AS THE sun dips below the Indian Ocean waves, Ukrainian tourist Viktoria Makarenko and her daughter light incense every evening at a temple in a Sri Lankan beach resort to pray for a return home.
Russia's February invasion of the 35-year-old's homeland has left thousands of foreign travellers from the two countries stranded on the tropical island.
"I love Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan people," Makarenko said. "Everybody wants to help us."
She, her husband and their five-year-old daughter had been travelling around Sri Lanka for weeks when Russian forces invaded Ukraine.
They were running low on cash and despairing of their predicament before locals in the resort town of Unawatuna rallied around them, offering free accommodation, food and even incense sticks to light on their daily trips to the shrine.
"The owner of this hotel let us stay here as long as we need. We have food, water, we don't have a headache (over) what to eat tomorrow," Makarenko said.
"We stay safe here and they take care of us."
Tourists push a stroller along Galle Fort in Galle, Sri Lanka. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)
Along the white sands of Sri Lanka's southern coastline, dozens of tourist-oriented businesses are advertising offers or assistance for stranded Ukrainians.
Ahesh Shanaka, the manager of the Blackgold cafe in Mirissa, said he asked one Ukrainian customer carrying a baby whether she was returning home.
"She said, 'I cannot go back, my house was destroyed, where can I go?'"
A sign outside offers half-price meals upon presentation of a Ukrainian passport, and nearby guesthouses have given empty rooms to small cohorts of backpackers from the country.
Shanaka believes that his fellow Sri Lankans' generosity stems from still-fresh memories of the island's own experience of conflict - a decades-long civil war that ended in 2009.
"We also faced a situation like that before... We know the suffering, we know the pain," he said.
Sri Lanka's current hardships have been bad for business: long queues for petrol and electricity blackouts are threatening to upend operators and bring a budding post-pandemic tourism revival to an abrupt end.
"We are in a bad situation, you know. The crisis, our economy is going down, everything is bad," said Shanaka.
"But we are also people, they are also people, that's why we try to help."
Official figures show around 15,000 Russians and 5,000 Ukrainians visited Sri Lanka in the month the conflict began - making up the island's first and third-biggest tourism sources respectively.
Sri Lanka has granted free visa extensions for citizens of both countries.
Many Russian tourists are also stuck in the country, cut off from funds after US sanctions on international payment networks.
But no offers for them are being advertised, and they are reluctant to talk.
"We have to go meet friends," one young Russian man replied tersely before he and his companions turned to contemplate the ocean view at the historic Dutch Fort in Galle.
Public sentiment overwhelmingly backs Ukraine in the conflict - slogans condemning the war are daubed in the yellow and blue of the country's flag on walls up and down the coast.
"There is great compassion on their part, given that they are also in difficult circumstances," Darina Stambuliak, another Ukrainian whose stay in Unawatuna was involuntarily extended by the war, said.
The 33-year-old said she was previously forced to flee Donetsk when pro-Russian separatists declared a breakaway region in 2014.
She now spends much of her time anxiously keeping up with news from home.
But a generous discount on her accommodation has given her one less cause for worry.
"Business owners have wrapped us in love and support," she said. "We are so grateful."
THE UK has recorded its first increase in births since 2021, with a notable rise in babies born to fathers over 60 helping to lift the numbers, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
In 2024, there were 594,677 live births in England and Wales, up 0.6 per cent from the previous year. While this is a modest increase, it marks a change after several years of decline.
The ONS highlighted that the number of births to fathers aged 60 and above jumped by 14.2 per cent compared with 2023, rising from 942 to 1,076.
This group of older fathers has played a key role in pushing up the birthrate, even as the number of younger parents continues to fall, reported the Times.
The data also showed that almost a third of all babies born last year had mothers who were born outside the UK. In 2024, 33.9 per cent of live births were to non-UK-born women, the highest proportion since records began in 2001.
Despite this small increase, the overall number of births remains historically low. Last year’s total was the third-lowest since 1977, reflecting a long-term trend of fewer young people having children.
The average age of both mothers and fathers continues to rise. The number of babies born to mothers under 20 fell by 4.6 per cent, and there was also a drop for mothers aged 20 to 24. Births to fathers under 20 also fell slightly, while the biggest increases were seen in parents aged 35 and over
Regional differences were also clear. While England saw a small overall rise in births, some areas, such as the North East, East Midlands, East, South East, and South West, actually experienced a decline. The West Midlands and London saw the biggest increases, with birthrates up 3.4 per cent and 1.8 per cent respectively. In contrast, Wales recorded a two per cent fall in live births compared to 2023.
Bridget Phillipson, secretary of state for education, has urged young Britons to consider starting families sooner, warning about the “worrying repercussions” of a falling birthrate. She pointed to the rising cost of housing and childcare as reasons why many young people are putting off having children, saying, “Young Britons are thinking twice about having a family because of the rising costs of housing and childcare,” The Times reported.
Greg Ceely, head of population monitoring at the ONS, said, “In 2024, the annual number of births in England and Wales reversed the recent trend of declining births, recording the first increase seen since 2021. Despite this overall rise, the number of births to mothers under 30 fell as people continue to put off having children until later in life. The largest decrease is seen amongst those under 20 years old, which fell by almost five per cent, while the number of mothers aged 35 to 39 grew the most.
"A couple of other long-term trends are continuing, such as seeing around half of live births within marriage or civil partnership, and an increase in births to non-UK-born mothers.”
Experts have warned that if the birthrate continues to fall, the UK could face long-term challenges, including a shrinking workforce and rising national debt. The Office for Budget Responsibility has previously said that without a recovery in the birthrate, government debt could soar over the next 50 years.
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The foreign ministers of the Quad — India, the US, Australia and Japan — met in Washington DC on Tuesday to outline priorities for the bloc’s annual summit to be held in India later this year. (Photo credit: X/@DrSJaishankar)
THE QUAD grouping has called for the perpetrators, organisers and financiers of the Pahalgam terror attack to be brought to justice without delay. The group also urged all UN member states to cooperate in the process.
The foreign ministers of the Quad — India, the US, Australia and Japan — met in Washington DC on Tuesday to outline priorities for the bloc’s annual summit to be held in India later this year.
In a joint statement, the ministers condemned the April 22 attack in strong terms and called for firm action against cross-border terrorism. The statement did not mention Pakistan or the four-day military conflict between Indian and Pakistani forces in May.
Condolences and call for justice
“We express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and extend our heartfelt wishes for a swift and full recovery to all those injured,” the ministers said.
“We call for the perpetrators, organisers, and financiers of this reprehensible act to be brought to justice without any delay and urge all UN Member States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities in this regard,” they said.
The meeting was attended by India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya.
Concerns over maritime security and China’s actions
The ministers also expressed serious concern over growing military activity in the East China Sea and South China Sea. Without naming China directly, they said, “We reiterate our strong opposition to any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion.”
They referred to “dangerous and provocative actions, including interference with offshore resource development, the repeated obstruction of the freedoms of navigation and overflight, and the dangerous manoeuvres by military aircraft and coast guard and maritime militia vessels.”
In this context, they pointed to “unsafe use of water cannons and ramming or blocking actions in the South China Sea”, saying such actions threaten peace and stability in the region.
“We are seriously concerned by the militarisation of disputed features. We emphasise the importance of upholding freedom of navigation and overflight, other lawful uses of the sea, and unimpeded commerce consistent with international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” the ministers said.
They said that maritime disputes should be resolved peacefully and in line with international law. They also underlined the 12 July 2016 ruling by the Arbitral Tribunal, calling it a “significant milestone and the basis” for settling disputes between the parties. The tribunal had ruled against China’s claims in the South China Sea in a case filed by the Philippines.
Supply chain reliability and critical minerals
The Quad ministers also raised concern about the “abrupt constriction and future reliability” of global supply chains for critical minerals, referring to China’s role in the sector.
“This includes the use of non-market policies and practices for critical minerals, certain derivative products, and mineral processing technology,” the statement said.
They stressed the need for diversified and reliable supply chains. “Reliance on any one country for processing and refining critical minerals and derivative goods production exposes our industries to economic coercion, price manipulation, and supply chain disruptions, which further harms our economic and national security,” they said.
The Quad also announced plans to launch a “Quad Ports of the Future” partnership in Mumbai later this year.
Myanmar crisis and regional stability
The foreign ministers expressed concern over the “worsening crisis” in Myanmar and its regional impact.
“We call on the regime to adhere to its commitment to a ceasefire, and call on all parties to implement, extend and broaden ceasefire measures,” they said.
“We reaffirm our strong support for ASEAN’s efforts, including calling for the full and effective implementation of the Five Point Consensus in seeking an inclusive, durable, and peaceful resolution to the crisis,” they said.
The statement also called on all sides to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance. “We are also concerned about the impact of the crisis on regional security and the spread of transnational crimes,” the ministers added.
(With inputs from agencies)
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FILE PHOTO: Airplanes remain parked on the tarmac at Heathrow International. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso
A FIRE that shut London's Heathrow airport in March, stranding thousands of people, was caused by the UK power grid's failure to maintain an electricity substation, an official report said on Wednesday (2), prompting the energy watchdog to open a probe.
The closure of Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, cost airlines tens of millions of pounds. It also raised questions about the resilience of Britain's infrastructure.
Energy secretary Ed Miliband called the report "deeply concerning", after it concluded that the issue which caused the fire was identified seven years ago but went unaddressed by power grid operator National Grid. Energy regulator Ofgem said it was "a preventable, technical fault".
As a result of the report, Ofgem launched an enforcement investigation into National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET), which owns and maintains the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales.
Heathrow said via email that it was considering whether it wanted to pursue legal action, and that it expected National Grid to take "accountability for these failings." Heathrow itself, along with airline companies, could potentially face a hefty compensation bill for the disruption caused to travellers.
The report said a "catastrophic failure" on one of the transformer's high-voltage bushings at NGET's 275 kilovolt substation caused the transformer to catch fire, most likely due to moisture entering the bushing, sparking an electrical fault.
Despite detecting an elevated moisture reading in one of the bushings in 2018, which indicates an imminent fault that requires the component to be replaced, the company did not fix the issue, the report said.
The controls in place were not effective and failed to identify that no action had been taken, including during an opportunity in 2022 when NGET decided to defer basic maintenance, letting the issue go unaddressed, it added.
A National Grid spokesperson said that the company had a comprehensive asset inspection and maintenance programme in place and that it had taken further action since the fire.
"There are important lessons to be learnt about cross-sector resilience and the need for increased coordination," the spokesperson said.
Ofgem plans to review whether National Grid complied with the relevant legislation and licence conditions relating to the development and maintenance of its electricity system close to Heathrow.
The regulator will also commission an independent audit into National Grid assets to review whether the failings were a one-off or systemic, it said.
In an earlier response to the report, Heathrow blamed the incident on a "combination of outdated regulation, inadequate safety mechanisms, and National Grid’s failure to maintain its infrastructure".
Its own review found in May that the airport had responded well to the power outage, saying alternative choices would not have materially changed the outcome on the day.
TRIBUTES have poured in for a 'kind-hearted' mother who tragically lost her life last week after being attacked in Leicester.
Nila Patel, 56, a British Indian woman described as a "beautiful, vibrant soul," died in hospital two days after suffering a head injury during an assault on Aylestone Road.
She was attacked shortly after a BMW overturned nearby at around 5.30pm last Tuesday (24). The incident left her with severe injuries, and despite medical efforts, she passed away in hospital. A post-mortem examination confirmed that the provisional cause of her death was a head injury.
Her children, Jaiden and Danika Patel, have spoken movingly about their mother’s life and the deep impact she had on those around her.
In a heartfelt statement, they described Patel as “one of the most kind-hearted people you could ever meet” and “a loyal friend, and an incredibly hard worker.”
They said: “We are heartbroken, but we want the world to know who our mum truly was - a beautiful, vibrant soul who deserved so much more.
“Mum was one of the most kind-hearted people you could ever meet. Her love was quiet but powerful - shown through warm meals, thoughtful words, and a smile that could light up any room. She always put others before herself, offering comfort without ever asking for anything in return. Even when life was hard, she carried on with strength, dignity and a smile on her face.
“She was a devoted mother, a loyal friend, and an incredibly hard worker. At home and in her career, she gave everything she had - never complaining, always giving. She raised us with patience, love, and unwavering support, and our greatest wish was always to make her proud.
“Mum’s life was full of love, and the stories we’ve heard from those who knew her have reminded us of just how deeply she touched the lives around her. She was truly rich in love and generosity. We will miss her more than words can ever express. We didn’t get the chance to say goodbye, and that pain is something we carry every day. But we will continue to speak her name with pride, honour her memory, and live by the values she taught us.
“Mum’s story matters. Her life mattered. We ask that anyone who hears her story helps us keep her name and memory alive.”
Meanwhile, Leicestershire Police have charged 23-year-old Michael Chuwuemeka, of Dover Street in Leicester, with the murder of Patel.
He appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court last Saturday (28). Chuwuemeka is scheduled to attend a plea and trial preparation hearing at Leicester Crown Court on September 26. A provisional trial date was set for February 23 next year.
He has also been charged with dangerous driving, possession with intent to supply Class B drugs, attempted grievous bodily harm related to an earlier incident on Welford Road, and assault of an emergency worker following his arrest.
Additionally, he faces a charge of causing actual bodily harm in connection with a separate victim in London in the early hours of last Tuesday.
Following the crash and subsequent attack, police cordoned off the area on Aylestone Road and launched an investigation. The force has since set up an online portal to encourage anyone with further information about the incident to come forward.
The death of Patel has deeply affected the local community. Friends and neighbours have remembered her as a warm and generous person who was always ready to help others.
(with inputs from PTI)
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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington. (Photo: Reuters)
THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF) has completed the fourth review of Sri Lanka’s USD 2.9 billion bailout programme, allowing the country to access the next tranche of USD 350 million from the four-year facility.
The IMF had approved the nearly USD 3 billion bailout in March 2023 to support Sri Lanka’s efforts to restore macroeconomic stability, including fiscal and debt sustainability, during an unprecedented economic crisis.
The programme has helped Sri Lanka rebuild its foreign reserves and carry out debt restructuring negotiations with external creditors.
“The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the fourth review under the 48-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) Arrangement, allowing the authorities to draw SDR254 million (about USD 350 million),” the IMF said in a statement.
With this latest disbursement, the total financial support provided so far under the facility stands at SDR1.27 billion (about USD 1.74 billion).
Economic reforms required under the IMF programme have resulted in widespread hardship, which the global lender has said is necessary to ensure long-term growth and stability.
The measures have been unpopular and contributed to the change of government in 2024.
The current administration, led by the National People's Power—which had earlier criticised the IMF's reform conditions and promised to review them—continues to adhere to the IMF-supported programme.