His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan greets India Prime Minister,
Shri Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on February 21, 2018.
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Air India CEO Campbell Wilson steps down as Air India Express chair
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson steps down as Air India Express chair
Apr 24, 2025
AIR INDIA CEO Campbell Wilson is stepping down as chair of Air India Express, the airline’s low-cost subsidiary. He will be replaced by Nipun Aggarwal, Air India’s chief commercial officer, according to an internal memo sent on Tuesday.
Wilson will also step down from the board of Air India Express. Basil Kwauk, Air India’s chief operating officer, will take his place.
Both Aggarwal and Kwauk will continue in their current roles at Air India, the memo showed.
The leadership changes come as Air India continues its multi-billion dollar restructuring under the Tata Group, which took over the airline two years ago.
As part of the turnaround strategy, the group has consolidated four airlines into two brands — full-service Air India and low-cost Air India Express, which merged with AirAsia India last year.
"With this structural work largely complete, the task at hand now to fully leverage and optimize the Group fleet, network, sales, distribution and loyalty assets," Wilson said in the memo seen by Reuters and confirmed by an Air India Express spokesperson.
Aggarwal joined Air India in January 2022 after playing a key role in the acquisition of the airline by the Tata Group.
Since then, he has overseen aircraft acquisition, financing, and strategy. Reuters reported last month that Air India is considering a large order for widebody aircraft.
Jet delivery delays have affected the airline’s restructuring plan. The delays have led Air India to operate older aircraft for longer than planned, increasing maintenance costs and affecting the pace of fleet renewal and expansion, even as demand for air travel continues to rise.
After Bloomberg News reported that China has told its airlines not to take further deliveries of Boeing aircraft amid ongoing trade tensions, a source told Reuters that Air India may be interested in acquiring aircraft that are rejected by China for use by its low-cost arm. The source said the situation remains fluid.
Air India and Boeing did not respond to requests for comment. Air India Express, which operates as a complementary service to its parent airline, declined to comment.
Air India Express currently has a fleet of over 100 aircraft, including 68 Boeing 737s and 36 Airbus A320s. It plans to add around 15 more aircraft in the current financial year, which began on April 1, with some planes coming from Air India.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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Prince Harry criticised tech companies for citing privacy laws to deny access
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Harry and Meghan urge tougher safeguards to protect children online
Apr 24, 2025
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have called for stronger protections for children online, warning that not enough is being done to shield young people from the dangers of social media
During a visit to New York, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle unveiled a new memorial dedicated to the memory of children whose families believe harmful online content contributed to their deaths. The installation, named the Lost Screen Memorial, features 50 smartphones, each displaying an image of a child lost to what their families describe as the adverse effects of social media. The memorial was made available to the public for 24 hours.
The images featured in the memorial were provided by members of the Parents’ Network, a support group established by the couple’s Archewell Foundation. The network connects parents whose children have suffered harm related to online activity, offering solidarity and advocating for systemic changes in tech policy.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Prince Harry said: “We want to make sure that things are changed so that no more kids are lost to social media.” He added that he is “grateful” that his and Meghan’s two young children are not yet exposed to the online world, stating, “Life is better off social media.”
At the Archewell Foundation event in New York, the prince spoke about the complex social dynamics that make avoiding social media difficult for many young people. “The easiest thing to say is to keep your kids away from social media. The sad reality is the kids who aren't on social media normally get bullied at school because they can't be part of the same conversation as everybody else,” he told journalists.
Both Harry and Meghan have expressed strong support for families seeking greater transparency from tech companies. They argue that bereaved parents should be granted access to the online activity of their children following their deaths. Prince Harry criticised tech companies for citing privacy laws to deny access, particularly to families in the UK.
“You are telling a parent, you are telling a dad and a mum that they can't have the details of what their kid was up to on social media because of the privacy of their kid. It's wrong,” said the prince, calling for accountability from the platforms involved.
Meghan described online harm as a “global issue”, asserting that “one thing we can all agree on is that children should be safe.” She commended the families who are speaking publicly about their loss in order to drive change. “I think in many ways what we see through these parents is the hope and the promise of something better,” she said. “They just want to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else.”
The couple’s foundation has been actively involved in promoting online safety and mental health initiatives, and continues to advocate for reforms that prioritise the well-being of young people in the digital age.
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An elite MI6 agent played by Priyanka Chopra Jonas
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Priyanka Chopra fronts action thriller ‘Heads of State’ with John Cena, Idris Elba
Apr 24, 2025
A dynamic of action, comedy, and political misadventure is set to hit Prime Video this summer with the release of Heads of State. The newly launched trailer teases a fast-paced, explosive ride featuring Priyanka Chopra Jonas, John Cena, and Idris Elba in lead roles. The film is slated to premiere globally on 2 July 2025.
Directed by Ilya Naishuller, the filmmaker behind Hardcore Henry and Nobody, Heads of State is billed as a cross between Air Force One and Midnight Run. The film places mismatched world leaders at the centre of a chaotic crisis that forces them to work together, despite their egos and rivalries.
Cena stars as U.S. President Will Derringer and Elba as British Prime Minister Sam Clarke, who is also a former action-movie star. Their first official diplomatic mission together takes a sudden turn when their plane comes under attack mid-flight. With their elite security teams compromised and an unidentified enemy closing in, the two heads of state are left with no option but to join forces.
As the duo scrambles to stay alive and uncover the source of the threat, they cross paths with Noel Bisset, an elite MI6 agent played by Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Her character brings the necessary tactical edge and no-nonsense attitude to the operation, acting as the glue that holds the chaotic trio together. From combat sequences to quick-witted exchanges, Chopra Jonas takes a commanding role in the unfolding drama, offering both firepower and diplomacy when it’s needed most.
The film’s narrative promises equal parts adrenaline and amusement, as Derringer and Clarke—both stubborn and larger than life—are forced into a reluctant alliance. Their on-screen chemistry, forged previously in The Suicide Squad, is expected to be a highlight once again, this time against a backdrop of global stakes and non-stop action.
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Heads of State also features an impressive supporting cast including Jack Quaid, Paddy Considine, Stephen Root, Carla Gugino, and Sarah Niles. Each actor adds to the multi-layered storyline that spans several continents and a variety of political tensions.
Filming commenced in London in May 2023 and continued across notable European locations. Key scenes were captured at St George’s Hall in Liverpool, the scenic streets of Trieste in Italy, and throughout Belgrade, Serbia—giving the film a distinctly international flavour and cinematic scale.
The screenplay was penned by Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, and Harrison Query, based on an original story by Query. The project was initially acquired by Amazon Studios in 2020, reuniting Cena and Elba for another action-packed venture.
With its combination of buddy comedy dynamics, espionage twists, and high-stakes international peril, Heads of State is positioned as one of Prime Video’s major summer releases. Viewers can expect sharp dialogue, globe-trotting drama, and memorable performances, especially from Chopra Jonas, who steps confidently into a physically demanding and pivotal role.
For audiences looking for a film that fuses explosive action with sharp humour and unexpected camaraderie, Heads of State could be one of 2025’s standout blockbusters.
Heads of State launches worldwide on 2 July 2025, exclusively on Prime Video.
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Afghan refugees arrive at a camp near the Torkham border last Sunday (20)
Afghan exodus soars as Pakistan deadline nears
Apr 24, 2025
MORE than 100,000 Afghans have left Pakistan in the past three weeks, the interior ministry said on Tuesday (22), after Islamabad announced the cancellation of residence permits.
Calling Afghans “terrorists and criminals”, the Pakistan government launched its mass eviction campaign on April 1. Analysts said the expulsions are designed to pressure Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, which Islamabad blames for fuelling a rise in border attacks.
The interior ministry said “100,529 Afghans have left in April”.
Convoys of Afghan families have headed to the border since the start of April, when the deadline to leave expired, crossing into a country mired in a humanitarian crisis.
“I was born in Pakistan and have never been to Afghanistan,” 27-yearold Allah Rahman said at the Torkham border last Saturday (19).
“I was afraid the police might humiliate me and my family. Now we’re heading back to Afghanistan out of sheer helplessness.”
Afghanistan’s prime minister Hasan Akhund last Saturday (19) condemned the “unilateral measures” after Pakistan’s foreign minister Ishaq Dar flew to Kabul for a day-long visit to discuss the returns.
Akhund urged the Pakistani government to “facilitate the dignified return of Afghan refugees”.
Afghans in Pakistan have reported weeks of arbitrary arrests, extortion and harassment by authorities, with many of those forcibly returned living in Sindh and Punjab provinces.
Many people left voluntarily, choosing to depart rather than face deportation, but the UN refugee agency UNHCR said more arrests and detentions took place in Pakistan in April alone – 12,948 – than in all of last year.
Pakistan’s security forces are under pressure along the border with Afghanistan as they battle a growing insurgency by ethnic nationalists in Balochistan in the southwest, and the Pakistani Taliban and its affiliates in the northwest. Last year was the deadliest in Pakistan in a decade.
The government frequently accuses Afghan nationals of taking part in attacks and blames Kabul for allowing militants to take refuge on its soil, a charge Taliban leaders deny.
Millions of Afghans have poured into Pakistan over the past decades fleeing successive wars, as well as hundreds of thousands since the return of the Taliban government in 2021.
Some Pakistanis have grown weary of hosting a large Afghan population as security and economic woes deepen, and the deportation campaign has widespread support.
“They came here for refuge, but ended up taking jobs, opening businesses. They took jobs from Pakistanis who are already struggling,” 41-yearold hairdresser Tanveer Ahmad said.
More than half of Afghans being deported were children, the UNHCR said last Friday (18). The women and girls among those crossing entered a country where they are banned from education beyond secondary school and barred from many sectors of work.
In the first phase of returns in 2023, hundreds of thousands of undocumented Afghans were forced across the border in the space of a few weeks.
In the second phase, announced in March, Pakistan cancelled the residence permits of more than 800,000 Afghans and warned thousands more awaiting relocation to other countries to leave by the end of April.
The April 30 deadline is final, Talal Chaudhry, an interior ministry adviser told a press conference in Islamabad, underlining that only those Afghans who hold valid visas to be in Pakistan would be allowed to stay.
The repatriation drive is part of a campaign called the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan launched in late 2023.
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SOAS Exhibition
Past Meets Present: South Asian Artists
Apr 24, 2025
London’s art scene gains a vibrant new voice this spring with (UN)LAYERING THE FUTURE: PAST OF SOUTH ASIA: YOUNG ARTISTS’ VOICES, a groundbreaking exhibition hosted by SOAS University of London. Running from April 11 to June 21, this group show brings together 26 emerging and established artists from six South Asian countries, presenting an ambitious array of creative works that delve into themes of memory, identity, history, and transformation.
The exhibition spans multiple mediums, including painting, sculpture, textiles, photography, video, and installation art, providing a layered and dynamic exploration of South Asia’s diverse cultural legacies and futures. From bold visual narratives to subtle sensory experiences, each piece reflects on the complexity of South Asia’s past while reimagining its future through the eyes of a new generation.
Many of the works on display are newly commissioned, offering fresh perspectives and experimental approaches that challenge conventional boundaries. Together, they act as a compelling chorus of young voices navigating post-colonial realities, diasporic identities, environmental concerns, and gender politics.
SOAS, known for its commitment to global perspectives and intercultural dialogue, serves as a fitting backdrop for this timely and resonant exhibition. Whether you're an art enthusiast, student, academic, or simply curious, (UN)LAYERING THE FUTURE invites visitors to engage with the stories and sensibilities that are shaping the cultural landscape of contemporary South Asia.
Don’t miss the chance to witness this powerful showcase of talent, vision, and critical storytelling—right in the heart of London.
More Info: www.soas.ac.uk
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