London's High Court removed anti-graft orders against the grandson of the former president of Kazakhstan on Wednesday (8), dealing a blow to powers that British crime fighters use to target dirty money.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) had sought Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs) against the companies which owned a London mansion in which Nurali Aliyev lived, as well as two other properties, to try to force them to explain where the money to buy the properties had come from.
However, On Wednesday, the High Court ruled in favour of Aliyev over the house connected to him and discharged the orders against the companies which owned the three properties.
"The court's powerful judgment demonstrates the NCA obtained the orders on an inaccurate basis as part of a flawed investigation which was entirely without merit," Aliyev, the grandson of former Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev, said in statement.
"The NCA deliberately ignored the relevant information I voluntarily provided and pursued a groundless and vicious legal action, including making shocking slurs against me, my family and my country."
The case involved only the second time that Britain has used UWOs since they were introduced in 2018 in an attempt to stem the billions of dollars of dirty money flowing through the country each year.
The NCA wanted Aliyev to explain the source of funds used to buy the mansion in north London where he lived with his wife and children which has an underground swimming pool, a cinema, saying it and two other properties were worth some £80 million.
It had argued the money used to buy the house and the two other properties was linked to Rakhat Aliyev - Nurali Aliyev's father and the former president's son-in-law - who was found hanged in an Austrian jail in 2015 after being charged with the murder of two bankers in 2007.
Lawyers for two offshore companies that own the properties said the case was "tissue paper thin" and that the funding had come from Aliyev's mother, Dariga Nazarbayeva, who was economically independent.
A spokesman for Dariga Nazarbayeva said that Wednesday's judgement "entirely vindicated" her.
"It is frustrating and disappointing that she has had to take this action to fight these draconian proceedings and clear her name," the spokesman said.
The NCA said it would appeal against the ruling.
"Unexplained Wealth Orders are new legislation and we always expected there would be significant legal challenge over their use," said Graeme Biggar, the NCA’s Director General of the National Economic Crime Centre.
"These hearings will establish the case law on which future judgments will be based, so it is vital that we get this right."
Britain's first UWOs were issued against a Knightsbridge house and a golf course belonging to Jahangir Hajiyeva, jailed in Azerbaijan for embezzlement from the state bank, and his wife, Zamira, who spent £16.3 million in the London department store Harrods.
DEPUTY prime minister Angela Rayner is awaiting the outcome of an investigation into her underpayment of stamp duty on a property in East Sussex, with the findings expected soon.
Prime minister Keir Starmer said he anticipated the report, led by ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, would be delivered “pretty quickly.” He added: “Then, of course, I will act on whatever the report is that's put in front of me.”
Rayner admitted she did not pay the correct tax on an £800,000 flat in Hove. She paid £30,000 in stamp duty after listing it as her main residence. However, as she co-owned another property, she should have paid the higher “second home” rate of £70,000, according to BBC.
The Times reported that Rayner’s lawyers said they had not given her any tax advice and were being made “scapegoats,” contradicting her earlier claim that she had acted on advice.
BBC reported that her allies said she had consulted a conveyancer and two trust law experts.
Starmer’s spokesperson condemned vandalism at Rayner’s Hove property, where “tax evader” had been spray-painted.
“Whatever scrutiny our parliamentarians may face, it is appalling that their private homes should be targeted in this way,” the spokesperson said.
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Shafik served as deputy governor for markets and banking at the Bank of England between August 2014 and February 2017.
Minouche Shafik named chief economic adviser to Keir Starmer.
Darren Jones moves into Downing Street role; James Murray replaces him.
Nin Pandit to lead a reformed Downing Street Delivery Team.
Vidhya Alakeson given expanded responsibilities over policy and delivery.
PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer has named Minouche Shafik, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England, as his chief economic adviser. The appointment comes as he looks to strengthen his team ahead of what is expected to be a difficult end to the year.
Shafik’s arrival, along with the decision to bring Darren Jones, deputy to chancellor Rachel Reeves, into his Downing Street office, signals Starmer’s focus on economic advice before a budget later this year that is likely to include further tax rises.
Jones will be succeeded by Labour lawmaker James Murray, who previously held a junior post in the finance ministry, Starmer’s office said in a statement.
Wider changes in Downing Street
Starmer has also reshuffled his Downing Street operations, replacing his principal private secretary and naming a new director of communications. Nin Pandit will remain in the No10 team, taking charge of a newly reformed Downing Street Delivery Team.
After more than a year in power, Starmer’s government has faced criticism from within Labour for struggling to explain difficult policy decisions and highlight its achievements. Labour’s poll ratings have dropped in recent months.
The changes could strengthen the economic advice available to Starmer before Reeves presents a budget with limited scope, as she remains committed to her fiscal rules aimed at balancing day-to-day spending with tax revenues by 2029.
"I think the creation of a role for Darren Jones is a good move," one Labour lawmaker said.
"He’s clearly got an eye for the details but understands the politics too."
Shafik to bring ‘additional expertise’
Shafik served as deputy governor for markets and banking at the Bank of England between August 2014 and February 2017, leaving early to become vice chancellor of the London School of Economics.
In 2023, she was appointed president of Columbia University in New York but resigned after little more than a year following criticism over the university’s handling of student protests related to Israel’s war in Gaza.
Earlier in her career, Shafik was the top civil servant in Britain’s foreign aid ministry and later deputy managing director at the International Monetary Fund. At the IMF, she oversaw work in Europe and the Middle East during the euro zone debt crisis and the Arab Spring.
"This role and the additional expertise will support the government to go further and faster in driving economic growth and raising living standards for all," Starmer’s office said.
Shafik’s background
Shafik, who is also a non-partisan member of the House of Lords, was born in Egypt and grew up in the southern United States before earning a doctorate in economics at the University of Oxford.
In a 2021 book, she argued for policies that included income floors with work incentives, pensions linked to life expectancy, and early childhood interventions to equalise opportunity.
The Prime Minister’s deputy chief of staff, Vidhya Alakeson, will also take on expanded responsibilities with overall oversight of policy and delivery within Downing Street.
(With inputs from agencies)
Alternative Headlines:
Starmer strengthens Downing Street team with Shafik, Alakeson and Pandit moves
Minouche Shafik appointed chief economic adviser as Starmer reshuffles team
Nin Pandit to head delivery unit as Starmer expands Downing Street operation
Vidhya Alakeson takes wider role in No10 as Shafik joins as economic adviser
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Before their formal meeting, Putin offered Modi a ride in his Aurus limousine.
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi met Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China.
Modi pressed for ending the Ukraine conflict at the earliest, reaffirmed India’s long-standing ties with Russia, and discussed trade and border issues with Xi.
Modi, in his address, called the Pahalgam terror attack “an assault on India’s conscience” and “an open challenge to every nation that believes in humanity.” He said combating terrorism is a “duty towards humanity.” The SCO declaration echoed this, with leaders strongly condemning the attack and stressing the need for united global efforts against terrorism.
“The member states strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22,” it said.
“They (member states) expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the dead and the wounded. They further stated that perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of such attacks must be brought to justice,” the declaration said.
2. Modi–Xi meeting on trade and border issues
Modi and Xi agreed to expand trade and investment ties to stabilise global commerce and deepen cooperation to address common challenges.
Modi thanked Xi, the Chinese government and the people of China for the successful organisation of the summit, his first visit to the country in seven years.
Modi said an atmosphere of "peace and stability" has been created on their disputed Himalayan border, the site of a prolonged military standoff after deadly troop clashes in 2020, which froze most areas of cooperation between the nuclear-armed strategic rivals.
3. Modi–Putin meeting on Ukraine and bilateral cooperation
Modi told Putin, “The call of humanity is to end the conflict as soon as possible and find ways to bring permanent peace to the region.”
He welcomed peace initiatives and emphasised a durable settlement. Putin, addressing Modi as “Dear Mr Prime Minister, dear friend,” said Russia and India had maintained “friendly and trusting” ties for decades.
The leaders discussed cooperation in trade, fertilisers, space, energy, security and culture, reaffirming the “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.”
4. Modi–Putin private conversation in limousine
Before their formal meeting, Putin offered Modi a ride in his Aurus limousine.
The two leaders held a one-to-one conversation for nearly an hour inside the car.
Modi later shared a photograph on social media, writing, “Conversations with him are always insightful.”
Modi said India is waiting to receive Putin later this year. The Russian president is scheduled to travel to India in December for summit talks.
5. Xi’s call for SCO development bank
Xi Jinping said the SCO’s “international influence and appeal are increasing day by day.”
He urged members to accelerate creation of a development bank and announced initiatives including scholarships, PhD programmes, livelihood projects and AI cooperation centres.
He also proposed closer cooperation in energy, infrastructure, digital economy, science and green industries.
6. Condemnation of Gaza strikes
The SCO members also criticised the military strikes by Israel in Gaza, noting that they have caused civilian casualties and created a humanitarian crisis in the region.
The SCO also condemned terror strikes in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, including those in Khuzdar and on the Jaffer Express.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Afghan volunteers and Taliban security personnel carry an earthquake victim evacuated by a military helicopter from the Nurgal district of Kunar province onn September 1, 2025.
A MAJOR rescue operation was underway in Afghanistan on Monday after a powerful earthquake and several aftershocks destroyed homes in a remote mountainous region, killing more than 800 people, according to Taliban authorities.
The quake struck just before midnight and was felt as far as Kabul and in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said more than 1.2 million people likely experienced strong or very strong shaking.
Heavy toll in Kunar province
Near the epicentre in eastern Afghanistan, about 800 people were killed and 2,500 injured in Kunar province alone, Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.
In neighbouring Nangarhar province, another 12 people died and 255 were injured, he added.
"Numerous houses were destroyed," interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani told AFP.
Many Afghans live in mud-brick homes that are highly vulnerable to collapse.
Remote villages cut off
Some villages in Kunar province remain inaccessible due to blocked roads, the UN migration agency said in a statement to AFP.
The Taliban authorities and the United Nations mobilised rescue efforts in the worst-hit areas. The defence ministry said 40 flights had been carried out so far.
A member of Kunar’s agricultural department in Nurgal district said locals had rushed to clear blocked roads to reach cut-off villages, but the areas worst affected were remote with limited telecoms access.
"There is a lot of fear and tension... Children and women were screaming. We had never experienced anything like this in our lives," Ijaz Ulhaq Yaad told AFP.
He added that many people in the quake-hit villages were among the more than four million Afghans who have returned from Iran and Pakistan in recent years.
"They wanted to build their homes here."
Quake details
According to the USGS, the earthquake struck at a shallow depth of eight kilometres and was located 27 kilometres from Jalalabad in Nangarhar province.
Both Nangarhar and Kunar provinces border Pakistan. The nearby Torkham crossing has seen repeated waves of Afghan returnees, often with no jobs or shelter.
International response
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed condolences, joining the Taliban government and several nations in offering sympathy.
"I stand in full solidarity with the people of Afghanistan after the devastating earthquake that hit the country earlier today," he said.
Aftershocks and frequent quakes
At least five aftershocks followed the initial quake, the strongest a magnitude 5.2 just after 4:00 am (2330 GMT Sunday).
Afghanistan experiences frequent earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet.
Nangarhar province was also hit by flooding between Friday night and Saturday, which killed five people and destroyed crops and property, provincial officials said.
In October 2023, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck western Herat province, killing more than 1,500 people and damaging or destroying more than 63,000 homes.
In June 2022, a 5.9-magnitude quake hit eastern Paktika province, killing more than 1,000 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
Ongoing crises
Afghanistan, already facing humanitarian challenges after decades of war, has limited capacity to respond to disasters. Since the Taliban’s return, foreign aid has been sharply reduced, further straining resources.
(With inputs from agencies)
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The Ganpati festival celebrates Ganesha as the god of new beginnings, and the god of wisdom and intelligence. (Photo: Getty Images)
A HINDU community centre in east London caught fire on Saturday evening, causing major damage to the building. The London Fire Brigade brought the fire under control and confirmed that no injuries were reported.
The incident took place at the Shree Sorathia Prajapati Community Centre on Cleveland Road in Ilford, which had been decorated for a Ganapati Visarjan event attended by members of the Hindu community.
Some reports suggest that fireworks could be a possible cause. The Metropolitan Police, however, said its investigation has so far found no evidence that the fire was started deliberately.
“No one was injured in the incident, however the building suffered significant structural damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation – at this stage, the investigation team have found no evidence to suggest that it was started deliberately,” a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said.
“We are working closely with Redbridge Council to support the local community. Residents are advised to keep windows and doors closed due to smoke,” the spokesperson added.
The Met Police said neighbourhood officers on patrol discovered the fire and alerted the London Fire Brigade.
“We were called at 2000 (hours) yesterday (Saturday) to reports of a building fire on Cleveland Road in Ilford. Firefighters attended and discovered a single-storey community centre fully alight,” a London Fire Brigade spokesperson said.
“The fire was safely brought under control by crews by 2121 (hours) and there were no reports of any injuries. However, the building has sustained a significant amount of damage as a result of the fire,” the spokesperson said.
The brigade said it received about 14 calls regarding the fire. Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters from Ilford, Barking, Stratford, Leyton, Hainault and Romford fire stations were sent to the scene.
“A 32-metre turntable ladder from Dagenham Fire Station also attended and was used as a water tower to help extinguish the fire from above,” the spokesperson added.
Ilford South MP Jas Athwal expressed his gratitude to the fire crews. “A fire at Shree Sorathia Prajapati Community Centre on Cleveland Road has been extinguished,” he said in a post on social media.
“Grateful to the brave crews for their swift response and for keeping our community safe. I am in contact with the emergency services and the advice is to avoid the area,” Athwal said.
The leader of Redbridge Council also urged residents to avoid the area while assessments of the fire damage were carried out. “Neighbouring buildings have been evacuated and I’m grateful to the efforts of the emergency services,” he said.
The Shree Sorathia Prajapati Community (SSPC) UK National Executive Council also issued a statement following the incident. “It is with deep sorrow we report that on Saturday 30th August at approximately 8pm our Shree Sorathia Prajapati Community (SSPC) East London community centre caught fire. Both the Fire Brigade and Police services were in attendance and worked to bring the fire under control. The community centre has been cordoned off and, from what can be seen from the outside, it is sadly destroyed and unusable.
“The community centre at the time of the fire was not being used and, thankfully, there were no injuries reported. We now await the respective authorities to provide their report on the possible cause of the fire. We wish to thank everyone who has sent their best wishes and support during this difficult time. We will provide a fuller statement once we know more.”
The fire came just a week after another incident in Ilford, when an Indian restaurant was set alight in an arson attack that seriously injured five people.
The Metropolitan Police said a 15-year-old boy and a 54-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life in connection with that case at the Indian Aroma restaurant in the Gants Hill area of Ilford.