Pramod Thomas is a senior correspondent with Asian Media Group since 2020, bringing 19 years of journalism experience across business, politics, sports, communities, and international relations. His career spans both traditional and digital media platforms, with eight years specifically focused on digital journalism. This blend of experience positions him well to navigate the evolving media landscape and deliver content across various formats. He has worked with national and international media organisations, giving him a broad perspective on global news trends and reporting standards.
AN Indian sprinter who recently broke a national record has said he wants to win an Olympic medal to inspire young athletes to pursue similar dreams.
Animesh Kujur, 22, last Saturday (5) smashed the 100-metre national record with a stunning 10.18 seconds at the Dromia International Sprint and Relays Meeting in Greece.
The Odisha athlete’s record-breaking performance was an improvement on Gurindervir Singh's previous mark of 10.20 seconds, making him the first Indian to hold both the 100m and 200m national records, simultaneously. His 200m record stands at 20.32 seconds, set at the Asian Athletics Championships in South Korea in May.
In an interview with Eastern Eye, Kujur said, "When I finished the line, I saw the clock and it stopped at 10.20. I was like, 'Oh, I just equalled the national record'. Then I went to my coach and said, 'Coach, if it was 10.19, then I could have done the national record, but I didn't.' Then my coach said, 'No, you did 10.18 - you did break the record.' I was like, 'Oh, wow.' Then my coach and I were shouting."
The achievement comes as Kujur prepares for another historic milestone - becoming the first Indian man to compete in the 200m at a Diamond League event in Monaco on Friday (11). Though competing in an under-23 race rather than the main event, his coach views it as a crucial experience.
"It's a big step up to eventually race against Noah Lyles (US athlete)," said Englishman Martin Owens, the head coach of Reliance Foundation Youth Sport Odisha High Performance Centre (HPC). "He'll get the atmosphere with 15,000 spectators without the pressure of running against the Olympic champion and world champion."
Kujur's transformation began when he joined the Reliance Foundation programme in December 2022. The change was dramatic and immediate. "Before joining Reliance, I was a normal athlete. I didn't know what professional training or a professional athlete's life looked like," he said. "After joining Reliance, I got everything - physio support, psychology, coach, everything. I came to know what a professional life looks like."
The foundation's investment in Indian athletics reflects the broader ambitions of the Ambani family, who are heavily backing India's Olympic aspirations both to host the Games in 11 years and to produce potential medal winners.
Nita Ambani sits on the International Olympic Committee, while her daughter Isha Ambani has joined the board of volleyball's international governing body, FIVB.
Mukesh Ambani, who heads Reliance Industries, is India’s richest.
For Kujur, the 200m remains his preferred event. "Because 200 is tougher compared to 100 metres. That's why I like to do 200, and from the beginning, my coach has been mainly focusing on 200 metres," he said.
Unlike traditional Indian coaching approaches that focus intensively on single competitions, Kujur's programme involves year-round planning and multiple competitive opportunities.
"My coach prepares my training for the next year - which is the main competition you have to focus on," he added. "Foreign coaches make you compete in so many competitions so that you can get more experience."
Recent training camps in Switzerland and working with movement specialist Chris Woolley have focused particularly on improving Kujur's starts - historically his weakest area. The work has paid dividends, with both athlete and coach noting significant improvements in his acceleration phase.
Owens, who has worked with Kujur for almost three years, credited the athlete's dedication and the systematic approach they've developed together. "When he came to the HPC, he was a 21.1-21.2 runner, and now he's a 20.32 runner," Owens said. "That's a lot of his hard work and dedication. He learns all the time, makes mistakes - like we all do - but he tries not to make the same mistake twice."
His strategy extends beyond individual achievement to building a sustainable sprint programme for India. "The aim is to get as many athletes running and training with each other as possible, supporting each other," he said. "We're driving the relay programme. Very few athletes in India at the moment are going to be competitive on the world stage individually, but the young sprinters we've got could collectively be competitive in relays."
The foundation promotes clean athletics, with the coach proudly noting that Kujur is "the most tested athlete in India" and emphasising "there are no shortcuts - hard work is the best way."
Kujur's transformation began when he joined the Reliance Foundation programme in December 2022
For Kujur, the immediate focus is performing well at the World Championships, where he wants to break the pattern of Indian athletes failing to deliver at major competitions. "Every time Indian athletes go to big competitions, but they don't perform. I want that if I'm competing in World Championship - such a big competition - I want to perform well there."
Looking ahead to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, Kujur spoke of his ambition. "For longer term, I'm preparing for the Olympics - I want to win a medal for India in Los Angeles," he added.
His coach shares this optimism, believing that international exposure is crucial for development. "You need to get out of your backyard to get a good view of the world," he said. "That exposure trip last year changed Animesh completely. This one will make him better."
Owens added that Kujur holds "10 of the top 10 times run in India this year" in his events, with "the second fastest runner half a second behind him, which is massive in sprinting."
Models depicting migrants wearing life jackets in a small boat alongside two banners reading 'Stop the boats' and 'Veterans before refugees' are displayed on top a bonfire in Moygashel, Northern Ireland, on July 9, 2025. (Photo by PETER MURPHY/AFP via Getty Images)
POLICE in Northern Ireland have launched a hate crime investigation after a bonfire topped with effigies of migrants in a boat was set alight in the village of Moygashel, County Tyrone.
The incident, which took place on Thursday (10) night, has drawn widespread condemnation from political leaders, church officials, and human rights groups.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed they had received several complaints about the display and were treating it as a hate incident.
In a statement, the PSNI said, “Police have received a number of reports regarding the bonfire in Moygashel and the material that has been placed upon it. Police are investigating this hate incident.
"Police are here to help those who are or who feel vulnerable, to keep people safe. We do this by working with local communities, partners, elected representatives and other stakeholders to deliver local solutions to local problems, building confidence in policing and supporting a safe environment for people to live, work, visit and invest in Northern Ireland, but we can only do so within the legislative framework that exists."
The model at the centre of the controversy showed 12 dummies dressed in life jackets inside a dinghy placed on top of the bonfire, with a banner reading “Stop the Boats.”
An Irish tricolour flag and a separate sign reading “Veterans before Refugees,” alongside images of two guns, were also attached to the structure.
The bonfire was part of the annual July 11 and 12 celebrations held by loyalist communities to mark the victory of Protestant King William of Orange over Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
Despite calls for its removal, the bonfire was set alight around 11pm, with a large crowd watching and filming on their phones. A pipe band played music and fireworks were set off before the fire was lit.
The display comes just weeks after attacks on migrants’ homes in nearby Ballymena, where masked rioters targeted police, homes, and cars.
Condemnation came from across the political spectrum. Sinn Féin assembly member Colm Gildernew called the act “vile and deplorable” and said it was “clearly a hate crime.”
Church of Ireland Archbishop John McDowell described the effigy as “racist, threatening and offensive,” calling it “inhuman and deeply sub-Christian.”
Social Democratic and Labour party councillor Malachy Quinn told The Irish News, “Those responsible for this hateful display claim to be celebrating British culture. Let’s be clear – racism and intimidation are not culture. This isn’t pride – it’s poison.”
Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland director Patrick Corrigan called the act “vile” and “dehumanising,” warning it fuelled hatred and racism.
Ulster Unionist party leader and Northern Ireland health minister Mike Nesbitt also condemned the display “without reservation,” calling the image “sickening” and “entirely out of step with what is supposed to be a cultural celebration.”
The Democratic Unionist party, Northern Ireland’s largest unionist party, issued a statement opposing the use of effigies or provocative symbols on bonfires, saying such acts “are not part of the cultural tradition.” The party added: “These should be positive cultural celebrations and we support those within our community who wish to celebrate their culture peacefully.”
However, prominent loyalist activist Jamie Bryson defended the bonfire display, arguing it was a form of political protest. He cited a European Court of Human Rights ruling that burning effigies could be considered “legitimate political expression.”
Bryson accused critics of hypocrisy, comparing the display to recent defences of performances by pro-unity rap group Kneecap.
In a social media post, the Moygashel Bonfire Association rejected claims of racism, saying the display was meant to protest illegal immigration. “This year’s bonfire ‘topper’ should not be seen as racist, threatening or offensive,” the group wrote. “We believe this unfettered invasion is the biggest threat to the UK since Adolf Hitler.”
This is not the first time Moygashel’s bonfires have drawn controversy. In 2024, a mock police car was burned on the same site, raising concerns in a region where police officers have historically been frequent targets.
Separately, the PSNI refused to help remove another bonfire in south Belfast earlier this week, despite safety concerns about asbestos and its proximity to an electricity substation that powers two hospitals. The police said after reviewing the risks, they decided not to intervene.
The July 12 bonfire tradition continues to be a flashpoint in Northern Ireland’s divided society, even decades after the 1998 Good Friday Agreement brought an end to most sectarian violence.
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The Canary Wharf business district including global financial institutions in London.
THE UK economy contracted unexpectedly in May, marking the second consecutive monthly decline, according to official data released on Friday. The figures present a challenge for the Labour government as it attempts to revive economic growth.
Gross domestic product fell by 0.1 per cent in May, following a 0.3 per cent contraction in April, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement.
Economists had forecast a 0.1 per cent increase in GDP.
The data comes at a time when prime minister Keir Starmer's government is dealing with global challenges, including US tariffs and persistent inflation.
The Labour government’s fiscal strategy relies heavily on economic growth, particularly after recent reversals on welfare cuts and winter fuel payments for pensioners.
Finance minister Rachel Reeves described the figures as "disappointing" and said there was "more to do."
Labour has announced plans to reduce red tape and has unveiled a multi-billion pound investment programme aimed at the National Health Service and infrastructure to boost growth.
In separate data published by the ONS on Friday, UK exports to the United States increased by £0.3 billion in May. This followed a record fall in April when President Donald Trump's tariffs took effect.
"Growth is becoming incredibly difficult to achieve for the government," said Lindsay James, investment strategist at Quilter.
"The plans put in place so far are unlikely to move the needle in the absence of improving business and consumer sentiment in an environment of ongoing cost pressures," she added.
ONS director of economic statistics Liz McKeown said there were "notable falls in production and construction" which affected GDP in May.
She said the decline in production was led by "oil and gas extraction, car manufacturing and the often-erratic pharmaceutical industry."
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Hasina left for India at the end of the student-led protests and has not returned to Dhaka, where her trial for alleged crimes against humanity began on June 1. (Photo: Getty Images)
SOME leaked audio recordings suggest Bangladesh’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently on trial in absentia, ordered a deadly crackdown on protests last year.
According to the United Nations, up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024 when Hasina's government cracked down on demonstrators during an attempt to stay in power.
Hasina, 77, left for India at the end of the student-led protests and has not returned to Dhaka, where her trial for alleged crimes against humanity began on June 1.
The BBC Eye Investigations team analysed leaked audio recordings alleged to be of Hasina. The recordings form a key part of the prosecution’s evidence.
In a recording dated July 18, 2024, a voice alleged to be Hasina is heard instructing security forces to "use lethal weapons" against protesters and saying "wherever they find (them), they will shoot".
The BBC reported that forensic audio experts found no evidence that the recordings had been edited or manipulated, and said it was "highly unlikely to have been synthetically generated".
Police in Bangladesh also matched the voice in the recordings to verified samples of Hasina’s voice.
‘Denies the charges’
The protests started on July 1, 2024, when university students called for changes to the public sector job quota system.
At the time, removing Hasina from office appeared unlikely, just months after she won a fourth straight term in an election that lacked genuine opposition.
However, the demonstrations gained momentum and tensions escalated after police carried out a deadly crackdown on 16 July.
Hasina’s state-appointed lawyer, who said they have not had any contact with her, has moved to dismiss the charges.
Her now-banned party, the Awami League, said it "categorically denies the charges that its senior leaders, and the prime minister personally, directed the use of lethal force against crowds during the protests of last summer".
The party said the violence was the result of “breakdowns in discipline among some members of the security forces on the ground in response to instances of violence", which led to a “regrettable loss of life”.
Hasina was also convicted of contempt of court in a separate case on July 2 and sentenced to six months in prison. She remains in India.
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The doctors had previously accepted a 22 per cent pay rise covering 2023 to 2025, which brought an end to earlier rounds of strikes.
JUNIOR doctors in England will go on strike from 25 to 30 July, their union said on Wednesday, after the British government said it could not meet their demand for an improved pay offer this year.
The doctors, also known as resident doctors, make up a large part of the medical workforce. They were offered an average 5.4 per cent pay rise but are seeking 29 per cent, saying this is needed to reverse years of real-terms pay erosion.
Health minister Wes Streeting described the strike as "completely unreasonable" in a statement after the five-day walk-out was announced. In a letter to the British Medical Association (BMA), the doctors’ union, he said the government could not go any higher on pay this year.
"The NHS recovery is hanging by a thread, and the BMA are threatening to pull it," he said. "The BMA should abandon their rush to strike and work with us to improve resident doctors' working lives instead."
The doctors had previously accepted a 22 per cent pay rise covering 2023 to 2025, which brought an end to earlier rounds of strikes.
The new strike action is likely to cause further disruption to thousands of appointments and procedures at hospitals across Britain, at a time when the government has said it is making progress in improving services at the state-funded National Health Service.
"Without a credible offer to keep us on the path to restore our pay, we have no choice but to call strikes," the co-chairs of the BMA's resident doctors' committee said in a statement.
The BMA said it had met Streeting on Wednesday, but the government wanted to focus on non-pay aspects of doctors' work.
INDIA's prime minister Narendra Modi is likely to travel to the UK by the end of this month for a visit that could see both sides formally sign the landmark India-UK free trade agreement and explore ways to expand bilateral ties in the defence and security sphere, diplomatic sources said.
Both sides are in the process of finalising the dates for Modi's visit to the country by the end of July or the first part of August, they said.
Earlier, there were indications that British prime minister Keir Starmer would visit India first. It is understood that Starmer may visit India later this year.
In May, India and the UK sealed the free trade agreement that is expected to benefit 99 per cent of Indian exports through tariff elimination and will make it easier for British firms to export whisky, cars and other products to India, while boosting the overall trade basket.
Along with the FTA - the biggest the UK has negotiated since leaving the European Union - the two sides also sealed a double taxation convention.
Modi had described the two pacts as a "historic milestone" to catalyse trade, investment, growth and job creation in both economies and further deepen the India-UK comprehensive strategic partnership.
The trade deal, finalised after three years of negotiations, is expected to ensure comprehensive market access for Indian goods across all sectors, and India will gain from tariff elimination on about 99 per cent of tariff lines (product categories) covering almost 100 per cent of the trade values, according to officials.
A British readout had said Indian tariffs would be slashed, locking in reductions on 90 per cent of tariff lines, with 85 per cent of these becoming fully tariff-free within a decade.
In 2023-24, India was the UK's second-largest source of investments in terms of the number of projects for the fifth consecutive year.
During Modi's visit, both sides are also expected to explore ways to expand defence and security cooperation. The two sides may also deliberate on the implementation of the Technology Security Initiative (TSI).
In July last year, India and the UK finalised the Technology Security Initiative that set out a new approach for collaboration in a range of priority sectors, including telecommunications, critical minerals, semiconductors and artificial intelligence, with a broader aim to elevate their strategic partnership to the next level.
The TSI would also provide a framework for building a broad UK-India semiconductor partnership that will leverage each other's strengths and incentives and explore mutually beneficial research and development as well as supply chain resilience, according to a statement.
It also seeks to build upon the ambitious cooperation agenda set out in the India-UK Roadmap 2030.