Government announces £1.7 bn transport investment for the North
Prime minister Keir Starmer said the plan aims to address long-standing transport issues and better connect Northern cities to support industries such as fintech in Leeds, life sciences in Liverpool, and film production in Bradford.
The package includes £415 million to upgrade the rail line between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York, a route affected by delays and disruptions. (Representational image: iStock)
Vivek Mishra works as an Assistant Editor with Eastern Eye and has over 13 years of experience in journalism. His areas of interest include politics, international affairs, current events, and sports. With a background in newsroom operations and editorial planning, he has reported and edited stories on major national and global developments.
THE GOVERNMENT has announced a £1.7 billion investment to improve transport infrastructure across the North, focusing on buses, roads, and rail.
The funding aims to upgrade key routes and improve connectivity across the region.
The package includes £415 million to upgrade the rail line between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York, a route affected by delays and disruptions.
An additional £270m will be allocated to bus services, and £330m will go towards road maintenance.
The investment also supports local transport projects, including a new tram network in West Yorkshire, a new Merseyrail station in the Baltic Triangle, and improvements to the Bury Interchange with £80m in funding.
Prime minister Keir Starmer said the plan aims to address long-standing transport issues and better connect Northern cities to support industries such as fintech in Leeds, life sciences in Liverpool, and film production in Bradford.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said reliable public transport is essential for economic growth, while transport secretary Heidi Alexander highlighted the impact of the TransPennine Route Upgrade, which will reduce journey times between Manchester and Leeds from 50 to 42 minutes.
The funding is part of the government's wider Plan for Change, which aims to boost transport infrastructure outside London and the South East.
Protesters from the group Save Our Future & Our Kids Future demonstrate against uncontrolled immigration outside the Cladhan Hotel on August 16, 2025 in Falkirk, Scotland. (Photo: Getty Images)
UK appeals court overturns ruling blocking hotel use for asylum seekers
Judges call earlier High Court decision “seriously flawed”
138 asylum seekers will not need to be relocated by September 12
Full hearing scheduled at the Court of Appeal in October
A UK appeals court has overturned a lower court order that had temporarily blocked the use of a hotel in Epping, northeast of London, to house asylum seekers.
A three-judge panel said the High Court ruling that set a September 12 deadline to move migrants from the Bell Hotel contained "a number of errors".
The case followed protests outside the hotel after a resident was charged with sexually assaulting a local girl. Demonstrations have continued for weeks and at times turned violent, triggering debate on immigration policy.
The Court of Appeal said the earlier ruling was "seriously flawed in principle" and could act as an "impetus or incentive for further protests". It added that it failed to consider the "obvious consequence that the closure of one site means capacity needs to be identified elsewhere in the system".
The government will now not be required to relocate 138 asylum seekers from the hotel by September 12. The decision also weakens local efforts to challenge the use of other hotels to house asylum seekers.
The Home Office is legally required under a 1999 law to house "all destitute asylum seekers whilst their asylum claims are being decided".
The case will return for a full hearing at the Court of Appeal in October. Both the Home Office and the hotel’s owner, Somani Hotels, are opposing Epping Forest District Council’s bid to prevent the hotel being used for asylum accommodation.
The council argued that the hotel posed a public safety risk and that its use breached planning rules.
The hotel became the focus of national attention after resident Hadush Kebatu was accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. He has denied the charges, which include sexual assault, attempted sexual assault, and harassment without violence. His trial began this week.
Protests in Epping have since spread to other parts of Britain, as small boat arrivals across the Channel continue.
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A drone view of the construction work of the upcoming coastal road in Mumbai, India. (Photo credit: Reuters)
India’s GDP grew 7.8 per cent in April-June, beating forecasts of 6.7 per cent.
US has double tariffs on Indian imports to 50 per cent, raising export concerns.
Consumer spending rose 7.0 per cent year-on-year, driven by rural demand..
INDIA’s economy expanded faster than expected in the April-June quarter, even as higher US tariffs on Indian imports are set to weigh on activity in the coming months.
The United States has doubled tariffs on Indian goods to as high as 50 per cent over New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil. The move puts India among the hardest-hit US trading partners alongside Brazil, with economists warning that exports such as textiles, leather goods and chemicals could be affected.
Government data released on Friday showed gross domestic product (GDP) grew 7.8 per cent in Asia’s third-largest economy in the April-June period, compared to 7.4 per cent in the previous quarter. Growth was stronger than the 6.7 per cent expansion economists had forecast in a Reuters poll.
Gross value added (GVA), considered a clearer measure of underlying economic activity, rose 7.6 per cent in April-June, up from 6.8 per cent in the previous three months. GVA excludes indirect taxes and government subsidies.
At this pace, India remains one of the fastest-growing major economies, though the outlook for exports has weakened after US President Donald Trump’s tariff hike.
“The surprise acceleration in GDP growth in the April-June quarter means that the economy is still on course to expand by a world-beating 7 per cent this year, despite the upcoming hit from punitive US tariffs,” Capital Economics said in a note.
The Reserve Bank of India expects the economy to grow 6.5 per cent in the fiscal year ending March 2026. Earlier this month, it kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 5.50 per cent.
Consumer spending rises
Private consumer spending, which accounts for around 57 per cent of GDP, rose 7.0 per cent year-on-year in April-June, up from 6 per cent in the previous quarter. Growth was supported by higher rural spending and demand for durables and farm equipment such as tractors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has pledged support for sectors affected by US tariffs and said it would propose tax cuts to boost domestic demand. Income taxes were reduced starting April.
“Private consumption is supported by tax relief, rate cuts, crops sowing, though households may defer discretionary purchases until proposed consumption tax cuts take effect in the festive season,” said Aditi Nayar, chief economist at ICRA ratings agency.
Government spending increased 7.4 per cent in April-June, compared to a 1.8 per cent decline in the previous quarter. Capital expenditure grew 7.8 per cent, though some private firms held back investments amid global uncertainty following Washington’s tariff hikes.
Manufacturing output rose 7.7 per cent year-on-year in the first fiscal quarter, up from 4.8 per cent in the previous quarter. Construction expanded 7.6 per cent, down from 10.8 per cent. The agriculture sector grew 3.7 per cent, compared to 5.4 per cent in the previous three quarters.
US tariffs weigh on outlook
Economists warned that growth could slow once the impact of higher US duties is felt.
Indian government sources said New Delhi hoped Washington would reconsider the extra 25 per cent tariff imposed this week, which raised the duty on a range of imports to 50 per cent. However, there have been no signs of new talks.
The 50 per cent tariff could hurt exports and have a “domino effect on employment, wages and private consumption,” further affecting private investment and growth, said Madhavi Arora, chief economist at Emkay Financial Services.
Exporter groups estimate the tariffs could hit nearly 55 per cent of India’s $87 billion in merchandise exports to the US, while benefiting competitors such as Vietnam, Bangladesh and China.
Some economists warn prolonged tariffs could reduce India’s growth by 0.6 to 0.8 percentage point over a year, as weaker exports limit its role as an alternative manufacturing hub to China.
While real GDP growth remains firm, nominal GDP growth—which includes inflation—slowed to 8.8 per cent in April-June after averaging almost 11 per cent in the previous eight quarters. Analysts say this may weigh on corporate profits and stock indexes.
India’s rupee fell to a record low of 88.30 to the dollar on Friday as US tariffs took effect, while benchmark equity indices were set for a second straight monthly decline.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Anti-government protesters display Bangladesh’s national flag at Sheikh Hasina’s palace in Dhaka last year. (Photo: Getty Images)
BANGLADESH’s Election Commission (EC) on Thursday released a roadmap for the general election, expected to be held in February next year.
The poll schedule will be announced at least 60 days before the voting date, officials said.
“The Chief Adviser’s Office has asked us to hold the election before Ramadan. If I am not mistaken, Ramadan will begin on February 17 or 18. From this, you can calculate the probable election date,” EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed told reporters at a press briefing.
He said the commission was targeting the first half of February for the election. The roadmap, prepared in line with the directives of interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, received EC approval on Wednesday.
According to Ahmed, discussions with political parties and other stakeholders will be held by the end of September and could take “one to one and a half months” to complete.
The EC identified 24 key tasks in the roadmap, including amendments to laws such as the Representation of the People Order (RPO), the Delimitation of Constituencies Act, the Voter List Act, the Election Officers (Special Provisions) Act 1991, and the Election Commission Secretariat Act 2009. Other tasks include finalising the voter list in phases, setting policies for domestic and foreign observers and journalists, and registering new political parties.
The commission expects to announce the election schedule in the second or third week of December.
In a televised address on August 5, Yunus had said the 13th parliamentary election would be held in February before Ramadan.
The roadmap announcement came as the National Citizen Party (NCP), formed this year with apparent support from Yunus, raised objections to the planned polls.
Shortly after the EC’s briefing, the NCP said the roadmap reflected a “breach of promise” by the interim government.
“Announcing the roadmap before declaring the implementation of the ‘July Charter’ is tantamount to breaking promises,” former Students against Discrimination (SAD) leader and NCP Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adeeb told a press conference. Flanked by other leaders, Adeeb warned that this could create “future crises for which the government must bear responsibility.”
The NCP, which emerged in February as an offshoot of SAD after leading the movement that forced Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League out of power on August 5 last year, has been demanding a new constitution through a Constituent Assembly, replacing the 1972 Constitution.
Jamaat-e-Islami has separately demanded that the polls be held under a proportional representation system to secure a larger stake in parliament. Both Jamaat and NCP have also called for the trial of Hasina and leaders of her regime for their alleged role in last year’s crackdown on the uprising.
Hasina is being tried in absentia at the International Crimes Tribunal on several charges.
Former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has emerged as the largest party in the absence of Awami League, whose activities were disbanded by Yunus’s interim government.
Despite assurances by Yunus and his advisers of free and fair polls within the announced deadline, uncertainty has grown among political parties due to the stance of the NCP.
(With inputs from agencies)
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The Department of Health said the rollout would reduce missed days at nursery and school, cut time parents take off work, and save the NHS about £15 million a year. (Representational image: iStock)
CHILDREN in England will be offered a free chickenpox vaccine for the first time from January 2026, the government has announced.
GP practices will give eligible children a combined vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) as part of the routine childhood vaccination schedule. Around half a million children each year are expected to be protected.
The Department of Health said the rollout would reduce missed days at nursery and school, cut time parents take off work, and save the NHS about £15 million a year. Research estimates chickenpox in childhood leads to £24 million in lost income and productivity annually.
Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, said: “We’re giving parents the power to protect their children from chickenpox and its serious complications, while keeping them in nursery or the classroom where they belong and preventing parents from scrambling for childcare or having to miss work. This vaccine puts children’s health first and gives working families the support they deserve. As part of our Plan for Change, we want to give every child the best possible start in life, and this rollout will help to do exactly that.”
Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, Deputy Director of Immunisation at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “Most parents probably consider chickenpox to be a common and mild illness, but for some babies, young children and even adults, chickenpox can be very serious, leading to hospital admission and tragically, while rare, it can be fatal. It is excellent news that from next January we will be introducing a vaccine to protect against chickenpox into the NHS routine childhood vaccination programme – helping prevent what is for most a nasty illness and for those who develop severe symptoms, it could be a life saver.”
Amanda Doyle, National Director for Primary Care and Community Services at NHS England, said: “This is a hugely positive moment for families as the NHS gets ready to roll out a vaccine to protect children against chickenpox for the first time, adding to the arsenal of other routine jabs that safeguard against serious illness.”
The eligibility criteria will be set out in clinical guidance, and parents will be contacted by their GP surgery if their child is eligible.
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Modi is on a two-day visit to Japan from August 29 to 30. (Photo: X/@narendramodi)
Modi says India and Japan will work together to “shape the Asian Century”
Japan to announce $68 billion investment in India over 10 years
Modi to attend SCO summit in China, meet Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin
India and Japan to deepen cooperation in trade, technology and security
PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi on Thursday said India and Japan will work together to “shape the Asian Century,” as he began a two-nation visit that will also take him to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
Speaking at a business forum in Tokyo, Modi said, “India and Japan's partnership is strategic and smart. Powered by economic logic, we have turned shared interests into shared prosperity.”
“India is the springboard for Japanese businesses to the Global South. We will shape the Asian Century for stability, growth, and prosperity,” he added.
Modi is on a two-day visit to Japan from August 29 to 30. Reports said Japan will unveil 10 trillion yen ($68 billion) in investments in India over the next 10 years. Bilateral trade is currently worth more than $20 billion annually, with the balance in Japan’s favour.
Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba said, “Japan and India are strategic partners who share common values such as freedom, democracy, rule of law, having cherished friendship and trust over many years.”
“Our economic relationship is expanding rapidly as Japan's technology and India's talented human resources and its huge market are complementing each other,” Ishiba told the forum.
Trade and investments
Modi and Ishiba were expected to announce that the number of Indians with specialised skills working or studying in Japan will double to 50,000 over the next five years. Investments will target areas such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors and access to critical minerals.
On Saturday, the two leaders are scheduled to tour a semiconductor facility and a shinkansen bullet train factory. Japan is expected to assist India in its planned 7,000-kilometre high-speed rail network by 2047. A joint project to build the first high-speed rail link between Mumbai and Ahmedabad has faced delays and cost overruns.
Both India and Japan have also been hit by tariffs imposed by the United States. A 50 per cent levy on many Indian imports into the US took effect this week. Japan’s auto sector continues to face 25 per cent tariffs as a July trade deal reducing them is yet to come into force.
India and Japan, along with the United States and Australia, are members of the Quad alliance. The two sides are expected to upgrade their 2008 declaration on security cooperation during the visit.
Next stop: China
After Japan, Modi will travel to Tianjin in China on August 31 and September 1 to attend the SCO summit hosted by President Xi Jinping and attended by Russian president Vladimir Putin.
“From Japan, I will travel to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Tianjin, at the invitation of President Xi Jinping,” Modi said in his departure statement.
“India is an active and constructive member of SCO. During our presidency, we have introduced new ideas and initiated collaboration in the fields of innovation, health and cultural exchanges,” he said.
“I also look forward to meeting President Xi Jinping, President Putin and other leaders on the sidelines of the summit,” he added.
Focus on regional peace
The prime minister said he was confident that his visits to Japan and China would advance India’s national priorities.
“I am confident that my visits to Japan and China would further our national interests and priorities, and contribute to building fruitful cooperation in advancing regional and global peace, security, and sustainable development,” Modi said.
This will be Modi’s first visit to China since 2018. India and China, the two most populous nations, remain rivals competing for influence in South Asia and fought a deadly border clash in 2020. A thaw began in October last year when Modi and Xi met in Russia for the first time in five years.