FORMER Labour peer Lord Ahmed will face a retrial after the Court of Appeal overturned a decision to halt proceedings against him in connection with child sex abuse charges.
The 64-year-old from Rotherham went on trial under his real name, Nazir Ahmed, in February and denied abusing a young boy and girl in the 1970s.
Judge Jeremy Richardson QC stopped the trial at Sheffield Crown Court and stayed the case as an abuse of process, BBC reported.
The Court of Appeal announced on Wednesday (23) that it had overturned the ruling.
Lord Justice Fulford said at a brief hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice, London, “The case will now be retried at a future date in the crown court.” He also said the proceedings should continue before a different judge, the report said.
Lord Ahmed, who retired from the Parliament in November last year, was charged with attempting to rape a girl under 16, indecent assault of a boy under 14 and raping another boy under 16. He denied all the accusations.
Mohammed Farouq and Mohammed Tariq, brothers of Lord Ahmed, were also accused of indecently assaulting a minor boy, but were considered unfit to plead and faced a trial of the facts at the time of the previous criminal proceedings.
Announcing the decision to reinstate the criminal proceedings, Lord Justice Fulford said: “On 17 June 2021, the Court of Appeal quashed the order of (Judge Richardson), made on 8 March 2021, staying the case against Nazir Ahmed, Mohammed Tariq and Mohammed Farouq as an abuse of process.”
A WOMAN listed on the FBI’s '10 most wanted fugitives' has been arrested in India on charges of murdering her six-year-old son, officials have confirmed.
Cindy Rodriguez Singh, 40, was apprehended in a coordinated effort involving the FBI, Indian authorities, and Interpol. This marks the fourth arrest from the FBI’s 'top 10 most wanted' list within the past seven months, FBI director Kash Patel announced in a post on X on Wednesday (20).
Patel credited the collaboration between law enforcement in Texas, the US Justice Department, and Indian authorities for the successful operation. Singh was wanted in the United States on state charges related to the death of her son, Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez.
According to reports, Singh fled the US in 2023 to avoid prosecution. Fox News said that she was arrested in India and has since been transported back to the US, where she will be handed over to Texas authorities.
In March 2023, Texas authorities conducted a welfare check on Noel, who had not been seen since October 2022. Singh allegedly provided false information about his whereabouts, claiming he was in Mexico with his biological father and had been there since November 2022.
Kash Patel 201117-A-PZ314-002
Just two days after the welfare check, Singh flew to India with her husband—Noel’s stepfather of Indian origin—and six other children. However, Noel was not with them and did not board the flight, officials said.
The child reportedly suffered from multiple health and developmental conditions, including a severe developmental disorder, a social disorder, bone density issues, and chronic lung disease.
Singh was formally charged in October 2023 by a Texas district court. Following the issuance of an Iinterpol Red Notice, authorities submitted an extradition request to India last year.
She now faces charges of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution and capital murder of a person under 10 years of age, according to Patel.
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India's Agni 5 Missile is displayed during the final full dress rehearsal for the Indian Republic Day parade in New Delhi on January 23, 2013. (Photo: Getty Images)
India says it successfully tested Agni-5 missile from Odisha on August 20
Missile validated all operational and technical parameters
Agni-5 can carry a nuclear warhead to any part of China
INDIA on Wednesday (20) said it had successfully test-fired the Agni-5 intermediate-range ballistic missile from Odisha, with officials confirming it met all required standards.
The defence ministry said, “Intermediate range ballistic missile ‘Agni 5’ was successfully test-fired from the integrated test range, Chandipur in Odisha on August 20.”
In a statement, it added, “The launch validated all operational and technical parameters. It was carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command.”
Authorities also said the missile, once operational, will be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to any part of China.
Regional security context
India and China are regional rivals and relations worsened in 2020 after a deadly border clash.
India is also part of the Quad security alliance with the United States, Australia and Japan, which is viewed as a counter to China.
India’s neighbour and rival Pakistan also possesses nuclear weapons.
The two countries came close to war in May after militants killed 26 people in Indian-administered Kashmir, an attack India blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad denied any role.
Diplomatic ties
Despite tensions, Delhi and Beijing have taken steps to improve relations. Last October, prime minister Narendra Modi met Chinese leader Xi Jinping for the first time in five years at a summit in Russia.
Modi is expected to visit China later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
At the same time, New Delhi’s ties with Washington have faced pressure. US president Donald Trump has asked India to stop purchasing Russian oil.
The United States has also said it will double new import tariffs on India from 25 per cent to 50 per cent by August 27 if India does not switch suppliers.
Missile programme
The Agni-5 is part of a series of indigenously developed short- and medium-range ballistic missiles designed to strengthen India’s defence posture against both Pakistan and China.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Protesters calling for the closure of the The Bell Hotel, believed to be housing asylum seekers, gather outside the council offices in Epping, on August 8, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
High Court blocks asylum seekers from being housed in Essex hotel
Nigel Farage calls for peaceful protests outside “migrant hotels”
Government considering appeal against injunction ruling
Debate grows over housing asylum seekers in hotels across Britain
NIGEL FARAGE has called for protests after a court ruling blocked the use of an Essex hotel to house asylum seekers.
On Tuesday, the High Court in London granted a temporary injunction stopping asylum seekers from being placed in the Bell Hotel in Epping, about 32 km northeast of London. The case, based on a planning issue, will be heard in full later this year.
Protests in Essex
The Bell Hotel has seen regular demonstrations since a resident was charged with sexual assault, which he denies. Police have deployed in large numbers to separate anti-immigration and pro-immigration groups during the protests.
The injunction has prompted other councils to seek legal advice on whether they can also act to remove asylum seekers from hotels in their areas.
Farage statement
Farage, leader of the Reform Party, said all 12 local authorities under his party’s control would act.
"Let's hold peaceful protests outside the migrant hotels, and put pressure on local councils to go to court to try and get the illegal immigrants out; we now know that together we can win," he wrote in the Daily Telegraph.
"No doubt we will be attacked as 'far Right' provocateurs for daring to suggest that people follow the lead of Epping’s parents and residents by protesting peacefully."
Government response
Britain houses about 30,000 asylum seekers in more than 200 hotels while they await decisions on their claims. The government has said it plans to close them all by 2029.
The Home Office told the court that the injunction would have a "substantial impact" on its legal duty to provide accommodation. Security minister Dan Jarvis said the government was considering whether to appeal.
"The big challenge remains, which is, we need to process asylum claims much more speedily and much more effectively than was the case previously," Jarvis told BBC TV.
Labour revolt
Keir Starmer is facing pressure from Labour-run councils after a High Court ruling in Epping blocked the use of a hotel for asylum seekers.
Local authorities, including Wirral and Tamworth, have indicated they will challenge the Home Office over hotels being used without consultation or planning approval, The Telegraph reported.
Several other councils signalled they are preparing similar legal action.
Wider debate
Critics argue that housing asylum seekers in hotels puts communities at risk and point to crimes in Epping and elsewhere involving some migrants. Others highlight the contrast between hotel accommodation and the difficulties many in Britain face with rising costs and a lack of affordable housing.
Pro-migrant groups say far-right organisations and politicians are exploiting tensions for political purposes.
Across Europe, governments have faced similar disputes. In Britain last year, hotels with migrants were attacked during unrest linked to misinformation about a crime in Southport.
(With inputs from agencies)
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India's prime minister Narendra Modi shakes hand with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi during their meeting in New Delhi, India August 19, 2025. India's Press Information Bureau/Handout via REUTERS
INDIA and China agreed to resume direct flights and step up trade and investment flows as the neighbours rebuild ties damaged by a 2020 border clash.
The Asian giants are cautiously strengthening ties against the backdrop of US president Donald Trump's unpredictable foreign policy, staging a series of high-level bilateral visits.
Direct flights have been suspended since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. No date was given for their resumption.
The latest statements came at the end of Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi's two-day visit to New Delhi for the 24th round of talks with Indian National Security (NSA) Advisor Ajit Doval to resolve their decades old border dispute.
The border talks covered issues related to pulling back troops both countries have amassed on their Himalayan border, delimitation of borders and boundary affairs, the Indian ministry said.
Both countries have agreed to set up a working group to consult and coordinate on border affairs to advance demarcation negotiations, a Chinese foreign ministry statement released on Wednesday (20) showed.
It said the mechanism will extend talks to cover the eastern and middle sections of the border. Meanwhile another round of talks on the western section will be held as soon as possible, the ministry said.
Beijing also said both countries agreed to meet again in China in 2026.
"Stable, predictable, constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional as well as global peace and prosperity," prime minister Narendra Modi posted on X after meeting Wang.
Modi is scheduled to travel to China at the end of this month to take part in the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation - his first visit to the country in more than seven years.
A readout from the Chinese foreign ministry said Wang told Doval that "the stable and healthy development of China-India relations is in the fundamental interests of the two countries' people".
The two sides "should enhance mutual trust through dialogues and expand cooperation," Wang said, and should aim for consensus in areas such as border control and demarcation negotiations.
India said foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar had underlined in his talks with Wang India's concerns with regard to the mega dam China is building on the Yarlung Zangbo river in Tibet.
Yarlung Zangbo becomes the Brahmaputra as it flows into India and Bangladesh, a lifeline for millions.
The dam would have implications for lower riparian states and the need for "utmost transparency" was strongly underlined, New Delhi said.
To that, China agreed to share with India emergency hydrological information on relevant rivers on humanitarian principles, China's foreign ministry said.
Both sides agreed to engage an expert-level mechanism on cross-border rivers, and maintain communication to renew flood reporting arrangements, the ministry said.
Chinese officials had previously said hydropower projects in Tibet will not have a major impact on the environment or on downstream water supplies, but India and Bangladesh have nevertheless raised concerns.
Earlier on Tuesday (19), an Indian source said Wang had assured Jaishankar that Beijing was addressing three key Indian concerns - the need for fertilisers, rare earths and tunnel boring machines.
The Indian foreign and mines ministries and China's commerce ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
(Reuters)
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Passengers being rescued after a Monorail train came to a halt between Mysore Colony and Bhakti Park stations due to apparent power failure during rainfall, in Mumbai, on Aug. 19, 2025. (PTI Photo)
INTERMITTENT showers continued overnight in Mumbai, but the intensity reduced on Wednesday (20) morning, offering much-needed relief after heavy rains battered the city the previous day.
Local train services on the Central Railway’s Harbour Line resumed early morning on Wednesday after a 15-hour disruption, easing the commute for thousands. Schools and colleges also reopened following a rain-enforced closure.
All modes of public transport, including suburban rail services, returned to normal operation on Wednesday morning, officials confirmed.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for Mumbai, warning of heavy rain on Wednesday, but forecasted a reduction in intensity from Thursday (21) onwards.
According to IMD data, Mumbai’s Santacruz observatory, representing the western suburbs, recorded 209 mm of rainfall in the 24-hour period ending at 8.30am on Wednesday. The Colaba observatory in south Mumbai registered 107.4 mm during the same period.
Other areas in the city also experienced intense showers: Vikhroli recorded 229.5mm, Mumbai airport 208 mm, Byculla 193.5mm, Juhu 150mm, and Bandra 137.5mm between Tuesday (19) and Wednesday morning.
Civic officials reported that the city received an average rainfall of over 100mm in the 22-hour period ending at 6am on Wednesday. The island city saw an average of 131.51mm, the eastern suburbs 159.66mm, and the western suburbs 150.60mm.
In a dramatic incident on Tuesday evening, 782 passengers were rescued after two overcrowded Monorail trains became stranded on elevated tracks due to the downpour. Some panic-stricken commuters reportedly considered jumping off the trains, but were eventually rescued safely.
Some panic-stricken commuters reportedly considered jumping off the trains, but were eventually rescued safely (PTI photo)
As a precaution, the fire brigade had laid out safety sheets on the ground in case of any attempted jumps, although no such incident occurred. Rescue teams broke open windows and forced doors open to evacuate passengers, an official involved in the operation said.
Train services on the Central Railway’s main line — between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in south Mumbai and Thane — were restored on Tuesday evening after being suspended for eight hours due to waterlogging.
A Central Railway spokesperson confirmed that suburban services on all lines — main, harbour, and trans-harbour — were now fully operational.
In a statement issued on Wednesday morning, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that train services on the central, western, and harbour lines, along with Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses, were running smoothly.
The BMC assured that its entire disaster response machinery was deployed on the ground and working round the clock to monitor the situation and respond promptly to any emergencies.
“All departments are on alert and prepared to take necessary measures if required,” the civic body said.
The BMC also urged citizens not to fall for rumours and advised them to contact the municipal emergency control room for verified information or assistance. The helpline number is 1916.