Pramod Thomas is a senior correspondent with Asian Media Group since 2020, bringing 19 years of journalism experience across business, politics, sports, communities, and international relations. His career spans both traditional and digital media platforms, with eight years specifically focused on digital journalism. This blend of experience positions him well to navigate the evolving media landscape and deliver content across various formats. He has worked with national and international media organisations, giving him a broad perspective on global news trends and reporting standards.
London mayor Sadiq Khan's plan to legalise cannabis has suffered a set back as the Labour shadow justice secretary said that the party will oppose any such move if it wins the next general election, media reports said.
Steve Reed said that the party would not look to decriminalise or legalise any recreational drugs, and Khan will not be given powers to do so, reported The Telegraph. He added that Labour will not allow Khan to turn London into a 'drug supermarket'.
“Khan is entitled to his view, but mayors will not be responsible under this government or under a Labour government for that policy. So he can express whatever he likes, but he'll never have the opportunity to do it under a Labour government because we won't be liberalising drugs laws," Reed was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.
“He’s contributing to a debate, but he won't have the power to do anything about it, however that comes about.”
Khan launched a commission, chaired by Lord Charlie Falconer QC, a former lord chancellor and justice secretary, to examine the effectiveness of the UK’s drug laws, with a particular focus on those governing cannabis.
Under a pilot scheme, the London mayor wants to end the prosecution of young people caught with cannabis in some London boroughs. It is based on a successful model developed by the Thames Valley police under which classes or counselling were offered to under-25s caught with small quantities of cannabis rather than arrest.
In May, Khan also travelled to Los Angeles to learn about the effects of cannabis legalisation.
Surprisingly, senior Labour figures, including David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, have previously backed drug reform. But, party leader Keir Starmer has already made it clear that 'laws of drugs will not be relaxed'.
Reed also mentioned his struggles to tackle a drug problem in Brixton when he was the leader of Lambeth Borough Council.
“You couldn't walk 100 yards from the tube station to the bus stop without people stopping you to try and sell you drugs and it deterred people coming there for recreation [and] to use local shops and businesses,” he said.
“It was really driving the area into a downward spiral economically. But in addition to that, because that created the sense that you could come and buy your drugs in Brixton, it became like London’s drug supermarket.”
A BRITISH F-35B fighter jet that had been grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport for over a month flew out on Tuesday after completing maintenance.
The jet took off at 10.50 am and flew to Darwin in Australia, airport sources told PTI.
"A UK F-35B aircraft, which landed following an emergency diversion on June 14, departed today from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. A UK engineering team, deployed since July 06, completed the repairs and safety checks, allowing the aircraft to resume active service," a British High Commission spokesperson said.
In a statement, the spokesperson added that the UK remained very grateful for the support and collaboration of the Indian authorities and airport teams throughout the repair and recovery process.
"We look forward to continuing to strengthen our defence partnership with India," the statement said.
The jet had been moved out of the hangar and positioned at the airport bay on Monday.
The F-35B Lightning fighter jet is part of the British Royal Navy’s advanced stealth fleet. Valued at over USD 110 million, it is considered one of the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world. It had remained parked at the airport since June 14 after developing a technical issue.
The aircraft had taken off from HMS Prince of Wales on 14 June but could not return to the carrier due to adverse weather conditions. Prioritising safety, it diverted to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport and landed safely.
While on the ground, the aircraft developed an engineering issue, delaying its return to the Carrier Strike Group.
Engineers from HMS Prince of Wales assessed the aircraft and concluded that support from a UK-based engineering team was needed.
The UK accepted India’s offer to move the aircraft to the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility.
To avoid disrupting normal airport operations, the aircraft was moved only after the UK engineering teams arrived with the required specialist equipment.
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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.
AIR INDIA said on Tuesday that it had completed precautionary inspections of the fuel control switch locking mechanism on all its Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft, and no issues were found.
The inspections come amid an investigation into the Air India crash that resulted in the deaths of 241 people on board and 19 on the ground. The probe is focused on the fuel control switches of the Boeing 787 jetliner. A final report from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is expected within a year of the incident.
The fuel control switches manage fuel flow to aircraft engines, allowing pilots to start or shut them down while on the ground, or manually intervene during an in-flight engine failure.
Air India started voluntary inspections of the switches on July 12. Following this, India’s aviation regulator directed all domestic carriers to carry out similar checks. Some foreign airlines and regulators also followed suit.
A preliminary report issued earlier this month by the AAIB said the switches had almost simultaneously flipped from ‘run’ to ‘cutoff’ shortly after takeoff, leading to loss of engine power.
The report referred to a 2018 advisory from the FAA that had urged operators of certain Boeing models, including the 787, to inspect the locking mechanism on the fuel cutoff switches to prevent unintentional movement.
Both the FAA and Boeing have issued private notifications stating that the fuel switch locks on Boeing aircraft are safe, Reuters had reported.
Reuters also reported last week, citing a source, that a cockpit recording from the Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick suggested the captain had cut fuel to the engines.
The AAIB has said it is too early to reach any conclusions.
Air India uses Boeing 787 twin-aisle jets for long-haul flights, while its low-cost arm, Air India Express, operates Boeing 737 single-aisle aircraft.
(With inputs from agencies)
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People crowd a street as firefighting trucks remain on standby outside a school where an Air Force training jet crashed in Dhaka on July 21, 2025.
Jet crash at school in Bangladesh kills 27, including 25 children
Classes cancelled at Milestone School and College following tragedy
National day of mourning declared by interim leader Muhammad Yunus
Military investigating mechanical failure in fighter jet
FAMILIES and teachers gathered at Milestone School and College in Bangladesh on Tuesday, a day after a training fighter jet crashed into the campus, killing 27 people, including 25 children, in the country's deadliest aviation incident in decades.
The Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft crashed on Monday just after pupils had been let out of class. The jet struck the school building, killing students and two others.
"So far, 27 people have died. Among them, 25 are children and one is a pilot," said Sayedur Rahman from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. He was updating an earlier toll of 20.
"Seventy-eight people are being treated in different hospitals," Rahman added. He is the special assistant to the ministry's chief adviser.
The military, which is investigating the crash, said more than 170 people were injured.
School remains shut after crash
Classes were cancelled on Tuesday. The school, usually full of activity, remained quiet.
"Along with the children, the school has lost its life," said Shahadat Hossain, a teacher whose son narrowly escaped the crash.
"There are two swings in front of the affected building. During lunch breaks and after school, children play there. Even yesterday, around the time the plane crashed, students were on those swings," he told AFP.
Milestone School and College has around 7,000 students. Abul Bashar, whose sixth-grade son attends the school, said his son’s best friend was among those killed.
"He came out just two or three minutes before the accident occurred," Bashar said.
"He couldn't sleep through the night and forced me to bring him to school this morning," he added. His son stood silently next to him.
Ongoing recovery and investigation
School staff have begun collecting students' belongings, including bags, shoes and identity cards, from the crash site.
Pahn Chakma, a senior police officer, said the armed forces are still searching the area.
"They will hand over the place to the police later, and we will then collect evidence, including any human remains or belongings of students and others," said Chakma.
Air Force personnel said the jet’s remnants were removed on Monday night, but they continue to search for more evidence.
"I don't know how long it will take to return to normalcy, to relieve the children from this trauma," said teacher Hossain.
On Monday night, the school held prayers at the campus.
National mourning declared
Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus expressed "deep grief and sorrow" over the incident and declared a day of national mourning.
"The loss suffered by the Air Force, the students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College, as well as others affected by this accident, is irreparable," Yunus said.
"This is a moment of profound pain for the nation."
The military said the pilot, flight lieutenant Towkir Islam, was on a routine training flight and "reportedly encountered a mechanical failure".
He attempted to steer the jet away from populated areas but, "despite his best efforts", the aircraft crashed into the two-storey school building, the military said on Monday.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Migrants swim to board a smugglers' boat in order to attempt crossing the English channel off the beach of Audresselles, northern France on October 25, 2024.
THE UK government on Monday launched a new sanctions regime targeting people-smuggling gangs and their enablers, which it described as the first of its kind globally.
Under the new regime, the UK will be able to freeze assets, impose travel bans, and block access to the country’s financial system for individuals and organisations involved in facilitating irregular migration. These actions can be taken without the need to rely on criminal or counterterrorism legislation.
The sanctions regime was first outlined by foreign secretary David Lammy in January. The government said it would work alongside powers included in the Border, Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which is yet to be passed.
Prime minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government is under pressure to fulfil its promise to stop the movement of tens of thousands of people arriving in small boats across the Channel.
“For too long, criminal gangs have been lining their corrupt pockets and preying on the hopes of vulnerable people with impunity as they drive irregular migration to the UK,” foreign secretary David Lammy said in a statement.
“That’s why the UK has created the world’s first sanctions regime targeted at gangs involved in people smuggling and driving irregular migration, as well as their enablers.”
Baroness Chapman said: “People-smugglers are callous criminals who exploit vulnerable people, putting lives at risk for their own profit. They fuel a global trade that affect families across the world, from Africa, to Asia, to the Middle East.
“We’re launching world’s first dedicated sanctions regime targeting those behind these networks and their enablers. It will be an important tool in our wider efforts to tackle irregular migration.
“This is not a challenge any country can solve alone – we are working with our partners to play our part and hold these criminals to account.”
The government said the new measures would apply to individuals and entities that provide small boats, fake documents, and financial services used by smuggling networks.
Chris Philp, who leads on security and immigration for the main opposition Conservatives in parliament, said further steps were needed to address the issue.
“The truth is you don’t stop the Channel crossings by freezing a few bank accounts in Baghdad or slapping a travel ban on a dinghy dealer in Damascus,” he said. “Swathes of young men are arriving daily, in boats bought online, guided by traffickers who laugh at our laws and cash in on our weakness.”
Starmer has recently signed agreements with France and Germany aimed at reducing the number of small boat arrivals, as he looks to counter the rise of the right-wing populist Reform UK party led by Nigel Farage.
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Koolesh Shah (left) with UEA vice chancellor Professor David Maguire
The University of East Anglia (UEA) has conferred an honorary doctorate on Koolesh Shah, an entrepreneur and philanthropist, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to business, social impact, and community development.
The award was presented during UEA’s 2025 summer graduation ceremonies, celebrating Shah’s remarkable journey from a pioneering student in the early 1970s to the founder of London Town Group—an award-winning enterprise with significant holdings across residential, commercial, and hospitality sectors. His group is renowned for landmark projects, including Hotel Indigo London Paddington, the InterContinental Hotels Group’s first boutique hotel outside the United States.
Koolesh Shah
Beyond business, Koolesh Shah is deeply committed to philanthropy and public service. He chairs the Sri Aurobindo Trust, which has introduced Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy at SOAS, University of London, and played a vital role in completing the Matrimandir in Auroville. Through the Koolesh Shah Foundation, he supports education, healthcare, and community projects both in the UK and internationally.
Shah also serves as Co-Chairman of Conservative Friends of India, working alongside Sir Oliver Dowden MP to amplify British Indian voices in UK politics and strengthen UK-India relations based on shared values of enterprise, family, and opportunity.
Koolesh Shah’s achievements have been recognised with numerous awards, including Asian Hotelier of the Year, Philanthropist of the Year, and GG2 Social Entrepreneur of the Year.
Koolesh Shah
Speaking at the ceremony, Shah reflected on his journey: “UEA shaped my life… changed my perception… gave me a broader spectrum. The most important chapters in my story were the uncomfortable ones. Success isn’t about what you accumulate—it’s about what you help others become.”
This honorary doctorate not only celebrates Koolesh Shah’s impressive career but also his enduring commitment to creating value, inspiring others, and giving back to the community.