Sadiq Khan hears as youngsters share views on London's biggest challenges at youth summit
Some of the participants’ ideas were shared with the mayor who had asked his Violence Reduction Unit to gather ideas of young people to make London a better place and prepare a ‘Voice of Young Londoners’ report.
Hundreds of youngsters on Thursday (16) put forward ideas and solutions to some of London's biggest challenges in a special 'Voice of Young Londoners' report for Sadiq Khan, the capital's mayor.
More than 250 young participants gathered at the iconic London Stadium along with the mayor for the 'London Hope Hack' event which was organised by London's Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and its Young People's Action Group (YPAG). The goal was to bring together young people and provide them a platform to tackle key societal issues such as cost-of-living crisis, education, mental health and racism.
London mayor Sadiq Khan interacts with youngsters at London Hope Hack event on February 16, 2023. (Picture: London mayor press office)
The participants, aged between 14 and 25, took part in workshops that outlined the changes young Londoners would like to see to make the city a safer and fairer place to live and grow up in. They accessed programmes funded by the VRU to tackle violence and deliver positive opportunities.
Some of the youngsters' ideas were shared directly with Khan who had asked his VRU to capture views of young people throughout the day and prepare a 'Voice of Young Londoners' report. The mayor was set to use the report's findings to help inform his response to the big challenge that the city is facing.
Khan is dedicated to amplifying the voices of young people and said that his VRU was welcoming applications for a new cohort to join its agenda-setting YPAG. The YPAG is a group of young Londoners with lived experiences of violence, exploitation and school exclusion, that works alongside the VRU to ensure funding, programmes and policies work for and are shaped by young people.
A young participant speaks at London Hope Hack event on February 16, 2023. (Picture: London mayor press office)
Also present at the event was Carlton Cole, the former West Ham United, Chelsea and England striker who is currently a broadcaster, West Ham United Academy coach and an ambassador for West Ham and West Ham United Foundation, its community-focused organisation.
Cole is also in the middle of setting up a new mentoring programme -- Be Heard As One -- which aims to offer bespoke one-to-one support and mentoring services, including door-stop intervention, workshops, and therapy, to children, young people and young adults in Newham.
The VRU is bringing its network together to facilitate workshops and support young people on the day.
Youth workers, members from the VRU’s parents and carers champion network, its community-led programme MyEnds, and the YPAG will be involved in leading the day and working to promote and amplify the voice of young people.
The London Hope Hack – the biggest of its kind in the UK – is supported by the Hope Collective and the National Citizen Service, and follows others across the country, including Greater Manchester, Reading, the Midlands and Glasgow.
A participant speaks at London Hope Hack event on February 16, 2023. (Picture: London mayor press office)
Khan said, “Your background, social class and skin colour should have no bearing on how safe you feel in your neighbourhood or what you can go on to achieve.
“That’s why I set up London’s Violence Reduction Unit – the first in England and Wales – to support young people in fulfilling their potential and to ensure they have access to thousands of positive opportunities.
“I’m really looking forward to the London Hope Hack and hearing from young people about the challenges they face and the ideas and solutions they propose, because I’m committed to building a safer and fairer London for everyone.”
Reannah Britto, a member of YPAG, said, “The London Hope Hack gives young people in our communities the platform they might not usually get to put their ideas and solutions forward.
A scene from London Hope Hack event on February 16, 2023. (Picture: London mayor press office)
“We have a motto in the YPAG which is: Nothing about us, without us. Young people have ideas, views and solutions to the issues and challenges facing us. They need a platform and that’s what we do. We work to ensure young people’s voices are heard and involved in decision-making. It’s fantastic that the mayor of London has asked us to help capture those views at London Hope Hack to ensure decisions he makes in tackling key issues in our city continue to be informed by the views of young people.”
Lib Peck, director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit, said, “Listening and working with young people are at the very heart of everything we do as a Violence Reduction Unit.
“The London Hope Hack is an opportunity for young people to help shape how we tackle some of the big issues that affect society, and in some circumstances, disproportionately impact young people.
Young participants at London Hope Hack event on February 16, 2023. (Picture: London mayor press office)
“Our Young People’s Action Group is leading the way in doing just that in London. I would encourage young Londoners wanting to join them and use their voice to support young people and our communities to apply and help us promote hope through access to positive opportunities.”
Cole said, “It’s great to see a commitment from a range of organisations and services in supporting young people across London. The violence we are seeing affects all of us and so we all need to do our part in helping to improve the situation, particularly for young people, so they don’t feel forced into negative situations.
“I’m proud to be part of the work West Ham United Foundation are doing locally and also to be working with a team in Newham where we are looking to set up Be Heard As One to provide tailored support for young people. We believe all young people should have the same opportunities to be healthy and happy, no matter where they grow up, and this event is a good building block for the future.”
Joseph Lyons, West Ham United Foundation CEO, said, “We are committed to doing everything we can to harness the power of sport to make a positive difference to individuals, groups and communities and we know that youth voice is at the forefront of that. Issues linked to violence across the local area are multi-faceted and so the way in which we tackle them has to be flexible and comprehensive based on the need.
“This event is a great platform for young people to share their challenges, concerns and ideas in order to help support decision-makers in creating a safer and fairer London.”
Professor Niven Rennie, executive director of Hope Collective, said, “The Hope Hacks are going from strength to strength around the country where Violence Reduction Units and grassroots community organisations create a safe space and a fun environment for young people to discuss their ideas for what a fairer society might look like.
“We all know that a fairer society would lead to a safer society for young people to grow up and thrive in and that’s the goal of the VRU network of course.
“Delighted to see the progress being made in London and excited to visit the London Stadium and be part of what I’m sure will be one of the best Hope Hacks so far.”
Models depicting migrants wearing life jackets in a small boat alongside two banners reading 'Stop the boats' and 'Veterans before refugees' are displayed on top a bonfire in Moygashel, Northern Ireland, on July 9, 2025. (Photo by PETER MURPHY/AFP via Getty Images)
POLICE in Northern Ireland have launched a hate crime investigation after a bonfire topped with effigies of migrants in a boat was set alight in the village of Moygashel, County Tyrone.
The incident, which took place on Thursday (10) night, has drawn widespread condemnation from political leaders, church officials, and human rights groups.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed they had received several complaints about the display and were treating it as a hate incident.
In a statement, the PSNI said, “Police have received a number of reports regarding the bonfire in Moygashel and the material that has been placed upon it. Police are investigating this hate incident.
"Police are here to help those who are or who feel vulnerable, to keep people safe. We do this by working with local communities, partners, elected representatives and other stakeholders to deliver local solutions to local problems, building confidence in policing and supporting a safe environment for people to live, work, visit and invest in Northern Ireland, but we can only do so within the legislative framework that exists."
The model at the centre of the controversy showed 12 dummies dressed in life jackets inside a dinghy placed on top of the bonfire, with a banner reading “Stop the Boats.”
An Irish tricolour flag and a separate sign reading “Veterans before Refugees,” alongside images of two guns, were also attached to the structure.
The bonfire was part of the annual July 11 and 12 celebrations held by loyalist communities to mark the victory of Protestant King William of Orange over Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
Despite calls for its removal, the bonfire was set alight around 11pm, with a large crowd watching and filming on their phones. A pipe band played music and fireworks were set off before the fire was lit.
The display comes just weeks after attacks on migrants’ homes in nearby Ballymena, where masked rioters targeted police, homes, and cars.
Condemnation came from across the political spectrum. Sinn Féin assembly member Colm Gildernew called the act “vile and deplorable” and said it was “clearly a hate crime.”
Church of Ireland Archbishop John McDowell described the effigy as “racist, threatening and offensive,” calling it “inhuman and deeply sub-Christian.”
Social Democratic and Labour party councillor Malachy Quinn told The Irish News, “Those responsible for this hateful display claim to be celebrating British culture. Let’s be clear – racism and intimidation are not culture. This isn’t pride – it’s poison.”
Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland director Patrick Corrigan called the act “vile” and “dehumanising,” warning it fuelled hatred and racism.
Ulster Unionist party leader and Northern Ireland health minister Mike Nesbitt also condemned the display “without reservation,” calling the image “sickening” and “entirely out of step with what is supposed to be a cultural celebration.”
The Democratic Unionist party, Northern Ireland’s largest unionist party, issued a statement opposing the use of effigies or provocative symbols on bonfires, saying such acts “are not part of the cultural tradition.” The party added: “These should be positive cultural celebrations and we support those within our community who wish to celebrate their culture peacefully.”
However, prominent loyalist activist Jamie Bryson defended the bonfire display, arguing it was a form of political protest. He cited a European Court of Human Rights ruling that burning effigies could be considered “legitimate political expression.”
Bryson accused critics of hypocrisy, comparing the display to recent defences of performances by pro-unity rap group Kneecap.
In a social media post, the Moygashel Bonfire Association rejected claims of racism, saying the display was meant to protest illegal immigration. “This year’s bonfire ‘topper’ should not be seen as racist, threatening or offensive,” the group wrote. “We believe this unfettered invasion is the biggest threat to the UK since Adolf Hitler.”
This is not the first time Moygashel’s bonfires have drawn controversy. In 2024, a mock police car was burned on the same site, raising concerns in a region where police officers have historically been frequent targets.
Separately, the PSNI refused to help remove another bonfire in south Belfast earlier this week, despite safety concerns about asbestos and its proximity to an electricity substation that powers two hospitals. The police said after reviewing the risks, they decided not to intervene.
The July 12 bonfire tradition continues to be a flashpoint in Northern Ireland’s divided society, even decades after the 1998 Good Friday Agreement brought an end to most sectarian violence.
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A similar event held at the same site last year resulted in a planning enforcement notice being issued due to complaints of noise and disturbance.
A PROPOSED 10-day Hindu festival in Wembley, north London, has drawn objections over concerns about noise and disruption in the area.
Asian Events Media (AEM) has applied to Brent Council to host the Navratri celebration at Alperton Studios from September 22 to October 1, according to The London Standard.
The event would run from 6pm to 11pm on weekdays and until midnight on weekends.
A similar event held at the same site last year resulted in a planning enforcement notice being issued due to complaints of noise and disturbance. The notice remains in place.
Brent Council’s Planning Enforcement Manager (PEM) said granting the licence would “facilitate the criminal act of breaching [the notice]” and described the building as unsuitable for such events due to lack of soundproofing.
A local resident said last year’s noise was “loud and constant”, leading them to miss work. However, AEM said the previous organisers “were not professional” and blamed poor speaker placement and equipment choices.
AEM pointed to a previous event in Barham Park that drew no complaints and said they are “very, very strict” with sound levels.
The application will be reviewed by Brent Council’s Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing Sub-Committee on July 14.
The London Standard reported that neither the police nor the council’s Licensing Enforcement Officer have objected.
PAKISTAN’S army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir on Monday (7) rejected Delhi’s allegation that his military received active support from longtime ally China in its conflict with India in May.
The Indian Army’s deputy chief, Lieutenant General Rahul Singh, said last week that China gave Islamabad “live inputs” on key Indian positions.
Singh did not elaborate on how India knew about the live inputs from China.
Regarding the possibility of China providing satellite imagery or other real-time intelligence, India’s chief of defence staff had said such imagery was commercially available and could have been procured from China or elsewhere.
The “insinuations regarding external support” are “irresponsible and factually incorrect”, Munir said in an address to graduating officers of the national security and war course in Islamabad, according to an army statement.
Pakistani officials have previously dismissed allegations of receiving active support from China in the conflict.
Beijing and Islamabad have longstanding close relations, with billions of dollars of Chinese investment in the country’s energy and infrastructure.
India’s relationship with China meanwhile was strained after a 2020 border clash that sparked a four-year military standoff, but tensions began to ease after the countries reached a pact to step back in October.
India and Pakistan used missiles, drones and artillery fire during the four days of fighting in May – their worst in decades – triggered by an attack in April on tourists in Indian Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on Islamabad, before agreeing to a ceasefire.
Pakistan has denied involvement in the attack in April.
Singh also added that Turkey provided key support to Pakistan during the fighting, equipping it with Bayraktar and “numerous other” drones, as well as “trained individuals”.
Ankara has strong ties with Islamabad, and had expressed solidarity with it during the clash, prompting Indians to boycott everything from Turkish coffee to holidays in the country.
Turkey’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the allegations.
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Christine Kangaloo awards Narendra Modi with the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago last Friday (4)
INDIA’S prime minister, Narendra Modi met Argentine president Javier Milei in Buenos Aires last Saturday (5), urging the expansion of New Delhi’s preferential trade deal with South America’s Mercosur bloc.
The bilateral talks with Milei were the latest in Modi’s whistle-stop diplomatic tour culminating in the summit of Brics emerging economies which began last Sunday (6) in Brazil.
Diplomats from both countries at the meeting, which included a lunch, decided to “deepen bilateral relations and commercial ties,” according to a statement from the Argentine presidency.
John Dramani Mahama welcomes Modi on his arrival in Accra last Wednesday (2)
India’s foreign ministry diplomat, Periasamy Kumaran, told reporters Modi “requested Argentina’s support in expanding the India-Mercosur preferential trade agreement.” The Mercosur regional trade bloc, comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia, is seeking closer ties with Asian economies in the face of Trump’s global trade war.
“The two leaders discussed the necessity of diversifying and expanding bilateral trade” in sectors including defence, technology and health, said Kumaran.
They also touched upon cooperation in the energy sector, including gas and petrol, as well as lithium, a key mineral for the clean energy transition. Argentina is the world’s fifth largest producer of lithium, according to the US Geological Survey.
“Excellent meeting with president Javier Milei of Argentina,” Modi wrote on X of the leaders’ second bilateral talks.
“We have covered significant ground in our bilateral relations, but we agree that the journey ahead is even more promising!”
Modi last week visited Trinidad and Tobago which last Friday (4) bestowed its highest honour as the Indian prime minister seeks to strengthen New Delhi’s ties with the Caribbean and Latin America.
More than a third of the population in the country is of Indian descent.
President Christine Carla Kangaloo gave him the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at a ceremony at president’s House in St Ann’s, just outside the capital Port of Spain – the first time a foreign leader was so honoured.
“This honour is a symbol of the deep and eternal friendship between our two countries,” Modi said, according to an official translation. Relations between India and Trinidad and Tobago date back to 1845, when indentured Indian labourers first arrived to work on sugar and cocoa plantations under British colonial rule, following the end of slavery.
Between 1845 and 1917, more than 140,000 labourers settled in the Caribbean nation. The Indian community is now the country’s largest ethnic group, at 35.4 per cent of the population of 1.4 million.
Modi described Kangaloo and prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar “the biggest brand ambassadors of this community.” “India and Trinidad & Tobago rose from the shadows of colonial rule to write our destiny of progress. Our nations stand tall as proud democracies and pillars of strength in the modern world,” Modi wrote on X.
“It’s high time we all work together to give the Global South its rightful seat at the high table.”
Modi last Thursday (3) visited Ghana, in a first by an Indian leader in three decades.
He outlined plans for deeper ties between India and Africa, as New Delhi increasingly vies for a stronger economic presence on the continent along with China and Russia.
South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa, Brazil’s president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Modi and China’s premier Li Qiang at the Brics summit last Sunday (6)
In a speech to Ghana’s parliament, Modi highlighted a major rail project that opened in the west African nation last year, financed by the India Export-Import Bank.
He also underlined his country’s expanding diplomatic development and business footprint in Africa.
“Over 200 projects across the continent enhance connectivity, infrastructure and Industrial capacity,” Modi said. On the political front he welcomed “the establishment of Ghana-India Parliamentary Friendship Society in your parliament”.
In a meeting last Wednesday (2), Modi and Ghanaian president John Mahama agreed to deepen security and mining ties.
The Indian prime minister also last Thursday called for a greater global diplomatic role for both his country and Africa, warning that “the world order created after the Second World War is changing fast”.
A FRESH parliamentary initiative to establish a dedicated Sikh regiment within the British Army has gained momentum in the House of Lords, with defence minister Lord Coaker expressing willingness to engage in further discussions about the long-debated proposal.
The issue was raised in the House of Lords on Monday (7) by Labour peer Lord Sahota, who asked whether there had been any progress on long-standing calls for a Sikh regiment.
"Given the loyalty of Sikh soldiers in both world wars, there has been talk of having a Sikh regiment in the British Army for a number of years," Lord Sahota said.
Minister of state at Ministry of Defence, Lord Coaker, responded positively, saying he was "quite happy to meet him to see what more we can do to recognise the contribution of soldiers such as Sikhs, and those of many other faiths as well."
He also referenced the upcoming VJ Day commemorations on August 15, noting it would be an appropriate time to reflect on wartime sacrifices, particularly those of Sikhs worldwide.
While no firm commitment was made to establish a regiment, the exchange represents the most encouraging governmental response to the proposal in recent years.
Sikhs have served in the British Army since the mid-1800s and became renowned for their martial traditions. During the First World War, over 100,000 Sikhs served in France, East Africa, and Gallipoli.
Despite being less than two per cent of British India's population, they comprised roughly 20 per cent of the Indian contingent. In the Second World War, more than 300,000 Sikhs participated in campaigns across North Africa, Italy, and Southeast Asia.
The proposal for a British Sikh regiment has been raised repeatedly in Parliament. In 2007, plans were dropped after the Commission for Racial Equality expressed concerns about potential segregation.
The debate was revived in 2015 when former defence secretary Nicholas Soames urged the government to overcome "political correctness" and honour Sikh military service.
Sikh community leaders have consistently argued they could easily recruit enough volunteers for a regiment, pointing to precedents such as the Scots, Welsh, and Irish Guards, and the Royal Gurkha Rifles.
Currently, around 160 Sikhs serve in the British Army. The Defence Sikh Network continues to celebrate Sikh military traditions and encourage recruitment from the community.