Amrita Acharia, Nina Wadia, Jenna Coleman call for urgent support for thousands more children as Covid-19 threatens to reverse progress on global education | EasternEye
Amrita Acharia, Nina Wadia, Jenna Coleman call for urgent support for thousands more children as Covid-19 threatens to reverse progress on global education
Actors Amrita Acharia (Game of Thrones, Good Karma Hospital), Jenna Coleman (Doctor Who, Victoria, The Cry, The Serpent) and Nina Wadia (Eastenders, Goodness Gracious Me) today joined the Happily Ever Smarter appeal calling for urgent support for children living in some of the world’s poorest and most marginalised communities, as Covid-19 threatens to reverse progress on global education by a decade.
Organised by United World Schools (UWS), Happily Ever Smarter launched eight weeks ago and has raised £1 million from the generous British public to provide life-changing education to children in some of the most remote communities in Asia.
As the new variant of Covid-19 wreaks havoc on rural villages in Nepal, Amrita, Jenna and Nina are backing the appeal to raise urgent funds to support vital healthcare in the communities where UWS works, provide food and other essentials for vulnerable girls, deliver remote learning while schools are closed, and put finance in place to continue transforming children’s futures through education, once the pandemic is over.
The three actors are putting a spotlight on the challenges of getting girls into school and staying in education by sharing their real-life stories with films; Heena and Soneeya (voiced by Amrita Acharia) Chimini (voiced by Jenna Coleman) and Preeti (voiced by Nina Wadia). The girls all live in hard-to-reach villages, high in the Himalayas in Nepal, where only a third of children complete even basic education and thousands have never had a chance to go to school.
Prior to Covid-19, 130 million girls worldwide were already out of school and, in the poor and marginalised communities where children have no access to Zoom or technology, getting access to education is now almost impossible. School closures amid the pandemic have resulted in a loss of learning for millions of children and compounded the already dire progress on the global commitment to guaranteeing a quality education for every child by 2030.
Actor Amrita Acharia, currently filming The Serpent Queen, said: “My early childhood was spent in Kathmandu and Bharawa, where some of my fondest memories and values are rooted. The entire world has been affected by Covid, but it is particularly distressing to hear how the new variant of Covid-19 is devastating people’s lives there right now, especially with family still living there. The situation is terrifying but starting to abate. For those living in rural areas, the tragedy is starting to unfold.
“I voice the stories of Heena and Soneeya – two sisters who have never been to school and dream of what it might feel like to wear a school uniform and sit in a classroom. In the beautiful, but highly inaccessible region where they live, schools can be a long and dangerous journey away and families often need the girls to stay at home to help with chores or to work in the fields.
“Tragically, the global pandemic means that their chance of getting an education is now even further out of reach - and progress globally in getting children into school is likely to reverse by a decade. United World Schools is now even more determined to reach children in the world’s most remote places with life-changing education. Please join me in helping Heena and Soneeya achieve their dreams.”
Actor Jenna Coleman said: “It is deeply shocking to know that even before Covid, 130 million girls were out of school. And it is still girls that are missing out most on education, leaving them extremely vulnerable to exploitation and early marriage.
“I was humbled to hear about Chimini and her desperation to go to school; how she longs to learn to read and write and wants to understand everything. By adding my voice to Chimini’s story, I hope that many more people will get an insight into the situation faced by millions of girls around the world who, without being able to go to school, have no chance to unlock their potential and build a brighter future. By supporting the Happily Ever Smarter appeal we can give Chimini and thousands of other children a chance to create a better life, beyond poverty. Every girl deserves a right to an education.”
Nina Wadia said: “I narrate the story of Preeti and it’s incredible to learn that she is the very first girl in her family to go to school. She dreams of one day becoming a doctor and helping her community. However, for girls like Preeti, the opportunity to get an education is still very fragile and Covid-19 is now threatening her chance to stay in school. There is a real fear that post the pandemic the habit of education will be broken and millions of girls won’t return to school.”
“United World Schools is doing some great work to keep education alive by delivering learning packs and transmitting lessons over the radio to thousands of children. Right now, United World Schools’ support is more important than ever before.”
Happily Ever Smarter was launched by actor Amanda Redman [New Tricks, At Home with the Braithwaites and Good Karma Hospital] on 29 April who shared the story of Kanchi with a powerful animated film.
Tim Howarth, CEO of UWS said: “Thanks to the fantastic generosity of the UK public, over £1 million has now been donated towards this vital appeal. We are enormously grateful to all of our supporters, including schools across the UK, who have so generously donated. The pandemic has shone a light on the inextricable link between education, wellbeing and healthcare, and so it has never been more crucial to support children, both girls and boys, in these remote and marginalised communities and ensure they live Happily Ever Smarter.
“We are thrilled to have Amrita, Jenna and Nina on board to help us highlight the urgency of the education crisis and ask you to please give as generously as you can so that together we can transform the lives of thousands more children.”
Award-winning charity United World Schools (UWS) develops schools in some of the most remote, impoverished villages in the world and champions inclusive, innovative and sustainable education. Right now, in response to this deadly Covid-19 virus, UWS is providing a lifeline to hundreds of people at each school by supporting health services, providing food, and vital items and is keeping education alive with remote learning while schools are closed using radio lessons and take-away education packs.
Donations will help provide the following:
£10 could provide a child in a remote area of Nepal with a radio to keep them learning through radio lessons.
£35 could provide an at-risk girl and her family of 4 with food, sanitary pads and soap to last a month.
£50 could train a local teacher in emergency response, Covid awareness and healthcare support.
£80 could provide education for a year for one child.
Starmer said earlier on Sunday that he had dropped his initial opposition to a national inquiry in favour of one being led by Louise Casey, a member of the parliament’s upper house. (Photo: Getty Images)
AUTHORITIES have announced a nationwide police operation targeting grooming gangs suspected of sexually exploiting thousands of girls and young women over several decades.
The announcement came hours after prime minister Keir Starmer said a national inquiry would be launched into the scandal, which recently drew attention from Elon Musk.
“The National Crime Agency, the UK’s most senior investigating agency, will carry out a nationwide operation to target predators who have sexually exploited children as part of a gang and put them behind bars,” the Home Office said in a statement.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper said more than 800 grooming gang cases had already been identified by police.
The Home Office said the crackdown aims to deliver “long-awaited justice and prevent more children from being hurt by these vile criminals”.
Starmer said earlier on Sunday that he had dropped his initial opposition to a national inquiry in favour of one being led by Louise Casey, a member of the parliament’s upper house.
The scandal became widely known as official reports revealed long-term sexual exploitation in multiple parts of England.
Men, often of Pakistani origin, were found to have targeted mostly white girls from disadvantaged backgrounds, including some in children’s homes.
The gangs were active in towns and cities including Rotherham and Rochdale in the north, as well as Oxford and Bristol, over nearly four decades.
The issue gained international attention in January after Musk used his X platform to criticise the UK government for not backing a national inquiry.
According to the Home Office, the new police operation will investigate cases that had not previously progressed.
It will also examine how local agencies failed the victims and aim to improve how local police handle such allegations. The Home Office said the operation would help end the “culture of denial” within local services and authorities regarding the scale of the crime.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.
The airline did not provide details on the departure time, number of passengers or crew on board, or how long the flight was in the air before returning. (Representational image: Getty Images)
A BRITISH AIRWAYS flight bound for Chennai returned to London mid-air on Sunday after reporting a technical issue.
The airline said the aircraft landed safely and passengers and crew disembarked normally. “The aircraft returned to Heathrow as a standard precaution after reports of a technical issue,” British Airways said in a statement.
The airline did not provide details on the departure time, number of passengers or crew on board, or how long the flight was in the air before returning.
Live flight tracking data from Flightradar24.com showed that British Airways flight BA35 was scheduled to depart at 12.40 pm and arrive in Chennai at 3.30 am. The Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from London Heathrow at 1.16 pm, following a delay of more than 35 minutes.
According to the website, the flight remained airborne for nearly two hours before returning to London. It also flew in multiple holding patterns before landing at Heathrow.
“Our teams are working hard to get their journeys back on track as soon as possible,” British Airways added.
Meanwhile, a Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Hyderabad also turned back mid-air on Sunday, Flightradar24.com showed. The reason for the diversion was not known.
Flight LH752, operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, departed from Frankfurt at 14.29 instead of its scheduled departure time of 13.05 pm. The flight was due to arrive in Hyderabad at 1.20 am, according to the website.
In the wake of the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, London came together in an emotional outpouring of grief and unity at the Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Harrow. Over two solemn days, the revered spiritual haven hosted a series of powerful ceremonies led by His Holiness Rajrajeshwar Guruji, drawing together faith leaders, public figures, and residents from across communities.
On the day of the tragedy, Guruji led a spiritually charged recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa 12 times, joined by a team of spiritual practitioners from India. The prayer created a deep atmosphere of collective mourning and healing.
“Prayer is our greatest strength in the face of such loss,” Guruji said. “We do not grieve as Hindus, Muslims, or Christians — we grieve as one humanity.”
The prayer service was attended by several distinguished figures, including Gareth Thomas MP, Minister for Services, Small Businesses and Exports.
Two days later, on June 14, Siddhashram partnered with the Harrow Interfaith Forum to host a candlelight vigil — a remarkable expression of unity, attended by representatives of Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Jain, Jewish, and Zoroastrian communities. Children from the temple led the lighting of candles, setting the tone for an evening of shared sorrow, solidarity, and prayer.
Key dignitaries included:
Simon Ovens DL, Representative of His Majesty King Charles III, who read a message of royal condolence and described the gathering as a reflection of “true British compassion.”
Cllr Anjana Patel, Worshipful Mayor of Harrow, who spoke with visible emotion as a member of the grieving Gujarati community.
Bob Blackman CBE, MP for Harrow East, offered messages of comfort and pledged support for those affected.
Kareema Marikar, former Harrow Mayor, recited a heartfelt Muslim prayer.
Mahavir Foundation’s Nita Sheth and Mukesh Kapashi, who led Jain prayers.
Bobbi Reisel, Jewish representative from Bereavement Care Harrow, who offered messages of solace.
Dorab Mistry, representing the Zoroastrian community, and
Gopal Singh Bhachu, Chair of Harrow Interfaith Forum, who led Sikh prayers with fellow community leaders.
PC Elaine Jackson, Met Police Faith Officer, attended in support of the event’s interfaith spirit.
Attendees travelled from across the UK, including Leicester, to be present. Musicians lifted spirits through devotional melodies, and volunteers ensured all were cared for on a sweltering summer day.
The Siddhashram Shakti Centre, long a sanctuary for spiritual guidance and community healing, once again stood at the heart of London’s collective conscience. As Guruji reflected, “In our unity, we find peace, in prayer, we carry the light of those we lost.”
Keep ReadingShow less
Smoke billows for the second day from the Shahran oil depot, northwest of Tehran, on June 16, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
INDIA has moved some of its citizens, including students, to safer locations in Iran following days of deadly Israeli strikes. The Indian embassy in Tehran is monitoring the situation and coordinating with local authorities to help Indian nationals amid the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel.
"The Indian embassy in Tehran is continuously monitoring the security situation and engaging Indian students in Iran to ensure their safety," said a statement from the ministry of external affairs. "In some cases, students are being relocated with (the) embassy's facilitation to safer places within Iran."
The ministry said there are around 10,000 Indian nationals in Iran, including more than 2,000 students, according to government data from last year and 2022, respectively.
Iran closed its airspace after the Israeli attacks began on Friday. India, which maintains diplomatic relations with both Iran and Israel, has urged restraint. "Existing channels of dialogue and diplomacy should be utilised," said foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. On Friday, India said it was ready “to extend all possible support” to both sides.
Casualties reported on both sides
Iran's health ministry reported that at least 224 people had been killed in Israeli strikes since Friday, while Israeli authorities confirmed more than a dozen deaths following retaliatory Iranian attacks. Israel's Magen David Adom emergency service said five people had been killed and 92 wounded in the latest Iranian missile barrage.
Iran launches missile strikes on Tel Aviv
Iran launched missile strikes early Monday on Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and areas near Haifa, in retaliation for Israeli attacks on Iranian military targets over the weekend. Israeli military officials said the strikes targeted missile sites in central Iran. AFP images showed damage to residential areas in Tel Aviv, while explosions were reported in Jerusalem.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had “successfully” struck Israeli targets and warned of “effective, targeted and more devastating operations” if attacks continued.
‘A heavy price’ for targeting civilians, says Netanyahu
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of targeting civilians and warned of consequences. “Iran will pay a very heavy price for the premeditated murder of civilians, women and children,” he said during a visit to a missile-hit residential building in Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv.
Iranian state media said five people were killed in an Israeli strike on a residential building in central Tehran on Sunday. Iran’s armed forces spokesperson Colonel Reza Sayyad warned Israel to evacuate the occupied territories, saying they “will certainly no longer be habitable in the future”.
Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian called for national unity in response to Israeli attacks. “Stand strong against this genocidal criminal aggression with unity and coherence,” he said while addressing parliament.
Tensions rise as global leaders call for restraint
Former US president Donald Trump said the United States was not involved in the Israeli strikes but warned of consequences if American interests were attacked. “Sometimes they have to fight it out, but we’re going to see what happens,” Trump told reporters on Sunday.
A senior US official told AFP that Trump had discouraged Israel from targeting Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “President Trump was against it and we told the Israelis not to,” the official said.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said Tehran would “pay the price” for attacks on Israeli civilians. Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi claimed Tehran had “solid proof” of US support for the Israeli attacks and said Iran’s response was to “aggression”.
“If the aggression stops, naturally our responses will also stop,” Araghchi said in a meeting with foreign diplomats.
Iran cancelled nuclear talks with the US and called negotiations “meaningless” during active hostilities. The Iranian judiciary announced on Monday that a convicted Mossad agent had been executed. Meanwhile, Israel said it had detained two individuals with alleged links to Iranian intelligence.
US law enforcement officials in Minnesota caught the suspected killer of a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband on Sunday, authorities said, ending a two-day manhunt.
The suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, allegedly disguised himself as a police officer, then shot and killed Democratic state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark at their home early Saturday.
Boelter was captured in Sibley County, a rural area where the murders had occurred about an hour southwest of Minneapolis, police and state officials said.
"After (a) two-day manhunt, two sleepless nights, law enforcement have apprehended Vance Boelter," Minnesota Governor Tim Walz told a late-night news conference.
Police described the search as the "largest manhunt in (the state's) history", with 20 SWAT teams and several agencies working to find him.
Jeremy Geiger, assistant chief of the Minnesota State Patrol, told reporters that Boelter had been "taken into custody without the use of force."
Before the murders, Boelter also allegedly attacked two others nearby -- Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who survived and were treated for serious injuries, authorities said.
"The latest news is Senator Hoffman came out of his final surgery and is moving toward recovery," Walz told reporters.
Hoffman was shot nine times and Yvette eight times, according to US Senator Amy Klobuchar.
Political motive suspected in targeted killings
A notebook containing the names of other lawmakers and potential targets was found inside a car left by Boelter at the Hortmans' home, which Drew Evans, head of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said earlier Sunday was not a "traditional manifesto."
"I am concerned about all our political leaders, political organizations," Klobuchar said Sunday.
"It was politically motivated, and there clearly was some throughline with abortion because of the groups that were on the list, and other things that I've heard were in this manifesto. So that was one of his motivations."
As speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2019 to January 2025, Hortman was committed to legislation that protected reproductive rights in the state, local media reported.
Leaders warn violence must not become the norm
The United States is bitterly divided politically as President Donald Trump embarks on his second term, implementing hardline policies and routinely insulting his opponents. Political violence has become more common.
Trump himself survived an assassination attempt last year, with a second attempt foiled by law enforcement.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's home was set on fire this year.
An assailant with a hammer attacked the husband of then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2022.
"(This is) a moment in this country where we watch violence erupt," Walz said after the arrest.
"This cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences."
US Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who was attacked by a neighbor in 2017, told NBC that "nothing brings us together more than... mourning for somebody else who's in political life, Republican or Democrats."
The shootings came on the day a dramatic split screen showed a country divided: hundreds of thousands of protesters across the United States took to the streets to rally against Trump as the president presided over a military parade in Washington -- a rare spectacle criticized as seeking to glorify him.
Trump has condemned the attacks in Minnesota on the lawmakers and their spouses.
The president was asked in a Sunday interview with ABC News if he planned to call Walz, who was Kamala Harris's running mate in the election Trump won last year.
"Well, it's a terrible thing. I think he's a terrible governor. I think he's a grossly incompetent person," Trump said.
"But I may, I may call him, I may call other people too."