home and belonging ”
However, their efforts are not just restricted to creating just a community hub, but among many other things, and unlike other pujas in the UK, they are also making their own Durga pratima (idol) from the scratch “Cost is a factor Bringing the idol from Kolkata to UK will cost reasonably higher than creating the idol in here This is also environment friendly The materials used are environment friendly Local sourcing of materials and production reduces emissions It can be recycled keeping sustainability factors and environmental norms in UK Carbon footprint of international
rural Bengal - it's simplicity, warmth and deep-rooted traditions just like the countryside of Warwickshire
“We carry emotional depth and intentional symbolism,” said Chatterjee “The use of natural clay, moulding clay or biodegradable paints to create the pratima, gives a powerful statement about sustainability and respect for nature - a core value in Durga puja We have chosen a distinct facial expression, pose or colour palette that reflects our vision of the Goddess Creating a Durga idol in the UK is itself unique - it's a cultural bridge bringing the spirit of Bengal to a new place It becomes an identity, resilience and celebration of the diaspora And lastly when the friends and family is helping, it becomes a
collective act of devotion making the idol a living memory of shared effort and joy,” she added
Kashpool N orth Ke nt Be nga li Associa tion
In the same spirit, Kashpool Nor th Ken t Be nga li Associat ion is organising its first ever Durga puja in Gravesend, Kent from 28 to 30 Se pte mbe r at t he Elit e Ven ue, Dunkir k Close The group began when like-minded Bengali friends and families wanted to bring Durga puja to the local community They 8 founding families not only have contributed money, but each have contributed their time, skills and resources They are strongly supported by the local Indian community and Dartford Borough Council S hayon ee
empowerment as a background, Chatterjee added, “Durga Puja is never truly complete without the traditional bhog, the sacred offering of food that symbolises devotion and community To celebrate this cherished ritual, we are delighted to offer bhog on the evening of 27 September to all our devotees and visitors ”
De lft Dur ga Bari in N ethe rland s
Not only in the UK, De lft Durg a Ba ri in Netherlands is also organising their first ever Durga puja Speaking to Asian Voice, Anind ita Na ndi Roy from the organisation told us about what inspired them to start the puja despite the challenging economic climate and limited fundings
Bong Jun ct ion
Members of Bon g Jun ct ion are organising their first ever Durga puja at the Holly fie ld School a t Sur bit on from 26 t o 28 Septe mbe r Speaking to Asian Voice, Saborni Chat ter jee explains what inspired them to start this puja, which undeniably comes with a huge cost, especially as UK’s economic situation worsens “It is undeniably a fact that the rising cost of living is an issue But that should not affect social cohesion or religious worship,” said Chatterjee “In fact, when the going gets tough it is even more important for all of us to come together - to be there for each other This is the purpose our Durga Puja serves Religious worship and community building lies at the heart of our Durga Puja initiative It should not be seenand will never be - an act of conspicuous consumption ” Rooted in the Bengali diaspora yet open to everyone, Bong Junction, as an organisation, is a lively blend of spirituality, culture, and community spirit
The organisation is led by eight enthusiastic trustees who bring together experience from medicine, journalism, finance, IT, and more Beyond their professional skills, they share a genuine passion for serving the community and helping it grow
This year ’ s Durga idol is made by Ut tam Pa l from Kolkata, India, a well-known artist who mixes traditional style with a modern touch Carefully crafted, the idol shows both spiritual beauty and artistic skill With her classic charm and contemporary look, Ma Durga will inspire devotion and bless everyone with her divine presence
Celebrating women
“Celebrating Durga Puja isn't just about grandeur, it is also about community, warmth, shared values, and passing down our traditions to the next generation We started small and decided to begin with what we have: dedication, unity, and the blessings of Ma Durga It is a humble start but filled with heart This heartfelt initiative is driven more by passion than budget, and we believe when intentions are strong, support gradually follows ” Delft Durga Bari was born out of a desire to recreate the warmth of home away from home Four families from Delft came together as one extended family, missing the ‘ parar puja’ (local puja in Bengal), and that gave birth to the Delft Durga Bari The organisation is steadily growing with more people joining them Their puja theme this year is ‘Rooted in Bengal, Celebrated in Delft’, but their idol has an interesting history “We are not outsourcing the idol from India, nor are we making it from scratch,” said the spokesperson “In fact, our idol has a beautiful story of its own It has been part of Durga Pujo celebrations here in the Netherlands for the last few years with another family When they decided to continue with another idol, they graciously passed this idol on to us So, in a way, this idol carries forward the spiritual continuity and emotion of past celebrations It is truly special for us to give it a new home in Delft through Delft Durga Bari, where its legacy will continue in a new setting, with new faces, but the same devotion ” The puja at Delft Durga Bari will be celebrated from 1 to 4 Octobe r 2025 at Noorde indsewe g 72, 264 5 BC Delfgauw There will be traditional bhog, prepared with love to bring that authentic Bengali festive flavour A variety of cultural programmes that truly reflect the spirit of Bengali tradition and community have been planned too The focus is on community participation where children, adults, everyone is involved It is less about performance, and more about celebrating togetherness with music, art, and joy
(Part 2 will be published next week)
A similar pratima (idol) Uttam Pal is creating in Kolkata for Bong Junction puja
Durga pratima (idol) being made in the UK by Debabrata Mukhopadhyay of Warwickshire Sarbojonin
Members of Bong Junction
“For Gujaratis living abroad, music is one of the strongest links to home”
Navratri is just around the corner, and excitement is building for the vibrant celebrations
Adding to the festive spirit, popular Gujarati folk singer Kishan Raval will perform live at “Chachar Chowk,” an event organised by MK Events, promising a night of music, dance, and traditional revelry.
S p e a k i n g t o A s i a n Voice, Kishan Raval shared, “My musical journey began in childhood, surrounded by the sounds of tradition-
a l b h a j a n s a n d g a r b a a t h o m e T h o s e e a r l y
m e l o d i e s l e f t a l a s t i n g impression and sparked a passion for singing that has stayed with me ever since Over the years, this passion has grown into a lifelong
c
u l y comes alive ”
T a l k i n g a b o u t h i s upcoming performance at ‘Chachar Chowk’, Kishan added, “It’s an honour to bring something as iconic
a s ‘ C h a c h a r C h o w k ’ t o a u d i e n c e s i n t h e U K Through my live perfor-
mance, people will experience the vibrant essence of traditional Gujarati music I e s p e c i a l l y h o p e t h e younger generation gets a nostalgic glimpse of their roots, and that every listener feels connected to the very heartbeat of Gujarat ”
On creating a unique f u s
Gujarati sounds with mod-
K
today’s younger generation while keeping them connected to Gujarati songs
My approach is to preserve the soul of Gujarati folk m u s
h m s and instruments This way,
audience ”
Speaking on the importance of connecting with the Gujarati diaspora, he
strongest links to home
When I perform, it feels as though we are all rooted in the same soil In our fastpaced lives, coming together through music to share a
make the weariness of an
hopes his music will have
hope the younger generation never loses touch with
Through my music, I aim to remind them that no matter where we are, our melodies, songs, and pride
Gujarat’s music can unite everyone and make hearts
nothing more special than that ”
Navratri: A festival of strength, and wisdom
A s th e sun sets, a unique energy sp read s acro ss h omes and com munity h alls worldw ide Fo r nine nigh ts, d aily life gives way to dev otion, d ance, and celebratio n T his i s Na v ra tri a fe s ti v al o f li gh ts and f ai th that co n-
n ec ts m i lli o n s, o f fe ri ng a g lim pse into a trad ition th at rem ains meaning ful today
Navratri, literally meaning nine nights in Sanskrit, is a Hindu festival dedicated to the worship of the god-
d e s s D u r g a , t h e e m b o d im e n t o f d i v i n e f e m i n i n e power, or Shakti The victory of good over evil is what the festival commemorates,
a p o w e r f u l a n d u n i v e r s a l theme that resonates deeply with people of all ages and backgrounds
N a v r a t r i i s m o r e t h a n just a festival, it is a spiritual journey dedicated to wor-
s h i p p i n g n i n e f o r m s o f Goddess Durga, known as t h e N a v a d u r g a T h e f i r s t three days honour Durga, t h e f i e r c e g o d d e s s , t o remove negative tendencies
T h e n e x t t h r e e a r e f o r L a k s h m i , t h e g o d d e s s o f w e a l t h a n d p r o s p e r i t y , bringing both material and
s p i r i t u a l a b u n d a n c e T h e f i n a l t h r e e d a y s c e l e b r a t e S a r a s w a t i , t h e g o d d e s s o f knowledge, for intellectual and spiritual growth The f e s t i v a l g u i d e s d e v o t e e s f r o m s e l f - p u r i f i c a t i o n t o prosperity and wisdom
T h i s y e a r , S h a r d i y a Navratri will be celebrated over 11 days, beginning on S e p t e m b e r 2 2 , 2 0 2 5 , a n d concluding on October 2, 2 0 2 5 , w i t h V i j a y a d a s h m i The festival is extended by one day due to an additional Tithi in the calendar Celebrations vary across I n d i a I n n o r t h e r n I n d i a , N a v r a t r i e n d s w i t h
Dussehra, marked by burning effigies of Ravana to signify the victory of good over evil In Bengal, Durga Puja features elaborate clay idols a n d p u b l i c s h r i n e s c a l l e d p a n d a l s I n G u j a r a t a n d western India, the festival is celebrated with Garba and Dandiya Raas, vibrant folk dances performed in traditional attire to the rhythm of drums, symbolising devotion and energy
Some core practices are s h a r e d n a t i o n w i d e M a n y devotees fast, avoiding certain foods to cleanse body and mind Lighting a diya, a
Community enhances security for upcoming Navratri festivals
Co mmunity events pair festive spirit with heightened s ecu rity
As the UK prepares for a busy season of Indian festivals, organisers are balancing the country’s vibrant multicultural spirit with the need for stronger security Asian Voice spoke with several event organisers, who explained steps that are designed to keep gatherings safe and enjoyable for all Heena Parekh from MK Events, organiser of Chachar Chowk Navratri at London Gill Banqueting Hall, said, “Safety is our top priority We have a detailed security plan with CCTV, bag checks, trained marshals, and coordination with local authorities, medical teams, and Lions Club London Fortitude Free parking after 5pm ensures easier access for families
“For women ’ s safety, the venue and parking areas will be well-lit, with female volunteers and marshals stationed at key points We enforce a zerotolerance policy for harassment, with visible reporting points and immediate response Our aim is to provide a secure, welcoming environment so everyone can enjoy Navratri with peace of mind,” she added About the Inclusivity against racism, Heena said, “Our event is rooted in
community, respect, and celebration At a time of rising anti-immigrant sentiment, we are making conscious efforts to create an inclusive environment that welcomes people from all backgrounds
Volunteers, including many women and young people, are trained to address any discriminatory behaviour swiftly and sensitively Signage, communication, and team training emphasise inclusivity and respect, while familyfriendly spaces, free evening parking, and cultural openness ensure everyone feels safe, valued, and part of the celebration She further added,“Safety is the strongest when supported by the community We are working with local councils, police, fire services, and medical teams to ensure smooth crowd management Dedicated volunteers, controlled entry, on-site emergency readiness, and visible marshals provide a layered
safety net, creating a festive, secure, and welcoming environment for all ”
Kalp esh Patel, Secretary of Karamsad Samaj UK, said, “Our venue has closed, gated facilities with security at the entrance In the 45 years we ’ ve hosted Navratri celebrations, we ’ ve never had a racism incident Everyone is welcome as long as they follow the rules Our security team and volunteers ensure the safety and wellbeing of all attendees
“We communicate with our 200+ families and local community to keep everyone informed Women’s safety is a priority, especially for those attending alone The gated venue, on-site security, and ample free parking ensure they can arrive, enjoy the event, and leave safely While other venues were available to host, we chose this location for its security and convenience, particularly for female attendees,” he added
How to stay safe during festivals
traditional lamp, represents the triumph of light over darkness Families perform p u j a a n d s i n g d e v o t i o n a l songs, fostering community and shared devotion
Ultimately, Navratri is a c e l e b r a t i o n
d i v i n e feminine energy, or Shakti, which is believed to be the creative force of the universe It serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of female power in all its forms, from the fierce warrior to the nurturing mother and the wise goddess In a world often dominated by masculine energy, Navratri offers a beautiful and vital counter-narrative, celebrating the strength, compass i o n ,
resides in the feminine It is a
renewed and uplifted, ready t o f a c e
h renewed spirit and a sense of victory
A s the festive season bring s m ore gath ering s, sh opping trips, and latenigh t celebrations, the M etrop olitan Police urge everyone to stay alert and take sim ple steps to p rotect themselv es and their property In an emerg ency, such as a threat to life, a v iolent incident, a serio us road accident, or a crim e in p rog ress like burg lary, call 999 im mediately
For everyday safety, always lock doors and windows, even when you are home, and use a timer switch to keep lights on so the house appears occupied Keep valuables such as cash or jewellery out of sight to avoid attracting thieves When out and about, remain aware of your surroundings, avoid distractions like headphones or phone
calls, and keep bags zipped and close to your body If wearing jewellery, consider covering it with a scarf or jacket Make sure your vehicle is locked and never leave valuables in view Following these simple habits can greatly reduce the risk of burglary, theft, or other crimes, allowing everyone to enjoy the festive season with confidence and peace of mind
Puppy Garba: A new spin on celebrations
This Navrat ri, a pla yful ne w twist is ca tching on, “Puppy G a r ba ” , w he r e pe t o wn e r s br in g t he ir dogs to join the fe s t i va l
s si g n a t ur e d a n ce What bega n a s smal l neighb o ur h o od g a t h e r in g s h a s quick ly grown into a socialmedia favour it e, proving that the spirit of cel ebr ation can include every family membe r, e ven t he ones wit h pa ws At these events, the setting looks much like a traditional garba night but with a c h a r m i n g d i f f e r e n c e
Owners and their pets arrive dressed in vibrant, mirrorwork outfits and colourful
bandanas Some dogs sport tiny kurtas or ghagras, while others wear simple floral collars The music is upbeat but kept at a comfortable volume so sensitive ears stay happy, and organisers lay out water bowls, shaded rest spots, and non-slip flooring to ensure safety
T h e e v e n i n g u s u a l l y opens with a brief puja and the lighting of a diya Then t
i c k s while their canine compani o n s t r o
n g s i d e , t
l s wagging in time with the
beat The steps are slower and gentler than at a traditional garba, making it easy for dogs to keep pace Many e v e n
breaks for treat distribution a
a w plenty of cheers
B e y o n d t h
f u n a n d photo opportunities, Puppy G a r b a r e f l e c t s a b r o a d e r trend of blending tradition with modern lifestyles For many pet owners, it’s a way to share a cherished cultural celebration with their fourlegged friends and with fellow animal lovers
Kishan Raval
Kalpesh Patel
Umag (husband and business partner) and Heena Parekh
Dear
Financial Voice Reader, Alpesh Patel
I Am Retired – How to Get Smarter About Investing Your Pension
Many pensioners assume that once you stop working, your role becomes passive That lets others decide the strategy, costs, and risks But you can still play a big part Below are ten things you really should know plus ten sharp questions to ask your adviser or pension provider With a few facts about how UK pensions are actually behaving, you’ll be better placed to judge if you ’ re getting fair value and real growth
What the UK Data Tells Us Now
• Leading UK pension funds have delivered ≈ 7 72% pa average growth over five years for those with many years until retirement I am not impressed given US market growth
• For people much closer to retirement, growth has been lower around 5 27% pa over the same five-year span
• Many UK pension savers don’t know what fees they pay About 83% are unaware of their charges in pound terms or percentages This is according to Interactive Investor
• Even small differences in fees make big differences For example, someone contributing regularly over decades might lose tens of thousands of pounds if they pay 1 5-2% instead of 0 5-1%
These stats show: growth is possible but uneven; fees are a stealth risk; many retirees are underestimating risks
Ten Things You Should Know
1 Net return matters
Your return after all fees, taxes, and inflation is what counts A headline return of 7-8% could be 3-4% after costs
2 Drawdown vs annuity trade-off
If you draw income from your pot, you reduce the amount that can keep growing Annuitising gives security, but often low returns after inflation
3 Inflation is your silent eroder
Even modest inflation (say 3-4%) eats into fixed income, cash, or safety-oriented investments
4 Fees compound pains
A 0 5% vs 1 5% fee over 30+ years can make a huge difference in size of your pot As data shows, cost matters
5 Long-term performance records
Look at 5-10 year history, not just recent 1-2 year returns Markets fluctuate
6 Diversification
Geographic is key and the US is the engine UK pensions are under-diversified in some ways
7 Sustainability of income withdrawal
If you withdraw too fast, your pot may run out Research (e g safe withdrawal rates) shows that fees plus high withdrawals reduce longevity of funds
8 What are you leaving behind
If you value legacy (inheritance to heirs), different strategies matter (e g drawdown, equity exposure)
9 Alternatives and control
There are passive funds, global trackers, low-cost options, self-invested pensions (SIPPs) You don’t have to stay in default or high-fee plans
10 Behaviour & risks
Bias, inertia, over-safety: many go too conservative too early, or panic when markets drop
Ten Questions to Ask Your Adviser / Pension Provider
1 What has been my net annual return (after all fees) over the past 5-10 years?
2 How do those returns compare to simple benchmarks (e g global equity indices, inflation +)?
3 What total charges am I paying (management, platform, hidden fees)? Can you break them down in pounds and %?
4 What proportion of my exposures is UK vs US markets?
5 What is your strategy for protecting me in a market downturn? (e g shifting to cash?)
6 What is the sustainable withdrawal rate from my pot, given my life expectancy, income needs, and risk tolerance?
7 What investment fund choices do I have and what are their risk/return histories?
8 What is the worst-case scenario for my pension? E g sharp inflation, tax changes, poor returns over 5 years how much of my income would be at risk?
Your Viewpoint: What Makes Sense
Given how things are, here are some stances you might take (aligned with your view):
• Lean toward global diversification more than UK-centric investments Since UK equities are under-used in pension portfolios versus their past, you may get better returns elsewhere
• Push for lower fees If your pension provider won’t show real costs clearly, press or switch
• Be realistic about income Don’t assume you can withdraw large sums Aim for safe withdrawal rates, so your pot holds up over a long retirement
• Keep some growth in your pot even in retirement Going fully conservative too early may preserve capital but won’t sustain income or fight inflation
Retirement doesn’t mean “let others decide ” You have tools: data, benchmarks, benchmarks of providers, your own risk preferences Use them Ask the right questions Push for clarity and fairness A well-informed pensioner controls more of their retirement security than many realise
UK moves to reverse decline in NHS drug spending amid industry exodus
The
vowed
dec ade-l ong dec line in NHS spending on medicines, foll owin
of projects worth
£2 billion by major drugmakers
GSK executive, told MPs the country must act to restore investment in life sciences
Merck (MSD) scrapped plans
i o n L o n
lion investment in its Speke vaccine site earlier this year, citing reduced government support
Vallance highlighted that NHS spending on medicines has fallen as a share of total healthcare expenditure since
treatments
Although formal negotia-
have yet to restart, ministers are engaging with companies on the UK’s commercial environment “We cannot afford
“We are determined to solve this,” he said “We must not sit by and watch the decline of the industry Now is
piv-
n research centre, laying off 125 scientists partly based at the Francis Crick Institute MSD cited the UK’s “lack of meaningful progress ” on life scie n c e i n
AstraZeneca also delayed a £200 million Cambridge lab and abandoned a £450 mil-
pledged this would rise “It’s not just about price,” he said “We need rapid uptake of the best new medicines and equitable access across the UK ” He called for closer alignment between the Medicines
NICE, while health under-
emphasised revising pricing
Vallance said, stressing the importance of retaining both AstraZeneca and GSK Industry representatives warned the UK risks losing
Google’s £5 billion AI pledge signals a major UK confidence vote
G oog le h as a n n oun c e d a subs tantial £5 b illion i nvestment in the UK over the ne x t t wo y e a rs , a m ov e poised to significantly bolster the nation's burgeoning ar ti f i c i a l i n te l li g e nc e ( A I )
sector T h e a n n o u n c e
Rachel Reeves as a powerful vote of confidence in the U K e c o n o m y , c o i n c i d e d with the official opening of a new, state-of-the-art data
centre in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire This signific a n t c a p i t a l i n j e c t i o n i s aimed at meeting the soaring demand for AI-powered s e r v i c e s s u c h a s G o o g l e
C l o u d , W o r k s p a c e , a n d
Maps
The £5 billion will be a l l o c a t e d t o w a r d s c a p i t a l expenditure, research and d e v e l o p m e n t , a n d r e l a t e d
e n g i n e e r i n g p r o j e c t s , i n c l u d i n g p i o n e e r i n g A I r e s e a r c h t h r o u g h G o o g l e
Inheritance tax shake-up spurs rush to transfer wealth
We alt hy families acr oss t he UK are in a race against time, swiftl y transferring asset s to their childr en as toughe r inher itance tax (IHT) rule s loom The impending changes, set to take effect from April , wil l fundamen tall y al ter the fin ancia l landscape for some of the count ry ’ s la rgest famil y e nterprises
Under the new legislation, big family businesses that previously paid no IHT will be subject to a 20% tax on any value exceeding £1 million upon inheritance This significant policy shift has created a sense of urgency among the nation’s most affluent, who are now scrambling to re-evaluate their assetholding structures and transfer wealth before the new rules come into force
Financial planners and tax advisors are reportedly witnessing a surge in inquiries as parents look to legally mitigate the future tax burden on their estates The move underscores a strategic attempt by family enterprises to protect their generational wealth The rush to give away assets highlights the immediate and palpable impact of tax policy reforms, as families adjust their long-term financial strategies in light of the new regulations The changes represent a concerted effort to increase the tax take on the UK's most valuable estates, prompting a decisive and rapid response from the affected elite
D e e p M i n d T h e c o m p a n y anticipates that this investment will foster the creation of 8,250 new AI-related jobs annually at UK businesses
T h e i n v e s t m e n t i s a c l e a r s i g n a l o f G o o g l e ’ s long-term commitment to t h e c o u n t r y , w i t h R u t h Porat, President and Chief I n v e s t m e n t O f f i c e r o f Alphabet and Google, stati n g t h a t t h e c o m p a n y i s deepening our roots in the
UK The data centre itself is designed with sustainability i n m i n d , u s i n g a d v a n c e d a i r - c o o l i n g s y s t e m s a n d equipped for heat recovery to potentially warm local homes and schools T h
with the UK government's a m b i
country as a global leader in A I ,
UK contactless payments set for major shake-up
A b ig change that will affect the w ay you us e your card to make paym ents could be rolled out soon, as the Finan cial Conduc t Authori ty (FCA) is c ons idering pla ns to allow banks to set their own c on tactless lim its Thi s move is designed to make it eas ier for c ustom ers to pay in just one tap, particularly for larger purc hases
Currently, contactless payments have a cap of £100 per payment, with a cumulative total of £300 for multiple transa c t i o
n However, the regulator is now considering plans which could allow banks to increase these limits, or even remove them entirely The FCA’s proposal would replace the existing rules, giving card providers the flexibility to tailor their services to customer needs and drive innovation in the sector
The move is supported by a significant decrease in contactless fraud rates and the development of smarter payment technology The FCA has confirmed that consumers will remain protected, as firms are still liable to refund any money lost on stolen or lost cards This change promises to align physical card payments with the unrestricted nature of digital wallets, offering greater convenience and choice for millions of shoppers across UK checkouts
Cyber-attack forces Jaguar land Rover to extend production halt
Jag uar L and Ro ver (JLR), Britain’s larg est car m anufacturer, h as been plunged into a deep ening crisis after a cyber-attack forced it to extend its global pro duc tio n shu td ow n The co m p a ny h a s to ld sta ff th a t th e pau se in manufacturing will no w co ntinue until at least 24 S eptember, as a full forensic inv estigation into the hack continues
The disruption began earlier this month when JLR took its IT systems offline to contain the breach, a move that has paralysed its factories in the UK and overseas The outage has had a significant ripple effect on the company ’ s extensive supply chain, with thousands of jobs at risk at
smaller firms that rely on JLR for business The Unite union has publicly called for the government to i n t r o d u c e a s u p p o r t s c h e m e f o r affected workers While JLR has confirmed that some data has been affected, the full scope of the breach remains under investigation A hacker group identif y i n
Hunters has claimed responsibility for the incident, which has reportedly cost the company millions in lost production The ongoing disruption comes at a particularly difficult time for the carmaker, coinciding with a peak sales period and amid wider economic challenges
Pound
gains
as gold hits new highs amid cooling UK labour market
The British pou nd has ad vanced against th e US dollar, climbing to its hig hest lev el since early July, as the Am erican currency weakens o n re new e d exp
Reserv e interest rate cut
This shift in the currency market coincides with new economic data from the UK, w
According to recent
h
employees on payrolls has declined for a seventh consecutive month
Meanwhile, commodities have seen significant movement, with gold prices soaring to an all-time record, buoyed by the weaker d
marginal dip
Dr Zubir Ahmed
SEBI unveils sweeping reforms to boost Indian markets
The
instead of the current three-
will also be exempted from
resident Indians and resident
going public, SEBI has eased
norms Issuers with a market capitalization between £10 and £50bn now face a higher
£625mn, while the timeline to meet the 25% minimum
requirement has been extended to up to 10 years for some firms The regulator also
increasing the overall
creating a dedicated share for life insurers and pension
reduced the maximum exit
inflows from smaller cities and women investors, and s
approval
India and EU target year-end for historic trade deal
gr ound-br eaking trade dea
of the
G oy al a nd Europea n Tr ade Commission er Mar os Se fcovic confir me d t he progre ss, with Se fcov ic noting that the negotiat ions have n ever had such a strong politica l backing from l eade rs on both sides
S e f c o v i c h i g h l
g h
e d t h a t
s t r o n g economic partnership would be of significant value to the EU, while Europe’s technology a n d s c a l e w o u l d , i n t u r n , b e n e f i t I n d i a ’ s growing economy Despite the ongoing global trade tensions, negotiators from both sides have been engaged in intense discussions to c l o s e t h e r e m a i n i n g g a p s o n c o n t e n t i o u s issues The two sides have been in negotiations for nearly two decades, but the talks have accelerated swiftly this year Goyal described his counterpart as a tough negotiator and said
he had spent "long hours of jostling and f i g h t i n g "
h h i m t
b a l a n c e
agreement He stressed that a perfect situation is not achievable, and both sides have agreed not to make the perfect the enemy of the good Both ministers acknowledged the challenging global environment but expressed optimism, w
G
possibilities for both India and the European Union
IDBI Bank files fresh insolvency case against Zee
IDBI Bank h as once again initiated legal action against Z e e E nt ert ai nm e nt
E n ter p ri s es , fi l in g a new insolvency application with the company law tribunal in M u m ba i T h e ba nk i s seeking to recover £ 22 5mn i n w h a t is th e la tes t
d ev e lo p m e nt i n a lo ngrunning leg al dispute
I n a s t r o n g l y w o r d e d statement, Zee has refuted
t h e c l a i m , l a b e l l i n g i t a s meritless and a gross abuse
o f t h e l e g a l p r o c e s s T h e
m e d i a c o m p a n y h a s i n d i c a t e d i t s i n t e n t i o n t o
pursue its own legal action against the bank in order to protect its reputation The contentious debt originates f r o m c r e d i t f a c i l i t i e s t h a t w e r e a v a i l e d b y S
y promoted by Zee's founders, for which Zee acted as a g u a r a n t o r T h i s n e w application is the latest in a s e r i e s o
bank to recover the amount A previous insolvency case filed by the bank in 2022 was dismissed by the Mumbai tribunal, a decision that was later upheld by the company l a w a p p e l l a t e t r
Delhi in 2025
insolvency pleas, the bank also attempted to pursue the same debt claim through the
i Both of those applications w e r e d i s m
decision still pending This l
the debt, while Zee remains steadfast in its opposition to the claim
Fitch
ups India’s 2026 GDP outlook to 6.9% from 6.5%
Global ratings ag ency Fitch h as rai sed its fo recast fo r I nd i a 's g ro s s d o m e st ic product (GDP) for the 2026 fiscal year, increasing it to 6 9% from a p revious 6 5% Th e agency attributes this up ward revisio n to ro bust do mestic demand, which is being fuelled by strong real i nc o
financial conditio
investment
The report predicts that w h i l e
i g h t l y i n t h e latter half of FY26, it will ease to 6 3% in FY27 and further to 6 2% in FY28 as t
operates above its potential T
particularly sharp during the first two quarters of 2025, with real GDP expanding by 7 8% year-on-year This was d
service sector,
4 companies to raise up to $5bn in Oct-Nov
l e
e x pe c t e d t o m o p u p anywhe re between $ 4 billion and $5 billion in a s pan of 4560 day s, start ing early Oct First up will be the Tata Capital issue, estimated to be of around £1 7bn, which is expected to open in the first w e e k o f O c t I t w i l l b e followed by LG Electronics, the Indian arm of the South Korean giant, which despite
lowering the proposed issue size is looking to
£10bn has seen a dip in value in recent months T
Groww, which will announce the details any day now, and L
sometime in late Oct or early Nov
$700-900 million, providing exits to several investors with
pegged at $7-9 billion The Lenskart IPO is expected to be a little bigger, with the entity valued at $8-10 billion with the issue size pegged at $900 million to $1 billion
Market regulator told to justify withholding documents from US firm
T h e S e c u ri t i es A p p e ll at e
T ribunal (S AT ) has directed the S ec uri ties and Exch ange B o a rd o f I nd i a ( S E BI ) to p r o vi d e an e x p la na ti o n w it h i n th r ee w ee ks regarding its refusal to share d o c u me nt s w it h th e U S a lg o ri t h mi c tr ad i ng f i rm , J ane S treet T he SAT has sch eduled the next h earing f o r N o v em be r 1 8 , as th e
A me ri c an fi r m ap p ea ls
a ga i ns t S E B I ’ s i nt er i m order
Jane Street, which was barred from trading in July
a n d o r d e r e d t o p a y b a c k
£ 4 8 0 m n i n a l l e g e d i l l e g a l gains, contends that it was
d e n i e d a c c e s s t o c r u c i a l materials necessary for its
d e f e n c e T h e f i r m c l a i m s that a report from SEBI’s
o w n s u r v e i l l a n c e
d e p a r t m e n t i n D e c e m b e r
2 0 2 4 c o n t r a d i c t e d t h e findings of the investigation wing, which issued the July order The firm requested
a c c e s s t o 6 1 d o c u m e n t s , including communications between SEBI and the NSE, a l o n g w i t h e m a i l s exchanged with a whistleb l o w e r t r a d e r H o w e v e r , SEBI rejected the requests, c h a r a c t e r i s i n g t h e m a s f i s h i n g i n q u i r i e s a n d arguing it could not share
material not relied upon in the original order T h e c a s e a g a i n s t J a n e S t r e e t i s c o n
SEBI
Mercedes-Benz currently assembles cars and SUVs at
Pune, which has an annual
20,000 units To date, all production from this facility has been used exclusively to
However, the company has reportedly invested around
increasing production and exports from India comes at a time when the country and the European Union are in advanced negotiations for a free trade agreement This potential agreement could
alld a y p o w e r t h r o u g h advanced technology The new iPhone also features a single telephoto lens with s o p h i s t i c a t e d A I photography software C h o w d h u r y j o i n e d A p p l e i n J a n u a r y 2 0 1 9 , bringing with him a wealth of experience from his own c o n s u l t a n c y , A b i d u r
Chowdhury Design He a l s o w o r k e d
Abidur Chowdhury
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan praises BAPS Mandir in Abu Dhabi
A B U D H A B I : D
Pr adhan, India's min ister of education, visite d the BAPS H in du Man dir in Abu Dhab i, where he was tr adition all y welcome d with a ga rla nd
R e f l
shared: “Today, it is my good fortune that I have come to the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Abu Dhabi - an iconic creation
spirituality, and consciousness My bond with this Mandir runs
Swaminarayan fellowship, bound by its spirit of seva, community, strength, and dedication ”
The minister recalled how the idea of a Hindu Mandir in
thought but a vision foreseen by H
Maharaj, and was brought to life by His Holiness Mahant Swami
Maharaj with the wholehearted
Narendrabhai Modi and remark-
rulers
Yunus reaffirms Feb election date amid political gridlock
DHA K A : Mu ham mad Yunus, Banglad esh's c h i ef a d v i se r, h as re it era ted th a t th e cou ntry's national election will p roceed as p lanned in February, d espite a d eepening lack of consensus betw een th e tw o p rimary p olitical coalitio ns Yu nus s assertion com es as th e nation’s largest Islamist party, J amaate -I sl am i ( Je I) , an d i ts a lli es co nt in ue to d em and that th e 'July C harter' be g iven legal status before an election can be held This d em and stands in op positio n to the coalition led by fo rmer Prim e Minister Kh aled a Zia’s B NP , w h i ch su p p o r ts th e in te ri m g overnment’s po ll timeline
Speaking at a meeting of the National Consensus Commission, Yunus described
t h e u p c o m i n g v o t e a s a f o u n d a t
o n a l e l e c t i
Bangladesh He stressed that, with this in mind, all basic reforms must be finalised " W e m u s t r e m e m b e r t h a t w e h a v e n o alternative to holding the election in the first half of February," he said, underscoring the
urgency of the situation
The JeI has accused Yunus of failing to honour his commitment to granting legal status to the 'July Charter', which was a c o n s e n s u s d o c u m e n t o u t l i n i n g constitutional, electoral, and administrative reforms agreed upon by political parties and t h e i n t
t h e ousting of the previous administration The o n g o i n g d i s a g r e e m e n t o v e r t h i s c h a r t e r remains the central point of contention, with the JeI maintaining that the election cannot be held until this promise is fulfilled
Why young people are flocking back to religious faith
Wh ile secularism was once predicted to be an unsto pp able fo rce, recent years
h a ve see n a s ur p ris i ng r esu rge nc e o f
C h r i st i an fa i th , p ar ti c u l ar ly am o n g y o u n g p eo p l e in t h e UK T h i s qu i et revi val is evident in th e burgeoning cong re ga ti o n s o f ch u rc h e s l i ke S t
B a rt h o l o me w th e Gr ea t i n c en tr al Lo ndo n, whi ch h as seen its nu mbers swell from 50 to o ver 200 o n a typ ical S unday, and S t J ohn at Hackney, wh ich h as drawn a " hip sterish crowd" with its modern evangelical style
A s t u d y c o m m i s s i o n e d b y t h e B i b l e
S o c i e t y e v e n c l a i m e d a q u a d r u p l i n g o f c h u r c h a t t e n d a n c e a m o n g y o u n g a d u l t s since 2018, though these figures have been widely disputed Nonetheless, there is a c l e a r n e w e n e r g y , a s e v i d e n c e d b y t h e Catholic Church in France which recently baptised almost 18,000 adults, the highest number ever recorded
The shift is a complex response to the dramatic changes in the cultural and economic landscape The optimistic secularist vision of a more rational and prosperous future has been sorely tested by a series of global crises, including the 2008 financial crash, the pandemic, and ongoing wars For a generation that feels economically insecure, with stagnating graduate salaries and rising house prices, the traditional secular promise of affluence seems to have failed This has led many to seek solace in something more profound New converts often express a deep disaffection with the triviality and banality of modern secular society, with one convert describing a yearning for
something huge and beautiful Religion is also gaining traction as a form of counter-culture With the mainstream media largely promoting a secular worldview, Christian faith is no longer the hegemonic force it once was Instead, it is being rediscovered as a vibrant, rebellious subculture, championed by influential voices on the internet who would have been ignored by traditional media Figures like Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan have helped normalise conversations about faith, while the allure of "trad" Catholicism with its aesthetic rituals and Latin Mass appeals to a generation tired of what they see as a hollow, modern society Ultimately, the trend reflects a deeper shift in spiritual attitudes A study by the P e w R e s e a r c h C e n t r e f o u n d t h a t e v e n among Britons who identify as "religiously unaffiliated," a significant portion still hold spiritual beliefs, with a third believing in an afterlife and a quarter in a God This suggests that even as traditional religious affiliation wanes, the human need for meaning and connection remains strong
Calling the mandir both an impossible miracle and a civi-
expressed his respects for the selfless seva of the swamis of BAPS Sharing his sentiments, he said, “I am deeply fortunate
Mandir and of all the deities within My heart overflows with
Kutumbakam’ - the world is one family - it has lived it ”
He said the Mandir is more than a place of worship: “It is a spiritual anchor and a civilizational landmark - a radiant creation of India’s timeless heritage that will inspire humanity for thousands of years to come ”
Indian origin immigration officer jailed for seeking sexual favours
te nce d to 22 months in jail for obtaining sexual favours from appl icant s
He was sentenced based on three similar c
allegedly asked for sexual favours in exchange for helping people get visit passes He was
Checkpoints Authority (ICA), and was charged with corruptly obtaining sexual gratification in exchange for helping people with short-term visit applications
“Instead of acting as a custodian of our borders and as an impartial, unbiased, public representative of Singapore, the accused exploited these young foreigners,” the prosecution submitted, while calling this an “appalling case ” Kannan, who was responsible for overseeing a team which processed visa extension requests, pleaded guilty to the three corruption charges in July While there were guidelines in place for the short-term visa extensions, the subordinates working for Kannan would often consult him on these if they came across any difficulties Therefore, the officer could approve or reject applications based on his discretion
Tejasvi Manoj, 17, named 2025 Time Kid of the Year
NEW YO RK: At 17, T e j a s v i M a n o j o f Frisco, Texa s, ha s been na med Time Kid of t he Ye ar for 2 0 25 S he
spen t the last ye ar
2024 when
to an on line
Then a 16, Tejasv dove into research on scams targeting older Americans and quickly realized just how widespread the problem was Determined to act, she created Shield Seniors, a website and mobile app designed to teach people over 60 how to recognize suspicious messages Users can even upload
commitment to service started long before the app She began volunteering in sixth grade and says helping others has become part of who she is ‘If you ’ re lucky yourself, you want to make sure other people feel loved and lucky too,’ she told Time ‘It just makes me feel really happy, knowing that I can make a difference ’
in brief HINDU TEMPLE IN US ROBBED FOR SECOND TIME
The Sri Panchamukha Hanuman Temple in Dublin was burglarized with thieves stealing an estimated $34 000 in cash and jewelry according to police This is the second time this year that the same temple located at 6930 Village Parkway has been targeted following a previous burglary in January 2024
The incident is the latest in a series of crimes that have raised security concerns for Hindu American communities across the Bay Area
The recent pattern of criminal activity has drawn congressional attention, with Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi visiting a Santa Clara temple after it was burglarized twice in 2024
INDIAN NATIONAL JAILED FOR FAKE VISA FRAUD SCHEME
An Indian national Rambhai Patel, has been sentenced to prison for orchestrating an elaborate visa fraud scheme involving staged armed robberies across the United States The 37-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud and received a sentence of 20 months and eight days in prison, followed by two years of supervised release The investigation, which began in March 2023, revealed that Patel and his accomplice, Balwinder Singh, staged at least 18 fake armed robberies, with a minimum of five occurring in Massachusetts The fraudulent acts were designed to exploit the U visa programme a system intended to protect and provide legal status to victims of serious crimes who assist law enforcement
THANEDAR'S REELECTION MADE EASY
The path to re-election for Congressman Shri Thanedar in Michigan s 13th Congressional District has become significantly clearer His primary rival, former state senator Adam Hollier, has withdrawn from the race to instead pursue the position of Michigan Secretary of State With Hollier s departure, Thanedar now faces a less crowded and reshaped Democratic primary field Thanedar, an Indian-American, has been steadily consolidating his influence within the district, which is predominantly Black He has built a reputation as a self-funded candidate with a strong grassroots presence
AMIT PATEL MURDER CASE: FBI OFFERING REWARDS FOR TIPS
In a bid to solve the 2021 murder of Amit Patel, the FBI is now offering a $15,000 reward for tips that lead to the arrest and conviction of the two people responsible On December 6, 2021, Patel was fatally shot outside a bank at Columbus As he approached the bank to deposit money, two suspects drove into the parking lot One of the suspects shot Patel and took his money Both suspects then fled the scene Patel died at the scene Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact the FBI or submit a tip online
BHATNAGAR NAMED ACLU EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California has named prominent human rights advocate Chandra S Bhatnagar as its new executive director Bhatnagar is only the third person to hold this prestigious position in more than five decades succeeding Hector Villagra, who led the organisation for 14 years Bhatnagar brings a distinguished 20-year career to the role, having worked across the non-profit sector, federal government, and higher education He previously served as a senior staff attorney for the national ACLU's Human Rights Program and as a key legal and policy advisor within the Obama administration's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Muhammad Yunus
Swami Brahmaviharidas ji with Dharmendra Pradhan India's minister of education
in brief INDIAN ORIGIN CHARGED FOR SENDING OBSCENE MATERIAL
A man from New Jersey has been charged with transferring obscene material to a minor, according to federal authorities Mahir Chaudhry, aged 21, is facing a serious charge after allegedly sending at least six obscene images via text message to a victim he knew was under the age of 16 The alleged acts are said to have occurred between March and May 2023 Chaudhry was taken into custody on August 27 and appeared the following day before US Magistrate at the federal court in Newark The judge ordered that he remain detained while awaiting approval of his bail conditions
19 SOLDIERS KILLED IN PAK CLASHES
Nineteen Pakistani soldiers were killed in two separate clashes with Islamist fighters in the country’s northwest where militants have ramped up attacks on security forces since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan the army said In the first incident, soldiers moving in a vehicle convoy came under fire in the mountainous Badar area of South Waziristan near the border with Afghanistan Pakistan s military said in a statement that 12 soldiers and 13 militants were killed “after an intense exchange of fire” In another clash in the Lower Dir area, seven soldiers and 10 insurgents were killed in a shootout after troops discovered a militant hideout, the army said
ISLAMISTS WIN 2ND VARSITY ELECTION IN BANGLADESH
Bangladesh Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing swept the central students union election at the Jahangirnagar University (JU) on Saturday less than week after its win at the Dhaka University The Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) won 20 out of 25 positions in the JU Central Students’ Union (JUCSU) election even though it was virtually inactive for nearly 35 years on the JU campus Of the positions ICS did not win was the top post of vice president Abdur Rashid Zitu, who contested from a newly formed group called Swatantra Shikkharthi Sammilon will hold the post of VP
4 TOP CHINESE GENERALS EXPELLED
China s parliament expelled four top generals of the People s Liberation Army as part of a widening campaign against corruption in the military ranks The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress announced that the generals had been dismissed as deputies of the House The four included People’s Armed Police commander Wang Chunning, Rocket Force disciplinary chief Wang Zhibin, head of the Logistics Support Department under the Central Military Commission Zhang Lin and Gao Daguang, political commissar of the CMC’s Joint Logistics Support Force As a full general, Wang Chunning, 62, is the highest ranking of the four
BRAZIL EX-PREZ JAILED FOR 27 YEARS
Brazil s former President Jair Bolsonaro has been convicted of attempting a coup to stay in office after losing his re-election bid in 2022 He is the first former president found guilty of trying to overturn an election in the country with the largest economy in Latin America Bolsonaro has always denied wrongdoing Four of the five justices on the Supreme Court panel voted to convict him and sentenced him to 27 years and three months in prison But this doesn’t mean he will go to prison right away His lawyers have said that they will try to appeal both the conviction and sentence before the full Supreme Court of 11 justices
W
Trump vows tough action after beheading of Indian motel manager
Donal d Trump has strongl y con-
In
immigran t in Dal la s last week
"The t ime for
eing soft on
hese
il
over under my watch," Trump
sa id in a post on his Truth Social plat form
C
Nagamallaiah, 50, was attacked with a machete by his co-worker
Y
front of his wife and child, following a heated argument over a broken washing machine The accused, who is now in custody, has been charged with murder
T
undocumented migrants, making it a central plank of his policy
"will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and will be charged with murder in the first degree " He also criticised the Biden
administration in his post saying Cobos-Martinez was previously
including alleged child abuse, but was released back into society because Cuba declined to accept his return "
According to the Department
of Homeland Security, CobosMartinez is an undocumented immigrant, with a final order of removal from the US Nagamallaiah, who belonged to the Indian state of Karnataka, worked at the Downtown Suites Motel in Dallas
The assault took place on 10 September The police said they received a "stabbing" call and a preliminary investigation determined that Cobos-Martinez had cut the victim with an edged
Nagamallaiah's funeral was held
Mound, Texas, and was attended by family and friends A fundraiser launched to support his family has raised more than $321,000, according to a report
Gujarati origin Baiju Bhatt joins Forbes' youngest billionaires list
M E NL O PAR K: B ai ju Bhatt, the Indian Ameri can co- founder of the popular stock trading app R ob i nh ood , ha s b e e n n am e d one of Ameri ca's 10 youngest billionaires by Forbes in its 2 02 5 list At 40, Bhatt is the sole individual of Indian ori gin to featu re on t he pr es t i g i ous l i s t, whi c h i nc l ude s ot her pr om in en t f i g ur
founder Mark Z uckerberg
Bhatt’s remarkable success i s a s t o r y o f r e s i l i e n c e a n d entrepreneurial vision The son of Gujarati immigrants, he grew up in Poquoson, Virginia, where
g r e
i n mathematics and met his future business partner, Vlad Tenev T o g e t h e r , t h e y l a u n c h e d Robinhood in 2013, a platform t h a t r e v
his family faced financial hardship after his father was diagnosed with kidney failure The family’s struggles began after his father, who had moved to t h e U S t o p u r s u e a PhD at the University o f H u n t s v i l l e , Alabama, was forced to abandon his studies to cover medical expenses His journey to billionaire status began at S
Outrage over detaining of Sikh woman who has been living in US for 33 years
C A L I F ORN IA : Harji t K au r, a 73 -year-old
S i kh w o m a n, w h o h as b een li v i n g i n
California's East Bay area for the last 3 3 years was detained by the U S Imm igration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last week sparking outrag e among com munity members
Kaur, an immigrant from India, had no past criminal record and complied with the regular immigration check-ins, which happ e n e v e r y s i x m o n t h s , f o r m o
e t h a n a decade now, a report said Following her detention, a large group of people gathered to show their support for Kaur, who had been residing in Hercules for a long time
Kaur was allegedly detained during a routine check-in by the ICE “We are all just in a state of shock,” her grand daughter Sukhdeep Kaur said The ICE had asked
Kaur to come to their San Francisco office to submit some additional paperwork, following which she was detained A day later, she w a s t a k e n t o a d e
Bakersfield
Sukhdeep said that Kaur was “ everyone ’ s grandma”, adding that she was seen as a “mother figure” who is “independent, selfless, and hard-working”
“I never thought something like this would happen, especially with her history and her being such a huge part of the comm u n i t y I t ’ s j u s t o u t r a g e o u s , ” S u k h d
added While Kaur's asylum case was denied i
reported” to the San Francisco ICE every six months for more than 13 years, according to her daughter-in-law
UK-born professor Kazim Ali wins prestigious Pegasus award
SA N DI EG O : Kazim Ali , a profess or at the Univers ity of California, San Di ego, has been nam ed the 202 5 rec ipient of the prestigious Pegasus Awa rd for Poetry Critic ism Th e ho nou r, w hi c h i nc l ude s a $ 10, 000 pri ze, recognis es hi s b ook, B lac k B uf falo Woman : An Introduction to the Poetry and Poeti cs of Lucille C lifton, as an outstanding work pub lished i n the US over the pas t year
In his winning book, Ali offers a deeply researched exploration of Lucille Clifton’s work, celebrating her spiritual depth and formal mastery He joins two other disting u i s h e d h o n o u r e e s f r o m t h e P o e t r y Foundation: Rigoberto González, who won the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, and Amy Stolls, who received the Pegasus Award for Service in Poetry All three will be celebrated at a ceremony in Chicago this October
Born in the United Kingdom to Muslim parents of Indian descent, Ali has had a distinguished career that has seen him live and work across the US, Canada, India, France, and the Middle East He holds multiple degrees, including an MFA from New York University, and his impressive body of work spans six poetry collections and six works of prose
Ali is also an accomplished translator and a former publisher His book, Northern Light: Power, Land, and the Memory of Water, received the Banff Mountain Book A w
According to Michelle T Boone, president of the Poetry Foundation, Ali's life and career demonstrate an extraordinary talent and dedication to supporting poetry, making him a worthy recipient of this highly regarded award
investing with its commissionfree trading model
Bhatt served as the company ’ s co-CEO until 2020 before taking on the role of chief crea t i v e o f f i c e r A l t h o u g h h e stepped down from day-to-day operations in 2024, he remains on the board with a significant 6% stake According to Forbes, his net worth has soared to an estimated $6 billion, fuelled by a n e a r l y 4 0 0 % r i s e i n Robinhood’s stock over the past year, which has been driven by surging crypto transactions and record revenues
Kash Patel faces US congressional hearings over Kirk death probe
WA SHI N G TO N : FBI Direc tor Kash Patel i s brac ing for Un ited States congres sional s crutiny over hi s leadershi p of the inves tigati on i nto the ki lli ng of conservative c omm e n t a to r C h ar l i e K i r k , f ol lo w i n g e a rl y reported mis steps
Patel is set to appear before the Senate and House judiciary committees, during which he is expected to answer questions not just about how the FBI handled the Kirk case, but also whether he can stabilise an agency fragmented by political fights and internal upheaval since his appointment, as toxic political divisions plague the nation
US President Donald Trump praised Patel for the speed with which the bureau i d e n t i f i e d a n d c a p t u r e d K i r k ’ s a l l e g e d assassin, Tyler Robinson
But that has not stopped criticism even from fellow conservatives, who have started to wonder if Patel is qualified to head the country’s top law enforcement body of 38,000 employees, including 13,000 agents In a statement, Christopher F Rufo, a f e l l o w a t t h e c o n s e r v a t i v e t h i n k t a n k Manhattan Institute, wrote that it was “time for Republicans to assess whether Kash Patel is the right man to run the FBI”
“He performed terribly in the last few days, and it’s not clear whether he has the operational expertise to investigate, infiltrate, and disrupt the violent movements t h a t t h r e a t e n t h e p e a c e i n t h e U n i t e d States,” he added Conservative commentator Erick Erickson also weighed in, writing on X, “The FBI situation is concerning ”
An earlier report said Patel was also ridiculed by far-right groups for his “clumsy response ” to Kirk’s killing
Donald Trump
Baiju Bhatt
Ahmedabad on way to become India's sports capital, says Amit Shah U
CP Radhakrishnan sworn in as India’s 15th Vice President
In a c eremony at Ras htrapati B ha v a n , Cha n d r ap ur a m Po nn us a m y R a dha k ri s hn an was s worn in as the 15 th vice president of India Pres ident D r ou pa di M u r m u a d m in i s t e re d t he oa t h of off ic e, with a host of senior d ig n it a r ie s i n a t te n d an c e , i nc l ud in g Pr i
M inist er Amit Shah, Def ence M inist er Rajnath Singh, and s
N a r e n d r a
M o d i C r i c k e t S t a d i u m i n
M o t e r a , t h e S a r d a r
V a l l a b h b h a i P a t e l S p o r t s Enclave, and the newly built
V e e r S a v a r k a r S p o r t s
C o m p l e x , w h i c h w a s
c o n s t r u c t e d a t a c o s t o f £82 5mn He stated that the n e w c o m p l e x i s a l r e a d y scheduled to host as many as 13 international sporting events leading up to 2036
S h a h a l s o n o t e d t h a t
o r g a n i s e r s o f t w o r e c e n t international events held at the complex had praised it
as the most modern Shah used statistics to u n d
government's commitment
budget of £164 3mn in 201415 with this year ’ s £530mn He also pointed out India's i m
n the Olympics, noting that
T
a p p e a r a n ce o f a t i g e r in G ujar at in 2019 served as a sta rk reminder of the species' l ocal ex tinct ion, a poignant
c ha p t e r in In d i a 's conservat ion history While
t h e t i ge r 's p opu l a ti on wa s d ecima te d by hunt ing an d hab itat loss, the Asiat ic l ion,
o n ce on t he b r in k , w a s f ie r c e l y p r o t e ct e d T hi s r eversal of for tunes saw t he l ion popul ation flourish in
t he G ir Forest
H o w e v e r , n e w d a t a
r e v e a l s t h a t t h e l i o n ' s journey is not without its
o w n s e v e r e c h a l l e n g e s
B e t w e e n A u g u s t 2 0 2 3 a n d July 2025, Gujarat recorded the deaths of 307 lions, with a staggering 256 attributed to u n n a t u r a l c a u s e s T h i s
r e p r e s e n t s 8 3 4 % o f a l l fatalities A closer look at the data shows that 151 lions died from illnesses, while another
years, compared to just 20 between 1948 and 2012 He c o n c l u d
Prime Minister Modi’s goal for India to be a world leader i
7 , asserting that the nation’s youth should not fall behind in sports
74 succumbed to infighting, a powerful indication of the immense pressure on their h a b i t a t I n r e s p o n s e , t h e government has spent ₹37 35 c r o r e o n c o n s e r v a t i o n measures
Despite these significant losses, conservation efforts
h a v e b e e n s u c c e s s f u l i n growing the lion population to 891, a number that now spans seven districts This
c o n t r a s t h i g h l i g h t s a complex narrative: while the
T op meteorol ogis ts have warned that La N iña c onditions are likely to retu rn later this year,
s h if t t h a t c o u l d s ig ni f ic a n tl y a l te r gl o b a l w eath er p atterns and make India' s u pc oming w inter c older th an us ual
T h e U S N a
W
Climate Prediction Center announced that there is a 71% chance of La Niña developing between October and December 2025 This probability dips slightly to 54% for the period of December 2025 to February 2026, but a La Niña Watch remains in effect La Niña, which represents the cooling phase of the El N i ñ o – S o u t h e r n O s c i l l a t i o n ( E N S O ) , i s a w e a t
y cooler-than-average ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific This alteration has far-
tiger vanished due to neglect, the lion, having been saved, is now grappling with the
their population,
testament
triumphs, now creates new v u l n e
g cats face the ongoing threat
balance of coexistence
reaching effects on weather across the globe F o r I n d i a , t h e p h e n o m e n o n i s w i d e l y associated with colder-than-normal winters
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), in its recent ENSO bulletin, also n o t e d t h a t w h i l e n e u
c
n d i t i o n s currently prevail over the equatorial Pacific, a greater likelihood of La Niña emerging in the post-monsoon months is expected
A senior IMD official confirmed that their models indicate a "good probability" of La Niña developing later this year, with a likelihood of over 50% He added that while the warming effect of climate change could offset the cold to some extent, winters during La Niña years typically remain colder compared to years without it
pol it ic al figures
the country
As the nominee of the N
received 452 votes from the
t h e opposition candidate, former
S u d e r s h a n R e d d y , w h o
g a r n e r e d 3 0 0 v o t e s T h e results, announced by Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody, revealed that 767 out of the 781 eligible Members o f P a r l i
c
s t t h e i r ballots, with 752 being valid Interestingly, Radhakrishnan’s final tally was 14 votes higher than the NDA’s anticipated count, fuelling speculation of cross-voting
P r i m e M i n i s t e r M o d i s w i f t l y c o n g r a t u l a t e d t h e newly elected vice president on social media, expressing h
discourse The election was necessitated by the sudden
president Jagdeep Dhankhar on July 21, more than two years before the conclusion
triggered by his refusal to align on the impeachment of a judge According to Article 68 of the Constitution, an election to
full five-year term
CRPF flags serious security lapses by Rahul Gandhi
The Cent ral Reserve Pol ice F or c e ( C RP F ) ha s r a i se d se rio us con ce rn s r e ga rd ing the secur it y of Rahul Gan dhi, the l eader of t he opposition, accusing him of r epeate dly
b r e a c hi n g pr o t oc ol d u r in g his foreign trips In a let ter
s e n t t o b o t h G a n d hi a n d
C on g r e s s pr e s id e n t
M a l l i k a r ju n Kh a r g e , t h e C R PF 's V IP se cu r it y w in g head, Sunil Joon, de scribed Gan dhi’s approach as casual an d l ack adaisical
A s a Z - p l u s p r o t e c t e e ,
G a n d h i i s r e q u i r e d t o
p r o v i d e h i s s e c u r i t y d e t a i l with at least 15 days' advance
n o t i c e b e f o r e t r a v e l l i n g
a b r o a d T h i s p r o t o c o l ,
o u t l i n e d i n t h e C R P F ' s yellow book, is vital for the Ministry of External Affairs
t o c o o r d i n a t e w i t h h o s t
c o u n t r i e s a n d e n s u r e a proper security framework is in place
T h e l e t t e r c i t e s s i x s p e c i f i c i n s t a n c e s o f unannounced foreign travel over the past nine months
These included visits to Italy, V i e t n a m , D u b a i , Q a t a r , London, and most recently,
The De lhi Hig h Court has ta ken a sign ificant st e p t o p ro t e ct t he p e rs on a lit y r ig h ts of Bollywood actor Aish wary a R ai Bachchan , issuin g an orde r tha t bars on line pla tforms from ille gally using he r n ame an d image s for commer cia l gain The rulin g, deliver ed by J u st i c e T e j a s K a r i a , a f fi r m e d t h a t t he una uthorise d ex ploita tion of a public figure's ide ntit y can n ot on ly cause fina ncial har m but also unde rmine the ir right to live wit h dign ity
The court's decision, which was made p u b l i c , s t a t e d t h a t i n c a s e s o f s u c h exploitation, courts cannot turn a blind-eye and must protect the aggrieved parties to prevent harm The order serves as a major precedent, emphasising the legal principle of personality rights, which grants individuals the right to control and profit from their own likeness and persona The ruling came in response to a plea from Aishwarya, who
Malaysia The CRPF alleges t h a t G a n d h i ’ s f a i l u r e t o inform his team leaves no s c o p e t o p r e p a r e f o r potential threats or security breaches on foreign soil This is not
sought to restrain platforms from using her n
content for commercial purposes without
defendants were misappropriating various aspects of her identity for their own financial benefit
The case follows similar legal action The
Bachchan, who sought to protect his
removed from online platforms The court has granted an interim order in Aishwarya Rai's case and is expected to pass a similar order on Abhishek's plea, underscoring the legal system's commitment to protecting the rights of public figures and their families
The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu administered the Oath of Office of Vice President of India to Shri C P Radhakrishnan at a Swearingin-Ceremony held at Ganatantra Mandap, in Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses the gathering during the inauguration of Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat
India secures strategic footprint in Indian Ocean with Mauritius pact
In a significant d ip lom atic mov e, India has announced a compreh ensive econo mic
p ac ka g e f o r M a u ri ti u s, whi ch includ es a strateg ic co mponent granting India a
fo o th o l d i n th e C h a g o s
archipelago The anno uncement came after a bilateral
m ee ti ng in V a ran as i
bet w ee n P ri m e M i ni s ter Nar end ra M o d i and h i s M au ri t ia n co u n ter p art
Navinchandra Ramgoo lam
The package, valued at $
agreements for the redevelopment of the Port Louis
p
Area This vast expanse of the Indian Ocean is strategically vital as it is home to the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia The agreements will allow India to
e x p a n d i t s s e c u r i t y a n d influence in the region
Speaking after the meeting, PM Modi described the package as "an investment
emphasising that Mauritius is family to India He also
hydrography, which will see both nations conduct joint surveys and create naviga-
years
ship comes on the heels of
Mauritian sovereignty over
expressed his appreciation for India's backing, noting that his country's expanded EEZ now requires increased
assistance He also said that Mauritius would prefer to use an Indian vessel to plant
Garcia, citing the symbolic importance of the gesture
The partnership is a clear sign of India’s growing role as a preferred security part-
region
Gujarat man indicted in US for $1mn fraud scheme
A ma n o ri g i n a ll y f ro m
G ujarat, Ankur K Patel, has b een indicted i n the United States on charges of laundering more than $1 mi llion ob tained through a fraud
s c h e me t ar ge t i n g e ld e rl y
v i c t i ms T he 41 - y ea r - ol d, who resides in Brookfield, W isconsin, faces charges of
c o n s pi r ac y t o l a un de r m o ne y an d s u b s ta n ti v e money laundering If con-
v i c t ed , h e c ou ld b e s e ntenced to a maximum of 20 y e a rs i n pr i s on a n d f a c e s ubstantial fines
According to Richard G Frohling, the acting United
S t a t e s a t t o r n e y f o r t h e
E a s t e r n D i s t r i c t o f Wisconsin, a federal grand
j u r y r e t u r n e d t h e i n d i c tm e n t a g a i n s t P a t e l T h e charges allege that he conspired with others in a scam k n o w n a s t h e " P h a n t o m
H a c k e r , " w h i c h p r e y s o n older individuals by exploiting their trust and fears
T h e s c h e m e i n v o l v e s c r i m i n a l s p o s i n
tives or government officials They falsely claim that a victim's account or identity has been compromised and pressure them to transfer money or assets, such as cash or gold, into a suppose d l y s a f e a c c o u n t T h e funds are then laundered through other participants
t o c o n c e a l t h e i r o r i g i n s
F r o h l i n g h i g h l i g h t e d t h a t the fraudsters exploit fear a n d t r u s t t o c o o r d i n a t e these anonymous transactions The scheme has been likened to the digital arrest f r a u d t h a t h a s a l s o b e e n prevalent in India
Patel is accused of collecting the illicit funds from v i c t i m s i n s e v e r a l s t a t e s , i n c
n e i n Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and passing them through hidd
indictment states that he is facing separate charges for conspiracy and substantive m o n e y l a u n d e r i n g , e a c h carrying its own maximum
s e n t e n c e a n d p o t e n t i a l fines
PM Modi praises RSS chief Mohan
Bhagwat on his 75th birthday
P ri m e Mi n is t er
N a re nd ra Mo d i h ai l ed
R ash tri ya S wayamsevak
S an gh ( R S S ) ch i ef Mo han Bh agwat o n h is
7 5 t h b ir th da y, c a ll i ng
h i m a l iv i ng embodiment of the prin-
c i p l e V a s u dh a i va
K u tu m b ak am ' Mo d i
s t at ed t h a t B h ag wa t h a s dedicated h is entire life to s o c i e ta l tr an s fo rm at io n, strength ening harmo ny and
f r at er ni ty , an d no t ed t h e p leasant coincidence of th e
R S S 's u p c o m i ng 1 00 th anni versary falling on th e
s a me da y a s th e bi r th
a nni versari es o f M ah atma
G a nd h i a nd La l B a h ad u r S hastri
Modi praised Bhagwat's soft-spoken nature and his exceptional ability to listen, which he believes provides him with a deeper perspec-
tive and brings dignity to his l e a d e r s h i p H e s a i d
Bhagwat s working style is d e f i n e d b y t w o c o r e a t t
adaptation, as he has successfully steered the organisation through complex currents without compromising its core ideology The prime minister also noted Bhagwat's natural connection with the youth and his keen interest in government
i n
Swachh Bharat Mission and the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign
EC affirms sole authority to conduct electoral roll revisions
T h e E lecti on C om m i ss io n (EC ) h as submitted an affidav it to the Suprem e C ourt, firm ly d eclaring that it alone has the complete discretion to conduct a special intensive revision ( SIR) or general rev i si on of electo ral rolls T he af fid avi t w as filed i n opp osition to a p ublic interest litigation ( PIL) by ad voc ate A s h w i ni U p a d h ya y, wh o sough t a judicial directive for the EC to cond uct periodic rev isions, p articularly in states facing larg escale illeg al migration
The EC argued that any s u c h d i r e c t i o n f r o m t h e S u p r e
w o u l d amount to a breach of its statutorily conferred exclusive jurisdiction The commission stated that its obli-
Indian
rolls, as per Rule 25 of the R
Rules, 1960, and Section 21
responsibility to be fulfilled before each election, rather than being couched within a
sised that it has complete discretion over the policy of revision to the exclusion of any other authority Electoral roll revisions T
recently convened
meeting
Union Territories The purpose of the meeting was to assess their readiness for a pan-India Special Revision of Electoral Rolls, which is
either later this month or in early October This extensive exercise will replace the
2026, as the new reference date
During the meeting, the CEOs provided updates on the status of their current voter lists and the digitised records from the last intensive revision This preparedn e
E C plans to presume citizenship for electors who were on the roll from the last intensive r
approach is expected to save a considerable amount of time and effort during the upcoming pre-enumeration activities
nationals warned against joining Russian army
r a in e conflict , the Ministry of Exter nal Affairs (MEA) issued a fresh a d v is or y , w a r n in g ci t i ze n s a g a i n st su ch of fe r s a n d d e sc r ib i n g t he pa t h a s “fr aught with dange r ”
“We have seen reports about Indian nationals having been recruited recently into the Russian Army The government has, on several occasions over the past year, u n d e r l i n e d t h e r i s k s a n d d a n g e r s i n h e r e n t i n t h i s course of action and caut i o n e d I n d i a n c i t i z e n s
a c c o r d i n g l y , ” M E A
s p o k e s p e r s o n R a n d h i r
Jaiswal said He emphasised t h a t I n d i a h a s r e p e a t e d l y raised the issue with Moscow and urged families to maint a i n c l o s e c o n t a c t w i t h authorities
“We have also taken up the matter with Russian offic i a l s , b o t h i n D e l h i a n d Moscow, demanding an end t o t h i s p r a c t i c e a n d t h e release of our nationals We are also in touch with the f a m i l i e s o f t h e a f f e c t e d Indian citizens,” Jaiswal said D i s t u r b i n g v i d e o m e ssages shared by anguished families show the young men - m a n y f r o m P u n j a b , Haryana, and Jammu - weari n g R u s s i a n m i l i t a r y u n if o r m s a n d p l e a d i n g f o r urgent intervention
“We have been caught in the Russian Army We are 9 boys We came here on stud e n t v i s a s W e a r e b e i n g grossly mistreated We’re not getting food, and we ’ re being sent to the frontline daily,” said Samarjeet Singh from L u d h i a n a S u m e e t S h a r m a from Jammu echoed similar fears, stating: “We have been d e c e i v e d b y a g e n t s W e request the BJP government to help us as soon as possible ” Another individual, Buta Singh, claimed some among them had already died in the fighting “We were promised work in Moscow Instead, we are trapped in this war The situation is dire, get us out immediately,” he urged
India leads in planning for healthy ageing, longevity
A n e w r e por t f ro m th e
Recalling his own d
with the Bhagwat fam-
Bhagwat, who played
Gujarat He also highlighted Bhagwat's early years as a volunteer during the draco-
which he worked extensive-
areas of Maharashtra, particularly Vidarbha, shaping
M
s t a t i n g t h a t B h a g w a t h a s brought significant changes to the organisation under h i s l e a d e r s h i p , i n c l u d i n g modifications to its uniform and training programmes
B os ton Cons ulti ng Group ( BCG) reveals that India is at the forefront of the globa l t r en d to wa r ds he a l th y ageing and longevity The study, based on a survey of over 9 ,350 people across 19 countries, found that nearly half of Indians are actively p la n n i ng fo r a l on g er , healthier life, a figure that is s i g n i fi c a n t ly hi g he r th a n the global average of just 12 per cent
T h e r e p o r t h i g h l i g h t s India's unique position as a
P a ki s t an 's de p u ty p ri me minister Mohammad Ish aq Dar said in an interview th at Islamabad raised the issue o f t h i rd -p ar ty me di a ti o n with US Secretary of S tate Marco Rubio , to which the US o fficial respo nded th at Indi a do es not su pp ort outside involvement "Incidentally, when the c e a s e f i r e o f f e r c a m e through Secretary Rubio to me on the 10th of May I
per cent of consumers using apps and tech tools, presents a significant opportunity
T h e s t u d y a l s o f o u n d that Indian consumers are less concerned about privac y i s s u e s ,
h e m more open to digital health solutions
"global test bed" for healthy ageing innovations, largely d r i v e n b y i t s d i g i t a l - f i r s t mindset Indians lead the world in adopting AI-powered health tools, with a 25 per cent adoption rate The country is also among the top three nations for using w e a r a b l e h e a l t h t r a c k e r s , with 32 per cent of respond e n t s u t i l i s i n g t h e s e devices In total, 71 per cent o f I n d i a n s h a v e e n g a g e d with at least one technological intervention for health, well above the 55 per cent global average Parul Bajaj, a Managing Director at BCG India, noted that while the s c i e n c e o f l o n g e v i t y i s
Pak deputy PM vindicates India's stand on ceasefire
was told that there would b e a d i a l o g u e b e t w e e n Pakistan and India at an independent place When we met on the 25th of July during a bilateral meeting w i t h S e c r e t a r y R u b i o i n Washington, I asked him What happened to those dialogues? , he said, ‘India says that it is a bilateral issue’," Dar said W h i l e T r u m p h a s repeated his claim over two
dozen times, India has categ o r
l l y d e
t h a t t h e A m e r i c a n s m e d i a t e d t o bring about a ceasefire This sovereign stand was reported to be a factor behind T r u m p ' s a g g r e s s i v e t r a d e tariffs on India, but that matter has since cooled as the US resumed talks after PM Narendra Modi's eastward move to underline a friendship with Russia and effect a thaw with China
Narendra Modi and Navinchandra Ramgoolam
Mohan Bhagwat and Narendra Modi
Karnataka CM announces fresh caste census, rejects previous report
B E NGA LUR U: K arnataka
C M S id da r a m a i ah announce d that the s tate will c onduc t a fres h socioeconomic and e ducational survey between Septem ber 22 and Oct ober 7, stat ing
t ha t t h e c a s t e c e n s u s car ried out in 2 015 had not b e e n a c c e p t e d b y t he gover nment
He said that as a decade had passed since the last exercise, a new survey had become essential to capture the present realities of society
c
He stressed that the survey was a
survey, which will be conducted by the K
C
Backward Classes, is expected to cover the state’s entire population of nearly 70 million across 20mn households
Each household will be given a Unique Household ID sticker, with 15 5mn stickers already affixed so far A questionnaire with 60 questions will
be administered to capture
families
To carry out the survey,
teachers will be deployed during the Dasara vacation Technological safeguards are being used to improve accuracy Every household will be geo-tagged with electricity meter numbers, and ration cards and Aadhaar details will
details to enumerators, options have been created to provide information either through a call to a dedicated
submissions
Commission, chaired by Madhusudan Naik, has been tasked with conducting the survey in a scientific and inclusive manner The final report is expected to be submitted by December 2025
Alert in Kerala amid amoebic infection that claims 17 lives
KOZHIKODE ( Kerala): Ev en as the num ber of cases and deaths fro m amoebic meningo enceph alitis continues to rise in Kerala, uncertainty persists o ver the exact m ode of trans m i ss i o n an d ef fec ti v e pr ev en tiv e m ea su re s Th e dead ly i nfectio n, wh ich is caused by an amo eba th at attacks the brain, has claimed 1 7 lives in the last nine months in the state, w ith seven reported this m onth alone
Initially, health experts believed that the infection primarily affected people who had bathed or swum in ponds, lakes, or swimming pools, where contaminated water entered the nose and allowed the amoeba to reach the brain
However, recent cases have raised concern, including in which a three-month-old infant with no exposure to ponds and individuals who only bathed at home also contracted the disease, challenging earlier assumptions
According to health officials, while the number of infections has increased, a small relief is that the mortality rate for amoebic meningoencephalitis in Kerala (24%) is significantly lower than the global figure (97%) Still, the lack of clarity on how to prevent the disease has created widespread anxiety among the public
Experts suggest practical precautions, such as avoiding water entering the nose while swimming or bathing in
swimming pools However, this method is not feasible in open ponds and rivers Reports of people contracting the infection even after bathing in household showers further complicate preventive guidelines
Outrage over Centre's refusal to allow Sikh jatha to Pakistan
C HAN DI GARH: C iting secu rity concerns,
t h e U nio n G o v er n me n t h a s de n ie d
p er m is s io n f o r a Sik h j at h a (g ro u p o f
p il grims) to visit P akistan for the P arkash
P arb (birt h annivers ary) o f Gu ru Nanak
Dev, the fou nder o f Sikhism, in No vember
th is year T his move h as triggered a po litical
r o w in P u nja b, w ith a ll m aj or p o l itic al
p ar t ie s c r it ic i zi ng th e B JP - l ed c en t ra l
g ov ern men t and ac cu s ing it o f " do ub le
s ta n da rd s " - p a rt i c u l ar l y i n l igh t o f t h e
go vernment allo wing a T-2 0 c ricket match betw een India and P akistan in Du bai Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, along with the Congress, Shiromani Akali
D a l , a n d t h e S h i r o m a n i G u r d w a r a
P a r b a n d h a k C o m m i t t e e ( S G P C ) , q u e s t i o n e d t h e r a t i o n a l e b e h i n d t h e decision Speaking to the media Mann said, “If you can allow a cricket match between India and Pakistan during the Asia Cup, w h y s h o u l d P u n j a b i s ' d e v o t i o n t o w a r d s their shrines in Pakistan be ignored? Either a l l o w a l l k i n d s o f e n g a g e m e n t s w i t h Pakistan or don’t allow any ” Mann said
Mann also demanded the reopening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor and permission for Sikh jathas to pay obeisance at their most revered shrines: Kartarpur Sahib and Nankana Sahib
Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir
S i n g h B a d a l t o o k t o X t o u r g e H o m e M i n i s t e r A m i t S h a h t o r e c o n s i d e r t h e
Centre's decision "Sikh pilgrims are eager to pay homage at Sri Nankana Sahib, and denying them would hurt their religious sentiments In light of the resumption of sporting ties between Pakistan and India, I
a l s o a p p e a l f o r t h e r e o p e n i n g o f t h e Kartarpur Corridor,” he noted
C o n g r e s s M L A f r o m J a l a n d h a r
Cantonment, Pargat Singh, also wrote on X: “Nanak Naam Leva Sangat across the world holds deep reverence for the birthplace of
G u r u N a n a k D e v J i D e n y i n g j a t h a s permission to pay obeisance there, while allowing cricket with Pakistan, reflects a p a i n f u l i n c o n s i s t e n c y i n p r i o r i t i e s Punjab’s voice deserves fairness, dignity, and equal treatment,” he added
Row over 'siropa' honour for Rahul Gandhi
A M RI T S A R: S hiromani Gurdw ara Parbandhak Com mittee ( SGP C) chief Harjinder Singh Dham i sa id i t w i ll p ro b e th e m a tte r o f h o no u ri ng
C o ng r es s le ad e r Ra h u l Gan d h i at h i st o ri c gurdwara Baba Budh a Sahib in Ramd as area in Amritsar
D h a m i s a i d t h e r e i s a c o m p l e t e b a n o n
honouring any political personality inside any of the Sikh shrines He said that strict action will be initiated if any of the SGPC employees are found guilty
Gandhi was on a visit to Punjab to interact with flood-hit people in Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts After visiting Ghonewal village, Gandhi paid obeisance at the historic gurdwara Baba Budha Sahib in Ramdas area of Amritsar
He performed 'ardas' (prayer) for the welfare and prosperity of people, including those who were impacted by floods
Gandhi was given a 'siropa' (a robe of honour)
a t t h e g u r d w a r a F o r m e r c h i e f m i n i s t e r o f
Chhattisgarh and the party's Punjab in-charge Bhupesh Baghel and former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi were also present
NORTH-EAST
8 Meghalaya ministers resign ahead of cabinet reshuffle
In
elopment ahead of a c abinet res
the way
the
of a new cou ncil of m inisters
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who
Governor C H Vijayashankar at Raj Bhavan and submitted the resignations Officials confirmed that the new ministers will be sworn at Raj Bhavan later Among those who
, including Health Minister AL Hek of the BJP, Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh of the UDP, and Social Welfare Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh of the NPP
Comingone Ymbon, Rakkam A Sangma, and Abu Taher Mondal of the NPP, Kyrmen Shylla of the UDP, and Shakliar Warjri of the HSPDP The resignations are being seen as part of a planned exercise by the MDA government to refresh the cabinet midway through its term Sources indicated that the reshuffle aims to balance representation among coalition partners and strengthen the government ahead of upcoming political challenges
ASSAM CABINET APPROVES SOP TO DETECT AND DEPORT ILLEGALS
EC to begin training poll officers in Bengal ahead of
of
Bengal, as part of preparations for the special intensive revis ion (SIR) of elec tora l rol ls in t he st ate, a se nior of ficial s aid As sem bly polls are due in West Bengal next year
"State CEO Manoj Agarwal, a l o n g w i t h A d d i
m Neogi, are expected to lead the training session The aim is to ensure that the trainers are welle q u i p p e d t o g u i d e b o o t h - l e v e l officers (BLOs) on how to carry out the voter list revision process smoothly and accurately," he said Assistant district magistrates (ADMs) and electoral registration officers (EROs) from across the state will be trained in the coming d a y s , t h e o f f i c i a l s a i d " T h e s e officials will then train the BLOs, w h
roll revision
level," he said Once the ADM and E R O
B L O
d instructions on assisting voters in filling requisite forms during the SIR drive, he said " T h e B L O
visit households across the state to verify details and ensure proper documentation is in place This is part of the pre-SIR groundwork,” the official said Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti is scheduled to visit Kolkata later this week to review preparations a n d o v e r s e
Bengali speaking migrants 'brutally attacked' in Jharkhand
K OL K A TA : In yet another incident of v iolent “Bengali-ph obia”, albeit not i n a s affron- ruled s tate thi s tim e, S and esh khali resident Tap ch hel Jam ad ar, 27, along with several other yo uths fro m the area, got “brutally attacked” at Tatanag ar railway statio n in J harkh and, allegedly for speaking in Bengali
The Assam cabinet last week approved a new standard operating procedure (SOP) empowering district commissioners and senior superintendents of police to identify and expel illegal immigrants within 10 days, sidestepping the long route through Foreigners Tribunals Illegal immigrants detected within 12 hours of crossing into Assam or found near zero line along the border will be pushed back immediately SOP mandates If proof of Indian citizenship is not furnished within 10 days, the DC must issue an expulsion order, giving the person 24 hours to exit through a designated route CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said the overhaul was necessary to unclog Assam’s burdened tribunal system “Current route through Foreigners’ Tribunals till conclusion is a long one which may stretch to the high court and Supreme Court At present there are 82,000 pending cases in our tribunals This cabinet decision bypasses the tribunal system for the first time,” Sarma said The move marks a sweeping shift in how Assam tackles illegal immigration, particularly from Bangladesh Bangladeshi Muslims have long been at the heart of the state’s demographic anxieties and were central to the anti-foreigner agitation of the 1980
SHOOTING OF STRAY DOGS DRAWS STRONG OPPOSITION
assaulting them physically and with sharp weapons
voter outreach at the grassroots
o l l o u t o f t h e revision exercise, he said Meanwhile, during a meeting with ADMs, officials were asked to begin voter mapping activities at the district level A key directive was to compare the 2002 voter list – the last time SIR was conducted in West Bengal – with the latest electoral roll published in January 2025
The group from Boyramari in Sandeshkhali had just reached
According to witnesses, the attackers shouted derogatory remarks, labeling the workers as “Bangladeshis” because they spoke Bengali, and then assaulted them Tapchhel received the most severe injuries
Tapchhel, who had been working in construction in Odisha for the past five years, had returned home earlier in September He and some others from his village had reached Tatanagar to work in a construction project in Jamshedpur
Following preliminary treatment in Jamshedpur, Tapchhel was brought to Calcutta for further medical attention The incident spread panic throughout Boyramari village, leaving f
linguistic and regional discrimination faced by migrant workers from Bengal in other states Tapchhel’s family appealed directly to chief minister Mamata Banerjee for immediate intervention, urging her to ensure strict action against those responsible for this assault “We migrate for honest work Why should speaking our language make us targets?” asked a family member K O L K A T A :
A controversial decision by the Bene village authorities over the shooting of dogs roaming in the village in Arunachal has sparked widespread outrage The decision was taken in response to recent rabies cases reported in the area According to the decision, dogs found straying in Bene and nearby villages were to be culled to “restrict the spread of rabies disease ” This order, which effectively sanctioned a shoot-at-sight directive, quickly drew the ire of animal rights groups, activists, and concerned citizens Condemning the move, the Arunachal Animal Welfare Society (AAWS), Itanagar, submitted a joint representation to the Deputy Commissioner of West Siang district In its memorandum, the organisation termed the order as a grave violation of animal welfare laws and a “barbaric act of cruelty ” “The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and directives of the Supreme Court of India strictly prohibit the culling of dogs by shooting or killing Only sterilisation and vaccination are the lawful and humane methods of population and disease control, the AAWS noted in its letter
WEST
Siddaramaiah
PM Modi gets birthday call from Trump, hours after ‘positive’ trade talks
In yet another m oment of bonhom ie between the two l ea d ers , P ri m e M in i st er
Narend ra M odi receiv ed a
c al l f ro m U S P re si d e nt
Do nald Trum p for wis hes
o n his birthd ay ev e as he turns 75 on S eptem ber 1 7
In a post on X, Modi
t h a n k e d T r u m p a n d referred to the trade deal
t a l k s t h a t r e s u m e d j u s t hours earlier: “Like you, I am also fully committed to
t a k i n g t h e I n d i a - U S Comprehensive and Global Partnership to new heights ”
He added, "We support your initiatives towards a peaceful resolution of the
U k r a i n e c o n f l i c t ” T r u m p later made a similar post on
T r u t h S o c i a l : “ J u s t h a d a wonderful phone call with my friend, Prime Minister
N a r e n d r a M o d i I w i s h e d him a very Happy Birthday! He is doing a tremendous job Narendra: Thank you for your support on ending the War between Russia and Ukraine!”
Trump has been chiding India - though lately he's focused on Europe - to stop buying Russian oil to force it to stop the Ukraine war The oil and the war have been cited as a reason behind the massive 50% US import tariffs imposed by Trump on Indian goods and services
But Trump and Modi's personal equation recently managed to break through the tension that was marked by sharp jibes by US officials even as India stayed firm but
Gujarat CM welcomes Sardar Samman Yatra
G u j ara t C h i ef M i n is te r Bh u p e nd r a P ate l o n M o nd a y w elcomed the S ardar Samman Y atra in Gandhinagar and p aid floral tribu tes to Sard ar V allabh bh ai P atel o n th e o c cas io n T h e y atra w h ic h beg an fro m Ba rd ol i a nd is schedu led to culminate at Som nath , has been org anised as p art of the year-long celebrations to ho nour the Iron Man o f India and the A rchitect of Akhand Bharat
According to a CMO statement, the yatra, which began from Bardoli and is scheduled to culminate at Somnath, has been organised as part of the year-long celebrations to honour the Iron Man of India and the Architect of Akhand Bharat
The programme witnessed participation from Minister Raghavji Patel, Member of Parliament H S Patel, Narhari Amin, MLAs Kaushik Vekariya, J V Kakadiya and Janak Talaviya State General Secretary Rajni Patel, BJP Vice President Gordhan Zadafia, Gandhinagar Mayor Meera
P a t e l , D i s t r i c t P a n c h a y a t P r e s i d e n t S h i l p a , a n d C i t y President Ashish Dave were also present
In addition, several leaders from cooperative, social and voluntary organisations, along with school and college students, gathered in large numbers to join the event
Navarro and treasury
ments about India, even targeting the PM directly, but
ago India, US hold trade talks
Brendan Lynch held a con-
Delhi with his Indian coun-
New Delhi A US embassy
spokesperson said both the sides discussed the way for-
negotiations
India's ministry of commerce and industry issued a
resolved to intensify their
k t o w
e c u r i n g a trade deal
“Recognising the enduring significance of US-India trade ties, the dialogue was positive and forward-looki n g , a d d r e s s i n g m u l t i p l e aspects of the prospective deal Both sides agreed to accelerate efforts aimed at achieving an early, mutually beneficial agreement,” the ministry said L y n c h a n d h i s t e a m a r r i v e d i n I n d i a l a t e o n Monday for the talks, which sources in the Indian government described not as the formal sixth round of t r a d e n e g o t i a t i o n s b u t r a t h e r a “ p r e c u r s o r ” t o them
IIM Ahmedabad opens first overseas campus in Dubai
Dubai Cr own Prince Sheikh Ha mda n bin Moha mme d bin Rashid Al Maktoum l ast week inaugurat ed the fir st-eve r overseas campus of In dia n Inst it ut e of Mana gement Ahmedab ad (IIM-A) a t the Dubai Int erna tion al Aca demic City (DIAC)
The inauguration ceremony was held in presence of UAE’s acting minister of higher education and scientific research Dr Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al Awar and India’s Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was on a two-day visit to the UAE
Welcoming India’s top business school’s campus to Dubai, Maktoum said that the opening of IIM-A’s first international campus in the emirate reflects the deep-rooted ties and growing partnership between the UAE and India “The energy and ambition of our youth are the driving forces of Dubai’s future, and by equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and values to succeed in a rapidly changing international environment, we are empowering them to lead with confidence,” he added
Speaking on the occasion, Pradhan said that the establishment of IIM-A Dubai campus is “another big leap towards globalisation of India’s education as envisioned by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi ” He added that the insitute’s Dubai campus will take the best of India to the world
Political row erupts over AI video of PM Modi's mother
A major p olitical controv ers y h as e ru p te d a ft er th e
Bi har Co ng ress sh ared an
A I - g en era ted v i d e o o n X
d e p ic ti n g P ri m
M i ni s ter Narendra M odi and h is late m o th er, H eer ab en M o d i T he v id eo , titled “ M oth er cam e in the sahab's dream, ” portrays the mother criticising her so n ’ s political decis io n s , p ro m p ti n g st ro ng c o nd e m na ti o ns fr o m th e BJP and its allies
Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad called the a c t " s h a m e f u l " a n d q u e stioned how low the opposition party would stoop to target the Prime Minister H e a d d e d t h a t t h e p a r t y would make the incident a v e r
country The working president of the JD(U), a BJP ally, Sanjay Kumar Jha, described the post as an extremely vile
act, claiming it was part of
born out of frustration over the NDA's popularity ahead of the Bihar assembly polls
the people of Bihar would teach them
lesson
Congress party denied
Minister or his late mother Pawan Khera, the Congress media head, questioned the objection to the video, arguing, "Just because a mother is trying to educate her son
where is it disrespectful? The ongoing dispute highlights the increasingly vitriolic nature of political discourse in the country
SC rejects Kangana Ranaut’s plea to squash defamation case
The Sup rem e C ourt h as refu sed to qu as h th e d ef am a ti o n
ag ainst BJP MP Kangana Ranaut over a tweet related to the 2020-21 farm ers' protests, instructing h er to fight th e case in th e trial court
Ranaut’s legal team argued that the post was a simple retweet and that many others who shared it were not facing prosecution However, a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta disagreed, asserting that she had added spice to what was existing and that her post was not a straightforward retweet The judges added that any observation from the apex court could prejudice the trial, and that the lawmaker should prove her point in a lower court Following the judgment, Ranaut withdrew her petition The move came after she had previously challenged an order from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which had also refused to dismiss the complaint against her
T h e o
d Mahinder Kaur, who alleged that the actor had made false imputations and remarks against her in a tweet, claiming she was the same ‘dadi’ who had been part of the Shaheen Bagh protest The High Court, in its ruling, had stated that as a celebrity, Ranaut's false and defamatory imputations had dented the complainant’s reputation and lowered her in her own estimation
A beacon of hope: Bhudia family's vision to transform Kenya's barren
for animal husbandry
This ambitious project, w h
c
s e s m o
r n t e c hniques to bring greenery to the arid landscape, was the original dream of the late Hasmukhbhai Kanji Bhudia, a vision now being brought to life by his sons Using methods such as drip irrigation, sprinkler systems, and m e c h a n i s e d f a
including wheat, maize, cassava, fruits, and vegetables, while also opening avenues
g experiment, this project is a divine commitment to the n
thousands and offers training in modern agriculture to local youth, aiming to make the new generation self-reliant The initiative's key objectives are to establish food security for Kenya,
African continent towards better farming practices As Pujya Guruvar Shri
Donald Trump and Narendra Modi
Kangana Ranaut
PM Modi's North-East India tour weaves together reconciliation and political confrontation
Prim e Minis ter Narendra Modi’s recent tour of India's Northea st was a high-s takes , twopronged journey, m eticulousl y cal ib rated to addre ss a r egion f raught wit h both deepseated ethnic confl ic t and intens e political competition The vis it unf ol de d as a narrative in two dist inc t par ts, a m ess age of hea rtfel t reconciliation and f oc us ed devel opment in Manipur, f oll owed by a fierc e political ass aul t on the oppos ition in Ass am This c arefull y c ho r eo gr a
governm ent’s m ul tif aceted s trategy for the strat egic ally vital region A message of reconciliation and rebuilding in Manipur
The core of Modi's Manipur visit was a direct and impassioned plea for peace In speeches delivered in both Imphal and Chur Chandpur, he urged the people to build a
valley and the Kuki-Zo tribes of the hills His language was one of empathy and assurance, a clear attempt to restore trust in a state torn apart by ethnic violence He insisted that dialogue, respect, and mutual understanding were the foundational prerequisites for any lasting peace, and that development could only follow the cessation of hostilities In a powerful gesture, he placed Manipur at the centre of his vision for a developing India, calling the state "a jewel in India’s crown" and asserting that its growth was a prerequisite for the nation’s overall progress
To substantiate his message of hope and reconstruction, the Prime Minister unveiled a series of ambitious infrastructure projects He announced schemes worth an impressive £ 8 5 0 m n , a i m e d a t r e b u i l d i n g t h e s t a t e ’ s fractured infrastructure and reigniting its economic engine For the communities most impacted by the violence, he promised a targeted support package of nearly £300mn, along with the construction of 7,000 new homes for the displaced families This focus on the last mile delivery was designed to p r o v i d e t a n g i b l e e v i d e n c e o f t h e c e n t r a l government’s commitment to the well-being of all communities The visit also followed a key administrative step: the extension of the "Suspension of Operations" (SoO) agreement between the central government and two umbrella groups of armed Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s F r o n t ( U P F ) T h i s r e v i s e d p a c t w a s a structured overture towards reconciliation, reaffirming Manipur’s territorial integrity while creating space for dialogue, dignity, and healing
The roadshow of political demands
A central narrative of Modi's Manipur visit was his unexpected road journey Heavy t o r r e n t i a l r a i n g r o u n d e d h i s h e l i c o p t e r , forcing a 65-km road trip through the heart of the state’s violence-torn areas What began as a logistical hurdle became a powerful symbol of reconciliation As his motorcade travelled from Imphal to Chur Chandpur, locals lined t h e r a i n - d r e n c h e d s t r e e t s , w a v i n g t h e Tricolour and cheering his convoy For Modi, the experience was profoundly moving He later told a crowd that it was a blessing from god that his helicopter did not fly, as it a l l o w e d h i m
o w i t n e s s
n t a n e o u s "roadshow of reconciliation " He spoke of this m o m e n
testament to the resilience of the Manipuri people Before beginning his journey, he had visited relief camps to meet with displaced f a m i l i e s , l i s t
s a n d pledging his government’s long-term support His visit came at a time when the ethnic violence, which erupted in May 2023, had already claimed the lives of some 260 people and displaced over 60,000 individuals, forcing them into 280 relief camps
W h i l e t h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r ' s v i s i t w a s lauded by many, it was also marked by
appeal, 10 Kuki-Zo legislators, including seven
legislature They argued that only political separation could ensure lasting peace and
belonging to our people This direct plea highlighted the immense challenge of finding a political solution to the conflict The visit also drew criticism from the opposition, who had repeatedly attacked Modi for his earlier
betrayed the people of Assam by leaving the region to fend for itself Modi insisted that the scars of that neglect were still felt and that the Congress' soft approach towards infiltrators mirrored its alleged lack of support for the Indian Army He claimed that the opposition party's agenda was often a mirror of Pakistan's falsehoods, a mindset that the nation won't forgive Modi’s visit also highlighted the BJP-led government's efforts to combat the threat to
absence during the peak of the violence Modi's team, however, argued that his silence was a deliberate strategy, aimed at giving authorities time to restore law and order and prepare the ground for a visit focused on development and healing, not politics
Shifting focus to political confrontation in Assam
The political tone shifted dramatically when Modi arrived in Assam At a rally in the state's Darrang district, he laun h d scathing attack on the Cong
architects of Assam’s ongoing demographic challenges and challenged them to compare their tenure with the BJP's
settlers He harked back to
initiative to reclaim forest and community land from illegal settlers was as crucial as identifying and pushing back infiltrators He cited the example of Mangaldai, which he said had been transformed from a playground of illegal settlers during the Congress' rule into an agriculture hub for indigenous people He praised the stewardship of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, recounting how large t r a c k s o f l a n d h a d b e e n f r e e d f r o m encroachment In a demonstration of g o v e r n m e n t ' s r e s o l v e , h e i n t e d t o a s e r i e s o f d m i n i s t r a t i v e c h a n g e s , i n c l u d i n g t h e f r e e z i n g o f Aadhaar issuance to first-time adult applicants as part of a r e v i s e d S O P t o c u r b fraudulent enrolment
B e y o n d t h e p o l i t i c a l rhetoric, the Prime Minister's A s s a m v i s i t a l s o h a d a i g n i f i c a n t d e v e l o p m e n t a l d i m e n s i o n B e f o r e l e a v i n g for Bengal, he inaugurated t h e w o r l d ’ s f i r s t s e c o n d -
generation bioethanol plant at Numaligarh Refinery, along with laying the foundation for a £723mn polypropylene plant Modi framed t h e s e p r o j e c t s a s p a r t o f I n d i a ' s j o u r n
towards self-reliance in meeting its growing e
s recent economic growth, claiming that the state was advancing with a growth rate of "nearly 13% " He contrasted this with the period when the state had lagged behind the rest of the country in various development indicators, crediting the success to the "joint efforts of the Union and state govts " In his words, the BJP was transforming Assam from a model of separatism, violence and disputes into one of development and heritage
The dual strategy and its significance
The dual nature of the trip underscored a recurring theme in Modi’s politics: calibrated
himself above the fray, almost as a statesman seeking to heal wounds and restore dignity to a fractured society In Assam, however, he returned to the language of electoral combat, sharpening divides to consolidate his base For the BJP, this duality is not accidental, it reflects a wider electoral strategy to handle
Political observers argue that the Northeast,
mainstream politics, has now moved centre
whether peace in Manipur
truly take root and whether aggressive politics in Assam will further cement BJP dominance will hold great importance for both regional stability and national security
In the end, PM Modi’s Northeast tour was a masterclass in political messaging, skilfully weaving together two seemingly contradictory narratives In Manipur, he adopted the role of a reconciler, offering emotional comfort and development promises to a traumatised state He turned a logistical mishap into a powerful symbol of national unity and a path to healing In Assam, he reverted to a familiar political style, using sharp accusations and historical grievances to attack his political rivals and strengthen his party's position ahead of an upcoming election The visit demonstrates
PM Modi lays the foundation stone and inaugurates multiple development projects in Aizawl, Mizoram via video conference
PM Modi at the laying of foundation Stone of Polypropylene Plant at Golaghat, in Assam
Gathering at the inauguration and laying the foundation stone of multiple development projects at Darrang, in Assam on September 14, 2025 PM Modi addressing on the occasion
PM interaction with Internally Displaced Persons at Churachandpur, in Manipur
PM Modi addressing the gathering at the laying of foundation Stone of Polypropylene Plant at Golaghat, in Assam
Unplug for a better night’s sleep
The persistent use of screens before bedtime is having a detrimental impact on our ability to get a g ood nig ht's rest
Experts and various studies are shedding light on how the blue light emitted from our devices, along with the stimulating content they offer, disrupts the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, known as the circadian rhythm This disruption delays the release of melatonin, the hormone essential for initiating sleep
F i n d i n g s f r o m a N o r w e
45,000 students, as well as an American Cancer Society study of more than 120,000 adults, both demonstrate a clear link between pre-bed screen time and a higher risk of insomnia This habit can lead to later bedtimes and a shorter, poorer quality of sleep overall
To combat this, health professionals and sleep experts recommend a crucial one to two-hour digital curfew before bed This period allows the mind and body to relax and prepare for rest without the interference of electronic light and stimulating information
For those struggling to break the habit, the article suggests several practical steps These include establishing a r e l a x i n g b
devices, and, most importantly, designating the bedroom as a screen-free zone Embracing these simple changes could be the key to unlocking better health and more restorative sleep
England’s urgent cancer diagnosis delays spark calls for reform
Only abo ut half of peop le urg ently referred for su sp ected cancer in Eng land are receiving a diagnosis within the official NHS target window , und erlining significant challenges in the healthcare system ’ s response to cancer d etection
Between April and June 2024, just 52 3 per cent of patients with cancer received a diagnosis within 28 days of referral, slipping from 57 3 per cent at the end of 2021 The Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS) set by NHS England is that 75 per cent of patients should either be diagnosed or have cancer ruled out within this timeframe, yet results remain stubbornly below this mark
Certain cancers, including bladder, kidney, and head and neck, experience even longer delays, with only around one-third diagnosed on time Meanwhile, people referred who do not have cancer are notified more swiftly, with 71 7 per cent receiving their results within 28 days
Experts in England have condemned these underwhelming figures, stating that delays can severely affect survival rates, with longer waits worsening outcomes for some patients Cancer charities have called on the government to urgently raise targets and reform diagnostic services, as every day of waiting for results is filled with anxiety and can hinder prompt treatment
The Department of Health has announced plans for a new National Cancer Plan for England aimed at increasing diagnosis rates and supporting earlier intervention
Laugh your way to better health
Did you know that laughter can boost your immune system? Just 10–15 minutes of genuine laughter daily increases infection-fighting antibodies and activates T-cells, helping your body fight illness It also lowers stress hormones, improves blood flow, and releases endorphins, making it a simple, natural way to support both mental and physical health.
Poor dental hygiene may raise heart attack risk
Afascinating study from Tampere University, Finland, has uncovered a surprising connection between the bacteria living in our mouths and the risk of heart attacks.
Researchers discovered DNA from common mouth bacteria, specifically a group known as viridans streptococci, in nearly half of the arterial plaques they examined from patients who had suffered severe atheroscle-
arrest
claiming that these bacteria are the sole cause of heart
attacks, identifies them as a significant and previously
remarkable ability to survive for years inside arterial plaques by creating a protective slimy shield, known
The immune system's subsequent recognition of the bacteria can further
emphasise that poor
hygiene
hidden bacteria
initiate
Experts suggests ten essential foods for daily protein
of
recomme nd ten foods e asily adde d to ev ery day mea ls Eggs, with all essential a
a complete protein ideal for breakfast and snacks Dairy, m i l k ,
protein plus calcium and aid digestion Paneer is filling and easy to use in salads or
curries Pulses and lentils, i n c l u d i n g d a l a n d m o o n g ,
d e l i v e r b o t h p r o t e i n a n d digestible fibre
sprinkled on food
n g
s
r e t o p
u te d a i r , s m o k e , o r c h e m i c a l s d a m a g e s l u n g t i s s u e U s i n g i n d o o r a i r p u r i f i e r s , k e e pi n g w i n d o w s c l o s e d o n s m o g g y d a y s , a n d s t e e r i n g
c l e a r o f s e c o n d - h a n d
s m o k e f o r r e m a r k a b l e i m p r o v e m e n t
Soy products like tofu and whole soybeans are top v e g e t a r i a n s o u r c e s , s u p p o r t i n g h e a r t h e a l t h
C h i c k p e a s p a c k f i b r e a n d help maintain steady blood
s u g a r N u t s s u c h a s a l m o n d s , p e a n u t s , a n d walnuts deliver healthy fats a n d p r o t e i n ; s e e d s l i k e pumpkin, sunflower, chia, a n d f l a x s u p p l y e a s y n
For those who eat nonv e g e t a r i a n f o o d , f i s h i s recommended for its omega3 fatty acids, which support brain and heart health, while chicken is a lean meat ideal f o r m a i n m e a l s E x p e r t s advise pairing cereals with pulses for balanced amino acids and spreading protein intake across meals A varied d i
Simple steps for stronger lungs
S e c o n d , r e g u l a r l y p r a ct i s e d e e p b r e a t h i n g o r l u n g e x e r c i s e s M a n y p e o p l e
b r e a t h e s h a l l o w l y , e s p e c i a ll y w h e n s i t t i n g J u s t 5 – 1 0
m i n u t e s o f m i n d f u l d e e p
b r e a t h i n g , y o g a p r a n a y a m a , o r s p e c i f i c l u n g e x e r c i s e s
d a i l y h e l p s e x p a n d l u n g
c a p a c i t y a n d i m p r o v e s o x y -
g e n e x c h a n g e T h i s s t r e n g t h e n s r e s p i r a t o r y m u s c l e s a n d e n h a n c e s s t a m i n a
T h i r d , s t a y p h y s i c a l l y a c t i v e E x e r c i s e l i k e b r i s k w a l k i n g , s w i m m i n g , o r
c y c l i n g f o r c e s l u n g s t o w o r k h a r d e r , i n c r e a s i n g s t r e n g t h
Gaming's hidden hazard: A warning on 'Dropped Head Syndrome' A recent articl
o f t e c h n e c k e v e n t u a l l y r e q u i r e d c o m p l e x s u r g e r y , involving the use of metal rods and screws to correct the spinal alignment
The articl e, originating from The Times of India, discuss es t he
w ho de ve loped the c ondition due to exces sive s martphone use and poor post ure
The individual’s habit of g a m i n g w i t h
d perpetually bent forward led to chronic neck strain, which p r o g r e s s
d
o t h e p o i n t where he could not lift his head, swallow, or maintain his weight This extreme case
The medical case serves a s a s t a r k w a r n i n g W h i l e D H S i s r a r e , t h e a r t i c l e suggests that similar posturer e l a t e d i n j u r i e
c
l d b e c o m e m
c o m m o n among young people due to t h e p r e v a l e n c e o f s m a r t p h o n e s T o p r e v e n t such debilitating conditions, e x p e r t s r e c o m m e n d t a k i n g regular breaks from screen
t i m e , p e r f o r m i n g n e c k e x e r c i s e s t o s
promote better posture
a n d e l a s t i c i t y E v e n s m a l l a m o u n t s o f m o v e m e n t r e d u c e i n f e c t i o n r i s k s , m a i n t a i n i n g l u n g s i n t o p s h a p e F o u r t h , p r e v e n t i n f e c t i o n s t h r o u g h v a c c i n a t i o n s a n d h y g i e n e R e s p i r a t o r y i n f e c t i o n s c a n c a u s e l a s t i n g h a r m ; s t a y i n g u pt o - d a t e w i t h r e c o m m e n d e d j a b s , w a s h i n g h a n d s f r eq u e n t l y , a n d a v o i d i n g c o nt a c t w i t h s
Five expert-backed changes to improve heart health
Experts h ighl ight the dangers of exc es s ch olestero l, a h idden ris k to lo ng- term heart health Wh il e some c ho lesterol is necessary, h igh levels of LDL (“bad” ch oles tero l) can clog arteries, increasing the ris k o f h eart attacks and strokes
They recommend five key lifestyle tweaks First, include omega-3-rich foods like flaxseeds, nuts, beans, lentils, oats, and apples, which reduce triglycerides, raise protective HDL cholesterol, and aid cholesterol removal with soluble fibre Second, engage in 150 minutes of weekly exercise, brisk walking or moderate activity, to boost HDL and lower LDL and triglycerides Even small habits like taking stairs or short walking breaks help Third, maintain a healthy weight, as losing 5–10% of body weight can significantly improve cholesterol levels Fourth, prioritise sleep hygiene, which supports weight management and metabolic health Fifth, focus on balanced nutrition and heart-healthy habits to sustain long-term cardiovascular well-being Finally, avoiding tobacco and moderating alcohol intake are imperative Smoking drastically reduces HDL and harms blood vessels, while excess alcohol raises triglycerides The cardiologist stresses that these lifestyle changes not only manage cholesterol but also protect against diabetes, obesity, and hypertension, crucial steps for a healthier heart
Aamir Khan on ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’
flop: “I got overconfident”
After nearly two decades of consecutive blockbusters, Aamir Khan faced back-to-back flops with ‘Thugs of Hindostan’ (2018) and ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ (2022). In a chat with Komal Nahta , he admitted, “I became a little overconfident with ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ because I had delivered too many hits, that’s where I went wrong.”
F r o m L a g a a n ( 2 0 0 1 ) t o S e c r e t Superstar (2017), Aamir’s run included megahits like 3 Idiots, PK, Dangal, and Ghajini, but the failure of Thugs ended t h a t g o l d e n s t r e a k , a n d L a a l S i n g h Chaddha deepened the setback
Aamir said he usually applies an “economic filter” to ensure films don’t lose money, but skipped it for ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’
“When you know a film will earn around Rs 120 crore, the budget should be Rs 50–60 crore, Rs 80 crore max We s p e n t R s 2 0 0 c r o r e , ” h e a d m i t t e d , blaming Covid delays and his decision to keep paying staff He added that c o s t l y s c e n e s , l i k e a t a b l e - t e n n i s sequence in China later cut from the film, further inflated expenses
‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ earned just Rs
1 3 3 5 c r o r e w o r l d w i d e , f a r b e l o w
‘Dangal’’s Rs 2,000 crore global haul
A a m i r ’ s l a t e s t r e l e a s e , ‘ S i t a a r e Zameen Par’ (June 20), fared far better, grossing about Rs 266 crore on a Rs 122 crore budget He also made a cameo in R a j i n i k a n t h ’ s ‘ C o o l i e ’ a n d h a s a n n o u n c e
director Lokesh Kanagaraj for late 2026 Up next, he’ll appear in Aryan Khan’s N
Bollywood’,
September
Siddharth, Freida Pinto to lead Netflix drama ‘Unaccustomed Earth’
Actor Siddharth will star opposite Freida Pinto in Netflix’s upcoming hour-long family drama ‘Unaccustomed Earth’, created by John Wells and Madhuri Shekar
Set in an elite Indian American enclave in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the series follows a close-knit community as a long-buried romance between a devoted wife and her former love sparks a scandal, testing bonds of love, loyalty, and belonging Siddharth’s two-decade career spans Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi cinema, where he has worked as an actor, screenwriter, singer, and producer A polyglot fluent in seven languages, he debuted with the Tamil film ‘Boys’ (2003) and gained wider acclaim for his nuanced performance in the BAFTA-nominated ‘Rang De Basanti’ (2007), directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and featuring an ensemble cast including Aamir Khan and Soha Ali Khan
The 46-year-old Siddharth was last seen in Sri Ganesh’s coming-of-age drama ‘3BHK’ (2025) and will next appear in Kamal Haasan’s ‘Indian 3 ’ Freida Pinto, who debuted in Danny Boyle’s Oscar-winning ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ (2008), has since built a strong career in American and British film and television
continues through year ’ s end, with John Wells as showrunner, Ritesh Batra directing, and Erica Saleh, Erin Jontow, and Nisha Ganatra as executive producers
‘Hera Pheri 3’ to go on floors in February, Paresh Rawal confirms
Paresh
Rawal surprised fans by announcing his exit from the iconic ‘Hera Pheri’ franchise amid differences with the team working on its third installment
Director Priyadarshan said neither he, Akshay Kumar, nor Suniel Shetty were informed and Akshay’s production house even took legal action
The dispute is
al has the film will ing next year nterview, h Rawal said, ’ s a work in ogress we’ll art shooting February or March next year ” He explained that he left the project earlier for genuine easons and ven returned signing ount with rest, but
everything is settled now Asked if the episode strained his long-standing partnership with director Priyadarshan, Rawal replied that it hadn’t affected their bond
Paresh Rawal said, “A lot has happened, but it hasn’t soured my relationship with Priyadarshan If anything, it has strengthened our bond Through this experience, we understand each other more clearly, and our relationship remains very transparent ”
Rawal’s portrayal of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in ‘Hera Pheri’ is iconic, and his temporary exit had disappointed fans who felt no one could fill his shoes When asked about a possible spin-off for Baburao, he said, “Priyadarshan and I haven’t discussed a spin-off A film is a collaborative effort Baburao can’t exist alone; you need Shyam and Raju too ”
After his standout turn in ‘Animal’, Bobby Deol has lined up major projects, including Aryan Khan’s directorial debut ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’ and Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Bandar’, which premiered at TIFF. He said, “I’ve become braver and more fearless Web shows helped me shed my old image During my career lull, I took acting classes and reflected on my early success and later missteps Discipline restored my confidence and lets me work harder without pressure ”
Bobby said OTT helped him break free from typecasting, allowing him to explore complex antagonists like those in ‘Aashram’ and ‘Animal’
Director Anurag Kashyap, who sees shades of himself in Bobby’s ‘Bandar’ character, noted, “The story is of a hasbeen Bobby knows what failure is and came back stronger, which made him perfect for the role ”
Kashyap recalled Bobby’s difficult years, when passing a film shoot would leave him in tears or anger “At 40, someone suggested an acting workshop Playing a dark role in ‘Aashram’ showed him the freedom of not always being the hero,” he said
Meanwhile, In Bandar, Bobby Deol leads an ensemble cast including Sanya Malhotra, Sana Azad , and Sapna Pabbi
The film’s release date is yet to be announced
Meanwhile, The Ba***ds of Bollywood* is set to release on Netflix on September 18
Diana Penty praises co-stars for support during ‘Cocktail’ film
Diana Penty made her Bollywood debut with the 2012 hit ‘Cocktail’, starring alongside Deepika Padukone and Saif Ali Khan
Speaking to India Today, she recalled feeling welcomed on set despite being new, praising Deepika’s calm presence and the efforts of both co-stars to put her at ease
Diana recalled, “It was my first film, and I didn’t know how things worked on set My co-stars were there, cheering me on, and that support meant a lot ”
She added that Deepika and Saif guided her whenever she forgot lines, saying, “It’s okay, let’s play off each other,” which made her first experience easier Diana also noted how it challenged industry stereotypes about women not getting along: “I had the most supportive woman on my very first film, and that set a benchmark ” Diana wished the ‘Cocktail 2 ’ cast success, saying, “Best of luck to the team It sounds really exciting ” The sequel stars Kriti Sanon, Shahid Kapoor, and Rashmika Mandanna, with high expectations Meanwhile, Diana’s recent series ‘Do You Wanna Partner’ is receiving positive audience reviews
‘Saiyaara’ star Aneet Padda on anxiety,
pressure and proving herself in Bollywood
At just 22, Aneet Padda is facing the kind of scrutiny usually reserved for seasoned Bollywood stars. The ‘Saiyaara’ breakout admits confidence hasn’t come easily, with her early years defined more by anxiety than applause
“I’ll be honest, I only began enjoying acting with this film,” she said “For three years before that, I struggled with anxiety and depression after moving to Delhi to study, unsure if I’d ever make it in the industry ”
That uncertainty now feels distant With ‘Saiyaara’ emerging as one of the year ’ s biggest hits, Aneet Padda has swapped doubt for full-blown stardom, riding a wave of attention alongside costar Ahaan Panday In a recent ‘Vogue India’ interview, she embraces her fears instead of hiding them “I want to prove myself right,” she says, unfazed by Bollywood’s obsession with polish
The Gen Z actor describes herself as vulnerable, affectionate, and quick to cry “Fear and doubt are always there,” she adds, “but they don’t mean I can’t chase my dreams I have high expectations of myself, and proving I can do it, despite the pressure, is what drives me ”
Laughing, Padda admitted, “I’m just too cheesy,” before standing by it “The world could use more of it,” she said, quoting everything from the Vedas to pop culture “Live, love, laugh, people roll their eyes, but why is it cringe?”
In an industry obsessed with perfection, her unfiltered honesty stands out Padda owns her contradictions, turning them into strength as she learns not just to survive Bollywood but to define
Chitrangda Singh on ‘Battle of Galwan’: “Glad Salman’s fans accepted me”
The‘Battle of Galwan’ shoot is underway in Leh, with Chitrangda Singh joining the schedule to star opposite Salman Khan in their first collaboration
“I was a bit nervous at first because Salman has such a huge fan following and everyone watches him closely,” she said “I’m glad his fans have welcomed me with their hero, it’s been a positive response so far ”
R e c e n t r e p o r
s c l a i m e d t h e L a d a k h shoot faced issues, prompting Salman Khan to meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to assure that China wouldn’t be maligned The team also wanted to film during the region’s ideal season
Chitrangda shared that the large-scale project required extensive prep, focusing not just on the Battle of Galwan but also on s
challenges of night shoots and assembling a strong ensemble cast
‘Housefull 5 ’ , the actor revealed that she underwent multiple look tests for ‘Battle of Galwan’, noting the film will feature her in several distinct appearances
TV Listing
SATURDAY 27 SEP 2025
09:00 Deshi Beats
17:30 Rasoi Show
18:30 Rangai Jaane Rangma
19:00 Shyam Dhoon Lagi Re
19:30 Radha Krishna
20:00 Kanku
20:30 Moti Baa Ni Nani Vahu
MON 22 SEP - FRI 26 SEP 2025
09:00 Deshi Beats
17:30 Rasoi Show
18:30 Rangai Jaane Rangma
19:00 Shyam Dhoon Lagi Re
19:30 Radha Krishna
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
22:30 Radha Krishna
MON 22 SEP - FRI 26 SEP 2025
17:00 Shani-Karmfal Daata
17:30 Sau Dahda Sasuna
18:00 Silsila Badalte Rishton Ka S-1
18:30 BALIKA VADHU SEASON 1
19:30 RAMACHARI
20:00 Anmol Bandhan
20:30 Madhubala
21:00 Comedy Nights with Kapil
22:30 BIGG BOSS 19
SATURDAY 27 SEP 2025
17:00 Shani-Karmfal Daata
21:00 United States Of Gujarat
21:30 KAHI DE NE PREM CHHE ! –PREM NU PRATIK
22:30 Radha Krishna
SUNDAY 28 SEP 2025
09:00 Deshi Beats
11:00 Kanku
11:30 Sheni Vijanand
14:30 Kanku
17:30 Shyam Dhoon Lagi Re
19:30 Radha Krishna
22:00 Moti Baa Ni Nani Vahu
17:30 Sau Dahda Sasuna
18:00 Silsila Badalte Rishton Ka S-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 BIGG BOSS 19
SUNDAY 28 SEP 2025
17:00 Shani-Karmfal Daata
17:30 Sau Dahda Sasuna
18:00 Silsila Badalte Rishton Ka S-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 BIGG BOSS 19
Samantha Ruth on stardom: “Act short shelf
After 15 years in film, Samantha Ruth Prabhu is entering a new, wellnessfocused phase of her career. Speaking at AIMA’s 52nd National Management Convention, the star reflected on making a lasting impact in an industry where she says actors often have a “short shelf life ”
In an Instagram post from the event, Samantha shared her shift from actor to entrepreneur “As an actor you have a short shelf life,” she said, noting that fame is fuelled as much by destiny and grace as effort “I wanted to create an impact bigger than my time on screen ”
She added that her decisions aren’t driven by ego alone: “I have an able team who grounds me and tells me whether my intuition is brilliant or absolute crap ”
Sharing the post, Samantha wrote, “Progress comes when we step forward, take risks, and trust our strength To every woman with a vision, your voice and ideas matter, and the world needs you to lead ”
On the work front, she recently produced and cameoed in the Telugu film ‘Subham’ and was last seen opposite Varun Dhawan in the Amazon Prime spy thriller ‘Citadel: Honey Bunny’, created by Raj and DK
Aishwarya Lekshmi quits social media to focus on film and self
Malayalam–Tamil
actor Aishwarya Lekshmi announced she’s quitting social media, saying she’s tired of maintaining an image others expect.
In an Instagram story, she admit-
t e d b e l i e v i n g f o r y e a r s t h a t s o c i a l media was essential for her career “What was meant to serve us ended up making me serve it,” she wrote, adding
t h a t i t d i s t r a c t e d h e r f r o m w o r k , dulled her thoughts, and drained joy from simple pleasures
Aishwarya called quitting social media her first “original thought” in a long time “I refuse to be shaped by a g e n e r i c m o u l d o r t h e w h i m s o f a supernet,” she wrote, noting how hard she’s worked to resist that pressure Accepting she may be forgotten, “out of the ’ gram is out of the mind”, she said the choice is for the artist and “little girl” in her, hoping it leads to deeper connections and more meaningful cinema
A i s h w a r y a h a s b u i l t h e r c a r e e r across Tamil and Malayalam cinema, with a few Telugu projects as well She was recently seen in ‘Maaman’ with Soori and in ‘Thug Life’ alongside Kamal Haasan and Silambarasan TR Up next, she stars in the Tamil film ‘Gatta Kusthi 2 ’ , the Malayalam film ‘Aasha’, and the Telugu film ‘SYG’
Rajinikanth praises ‘Madharaasi’, c Sivakarthikeyan an “action hero”
Sivakarthikeyan is riding high on the success of ‘Madharaasi’, AR Murugadoss’s acti that’s earning strong reviews and box-o numbers. The actor revealed on X (form Twitter) that Rajinikanth watched the f loved it.
He wrote, “Just received apprecia ‘Madharaasi’ from my idol, Thalaivar @rajinikanth ‘My god, excellent! Wh performance and action, super, super become an action hero God bless,’ he his trademark laugh ”
Earlier, directors Shankar, Lingusamy, and Anand Shankar had also praised the film on X ‘Madharaasi’ also features Vidyut Jammwal, Biju Menon, and Rukmini Vasanth The film follows Raghu Ram (Sivakarthikeyan), who develops Fregoli delusion after a personal tragedy, risking his life to save others Prem (Biju Menon) uses him to dismantle an illegal arms cartel, pitting Raghu against the cunning Virat (Vidyut) The film reunites Sivakarthikeyan and Murugadoss, who last collaborated on the 2014 sports comedy ‘Maan Karate’
Kalyani Priyadarshan joins 200 crore club with ‘Lokah Chapter
1’
Since her 2017 debut in the Telugu film ‘Hello’, Kalyani Priyadarshan has been selective with roles, and it’s paid off. With Dominic Arun’s ‘Lokah Chapter 1 – Chandra’, she’s not only India’s first female superhero but also the first Malayalam actress to headline a 200 crore hit
crossed the 200 crore mark with ‘L2
cr), and ‘Manjummel Boys’ ( 240 5 cr) Now ‘Lokah’ has joined the club, earning 202 crore worldwide in just 13 days a rare feat for a female-led film When ‘Lokah’ crossed 100 crore, producer Dulquer Salmaan credited actor-writer Santhy Balachandran for crafting a strong lead “If there’s a lady superhero today and we represented her right, all credit to Santhy B,” he said His company, Warfarer Films, later confirmed on X that the film had reached 202 crore worldwide Kalyani shared behind-the-scenes
their support “Content has always been king, and once again, you ’ ve
always find their place,” she wrote She also credited director Dominic Arun and the cast and crew for making the film possible
Released on 28 August, ‘Lokah’ stars Kalyani, Naslen, and Sandy, with Arun Kurian, Chandu Salimkumar, Nishanth Sagar, and others in key r
Thomas, Soubin, Anna Ben make
Janhvi Kapoor, Vi reflect on ‘Hom Cannes suc
Afterpremiering at Cannes, Karan Johar’s ‘Homebo
Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Lead V alongside Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter, admitted the film despite his efforts during auditions
In a YouTube interview with Sucharita Tyagi, watched it with Ishaan, I couldn’t connect But at C completely different I stopped worrying about rev viewers called to say they loved it The friendship e rare in cinema ”
Janhvi Kapoor said she never viewed ‘Homeboun “We weren’t making it about ourselves; there was a something bigger,” she explained At Cannes, the reaction felt less like praise and more like the film had moved people, inspiring empathy in a divided world She added, “It wasn’t about who might troll me it was never like that at all ” R e f
premiere, Janhvi Kapoor said she was happiest for co-stars Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa, and director Neeraj Ghaywan, who she felt deserved international recognition
“Ishaan is one of India’s most talented actors and seeing him appreciated globally felt like justice,” she said About Vishal, she added, “ H e a u d i t i o n e d t i r e l e s s l y , s t a y e d t r u e t o himself, and delivered a stellar performance I’m so proud ” On Neeraj, she said, “He’s the most honest filmmaker in the country and truly deserves this stage ”
‘Homebound’ recently secured the second runner-up position in the International People’s Ch Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2025 Di excitement on social media: “Super chuffed to Homebound just won the @TIFF International second runner-up!! In the company of Park Chan W phew!” Actor Vishal Jethwa added, “I didn’t anticip Experiencing such warmth from an internationa profoundly humbling ”
Manoj Bajpayee recalls calling financiers after filming scenes
Manoj Bajpayee is making headlines for his latest film ‘Jugnuma’, earning praise for his performance He recently revealed that his work goes beyond acting, sharing how he has pleaded with distributors for a good show and even approached potential financiers for In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, Manoj Bajpayee spoke about the tough phases of his career He recalled delivering praised shots on set, only to step into his vanity van afterward to call financiers: "Ki paise dedo, film karna hai 10 din ke baad shooting karne ke paise hi h i "
d, “When we do my responsibilities go ng funding, buying, g with distributors rs for one good t just act; the work beyond that ” ajpayee enjoys a owing in Hindi h memorable s in films like en ’ , ‘Satya’, ‘Shool’, LOC Kargil’, ‘Veerneeti’, ‘Aarakshan’, asseypur ’ , ‘Special ‘Joram’, and ende’, as well as e ‘The Family Man’, ller Soup’ t release, ‘Jugnuma’, Raam Reddy, stars home, Deepak al, Priyanka Bose, wan Pookot, and Hiral Sidhu, and hit theatres on September 12
Aditya Gadhvi’s garba song eyes Grammy recognition
Navratri is just days away, and Gujarati singer Aditya Gadhvi has already made headlines with his hit garba song Albeli Matwali Maiya, which has been submitted for consideration in the Global Music Performance category at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards Whether it receives a nomination will be revealed in the coming days Aditya Gadhvi, known for his soulful renditions,
has captivated audiences both in India and abroad
This song, celebrating the glory of the Goddess during Navratri, blends traditional Garba with modern music, earning admiration worldwide
This recognition at an international platform like the Grammys is not only a personal achievement for Aditya Gadhvi but also a proud moment for Gujarat and its rich musical heritage
Shah RukhKajol’s ‘Gerua’ was Bollywood’s expensive Iceland shoot
While ‘Dilwale’ didn’t make a lasting impact, its song ‘Gerua’ remains one of Bollywood’s most visually stunning videos and one that cost Farah Khan a fortune
In her latest vlog, Farah visited entrepreneur Ashneer Grover and his wife Madhuri in Delhi with her vlogging partner Dilip During their chat, Madhuri mentioned looking for a Hindi song for their Iceland vacation photos, which immediately reminded Farah of the iconic track
Farah told the Grovers that only one major Hindi song had been shot in Iceland *Gerua* from ‘Dilwale’ She recalled the challenges of filming in freezing conditions, where even simple movements were tough, but the song became a highlight, showcasing Shah Rukh and Kajol’s magical chemistry
What surprised Ashneer and Madhuri most was the cost “Iceland is the most expensive place,” Farah said, revealing the song ’ s budget of 7 crore, despite only two actors and the crew shooting there She joked, “Kitna mehnga hai Iceland!” with the Grovers agreeing from their own experience
The effort paid off, as ‘Gerua’ became one of the most beloved romantic songs in recent years, even though ‘Dilwale’ received mixed reviews
Asia Cup: India thrash Pak by 7 wickets
c onvincing seven-wicket victory
o ver Pakistan in a one- sided Asia
a t Du bai I nterna tiona l Cr icket Stadium on Su nday
A
Salman Agha won the
and
Kuldeep (3/18) and Axar (2/18) helped India restrict Pakistan to 127 for nine in 20 overs In reply, India completed the chase in 15 5 overs with skipper Suryakumar Yadav (47 not out off 37 balls), Abhishek Sharma (31 off 13) and Tilak Varma (31 off 31) making significant contributions Brief scores: Pak 127/9 (20); India 131/3 (15 5)
E a r l i e r , I n d i a o p e n e d i t s campaign with a commanding nine-wicket win over UAE on W
S
crumbled to 57 all out in 13 overs
India chased down the target in
Shubman Gill (20 off 9 balls) and S
remained unbeaten UAE on course for Super-Four berth
struck attacking half centuries to lead United Arab Emirates to a thumping 42-run win over Oman
on Monday Waseem, who hit 69, and Sharafu, who made 51, put on 88 runs for the opening wicket to guide hosts UAE to a challenging 172-5 in Abu Dhabi The home
dismiss Oman for 130 in 18 4 overs for their first win in the
bowler Junaid Siddique stood out with figures of 4-23 Haider Ali and Muhammad Jawadullah took two wickets each
Nissanka, bowlers star in Lanka’s victory P
Kamil Mishara (46 not out) made light work of a modest target to power Sri Lanka to a six-wicket win against Bangladesh in their G
After restricting Bangladesh to 139 for five, Lanka crossed the finish line with 32 balls and six
commanding win, making 140 for four in 14 4 overs Pakistan thump Oman by 93 runs W
Mohammad Haris struck a fluent half-century to guide Pakistan to
minnows Oman in a Group A A
C
Opting to bat, Pakistan rode on Haris’ 63 off 43 balls to score 160 for seven In reply, Oman had a d i s a s t r o u s s t a r t a s t h e y l o s t skipper Jatinder Singh and Aamir Kaleem early to be bundled out for 67 in 16 4 overs
Pak lodge complaint with ICC after handshake row against India
T he Pakistan Cricket Board has com plained to th e Internatio nal
C ri ck et C o u nc i l f o llo w i n g a controv ersial end to their A sia
C u p m at ch ag
Du bai w here their opp onents refused to shake h ands
C o n t r o v e r s y e r u p t e d a s I n
India completed a comfortable
w i c k e t w i n , I n d i a ' s players refused to come out of
the dressing room to shake the hands of Pakistan players who were waiting for them on the g r o u n d a t t h e D u b a i International Stadium
I n h i s p o s t - m a t c h p r e s s conference, Suryakumar said his players had taken the stand to show "solidarity" with the victims of the Pahalgam attack earlier in the year
P a k i s t a n c o a c h M i k e H e s s o n s a i d h e w a s disappointed with the actions of the Indian team Later, PCB
chairman Mohsin
Naqvi said
conduct of the match referee
According to Naqvi, match
Suryakumar and Agha to not shake hands during the coin toss
Late , the PCB chief said:
D r a g g i n g p o l i t i c s i n t o t h e g a m e g o e s a g a i n s t t h e v e r y s p i r i t o f s p o r t s L e t ' s h o p e future victories are celebrated by all teams with grace " T h e P C B h a s l o d g e d a c o m p l a i n t w i t h t h e I C C
r e g a r d i n g v i o l a t i o n s b y t h e Match Referee of the ICC Code of Conduct and the MCC Laws p e r t a i n i n g t o t h e S p i r i t o f
C r i c k e t T h e P C B h a s d e m a n d e d a n i m m e d i a t e removal of the Match Referee from the Asia Cup
Nagal guides India to win over Switzerland in Davis Cup
S umit Nagal cap ped h is retu rn
t o th e Da vi s Cu p f o l d by c l i nc h i n g th e f i rs t r ev er s e si ngles match and guiding Indi a to 3-1 vic tory over S witzerland i n Biel last week
A f t e r S r i r a m B a l a j i a n d Rithvik Chaudary Bollipalli lost
a t i g h t l y c o n t e s t e d d o u b l e s m a t c h t o
8
y e a rold Henry Bernet 6-1, 6-3 to seal the tie for Rohit Rajpal’s team
T h e w i n m e a n t I n d i a advanced to the Qualifiers next
year The last time they had reached that stage was in March 2 0 2 0 w h e n t h e y t r a v e l l e d t o Croatia, and lost 1-3 to a side spearheaded by Marin Cilic
But the last time India won a tie in Europe was in 1993 when Ramesh Krishnan and Leander authored a thrilling 3-2 win over F r a n c e i n a W o r l d G r o u p quarterfinal
“It has been a while since we won in Europe We have all been working hard,” Nagal said after his win over Bernet, the 2025 Australian Open boys’ champion
and a former world junior No 1 Switzerland’s captain opted to roll the dice and change the
STAR PERFORMANCE BY INDIA'S WOMEN PUGILISTS IN LIVERPOOL
India’s women boxers lit up Liverpool with fire and fight, ending the World Boxing Championships with a tally of four medals -two gold one silver and a bronze That all medals came from the women’s contingent is a testament to the continiung rise of India s female boxers The final flourish came on Sunday evening when Minakshi Hooda a wiry and fearless 24-year-old from Rohtak s Rurki village claimed the women s 48 kg gold defeating Kazakhstan s seasoned campaigner Nazym Kyzaibay in a 4-1 split verdict The contest was as tense as they come, but it also rewrote destiny Minakshi avenged her painful loss to Kyzaibay in the World Boxing Cup final in Astana just three months ago Minakshi was only emulating the feats of Jaismine Lamboria from an evening before Jaismine Lamboria’s gold in 57 kg late on Saturday lit up India’s campaign in Liverpool Nupur Sheoran’s silver in +80 kg, and Pooja Rani’s bronze in 80 kg completed India’s campaign For Minakshi, this wasn t just a medal It was the culmination of a journey that began in a corner of Haryana few had heard of Rurki village in Rohtak district is where a frail 12-year-old wandered into a local academy run by coach Vijay Hooda back in 2013 Her father Shri Krishan an auto-rickshaw driver struggled to make ends meet and the family initially had opposed her boxing dreams, worried about both finances and their daughter s fragile physique But Minakshi refused to bend Hours of gruelling drills turned the timid schoolgirl into a fearless fighter Sunday night in Liverpool, she fulfilled that promise, one jab at a time If Minakshi’s win was about payback, Jaismine Lamboria’s gold medal on late Saturday night was stitched with determination The 24-year-old from Bhiwani faced Julia Szeremeta of Poland in a contest that stretched nearly every nerve fibre
nomination for reverse singles, bringing in Bernet in place of Jerome Kym
B e r n e t , w i t h a s i n g l eh a n d e d t h a
more of Stan Wawrinka than t h e
i l
u
o u s Swiss, showed glimpses of his potential in the second set after being blown away in the first But Nagal, a former world No 68, packed too much firepower and experience
E a r l i e r , J a k u b P a u l a n d
Dominic Stricker edged Balaji and Chaudary 6-7 (3), 6-4, 7-5
PM Modi hails as India women win Asia Cup Hockey silver
P rime Minis ter Nar endr a Mo di
c o ng ra t u l a te d t h e I ndi an w omen ’ s h ockey team for th eir ru nners- up f inish at the Women’s Asia C up Hoc key To urnam ent in
H a ng z h o u , p ra is i ng t h e ir “determ inatio n and team s pirit ” I n d i a c l i n c
medal after a 1-4 loss to hosts China in the final on Sunday Navneet Kaur (1’) scored for India, while Captain Ou Zixia (21’), Li Hong (40’), Zou Meirong (51’), and Zhong Jiaqi (53’) were on target for China
India got off to a dream start, taking the lead in the very first minute through a penalty corner
o n
Navneet Kaur with a powerful
raised the tempo and attacked relentlessly in the first half They earned their first penalty corner i n t h e f
Sunelita Toppo made a crucial goalline block, followed by an excellent save from goalkeeper
B i c h u D
another penalty corner in the 15th minute, but India’s first rusher
denied them again The second quarter saw
was again saved by Bichu Devi, who made another brilliant block in open play in the 20th minute
the scores Both teams went into halftime locked at 1-1, setting up an exciting second
penetrations in search of the lead
H o w e v e r , i t w a s C h i n a w h o struck next In the 40th minute, India failed to convert a penalty c o r n e r a n d l o s t p o s s e s s i o n , allowing China to launch a swift counterattack Li Hong made a superb solo run and scored with a p o w e r f u l b a c k h a n d s t r i k e i n t o the bottom right corner, putting C h i n a a h e a d C h i n a e x t e n d e d their lead in the final quarter with two quick goals
INDIAN HOCKEY TEAM TO FACE PAK IN ENGLAND NEXT YEAR
The Indian men’s hockey team will face Pakistan in the upcoming edition of the FIH Pro League in England from June 23-28 next year, according to an FIH release It will be the first time that the two teams will lock horns since the Asian Champions Trophy clash in Hulunbuir, China, in 2024, which India won 2-1 thanks to captain Harmanpreet Singh s brace The two teams were also scheduled to take on each other in the just-completed Asia Cup held in Rajgir, but despite the assurance of visas from the Indian govt, Pakistan withdrew from the tournament citing security reasons This will be Pakistan’s maiden campaign They got the invitation to compete after New Zealand pulled out of the event citing financial crunch The reason Pakistan got the invitation was because of a runner’s-up finish in the FIH Hockey Nations Cup in Malaysia earlier this year
SOURAV SET TO RETURN AS CAB PRESIDENT
Sourav Ganguly is set to return as the president of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), after he submitted his nomination for the post With no one else contesting against him, Sourav is set to be elected unopposed at CAB’s AGM on Sept 22 This would be Ganguly’s second tenure in this position as he had held the post from 2015 to 2019 He would replace his elder brother Snehasish Thank
