travel 2 - The Latremie Post

「並ばない万博」長蛇の列　予約にも苦労、残った課題

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title: 「並ばない万博」長蛇の列、予約にも苦労　残った課題とは
date: 2025-10-13 06:00
categories: 社会
tags: 大阪・関西万博, 予約, 長蛇の列, 課題
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大阪・関西万博は、「並ばない万博」を掲げ、チケットや入場・来館日時のオンライン予約を通じて運営されてきました。しかし、実際にはゲート前や会場内で長蛇の列ができる場面も見られ、運営側の苦労や来場者の戸惑いが浮き彫りとなっています。

予約システムに関しても、スムーズに利用できた人もいれば、つながりにくさや希望の日時の確保が困難だったという声もありました。こうした課題は、来場者の体験向上と万博運営の効率化に向けて今後の改善点として残っています。

大阪・関西万博は、10月13日に閉幕を迎え、約半年間で延べ2,500万人の来場がありました。会期中の盛り上がりとともに、“並ばない”理想の実現に向けた挑戦は続いていくでしょう。

※この記事は有料会員限定記事の一部抜粋です。全文の閲覧には会員登録が必要となります。
7日間無料トライアルや、月額37円で読み放題のプラン、年払いプランもご用意しております。

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https://www.nishinippon.co.jp/item/1410625/

豊昇龍、歓声受けて「びっくり」　ロンドン公演、第2陣英到着

【ロンドン共同】
34年ぶりとなる大相撲のロンドン公演（15～19日）に向けて、横綱・豊昇龍や小結・高安ら力士一行が、10月12日にロンドンのヒースロー空港に到着しました。

空港では現地のファンが熱烈に出迎え、豊昇龍は「こんなに大きな歓声を受けるとは思わず、びっくりしました」と驚きの表情を見せました。

今回のロンドン公演は、1980年代以来34年ぶりの開催となり、日本のみならず、イギリスの相撲ファンの間でも大きな注目を集めています。豊昇龍や高安をはじめとした力士たちの活躍が期待されており、現地でも盛り上がりを見せています。

公演は10月15日から19日までロンドン市内で行われる予定です。
https://www.nishinippon.co.jp/item/1410653/

Ungrateful locals on Guernsey reveal they reasons they prefer French tourists to Brit holidaymakers

As the autumn months set in, temperatures drop and the days become shorter, locals on Guernsey have reflected on a successful summer packed with holidaymakers. Business owners on the Channel Island are gushing about excited tourists flocking to their shores, buying drinks, lunches, spending money in their souvenir shops, and sunbathing on their beaches.

However, despite the tiny island being a Crown Dependency, and residents largely speaking English, it’s not crowds of British holidaymakers they can’t get enough of. In fact, some have even gone as far as to call British tourists “disrespectful.” Instead, it’s Guernsey’s old arch-rival and very close neighbour—the French—that residents love.

Guernsey has experienced an unprecedented influx of French tourists, with a 74 per cent increase compared to last year. Some suggest the island’s recent feature on a TV show in France is behind its rising popularity. A string of residents and business owners told the Daily Mail that the new tourists have saved the season and even boosted business. They feel the French are far superior visitors compared to the British: more interested in local culture, polite, and ready to spend.

“Thank God for the French,” exclaimed Giselle Bray, who runs a sandwich shop. “Because of them, our summer has been great. We’ve had a mix of French families, young people, and elderly visitors, and they’re all so respectable, polite, and interested in the island.”

The second-largest of the Channel Islands, Guernsey lies just 30 miles from the French coast and has also caught the eye of influencers. TikTok is flooding with dreamy Guernsey content showcasing dazzling shores, pristine beaches, and jagged clifftops. Many claim it’s better than most Mediterranean countries, with some even dubbing it the new Cornwall due to its surprising accessibility.

Guernsey’s tourism board has been actively encouraging travel influencers to visit, with the hashtag #guernsey garnering thousands of views. This rise in popularity comes as Cornwall faced its worst summer visitor numbers in a decade, with its tourism body collapsing.

Louise Parsons, who works in a jewellery shop, shared: “We’ve noticed a huge number of French tourists. I think it’s easier to get here now, and they have been advertising a lot more than they used to. There’s an influencer who spent the weekend here and documented the whole thing—it was great.”

She added, “The French spend more money than the British. They absolutely love the island, and a lot of them are here for the cobbled streets and the idea of a quaint island life. It’s very nostalgic.”

Locals explained that French tourists particularly love Guernsey because the novelist Victor Hugo completed *Les Misérables* while living in exile on the island. There has also been a new ferry system introduced, and French TV is being flooded with adverts promoting Guernsey.

Lucile Le Ray, a 25-year-old visitor from France, told the Daily Mail that tourists from her homeland enjoy the island because they find it easy to relate to. “We like it here because there’s a French touch, and for us, it’s important to relate to the place we’re visiting,” she said. “So many people here speak French, there’s great French heritage, and it’s close.”

The number of French day trippers visiting Guernsey this summer has almost doubled. This has been attributed to new ferry and plane routes between the two countries, as well as a marketing drive from Visit Guernsey across social media and French television.

“There have been a lot of social media campaigns and French TV campaigns which have absolutely worked,” said Theo Le Tissier. “They’ve even been sponsoring influencers.”

“Tourism numbers have been higher than normal this summer because of the new ferries,” explained Diane Le Sauvage, who works in a newsagent. “They’ve been great—lots of French tourists come through the door. They’ve been much more polite than the Brits that we’re used to, and hopefully, it will continue.”

Hayley Winterflood, who runs a local pub, added: “They’re ideal tourists. I found it unexpected, but we’ve had a lot over this year and it’s great. They’re very friendly, way more friendly than the Brits, polite, they spend money, and they’ve taken to pub culture very well.”

One of the big perks for visitors is that they are not required to pay VAT. Diane Gruber, who works in a clothes shop, noted that French tourists looking to splash their cash can really go “crazy.”

Meanwhile, Kevin Castro, who works in a restaurant, said French tourists have boosted business significantly. “There have been so many French tourists here this summer; it’s had a big impact on our business. They spend a lot of money, they’re appreciative, and they even tip on top of the service charge—you don’t get that with Brits, it’s not a guarantee,” he remarked. “We want them to keep coming because, because of them, we’ve been able to have more events and plan more.”

Hannah Beacom, Chair of Guernsey’s Tourism Management Board, commented: “The April to June period is a strong indicator of what we can expect to see during the rest of the tourist season, and there is clearly some very positive news to glean from this latest data.”

“The Board welcomes the significant rise in visitors from France, a huge benefit resulting from the deal struck between Brittany Ferries and the Committee for Economic Development,” she added. “I’ve personally noticed a far greater prevalence of French being spoken around St Peter Port and in other tourism hotspots within the island, which is wonderful to hear as we continue to build stronger ties with our French neighbours.”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-15156399/Ungrateful-locals-Guernsey-reveal-reasons-prefer-French-tourists-Brit-holidaymakers.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490

Beachgoers witness helicopter crash into palms in Southern California

A helicopter coasting above a popular Southern California beach on Saturday suddenly lost control and began spiraling in midair. The aircraft eventually lost altitude and slammed into a row of palm trees as stunned sunbathers and beachgoers watched.

Multiple videos posted online show the helicopter twirling clockwise above Huntington Beach before plunging toward the edge of the beach. The aircraft became wedged between the palm trees and a staircase near Pacific Coast Highway.

The Huntington Beach Fire Department reported that five people were hospitalized. Two of those injured were in the helicopter and were “safely pulled from the wreckage.” Three others on the street also sustained injuries. Details on the severity of their injuries were not immediately available.

No cause for the accident has been released. The department noted that the helicopter was associated with an annual “Cars ‘N Copters” fundraising event planned for Sunday.

This story was sourced from a third-party syndicated feed. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for the dependability, trustworthiness, reliability, or data of the text. Mid-day management and mid-day.com reserve the sole right to alter, delete, or remove content (without notice) at their absolute discretion for any reason.

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https://www.mid-day.com/news/world-news/article/southern-california-beachgoers-watch-helicopter-spiral-out-of-control-slam-into-palms-23598326

Between languages and ladders

Summer ended on the first weekend of October. The morning was bright, embodying every cliché made for it, and the weather was cool enough for a walk. This is how I like Lahore: breathable, on my side for once, full of possibilities.

At this year’s Indus Conclave, there was something for everyone. For the environmentalists, just as smog season approaches; for the economists whose arguments should see past the confines of drawing-room walls; for literature enthusiasts hoping to continue to learn (long after our time), to never exit the endless, living conversation of our respective fields.

On entering Hall One in Alhamra, the first thing you saw was *A Gentle Apocalypse*, curated by Saher Sohail. It didn’t announce itself as an exhibition so much as a quiet arrangement of restlessness: a shrine-like cabinet lined with terracotta bowls of herbs and seeds, the glow of its rain-blue panels catching the eye immediately, painted hands caught mid-motion — praying, pleading, offering, perhaps all at the same time.

The wall text explaining the art installation spoke of progress as a double-edged sword: the promise of creation that’s shadowed by loss. There was no sound in the room despite the significant number of viewers, just the low hum of conversation and tyre screeches heard from outside. I lingered there longer than I meant to. There was something in the textures, the earth, the pigment, and the repetition of motifs that suggested the fragility of all systems built to last.

It felt like a prelude to the day’s conversations, though I didn’t know it then: that uneasy space between what must be preserved and what must evolve, between the languages we inherit and the ones we are still learning to use.

—

The first session I attended was on *Language as Freedom*, where Jasir Shahbaz spoke to Muhammad Hanif about his career as a novelist. With *A Case of Exploding Mangoes* and *Our Lady of Alice Bhatti*, Hanif has established himself as a stalwart of Pakistani fiction in English. The conversation sounded like an intimate reflection.

Here was a senior writer speaking to his once-student, who grew up speaking Punjabi, detoured into an English-medium education, and later returned to his mother tongue. He spoke of government schools and the slow shift to English-medium classrooms, of the early confusion of sitting through an hour-long lecture without understanding a single word.

English, for him, he said, was first an obstacle, but later a practice. Perhaps the novelist’s task is not to make things understood but to let them be said in whatever language allows them to exist.

Hanif reflected on how this generation became fluent in English literature yet distanced from its own. He said they could speak fluently but felt hollow. Some feelings, he said, cannot be translated. What followed was less confession than diagnosis: an entire country still measuring intellect by accent.

There was no bitterness in his tone, only irony, humour, and a peculiar tenderness. The writer spoke of returning to Punjabi through his YouTube vlogs after years of writing in English. He said he was driven not by nostalgia but necessity — a way to breathe again.

When he turned to teaching, he said, it was exhausting but also the only way to stay porous, to keep language alive through others.

—

If the first session was about a return, the second began with a departure.

Reading from her new novel, *A Splintering*, Dur-e Aziz Amna opened with a line that could have belonged to either writer: “So let my story begin with rage.” Her protagonist leaves the village for the city, trading mud for marble, faith for aspiration. The rain that falls on her first night in Karachi sounds, she says, like thunder, like the nuclear tests on television.

The conversation that followed traced the novel’s moral topography: class as aspiration, education as ticket and trap, gender as a multiplying rather than reflecting mirror.

Tara’s hunger for self-advancement, Amna noted, was admirable and frightening in equal measure. When does ambition become transgression? When does survival begin to look like betrayal?

These questions, too, refused to stay contained in fiction. They spoke to a middle class perpetually anxious about slipping: too cautious to risk falling, too constrained to truly rise.

“The middle,” she said, “is where you learn how much you can lose.”

Listening to her felt less like attending a literary discussion and more like being handed a mirror — one that showed how our social preoccupations quietly govern our moral choices.

—

Placed side by side, both sessions seemed to be in conversation with one another. One writer returned to his mother tongue; the other wrote in English but refused to over-explain Pakistan to outsiders.

Both resisted the colonial habit of simplification. Both understood that to write from here is to inhabit contradiction: to long for a wider audience and yet distrust its gaze; to carry one’s native language like a hidden rhythm beneath every English sentence.

If Hanif found refuge in humour, Amna sought clarity in anger. One built bridges through translation; the other tore them down to expose what translation conceals.

Their concerns converged on education, mobility, and the fragility of self-expression in a country still divided by language.

What emerged was a portrait of the writer not as oracle but as witness — one who records the everyday negotiations between privilege and belonging.

Both spoke, too, of teaching: of younger writers afraid to be funny, afraid to sound local.

Their advice was the same, though phrased differently: to write as one truly is, not as one thinks a writer should sound.

—

I had to leave early. Outside, Lahore was already shifting into a haze; people were queuing up for chips, for samosas; a group of students was singing Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan with a guitar.

Had I left with a better understanding than when I entered? Is that the job of a novelist: to have their readers understand?

Perhaps not; perhaps the novelist’s task is not to make things understood but to let them be said in whatever language allows them to exist.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/1350024-between-languages-and-ladders

横綱豊昇龍らロンドンへ出発　「これが大相撲」と抱負

スポーツ｜横綱豊昇龍らロンドンへ出発「これが大相撲」と抱負

2025/10/12 11:02 (更新 2025/10/12 11:03)

大相撲のロンドン公演（10月15日～19日）に向け、横綱豊昇龍、小結高安ら一行が12日、羽田空港から出発しました。

豊昇龍は「横綱として責任が重い。しっかりやっていく。これが大相撲なんだというのを見せたい」と抱負を述べました。

※この記事は有料会員限定です。残り269文字。7日間無料トライアル、1日37円で読み放題。年払いならもっとお得。

https://www.nishinippon.co.jp/item/1410437/

Magnificent Markhal village of Talagang

Arkhal is a remote village in Chakwals Talagang tehsil, located on the left bank of the Soan River, approximately 42 kilometres northwest of Talagang town. From the surrounding hills, one can enjoy a beautiful view of the village and the Soan River. Its picturesque setting between the Soan River and the Qavala Nullah makes Arkhal one of the most magnificent villages in the Talagang region. Mud-plastered houses juxtaposed against the hills and the Soan River turn this village into a marvel of Talagang.

Despite its natural beauty, the village faces significant challenges, including a lack of basic healthcare facilities and the absence of a higher secondary school for girls. Arkhal is also noted for its shrines, historic mosque, and tombstones, which reflect the rich cultural heritage of the area.

### Visit to Arkhal Village

I visited Arkhal village with my friend, Tariq Mehmood Malik, a historian and author familiar with the history and heritage of every village in the area. Many of these villages face economic difficulties. In Arkhal, we interviewed several residents about the Jamia Masjid, shrines, and tombstones.

### Jamia Masjid Noorani

During the interviews, I learned that the Jamia Masjid Noorani is the oldest mosque in the village. It was probably built when the village was founded. Originally a small mosque, it was later renovated and expanded. According to Qari Umer Bilal Awan Mairvi, the current pesh-imam of the mosque, the mosque was rebuilt around 1930.

Stone brought from the nearby Arkhal hill was dressed and used in the mosque’s construction. The site from where the stone was extracted was called Kali Watey Wali Jagah. Villagers themselves carried the stone over. Two eminent masons of Arkhal, Mian Muhammad and Baba Gul Muhammad, constructed the mosque.

Stone was the main building material in pre-Partition buildings in most villages in Talagang tehsil. Mosques, mansions, and temples in the area were all built of stone, which was readily available from tributaries of the Soan River.

Although the mosque was rebuilt relatively recently, some original features remain. The western boundary wall is part of the original construction, built using both small and large dressed and undressed stone slabs by Mistri Mian Muhammad and Mistri Baba Gul Muhammad.

In addition, the mosque retains one of its original wooden doors, decorated with geometric and floral patterns. Both the lower and upper sections of the door feature geometric patterns, while the upper part includes bell-shaped designs. These patterns are also found in carved wooden doors of several old havelis and mosques in the Pothohar region.

### Similar Architectural Features in the Region

Wooden doors with similar patterns can be observed in stone-built mosques in Chakwal. Two mosques featuring bell-shaped patterns are located in Vahali and Haral village in Choa Saidan Shah tehsil. Both were constructed by Mistri Sher Muhammad, the most celebrated mason in Chakwal district, who hailed from Takiya Shah Murad village near Khanpur and inspired many masons in both Jhelum and Chakwal.

Jamia Masjid Noorani once had a wooden ceiling that was removed during reconstruction. Mosques in Talagang, constructed in the 19th and 20th centuries, often featured distinctive elements like wooden doors and ceilings. Some of the most impressive wooden ceilings can still be found in:

– The Shahi Jamia Masjid of Khichi village
– Jamia Masjid Farooq-i-Azam of Singwala village
– Jamia Masjid of Jasial village

### Historic Mosques in the Region

**Khichi (Khichian)** is a historic settlement in Talagang tehsil, about 27 kilometres from Talagang city on the Talagang-Khushsab Road. The village is famous for its Mughal-era mosque built in the second quarter of the 18th century. This mosque features remarkable inscriptions, wooden doors, pillars, and ceilings. The main prayer hall is covered with a wooden roof resting on decorative pillars featuring various floral designs.

There are four decorative pillars attached to the eastern wall; a similar number was likely on the western wall, indicated by volutes now concealed within the wall. Each pillar has a single volute carrying floral patterns.

Similar wooden ceilings and pillared halls can be seen in the Jamia Masjid of Chawli, Chakwal, and the Jamia Masjid in Maria Sharif, Pindi Gheb.

**Jasial** is another village notable for its magnificent Jamia Masjid. It boasts a remarkable painted wooden ceiling that reflects the mastery of Talagang’s craftsmen.

The **Jamia Masjid Farooq-i-Azam** in Singwala village is also renowned for its exquisite paintings and woodwork. This mosque was built by Mistri Sirajuddin, a famous mason from Pachnand village in Lawa tehsil.

Such wooden ceilings were common in most stone-built mosques constructed in villages along the Soan River and its tributaries. Unfortunately, many mosques have been renovated or rebuilt, resulting in the removal of original wooden ceilings.

### Skilled Stone Carvers of Arkhal

The masons of Arkhal were also skilled stone carvers. Apart from the mosque, tombstones in the village cemetery attest to their craftsmanship.

The old village cemetery is located near the Government Girls Elementary School and contains several tombstones and cenotaphs marked by two tombstones on the northern and southern sides. These gravestones carry various floral and geometric designs, with notable representations of the musalla (prayer rug) and the lota (ewer). Some women’s graves have carved combs.

Similar decorative gravestones are found in many villages throughout Talagang tehsil. According to Sher Zaman Awan of Arkhal, most of these tombstones were engraved by Mistri Mian Muhammad, Mistri Baba Gul Muhammad, and Mistri Nur Akhmat.

### Shrines of Arkhal

There are four shrines in the village, two of which are located in the cemetery near the school.

The most popular shrine belongs to **Baba Pir Budhey Shah Hamdani**. According to Qari Umer Bilal Awan Mairvi, Baba Pir Budhey Shah Hamdani came from Chakrala village in Mianwali around 1925. This information was conveyed by his father, Fazl Ilahi, who was 97 years old at the time of his passing in 2018. Fazl Ilahi had thorough knowledge of the village’s history and heritage, including details about shrines, their masons, and even Hindu and Sikh shrines.

Baba Pir Budhey Shah Hamdani lived in the village for only four years before his death. Though his descendants wanted to bring his body back to Chakrala for burial, residents of Arkhal wished him to be buried there. His descendants agreed, and a beautiful tomb was built over his grave.

His *urs* (death anniversary) is held every March, featuring qawwali performances at the shrine, along with traditional sports and games such as bull races and kabaddi.

### Notable Residents and Sufi Affiliations

Through discussions with community members, I learned that Arkhal has produced two notable kabaddi players: Baba Sanwal Khan and Malik Jehangir Khan. Baba Sanwal Khan was a renowned kabaddi player and a devoted follower of the Maira Sharif darbar in Pindi Gheb.

Maira Sharif is famous for the shrine of Khwaja Ahmad, a deputy of Pir Pathan (d. 1850). Many residents of Arkhal follow Khwaja Ahmad Mairvi. Another notable disciple of Hazrat Sani (d. 1931), the first sajjada nashin of the Maira Sharif darbar, was Haji Suba Khan.

Today, many followers of the Maira Sharif Darbar identify with the suffix *Mairvi* as a sign of their Sufi affiliation. Maulvi Ahmed Mairvi was a disciple of Khawaja Faqir Muhammad Abdullah Mairvi (d. 1975). Moreover, Qari Umer Bilal Awan Mairvi follows Sahibzada Farooq Ahmed, the current sajjada nashin of the darbar of Khwaja Ahmad Mairvi.

### Other Shrines and Tribal Composition

Another shrine in the cemetery is dedicated to **Shah Chan Gilani**. The Awan tribe forms the majority of the village population. There are also a few households of Gilani Sadat in Arkhal.

The grave of **Baba Pir Charag Shah Gilani** is located in an enclosure that also contains the graves of his ancestors and descendants, signifying the historical and spiritual significance of the Gilani family in the village.

—

Arkhal’s rich blend of natural beauty, architectural heritage, and Sufi traditions paints a vivid picture of life in this remarkable Talagang village. Its unique stone and wood craftsmanship, historic mosques, shrines, and community stories continue to inspire those who explore its past and present.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/1350007-magnificent-markhal-village-of-talagang

大相撲ロンドン公演へ出発　大の里「いい経験に」

スポーツ大相撲ロンドン公演へ出発大の里「いい経験に」
2025年10月11日 10:47（10:49更新）［有料会員限定記事］

34年ぶりとなる大相撲のロンドン公演（10月15日～19日）に向けて、日本相撲協会の八角理事長（元横綱・北勝海）や横綱・大の里らが11日、羽田空港から出発した。

出発前の大の里は、「しっかりと務めて、いい経験にしたい」と引き締まった表情で意気込みを語った。

本記事は有料会員限定となります。残り246文字は、7日間無料トライアルや1日37円で読み放題のサービス、年払いプランでもご覧いただけます。

https://www.nishinippon.co.jp/item/1410239/

JR路線21％が客千人未満　「回復見通せず」と国交省

2025/10/10 18:16 (2025/10/10 18:18 更新)

[有料会員限定記事]

JR6社の総営業距離のうち、2022年度に1キロ当たりの1日平均乗客数（輸送密度）が千人未満にとどまった路線距離は21％でした。新型コロナウイルス感染拡大前の2019年度に比べて1ポイント増加しています。

（以下、記事の続きは有料会員限定となっております）

残り 159 文字
7日間無料トライアル実施中。
1日37円で読み放題。年払いならさらにお得です。

クリップ機能は有料会員の方のみご利用いただけます。

https://www.nishinippon.co.jp/item/1409950/

‘This Is The Prime Minister’: UK PM Keir Starmer Surprises British Airways Co-Passengers From Cockpit On Maiden India Visit – Video

**British PM Keir Starmer Begins Historic First Visit to India with Focus on Trade**

**New Delhi:** British Prime Minister Keir Starmer commenced his maiden visit to India on an unusual yet engaging note aboard his British Airways flight from London to Mumbai. A video surfaced showing Starmer greeting passengers by saying, “This is the Prime Minister. I’m in the cockpit. This is the biggest trade mission to India that the UK has ever sent. I’m looking forward to working with you as we explore all the opportunities in our new free trade agreement.”

**PM Modi’s Warm Welcome**

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended a warm welcome to Starmer on his “historic first visit to India.” Posting on X, Modi expressed optimism about their upcoming meeting:
_”Looking forward to our meeting tomorrow for advancing our shared vision of a stronger, mutually prosperous future.”_

**Details of the Visit**

Starmer is on a two-day visit to India, accompanied by a robust 125-strong business delegation. Upon arrival in Mumbai, he visited the iconic Yash Raj Film studio and also took part in a football event, signaling a blend of cultural engagement and diplomacy.

Following the informal activities, Starmer prepared for discussions with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. These talks are a prelude to his meeting with PM Modi, where both leaders plan to review the progress made under the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership aligned with their ambitious ‘Vision 2035.’

Trade tops the agenda of the visit, with Starmer’s delegation aiming to capitalize on opportunities arising from the recently signed trade agreement. This deal aspires to double bilateral trade between the two nations to nearly $100 billion by 2030.

**Trade Agreement Under Scrutiny**

While the agreement marks a significant milestone, it is still undergoing scrutiny by the British Parliament. The House of Lords International Agreements Committee launched an inquiry on September 10, focusing on the potential benefits and risks for the UK, broader geopolitical implications, and the future of UK-India relations.

Lord Goldsmith, chair of the committee, emphasized these focal points amid ongoing evaluations.

**Indian Perspective on the Agreement**

Ambassador Ruchi Ghanashyam, former High Commissioner to the UK, acknowledged the agreement’s ambitious roadmap to deepen economic ties over the medium and long term but also highlighted areas needing further work.

“We are yet to see easing of visas from the UK side, but important agreements covering migration, mobility, and social security contributions of Indian nationals working in the UK are definitely steps in the right direction,” she noted. “There is a strong logic behind forging stronger bilateral ties between India and the UK, and governments in both countries recognize this.”

**Visa Issues: A Point of Friction**

Visa policies remain a slight point of friction in the India-UK relationship. Starmer clearly stated during an interaction with reporters in Mumbai that visa issues would not be discussed on this visit.

Rahul RoyChaudhury, Senior Fellow for South and Central Asian Defence, Strategy, and Diplomacy at the UK-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), described this as expected given the domestic political climate in the UK.

“Immigration has become a significant political issue with recent large anti-immigration rallies in London. It is anticipated to influence the local elections in 2026 and the general elections in 2029, where the Labour party could potentially lose ground to right-wing parties,” said RoyChaudhury.

He added, “Consequently, the government is enforcing a tough crackdown on illegal immigration alongside proposals to restrict legal migration to address public concerns.”

**Engagement at CEO Forum and Global Fintech Fest 2025**

Starmer and Modi are also scheduled to participate jointly in the CEO Forum and the Global Fintech Fest 2025 on Thursday, further underlining the commitment to expand economic and technological cooperation.

**Addressing Concerns on Sikh Extremism**

On India’s concerns regarding Sikh extremism, experts believe Starmer’s government has countered the expectations of Sikh separatists that the Labour administration might sympathize with their cause.

“There is now heightened awareness within the British government about the detrimental impact of Sikh separatists in the UK, and a clear intent to prevent a situation akin to what has been seen in parts of Canada and the US,” asserted RoyChaudhury.

Ambassador Ghanashyam agreed, emphasizing balance: “While the two sides will continue to engage on this subject, it is important not to blow the issue out of proportion. Sikh separatists are a small group and do not represent the majority view of the Sikh community in the UK.”

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**Summary**

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s inaugural trip to India signals a broadened and deepened collaboration between the two nations, especially in trade and economic partnerships. While challenges such as visa issues and security concerns remain, both countries appear committed to advancing their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for a mutually prosperous future.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/world/this-is-the-prime-minister-uk-pm-keir-starmer-surprises-british-airways-co-passengers-from-cockpit-on-maiden-india-visit-video

スポーツ｜横綱豊昇龍らロンドンへ出発 「これが大相撲」と抱負

スポーツ｜横綱豊昇龍らロンドンへ出発「これが大相撲」と抱負