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.
MIKE LYNCH, the tech tycoon missing after his luxury yacht sank off Sicily, spent more than a decade building the country's biggest software company and then almost as long again fighting fraud charges related to its multi-billion pound sale.
Lynch founded Autonomy from his ground-breaking research at Cambridge University in 1996, and was lauded by shareholders, scientists and politicians when he sold it to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion (£8.5bn) 15 years later.
But in late 2012, HP stunned Wall Street and the City of London by alleging a massive accounting scandal at the business, and writing off $8.8bn (£6.8bn) of its value.
Lynch, known for an abrasive intellectual charm, said HP did not know what it was doing with Autonomy, which searched and organised data using patented algorithms based on a mathematics developed in the 18th Century by Reverend Thomas Bayes.
He spent the next 12 years in courts trying to clear his name, locked in some of the biggest legal battles in corporate history.
HP pursued Lynch in London's High Court for $5bn (£3.8bn). It won most of its case in 2022 and is still awaiting the award of damages.
The judge found that Lynch and another colleague had fraudulently concealed a "fire sale" of hardware and engaged in convoluted reselling schemes to mask a shortfall in sales of Autonomy's software, the business HP coveted.
US authorities filed criminal charges including wire fraud and conspiracy against Lynch and sought his extradition.
The British government came under pressure from Lynch's supporters to block the application. If found guilty, Lynch could have faced decades in jail.
But the appeals failed, and Lynch took the stand in San Francisco in his own defence, where he denied wrongdoing and told jurors that HP had botched the integration of Autonomy.
He was acquitted on all charges and freed after a year under house arrest. Lynch said he was "elated".
"I am looking forward to returning to the UK and getting back to what I love most: my family and innovating in my field," he said.
Lynch was born in 1965 and was raised in Chelmsford near London where his mother was a nurse and his father a fireman. He said his parents instilled in him an appreciation of the value of education.
At Cambridge University, he studied physics, mathematics and biochemistry, and went on to research signal processing for his doctorate. His thesis is still one of the most widely consulted in the university's library, reports have said.
In 1996, Lynch founded Autonomy which searched and organised complex data such as emails, phones calls and video.
Lynch, who has a herd of rare breed cattle on his estate in Suffolk, East England, used some of the proceeds of the sale of Autonomy to set up venture capital firm Invoke.
It was a major backer of Darktrace, a British cyber security company that US firm Thoma Bravo agreed to buy for $5.32bn (£4bn) in cash in April.
Divers operate in the sea to search for the missing after a luxury yacht sank off Sicily, Italy August 19, 2024. Vigili del Fuoco/Handout via REUTERS.
Search resumes for six missing
Rescue teams in Sicily resumed a search for six missing people, including Lynch and his daughter, after a luxury yacht was struck by a violent storm and sank on Monday, killing one on board.
The British-flagged "Bayesian," a 56-metre-long (184-ft) sailboat was carrying 22 people and was anchored just off the port of Porticello when it was hit by ferocious weather.
Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International and Chris Morvillo, a lawyer at Clifford Chance who represented Lynch in a US trial, were among the missing.
The wives of both men were also unaccounted for, said Salvatore Cocina, head of civil protection in Sicily.
"The fear is that the bodies got trapped inside the vessel," he said.
Prosecutors in the nearby town of Termini Imerese have opened an investigation into the incident.
Specialist divers had reached the ship on Monday at a depth of some 50 metres, but access was limited due to objects in the way, the fire brigade said.
Fifteen people had escaped before the boat went down, including Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, who owned the boat, and a one-year-old girl.
On Monday, rescue teams recovered the body of the yacht's onboard chef, identified as Antiguan citizen Ricardo Thomas.
Storms and heavy rainfall have swept Italy in recent days, after weeks of scorching heat lifted the temperature of the Mediterranean sea to record levels, raising the risk of extreme weather conditions, experts said.
The British government's Marine Accident Investigation Branch said four inspectors had been sent to Sicily to conduct a "preliminary assessment."
One expert at the scene of the disaster who declined to be named said an early focus of the investigation would be whether the yacht's crew had had time to close access hatches into the vessel before the storm struck.
BRITISH police said they arrested five people on Saturday (30) after masked men tried to force their way into a hotel used by asylum-seekers, a day after the government won a court ruling on the use of another hotel to house migrants.
Two groups of anti-asylum protesters marched to the Crowne Plaza Hotel near Heathrow Airport before some demonstrators tried to break in, London's Metropolitan Police force said.
Two police officers suffered minor injuries, it said.
"We understand strength of feeling on these issues, but where peaceful protest crosses the line into criminality, including injuries to our officers, we will take immediate action," commander Adam Slonecki said in a statement.
In Scotland, protesters also demonstrated against the use of a hotel in the town of Falkirk, where asylum seekers are believed to be housed.
In a separate incident, three men were arrested late on Friday (29) outside another hotel used to house asylum-seekers in Epping in east London.
"The overwhelming majority of people in Epping tonight clearly wanted their voices to be heard and they did that safely and without the need for a police response," said assistant chief constable Glen Pavelin of Essex police.
"However, the right to protest does not include a right to commit crime and tonight a small number of people were arrested. Two officers sustained injuries which are thankfully not serious," he added.
The local authority in Epping is expected to decide on Monday (1) whether to challenge the appeals court decision in the Supreme Court.
At least 13 other councils are also considering pressing ahead with legal action over the use of asylum hotels in their areas, The Times daily reported.
The protests in Epping have spread to other parts of Britain, amid growing frustration at the continued arrival of small boats packed with migrants across the English Channel from France.
The government of prime minister Keir Starmer on Friday won a court ruling that overturned a previous court decision that asylum-seekers would have to be evicted from the hotel in Epping where a resident was charged with sexual assault.
Earlier, Starmer promised to "smash the gangs" enabling migrants to make the journey.
The prime minister posted on X on Saturday: "I am clear: we will not reward illegal entry. If you cross the Channel unlawfully, you will be detained and sent back."
But critics pointed out that more irregular migrants have arrived since the start of January 2025 than in the same period last year.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch backed Tory-run councils to pursue legal action against migrant hotels.
"Keir Starmer has shown that he puts the rights of illegal immigrants above the rights of British people who just want to feel safe in their towns and communities," Badenoch posted on X.
Concern about immigration has risen to the top of the political agenda in Britain after an increase in migrants using small boats to reach the country.
More than 32,000 migrants were being housed in around 200 hotels across the country at the end of June, according to government figures.
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.
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his support for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Modi's office said.
Zelenskiy, speaking in his nightly video address on Saturday (30), said Modi supported Ukraine's call for a ceasefire in the war with Russia and hoped that notion would be heard at the forthcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China.
Modi's office, in a statement, said Zelenskiy shared the Indian prime minister's perspective on recent developments related to Ukraine, while Modi stressed India's support for efforts aimed at the earliest restoration of peace.
"The leaders also reviewed progress in the India-Ukraine bilateral partnership and discussed ways to further enhance cooperation in all areas of mutual interest," it said.
"I have just spoken with Indian prime minister Modi about precisely what is going on. Russia is continuing the war, continuing to kill," Zelenskiy said.
"It is important that the prime minister of India supports the idea that a ceasefire is needed and would be a clear signal that Russia is ready for diplomacy. We are counting on this being heard at the meeting in China."
The statement from Modi's office made no mention of a call for a ceasefire.
Ukraine, backed by European countries, has long called for a ceasefire in hostilities as an important initial step to resolving the conflict.
US president Donald Trump initially urged Russia to agree to a ceasefire, but since his talks this month with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska has said that a ceasefire is not a vital element in moving towards a solution.
Speaking earlier on Saturday after overnight attacks on southeastern Ukraine, Zelenskiy said Moscow had used preparation time for a meeting of leaders of both countries to launch new attacks on his country.
On Friday (29), Zelenskiy brought up Trump's deadline for deciding on new measures against Russia if Putin fails to commit to a one-on-one meeting with the Ukrainian leader.
(Reuters)
Keep ReadingShow less
India's prime minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Chinese president Xi Jinping during a meeting on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, August 31, 2025. India's Press Information Bureau/Handout via REUTERS
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi said New Delhi was committed to improving ties with Beijing in a key meeting with China's president Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a regional security forum on Sunday (31).
Modi is in China for the first time in seven years to attend a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, along with Russian president Vladimir Putin and other leaders from Central, South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East in a show of Global South solidarity.
"We are committed to progressing our relations based on mutual respect, trust and sensitivities," Modi told Xi during the meeting, according to a video clip posted on the Indian leader's official X account.
The bilateral meeting took place five days after Washington imposed punishing 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods due to New Delhi's purchases of Russian oil. Analysts say Xi and Modi are looking to present a united front against Western pressure.
Modi said an atmosphere of "peace and stability" has been created on their disputed Himalayan border, the site of a prolonged military standoff after deadly troop clashes in 2020, which froze most areas of cooperation between the nuclear-armed strategic rivals.
He added that an agreement had been reached between both nations regarding border management, without giving details.
Both leaders had a breakthrough meeting in Russia last year after reaching a border patrol agreement, setting off a tentative thaw in ties that has accelerated in recent weeks as New Delhi seeks to hedge against renewed tariff threats from Washington.
Direct flights between both nations, which have been suspended since 2020, are "being resumed", Modi added, without providing a timeframe.
China had agreed to lift export curbs on rare earths, fertilisers and tunnel boring machines this month during a key visit to India by China's foreign minister Wang Yi.
China opposes Washington's steep tariffs on India and will "firmly stand with India," Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said this month.
For decades, Washington painstakingly cultivated ties with New Delhi in the hope that it would act as a regional counterweight to Beijing.
In recent months, China has allowed Indian pilgrims to visit Buddhist sites in Tibet, and both countries have lifted reciprocal tourist visa restrictions.
"Both India and China are engaged in what is likely to be a lengthy and fraught process of defining a new equilibrium in the relationship," said Manoj Kewalramani, a Sino-Indian relations expert at the Takshashila Institution think tank in Bengaluru.
(Reuters)
Keep ReadingShow less
Bashir retired from the force while under investigation but will still face misconduct proceedings. (Photo credit: West Yorkshire Police)
A FORMER West Yorkshire Police officer has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison after being convicted of misconduct in a public office.
Wasim Bashir, 55, who worked as a detective constable in Bradford District, was found guilty of one count of misconduct in a public office for forming a sexual relationship with a female victim of crime. He was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, 29 August.
Bashir retired from the force while under investigation but will still face misconduct proceedings.
The charge related to an incident of abuse of position for a sexual purpose, with Bashir engaging in a sexual relationship with a woman who had reported to West Yorkshire Police that she had been the victim of a sexual offence. He was involved in investigating her case.
The conviction followed an investigation by West Yorkshire Police’s Counter Corruption Unit under the direction of the Independent Office for Police Conduct. During the trial, the judge directed the jury to find Bashir not guilty of a second count of misconduct in a public office.
Detective Superintendent Natalie Dawson, Deputy Head of West Yorkshire Police’s Professional Standards Directorate, said: “For a police officer to pursue a sexual relationship with a vulnerable woman who had come forward to report being victim of a sexual offence is nothing short of abhorrent.
“I want to reassure victims of crime and the wider public that this former officer is not representative of our organisation. One of the Force’s key purposes is to protect vulnerable people, and our officers and staff work tirelessly to protect people from harm and to safeguard victims.
“Former DC Bashir has retired from the organisation, but we will still continue with misconduct proceedings with a view to him being banned from gaining any further employment in the policing profession.”
Keep ReadingShow less
Protesters calling for the closure of The Bell Hotel, which was housing asylum seekers, gather outside the council offices in Epping on August 8, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
Court of Appeal has overturned injunction blocking use of Epping hotel for asylum seekers.
Judges say human rights obligations outweigh local safety concerns.
At least 13 councils preparing legal action despite ruling.
Protests outside the Bell Hotel lead to arrests and police injuries.
MORE than a dozen councils are moving ahead with legal challenges against the use of hotels for asylum seekers despite the Home Office winning an appeal in the Court of Appeal.
Judges ruled that meeting the human rights of asylum seekers by providing accommodation outweighed local safety concerns.
The injunction was secured by Epping Forest District Council after protests following the alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl by an Ethiopian asylum seeker.
The man has been charged and denies wrongdoing. A full hearing on the planning dispute over the Bell Hotel will take place in October.
At least 13 councils are preparing similar legal action, The Times reported, including Labour-run Wirral, Stevenage, Tamworth and Rushmoor. Epping Forest Council said it may appeal to the Supreme Court.
Asylum minister Dame Angela Eagle said the government remained committed to ending hotel use by 2029 and argued the appeal was needed to move migrants “in a controlled and orderly way”.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised the government for prioritising “the rights of illegal immigrants above the rights of British people” and urged councils to continue legal action.
Reform leader Nigel Farage said the government had used the European Convention on Human Rights “against the people of Epping”.
Councils including Broxbourne and Spelthorne confirmed they were pressing ahead with enforcement action on planning grounds.
Protests outside the Bell Hotel on Friday led to the arrest of three men, while two police officers sustained minor injuries.