England faces India amidst echoes of history in Lucknow battle
Reigning champions England have suffered through a dismal campaign, languishing near the bottom of the table, and a loss on Sunday (29) would effectively end their chances of making the semi-finals
Facing a formidable opponent on foreign soil, England's war-weary cricket team gears up for their World Cup challenge against India at a venue historically significant for intense battles, adding to the pressure of the already tense tournament.
The past and present cricket powerhouses meet Sunday (29) in Lucknow not far from the ruins of the Residency, an imposing Victorian compound blockaded by mutinous Indian troops for six months during the British colonial era.
What remains of its colonnades and sun-bleached pink brick walls are still pockmarked with cannon shot from the Siege of Lucknow in 1857, now seen as part of the opening salvo of India's efforts to free itself from the colonial yoke.
"That was the first significant revolution against the British," university lecturer Ranjit Bahadur, 47, told AFP on one of the compound's manicured lawns.
Bahadur said he had travelled to Lucknow with his family from their home near Kolkata -– back then Calcutta and the seat of British rule over the subcontinent –- to show his two young children the history recounted in their textbooks.
Simmering grievances against British rule boiled over weeks before the siege began, when Indian soldiers near Delhi revolted and killed their British commanders, triggering the thwarted uprising once known in Britain as the Sepoy Mutiny.
Lucknow's British population retreated behind the fortified walls of the Residency -- the colonial authorities' administrative headquarters in the city -- in May and spent half a year beating back assaults while waiting for rescue.
Around 2,500 of them were killed or wounded, their actions under fire immortalised by their own side in poetry and military honours.
Indian casualties are unknown. But some estimates suggest around 100,000 civilians were killed in the region around Lucknow as the revolt was suppressed, in gruesome reprisal attacks cheered on by the British press.
The siege holds the record for the most Victoria Cross medals won on a single day, with Britain's highest military honour awarded 24 times during efforts to relieve the garrison on November 16.
Alfred Tennyson, then the United Kingdom's poet laureate, commemorated the battle in a ballad that claimed the British flag had never flown "with mightier glory" than from the roof of the Residency.
In India, the siege carries its own resonance: a plaque installed near the entrance to the compound refers to the site as "witness to our first War of Independence", 90 years before the end of British rule.
Gopal Sharma, an off-duty state police officer strolling the grounds with a friend, said the Residency was a reminder of the turning of tides between both countries in the time since.
"Back then, India wasn't that developed," he told AFP.
"Right now, India is way ahead of England," he added. "Even the English have forgotten that they once ruled India."
- 'India will win' –
Sharma's assessment is representative of a broader optimism about India's future and a sense of triumph over its former colonial master.
While the sun once never set on the British Empire, India, this year became the world's most populous nation.
In 2022 it overtook Britain to become the world's fifth-largest economy while Rishi Sunak, who has South Asian roots, became Britain's prime minister, prompting wry jokes about a reversal of colonial fortunes.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's government has sought to erase symbols of colonial rule, in recent months promoting the use of "Bharat" as the country's name, rather than the "India" imposed by colonisers.
And on the cricket field, a game birthed in England and exported across the empire is now dominated by India thanks to its immense popularity in the subcontinent.
India are hot favourites to win the ODI World Cup, repeating their triumph on home soil in 2011, and are yet to lose a match more than halfway through the tournament.
Reigning champions England meanwhile have suffered through a dismal campaign, languishing near the bottom of the table, and a loss on Sunday would effectively end their chances of making the semi-finals.
But while England have beaten the odds in Lucknow before, gardener Arjun Prasad, an avid cricket fan who has tended the grounds of the Residency for more than three decades, said a rerun of the battle's lucky escape was not on the cards.
"My experience says that India will win," the 58-year-old said.
MINISTER for equalities, Seema Malhotra, this week hosted a race equalities meeting at Downing Street and pledged to work for a fairer society, ahead of Black History Month, observed in October.
Ethnic minority leaders and representatives from the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), the British Business Bank, the West Midlands Combined Authority, the National Police Chiefs' Council and Avon and Somerset Police attended a meeting of the Race Equality Engagement Group (REEG) on Monday (29).
Its chair is Baroness Doreen Lawrence.
Malhotra said, “No one should be held back or denied opportunities because of their race.
“I am committed to working closely with the group to remove barriers, strengthen accountability and help create a fairer society for communities up and down the country.”
Improving access to investment for ethnic minority led businesses and the Police Race Action Plan were on the agenda for the meeting.
“The Race Equality Engagement Group is working to ensure ethnic minorities' voices are heard having their say on the issues that matter most to them. I look forward to working with members to bring about real and lasting progress on race equality,” said Lawrence.
“Collaboration between ethnic minority communities and the government is crucial in this current climate.”
The REEG, set up in March, aims to strengthen the government's links with ethnic minority communities.
An Equality (Race and Disability) Bill is set to be introduced to address mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers, which the government believes would be a significant step towards greater workplace equality.
Black History Month is marked in October and celebrates the contribution of black and ethnic minority leaders, activists and pioneers.
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A JUDGE has described how vulnerable young girls were let down by local authorities in northern England as he jailed seven members of a child sexual exploitation gang for between 12 to 35 years on Wednesday (1).
The men, all of south Asian descent, exploited at least two vulnerable white teenage girls in Rochdale, near Manchester, using them as "sex slaves".
They were repeatedly raped over a five-year period starting in 2001, a court heard.
Jurors heard they were forced to have sex "with multiple men on the same day, in filthy flats and on rancid mattresses".
"They were passed around for sex - abused, humiliated, degraded and then discarded," judge Jonathan Seely said on passing sentence.
The longest sentence of 35 years went to market stallholder Mohammed Zahid, 65.
The father-of-three gave free underwear from his lingerie stall to both teenagers, alongside money, alcohol and food, expecting in return regular sex with him and his friends.
The Manchester resident was found guilty of 20 offences including rape, indecency with a child, and attempting to procure unlawful sexual intercourse from a girl.
Fellow Rochdale market traders Mushtaq Ahmed, 67, and Kasir Bashir, 50, both of Oldham, received jail terms of 27 years and 29 years, respectively.
Both were convicted of offences including rape and indecency with a child.
Bashir, who absconded before the trial began and is believed to have fled abroad, was sentenced in absentia.
Taxi drivers Mohammed Shahzad, 44, Naheem Akram, 49, and Nisar Hussain, 41, all of Rochdale, were convicted of multiple counts of rape and received sentences ranging from 19 to 26 years.
A final offender, 39-year-old Roheez Khan, of Rochdale, was jailed for 12 years for a single count of rape.
The men sentenced on Wednesday were prosecuted as part of Operation Lytton, a police investigation launched in 2015 into historical child sexual exploitation in Rochdale.
Police probes into historic child sexual exploitation in Rochdale have so far led to the conviction of 32 offenders, including the seven sentenced on Wednesday, according to the police.
The perpetrators have collectively been jailed for more than 450 years.
Handing down the jail terms, Seely said the two victims "were highly vulnerable, both had deeply troubled backgrounds and were known to the authorities".
Seven men jailed for more than 170 years for Rochdale child sexual exploitation
"They were highly susceptible to the advances of these men and others, and both were sexually abused by numerous other men," he noted.
"Both were seriously let down by those whose job it was to protect them."
A jury hearing their four-month trial in Manchester found all seven guilty in June of rape and dozens of other offences, after both victims gave evidence in court.
Social services and police have apologised for their past failings surrounding the victims.
Liz Fell, specialist prosecutor in the case, thanked both victims for their "strength and dignity throughout what has been a lengthy and challenging legal process".
"Their determination to see justice done has been fundamental to securing these convictions," she said, noting the defendants had failed to show the "slightest remorse".
Sharon Hubber, director of children’s services at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “Rochdale Borough Council is in a very different place to where it once was more than a decade ago, and our work to improve our safeguarding practice and our response to child sexual exploitation has been recognised in every Ofsted inspection since 2014.
“We will not be complacent however, and we remain committed to doing all that we can with our partners to protect and support victims and survivors.
“We also continue to provide a safe and supportive environment to anyone affected by non-recent abuse or exploitation to ensure people get the right support that they need.”
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Manpreet Jatana, 34, and Jaskiret Singh Uppal, 36, appeared at the Old Bailey criminal court on Tuesday (30), charged with the murder of Penelope Chandrie. (Photo: iStock)
A COUPLE charged with the murder of their three-year-old daughter nearly two years ago have been accused of "deliberately starving" the toddler at a court hearing in London.
Manpreet Jatana, 34, and Jaskiret Singh Uppal, 36, appeared at the Old Bailey criminal court on Tuesday (30), charged with the murder of Penelope Chandrie.
The couple is additionally charged with manslaughter, causing or allowing the death of a child, and abandoning a child or causing them unnecessary suffering or injury, media reports said.
Judge Lynn Tayton remanded both the accused to custody until the next hearing on December 16, when they will enter their pleas of guilty or not guilty to determine if the case progresses towards sentencing or a jury trial.
Police found Penelope's "very emaciated" body wrapped in a sheet in December 2023, the court heard. An examination of her body found the cause of death was malnutrition.
Pathological findings indicated “starvation over a prolonged period of many months culminating in fatal ketoacidosis”, the prosecution was quoted as saying.
Jatana and Uppal mistreated their daughter over an “extended period of time” and “deliberately starved” her, leading to her death, the reports said.
The family's vegetarian diet is said to have mainly consisted of yoghurt, lentils and butter, and police officers also found their home in west London to be in poor condition.
Earlier, the Metropolitan Police said emergency services were called to a residential address on Pennine Way in Hayes on the evening of December 17, 2023, where the child was found.
The child's death remained under investigation over the years until Jatana and Uppal were arrested and charged last month.
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The government said the move is aimed at reducing the '8am scramble' when patients try to get through on the phone. (Representational image: iStock)
FROM today (October 1), all GP practices in England are required to offer online appointment bookings throughout the day.
The government said the move is aimed at reducing the “8am scramble” when patients try to get through on the phone.
Surgeries will now have to provide the service from 08:00 to 18:30, Monday to Friday. Patients will be able to request non-urgent appointments, describe symptoms, ask questions and request a call back, BBC reported.
The British Medical Association (BMA) has warned that serious health problems could be missed, creating a “potential online triage tsunami.”
It has called for safeguards, such as allowing practices to switch off online booking if staff cannot cope with demand, and said it may consider industrial action in the form of work-to-rule.
Health ministers have decided to proceed, saying £1.1 billion of additional funding has been invested to support the change.
Care Minister Stephen Kinnock said: “We promised to tackle the 8am scramble and make it easier for patients to access their GP practice – and that's exactly what we're delivering.”
NHS England’s Dr Amanda Doyle said the step would help modernise general practice, while Jacob Lant of National Voices said online booking was “a fundamental building block of a 21st Century NHS.”
Practices must also now publish a new charter, “You and Your GP,” on their websites, setting out patient expectations and how feedback can be given.
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Nigel Farage speaks during the Reform UK party conference in Birmingham on September 6, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)
Farage accuses Starmer of endangering Reform supporters with racism claims
Starmer urges voters to reject Reform and back Labour’s plan to “renew Britain”
Labour leader vows to act on illegal immigration while opposing racism
Starmer and chancellor Rachel Reeves warn of tough fiscal choices ahead
NIGEL FARAGE has rejected prime minister Keir Starmer’s criticism of Reform UK, saying accusations of racism were a “very, very low blow” that put his party’s supporters and campaigners at risk.
“To accuse countless millions of being racist is a very, very low blow,” Farage said on Tuesday. “It directly threatens the safety of our elected officials and our campaigners.”
Farage was responding after Starmer used Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool to attack Reform, accusing it of promoting “snake oil” and division.
Starmer calls for unity
Starmer urged working-class voters to reject Reform and instead back his vision of “a Britain built for all.” He appealed for patience with his Labour government, saying it was taking its first steps to “renew Britain.”
“No matter how many people tell me it can’t be done, I believe Britain can come together,” Starmer told delegates.
“We can all see our country faces a choice, a defining choice. Britain stands at a fork in the road. We can choose decency, or we can choose division. Renewal or decline,” he said.
Starmer also sought to claim patriotism for Labour, with Union flags waved in the hall. “For me, patriotism is about love and pride, about serving an interest that is more than yourself, a common good,” he said.
“And the question I ask seriously of Nigel Farage and Reform is, do they love our country … or do they just want to stir the pot of division, because that’s worked in their interests?”
Immigration and racism
Starmer said his government would act against illegal immigration but would also oppose racism and those “who say or imply the people cannot be English or British because of the colour of their skin.”
His remarks drew support from Labour members. “Farage doesn’t care about normal people, and it was important we get that message out,” said Shabaan Saleem, a 21-year-old Labour councillor.
Fiscal challenges ahead
Starmer also acknowledged tough economic choices. He said tax rises last year, the biggest in more than three decades, had been a one-off, but further increases could be needed to address a fiscal shortfall.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves warned against easing fiscal rules to allow more spending, saying those who pressed her to do so were “wrong, dangerously so,” leaving the option of tax rises on the table.
Starmer said Labour must be ready for difficult decisions. “It is a test. A fight for the soul of our country, every bit as big as rebuilding Britain after the war,” he said.
“And yet we need to be clear that our path, the path of renewal, it’s long, it’s difficult, it requires decisions that are not cost-free or easy. Decisions that will not always be comfortable for our party.”