A 32-year-old man, suspected of threatening a police officer on duty in Salford, has been arrested in a planned operation on Wednesday (21).
A team of officers including armed force and helicopter search carried the operation. The suspect was arrested past 10 pm on Wednesday, in Whalley Range.
The arrest was for the suspicion of firearm possession, which is a social threat, and for the possession of Class A drugs with an intention of supply. The team could recover a firearm from the suspect. Along with him, two women, aged 56 and 33, were also arrested for allegedly helping the offender.
The incident that led to this arrest took place on Monday, when the police officers attempted to stop a group of irresponsible e-bikers with anti-social behaviour on Great Clowes Street. One man among the riders kept an officer at gunpoint before fleeing the scene.
After a taser was deployed, police, the NPAS helicopter and armed forced teamed up for immediate search operation.
Followed by this, two men, aged 20 and 21 were detained from North George Street. They are kept in police custody to investigate further possession of firearms or drugs.
“This was a frightening and totally unacceptable incident that occurred in broad daylight. There is no place for guns on our streets and this positive action takes another firearm off the streets, a firearm that could have been used for a criminal purpose” said Simon Moyles, Detective Superintendent from Salford District. The officers involved in the incident will also be protected, he added.
The search operation for people with illegal possession of firearms and drugs continues in Manchester. The officers urge the citizens to be cooperative with them to maintain the peace of their locality.
The Great Manchester Police have discovered around 300 firearms, nearly a third of them being blank-firing arms, since April 2021. Around 76 blank-firers and a large number weapons were recovered through their weapons surrender scheme, in February 2025.
“If you have any information or CCTV from the area, please call us on 0161 856 4477 quoting log 1480 of 20/05/25. If you would prefer to remain anonymous, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111,” Detective Moyles informed. Citizens can also report footage and evidence via the GMP Evidence Portal https://gmp.uk.evidence.com/axon/community-request/public/AlbertParkFirearmsIncident.
BRITAIN needs more talented migrants who can create jobs and wealth in this country, a media expert has said, citing evidence from the latest edition of Eastern Eye’s Asian Rich List 2025.
Writing in the Independent on Saturday (16), Chris Blackhurst argued that “against the present backdrop of protests against immigration, the Asian Rich List illustrates that the UK has so much to be thankful for.” He added, “It is hard to imagine where the economy, wider society, would be without the loyalty, tenacity and public spirit of those on the list and the ones ascending fast. We urgently need more like them, not less.”
Blackhurst is an experienced business journalist and was previously the editor of the Independent from 2011-2013.In his comment piece, he noted how businessman Surinder Arora is one the leading hoteliers in the UK, having arrived in this country with very little money.
Arora owns Renaissance Hotel at Heathrow, where he was employed as a waiter, as well as the Fairmont Windsor Park, the InterContinental in east London, near the O2, and Luton Hoo, which he is developing as a luxury golf and health spa. “Arora’s story typifies the members of this year’s Asian Rich List,” Blackhurst said, adding, “what characterises many is a strong work ethic, coupled with relentless drive and determination to succeed.”
He also cited the examples of former prime minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty, whose father NR Narayana Murthy co-founded Infosys, the Indian IT giant.
Among other insights, Blackhurst noted the younger generation of Asian immigrants stepping up to take over the business empires built by their parents, such as the Arora’s son Sanjay and the Hinduja family. This year’s Asian Rich List includes 17 billionaires, while it is estimated the combined wealth of the 101 richest British Asians in the country is £126.26 billion, an increase of £6.22bn from the previous year.
Many Asians have made their mark in the hospitality and hotels sector. It was reported on Monday (18) that Arora has acquired the Ministry of Justice’s £245 million, with a view to revamping it into a luxury hotel in central London.
“Arora Group, owned by the billionaire Surinder Arora, has bought Queen Anne’s Mansions, near Buckingham Palace, from Land Securities, the FTSE 100 landlord,” the Times said, adding “the fourteen-storey building is fully let to the MoJ, which is due to move out in 2028 when its £15 million-a-year lease expires.”
The Hinduja family restored the former Old War Office Building in Whitehall into a luxury 120-room Raffles Hotel and with 85 serviced apartments.Another Asian businessman making headlines is Sharan Pasricha whose Estelle Manor, a country house hotel in Oxfordshire, was the venue for the wedding of Eve Jobs (the daughter of Steve Jobs) for her recent wedding.
Pasricha bought The Hoxton in London, in 2012 as well as Gleneagles in Scotland before transforming the hotel and golfing complex. While growing their wealth, many Asians are also committed to philanthropy, Blackhurst noted, among them Nirmal Sethia and Cyrus and Priya Vandrevala. Sethia provided funds for victims of the Grenfell fire and supports the Museum of London, while the Vandrevala couple are known for their work in mental health and are also patrons of Elephant Family.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.
London. A five-day Shiv Katha has begun at the International Siddhashram Shakti Centre to honour the victims of the tragic Air India crash, with prayers offered for their eternal peace. The programme, running from 18 to 22 August, is being led by HH Shri Rajrajeshwar Guruji with recitations by PP Shri Jogi Dada, and attended by devotees and dignitaries from India and abroad.
Opening the Katha, Shri Jogi Dada called it both a spiritual gathering and a heartfelt tribute to the passengers of the Ahmedabad–London flight. “Mahadev’s darshan equals a pilgrimage. It is inspiring to see the younger generation engaging in bhakti, which is vital for preserving our heritage."
Guruji spoke on the eternal energy of Shiv Shakti and chetna (consciousness). “Shiva is not just a deity but the ultimate consciousness. Through Shiv Katha we awaken inner energy and spread vibrations of peace across the world. May the departed souls attain eternal peace, and may their memories guide us towards compassion and unity,” he said.
The inaugural day saw the presence of Chaitanya Shambhu Maharaj, Shri Maheshbhai Bhatt, Dhruvbhai Bhatt and Rajendrabhai Thakkar. The evening concluded with Aarti and a sacred Rudrabhishek, performed in memory of the crash victims.
ASHVIR SINGH JOHAL has been named manager of Morecambe, becoming the first Sikh to take charge of a professional football club in Britain.
At 30, Johal is also now the youngest manager in England’s top five divisions. He takes over following the club’s recent takeover by the Panjab Warriors consortium and the departure of former boss Derek Adams.
Johal experience from roles at Leicester City’s academy, Wigan Athletic, and Italian side Como. He worked under Kolo Touré at Wigan and assisted Cesc Fàbregas with Como’s youth team.
He recently completed his UEFA Pro Licence, the highest coaching qualification, and has spent over a decade in player development.
In a previous interview with the BBC, Johal said: "I have been fortunate to work with and learn from some incredible people, and I'm especially grateful to Kolo and Cesc. I know what world-class standards look like, how to lead with clarity, and how to develop a team with a real identity.
"We will create an environment that brings the best out of people, that people want to be part of, and that drives people to improve every day."
His appointment follows a difficult period for Morecambe. The National League suspended the club over non-compliance with league rules, leading to postponed fixtures. The team is due to play Altrincham on Saturday (23), but as of Tuesday (19), they had only five contracted players and were not insured to train, making another delay likely.
Johal said his first focus will be to “identify the players as we need to perform well in the National League.”
Keep ReadingShow less
She criticised the UK government for what she described as eroding citizens’ rights and freedoms
Author Sally Rooney says she will continue to back Palestine Action, despite the group being proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK.
Writing in the Irish Times, she pledged to use her book earnings and public platform to support the group’s activities.
The Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has defended the ban, citing security risks and evidence of violent action.
Palestine Action has targeted UK arms companies and was linked to an incident at RAF Brize Norton, causing £7m worth of damage.
Sally Rooney reaffirms support
Irish novelist Sally Rooney has said she will continue to support the pro-Palestinian direct action group Palestine Action, even after its proscription as a terrorist organisation in the UK.
In an article published in the Irish Times, the award-winning writer of Normal People and Intermezzo said she would keep using the proceeds of her work — including residuals from the BBC adaptations of Normal People and Conversations with Friends — to fund the group.
“If this makes me a supporter of terror under UK law, so be it,” she wrote, describing her stance as part of resisting “genocide” in Gaza.
UK government’s stance
The group was banned by the UK government in July 2025. Defending the decision, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper argued that Palestine Action was not “a regular protest group known for occasional stunts” but an organisation linked to repeated unlawful activity.
She pointed to an “Underground Manual” allegedly produced by the group, which she said offered “practical guidance on how to identify targets to attack and how to evade law enforcement”.
Cooper added she had received “disturbing information” about future planned attacks, and warned: “These are not the actions of a legitimate protest group.”
Activities and legal cases
Since the ban, more than 700 people have been arrested, including over 500 at a central London demonstration last week.
The group’s most high-profile action came in June 2025, when members broke into RAF Brize Norton and sprayed two aircraft with red paint, causing an estimated £7m in damage.
In August 2024, alleged members also broke into Elbit Systems UK in Bristol — a subsidiary of the Israeli defence company — an incident which has led to criminal charges including aggravated burglary and violent disorder. The trial of 18 defendants is scheduled for November 2025.
Rooney’s history of activism
Rooney has previously spoken out against the group’s proscription, describing it in the Guardian earlier this year as an “alarming attack on free speech”.
In 2021, she refused permission for her novel Beautiful World, Where Are You to be translated into Hebrew by an Israeli publisher, saying she would only work with a company aligned with the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement.
In her latest opinion piece, she criticised the UK government for what she described as eroding citizens’ rights and freedoms “to protect its relationship with Israel”.
Context
The war in Gaza began after Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage. Israel’s subsequent military campaign has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health ministry figures, which the United Nations treats as broadly reliable.
Israel rejects allegations of genocide, but several international human rights organisations say its conduct amounts to genocide against Palestinians.
Keep ReadingShow less
Senior civic leaders, academics, and business figures attended this landmark event
First-ever official Indian Independence Day celebration hosted by the Consulate in Newcastle upon Tyne.
JM Meenu Malhotra DL, Honorary Consul General of India in England, led the event and hoisted the tricolour.
Cultural highlights included Mi Marathi Dhol Group, a classical dance by Madhura Godbole, and a Tamil flash mob by Spice FM.
Senior civic leaders, academics, and business figures attended, making it a landmark occasion for the Indian community in the North East of England.
Newcastle hosts first-ever official Independence Day event
The Indian Consulate in Newcastle upon Tyne hosted its first-ever official Independence Day celebration this week, coinciding with India’s 79th Independence Day. The event, hosted at the Civic Centre, coincided with India’s 79th Independence Day and was attended by a cross-section of civic leaders, academics, business representatives, and cultural figures.
The Indian Consulate in Newcastle upon Tyne hosted its first-ever official Independence Day celebration this weekAMG
Meenu Malhotra leads the ceremony
The ceremony was led by JM Meenu Malhotra DL, the Punjabi-born Honorary Consul General of India in England, who hoisted the Indian tricolour for the first time in Newcastle’s history.
JM Meenu Malhotra DL, the Punjabi-born Honorary Consul General of India in EnglandAMG
“It is a proud and historic moment for all of us here in the North East of England,” said Mr Malhotra. “On behalf of the Indian Consulate and my office, I extend warm greetings to everyone celebrating India’s 79th Independence Day with us today.”
Following the flag hoisting and national anthem, keynote addresses were delivered by Mr Malhotra, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, and the Deputy Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor Jacqui Robinson.
The Deputy Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor Jacqui Robinson with Mr Meenu MalhotraAMG
Cultural performances add colour
The celebrations opened with traditional drumming by the Mi Marathi Dhol Group, followed by a graceful classical dance performance by Madhura Godbole. The formal ceremony began at 11:00 am, concluding with a Tamil flash mob organised by Spice FM, which enthralled the audience.
- YouTube
Prominent attendees
The event drew notable figures, including Chris Whitehead, Kieran Fernandes, Susan Dungworth, Ciaron Irvine, Andy Long, Peter Heath, Keith Carruthers, Councillors Irim Ali, Hayder Qureshi, Deborah Burns, Taylor Wendy, Sadiq Mehrban, Colin Ferguson, and Doc Anand.
Business leaders Bunty Malhotra and Nidhi Malhotra Anand were also in attendance, along with cultural representatives from Beamish Museum and North East Museums.
A proud moment for the community
Closing the event, Mr Malhotra emphasised that the occasion represented “a proud and historic day for Indians in the North East of England,” underlining the growing cultural presence of the Indian diaspora in the region.