MAHATMA Gandhi’s universal messages of peace and reconciliation are being taken all over the world as part of his 150th anniversary celebrations.
In London on Tuesday (2), the Indian icon’s images and some of his famous sayings were projected on to a giant screen in Piccadilly Circus.
This was once considered the heart of the British empire.
Among his most quoted statements is one used by politicians of all colours in Britain as well as social reformers, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in Porbandar in Gujarat on October 2, 1869, so his 150th birth anniversary will not fall until next year.
But departing Indian High Commissioner Yash Sinha stood in front of the statue of Eros, a gathering point for young people from all over the world, as he explained: “This is part of the start of his 150th anniversary celebrations.”
The celebrations will continue through the year.
On Tuesday, Indian High Commissions and embassies held similar events all over the world.
“I pass by Piccadilly Circus every day and there could not be a more iconic spot.”
Gandhi, who first came to London in 1888 as a young law student to train as a barrister, grew to love the city. He would later make it clear he liked the British: his problem was with British rule.
The projection of Gandhi in Piccadilly Circus was for an hour from noon to 1pm.
“Normally they show ads here,” the High Commissioner said. “We will have thousands of footfalls from tourists.”
The images and sayings were projected onto the façade of India House in the Aldwych in the evening.
A woman leading a group of boys and girls from abroad briefly explained the significance of Gandhi before moving off.
The images and Gandhi quotations were prepared by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi and it is fair to say the Mahatma was good with pithy sound bites long before the age of television.
It is remarkable how relevant they are to the concerns and politics of young people in the west, especially on issues like sustainable development and non-violence. They would have been puzzled, though, by the sketch of the spinning wheel.
For example, the green lobby in Britain would certainly subscribe to Gandhi’s view: “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.”
He was spot on now that the message of the movie Wall Street – “greed is good” – has fallen out of favour.
Another saying popular in Britain is: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
This was recently quoted by assistant commissioner Neil Basu, the number three at Scotland Yard and Britain’s head of counter-terrorism.
It may be going too far to say Gandhi is more followed in Britain than in India, but today it is likely he would be treated like a rock star – much as the Dalai Lama is on his visits to the UK.
There were several timely messages on non-violence and terrorism: “Terrorism and deception are not the weapons of the strong but of the weak”; “Strength comes not from physical capacity, it comes from an indomitable will”; and “Non-violence is the virtue of the strong”.
A new book on viceroys makes the point that the Mahatma certainly irritated a succession of British rulers with his indomitable will.
Gandhi also said: “A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks he becomes.”
A 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Almería, southern Spain, at 7.13 am on Monday
The tremor was felt in over 50 towns, including tourist destinations like Malaga
No injuries have been reported, but building damage occurred in airports and showrooms
The quake follows a weekend of floods and severe weather in Spain
No UK Foreign Office travel warnings have been issued, but travellers are advised to check local alerts
Southern Spain was rocked by a 5.4-magnitude earthquake on the morning of Monda,y 14 July, with tremors felt across several provinces, including popular tourist destinations.
The earthquake struck at 7.13 am off the coast of Almería, nearly two miles below sea level, according to Spain’s National Geographic Institute (IGN). Despite its intensity, there have been no reported injuries, although some structural damage has occurred.
Where was the earthquake felt?
The tremor was experienced in more than 50 towns across seven provinces in southern Spain, including Almería, Granada, Jaén, Murcia, Alicante, Albacete, and particularly in Malaga, which was among the worst affected. Reports also indicate the quake was felt in parts of North Africa.
A tourist staying in Agua Amarga in Almería told Spanish newspaper El País, “I was sleeping, and the whole house shook for a few seconds. There was an incredible roar. It woke up my entire family and our neighbours.”
How severe was the earthquake?
Spain’s IGN measured the earthquake at 5.4 magnitude, corresponding to levels IV to V on the European Macroseismic Scale, classified as “widely observed” to “strong.” While the quake was more powerful than the 2011 Lorca earthquake, which killed nine people, including a pregnant woman, Monday's tremor occurred offshore, lessening the potential for destruction.
Andalusia emergency services confirmed receiving 25 calls from the public, though no injuries were recorded. However, damage to buildings was reported in various locations.
Damage to infrastructure
Almería airport sustained damage in its departures lounge, where ceiling tiles collapsed in a café area. A member of staff described hearing a sequence of noises, followed by a loud bang and a large cloud of dust. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
In Huércal de Almería, the ceiling of a Toyota showroom was also damaged.
Recent weather chaos in Spain
The earthquake follows a weekend of severe flooding and thunderstorms across parts of Spain. Streets were submerged in several towns, and emergency weather alerts remain in place for 25 provinces.
Catalan Health Minister Olga Pané told Catalan News that 71 hospital patients had to be evacuated to alternative facilities in the region, including Sant Camil, Bellvitge, and Viladecans.
Is it safe to travel to Spain?
The UK Foreign Office has not issued any travel warnings related to the Spain earthquakes or recent flooding. However, it advises travellers to monitor updates from Spain’s meteorological agency AEMET and follow the guidance of local authorities.
Travellers planning to visit affected regions should stay informed about ongoing weather and seismic developments and remain alert to any official advisories.
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Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
A PRELIMINARY report into last month's Air India plane crash that killed 260 people has raised further questions, and the investigation is still ongoing, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said in a memo to staff on Monday.
The initial report, released by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Saturday, pointed to confusion in the cockpit shortly before the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed.
In a staff memo reviewed by Reuters, Wilson wrote: “The report had triggered a new round of speculation in the media ... Unsurprisingly, it provided both greater clarity and opened additional questions.”
He added: “The preliminary report identified no cause nor made any recommendations, so I urge everyone to avoid drawing premature conclusions as the investigation is far from over.”
No mechanical faults found
The memo noted that the report found no mechanical or maintenance faults, and confirmed all required maintenance had been completed.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was flying from Ahmedabad to London when it began losing thrust shortly after takeoff. Of the 242 people on board, all but one died. Nineteen people on the ground were also killed.
According to the AAIB report, one pilot asked the other in the final moments of the flight why he had cut off the fuel.
“The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” the report said. It noted that the fuel cutoff switches for engine two flipped almost simultaneously, but did not specify how.
The report did not suggest any immediate action for Boeing or GE, which supplied the aircraft’s engines.
Pilot body rejects early conclusions
ALPA India, which represents Indian pilots at the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations, rejected any presumption of pilot error and called for a “fair, fact-based inquiry”.
Campbell Wilson added in his memo: “The pilots had passed their mandatory pre-flight breathalyser and there were no observations pertaining to their medical status.”
The flight’s commanding pilot was 56-year-old Sumeet Sabharwal, who had logged 15,638 total flying hours and was also an Air India instructor, according to the Indian government. His co-pilot, Clive Kunder, 32, had 3,403 hours of experience.
Air India faces broader scrutiny
Following the crash, Air India has come under increased scrutiny on multiple fronts.
On July 4, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency said it would investigate Air India Express, the airline’s budget unit, after a Reuters report revealed it had failed to promptly replace engine parts on an Airbus A320 as mandated and falsified records to indicate compliance.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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Trump will become the first elected political leader in modern times to be hosted for two state visits by a British monarch. (Photo: Getty Images)
KING CHARLES will host US president Donald Trump in September for a second state visit to Britain, Buckingham Palace announced on Monday.
The visit is scheduled to take place from 17 to 19 September.
“His Majesty the King will host the President and Mrs Trump at Windsor Castle,” the palace said in a statement. Further details will be shared later.
Trump said last month that he had agreed to meet King Charles after UK prime minister Keir Starmer delivered a handwritten letter from the monarch to him at the Oval Office.
Trump will become the first elected political leader in modern times to be hosted for two state visits by a British monarch.
The late Queen Elizabeth hosted Trump for a three-day state visit in June 2019 during his first term. That visit included a private lunch with the Queen and tea with Charles, who was then the Prince of Wales.
Starmer and Trump are also expected to meet in Scotland later this month, a source told Reuters last week. The specific date of the meeting has not yet been confirmed.
The two leaders have built a close relationship in recent months. Last month, they signed a framework trade deal during the G7 summit that formally reduced some US tariffs on British imports.
In May, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney criticised the UK's invitation to Trump for a state visit. He said it undermined the government's efforts to show a united front against Trump's remarks about annexing Canada.
Trump’s earlier visits to Britain have seen large protests. His 2018 trip required the deployment of 10,000 police officers and cost more than 14 million pounds.
Most Britons view the US president unfavourably, according to opinion polls.
State visits typically include ceremonial events such as an open-top carriage procession through central London and a formal banquet at Buckingham Palace.
(With inputs from agencies)
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A plume of black smoke rises from an area near the runway after a small plane crash, as seen from inside a building at London Southend Airport on July 13, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)
LONDON Southend Airport in Essex has been closed until further notice after a small plane crashed at the airport on England’s south-east coast on Sunday, according to police.
In a post on X, London Southend Airport said all flights to and from the airport have been cancelled while emergency services, police, and air accident investigators are at the scene.
“We remain on the scene of a serious incident at Southend Airport,” Essex Police said. The police said they were called just before 4 pm to reports of a collision involving a 12-metre (39.4-foot) aircraft.
It is not yet known how many people were on board the plane.
Photos published by British newspaper websites showed a fireball above Southend Airport, which is located around 35 miles (56 km) east of London.
The East of England Ambulance Service said it had deployed four ambulances along with other response vehicles to the site.
The airport’s website showed that five international flights were cancelled after the crash.
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'This fund will give hundreds of thousands of children, young people and their families a better chance,' Reeves said in a statement. (Photo: Getty Images)
THE UK government on Sunday launched a £500 million Better Futures Fund aimed at supporting up to 200,000 vulnerable children over the next 10 years.
According to the government, the fund will focus on helping struggling families by improving children's access to education and ensuring a safe home environment.
The announcement comes as prime minister Keir Starmer and chancellor Rachel Reeves face calls from Labour Party lawmakers to expand support for low-income families.
Earlier this month, Starmer was forced to scale back key parts of his welfare reform plan to secure parliamentary approval.
"This fund will give hundreds of thousands of children, young people and their families a better chance," Reeves said in a statement. "Our 'Plan for Change' will break down barriers to opportunity and give them the best start in life."
The finance ministry also said it plans to raise another £500million through contributions from local government, social investors and philanthropists.
Mel Stride, finance spokesman for the opposition Conservative Party, welcomed the funding but criticised Labour's economic approach, saying it had harmed struggling families.
The government is also reviewing the two-child limit on welfare payments to parents as it considers changes to several unpopular policies following a drop in its poll ratings.