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Reform UK has so far won 44 seats in Kent County Council. (Photo: Getty Images)
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Reform takes control of Kent County Council
May 02, 2025
REFORM UK has taken control of Kent County Council, ending nearly 30 years of Conservative majority rule.
The Conservatives have lost 45 of the first 59 seats declared, with 44 of those going to Reform UK. All 72 electoral divisions across the county were up for election, accounting for a total of 81 councillors.
Kent County Council leader Roger Gough lost his seat and described the outcome as "apocalyptic" for his party.
ALSO READ: Reform wins first mayoral post and fifth parliamentary seat
Speaking to the BBC, Gough said he was "deeply disappointed" and added, "I think overall the Conservative Party is still paying the price heavily for when we were in government nationally, in particular in 2021/22. I think that broke the bond between us and many of our voters, and I don't think that's ever been restored."
Before the vote, the Conservatives held overall control of the council with 56 of the 81 seats.
As of 15:20 BST, 59 seats had been declared. Reform UK had won 44, the Liberal Democrats 11, Labour two, the Greens one, and the Conservatives one.
Reform leader Nigel Farage told BBC Radio Kent, "It's looking a very good day for us in Kent."
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Pakistani stars Fawad Khan, Atif Aslam, and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan among celebrities whose Instagram profiles are now blocked in India
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Instagram blocks profiles of Fawad Khan, Atif Aslam and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in India amid rising tensions
May 02, 2025
The Instagram profiles of Pakistani celebrities like Fawad Khan, Atif Aslam, and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan are no longer accessible in India. This development comes just weeks before Fawad’s planned Bollywood return with Abir Gulaal and follows a series of social media restrictions tied to the worsening India–Pakistan relationship.
When Indian fans try to view the artists' Instagram pages, they’re met with a message: "Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content." No official clarification has come from either the Indian government or Meta, but the timing is significant. The move comes days after a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region killed 26 people, most of them tourists. It was one of the deadliest attacks since the 2008 Mumbai carnage.
Atif Aslam’s Instagram, known for Bollywood hits like ‘Tere Sang Yaara,’ now inaccessible to Indian fansInstagram Screengrab
Fawad isn’t the only one affected. Singers Atif Aslam and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, both hugely popular in India for their Bollywood chartbusters, have also had their accounts blocked. These restrictions extend to other familiar faces like Mahira Khan, Ali Zafar, Hania Aamir, Imran Abbas, and Sajal Aly, who had earlier crossed over into Bollywood projects. Their accounts too are no longer viewable in India.
Interestingly, a few Pakistani accounts remain untouched for now. Fans can still access the profiles of actors like Mawra Hocane, Adnan Siddiqui, Meesha Shafi, and singers like Qurat-ul-Ain Balouch and Shafqat Amanat Ali.
Fawad Khan’s Instagram displays ‘Account not available in India’ Instagram Screengrab
This digital blackout follows an earlier government crackdown on Pakistani content. A few days ago, India banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including major networks like Dawn News and Geo News, accusing them of circulating false narratives and divisive content. Even former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar’s channel was removed from Indian YouTube listings.
The ripple effect has hit the entertainment world. Fawad Khan’s comeback film Abir Gulaal, co-starring Vaani Kapoor, was due to release in May. But sources say the release won’t happen in India amid rising calls to block the film entirely. Ironically, the film has reportedly been banned in Pakistan as well.
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s iconic Sufi music vanishes from Indian Instagram feeds post-restrictionInstagram Screengrab
As political tensions grow, cultural connections continue to suffer, especially for fans on both sides who once bonded over shared music and cinema.
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Hajj and Umrah pilgrims are required to show proof of a valid MenACWY vaccination when arriving in Saudi Arabia
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Hajj pilgrims cautioned over meningitis and MERS bug
May 02, 2025
BRITAIN’s health security agency has urged pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia for Hajj or Umrah to get vaccinated against meningococcal disease, following a small number of recent cases in the country linked to travel.
Between February and March, five people in England and Wales developed MenW, a type of meningococcal infection, after either visiting Saudi Arabia or having close contact with someone who had, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said.
While rare, the disease can be life-threatening and may cause severe complications such as brain damage, hearing loss or limb amputation.
Hajj and Umrah pilgrims are required to show proof of a valid MenACWY vaccination when arriving in Saudi Arabia. The certificate must be issued between 10 days and three to five years before arrival, depending on the vaccine used.
Health officials also advised that all travellers consider getting the jab due to the ongoing MenW outbreak.
Symptoms often start like flu, but may include a high fever, severe headache, vomiting, stiff neck, rash, drowsiness, or seizures. Travellers are advised to be alert for symptoms while abroad and for two weeks after returning to the UK. Anyone feeling unwell should seek immediate medical help and mention their travel history.
Dr Shamez Ladhani, a consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: “The MenACWY vaccine is essential for anyone heading to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage, especially given the recent cases. It protects not just the traveller but those around them.”
In addition to meningitis, UKHSA is advising travellers to be aware of the risk of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Though the risk to UK visitors is low, pilgrims should take precautions such as avoiding contact with camels, not eating raw or undercooked meat, and practising good hand hygiene, especially after visiting farms or markets.
Travellers who develop fever, cough, or breathing problems within two weeks of returning should speak to a GP or NHS 111 and mention their recent trip and any possible exposure to animals or healthcare settings in the region, a statement said.
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The ECB said its recreational cricket regulations had always aimed to make the sport inclusive.
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Trans women banned from playing women's cricket in England and Wales
May 02, 2025
TRANSGENDER women have been banned from playing in women’s and girls’ cricket in England and Wales following a policy change announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Friday.
The ECB’s decision follows a UK Supreme Court ruling last month which stated that the legal definition of a "woman" is based on a person’s sex at birth and does not include transgender women who hold a gender recognition certificate.
The decision also comes a day after the English and Scottish football associations announced that transgender women would be barred from playing in the women’s game.
Since the start of this year, transgender women had already been banned from the top two tiers of elite women's cricket. However, they were still allowed to compete in women's matches up to tier three of the domestic game and in recreational cricket. The ECB has now expanded the ban.
"With immediate effect, only those whose biological sex is female will be eligible to play in women’s cricket and girls' cricket matches," the ECB said in a statement. "Transgender women and girls can continue playing in open and mixed cricket."
The ECB said its recreational cricket regulations had always aimed to make the sport inclusive.
"These included measures to manage disparities, irrespective of someone's gender, and safeguard the enjoyment of all players," it said.
"However, given the new advice received about the impact of the Supreme Court ruling, we believe the changes announced today are necessary."
The ECB acknowledged the “significant impact” the new policy may have on transgender women and girls, and said it remained committed to ensuring “cricket is played in a spirit of respect and inclusivity”.
Transgender participation has been under review in several sports. International governing bodies in cycling, swimming and athletics have also introduced policies that restrict transgender competitors.
US president Donald Trump signed an executive order in February seeking to ban transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports.
(With inputs from AFP)
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The Indian cricket board currently does not allow its men’s players to participate in any overseas T20 leagues, including The Hundred
Lancashire bats for Indian board to join The Hundred
May 02, 2025
THE England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) should offer the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) a minority ownership stake in The Hundred to attract Indian players to the competition, Lancashire CEO Daniel Gidney has suggested.
“I think it’s possible. If I was the ECB, I’d be talking about perhaps bringing the BCCI in as a minority ownership partner in the tournament as a whole. If you do that, then you are aligning interests,” Gidney told the ESPNCricinfo website.
Indian men’s cricketers currently only play in the Indian Premier League (IPL), with the BCCI not issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for overseas events. But Gidney said a partnership could change this situation.
“That is probably your best chance of getting Indian players in The Hundred. It comes down to the will, and the individuals on both sides,” he said.
Gidney acknowledged the BCCI’s successful strategy of restricting player availability, saying: “If I was the BCCI, I would need a significant incentive to relax the current policy, because it has been extraordinarily successful and has grown the IPL into the massive commercial entity that it is.”
His comments come after Lancashire finalised a deal with the RPSG Group, owners of IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants, who will take a 70 per cent stake in Manchester Originals.
This acquisition is part of a wider trend, with the ECB selling its 49 per cent stake in The Hundred franchises to various private investors.
Several IPL owners bought into the competition, including Mumbai Indians (Oval Invincibles), Lucknow Super Giants (Manchester Originals) and Delhi Capitals (Southern Brave).
IPL team owners have already expanded globally with stakes in leagues in South Africa (SA20), the UAE (ILT20) and the USA (Major League Cricket).
Gidney highlighted Lancashire’s strong connections with Indian cricket, saying: “We’ve probably had more Indian overseas players than any other county. When you have VVS Laxman at the NCA [National Cricket Academy in India], who Mark Chilton (Lancashire director of cricket) captained, then you have strong relationships all the way through.”
Meanwhile, the ECB CEO, Richard Gould, has said the board was open to potentially changing The Hundred from its current 100-ball format to traditional T20 cricket, though no formal talks have yet taken place.
“Those discussions have not taken place internally. And it’s not on people’s agenda. At some point, if that’s something they want to discuss, yeah, of course we’ll have that discussion,” Gould said.
He stressed that any decision would rest with the ECB board, but acknowledged the value of the new investors’ expertise. “We’ve got some amazing investors that have arrived. And we would be foolish if we were not to take advice, guidance and counsel as to how to take this game forward.”
Gould added: “It’s got to be collaborative. They’re bringing a lot more investment and a lot of thought. The Hundred’s been incredible in terms of delivering innovation into the game in the last three or four years. If you look at the investors we’ve just brought in, that’s going to superpower that.”
The Hundred currently features 100 balls per innings with 20 sets of five balls each, rather than the standard T20 format of 20 overs containing six balls each. Any format changes would require approval from broadcaster Sky Sports, which holds rights to the tournament until 2028.
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