Boris Johnson has appointed four British Asian leaders, including Priti Patel as the home secretary and Sajid Javid as Chancellor, as part of his top team in what has been dubbed as Britain's most diverse Cabinet as the new prime minister who has pledged that the UK would leave the EU on October 31, "no ifs, no buts."
Hours after Johnson was appointed by the Queen as Britain's new prime minister, he also named Alok Sharma as the international development secretary and Rishi Sunak as the chief secretary to the treasury.
"We will restore trust in our democracy and we are going to fulfil the repeated promises of Parliament to the people and come out of the EU on October 31, no ifs or buts," Johnson said on Wednesday.
Pro-Brexit campaigner Patel will now be in charge of the UK’s security, immigration and visa policies.
The 47-year-old has vowed to fight the “scourge of crime” and will be in the hot seat to fulfil some of her past promises of a fairer post-Brexit visa regime for everyone around the world, free of the freedom of movement norms imposed by the European Union (EU).
“The pressures being put on our services by immigration from the EU has meant that tough limits have been put in place on immigration from outside the EU," she said during her time as one of the prominent leaders of the Vote Leave campaign in the lead up to the June 2016 referendum in favour of Brexit.
Explaining further, she said that "this means that our relatives struggle to get visas to come to the UK for family celebrations, restaurants cannot employ skilled chefs from abroad, our temples cannot bring in priests, and we cannot bring people in for business, cultural or sporting events – as well as the thousands of talented professionals like doctors, teachers and engineers,” she said.
Fellow Brexiteer Sunak had also issued similar open letters in favour of fairer visa norms for everyone in the world.
The 39-year-old Conservative Party MP, who is married to Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy’s daughter Akshata, is an MBA graduate and investment expert who takes charge of one of the most important jobs in the UK Treasury, serving under the new chancellor, Javid.
The UK-born son of a pharmacist mother and a National Health Service (NHS) general practitioner father is an Oxford University and Stanford graduate. He co-founded a $1-billion global investment firm and specialised in investing in small British businesses before his entry to the British Parliament in the 2015 general election.
Since his re-election in the 2017 snap election called by Theresa May, Sunak has long been considered a rising star as he took over junior ministerial roles and was widely tipped for a promotion in the Johnson Cabinet.
“From working in my mum's tiny chemist shop to my experience building large businesses, I have seen how we should support free enterprise and innovation to ensure Britain has a stronger future,” Sunak had said during the Brexit referendum.
He strongly believes that small businesses in the UK would flourish as a result of Brexit as the “vast majority of British businesses (94 per cent) don’t have anything to do with the EU; but they are still subject to all EU law”.
India-born Alok Sharma backed Johnson in the Conservative Party leadership contest as the leader best placed to launch a “coherent unambiguous plan to deliver Brexit and take us out of the European Union”.
The 51-year-old Conservative Party MP who was serving as employment minister has been promoted to a full-fledged Cabinet post in the Department for International Development (DfID), where he will be in charge of the UK's aid budget and partnerships.
“We will work across the whole of government to deliver Brexit and make sure UK aid is tackling global challenges that affect us all, such as climate change, disease and humanitarian disasters,” said Sharma, in reference to his new job.
“I am committed to transforming the lives of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people, giving them access to quality education and jobs, while promoting Britain's economic, security and foreign interests,” he added.
The Cabinet has more ethnic minority key ministers than any previous UK ministerial team.
“It proves that in modern Britain you can reach the highest office regardless of your background or origins. It also signals the different approach which Boris Johnson is expected to take towards immigration – welcoming the best and brightest talent to the UK – based on the needs of the economy rather than setting arbitrary targets,” said Indian-origin peer Lord Jitesh Gadhia.
The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for thunderstorms across parts of eastern and south-eastern England, in effect from 20:00 BST on Friday to 05:00 on Saturday. The affected area spans from Eastbourne in East Sussex to Cromer in north Norfolk.
The warning indicates a high risk of disruption, with flash flooding, power cuts, and hazardous travel conditions expected. The Met Office warns that flooding of homes and businesses is likely, and delays or cancellations to bus and rail services are possible due to surface water and lightning strikes.
Heavy rain and strong winds forecast
According to the forecast, some locations within the amber zone could see between 30mm and 50mm of rainfall, accompanied by wind gusts exceeding 40–50mph. There is a heightened risk of frequent lightning and intense downpours, leading to flash floods and dangerous driving conditions.
The affected area spans from Eastbourne in East Sussex to Cromer in north NorfolkGetty Images
The Met Office said fast-flowing or deep floodwater could pose a danger to life. People are advised to remain indoors during the worst of the weather and avoid unnecessary travel. Where travel is essential, extreme caution is urged.
Public urged to prepare
Residents in affected areas are being encouraged to check on vulnerable neighbours, especially those who may require assistance with food or medication. The Met Office recommends staying updated with local forecasts, charging electronic devices in advance, and securing outdoor furniture or loose items.
Yellow warnings cover wider region
Alongside the amber alert, several yellow thunderstorm warnings have also been issued:
South-west England and Wales: 14:00–23:59 on Friday
Eastern and south-eastern England: 19:00 on Friday to 06:00 on Saturday
Wales, western and northern England, and Scotland: 00:00–18:00 on Saturday
Heavy rain and thunderstorm warningBBC
Although yellow warnings indicate a lower risk than amber, the severity of thunderstorms could still be high in isolated areas. The warning for Saturday covers more of the UK as the storm system moves westward.
Heatwave peaks before storms arrive
The weather alert comes as Friday could become the hottest day of 2025 so far, with temperatures possibly hitting 30°C around the Norwich area. This would surpass the previous high of 29.3°C recorded at Kew, London, on 1 May.
Elsewhere across East Anglia and south-east England, temperatures are expected to reach the mid to high twenties, which is about 7–10°C above the seasonal average.
Cooler weekend ahead
With rising humidity and atmospheric instability, the thunderstorms are expected to mark the end of the hot spell. Saturday will bring cooler conditions, with temperatures dropping to the low to mid-twenties in the east and the high teens across other parts of the UK.
The Met Office continues to monitor the situation and has advised the public to follow the latest forecasts and travel updates.
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.
Shergill and his accomplices were arrested on different dates in 2020
THE head of an organised crime group who claimed he was a male escort while masterminding an international operation to import cocaine into the UK has been sentenced to 21 years and three months in jail.
Kulvir Shergill, 43, from the West Midlands, told National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators he made a living through male escort bookings, teaching martial arts and working as a personal trainer.
However, an NCA investigation showed Shergill’s crime group imported around 250kg of cocaine with a street value of £20 million between February 26 and April 24, 2020. The gang used the encrypted communications platform EncroChat in order to arrange the drugs deals.
Shergill and his accomplices are “directly responsible for the horrendous consequences Class A drugs (banned) have among our communities,” said Rick Mackenzie, NCA operations manager. “Proceeds of crime proceedings have been started and all identified assets owned by the defendants have been frozen and are currently under restraint. The NCA will work with our partners at the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service] to ensure that any money made from their drug enterprise is recovered.”
Shergill arranged premises for class A drugs to be delivered to in the UK using the EncroChat handle “orderlyswarmer”, the investigation found. He would liaise with contacts in the Netherlands over impending deliveries, before his group distributed them around the country.
Shergill and his accomplices were arrested on different dates in 2020. He initially denied smuggling class A drugs, but eventually admitted the offence.
On September 20 last year, Shergill was jailed at Birmingham crown court. The news can now be reported after the last member of his gang, 43-year-old Jagdeep Singh, was jailed for the same offences last week.
Singh was an electrician by trade, and was tasked with taking receipt of drug deliveries and acting as a warehouseman. At the time of his arrest in April 2020, he was in possession of 30kg of high-purity cocaine.
He has now been sentenced to six years and eight months behind bars.
Three other gang members were also sentenced last September – Khurram Mohammed, 37, jailed for 14 years and four months was Shergill’s second-in-command and a trusted worker.
Shakfat Ali, 38, who travelled around the UK on behalf of the group and is believed to have delivered drugs, was jailed for 16 years and nine months; while Mohammed Sajad, 44, a trusted member of the group, was jailed for 16 years.
Keep ReadingShow less
Motorists are being advised to expect significant disruption
Drivers are facing long delays on the M62 following a lorry crash near Warrington that led to a significant fuel spill on the carriageway.
The incident occurred when the lorry struck railings on a bridge on the A49 Newton Road, causing fuel to leak onto the motorway below. As a result, the M62 has been closed in both directions within junction 9, and the junction 8 eastbound entry slip road is also shut.
Cheshire Police said the motorway could remain closed for several hours. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported.
National Highways confirmed that traffic is being diverted via exit and entry slip roads. The agency is working to install a new barrier and repair damage caused by the fuel spill. No clear timeline has been provided for when the road will reopen.
Motorists are being advised to expect significant disruption. There are currently delays of up to 60 minutes eastbound and 20 minutes westbound, with congestion building in both directions.
Drivers are urged to avoid the area if possible and allow extra time for journeys while the clean-up and repairs continue.
Keep ReadingShow less
A view shows Air India flight AI 379 that had to make an emergency landing back at Phuket Airport, due to a note of a bomb threat discovered mid-air, in Phuket, Thailand, June 13, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)
AN AIR INDIA flight from Phuket, Thailand to New Delhi returned to the Thai island on Friday after a bomb threat was discovered on board, according to Thailand’s airports authority.
The flight had taken off from Phuket and was en route to India when the pilot reported a possible threat and made an emergency landing.
Airports of Thailand stated on its Phuket Facebook page that the pilot of the Airbus A320 informed air traffic control after a message indicating a bomb threat was found inside the aircraft.
"We received a report of a bomb threat written inside the aircraft's bathroom, so the pilot informed the control tower and decided to divert the flight to Phuket International Airport after circling to burn off fuel," said Monchai Tanode, director of Phuket International Airport, at a press conference.
"Police have brought in several suspects, but have not yet been able to identify who wrote the message," Monchai added.
According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, the aircraft made a U-turn over the Andaman Sea shortly after takeoff, then circled repeatedly off Phuket’s coast before landing back at the airport.
The website showed that the flight departed again at 4:28 pm (0928 GMT), more than seven hours after its scheduled departure.
The incident took place a day after another Air India flight, bound for London, crashed in Ahmedabad, killing at least 265 people both on board and on the ground.
(With inputs from agencies)
Keep ReadingShow less
Debris of Air India flight 171 is pictured after it crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 13, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
INVESTIGATORS have recovered the black box from the site of Thursday’s Air India crash in Ahmedabad, where a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London’s Gatwick airport went down shortly after takeoff, killing at least 265 people, including those on the ground.
The aircraft issued a mayday call shortly before crashing into a residential area around lunchtime. The plane had barely lifted 100 metres from the ground before it came down, with its tailpiece left protruding from the second floor of a hostel for medical staff from a nearby hospital.
Air India said the flight carried 242 people, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, one Canadian and 12 crew members. According to police, 265 bodies have been counted so far, including at least 24 on the ground. Authorities warned that the death toll could rise as more remains are recovered.
Deputy commissioner of police Kanan Desai confirmed the body count on Friday. Home Minister Amit Shah said in a statement that the official death toll would be announced after DNA testing is completed. Samples will also be collected from family members living abroad, he added.
A formal investigation has been launched by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said. The probe will follow International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) protocols. He said a high-level committee comprising experts from multiple disciplines was also being set up to examine the incident and improve aviation safety.
Visited the crash site in Ahmedabad today. The scene of devastation is saddening. Met officials and teams working tirelessly in the aftermath. Our thoughts remain with those who lost their loved ones in this unimaginable tragedy. pic.twitter.com/R7PPGGo6Lj — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 13, 2025
Prime minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site on Friday and met survivor Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national, at the hospital. Ramesh, who was injured in the crash, said, “Initially, I too thought that I was about to die, but then I opened my eyes and realised that I was still alive.”
“Everything happened in front of me, and even I couldn’t believe how I managed to come out alive from that,” he added. “Within a minute after takeoff, suddenly... it felt like something got stuck... I realised something had happened, and then suddenly the plane’s green and white lights turned on.”
Eyewitnesses said the nose and front wheel of the aircraft landed on a canteen where students were having lunch. Search and rescue teams worked through the night to locate the black box flight recorders, which are expected to provide vital information about the plane’s final moments.
The UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch has offered assistance to India, and the US National Transportation Safety Board will also help with the investigation. Boeing said it was supporting Air India and was “working to gather more information” on the crash.