- Friday, April 26, 2024
India's largest airline, IndiGo, is set to diversify its fleet with the acquisition of 30 A350 long-range jets from Airbus, marking its debut order for wide-body passenger planes. "Airbus confirms that IndiGo, India's largest airline, has agreed to place an order for 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft," stated the European aircraft…
A recent report has unveiled that the United Kingdom (UK) holds the unenviable position of having the highest rate of child alcohol consumption globally. According to the findings, more than half of British children have tried alcohol by the age of 13. Conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), the…
Days after some Indian spices were banned in Singapore and Hong Kong due to allegedly containing the pesticide ethylene oxide beyond permissible limits, a report states that the European Union has been flagging many Indian food products containing the same cancer-causing chemical in the last few years. A report in…
Millions of people around the world enjoy gaming. Casino games offer an attractive combination of excitement, entertainment and the chance of winning money and other prices. The emergence of online casino sites offers an easy access to casino gaming 24/7 via laptops, tablets and smartphones. Do you feel overwhelmed by…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is doing an "unbelievable job” in India by pursuing reforms and reducing poverty through inclusive financial programmes, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has said. He made these remarks on Tuesday while speaking at an event hosted by the Economic Club of New York. "Modi has done…
WITH overseas conflicts causing divisions between communities, Muslim leaders have urged people to remember Britain’s rich history of allowing the “freedom to practise faith and the appreciation of diversity”. At an event hosted by The Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL), panellist Taher Jiwanji, a civil engineer…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak promised to start sending asylum seekers to Rwanda within 10 to 12 weeks as the upper house of parliament finally passed required legislation, delayed for weeks by attempts to alter the plan. Sunak said the government had booked commercial charter planes and trained staff to take…
Indians will now have easier access to multiple entry Schengen visas with longer validity as the European Commission has made some changes changes to existing rules. "On April 18, the European Commission adopted specific rules on the issuing of multiple entry visas to Indian nationals, which are more favourable than…
G7 foreign ministers have reiterated their commitment to promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific region, stressing the importance of constructive engagement with China within the framework of international norms. At the conclusion of the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Capri, Italy, the ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the…
PRIVATE equity firm, TDR Capital, is on the cusp of clinching a deal to acquire Zuber Issa’s substantial 22.5 per cent stake in Asda, one of the country’s major supermarket chains, it was reported this week. Sources familiar with the discussions revealed that an agreement is imminent, with an announcement…
EUROPEAN stocks closed lower on Friday (19), but off their over one-month intraday low,as anxiety around escalating Middle East tensions seemed to ease, while French cosmetic giant L'Oreal logged its best day since early January after robust results. The continent-wide STOXX 600 closed 0.1 per cent lower, but notching its…
The UK has rejected an EU offer that would make it easier for Britons aged between 18 and 30 to study and work in its member countries in the wake of Brexit. The prime minister declined the European Commission’s surprise proposal of a youth mobility scheme. The government said Brexit…
World Liver Day 2024 falls on Friday, April 19th. The European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) was established in 1966, commemorating the day of its establishment, in 2010, World Liver Day was celebrated for the first time. The theme for this year's World Liver Day is 'Be…
Food and beverages major Nestlé adds sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products sold in poorer countries, contrary to international guidelines, while this is not done in products sold in European markets and the UK, a report has found. Campaigners from Public Eye, a Swiss investigative organisation, arrived…
The Indian Premier League, or IPL as it is commonly known, is sporting extravaganza that is at par with the likes of club football tournaments in Europe and Super Bowl in the United States, due to its immense popularity. According to the data released by India’s top broadcasting body, Broadcast…
The Cannes Film Festival has chosen to bestow its highest honour, the Palme d'Or, upon the renowned Japanese anime studio, Studio Ghibli. The news was confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter. This marks the first time that Cannes has awarded its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Prize to a company rather than an…
Patients in the UK and European Union are facing shortages of vital medicines such as antibiotics and epilepsy medication, research published Thursday found. The report by Britain's Nuffield Trust think-tank found the situation had become a "new normal" in the UK and was "also having a serious impact in EU…
In a thrilling night of Champions League football, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich secured their spots in the semi-finals, thereby eliminating Manchester City and Arsenal respectively. Real Madrid triumphed in a dramatic penalty shootout, winning 4-3 against Manchester City after the match concluded 1-1 on the night, bringing the aggregate…
An international team of astronomers has made a significant discovery in the Milky Way: the heaviest known stellar black hole, named BH3. The black hole, found by analysing recent data from the European Space Agency's Gaia space telescope, has a mass 33 times greater than that of the Sun and…
BRITAIN is as racist as it was in the 1970s, and some politicians of colour are making matters worse, anti-racism campaigners have told Eastern Eye. Their comments follow a landmark series on Channel 4, Defiance, which tells the story of how south Asian and black people fought right-wing extremists in…
The United Nations (UN) on Wednesday said that women's bodies have become political battlegrounds, putting risk 30 years of progress on sexual and reproductive health for women and girls. Thirty years ago, at a conference in Cairo, 179 countries agreed to put reproductive health at the heart of sustainable development,…
Actors Rasika Dugal and Arjun Mathur’s Lord Curzon Ki Haveli will serve as the closing film at the prestigious UK Asian Film Festival, the makers said on Wednesday. Anshuman Jha, who makes his directorial debut with the movie, and Dugal are expected to walk the festival's red carpet on May…
At a wine farm in South Africa, dry and uprooted grapevines are piled at the base of a sloping stretch of brown fallow land. Much of the vineyard is undergoing replanting to adapt to climate change, which is expected to bring rarer yet more intense rainfall to this wine-producing region.…
BRITISH trader Sanjay Shah and his Solo Capital hedge fund orchestrated the bulk of an alleged £1.44 billion fraud against Danish taxpayers, a lawyer for the Copenhagen tax authority told a London court on Monday (15). Laurence Rabinowitz said most of the 17 sets of co-defendants in the complex case…
AMID escalating tensions in the Middle East, India's civil aviation ministry has asked airlines to carry out their own risk assessment on international flight operations. Air India, Vistara, IndiGo and various international airlines have opted for alternative flight paths to the West and are avoiding the Iranian airspace against the…
For more than 5000 years, Stonehenge has intrigued historians, archaeologists, and visitors alike. This ancient monument and burial site in southern England is known for its enigmatic stone circle, but its true purpose has remained a mystery. A very recent research suggests a possible connection between Stonehenge and the Moon,…
A COMMON type 2 diabetes test may be inaccurate for tens of thousands of south Asians in the UK, a new study has shown, prompting calls for more research. A genetic variant almost exclusive to people with south Asian heritage affects the accuracy of the diabetes haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test,…
Sadiq Khan has pledged to eliminate rough sleeping in London which is now at the highest level in a decade. Announcing his latest manifesto commitment on Monday ahead of the mayoral election on May 2, Khan said he plans to spend an extra £10 million to tackle the growing humanitarian…
The parliament is expected to approve a contentious law this week that would allow the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda, a significant policy spearheaded by prime minister Rishi Sunak. The law's passage appears imminent, yet it faces potential legal challenges that could delay or obstruct its implementation. Prime minister…
A MAN in Bordeaux, France, fatally stabbed one person and injured another before being shot by police as he attempted to flee. The incident happened on Wednesday in a tourist-frequented central area of the southwestern French city. Frédérique Porterie, the Bordeaux public prosecutor, said that the Afghan migrant attacked the…
Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light on Thursday scripted history by becoming the first Indian title in over 40 years to feature in the prestigious Competition section of the Cannes Film Festival, where it will vie for the top prize Palme d'Or. Iris Knobloch, president of the…
Al Hilal SFC is one of the most powerful football teams from Saudi Arabia. Currently you can visit 1xbet.ie/en for online sports betting on this and many other football squads too. The team was born back in 1957 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Since then, they've become a force to be reckoned…
The Asian business community has always been a boon to the British economy. Indeed, when you look back over the years, there has long been a strong entrepreneurial spirit within the community. For example, in a 2007 report by the Mayor of London’s office, 13% of all businesses in the…
The price of a UK passport will go up on Thursday, the second hike in 14 months. This rise follows a 9 per cent rise in February 2023. Before that increase, passport fees had remained unchanged for five years. The cost of applying online to get a new or renewed…
WHEN Simon Harris made headlines in his local County Wicklow newspaper in 2003 for criticising the government, the future Irish prime minister was described as "a well-known local activist". He was 16 years old. Now 37, Harris became Ireland's youngest ever premier on Tuesday (9), an ascent that while swift…
TATA MOTORS-owned Jaguar Land Rover on Monday (8) reported a 22 per cent year-on-year increase in its retail sales at 431,733 units for fiscal ended March 31, 2024. During the last fiscal, the company's wholesales rose 25 per cent to 401,303 units against 2022-23 financial year, Tata Motors said in…
A study has revealed a list of dangerous chemicals that have been found in surface and groundwater worldwide, according to a study released Tuesday that showed Australia, the United States, and Europe as hotspots for these chemicals. A paper published in the journal Nature Geoscience analysed data from 45,000 water…
Microsoft has unveiled its plans to establish a new artificial intelligence (AI) hub in London, with a focus on both product development and research. Mustafa Suleyman, the London-born cofounder of Google DeepMind who recently joined Microsoft, will lead the unit. "Microsoft AI London will drive pioneering work to advance state-of-the-art…
LONDON’S Wallace Collection will unveil its latest exhibition dedicated to Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who emerged as the undisputed king of Punjab by the turn of the 19th century. His rapid ascent to power in an era marked by instability following Afghan invasions heralded the birth of the Sikh…
Uzbekistan Airways has initiated bi-weekly direct flights from Mumbai to Tashkent, marking a significant milestone in air travel connectivity between India and Uzbekistan. The inaugural flight, which took off on Tuesday, April 2nd, 2024, was ceremoniously flagged off by Sardor Rustambaev, the Hon’ble Ambassador in the Embassy of the Republic…
In Strasbourg, France, the European Court of Human Rights is poised to deliver rulings on three pivotal climate cases this week. These cases of climate litigation, with their groundbreaking implications, are set to establish a precedent for future climate-related litigation, reshaping the discourse on human rights in the context of…
Social media was abuzz following reports of actress Alia Bhatt headlining Disney's Indian princess musical. However, filmmaker Gurinder Chadha has now dismissed the rumours. Taking to X, Gurinder wrote, "This is not true. Not sure where this started. The script is still in the works. Alia and I had a…
Academic freedom is on the decline globally, according to a recent index released in Paris, France. The Academic Freedom Index -- based on input from more than 2,300 experts in 179 countries, was published last month as part of a report on democracy by the V-Dem Institute at Sweden's University…
In a dramatic clash at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea orchestrated a remarkable comeback to snatch a thrilling 4-3 victory over Manchester United, with Cole Palmer emerging as the undeniable hero of the day with his hat-trick heroics. The match kicked off with Chelsea setting the pace early on, as they surged…
Tesla will send a team from the United States to India by late April to study sites for a proposed $2 billion to $3 billion (£2.4bn) electric car plant in the country. The Financial Times reported that Tesla would send a team to study sites for the plant, focusing on…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak's Tory party is set for a heavy defeat at a national election expected this year, according to a seat projection which showed the opposition Labour winning more than 400 seats. The YouGov model, which predicts results in individual parliamentary seats based on estimated vote share, projected…
THE G7 price cap on Russian oil shipments is cutting the revenue that Moscow has available to support its invasion of Ukraine, and the mechanism's effectiveness is helped by the recent actions of Indian refiners, US officials will say in New Delhi on Thursday (4), according to prepared remarks. The…
THE government’s decision to impose visa restrictions on international students to cut immigration figures is “anti-universities” and “economic illiteracy”, according to a peer and university chancellor. From January, the Home Office stopped postgraduate students from bringing their families with them when studying in the UK. When he announced the restriction,…
CHANEL CEO Leena Nair has said she “really, really cares about people and puts them at the centre of everything” she does, adding that it isn’t about lip service for her. Nair, who became CEO of the luxury fashion house in 2021, also described how she has been a “champion…
ARSENAL chief executive officer Vinai Venkatesham took the decision to leave the club after feeling a sense of fulfilment as the team returned as one of the top sides in Europe. Venkatesham, 42, has been with the north London club for 14 years, during which it experienced a number of…
WHETHER it’s womenswear, menswear or wedding couture, Mohsin Naveed Ranjha has made a name for himself globally with his chic and stylish creations. The celebrated Pakistani fashion designer recently opened a standalone design studio in the heart of London, next to Regent’s Street. The London studio includes ready-to-wear, luxury capsule…
PAKISTAN is putting on the block a stake ranging from 51 per cent to 100 per cent of lossmaking national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the privatisation panel said on Tuesday (2), as part of reforms urged by the IMF. The disposal of the flag carrier represents a departure from…
Amidst growing controversy, German football authorities have announced plans to redesign the number "4" on the national team's jerseys due to concerns over its resemblance to a logo associated with Nazi paramilitary units. The decision comes after social media users utilised Adidas' online customisation service to create jerseys bearing the…
A Muslim teacher in Birmingham, who suggested Islam was going to take over and claimed Westernised girls were “lunatics,” has been sacked. Aqib Khan was dismissed for allegedly "undermining fundamental British values," as determined by a professional misconduct panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency, reported The Telegraph. During his tenure…
THE Indian government has taken up the issue of ban on imports of Russian-origin unpolished diamonds by the 27-member European Union (EU) and G7 nations as the measure will end up hurting the domestic diamond polishing industry, foreign minister S Jaishankar has said. The initial stage of an EU and…
CANCER screening services must be more culturally competent and sensitive to the needs of south Asians - especially women, a leading doctor has told Eastern Eye. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, the first person of colour to lead the doctors’ union, the British Medical Association (BMA), said south Asian women were less…
ENTEPRENEUR Dinesh Dhamija has told Eastern Eye he wrote The Indian Century because he wants the 30 million-strong Indian diaspora across the world, but especially in the UK, to invest back in the mother country. The interview about his new book, in which he gives an upbeat assessment of the…
TWO-TIME Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and ace men’s shuttler Kidambi Srikanth continued their European season at the Madrid Spain Masters tournament, which began on Tuesday (26). Last year’s finalist Sindhu, seeded second here, will square off against Wen Yu Zhang of Canada in the round-of-32 contest, while seventh seed Srikanth…
Lenmeldy, a new gene therapy for the rare and fatal childhood disease metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), has become the world's most expensive drug, at a whopping $4.25 million (£3.350 million). MLD is a brutal illness that strikes toddlers and affects their ability to walk and talk. It's a heartbreaking reality for…
AN unprecedented rise in child poverty happened across the UK, government figures released Thursday (21) revealed. Previous research indicated that escalating social disparities within the G7 country are negatively impacting children's well-being, leading to an increased reliance on food banks. An estimated 4.33 million children were living in low-income households…
Bridgerton star Simone Ashley is set to lead Picture This, a new romantic-comedy movie from streamer Prime Video. Actor Hero Fiennes Tiffin will play the male lead. To be directed by filmmaker Prarthana Mohan of The Miseducation of Bindu fame, the UK original movie is based on the recently-released Australian…
THE UN general assembly on Thursday (21) unanimously passed the inaugural worldwide resolution on artificial intelligence, urging nations to uphold human rights, safeguard personal data, and oversee AI for potential hazards. The nonbinding resolution, proposed by the US and co-sponsored by China and over 120 other nations, also advocates the…
BRITISH Asian donors made significant contributions to political parties in what is shaping up to be the highest-spending general election contest expected to be held later this year. Political parties accepted £93 million in donations last year, nearly double the £52m from the previous year, according to the Electoral Commission…
AT THE END of January, I took a trip to Amsterdam with my niece. It was her 18th birthday in December and being the cool aunt I am, I wanted to give her a European birthday treat. One thing I learned from her during the trip and told her as…
Britain's annual inflation rate fell more than expected in February, official data showed Wednesday, fuelling speculation that the Bank of England may cut interest rates in coming months. Inflation reached 3.4 per cent last month - the lowest level since September 2021 - after hitting 4.0 per cent in January,…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak on Monday (18) launched measures to help small businesses navigate the weak economy, as he seeks to boost his standing before this year’s general election. Sunak unveiled a £60 million investment aimed at cutting red tape and generating 20,000 apprenticeships. “This government is sticking to the…
The advent of new age technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, coupled with drones and sensors are rapidly transforming the agriculture sector in India and around the world. Farmers and agri-business companies using these technologies have a much greater insight and control over their yields and profitability, and…
VAUGHAN GETHING won the Welsh Labour party leadership contest on Saturday (16), marking a historic moment as he is set to become the first black leader of the country's semi-autonomous government. Gething, 50, will succeed Mark Drakeford, 69, who announced in December that he was stepping down. The new leader…
THE fourteenth round of trade talks between Britain and India concluded on Friday (15) without a deal, while India heads to a general election. The Election Commission of India is expected to announce the general election schedule on Saturday. Formal talks will not take place during India’s pre-election period. The…
British mobile phone operator Vodafone said Friday it has agreed to sell its Italian unit to Swisscom for eight billion euros (£6.83 billion) in cash, completing efforts to overhaul its European operations. Vodafone has been on a cost-cutting campaign that has included layoffs and the offloading of divisions abroad. The…
With arms wide open and a dimpled smile flashing brightly, superstar Shah Rukh Khan has been leaving the audience in awe with his iconic signature pose for over three decades now. From fans to members of showbiz, people never leave a chance to imitate his romantic pose especially when they…
Get ready for a history-making Glastonbury this year! The festival lineup is finally here, and it's packed with big names and a record-breaking female presence. Dua Lipa, SZA, and Coldplay are topping the bill, with Shania Twain taking the coveted Legends slot on Sunday. This marks the first time Glastonbury…
LONDON-based digital lender, Starling Bank, has appointed Raman Bhatia as the new group CEO. Bhatia is currently the chief executive of OVO, a technology-enabled energy retailer in the UK. He is set to replace interim chief executive John Mountain in early summer, pending regulatory approval. Bhatia joined OVO in January…
THE story of Bengal farmers rising up against British colonial rule in the subcontinent is revisited in a new play, Indigo Giant, currently touring the UK. In the late 19th century, vast swathes of the Bengali countryside were given over to the cultivation of the indigo plant as the…
British singer Ed Sheeran is in India and ahead of his Mumbai gig, he met Bollywood star Ayushmann Khurrana on Tuesday. Interestingly, Ayushmann made Ed Sheeran taste his mother's homemade pinni. Talking about his meeting with the 'Perfect' hitmaker, Ayushmann said, "I have admired Ed Sheeran as an artiste for…
Britain's economy returned to growth in January after entering a shallow recession in the second half of 2023, offering some relief to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of an election expected this year, official data showed. Gross domestic product grew by 0.2 per cent month-on-month - boosted by a rebound…
Andrew Tate, a controversial influencer, and his brother Tristan have been apprehended in Romania in connection with sexual offense charges issued by UK authorities, according to Romanian police on Tuesday. Romanian authorities executed "two European arrest warrants issued by the UK judicial authorities for the committing of sexual offenses, of…
Sponsored by Marshmallow Insurance There are numerous challenges that recent migrants to the UK face, but one that is frequently overlooked is the process of driving, obtaining a vehicle, and securing car insurance. Understanding the costs associated with car insurance and the driving regulations in the UK can be bewildering…
Unemployment in recession-hit Britain has nudged higher as growth in wages falls further, according to official data Tuesday that supports analyst expectations of an upcoming cut to UK interest rates. The unemployment rate rose to 3.9 per cent in the three months to the end of January, up from 3.8…
Embattled UK leader Rishi Sunak suffered a fresh blow Monday when a former ally defected to a right-wing populist party that is worrying the ruling Conservatives ahead of this year's general election. Lee Anderson announced that he was joining Reform UK, weeks after he was suspended from Sunak's Conservative party…
Hopping on a flight to explore renowned and trendy destinations is undeniably thrilling, but the downsides of overcrowding often go unnoticed. The more popular the destination, the more crowded it becomes. Check these exotic locations instead! Island Dupes: If not Hawaii check Puerto Rico [caption id="attachment_283804" align="aligncenter" width="1254"] (Representative image:…
EG Group is in talks to sell some of its UK assets to co-founder Zuber Issa to reduce the heavy debt burden of its petrol-station business, reported The Financial Times. The company, co-owned by brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa along with private equity firm TDR Capital, informed investors about ongoing…
FORMER prime minister Theresa May announced on Friday she will stand down as an MP at the next election, adding to a growing list from the UK's ruling Conservatives to abandon leader Rishi Sunak. May, 67, is the most high-profile of scores of Tory lawmakers to say they will not…
The undersea cable network in the Red Sea is facing disruptions with cables getting cut and this has affected data traffic flow between Asia and Europe, BBC reports. Hong Kong-based HGC Global Communications said four of the 15 cables were recently severed and it has taken measures to reroute the…
INDIA's Tata Motors, which owns Jaguar Land Rover, is planning to separate its car division as it wants to focus more on making electric cars in the future, reported The Telegraph. The split means Tata Motors will have two separate divisions: one will make regular cars, and the other will…
THERE will be another global celebration of girl power on International Women’s Day. The annual day on March 8, aiming to empower women and girls will once again highlight everything from important social causes to human rights, equality and celebrating female heroes. Eastern Eye decided to mark the occasion by…
Lord Jitesh Gadhia, chairman of the British Asian Trust, was recognised for over three decades of public and community service with the GG2 Hammer Award at the annual GG2 Leadership and Diversity Awards, held at the Park Plaza hotel on Tuesday (5). After coming to Britain as a refugee from…
A team of British negotiators have left for India to iron out differences and clinch the multibillion-pound free-trade agreement (FTA), The Guardian reports. Led by a civil servant, the team has been mandated to resolve thorny issues like goods and services chapters, the daily added. The Sunak administration is eager…
Asian-origin executives with years of experience in the field of law and finance have been appointed to the board of the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), a non-ministerial department responsible for strengthening business competition and curbing anti-competitive practices. Dharmash Mistry, a venture capitalist specialising in technology, new business models,…
France is poised to make history by becoming the first country to embed the right to abortion in its constitution. The move follows President Emmanuel Macron's commitment to safeguard abortion rights after the US Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn longstanding abortion protections. The constitutional amendment is expected to receive…
A US court has mandated that business tycoon Haresh Jogani should pay $2.5 billion (approximately £1.98 b) as damages to his four brothers over violation of partnership norms in their California-based real estate enterprise, according to media reports. This dispute began two decades ago and the 2003 lawsuit has already…
World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiators extended talks again in Abu Dhabi on Friday as they struggled to break a political deadlock after five days of high-level negotiations. It was far from clear whether a consensus could be reached among the WTO's 164 members before a new deadline of 10 p.m.…
A pioneering study published in the journal Thorax reveals that poorly managed asthma releases a volume of greenhouse gases equivalent to that produced by 124,000 homes annually in the United Kingdom. The research, conducted in the United Kingdom, emphasizes the critical need for improved asthma care to mitigate greenhouse gas…
HURTLING down an ice track at 149.9kmph, watched by thousands of spectators – millions on television – I made my Olympic debut at Nagano in 1998. As a nervous 16-year-old, the youngest male luger ever to qualify for the Olympics, I was also the only Indian at the XVIII Olympic…
THE first Hindu stone temple in Abu Dhabi, which was inaugurated by prime minister Narendra Modi earlier this month, will be opened to the public from Friday (1), according to the temple authorities. The temple has been built by the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) on a 27-acre…
Citigroup has appointed Viswas Raghavan as its new head of banking. Raghavan spent over two decades at JPMorgan and was recently appointed as head of global investment banking. He is expected to join Citigroup in the summer and will replace Peter Babej, who is due to retire later this year.…
Air India, recognised as India's foremost international airline, on Friday (23) launched 'Safety Mudras,' the airline’s new inflight safety video. This video combines essential safety guidelines with the vivid spectrum of India's rich cultural heritage. The project, a result of a collaboration among the distinguished trio of Prasoon Joshi from…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak said that Western nations should take a more assertive stance on confiscating Russian assets, which were frozen following the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Sunak, in an article in an early edition of the Sunday Times to mark two years since the start of…
London's prestigious Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has announced its search for a dedicated Taylor Swift superfan to join its advisory team. The museum is on a mission to tap into the insights of passionate fans, aiming to gain a deeper understanding of specific cultural trends and expand its connection…
Actor Manoj Bajpayee, whose new film The Fable was screened at the Berlin International Film Festival, celebrated 30 years in cinema at a special event organised by the Indian Embassy’s Tagore Centre in Berlin. The event, hosted by Trisha Sakhlecha, Director of the Tagore Centre, coincided with Bajpayee's presence in…
BRITAIN will gain access to the EU's intelligence on criminal gangs involved in human trafficking as part of a deal with the bloc's border protection agency, Frontex, in another sign of closer cooperation between the two sides after Brexit. The deal between Britain and the European Union will allow both…
A company registered in India along with 26 others will face export restrictions under new European Union (EU) sanctions for their involvement in Russia's war efforts. The names of these companies have not yet been made public and will be later published in the EU's official journal. The other companies…
British police said Friday that they had made what is believed to be its biggest-ever seizure of serious drugs. The National Crime Agency said that 5.7 tonnes (5,700 kg) of cocaine were found in a container at the port of Southampton on England's south coast on February 8. The drug…
A global consortium of semiconductor industry groups has asked India to reconsider its plan to push for duties on cross-border digital e-commerce and data transfers at an upcoming global trade meeting, warning that India's stance will stifle its own chip design industry. Ministers from across the globe are convening for…
A woman stripped of her British citizenship after leaving the country as a teenager to marry a Daesh (Islamic State group) fighter lost her appeal against the decision on Friday (23). London's Court of Appeal rejected all five arguments presented by Shamima Begum, 24, although she can still take the…
CHILA BURMAN, often lauded as the “Punjabi lass from Liverpool”, has been shortlisted along with six other artists for the much sought-after space on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square. Two winners will be announced next month and their works installed in 2026 and 2028, respectively. The Fourth Plinth, which…
TOMASZ DYL was just 17 when he founded GottaBe! Marketing Agency. His vision was clear from the outset; to create a bridge between brands and ethnic minorities, fostering a marketing model that is inclusive and accessible to all. Since its inception as a PR agency focused on the Polish community,…
INDIAN AMERICAN Republican presidential aspirant Nikki Haley has said that if voted to power, her administration will not only strengthen the alliance with NATO but also with several other countries including India, Australia, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines. Haley, 52, the former US ambassador to the UN, said that…
ONE out of every four foreign care workers in the UK is breaking visa rules by working in different jobs, a top immigration inspector has revealed. David Neal, the chief inspector of borders and immigration, found that some visas were given for non-existent care homes or to companies with very…
Barclays laid out a three-year plan to revive its flagging share price on Tuesday, including axing £2 billion of costs, returning £10 billion to shareholders and investing in its high-returning UK retail bank. Shares in the British bank rose by as much as 7% after the announcement of the plan…
Britain's new legislation regarding its controversial plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing was criticised by the UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, on Monday (19), for undermining fundamental principles of rights. Turk said the moves to facilitate removals to Rwanda ran contrary to the basic principles of…
A man who piloted an "unseaworthy" boat across the English Channel was found guilty Monday of the manslaughter of four migrants who drowned during the crossing. Ibrahima Bah, from Senegal, took the helm of the poor quality inflatable carrying 43 people, which should have held no more than 20 passengers,…
The most recent TB annual report from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), published on Thursday (15), indicates a rise in tuberculosis (TB) cases in England. While the figures for 2022 were stable, with 4,380 reported incidents nearly mirroring the 2021 count of 4,411, provisional data for 2023 paints a…
India's Ambassador to Germany Harish Parvathaneni inaugurated the India Pavilion at the 2024 Berlinale. Present alongside were actor Manoj Bajpayee, Director of the European Film Market, Dennis Ruh, and Director of the Tagore Centre Trisha Saklecha. Taking to X, Bajpayee shared a few pictures from the event and wrote, "Honored…
LADY SHREELA FLATHER, who has died, aged 89, came into her own when she entered the House of Lords in 1990, the first ethnic minority woman to be given a peerage. Her passing last week was announced by the Lord Speaker, Lord McFall of Alcluith, who said: “My Lords, I…
AN Asian Cup that will be remembered for shocks and dramatic finishes has showcased the region’s strength in depth and raised hopes that its teams could reach new heights at the 2026 World Cup. Eight direct spots and one intercontinental playoff berth are up for grabs for Asian Football Confederation…
CAMBRIDGE does not need to become Britain’s Silicon Valley to be successful – as more talent from south Asia are being attracted to the city, according to experts. They highlighted Indian-origin entrepreneurs – such as Dr Sai Shivareddy, founder of battery firm Nyobolt – who are at the forefront of…
INDIANS are becoming victims of frequent muggings in London, especially for Rolex watches in Mayfair, with police allegedly doing little to respond to their appeals for help. The traumatic experience of senior lawyer Vijay Goel, founder of the Indo-European Business Forum, as relayed to Eastern Eye, appears to be fairly…
India and the UAE have signed 10 agreements for cooperation in crucial areas such as energy, infrastructure, investments, and archives management during prime minister Narendra Modi's visit, aimed at enhancing the bilateral ties, announced foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra said on Wednesday (14). Addressing a press conference on the second day…
BRITONS may have to brave a shortage of some lines of tea, after the supermarket industry warned of a risk to supply from shipping disruptions in the Red Sea. The British Retail Consortium said it had seen “temporary disruption” to some black tea lines, and an industry source said there…
Bollywood's love affair with Europe has given us some of the most memorable recent cinematic moments. As you plan your next holiday, why not travel to the enchanting landscapes of Europe and walk in the footsteps of your favorite Bollywood stars? From the romantic streets of Paris to the historic…
A delegation of the IMF may visit cash-strapped Pakistan once a new federal government is formed, negotiations for which are ongoing between major political parties after the general elections threw a hung Parliament, a media report said on Monday. The International Monetary Fund's review mission might visit Islamabad by the…
LONDON Mayor Sadiq Khan called on Britain's government to take steps to prevent "chaos" on the Eurostar rail link with France when the European Union is expected to introduce a new system of biometric border controls later this year. The EU's checks mean that travellers from countries outside the bloc…
BREXIT complicated the already convoluted communal politics of Northern Ireland, but the role of the British prime minister Rishi Sunak in bringing about power sharing in Stormont has been praised by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). “Credit to Rishi Sunak, he delivered where others haven’t,”…
THIS was a tale of two anniversaries. As Big Ben chimed 11pm on January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom had formally left the European Union. Yet the fourth anniversary of that moment passed without a great deal of fanfare last week. The media sparring between the remnants of the referendum…
PROMINENT British Indian peer Shreela Flather passed away after a short illness in the UK on Tuesday (6), her sons Marcus and Paul Flather said in a statement. She was 89. Known for her elegant sarees in the House of Lords, the teacher and politician was a life peer as…
As you read through this review, you will learn about the many sports betting options and amenities that the Six6s bookmaker provides for bettors from India. When it comes to prominent sports disciplines and sorts of bets, the betting operator provides a variety of options. Attributes of the Bookmaker Known…
AHEAD of elections next week, Pakistan's caretaker administration is making binding plans for a new government to sell loss-making Pakistan International Airlines, according to the minister in charge of the process and other officials. In the past, elected governments have shied away from undertaking unpopular reforms, including the sale of…
European police arrested 15 individuals in Cyprus linked to an illegal EU migration ring that facilitated sham marriages between Portuguese and Latvian women and men from India and Pakistan, Europol said. Two of the main ringleaders were arrested in Latvia and Portugal and 13 suspects were arrested in Cyprus, the…
In a remarkable display of intercultural solidarity, the Indian Embassy in the UAE hosted a special gathering on January 29, 2024, at the 27-acre construction site of the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi. The event, attended by representatives from 42 nations, aimed to deepen mutual understanding and respect among…
Studies suggest one of the most selective growth hormone (GH) boosting peptides accessible for the study is Ipamorelin, a short synthetic agonist of the growth hormone secretagogue (GHS) receptor. Ipamorelin is popular among researchers studying the effects of GHS stimulation on development, muscular function, bone development, diabetes, and postoperative ileus.…
Amidst concerns of dwindling support from the UK's largest ethnic minority, Keir Starmer’s Labour Party is implementing new strategies to reengage with British Indians. Recent initiatives include recruiting two community outreach volunteers, revitalising the Labour Friends of India group, and arranging a visit to India for senior shadow ministers David…
AIRBUS will build a helicopter assembly line in India with Indian conglomerate Tata, the European aircraft manufacturer said last Friday (26). The deal was announced during a two-day visit to India by French president, Emmanuel Macron. Airbus said the facility – which will take two years to set up –…
THE IMF announced on Tuesday (30) it has raised its 2024 global growth forecast to 3.1 per cent, citing unexpected resilience in major advanced and emerging market economies around the world, including the United States and China. The updated figure, released in the latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) report, is…
PAKISTAN’S rice exports are likely to jump to a record high in the year ending in June as India’s decision to curb its own shipments forces buyers to purchase more from Islamabad. The record exports are helping to alleviate tight supplies following the restrictions imposed last year by India, the…
AN INDIAN national extradited from the UK pleaded guilty to operating a global dark web enterprise to sell “deadly and dangerous drugs to communities across America” and agreed to forfeit approximately $150 million (£118m) in cryptocurrency. According to court documents, Banmeet Singh – originally from Haldwani in India’s Uttarakhand state,…
WESTERN tourists travelling to India are now adding Indian weddings to their itinerary, with some also paying for the cultural experience. Indian culture and traditions have fascinated westerners for ages and in recent times, movies, popular TV shows and social media have prompted visitors from the US, UK and Europe…
BUSINESS secretary Kemi Badenoch said last Sunday (28) that she had sacked the chairman of the Post Office amid tensions over the scandal of hundreds of subpostmasters wrongly convicted of theft due to faulty accounting software. An ITV television drama in early January that told the story of the subpostmasters’…
Immigration is expected to add 6.1 million people to the UK population by mid-2036, official projections that will add to pressure on prime minister Rishi Sunak to reduce it in the run-up to an election. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Tuesday (30) the UK's population is projected…
Business minister Kemi Badenoch announced on Sunday (28) that she has sacked the chairman of the Post Office. The decision comes amidst growing tensions related to the scandal involving the wrongful conviction of hundreds of subpostmasters for theft, attributed to faulty accounting software. A television drama in early January that…
New research published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal has revealed an increase in non-Covid-related deaths among individuals with diabetes, attributed to disruptions caused by the pandemic. The global review of studies comparing pre-pandemic and during-pandemic data found that the complication of sight loss in people with diabetes also…
A Spanish judge on Thursday (25) cleared a 19-year-old Briton of all charges in a trial over a Taliban bomb hoax he shared with five friends before boarding a 2022 flight that prompted the scrambling of a fighter jet to escort the plane. Aditya Verma, who was 18 at the…
CAMBRIDGE, the English city renowned for its university, scientific breakthroughs and status as a technology hub, has its sights on becoming the next Silicon Valley. The British government is providing funds for new infrastructure projects such as housing and transport that it says will help Cambridge, north of London, become…
Kuldeep Kaur Atwal, a former post office operator, has shared a distressing account of her experience with the Post Office, alleging that she was unjustly accused of theft and faced discrimination due to her British Asian heritage. Atwal, then 46, and 73 now, was charged with stealing £30,000 from her…
A British Indian chess prodigy faced trial in a Spanish court on Monday (22) for a public disorder offense stemming from a Snapchat message sent in July 2022. University student Aditya Verma, 20, on his way to Menorca with friends, jokingly wrote, "On my way to blow up the plane…
Alok Sharma, former business secretary and president of the Cop26 climate talks, has voiced his concerns that the government's new oil and gas bill, which recently passed its second reading in the Commons on Monday (22), neither reduces household energy costs nor generates employment. Instead, he argues, it contradicts the…
AS THE glowing river of lava from a volcano that erupted recently in Iceland ebbed, not everyone was happy. Iceland boasts more than 30 active volcanoes, making the north European island a prime destination for volcano tourism – a niche segment that attracts thousands of thrill seekers every year to…
Guided by His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in London, commonly known as 'Neasden Temple,' united with nearly 60 BAPS mandirs and centres across the UK and Europe in a global BAPS homage to honour the inauguration of the new Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, a press release…
FREEHOLD property owners have been accused by MPs of establishing a “rentier structure” in England and Wales, as it has been claimed they impose “exorbitant” ground rents while, in some cases, providing no service. Labour MP Barry Gardiner called it “nonsense” that pension funds would need to be used to…
THEATRE director Atri Banerjee said he “embraced” the challenge of helming back-to-back plays: Tennessee Williams’s The Glass Menagerie and Phoebe EclairPowell’s Shed: Exploded View. Banerjee is currently working on Shed: Exploded View which runs at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester from February to March, following which he will revisit…
Thanks to a breakthrough gene therapy, an 11-year-old boy is experiencing the world of sound for the first time. He can now hear his father's voice, the noise of cars passing by, and the snipping of scissors as they cut his hair – all new auditory experiences for him. The…
HAVING survived the biggest Commons backbench rebellion of his premiership to date, Rishi Sunak made a pre-emptive strike on the upper house over his Rwanda Bill: “Will the opposition in the appointed House of Lords try and frustrate the will of the people as expressed by the elected House?”, he…
THE unelected upper house of parliament inflicted a blow Monday (22) to the government's controversial plan to send migrants to Rwanda, by voting to delay ratification of the treaty with Kigali. The move is a blow for prime minister Rishi Runak, who had urged the House of Lords to pass…
IN a parliamentary hearing on Thursday (18), MPs scrutinised freeholders for establishing a "rentier structure" in England and Wales, accusing them of imposing "exorbitant" ground rents, reaching £8,000 annually in some instances. The scrutiny unfolded as a freeholder group resisted proposed changes to leasehold laws amidst the ongoing parliamentary examination…
Following a recent judgment, Walkers, the manufacturer of crisps, finds itself obligated to pay VAT on its mini poppadoms, with the ruling highlighting their connection to crisps rather than traditional poppadoms. The manufacturer had argued that Sensations Poppadoms should be exempt from sales tax, as they are not crisps, which…
Rishi Sunak urged members of the UK's unelected upper chamber of parliament on Thursday (18) to approve his controversial proposal to send migrants to Rwanda, asserting that it reflected "the will of the people." The prime minister survived a key test of his leadership on Wednesday night, fending off right-wing…
In a bid to alleviate cost-of-living pressures and support the retail and hospitality sectors, London's mayor Sadiq Khan announced on Friday (19) that the majority of public transport fares in the city will remain unchanged this year. In London and across Britain, households have tightened their purse strings due to…
In a crucial test of his leadership, prime minister Rishi Sunak successfully navigated a key parliamentary vote on Wednesday (17), overcoming opposition from right-wing rebels for his controversial plan to send migrants to Rwanda. Sunak, in power since October 2022, has staked his political future on the scheme, as Britain…
Facing a crucial vote on the Rwanda bill, Rishi Sunak encounters resistance as two Tory deputy chairmen and a ministerial aide, namely Lee Anderson, Brendan Clarke-Smith, and Jane Stevenson, resigned to rebel against the legislation, seeking amendments for increased stringency. In a setback for the prime minister's authority, 60 Tory…
INDIAN purchases of Russian crude in defiance of Western pressure over the Ukraine war have fallen to an 11-month low as the price tag on the discounted oil rises, figures show. Since the invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago, India has bought hundreds of millions of barrels of cut-price…
EXPOSURE to outdoor humidity and temperature levels during pregnancy is associated with blood pressure changes in children, according to a new study. Researchers found that exposure to higher relative humidity while being pregnant was linked to a steeper increase in blood pressure in childhood, while being exposed to higher temperatures…
LOW vaccination rates against the latest versions of Covid-19 and influenza are putting pressure on healthcare systems this winter, leading public health officials have said. In several European countries, the United States and other parts of the world, there have been reports of rising hospitalisations linked to respiratory infections in…
FUJITSU has a moral obligation to help compensate UK postmasters wrongly convicted because of a bug in its accounting software, its European director said on Tuesday (16). Paul Patterson apologised to those affected by the glitches in its Horizon system that saw some 700 local post office managers receive theft…
THE Maldivian president told India last Sunday (14) to withdraw its nearly 100 troops by March 15, a day after returning from China where he signed a raft of deals. New Delhi considers the Indian Ocean archipelago to be within its sphere of influence, but the Maldives has shifted into…
Official data released on Tuesday (16) indicated that UK unemployment remained stable, while wage growth retreated in the three months to the end of November. These findings help alleviate concerns about inflation. The unemployment rate came in at 4.2 per cent, unchanged from the three months to the end of October,…
From Tuesday (16) onward, an estimated 3.5 million Britons residing overseas will gain eligibility to vote in UK general elections. This marks one of the most substantial expansions of the country's electoral franchise in a century. The expansion in the electorate follows a change in the law, approved by parliament…
After returning from China, Maldives president Mohamed Muizzu asserted that despite its small size, the Maldives would not tolerate bullying. The statement came following the signing of several deals in China as tensions with New Delhi intensified. New Delhi considers the Indian Ocean archipelago to be within its sphere of…
Four migrants lost their lives overnight, and a fifth individual was in critical condition on Sunday (14), after attempting to reach Britain from northern France despite freezing temperatures, the French maritime authority said. The group was attempting to reach a vessel off Wimereux when their small boat got into difficulty…
American rapper G-Eazy has a surprise for his fans in India. The 'Good Life' hitmaker is all set to perform in India in February. As per a statement, G-Eazy will first enthrall the audience of Bengaluru on February 10. After Bengaluru, he will perform in Delhi-NCR on February 11. His…
Rishi Sunak faces a brewing rebellion within the Conservative party as over 30 MPs from the party's right-wing bloc rally to change the bill next week regarding the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda. The proposed amendments aim to restrict the avenues for appealing deportation orders, showcasing deep divisions within…
RIVALS India and Pakistan will play their Twenty20 World Cup group game in New York on June 9 while co-hosts United States will take on Canada in the opening match, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said last Friday (5). The ninth edition of the T20 World Cup, which will be…
TALENTED golfer Avani Prashanth is leading a four-member Indian team of two men and two women, at the prestigious Australian Masters of Amateur Championships and the Australian Amateurs this month. The 17-year-old, who has decided to hold off her plans to turn pro, will feature in both events alongside Heena…
INDIA’S coffee exports are likely to rise by as much as 10 per cent in 2024 as a rally in global prices prompts European buyers to pay premiums in order to increase purchases from the country, industry officials told Reuters. The country - famous as a tea producer - is…
BRITAIN intends to become the first European country to produce an advanced uranium fuel that is currently commercially available only from Russia, the government announced Sunday (7). The UK government said it would invest £300 million building a high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) programme that would help "displace" Moscow from global…
RIVALS India and Pakistan will play their Twenty20 World Cup group game in New York on June 9 while co-hosts US will take on Canada in the opening match, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said. The ninth edition of the T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US…
India's first solar observation mission, Aditya-L1, on Saturday (6) accomplished its final phase, reaching its designated location in space to continuously observe the Sun. After a four-month journey since its launch on September 2, the spacecraft has successfully positioned itself to keep a constant eye on the Sun. The Indian…
Actor Vikrant Massey's recently released biopic drama film 12th Fail has been selected as the closing film for the esteemed Macau Asia-Europe Young Cinema Film Festival. The director of the film, Vidhu Vinod Chopra is set to grace the festival and will be attending the screening of '12th Fail' on…
Ahead of the upcoming general election this year, the ruling Conservatives find themselves once again challenged by a fringe right-wing political party, originally founded by the eurosceptic populist Nigel Farage. Reform UK -- formerly called the Brexit Party and whose current leader admires former US president Donald Trump -- rails…
THE majority of students benefiting from the government's Turing scheme are from disadvantaged backgrounds, a new research published on Wednesday (3) revealed. Introduced in 2021, the scheme enables to widen access to global opportunities in education and training. The latest figures revealed that more than 40,000 students are set to…
AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD British Indian schoolgirl made history after being named the “super talented” best female player at a European chess event. Bodhana Sivanandan, from Harrow in London, won the European Blitz chess championship in Zagreb, Croatia, last month. During the event, she went head-tohead with some of the best players…
SOME of the great art treasures of India are on display in the Prince of Wales Museum in Mumbai. Like the city itself, which was called Bombay until 1996, the museum was renamed something a lot simpler in 1998 in an upsurge of nationalism – it is now called the…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak announced on Tuesday (2), that he had achieved his goal of clearing the nation's "legacy" asylum backlog by the end of 2023 and also defied the prevailing trend across Europe by reducing arrivals of illegal migrants via small boats by 36 per cent. The UK Home…
RUSSIA redirected its oil exports from Europe to China and India, deputy prime minister Alexander Novak said last Wednesday (27), almost two years after Moscow was hit by sanctions over the Ukraine conflict. After president Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022, Western countries hit Russia with a…
BANGLADESH garment factories have fired hundreds of workers since protests in October demanding higher wages, three labour unions representing half a million workers said last week. Clashes during the protests, which ran alongside wider antigovernment demonstrations by the opposition ahead of Sunday’s (7) general election, killed four workers and injured…
DEMOCRACY is the theme of 2024. Around half of the world’s population has the chance to go to the polls. This weekend’s vote in Bangladesh, boycotted by the opposition to Shekih Hasina, is an inauspicious start. Pakistan in February holds its first elections since 2018. More than 600 million will…
Fireworks illuminated skies worldwide to usher in 2024, yet airstrikes marred the year's earliest hours in Gaza, Israel, and Ukraine. Additionally, a significant earthquake struck Japan, prompting tsunami warnings. Many around the world may wish to shake off high living costs, global tumult and extreme weather in 2024, which heralds…
Nearly 30,000 migrants crossed the Channel to Britain from mainland Europe in small boats in 2023, an annual drop of more than a third, government figures released Monday showed. However, the unauthorised arrivals of 29,437 people on the southeast English coast remains the second largest yearly tally since officials began…
Taylor Swift has surpassed Elvis Presley for most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart by a solo artist. Presley logged 67 weeks at No. 1 across 10 chart-topping albums spanning 1956-2002. Only The Beatles have more weeks at No. 1, with 132 weeks on top, across 19…
On Sunday (31), London's Big Ben commemorates the 100th anniversary of its New Year's "bongs" being broadcast worldwide. Ever since New Year's Eve 1923 when BBC engineer A.G. Dryland clambered onto a roof opposite the British parliament to record the strikes, live transmission has become an annual tradition. The unmistakable…
ALMOST all of Russia's oil exports this year have been shipped to China and India, deputy prime minister Alexander Novak said on Wednesday (27), after Moscow responded to Western economic sanctions by quickly rerouting supplies away from Europe. Russia has successfully circumvented sanctions on its oil and diverted flows from…
AN eight-year-old British Indian schoolgirl has made history after being named the “super talented” best female player at a European chess championship. Bodhana Sivanandan, from Harrow in north-west London, won the European blitz chess Championship in Zagreb, Croatia, over the weekend. During the event, she went head-to-head with some of…
INDIA emerged as a “key market” for technology investments into London this year, according to the city’s business growth agency. In an analysis released last week, London & Partners said among the 100 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects for the year, India leads with a 29 per cent share of…
A new EU digital border system, set to launch next autumn, will require the collection of fingerprints and facial scans from British travellers on first use, reports suggest. The entry/exit system (EES) is anticipated to commence on October 6, 2024, as indicated by the i and Times newspapers, referencing information…
THE boxer Adam Azim has been praised for drawing attention to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as experts warned about the stigma against the condition in the Asian community. Azim, 21, has spoken of being diagnosed with ADHD at a young age and his father taking him to a boxing…
2023 has been a great year for Bollywood in terms of films and music. The film industry has delivered several big hits that ruled the charts the entire year. Be it the album of Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone-starrer Pathaan or Ranbir Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna's Animal, music taking…
In 2022, nearly 80% of individuals held in UK immigration detention centres were released into the community instead of being deported, the annual report by Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) on the immigration detention estate, has revealed. Despite the intended purpose of preparing individuals for deportation, the majority were released, The…
Facing separation due to stringent income thresholds in the UK, multinational families are preparing legal action against what they regard as a "cruel and inhumane" policy. The government's decision to elevate the income threshold for family reunification, requiring individuals to earn £38,700 instead of the previous £18,600 starting next spring,…
PRIME minister Rishi Sunak hailed his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni's approach to tackling illegal migration, in a visit to Rome where they agreed to co-fund a project to help migrants return home from Tunisia. The two leaders held formal talks at Meloni's office on Saturday (16) and the British Conservative…
THE year 2022 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the Ugandan Asian expulsion which saw the uprooting and resettlement of some 80,000 Ugandan Asians when Idi Amin Dada, the self-styled dictator of Uganda, declared on 4 August 1972 that he had had a dream in which he was enjoined by God…
THE Financial Times business book of the year for 2023 has gone to Right Kind of Wrong: Why Learning to Fail Can Teach Us to Thrive by Amy Edmondson, a Harvard professor who has been called “the world’s most influential organisational psychologist”. The prize, worth £30,000, was announced last Tuesday…
THE European Commission published its first list of critical medicines, as part of a wider overhaul of laws governing the €136 billion (£117bn) pharmaceuticals industry aimed at avoiding shortages of drugs. It is the biggest change to existing medical laws in two decades. The law is aimed at ensuring all…
IN HER book, What’s in a Name? Friendship, Identity and History in Modern Multicultural Britain, the author Sheela Banerjee deals with the question which confronts all British Asian parents. What should they call their newborn? Most want the name to reflect the child’s ethnic and cultural heritage, but at the…
POLITICAL analysts said the impact on Muslim voters of Labour party leader Sir Keir Starmer’s stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict will only become clear over the next decade. Many Labour councillors and MPs have criticised Sir Kier for refusing to call for a ceasefire in the region. Dozens of councillors…
BRITAIN'S economy shrank in October, official data showed on Wednesday (13), raising the risk of a recession and testing the Bank of England's resolve to stick to its tough line against cutting to interest rates from their 15-year high. Gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 0.3 per cent from September,…
New research has found that smoking causes the brain to shrink, with genetics potentially playing a significant role, as roughly half of the smoking-related risk could be attributed to one's genetic makeup. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine, US, said that since a natural reduction in brain volume is…
GRADUATE ethnic minority voters are more likely to vote for the Conservative party, a new survey has found. Lead researcher James Kanagasooriam, from FocalData, said the voting intentions of ethnic minority graduates is in contrast to their white counterparts. They are more left-leaning and more likely to vote Labour, although…
A LEADING Conservative parliamentarian has warned fellow Tory politicians they face a decision to either “unify or die” as party infighting threatens to derail the leadership of prime minister, Rishi Sunak. On Tuesday (12) Sunak narrowly won in his latest plans to send migrants to Rwanda. The way in which…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak avoided defeat in parliament on Tuesday (12) on an emergency bill to revive his plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, seeing off a revolt by dozens of his lawmakers that laid bare his party's deep divisions. Sunak, who has pinned his reputation on the strategy,…
RISHI SUNAK did not imagine that his premiership would end up like this. His intention was to lead an economy-first government, rebuild trust in politics and deliver on many fronts. Sunak has become the embattled leader of a single-issue government and mutinous party. Every week seems to be immigration week…
Recent findings from the largest UK community research project suggest that eating within a 10-hour window enhances mood, and energy levels, and diminishes hunger. The outcomes of this trial were presented at the European Nutrition Conference by a team of researchers from King's College London. Intermittent fasting (IF), or restricting…
RISHI SUNAK insisted Thursday (7) that his latest immigration plan would work, as the issue threatened to tear apart his ruling Tories, putting his premiership in jeopardy. Sunak came out fighting after his government's latest attempt to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda sparked the resignation of his immigration minister, who…
The organisation SHYAM reached a significant milestone on November 15, 2023, as seven members including photographers and volunteers delivered for the first time, a recital of the Devi Mahatmaya at the UK Parliament Diwali celebrations. The distinguished gathering, hosted by Bob Blackman MP and graced by 13 Parliamentarians, witnessed a…
FORMER home secretary Suella Braverman said on Thursday (7) the government's proposed Rwanda legislation, part of a scheme to try to send thousands of asylum seekers to the East African country, will not work. Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt from the right-wing of his Tory party over efforts to…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak set out draft emergency legislation on Wednesday (6) which he said would pave the way for asylum seekers to be deported to Rwanda, but immediately suffered a major setback when his immigration minister quit. The "Safety of Rwanda Bill", published the day after Britain signed a…
FORMER Spain and Liverpool midfielder Luis Garcia believes that Indian football can touch global heights if the players are given exposure to different leagues abroad and young talents and coaches are trained methodically. The 45-year-old, who was part of the ISL [Indian Super League] title-winning Atletico de Kolkata side in…
LABOUR leader Sir Keir Starmer on Monday (4) said his government would not “turn on the spending taps” if he becomes prime minister next year, an increasingly likely outcome according to the polls. Sir Keir said a Labour government would be “ruthless” on public spending, as he seeks to wrestle…
THE Bollywood actress, Alia Bhatt, is the sole Indian to be selected by the Financial Times (FT) among its “25 most influential women of 2023” chosen from across the world. The paper’s selection is a little like Eastern Eye’s Power List (the next one will be published on March 5,…
BRITAIN signed a new treaty with Rwanda on Tuesday (5) which it said would overcome a court decision blocking its plan to deport asylum seekers to the East African country, a ruling that dealt a huge blow to the government's immigration policy. The Rwanda scheme is at the centre of…
A MAJORITY of Britons support rejoining the European single market, even though it would mean restoring free movement of workers from member states, according to a survey published last Wednesday (29). The YouGov findings come as prime minister Rishi Sunak faces rising political pressure from record high levels of migration…
ASIAN small business owners have accused council leaders of a lack of support to help them deal with rising costs and bills. Entrepreneurs said energy prices, the cost of goods they sell, and local regeneration projects were among the biggest challenges they have faced in 2023 as Small Business Day…
Home Secretary James Cleverly arrived in Rwanda on Tuesday (5), to finalise a new treaty aimed at deporting asylum seekers to the African nation, following the UK's highest court ruling that declared the previous deportation scheme unlawful. The Rwanda plan is at the centre of the government's strategy to cut…
Racial justice is essential in all democracies and progressive societies, which seek to learn from historical examples of persecution, incarceration, and enslavement on the basis of race. Anti-slavery and civil rights movements in the North America and Europe led to greater freedoms, alongside campaigns to tackle gender disadvantage and discrimination.…
ANY “drastic” measures to cut immigration to the UK have the potential to “kill the economy”, a leading businessman has told Eastern Eye. Annual net migration hit a record of 745,000 last year and has stayed at elevated levels since, data showed last Thursday (23). Prime minister Rishi Sunak came…
The 28th edition of the European Union Film Festival, which spotlights the best in European Cinema and offers an immersive experience with a focus on celebrating women's stories told by women filmmakers, is set to open on December 1, 2023, in New Delhi. This year’s line-up includes 28 films in…
FASHION group SMCP, owner of French fashion labels Sandro and Maje, said on Thursday (30) it signed a deal with Reliance to expand into India and will join other high-end European brands opening stores in the Jio World Plaza mall in Mumbai. "There aren't a lot of accessible luxury fashion…
PEOPLE with higher cognition were more likely to vote in favour of the UK staying on as a member of the European Union, new research has found. Researchers at the University of Bath found that cognitive skills – including memory, verbal fluency and reasoning – were linked with how people…
SAUDI ARABIA's sovereign wealth fund is to buy ten per cent of London's Heathrow airport from Spanish infrastructure giant Ferrovial, whose departure from the hub after almost two decades leaves Qatar as its biggest shareholder. Ferrovial late Tuesday (28) said it was offloading its 25 per cent stake for nearly…
The ride-hailing firm Uber, identified as UBER.N, announced on Wednesday (29), its plans to open up its platform to London's black cabs early next year. This move signifies a notable shift in its relationship with drivers of London’s iconic taxis. In recent years, London's black cab drivers - who have…
Saturday night saw a galaxy of teenage debutantes descending Shangri-La Paris to be a part of the Le Bal des Débutantes, an annual occasion organised by Ophélie Renouard to celebrate honourable young women from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the US while raising money for charity. Aged between 17-21 years old,…
She has seen it multiple times, her son has watched it, and his school friends too... Catherine Zeta-Jones says Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Om Shanti Om is one of her favourite films along with The Lunch Box. The Hollywood star on Monday attended the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak unveiled on Monday (27) that the world's top investors have pledged £29.5 billion in new projects and capital, as a “huge vote of confidence” in the UK economy. Sunak, who welcomed CEOs of some of the world's leading businesses for a Global Investment Summit at Hampton…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak unveiled a £29.5 billion ($36.76 billion) influx of private-sector investments in Britain. Following this announcement, he convened with global executives as part of his initiative to re-establish the country as the primary destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) in Europe Australian funds IFM Investors and Aware…
Ishwar Sharma bagged the Europe Cup 2023 in the Boys 12-14 category in the competition organised by the International Yoga Sports Federation on 18 and 19 November A 13-year-old Indian-origin yoga prodigy from south-east England, boasting a collection of awards, secured yet another Gold Medal at the 2023 European Yoga…
Senior Conservatives have raised concerns that Rishi Sunak's stance against human rights laws, potentially enabling the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda, might jeopardise the Northern Ireland peace process. These MPs echoed worries expressed by the White House, underscoring that Downing Street's reported intentions to disregard parts of the Human…
INDIA's government on Friday (24) warned social media firms including Facebook and YouTube to repeatedly remind users that local laws prohibit them from posting deepfakes and content that spreads obscenity or misinformation, two sources said. The warning was conveyed by deputy IT minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar in a closed-door meeting where…
West Ham United is back in the UEFA Europa League for 2023/24, courtesy of winning the Europa Conference League last season. The Hammers join Olympiacos Piraeus FC of Greece, Germany's SC Freiburg, and little-known Serbian side FK TSC Bačka Topola in Europa's Group A this season. Freiburg reached the Europa…
AN INSPIRATIONAL businessman whose company has donated over a billion pounds to charitable causes was crowned the Business of the Year at the 25th anniversary of the prestigious Asian Business Awards, held at the Park Plaza hotel on Wednesday (22). Nirmal Sethia is an internationally renowned entrepreneur whose business empire…
BRITISH ASIANS are being encouraged to visit National Trust properties as the organisation is striving to improve diversity among its members, volunteers and staff, its director general Hilary McGrady told Eastern Eye in an exclusive interview. As Europe’s premier conservation charity, the trust safeguards more than 500 historic houses, castles,…
FORMER home secretary Suella Braverman said she was “confused” at the manner of her sacking, claiming that prime minister Rishi Sunak had agreed for her to write a newspaper column which he then pointed to as the reason for her removal from cabinet. In an opinion piece published in the…
BRITAIN'S minimum wage will increase by 9.8 per cent to £11.44 an hour from April 2024, making it one of the highest as a share of average earnings of any advanced economy. Chancellor of the exchequer Jeremy Hunt announced the increase on the eve of delivering a mid-year budget update.…
England's chief medical officer, professor Sir Chris Whitty, shared with the Covid inquiry that the initial lockdown in March 2020 was enforced "a bit too late," acknowledging the government faced limited options during that period. He highlighted public health concerns such as loneliness, depression, and the risk of exacerbating poverty,…
WHETHER it is on stage, television, film or in a popular ASDA commercial, Muzz Khan has consistently shown off his impressive range as an actor and worked with many established names. The versatile British Asian, who is also an accomplished DJ, rcently joined the cast of West End show, The…
INDIA’S purchase policies “softened” the oil and gas markets by its decision to continue transactions with Russia, and New Dehi should be “thanked for managing global inflation” as a consequence, the country’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar said last week. His remarks came in response to a question of India…
ENGLAND ended their European Championship qualifying campaign with a scrappy 1-1 draw in North Macedonia on Monday (20) but captain Harry Kane said they have much to be proud of after topping their group and finishing six points ahead of Italy. England had sealed qualification for next year's finals in…
Reforming plans suggest that foreign workers seeking entry to Britain will need a salary exceeding £30,000, aiming to maintain an annual net migration of around 500,000, as indicated in figures set to be announced this week. Ministers are anticipated to unveil proposals aimed at reducing net migration by raising the…
A recent study indicates a significant decline in the number of individuals within Bradford's Pakistani community marrying cousins over the past decade. Factors such as increased educational achievements, evolving family dynamics, and modifications in immigration regulations are believed to contribute to this decline, the BBC reported. Juwayriya Ahmed, a 52-year-old…
The 45th edition of France's Festival des 3 Continents has set a film retrospective on Indian screen icon Amitabh Bachchan, the organisers said on Monday. The film gala will run in Nantes from November 24 to December 3. The segment, titled 'Amitabh Bachchan, Big B Forever', will showcase nine films…
LAST MONTH at Sotheby's, the art world witnessed an extraordinary event as The Taj Mahal by Moonlight, a painting valued at £30,000, shattered expectations by fetching an astonishing £482,600 at auction—more than ten times its initial estimate. This unexpected surge in interest has brought attention to the Company School of…
The government on Thursday (16) said a fresh treaty for transferring migrants to Rwanda might be prepared for ratification within a matter of "days". This comes after a court deemed the previous agreement unlawful. The new treaty, which would then take at least three weeks to be approved by lawmakers,…
INDIA is worried about Britain's possible tax on imports of high-carbon goods like steel and wants a mechanism in their planned free-trade agreement (FTA) to address issues arising from such a measure, three Indian sources said. Earlier this year, Britain initiated consultations with domestic stakeholders on measures such as a…
The prime minister has shown that “he has a backbone” by sacking his controversial home secretary, south Asian Conservative parliamentarians and grassroots members have told Eastern Eye. Rishi Sunak fired Suella Braverman on Monday (13), five days after she wrote a Times newspaper article in which she criticised the Met…
Amid a stir among right-wing Conservative MPs, Suella Braverman has joined the movement for emergency legislation challenging the Supreme Court's ruling on the UK government's deportation strategy regarding Rwanda. Following her recent dismissal as home secretary and her earlier criticism of Rishi Sunak, Braverman urged the prime minister to either…
US president Joe Biden and China's Xi Jinping engaged in a four-hour meeting on Wednesday (15), addressing topics spanning military tensions to drug trafficking. Biden welcomed the Chinese leader at the Filoli estate, a country house and gardens about 30 miles (48 km) south of San Francisco, ahead of a…
Despite a significant setback in the country’s highest court, prime minister Rishi Sunak is attempting to revive his flagship immigration policy. However, legal experts express doubts about its ability to surmount the existing legal hurdles. The UK Supreme Court on Wednesday (15) ruled the government's scheme to send asylum seekers…
Sir Keir Starmer is making efforts to subject Labour's stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict to a vote, aiming to preserve party unity. The party has introduced a Commons amendment expressing apprehensions about the civilian death toll and advocating for extended pauses in the fighting to aid delivery. However, it aligns…
BRITAIN's Sikh population, whose ancestors first migrated from the Punjab more than a century ago, have long been admired as a model of integration and for maintaining a strong identity. Lauded in their country of origin and beyond for their valour, industriousness and charity, Sikhs took those values to Britain,…
THE UK government has tabled plans to add India to an expanded list of safe states, which would speed up the process of returning Indians who travel from the country illegally and rule out their chance of seeking asylum in Britain. Draft legislation laid in the House of Commons on…
CAMPAIGNERS have expressed disappointment over new research showing that one in four women feel they cannot progress in sport due to a lack of role models. The study, by the London Lions basketball team, found that 25 per cent of females believe becoming a professional player or at management level…
THE early 1990s set Indian spy thriller had its European premiere at the recent London Indian Film Festival. A sign language expert is brought into interview a deaf man, who is accused of spying, under the watchful gaze of competing Indian security factions, ahead of the Russian president’s visit. All…
TO HER party, Suella Braverman was able to say things which the prime minister thought but could not voice. To his critics, Rishi Sunak was the man who stabbed Boris Johnson in the back and someone whose party did not elect him as its leader. Braverman gave him a shield…
The European Union Film Festival (EUFF) will return with its 28th edition in New Delhi on December 1. The 10-day film gala, which aims to celebrate the cultural connect between India and the European Union through the world of cinema, will take place across three locations -- the Indian Habitat…
BRITISH ASIAN designer Jashaan Gill has urged youngsters to start pursuing their dreams, assuring them that they will ‘find their way’ in the process. Birmingham-based Gill’s journey into the world of fashion commenced with a dream that his teachers dismissed and mocked. Now, aged 26, this resilient designer from Oldbury…
SEVEN years ago, David Cameron left Downing Street after his big gamble to hold a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union backfired and brought his sixyear term as prime minister to an end. A few months later, his political career appeared to be over as he resigned his…
BRITISH inflation cooled more than expected in October as household energy prices dropped from a year ago and there was also a wider softening of price pressures, offering relief to the Bank of England and prime minister Rishi Sunak. Annual consumer price inflation plunged to a lower-than-expected 4.6 per cent…
Suella Braverman, the dismissed home secretary launched a personal attack on prime minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday (14), accusing him of betraying both her and the country. Popular on the right of the party, Braverman kept quiet on Monday (13) after being sacked but published a letter to Sunak on…
BRITAIN's government has already been working on a new treaty with Rwanda and could change the country's laws after the Supreme Court ruled that the plan to send migrants there was unlawful, prime minister Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday (15). "The government has already been working in advance on a…
THE Supreme Court ruling on the government’s Rwanda scheme to deport people seeking asylum in the UK to the African nation is crucial for prime minister Rishi Sunak, said independent migration Think tank British Future. The top court will deliver its ruling on Wednesday (15) on whether the government can…
Certain ultra-processed foods increase the risk of developing cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, but new research suggests that some of these foods are beneficial for health. Regular consumption of meat products such as sausages and sugary drinks is associated with a higher likelihood of developing such diseases. However, despite being…
American actor Brad Pitt and jewellery designer Ines de Ramon are in a "good place," 'People' reported citing a source. "This is Brad's first proper relationship since the divorce," the US magazine cited the source as saying, referring to the actor's split from ex-wife Angelina Jolie. "He introduces Ramon as…
How do you solve a problem like Suella? This was the week that Rishi Sunak changed his mind. Bringing Suella Braverman back as Home Secretary was a price he was willing to pay to secure the premiership unopposed, though it this was a coalition of convenience rather than conviction on…
ISSA BROTHERS-owned EG Group has signed a deal to buy Tesla’s ultra-fast charging units for electric vehicles to expand its growing 'evpoint' business across the UK and Europe. The initial batch of the new charging units is expected to be deployed before the end of this year, EG Group said…
FORMER prime minister David Cameron was named as the country's new foreign secretary on Monday (13), in a surprise appointment made by Rishi Sunak as he reshuffled his top team. Cameron, 57, served as British leader from 2010 to 2016, resigning after the outcome of the Brexit referendum, when Britain…
Officials have reported nearly a twofold increase in the number of Indian weddings hosted at star-category properties in Oman this year compared to the same period last year. A representative of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Sultanate of Oman said Omani officials began communicating with Indian wedding planners many…
Whorehouses, better known as brothels, have been around for centuries. Since the early days, they have been somewhat of a social taboo. Not everyone approves of them, but they are still a thriving industry, even in today's modern world. However, one thing that people don't often talk about is how…
The Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, recognised as Vaxzevria in Europe and licensed as Covishield in India, is confronting a legal challenge in the High Court in London, a media report said on Thursday (9). According to ‘The Daily Telegraph', UK-based pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca could face a number of further claims based…
Following his ascension to the throne, King Charles III's charity, The Prince's Trust, has been officially renamed The King's Trust, Buckingham Palace on Friday (10). The head of state, who turns 75 next week, formed the Prince's Trust with his Royal Navy severance pay in 1976 when he was Prince…
THE government has tabled plans to add India to an expanded list of safe states, which would speed up the process of returning Indians who travel from the country illegally and rule out their chance of seeking asylum in Britain. Draft legislation laid in the House of Commons on Wednesday…
DOZENS of pro-Palestinian protesters blocked the entrances to a BAE Systems factory on Friday (10), targeting Britain's biggest military supplier to call for an end to arms sales to Israel. Holding up a sign saying "Stop Arming Israel" and waving Palestinian flags, about 50 people stood in front of one…
Stainless steel and aluminum are widely used metals in various industrial and everyday applications. When these two metals come into contact, especially in certain environmental conditions, their interaction can lead to specific reactions that impact their integrity and durability. One crucial factor that influences the reaction between stainless steel and…
THE government’s new legislative agenda will build on its priority to grow the economy, safeguard energy independence and ensure the UK is securing “the benefits of Brexit”, prime minister Rishi Sunak’s office said last Saturday (4). Measures will also help build “the most competitive and supportive environment for businesses to…
THE Nobel-winning writer Abdulrazak Gurnah has said removing offensive words from the books of authors like Agatha Christie is “futile”, but added that Britain did produce openly racist literature during the last century of its empire. The British-Tanzanian author won the 2021 Nobel Prize for books such as Paradise and…
“SEE, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken” (Isaiah 28:16). What compels humans to see god in stone and to build majestic stone abodes for the divine? If marble stones could speak, they would…
PLAYING the lead character in Jack in the Beanstalk, actor Nikhil Singh Rai hopes he can “light a spark” in young south Asians to think about acting as a career path. The panto will be staged at the Stratford East Theatre, an area with a large ethnic minority population which…
The government announced plans on Monday (6) to introduce legislation enforcing "minimum service levels" in essential sectors during strikes. The legislation is set to be unveiled in parliament on Tuesday (7), sparking criticism from unions, who have expressed discontent with the proposed measures. The new legislation, which builds on a…
Madrid, the capital city of Spain, is famous for its vibrant culture and a buzzing social scene. It’s a city that never sleeps, and nightlife is an integral part of its cultural heritage. Among the many facets of Madrid's nightlife, the presence of escorts is something that has always been…
THE government's new legislative agenda will build on its priority to grow the economy, safeguard energy independence and ensure the UK is securing "the benefits of Brexit", prime minister Rishi Sunak's office said on Saturday (4). Measures will also help build "the most competitive and supportive environment for businesses to…
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators held protests in multiple cities, including London, Berlin, Paris, Ankara, Istanbul, and Washington on Saturday (4), demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and criticising Israel following an escalation of its military actions against Hamas. In London, television footage showed large crowds holding sit-down protests blocking parts of the city…
Actor Adil Hussain has a wide range of films to his name, including internationally acclaimed works like 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist' and Life of Pi. The actor, who is renowned for his refined acting abilities and diversified, unconventional performances, talked about the culture of filmmaking in India and abroad. During a…
AN INCREDIBLE career has seen Apache Indian become a great British music icon. Whether it has been creating a new musical genre, monster hits like Boom Shak-A-Lak, world-class collaborations, trailblazing moments or setting up an academy for new talent, he has had three decades of brilliance. The singer, songwriter and…
Countries including the UK, United States and China on Wednesday agreed the "need for international action" as political and tech leaders gathered for the world's first summit on artificial intelligence (AI) safety. The UK government kicked off the two-day event at Bletchley Park, north of London, by publishing the "Bletchley…
THE UK government will welcome foreign political leaders, tech industry figures, academics and others this week for a two-day summit billed as the first of its kind on artificial intelligence (AI). The gathering, set to be attended by prime minister Rishi Sunak, US vice-president Kamala Harris, EU chief Ursula von…
DIWALI – the story of good triumphing over evil – shows how multiculturalism is not failing but instead enhancing community relations in today’s Britain, prominent politicians and business leaders have told Eastern Eye. The prime minister, Rishi Sunak, and the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, added their voices to the…
Over three million British citizens residing abroad for more than 15 years will gain the right to vote in the upcoming general election. The proposed changes in enfranchisement for the long-term UK diaspora are expected to be enacted into law by mid-January through the parliamentary process, The Guardian reported. This…
THE global diamond sector is scrambling to get ahead of an upcoming G7 ban on Russian gems, with consumers and producers battling to manage ever more complex supply chains against a backdrop of sluggish demand. Direct sales of Russian gems have already been crushed by US sanctions on Russia's state…
A TRUSTEE of the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation has been removed from his role over his anti-Semitic comments on social media. Amjad Bashir, appointed to the role in March this year, accused Israel of being involved in violence, “slavery and “ethnic cleansing”. His comments came amid the escalating conflict between Israel…
BANGLADESH's main opposition leader was detained for questioning on Sunday (29), as clashes raged for a second day between police and protesters demonstrating against the prime minister ahead of upcoming elections. Police also made a series of raids on the homes of senior Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leaders, party spokesman…
Those people who were bedridden for at least seven days during a Covid-19 infection experienced severe physical symptoms of the disease persisting for up to two years after diagnosis, new research in The Lancet Regional Health-Europe journal has found. A team of researchers from Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, discovered that these…
In Quetta, an undercover BBC journalist recently encountered a people smuggler named Azam, orchestrating illicit passages out of Pakistan. Azam explained his business model, asserting that individuals aged between 12 and 18 were also viable clients. For a sum of 2.5 million Pakistani rupees ($9000; £7,500), a young man could,…
INDIAN women are breaking the gender pay trend in Ireland, establishing themselves as the only female cohort earning more than their male counterparts, reported The Sunday Times. Recent data from the Central Statistics Office revealed that Indian women in Ireland outearned not only Indian men but also Irish women. In…
INDIA and the European Union carried out their first joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Guinea this week, reflecting growing maritime security cooperation between the two sides. The exercise took place on Tuesday (24), around three weeks after the EU-India Maritime Security Dialogue in Brussels deliberated on ways to…
American singer Beyonce is holding two premieres for her highly anticipated concert film Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce, reported The Hollywood Reporter. The world premiere will take place in London on November 30 and the U.S. premiere will be held in Los Angeles on November 25. Days before Beyonce's Parkwood…
WHAT is the most important difference between Ireland and the United Kingdom? The answer is Brexit. Ireland is taking full advantage of its continued membership of the European Union – and seeking to attract new investment from India. This is why Ireland has opened a consulate in Mumbai, India’s commercial…
MAKING the EU-India strategic partnership “a defining force for the world” will be a key focus for Herve Delphin, the newly-appointed envoy of the European Union. Delphin said on Monday (23) the EU’s partnership with India is one of the most significant relationships for the group. Delphins remarks came after…
DO not expect any more parties in Downing Street this week to mark the anniversary of Rishi Sunak becoming prime minister. It was an understated moment of British social history, as Britain’s first Asian prime minister walked into Number 10 alone, with a few words about fixing mistakes to get…
SHAMIMA BEGUM, who left Britain to marry a Daesh (Islamic State group) jihadist fighter when she was a teenager began her appeal against the revocation of her citizenship in a UK court on Tuesday (24). A lawyer for Shamima Begum, 24, told the Court of Appeal in London that the…
The earliest memory that UK musician Tanya Wells has is as a five-year-old in the foothills of the Himalayas where she and her sisters would start the day with meditation at a school, with Hindustani classical music at the heart of its Sahaja Yoga meditation practice. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi,…
BRITISH restaurant chain Pret A Manger has struck a deal with its existing franchisee, Dallas International, owned by a British Asian entrepreneur, as it seeks to expand its presence in the US. Following the latest arrangement, Dallas will have operational control of around 50 Pret shops in New York, Pennsylvania,…
The Great British Bake Off participant Saku Chandrasekara is safe. The 50-year-old intelligence analyst, who works for Herefordshire Council, was in danger of leaving the show after struggling during chocolate week. She survived as judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith decided that no one would face elimination this week because…
THE outlook is very bright for British Indian businessmen (and women) if a UK-India Free Trade Agreement is signed – as prime ministers Rishi Sunak and Narendra Modi hope to do by the end of 2023 or at the latest by early next year. A senior Indian government source has…
British pop star Ed Sheeran will be returning to India after six years with his new tour ‘+ - = ÷ x’. The 32-year-old musician will perform at Mumbai's Mahalaxmi Racecourse on March 16, 2024, as part of the Asia and Europe tour, also called The Mathematics tour, the organisers…
Not since 1945 have anti-Semitism, Zionism, and the Israeli/Palestine conflict been so predominant and divisive as they are today. As such, The Merchant of Venice 1936 is deeply apt and timely. Directed by Brigid Larmour, the production encapsulates the dangers of global fascism whilst at the same time providing a…
BRITAIN's biggest food bank network warned on Wednesday (18) it was expecting its worst ever winter, with over 600,000 people likely to need support as a cost-of-living crisis now in its second year curtails spending power. The Trussell Trust, which supports a network of 1,300 food bank centres across the…
SCIENTISTS have revealed how working night shifts interferes with appetite, hunger and food habits, sometimes resulting in weight gain. The disruption in the body’s biological clock, or circadian misalignment, brought about by working night shifts affects the hormones which regulate the appetite, the team of scientists, led by the University…
IT MAY have been a smooth transition from winning prestigious beauty pageants Miss India and Miss World to becoming an actress, fashion icon and humanitari - an, but Manushi Chhillar didn’t plan anything. By combining hard work with following her instincts, the 26-year-old has made a big impact in a…
A FORMER Labour councillor has told Eastern Eye he decided to quit the party over leader Sir Keir Starmer’s “grotesque” comments over the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. Gaza-based Hamas fighters broke through Israel’s heavily fortified border on October 7, killing more than 1,400 people, most of them civilians. [caption id="attachment_256205" align="alignleft"…
The UK automakers industry on Wednesday (18) warned that they would soon face a detrimental 10-per cent increase in customs duties on electric cars crossing the Channel. Britain left the European Union in early 2021 after clinching a last-gasp free trade agreement that removed tariffs on cars. But under the…
AS THE weather cools, people tend to see more of their friends and family indoors, which increases the risk of catching colds, flu and Covid-19. This is why the NHS has once again offered vaccines to those most vulnerable to infection. Dr Nikki Kanani, a GP and director of clinical…
RESEARCHERS have called on the government to prioritise funding towards analysing the impact of racism on mental health, saying countries such as the US were “way further ahead” in this area. A study by the Centre for Mental Health and King’s College London found that both past and present experiences…
NETHERLANDS defeated mighty South Africa by 38 runs at the Cricket World Cup on Tuesday (17) as the European outsiders humiliated the Proteas for the second time in a year. Chasing 246 to win from a rain-reduced 43 overs after Dutch captain Scott Edwards made a crucial 78 not out,…
THE Supreme Court said on Wednesday (11) it would be a couple of months before it gives its decision on whether the government could go ahead with its plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. Lawyers for the government have been arguing over three days this week that the court…
THE UK and Ireland will co-host Euro 2028, while Italy and Turkey will be joint hosts of the 2032 tournament, UEFA announced. Both bids ran unopposed but still needed official approval from European football's governing body, which they received at a meeting in Switzerland. Turkey last week withdrew from the…
PAKISTAN will appoint an adviser to draft a plan to privatise its money-losing national airline, the caretaker government’s privatisation minister Fawad Hasan Fawad said on Tuesday (10). The outgoing coalition government said in August that Pakistan International Airline (PIA) will be privatised together with the outsourcing of operations at three…
GLOBAL contraceptive makers are betting on condom-shy India becoming their biggest growth market, following the blockbuster IPO of a domestic prophylactic maker just weeks after the UN said the country would become the most populous by mid-year. With population decline and ageing societies in major markets such as Europe, Japan…
MINISTERS and the media are contributing to hate crime against British Muslims, according to politicians and community leaders. Last week (5) saw a nine per cent year-on-year increase in reported religious hate crime figures. Politicians, religious leaders and campaigning groups are urging them to stop demonising Muslims. Of the almost…
THE government has insisted that Rwanda is an appropriate place to deport failed asylum seekers, as it tried to overturn a court ruling that the policy is unlawful. Three Appeal Court judges in London blocked the controversial plan in June, assessing that the African nation could not be considered a…
SCOTLAND'S leader Humza Yousaf said on Monday (9) that his wife's parents were "trapped" in Gaza, leaving him worried if they will survive an attack by Israel The parents of Yousaf’s wife were in Gaza visiting family when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel over the weekend. "They're trapped…
BRITAIN and India are looking at a possible visit to New Delhi by prime minister Rishi Sunak soon, but it may depend on whether the two sides can resolve the remaining differences to firm up the free trade agreement (FTA), people familiar with the matter said on Monday (9). Both…
A DELHI-BASED Catholic priest uncle of UK home secretary Suella Braverman has cautioned her about some of her language around immigration and urged her not to forget that she is a child of migrants herself. According to a report in The Times on Saturday (7), Father Ayres Fernandes told the…
The Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey was inaugurated on Sunday, October 8, 2023, marking a remarkable achievement by over 12,500 volunteers across the US who dedicated millions of hours to build the temple. The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Akshardham stands as the largest Hindu temple outside India in the modern…
GOVERNMENT lawyers will on Monday (9) tell the top court that it should overturn a ruling which declared unlawful a plan to deport migrants to Rwanda, one of prime minister Rishi Sunak's key policies. In June, London's Court of Appeal concluded that the scheme to send tens of thousands of…
A LEADING Tory parliamentarian has accused home secretary Suella Braverman of “betraying” her own culture and background with her claim that multiculturalism in Britain has “failed”. Braverman, in a speech last week at the American Enterprise Institute, in Washington DC, described multiculturalism as a “misguided dogma” that had allowed people…
A cross-party coalition of 65 British lawmakers called on Friday (6) for a pause in use of live facial recognition surveillance on the country's streets. The use of the technology in Britain has long been criticised by civil liberties groups such as Amnesty International, and faces a blanket ban in…
LABOUR gathers this weekend for its annual conference, with the centre-left party currently on course to return to power in a general election expected next year. Labour, led by Keir Starmer, goes into the four-day event -- which starts on Sunday (8) in Liverpool, northwest England -- well ahead of…
Denmark's Legoland is a dream destination for families, offering a world of creativity and adventure. If you're considering a visit, here are the top points to help you plan a memorable family trip to Legoland. Choosing the Perfect Time To Visit Selecting the right time to visit Legoland can significantly…
TUESDAY, September 26, 2023, will go down in the history of the Hinduja family as a spectacular night to remember. On that day, the Princess Royal unveiled a plaque to mark the reincarnation of the Grade II-listed Old War Office (OWO) in Whitehall, London, as the OWO Raffles hotel and…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak portrayed himself as a tough decision maker and an agent of change on Wednesday (4), seeking to break with the scandals and chaos of his Tory predecessors and show the party he can help it win an upcoming election. In a speech lasting more than an…
AA DHAND is making history as the first British Asian crime writer whose work is being adapted for a six-part BBC TV series. His tales are set in the dark, mean streets of Bradford and his main protagonist is a Sikh police officer, Detective Chief Inspector Hardeep Virdee. He doesn’t…
MARITIME companies in Europe are ditching their old ships for scrap on Bangladeshi beaches in dangerous conditions that have killed those working on them, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said last Thursday (28). Bangladesh’s southeastern Sitakunda beaches have emerged as one of the world’s largest shipbreaking yards. It has fuelled the…
A PROMINENT Conservative party commentator believes the Tories have become “complacent” in reaching out to ethnic minority politicians and voters. With Rishi Sunak as prime minister and ministers such as Suella Braverman, Kemi Badonech and James Cleverly, the Tory administration has one of the most diverse cabinets in history. However,…
HERITAGE conservation charity National Trust has gained public confidence compared to the previous year, according to a survey. A poll conducted by think tank More in Common and University College London’s Policy Lab showed that 71 per cent of 2,000 respondents - British adults - trusted the National Trust, a…
TATA STEEL aims to complete decarbonisation journey at its plant in the UK in the next three years, the company's CEO, T V Narendran, said. As part of its decarbonisation plan, the company will shift to low-emission electric arc furnace (EAF) process from the blast furnace (BF) route which is…
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on India to "cooperate fully" with the ongoing Canadian investigation into the killing of a Khalistani separatist, a senior State Department official said on Friday (29). This statement came a day after external affairs minister S Jaishankar met with the top American…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak has expressed his admiration for the country's 'fantastic multicultural democracy', directly contrasting the recent comments made by home secretary Suella Braverman, who claimed that multiculturalism had failed. Braverman faced criticism from fellow Tory MPs after she asserted during a speech to a right-wing US thinktank that…
INDIA’S telecoms major Bharti Enterprises will have a 21.1 per cent stake in Eutelsat Group, formed by the merger of the European satellite operator Eutelsat and the UK’s OneWeb.Eutelsat Group, which will remain headquartered in Paris, has named Sunil Bharti Mittal as its co-chair.OneWeb will be a subsidiary operating commercially…
A UN High Commissioner for Refugees official said on Thursday (28) that over 2,500 migrants have died or gone missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe in 2023. "By September 24, over 2,500 people were accounted as dead or missing in 2023 alone," Ruven Menikdiwela, director of the…
Almost a year into his role as prime minister, Rishi Sunak faces a shrinking timeframe to achieve an increasingly challenging endeavour: securing the Conservatives' continuation in power during the upcoming election. He will conclude the party's annual conference with a keynote address next Wednesday, aiming to galvanise the ruling Tories…
BRITAIN's first official supervised drug consumption room was approved on Wednesday (27), seeking to reduce infectious diseases and overdoses in Scotland which suffers from the highest level of drug-related deaths in Europe. Following similar projects in Europe, Canada and Australia, Glasgow city council, which runs the largest city in Scotland,…
PAKISTAN is striving to get donors to release $10 billion (£8.22bn) in pledges to help it recover from devastating floods by launching rebuilding projects that hinge on the funding, care taker prime minister Anwaar-ul-haq Kakar said last Friday (22). Donors from around the world stepped up after Pakistan was hammered…
BABIL KHAN has followed in the giant footsteps of his late great actor father Irrfan Khan. The 26-year-old made a winning acting debut with the critically acclaimed film Qala (2022), which garnered immense love and appreciation for his performance. Those who saw the film agreed that Babil had inherited his…
In a historic achievement, India's dressage team clinched its first-ever Asian Games gold medal, marking only the second victory in this discipline's history. The quartet of Sudipti Hajela, Divyakriti Singh, Vipul Hriday Chheda, and Anush Agarwalla successfully lived up to the high expectations on Tuesday (26) in Hangzhou. The Indian…
THIS could feel like a long year for Keir Starmer. The Labour leader seems ever more likely to emerge as prime minister once the general election is eventually held, but whether he can seal the deal with the British public is unlikely to be put to the test any time…
MIGRANTS from Bangladesh are more likely to report a religious affiliation than any other group living in England and Wales, according official figures. Analysis of the 2021 Census data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that 94.9 per cent migrants from the south Asian country reported a…
HOME secretary Suella Braverman will raise the "the unsustainable pressures" created by illegal migration when she makes a three-day visit to the US this week, her office said on Sunday (24). In a keynote speech, Braverman will present a blueprint for how countries can combat the crisis and highlight how…
Venturing into the realm of airline compensation can often feel overwhelming for numerous travellers. Regarding Iberia, one of Spain's premier airlines, it accommodated an impressive 88.4 million travellers in 2022. With such a vast number of travellers, it's unavoidable that some will encounter interruptions and flight cancellation process and might…
THE European Union and the G7 countries will face opposition from India and South African company De Beers over rival schemes for a ban on Russian diamonds, reported The Times. The EU and the G7 countries are expected to announce an import ban on Russian diamonds in the next 2-3…
GLOBAL contraceptive makers are betting on condom-shy India becoming their biggest growth market, following the blockbuster IPO of a domestic prophylactic maker just weeks after the UN said the country would become the most populous by mid-year. With population decline and aging societies in major markets such as Europe, Japan…
Suella Braverman ceased the yearly inspections of immigration detention facilities like Brook House last year, shortly after government ministers were directly alerted about the lack of protection for vulnerable individuals, including torture victims, the immigration watchdog has revealed. The disclosure was made by David Neal, the independent chief inspector of…
Britain is to pump £500 million into Tata Steel to decarbonise its Wales site, in a deal aimed at securing the future of the country’s steel industry, but which puts as many as 3,000 jobs at risk. The £1.25 billion total funding package for Britain’s biggest steel works includes £750m…
France extended a warm welcome to King Charles III on Wednesday (20), as he begins a rescheduled three-day visit designed to underscore the enduring strength of the cross-Channel alliance, even in the face of numerous political tensions following Brexit. The originally scheduled trip was set for March and was intended…
A casino dealer is a trained professional who works the table games at a casino, such as blackjack, poker, and roulette. Their job as the house's dealer is to shuffle the deck, deal the hands, and make bets against players. The dealer keeps score and distributes wins after each hand.…
THE Home Secretary said on Wednesday (20) the country needed to take a pragmatic approach to reaching net zero because it could not "save the planet by bankrupting the British people". The comment by Suella Braverman comes ahead of a speech by prime minister Rishi Sunak this week where he…
The CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) is an important improvement in corporate reporting, often centered around sustainability issues. It is proposed legislation by the European Commission aimed at improving and standardizing sustainability reporting practices among European Union (EU) companies. The CSRD builds on the establishment laid by the NFRD (Non-Financial…
Nero Ughwujabo, a senior strategy adviser at the Prince’s Trust, has received an honorary doctorate in equality, diversity, and inclusion from the University of East London’s Royal Docks School of Business and Law. The award was presented to him during a ceremony held at the University’s Docklands campus. Ughwujabo's distinguished…
CALLS for compassion for migrants suffering in North Africa and those attempting to reach Europe or die trying will be at the heart of Pope Francis's visit to Marseille this week. The pontiff is making a two-day trip to France's second-largest city, a historic gateway for immigrants, where he is…
A BLOC of 15 Caribbean nations is set to demand $33 trillion in reparations from European countries over the historic slave trade. The figure was arrived at by an American consulting firm that took into account legal damages for the enslavement of 19 million people over four centuries, The Times…
Opposition leader Keir Starmer announced on Thursday (14) that under a Labour government, a new police unit would be established to address illegal migration. Additionally, he indicated an openness to exploring a returns agreement with the European Union as a potential solution to the crisis. How to tackle illegal migration…
THE G20 Summit in New Delhi has positioned India as a key player in the global arena, edging closer to becoming the 'leader of the Global South,' according to analysts. The two-day summit, which concluded on Sunday (10), showcased India's leadership as it championed initiatives aimed at countering the ascendancy…
QUEEN frontman and rockstar Freddie Mercury’s Parsi heritage was celebrated more than 30 years after his death, as Sotheby’s in London conducted the first of six auctions of his belongings last Wednesday (6). A 16th-century Indian miniature depicting A Prince on Horseback With His Entourage sold for £266,700, against an…
PUBLIC dissatisfaction with how the government is handling immigration is at its highest level since 2015, according to a new survey. In May this year, Office for National Statistics (ONS) data revealed that net migration to the UK reached a record high of 606,000 in 2022, driven by people from…
THE prime minister Rishi Sunak on Monday (11) told British lawmakers that he had “warm and productive” discussions with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi towards a free trade agreement (FTA) with India, as he updated parliament on his recent visit to New Delhi for the Indialed G20 summit. Addressing the…
WITH the provision of a swathe of new oil and gas exploration licences and a crisis in offshore wind energy, clouds are gathering over the UK’s net zero promises. The Conservative government of Rishi Sunak in July promised “hundreds” of new licences for oil and gas exploration and production in…
THE government said it is introducing legislation allowing bone and teeth X-rays to verify the age of asylum seekers suspected of falsely claiming to be minors. The government is trying to curb what it calls "illegal" migration to the UK -- a highly contentious political issue. Legislation unveiled this week…
GERMAN imports of refined oil products from India soared in the first seven months of the year, official data showed Tuesday (12), much of which was likely made using crude oil from sanctions-hit Russia. Germany bought €451 million (£387m) worth of Indian petroleum products between January and July. That was…
HEADING to New Delhi for the G20 summit might have felt like a great escape for Rishi Sunak, leaving behind crumbling concrete in classrooms and damning opinion polls for his first visit to India as Prime Minister. The Sunaks were greeted enthusiastically by the Indian media. A British Prime Minister…
FRENCH president Emmanuel Macron said on Monday (11) that Bangladesh had committed to ordering 10 aircraft from Airbus, marking the south Asian country's first deal with the European planemaker in a shift from its Boeing dominated fleet. French officials said the deal for the A350 widebody airplanes, which is still…
India’s yearlong presidency of the G20 came to a climax last weekend as world leaders gathered in Delhi for the annual summit of the world’s leading economies. Against the perceived odds, India was able to forge consensus among a group of nations increasingly divided along geopolitical fault-lines. The official communique,…
Popular Irish music group Westlife is set to enthrall fans in India as the band travels to the country for its much-anticipated "The Wild Dreams" Tour this November. The global bestselling pop band, consisting of Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Shane Filan and Mark Feehily, will perform live in Mumbai, Bengaluru,…
A DUTCH court sentenced a Pakistani former cricketer to 12 years in prison on Monday (11) after he was tried in absentia for urging people to murder Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders. The court ruled that statements by 37-year-old Khalid Latif should be regarded as incitement to murder, sedition and…
Narendra Modi concluded the G20 summit on Sunday, which notably downplayed significant disagreements regarding the Ukraine conflict and climate change. Despite the contentious issues, the summit afforded him a diplomatic moment in the spotlight. The ongoing Ukraine conflict has deeply divided G20 nations since Moscow's invasion last year, leading Russian…
I landed in Delhi on the 24th of August, the day after India successfully landed a spacecraft on the south pole of the moon, making it 1 of only 4 countries in the world to have landed on the moon. In his excellent speech at the B20, prime minister Narendra…
A film festival celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of screen icon Dev Anand will be held later this month, the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) announced Monday. Dev Anand, star of films such as Hum Dono, Tere Ghar Ke Samne, CID, and Guide, will be honoured ahead of his birthday on…
INDIA's strong leadership made it possible for G20 leaders to reach consensus in intense discussions on a summit message urging nations to shun use of force in territorial disputes, a senior European Union official said on Sunday (10). For weeks before the New Delhi meeting, the bloc struggled to agree…
DESPITE a government crackdown on colourful vape products being marketed to children, the Tory party has received a substantial six-figure donation from a company associated with such vapes, the Times reported. In May, the Tory party recorded a £350,000 contribution from Supreme 8 Ltd, ranking as their third-largest donation in…
GLOBAL leaders announced a multinational rail and ports deal linking the Middle East and South Asia on Saturday (9) on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi. The pact comes at a critical time as US president Joe Biden seeks to counter China's Belt and Road push on…
THE African Union was made a permanent member of the G20, comprising the world's richest and most powerful countries, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said at the bloc's summit in New Delhi on Saturday (9). The African Union, a continental body of 55 member states, now has the same status…
Charles III commemorates his first year as king today (8). Here are five pivotal moments from his first year on the throne. - Inaugural address - Following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96 on September 8, 2022, Charles assumed the throne. During his…
LEADERS of the world's wealthiest and most influential nations are set to convene at the two-day G20 Summit in India's capital, New Delhi, commencing on Saturday (9). This marks India's inaugural hosting of this prestigious assembly of global leaders. The capital city has been adorned with ornate flowers and fountains…
Among the prominent leaders arriving in India’s capital city on Friday (8) morning for the G20 summit are Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, Argentine president Alberto Fernández, and IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva. The G20 leaders will deliberate on pressing global issues at the grouping's annual summit on September 9 and…
New research has revealed that a daily aspirin pill can reduce the risk of developing diabetes in old age. The study involved 16,209 healthy adults aged 65 and above in Australia and the US, with half of them taking a daily low dose of 100mg aspirin and the other half…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi said Thursday (7) that leaders of the G20 summit he is chairing this weekend must support developing nations to tackle climate change with more cash and by sharing technology. Against a backdrop of record-breaking temperatures and deadly heatwaves across the globe, climate scientists and activists…
As India prepares to host the G20 Summit, a group of nine retired judges has reached out to the leaders of G20 nations, urging them to seek a compassionate resolution by repatriating Indian children who have been separated from their parents by state child agencies in Western Europe, the UK,…
THE City of London called in a report on Thursday (7) for a new council which would allow Britain's financial sector to drive through "big moves" needed to boost the economy by £225 billion by 2030 and beyond. Britain is implementing a range of financial reforms after its exit from…
BRITISH police said they had issued an urgent appeal to find a former soldier suspected of terrorism offences who went on the run after escaping from a London prison on Wednesday (6). Daniel Abed Khalife, 21, who was being held in prison while he awaited trial, is believed to have…
IT IS not often you meet a university dropout who returned to the company he started at as a graduate civil engineer – and is now the group chief executive of one of Britain’s best-known and most successful construction and infrastructure companies. Leo Quinn, who heads Balfour Beatty, is a…
B&M European Value Retail announced it agreed to take over up to 51 Wilko stores following the collapse of the rival discount chain. In a regulatory disclosure on Tuesday (5), B&M said it would pay a maximum of £13 million for the acquisition which would be “fully funded from existing…
Migrants from Bangladesh and Pakistan are among those seeking protection in Europe, official figures released on Tuesday (5) showed. Syrians and Afghans account for nearly a quarter of asylum applications received so far this year, followed by those from Venezuela, Turkey, and Colombia. Between January and the end of June…
THE union which represents judges has called for a parliamentary inquiry into the way the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) uses taxpayers’ money to fight legal cases. For three months, Eastern Eye has used freedom of information requests to investigate court action against the JAC from unsuccessful candidates. South Asian judges…
TATA STEEL is believed to be close to securing a £500m funding from the UK government to modernise its plant in Wales.Whitehall officials and the steelmaker are close to agreeing a deal that would also result in the company’s Indian parent committing about £700 in capital expenditure over a period…
The 67th BFI London Film Festival, which is scheduled to be presented over twelve days from 4 to 15 October 2023, has announced the full programme line-up. The London Film Festival will invite audiences to return to its flagship venues in the heart of London – BFI Southbank and the…
INDIA has asked the US to allow the release of $26 million belonging to at least two Indian diamond firms that was frozen due to their alleged trade links with sanctioned Russian diamond major Alrosa, three Indian sources said. The funds were frozen earlier this year due to US sanctions…
In the realm of online entertainment, few things captivate the senses as effectively as the world of slot machines. These digital wonders, combining luck and strategy, have come a long way since their humble beginnings. One particular branch of this ever-evolving domain has taken the concept of slots to a…
THE government on Thursday (31) named Claire Coutinho as secretary of state for energy security and net zero, replacing Grant Shapps who was named defence secretary. Coutinho, who is the first member of parliament elected in 2019 to be promoted to the cabinet, was previously a junior minister in the…
Though India’s relationship with gambling has been somewhat up and down, the country has a much richer and deeper history with the practice than most realise. A lot of popular gambling games are usually spoken about in context of their European origins, however when early versions of these games -…
Thousands of protesters from Bangladesh took to the streets on Wednesday (30), rallying to seek information regarding the alleged abduction of hundreds of individuals by security forces during the nearly 15-year tenure of prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allied opposition groups, along…
THE European Union last Saturday (26) voiced concerns over a “rapid” rise in refined petroleum products made from Russian crude oil in India finding their way to the European market. Valdis Dombrovskis, the EU executive vice-president and commissioner for trade, said oil products processed from Russian crude oil were arriving…
THE UK government was working with airlines on Tuesday (29) to help ensure passengers stranded in airports across Europe, after an air traffic control glitch the previous day caused widespread disruption to flights that is expected to last for days. More than 1,500 flights were cancelled on bank holiday Monday…
A commonly prescribed blood-thinner, clopidogrel (Plavix), may not be effective for individuals of South Asian descent due to a genetic mutation, a study suggests. The research reveals that over half of those with Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage have a genetic mutation that hinders the proper function of clopidogrel, the Daily…
Days after becoming the first nation to land a craft near the Moon's largely unexplored south pole, India's space agency said on Monday it will launch a satellite to survey the Sun. "The launch of Aditya-L1, the first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun, is scheduled for September 2,"…
FOUR migrants died Monday (28) when their boat capsized off the Greek island of Lesbos, while 18 people were rescued, the coastguard said. A patrol picked up 22 people in the Aegean but four of them were dead, a brief statement said. The survivors were transferred to Mytilene, the main…
INDIAN and UK officials will continue their negotiations till the month-end to iron out differences on the proposed free trade agreement (FTA), New Delhi has said. Following the G20 trade and investment ministers’ meeting at Jaipur, the progress of the negotiations was reviewed by commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal…
THE descendants of former prime minister William Gladstone apologised on Friday (26) for their family's slaveholding past in Guyana, and urged the UK to discuss reparations in the Caribbean. Gladstone's father was one of the largest slaveholders in the parts of the Caribbean colonised by Britain. John Gladstone is also…
B&M European Retail is believed to have evinced interest to take over a few stores of the distressed high-street retail chain Wilko. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has been appointed as Wilko’s administrator after the Worksop-based company collapsed in early August putting about 12,500 jobs and its 400 stores in the UK at…
INDIA’S High Commissioner to the UK has expressed optimism that British and Indian officials will be “able to get something working” and find a “right fit” towards a mutually beneficial free trade agreement. Vikram Doraiswami said he was positive as both countries seem keen to make necessary adjustments, recognising the…
ENGLAND’S performance in the just concluded football women’s World Cup final will help create a “really rich pipeline” of future talent, an influential Asian leader said, as others predicted a positive legacy despite the Lionesses’ defeat last Sunday (20). Spain beat European champions England 1-0 in the final match in…
DOZENS of Indian students, who accused a British university of racism, have thanked Eastern Eye for helping them win a second chance to pass their degree. They contacted this newspaper after more than 80 of their number failed the same assessment as part of their master’s in engineering at De…
A copy of the Qu’ran was trampled on and torn up by a Dutch far-right activist on Friday (18), during a demonstration outside the Turkish embassy in The Hague, infuriating numerous counter-protesters who were present at the scene. The Dutch government had already condemned the holding of the demonstration ahead…
The first summit on traditional medicine was initiated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday (17) with the objective to gather evidence and data that would facilitate the secure utilisation of such treatments. Traditional medicines are a "first port of call for millions of people worldwide", the UN health…
CRICKET, tapas and a TV advert featuring footballer Lionel Messi may seem like a strange combination, but it has been a winning one in helping to grow the sport in Spain and across Europe, thanks to the south Asian expatriate community. In Malaga, the Cartama Oval has become the new…
SCIENTISTS have identified the maximum mix of heat and humidity a human body can survive. Even a healthy young person will die after enduring six hours of 35-degree Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) warmth when coupled with 100 per cent humidity, but new research shows that threshold could be significantly lower. At…
H&M is investigating 20 alleged instances of labour abuse at Myanmar garment factories that supply the world's second-largest fashion retailer, just weeks after top rival Zara owner Inditex said it was phasing out purchases from the southeast Asian country. A British-based human rights advocacy group tracked 156 cases of alleged…
Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami has said, the Group of 20 (G20) stands as the foremost platform globally for fostering inclusive growth. He remarked that India's current presidency of the G20 has played a pivotal role in amplifying the perspectives of the Global South, contributing to the…
INDIA’S High Commissioner to the UK has expressed optimism that officials of the two countries will be “able to get something working” in their Free Trade Agreement negotiations. Vikram Doraiswami said both countries seem keen to make adjustments, recognising the complexities involved with the different structures of the two similar-sized…
CASH-STRAPPED Sri Lanka announced on Tuesday (15) that it was scrapping a $3.85 billion (£3.03bn) deal to build an oil refinery that was set to become the island nation’s largest foreign investment. Energy minister Kanchana Wijesekera said the cabinet terminated the agreement on Monday (14) because Singapore-registered Silver Park International…
SEVERAL churches were set on fire by a rampaging mob in eastern Pakistan on Wednesday (16) after a Christian family was accused of blasphemy, officials said. Hundreds of people armed with sticks and rocks stormed the predominantly Christian area in Faisalabad city, police in the area said. Images on social…
A CITY which has one of the country’s largest and youngest south Asian communities has become a hotspot for Hollywood producers and music chiefs. Bradford in Yorkshire, famous for its textile mills and the setting for Riz Ahmed film Four Lions, was named the UK’s City of Culture in 2025…
Being an Indian, Grammy winner Ricky Kej says leading the UK's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) for a rendition of "Jana Gana Mana" was special as the national anthem has been the most "important piece of music" in his life. Kej on Monday shared the video of the national anthem, recorded…
Anthony Hopkins-starrer One Life will be screened at the 67th BFI London Film Festival. As per Variety, the film tells the true story of Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker who, in the months leading up to WWII, rescued 669 children from the Nazis. Fifty years later, in 1988,…
In the aftermath of a shipwreck in the Mediterranean last week, concerns arise for the well-being of forty-one migrants, including three children, who are feared dead. The incident has been documented by UN agencies, with attention drawn to the plight of four survivors who were transported to the Italian island…
HOW do you write about sex? This was the question put to Reshma Ruia, the co-founder of a south Asian women’s writing collective, The Whole Kahani (the complete story), when the group of eight authors launched their third anthology in London last week. Tongues and Bellies, a short story collection,…
THE horror stories of ethnic violence emerging from the northeastern Indian state of Manipur have greatly distressed the British artist, Marcus Hodge, because the place had appeared like a peaceful paradise to him when he was there in November last year painting polo ponies. Hodge was in Imphal, the state…
INDIA will remain an “active and willing partner” to find a “lasting” solution to Russia’s war in Ukraine, the country’s national security advisor said, after attending a peace conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia last Sunday (6). Ajit Doval told delegates the responsibility to end the war was in the hands…
“RAISE your hand if you are a racist.” This is a question Saira Rao, an Indian American campaigner, poses at the start of the documentary, Deconstructing Karen. It features the work of Race2Dinner, an initiative by co-founders Rao and Regina Jackson, a black American, whose aim is to ultimately dismantle…
BRITAIN said it had struck a deal with Turkey in a bid to slow the flow of immigrants passing through the Mediterranean country on their way to Europe. The agreement includes joint police operations against smuggler rings and the trade in boat parts. With the issue of illegal migration high…
IN FEBRUARY 1999, Sir William Macpherson released a devastating report into the racist murder of the black teenager, Stephen Lawrence. The term ‘institutional racism’ started to prick the conscience of our wonderfully tolerant country. I say this without any hint of sarcasm or irony because I can’t imagine living in…
New research published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal suggests that the mitigation of air pollution could potentially contribute to the reduction of antibiotic resistance. The study indicates that addressing air pollution may play a role in countering the phenomenon where disease-causing microorganisms develop resistance to antibiotics, rendering these drugs…
LONG-TERM allies India and Russia are in a race to the moon, it emerged last week. India’s space agency said last weekend it successfully carried out an orbit reduction manoeuvre of the country’s third moon mission, Chandrayaan-3, days after Russia said last Friday (4) it will launch its first lunar…
Well-known director M Night Shyamalan is presently busy with pre-production work for his much-anticipated next directorial venture Trap. The latest update suggests that the director will be shooting in Cincinnati for the film. Shyamalan’s film Trap lists Cincinnati as the “region of production” for the upcoming movie, according to the…
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have jointly called for a "credible" investigation into a migrant shipwreck off Greece in June, during which hundreds of people lost their lives. The organisations expressed concern over conflicting accounts provided by the Greek coastguard and survivors of the incident. The tragic incident…
RICE exporters of Pakistan are having a field day due to the Indian government's ban on the export of non-basmati white rice to the international market. On July 20, the Indian government banned exports of non-basmati white rice to boost domestic supply and keep retail prices under check during the…
PAKISTAN is unlikely to meet a target for Russian crude to make up two-thirds of its oil imports, despite attractive prices, hampered by a shortage of foreign currency and limitations at its refineries and ports, officials and analysts say. The cash-strapped country became Russia’s latest customer snapping up discounted crude…
WHETHER it is Rahat Fateh Ali Khan selling out big arenas, iconic festivals like Womad featuring qawwali concerts or compositions from major names like AR Rahman, Sufi music has been red hot in recent years. The next big breakout act in the devotional genre, rooted in over 700 years of…
THE Conservative party’s controversial immigration policy could ultimately be the reason they lose power at the next general election, a group of leading academics have predicted. Plans to stop thousands of migrants landing on British shores in small boats were last month approved by the House of Lords. The bill…
“WHO was Winston Churchill – the saviour of his nation or a racist imperialist?” This is the rather blunt question that will be examined in the opening session of a debut literary festival next month, to mark the 70th anniversary of Churchill winning the Nobel Prize for literature. It was…
OVERSEAS students who return home after three to five years in the UK should not be included in the migration statistics, Lord Simon McDonald, master of Christ’s, academically one of the strongest colleges in Cambridge, has said. “I think the idea that student numbers can contribute to overall migration numbers…
DEBUTANT writer Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi said she has tried to “dismantle the idea of great literature” with her first novel, The Centre. The novel’s protagonist, Anissa Elahi, is a Pakistani Muslim woman living in London who dreams of being a translator of great works of literature. When her white boyfriend,…
MOHAMMAD Kamal Syed has been appointed interim chief executive of NatWest's private banking arm Coutts to succeed Peter Flavel who resigned over the Nigel Farage scandal."Mo has extensive wealth management experience and is the ideal person to lead Coutts through this difficult time…," NatWest's interim CEO Paul Thwaite said on…
Israel Ambassador to India Naor Gilon has voiced concern over the "trivialisation" of Holocaust in Hindi movie Bawaal released on Prime Video, saying it had "poor choice of terminology and symbolism". The Varun Dhawan-starrer has stirred up a controversy for using the Holocaust to tell a story of marital discord…
Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan's Bawaal is in the eye of the proverbial storm for using the Holocaust to tell a story of marital discord with a prominent Jewish rights organisation slamming it for “banal trivialisation” of the suffering of millions and asking Prime Video to take down the movie. The…
THE University of Cambridge has created a visiting fellowship in the study of indentureship, a system that replaced slavery in the British Empire. According to historical accounts, more than 1.6 million Indian workers were transported to European colonies as a substitute for slave labour. Cambridge said in a statement that…
Bangladesh's foreign ministry summoned 13 Western ambassadors on Wednesday (26), following their joint statement protesting an attack on an independent candidate during a parliamentary by-election. The envoys, which included representatives from the US, Britain, France, and the European Union, had expressed their condemnation of the July 17 attack on Ashraful…
INDIA and Britain could sign a free trade agreement (FTA) this year as both countries have reached consensus on the broad contours of the proposed deal aiming to boost economic growth and jobs, a top trade ministry official said. "We want to finalise the deal at the earliest," Sunil Barthwal,…
Cast of 20 has been announced for Mahabharata, a spectacular retelling of the ancient Sanskrit epic, by Canada’s Why Not Theatre, which follows a devastating family feud and explores profound philosophical and spiritual ideas. Its stories are more than four thousand years old and foundational to Indian culture. The new,…
Muhammad Naeem Butt, a Pakistani man, spent several weeks in Libya attempting to reach Europe illegally. However, he decided to turn back, giving up on his perilous journey after witnessing a tragic incident at sea. The overloaded fishing trawler he had hoped to board sank off the coast of Greece,…
STEELMAKER ArcelorMittal said on Thursday (27) its net profit sank in the first half of the year, as prices for the metal fell from the peaks reached at the start of the Ukraine war. Higher interest rates, which were raised by central banks to combat inflation, also weighed on demand…
THE body which regulates universities will investigate the handling of complaints by more than 80 Indian students that they were victims of racism and discrimination, Eastern Eye can reveal. Eastern Eye reported last week that the learners all failed one module, and that the students were unhappy with the way…
AN interaction hosted by the India European Business Forum (IEBF) recently provided a platform to exchange ideas to strengthen the ties between the UK and India. Indian tourism minister G Kishan Reddy and international relations expert Baroness Verma were among the notable participants in the event, facilitated by IEBF chairman…
LEADERS of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) met Indian prime minister Narendra Modi in Paris recently to apprise him of the progress made in the construction of a Hindu temple in the French capital. The Sanstha, an India-headquartered socio-spiritual organisation, is constructing what is set to become mainland Europe’s first…
When it comes to spanning the globe in utter luxury, there's surely no mode of transportation better than on board a luxury cruise liner. Indulging in five-star dining options, relaxing massages, and luxurious amenities is the stuff of dreams, and a luxury cruise line can offer it all in one…
INDIA'S pharmaceutical exports this fiscal year are set to grow nearly twice as fast as last year to hit sales of $27 billion, driven by strong US buying, a government-backed trade body said, despite deaths linked to Indian-made cough syrups. The robust forecast comes against the backdrop of earlier concerns…
WITH Nitesh Tiwari’s last two releases as a director, Dangal and Chhichhore, being huge hits, it was quite a coup for Varun Dhawan to play the lead role in his latest film Bawaal. He takes centrestage opposite Janhvi Kapoor in the romantic drama, which just had its world premiere on…
The chief executive of NatWest Bank Alison Rose, announced her resignation on Wednesday (26), acknowledging a "serious error of judgment" in speaking to a reporter regarding the banking matters of Nigel Farage, a prominent advocate for Brexit. Farage, known for his leadership of the Brexit Party and UKIP, raised concerns…
ASDA boss Mohsin Issa defended his price-cutting measures as he told a group of MPs he grew up in the same environment as some of his customers from low-income households. Issa, who co-owns Asda with his brother Zuber, appeared before the business and trade committee in a follow-up session to…
INDIA’S Tata Group confirmed it will build an electric vehicle battery plant in Britain to supply its Jaguar Land Rover factories, delivering a major boost for a UK car industry in need of domestic battery production to help secure its future. The announcement marks Britain’s biggest move in the car…
An old video of Infosys founder Narayan Murthy criticising Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan for ignoring her fans on a flight is currently surfacing on social media. During a conversation at IIT-Kanpur, he shared an incident and voiced his surprise at the actor not acknowledging her fans on a flight.…
INDIAN passport holders can travel to 57 countries without a visa, a survey has shown, while Bangladesh permits its citizens access to 40 countries without a prior visa. An index of 227 countries compiled by Henley & Partners showed Singapore topped the list as its nationals can visit 193 destinations visa-free,…
INDIA on Thursday (20) ordered a halt to its largest rice export category in a move that will roughly halve shipments by the world's largest exporter of the grain. New Delhi’s move triggers fears of further inflation on global food markets. The government said it was imposing a ban on…
The National Theatre has announced the full cast for Anupama Chandrasekhar’s critically acclaimed The Father and the Assassin, directed by the Kiln Theatre’s Artistic-Director, Indhu Rubasingham. This gripping new play by one of India’s most exciting playwrights, returns to the Olivier Theatre from 8 September. Mahatma Gandhi: lawyer, champion of…
HEADING into the supermarket for the weekly shop, we are greeted by a life-size cardboard cut-out of four of England's women footballers. They are there because the women’s World Cup is about to kick off and to promote the official FIFA tournament beer too. (6am and 9am kick-offs broadcast from…
In a historical move, British passports will bear the title of "His Majesty" for the first time in 70 years, as they begin to be issued this week under the name of King Charles III. The new design update was unveiled by UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman on Tuesday evening…
THE EU parliament last Thursday (13) urged India to end violence and protect minorities in the country’s northeastern Manipur state, criticising “nationalistic rhetoric” that it said was adding to tensions. MEPs expressed concern over clashes between Manipur’s majority Meitei, who are mostly Hindus and live in and around the state…
AN INDIAN national arrested in the UK on a provisional US warrant as part of a coordinated action targeting terrorism financing will challenge his extradition on human rights and dual criminality grounds, a court in London was told last Wednesday (12). Madurai-born Sundar Nagarajan, 65, appeared via videolink from prison…
Eastern Eye can reveal that the Indian High Commission has written to a UK university urging it to investigate claims of racism and discrimination made by students from its country. It follows complaints from more than 80 learners from India at Leicester’s De Montfort University (DMU). The High Commission sent…
A dome-shaped mysterious object has washed up on a remote Australian beach, amid speculation it could be from a 20-year-old Indian rocket used for launching a satellite. The canister was discovered near the beach in Green Head in Western Australia (WA) about 250 km north of Perth last Saturday (15).…
Sri Lanka's president is scheduled to arrive in India on Thursday (20) for his first visit to the country, with concerns mounting in New Delhi over China's increasing influence in the strategically placed but financially bankrupt island. New Sri Lankan leaders usually travel to India within a few weeks of…
BRITAIN has added a number of construction roles to its "shortage occupation list", allowing the building industry to bring in staff from abroad more easily to help employers struggling to fill positions. Bricklayers, masons, roofers, roof tilers, slaters, carpenters, joiners and plasterers will benefit from cheaper visas and more relaxed…
PRIME Minister Rishi Sunak's highly contested plan to make it easier to send asylum seekers to Rwanda is set to become law after the government defeated attempts by parliament's upper house to make changes to the legislation. The Illegal Migration Bill had been stuck in a battle between parliament's House…
A seaside village in southern England paid tribute last week to the valiant efforts and sacrifices of Indian soldiers who fought in World War I, also known as the Great War. The commemoration took place at the Indian Memorial Obelisk in Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire, which was originally erected in July 1917…
French president, Emmanuel Macron, presented prime minister Narendra Modi with a framed facsimile of a 1916 photograph showing a Parisian offering some flowers to a Sikh officer, along with a replica of the Charlemagne chessmen dating back to the 11th century, officials said. [caption id="attachment_242290" align="aligncenter" width="679"] The 1916 photograph…
INDIA and a four-nation bloc of Europe have agreed on an early conclusion of negotiations for a free trade agreement, New Delhi said on Wednesday. India and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states - Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland - are negotiating the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA). Indian…
WORKERS at Britain's Gatwick will strike for eight days at the end of July and in early August, potentially causing cancellations and travel misery for thousands of passengers at the busiest time of year for summer holidays. European travellers are already on high alert over worries about air traffic control…
THE European Parliament adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in India, with particular reference to the recent clashes in Manipur, a move rejected by India as "unacceptable" and a reflection of "colonial mindset". The Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Thursday (13) called on Indian authorities to put in…
BRITAIN and India will connect their space clusters, starting with Leicester space park, the UK’s science, research and innovation minister George Freeman has said. He said in Mumbai that the two countries are also discussing how they can better harness low earth orbit satellite communications. According to Freeman, the UK…
INDIA said it made “considerable” progress on “difficult issues” in its Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the UK this week. An official statement issued in New Delhi on Wednesday (12) said commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal’s visit to London helped in moving forward the discussions during their critical stage.…
AN Indian national who was arrested in the UK on a provisional US warrant as part of a coordinated action targeting terrorism financing will challenge his extradition on human rights and dual criminality grounds, a court in London was told on Wednesday (12). Madurai-born Sundar Nagarajan, 65, appeared via videolink…
A former MP has called on a British university to investigate claims of racism made by 75 south Asian students. Eastern Eye has seen a letter to the vice-chancellor of Leicester’s De Montfort University which makes serious allegations of discrimination and racism against the Indian learners. The communiqué is from…
FOXCONN said it intends to apply for incentives under India's semiconductor production plan, a day after the Taiwanese firm split with Vedanta on a $19.5 billion chipmaking joint venture. Foxconn withdrew from the JV with the Indian metals-to-oil conglomerate on Monday (10), in a setback to prime minister Narendra Modi's…
CHARITIES supporting Asian domestic abuse survivors are in a funding crisis with a lack of space in refuges and a shortage of trained frontline workers, experts have cautioned. They said further services are at risk of shrinking or closing due to a dearth of financial support. Research by the Refuge…
UK court last week began considering contentious plans to extend a scheme obliging the most polluting vehicles to pay for using London’s roads, as opponents engage in protests – and even sabotage. The high court case comes just weeks before London mayor Sadiq Khan’s expansion of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone…
CHANCELLOR Jeremy Hunt on Monday (10) unveiled plans to channel more of the nation’s pension fund cash into UK companies and boost the inflation-battered economy. Hunt trumpeted a deal with major pension firms to put five per cent of investments – or up to £50 billion by 2030 – into…
THE UN Human Rights Council voted on Wednesday (12) to condemn recent Koran burning incidents, but many countries declined to back the measure, fearing it encroached too much on free speech. Despite overwhelming condemnation of the Muslim holy book being desecrated, the vote brought more division than unity as Western…
THE UN Human Rights Council is heading towards a divisive vote on Wednesday (12) on religious hatred following recent Koran burnings, with some Western nations reluctantly feeling the draft resolution encroaches too far on free speech. Pakistan and other Organisation of Islamic Cooperation countries secured an urgent debate at the…
A new poll revealed that half of Scots believe the first minister is doing a bad job, while only a small minority (23 per cent) believe that he is performing well. According to the YouGov survey, fewer than a fifth of voters said that Humza Yousaf is performing well in key…
The guest of honour for the Bastille Day celebrations in France on Friday (14) is Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the ongoing efforts of Western powers to engage with India, the world's largest democracy and a rapidly growing economy. President Emmanuel Macron extended a warm reception to Modi, following…
TAIWAN'S Foxconn has withdrawn from a $19.5 billion (£15bn) semiconductor joint venture with Indian metals-to-oil conglomerate Vedanta, it said on Monday (10), in a setback to prime minister Narendra Modi's chipmaking plans for India. The world's largest contract electronics maker signed a pact with Vedanta last year to set up…
Opera North is seeking applications from music creators of colour for its next Resonance residency programme. Resonance was launched in 2017 to offer funding, space, time, and technical support to professional musicians and composers in any genre who are based in the North of England and the Midlands, as part…
US PRESIDENT Joe Biden was in Britain on Monday (10) for a brief visit to his key ally during which he will meet King Charles III and prime minister Rishi Sunak before going on to a Nato summit in Lithuania. Ahead of the visit, the White House said Biden would…
US president Joe Biden will arrive in Britain on Sunday (9) for a brief visit during which he will meet prime minister Rishi Sunak and discuss climate change issues with King Charles ahead of the upcoming NATO summit. The White House said the trip was designed "to further strengthen the…
In a bid to enhance road safety, doctors are calling for a tighter drink-driving limit in England and Wales,The Times reported. The current legal limit of 80mg alcohol per 100ml blood, set in 1967, is considered the highest in Europe. The British Medical Association (BMA), which deems the existing law…
THOUSANDS of people rallied in streets across Pakistan on Friday (7) to condemn a Koran burning in Sweden that has outraged Muslims around the world. Last week, Salwan Momika, an Iraqi living in Sweden, stomped on the Muslim holy book and set several pages alight outside a Stockholm mosque. His…
A tri-services contingent consisting of 269 members from the Indian armed forces left for Paris on Thursday (06) to participate in the upcoming Bastille Day parade, which will be graced by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi as the guest of honour. Adding to the spectacle, three Rafale fighter jets from…
