A BRITISH resident faces extradition to India for her alleged role in the murder of an orphan from Gujarat.
Arti Dhir, a British citizen born in Kenya, was arrested in 2017 over the murder of the 12-year-old boy in February 2017.
The 52-year-old appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on Wednesday (23) for a hearing on her bail application, which is pending as her family members sort out nearly £50,000 as security.
Dhir remains in custody until the security is deposited with the court.
According to an investigation by the Gujarat police, Dhir and two other accused - Nitish Mund and Kanwaljit Raizada – adopted the boy in 2015 and insured him for around Rs 13 million before staging his kidnapping and murder.
The three are alleged to have plotted splitting the life insurance payout following the boy’s death.
The young boy and his brother-in-law Harshukh Karadani were attacked and their bodies found along a road outside Rajkot, in Gujarat.
Interpol issued a ‘red notice’ for Dhir in April last year.
Dhir, who worked at Heathrow Airport, is alleged to have met Mund and Raizada while they were students in London.
Dhir's extradition hearing is scheduled at Westminster Magistrates' Court for April 30.
PRINCE WILLIAM has said protecting his family was the most important thing for him when his wife Kate and father King Charles became ill, and revealed that he will seek to modernise the monarchy when he becomes sovereign.
Speaking to Eugene Levy for the Canadian actor's TV travel show, the normally guarded British heir said he sometimes felt "overwhelmed" by family matters and vowed to keep his children safe from any excessive intrusion by the media.
"Worry or stress around the family side of things, that does overwhelm me quite a bit," the 43-year-old told the "Schitt's Creek" star.
"When it’s to do with family and things like that, then that’s where I start getting a bit overwhelmed - as I think most people would, because it’s more personal."
Last year both Kate and the king, now 76, began treatment for cancer. While his wife is now in remission, William said it had been the hardest year he had ever had.
"Life is sent to test us," he said. "And it definitely can be challenging at times, and being able to overcome that is what makes us who we are. I’m so proud of my wife and my father, for how they’ve handled all of last year. My children have managed brilliantly as well."
William made his unusually candid remarks as he showed the actor around Windsor Castle, the royal home west of London where the king hosted US president Donald Trump last month. He also took Levy to a local pub.
There were light-hearted moments - the prince said he was a big fan of Levy's bawdy "American Pie" comedy films - but William also spoke about life as a royal and his vision for the future.
He spoke of the intense press coverage of the break-up of the marriage of his father and his late mother, Princess Diana, saying the media had been "in everything, literally everywhere".
"The damage it can do to your family life is something that I vowed would never happen to my family," he said. "And so, I take a very strong line about where I think that line is, and those who overstep it, you know I’ll fight against."
He said he did not think much about becoming king, but acknowledged that he planned to perform the role differently.
"I think it’s safe to say that change is on my agenda. Change for good," he said. "That’s the bit that excites me, the idea of being able to bring some change. Not overly radical change, but changes that I think need to happen."
The episode of "The Reluctant Traveler With Eugene Levy" featuring William is set to air on Apple TV+ on Friday (3).
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Lord Tariq Ahmad speaks at the event in London last Thursday (25)
FORMER Conservative minister Lord Tariq Ahmad praised Asian property developers for building not just brick-and-mortar homes, but also “communities and futures”, while paying tribute to generations of migrants who built the UK’s economy.
Lord Ahmad most recently served as minister for south Asia, the United Nations and the Commonwealth from September 2022 until July 2024 and previously held roles in Tory governments.
He is now a non-executive director at the Asian Media Group, publishers of Eastern Eye and Garavi Gujarat news weeklies.
At the Eastern Eye Property Awards last Thursday (25), Lord Ahmad said “property ownership very much is within the British Asian DNA”.
“Property ownership is part of what defines Asian communities now,” the peer said.
The senior Tory politician recalled growing up in Glasgow, with Asian shopkeepers and pharmacists settled within the wider Scottish community.
Reflecting on his father’s journey as a migrant in Glasgow in the 1950s, Ahmad said, “He came with three pieces of advice – learn the language, understand the language fully, be a productive citizen of the country which is now your home, and also understand the culture. And the third thing was – give back to the community.”
He pointed to the resilience the generation who arrived in the UK during the 1950s and 1960s, often facing discrimination, but who responded with determination and a commitment to give back to their adopted home.
Though his father faced racism, he immersed himself in English literature, embraced local culture, and invested in property. This, Lord Ahmad said, became part of the wider story of how migrants helped build lives and communities through ownership of homes, shops, and small businesses.
“It’s important when you look at society, we look at the different contributions. Not only do our British Asian pharmacists dispense prescriptions, keep job, but they also dispense wisdom,” Ahmad said.
He added, “British Asian developers have contributed to building communities. They have built futures.”
He described them as a symbol of aspiration and perseverance who helped transform neighbourhoods, created jobs and were known for their business acumen.
Highlighting the role of shopkeepers as the “backbone of British life,” Ahmad said corner shops became the seed for larger enterprises such as Bestway, among others.
Pharmacies, too, played a crucial role not only in dispensing medicines but also in providing advice and support to families. These professions, combined with investment in housing and hotels, showed how property ownership has long been tied to social mobility and economic growth within British Asian communities, he added.
Lord Ahmad also underlined the value of hospitality and entrepreneurship, pointing out that Asian hoteliers and developers had become a vital part of the country’s economic fabric, driving growth and opportunities.
“From small acorns, great oak trees grow,” he said, noting how modest ventures had expanded into national and international businesses.
He also expressed concern over divisions in society today and said bigotry and racial slurs had resurfaced in public life. It was the responsibility of leaders to confront division, he said, and he added that patriotism should not be confused with narrow nationalism.
“Our true strength comes from the rich tapestry of our diversity, and British Asian success is intrinsic to that,” he said.
Lord Ahmad described British Asians as “dreamers, doers, and dealmakers” whose efforts had helped Britain prosper.
Migration, he argued, had made the country stronger and more dynamic.
“Britain today is much stronger, much warmer, and much spicier, because of all of you,” he said at the event.
THE man behind the deadly attack at a Manchester synagogue has been identified as Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent. He was shot dead by armed officers just minutes after launching his assault on Thursday (2) morning, in which two worshippers were killed and several others injured.
Al-Shamie, who lived in Prestwich, is believed to have entered the UK as a small child with his family. He became a naturalised British citizen in 2006, when he was about 16. Although police are investigating possible links, he was not previously known to the security services or referred to the government’s Prevent programme.
Neighbours in Prestwich described him as a quiet man who kept largely to himself. Some recalled him lifting weights in his garden or working out on benches, often switching between western clothes and traditional Syrian dress.
One local resident said: “He was just a straightforward, ordinary lad. Nothing would stand out to make you think he was.” Others said he rarely spoke to people in the street, though he was sometimes seen walking in pyjamas and sandals.
Police raided a house in Langley Crescent, believed to be the family home, hours after the attack. Neighbours said the Al-Shamie family had lived in the area for about 15 years and were thought of as “nice people”.
His father, Faraj Al-Shamie, issued a statement on behalf of the family in the UK and abroad. He condemned the synagogue attack as a “heinous act” and said it had come as a “profound shock”.
The family “fully distanced” themselves from Al-Shamie's actions and expressed their “deep sorrow” for the victims. “Our hearts and thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we pray for their strength and comfort,” the statement said.
Despite his violent end, there has been little evidence so far of Al-Shamie being part of any wider extremist network. The Syrian British Consortium, along with other community organisations, said nobody in their networks recognised him or recalled meeting him.
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood also noted that his name, Jihad, was unusual, and said she had never personally come across someone with that name before.
According to media reports, he led a largely private life in a quiet Manchester suburb, sometimes working as a tutor teaching English and computer programming.
As flowers and tributes gather outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue, the investigation into Al-Shamie’s background continues, with police and intelligence agencies working to understand whether he acted alone or had support.
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Marble Hall decorated for Diwali at Kedleston Hall
The month-long Diwali celebrations at Kedleston Hall, the National Trust property near Derby, began on Friday (3). Running until November 2, the 18th-century mansion will welcome visitors from all backgrounds to enjoy the events, a statement said.
The Diwali display, now in its third year, has been shaped with the help of local communities and draws inspiration from Kedleston’s historical connections to South Asia.
As part of the celebrations, visitors will be greeted by hundreds of marigold garlands, sari fabrics and glowing diyas (clay oil lamps) placed throughout the Hall’s historic rooms.
Rangoli light projections will brighten floors and walls with traditional Indian patterns, while historic lamps from the Museum collection are given a festive makeover. Families can also enjoy oversized traditional board games, and a short film about the making of the marigold decorations will be shown in the Billiard Room, the statement added.
A highlight of this year’s programme is Helios, a seven-metre illuminated sculpture of the sun by artist Luke Jerram. The artwork will be suspended in the Hall’s Saloon from October 17 to November 2. Combining light, sound and solar imagery, it complements Diwali’s themes of brightness and renewal. The installation will be available to view daily, with special evening openings on October 29 and 30. Pre-booking is required.
Helios by artist Luke Jerram
Jennie Lloyd, general manager at Kedleston Hall, said: “Lighting up Kedleston Hall for Diwali has become a cherished tradition. We’ve worked closely with local communities to evolve our celebrations, ensuring they reflect both authenticity and creativity. This year, we’re thrilled to offer something truly special in the Saloon with Helios by Luke Jerram.”
Live performances will also be held as part of the celebrations, with Surtal Arts staging a Diwali dance beneath Helios on October 22, followed by a musical finale on November 2 from Soulful Sangeet, the tabla and flute duo.
The event is free to National Trust members, with standard admission for non-members. Kedleston Hall will be open daily during the festival from 11am to 4pm, except for a short closure between October 13 and 16.
INDIA and China will resume direct flights between designated cities this month after a suspension of more than five years, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.
There have been no direct flights between the two countries since 2020, even though China remains India’s largest bilateral trade partner.
India’s largest airline, IndiGo, said it would start daily non-stop flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou from October 26. It also plans to launch a route connecting New Delhi with Guangzhou.
Prime minister Narendra Modi visited China a month ago for the first time in seven years to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
During the visit, he and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed that India and China were development partners, not rivals, and discussed steps to strengthen trade ties amid global tariff uncertainty.
Modi also conveyed India’s commitment to improving ties and raised concerns over the trade deficit with China, which stands at nearly $99.2 billion.
He underlined the need to maintain peace and stability along the disputed border, where a clash in 2020 led to a five-year military standoff.