PRIME minister Boris Johnson and home secretary Priti Patel visited the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden, north London, on Sunday (7) to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.
The leaders, who were welcomed with traditional Indian garlands at the Neasden temple, also paid tribute to volunteers who helped during pandemic and the vaccination efforts and joined religious ceremonies. They offered a fruit basket at the temple’s inner sanctum, where they spent several minutes viewing the intricate architecture.
They also viewed the ‘annakut’ - food artistically arranged before the deities as the first meal of the Hindu New Year.
Both politicians performed the abhishek (offering water over a sacred idol) of Shri Nilkanth Varni, the teenage form of Lord Swaminarayan.
Johnson and Patel viewed exhibits summarising the temple’s nationwide Covid-19 relief efforts – an initiative inspired by His Holiness (HH) Pujya Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha.
Johnson said, “What His Holiness (the late Param Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj) has contributed to the United Kingdom has been incalculable. I see it here today at the Neasden temple. I have been here many times, but I don’t think I have ever been here at a time when the Neasden temple has been so central to the life of the whole of the London community.”
Patel said the temple has been at the forefront of “every single activity in the local community, but also at a time of a national crisis which, of course, the pandemic was.”
She also praised the “incredible work” of the temple, which the prime minister added as “an absolutely perfect representation of community spirit in action”.
Johnson who, along with Patel, also met BAPS volunteers, shared a video of the temple visit on his Twitter handle and praised the organisation for its efforts in fighting the pandemic.
"We have met some of the people who have done such an incredible job just over the road in the community centre, vaccinating people. They've vaccinated, I think, 120,000 people including boosters and they are still coming in. They have done an amazing job," the prime minister said.
"Happy Diwali to everyone in the wonderful Hindu community here in the UK", he said as both the prime minister and the home secretary greeted people on the Hindu new year.
The video gathered more than 89,000 views on Monday (8).
“Inspiring to see community spirit in action @NeasdenTemple today. @PritiPatel and I saw the incredible contribution Hindus make to the UK, from serving in our police and NHS to rolling out the Covid vaccine. Happy New Year and Shubh Diwali to our wonderful Hindu community!” the prime minister said in his Twitter message.
Sanjay Kara, a BAPS trustee in the UK, said it was an honour to have the prime minister and the home secretary join the local community of British Hindus to celebrate Diwali at the temple.
“We offer our prayers that they can serve the public ably and look forward to working with them in support of our great nation,” Kara said.
Minouche Shafik named chief economic adviser to Keir Starmer.
Darren Jones moves into Downing Street role; James Murray replaces him.
Wider reshuffle includes changes in Starmer’s private office and communications.
Appointment comes ahead of a budget expected to include further tax rises.
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.
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.
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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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Narendra Modi talks with Vladimir Putin and Xi jinping ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 at the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Centre in Tianjin on September 1, 2025.
SCO condemns terror attack in Pahalgam and echoes India’s stance on “double standards”.
Leaders call for justice for perpetrators of attacks in Pahalgam and Balochistan.
Declaration criticises Israeli military strikes in Gaza causing civilian casualties.
SCO stresses UN’s central role in global counter-terrorism strategy.
THE SHANGHAI Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Monday condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam and agreed with India’s position that “double standards” in tackling terrorism are not acceptable.
The grouping outlined its position in a declaration at the end of its two-day annual summit in the Chinese port city, attended by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, Chinese president Xi Jinping, Russian president Vladimir Putin and other leaders.
SCO stance on regional security
The declaration highlighted regional security as a priority and described terrorism as a major challenge.
“The member states strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22,” it said.
The SCO also condemned terror strikes in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, including those in Khuzdar and on the Jaffer Express.
“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.
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.
No place for double standards
Reaffirming its commitment to fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism, the SCO said it opposed attempts to use such groups for “mercenary purposes.”
“The member states strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, stress that double standards in the fight against terrorism are unacceptable, and call on the international community to combat terrorism, including cross-border movement of terrorists,” it said.
The SCO underlined the role of sovereign states and their authorities in countering terrorist and extremist threats. It also said the United Nations has the central role in implementing relevant Security Council resolutions and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, in line with the UN Charter and international law, to jointly counter terrorist groups.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Anti-migrant protesters demonstrate outside the Cladhan Hotel on August 30, 2025 in Falkirk, Scotland. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
BRITISH police said they arrested five people on Saturday (30) after masked men tried to force their way into a hotel used by asylum-seekers, a day after the government won a court ruling on the use of another hotel to house migrants.
Two groups of anti-asylum protesters marched to the Crowne Plaza Hotel near Heathrow Airport before some demonstrators tried to break in, London's Metropolitan Police force said.
Two police officers suffered minor injuries, it said.
"We understand strength of feeling on these issues, but where peaceful protest crosses the line into criminality, including injuries to our officers, we will take immediate action," commander Adam Slonecki said in a statement.
In Scotland, protesters also demonstrated against the use of a hotel in the town of Falkirk, where asylum seekers are believed to be housed.
In a separate incident, three men were arrested late on Friday (29) outside another hotel used to house asylum-seekers in Epping in east London.
"The overwhelming majority of people in Epping tonight clearly wanted their voices to be heard and they did that safely and without the need for a police response," said assistant chief constable Glen Pavelin of Essex police.
"However, the right to protest does not include a right to commit crime and tonight a small number of people were arrested. Two officers sustained injuries which are thankfully not serious," he added.
The local authority in Epping is expected to decide on Monday (1) whether to challenge the appeals court decision in the Supreme Court.
At least 13 other councils are also considering pressing ahead with legal action over the use of asylum hotels in their areas, The Times daily reported.
The protests in Epping have spread to other parts of Britain, amid growing frustration at the continued arrival of small boats packed with migrants across the English Channel from France.
The government of prime minister Keir Starmer on Friday won a court ruling that overturned a previous court decision that asylum-seekers would have to be evicted from the hotel in Epping where a resident was charged with sexual assault.
Earlier, Starmer promised to "smash the gangs" enabling migrants to make the journey.
The prime minister posted on X on Saturday: "I am clear: we will not reward illegal entry. If you cross the Channel unlawfully, you will be detained and sent back."
But critics pointed out that more irregular migrants have arrived since the start of January 2025 than in the same period last year.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch backed Tory-run councils to pursue legal action against migrant hotels.
"Keir Starmer has shown that he puts the rights of illegal immigrants above the rights of British people who just want to feel safe in their towns and communities," Badenoch posted on X.
Concern about immigration has risen to the top of the political agenda in Britain after an increase in migrants using small boats to reach the country.
More than 32,000 migrants were being housed in around 200 hotels across the country at the end of June, according to government figures.