In the tragic and sudden loss of Sen. Lindsey Graham, America has lost one of its greatest patriots. I have lost a dear friend. And the Republican Party has lost a champion.
Much will rightfully be written about Lindsey’s strong advocacy on behalf of the United States and freedom-loving people around the world. There was no bigger believer in America’s role in the world. In uniform and in Congress, Lindsey dedicated his life to the mission that America was a singular force for good.
I was blessed to travel with Lindsey on several occasions, and while there was always a lot made of his support for American hard power, he also was a big believer in the use of soft power — America’s economic, diplomatic, and political solutions to the world’s problems.
Lindsey was a statesman, and he will be mourned the world over. I expect that nearly every living American president has taken advice from Lindsey Graham, whether they care to admit it or not. Heads of state came to respect his opinion and seek his counsel because of his undeniable influence on American foreign policy.
But the most profound sting of this great loss will be felt here at home and within the Republican Party. Lindsey was our glue. He spoke fluently to every corner of our big-tent party, and to those of us who had the privilege of serving with him, we were blessed to call him a friend first and a colleague second. Even in the most stressful situations, Lindsey was adept at bringing out a laugh and putting a smile on your face.
If you were putting together a dinner of colleagues, Lindsey was the first person you called. He was always entertaining and never pretentious. To me, he was a loyal friend, a trusted adviser and someone who always called them as he saw them.
He was as transparent as they come — he never minced words or pulled punches. When he was against you, he let you know. When he was on your side, he was your greatest ally. And if his convictions demanded that he stand on an island, he did that too. What you saw was what you got. He was respected for it.
And when Lindsey set his sights on a goal, watch out — because nothing was going to stand in his way. His relentless work ethic paved the way for generations of conservative policy victories.
One doesn’t need to look far to see Lindsey’s remarkable contributions to our party and his outsized role in passing the Republican agenda.
In this Congress alone, he and his team at the Budget Committee shepherded three budget resolutions and two reconciliation bills through laborious, all-night vote-a-rama sessions. No Senate has ever held more vote-a-ramas in modern history, and that wouldn’t have been possible without Lindsey’s persistence and determination. He and his team led our conference through incredibly high-stakes, fraught negotiations and floor processes. And because of that, generations of Americans will have greater national, economic and financial security.
But this was the leadership that we knew to expect from Lindsey Graham. As a former chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Lindsey was passionate about the rule of law and an independent judiciary. His influence on the judicial system will undeniably last for generations. After all, virtually every judicial nominee for the last 20 years has had to withstand his questioning and work to earn his support.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is pictured in Kyiv on July 10, one day before his death on July 11, in Washington, D.C.(Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)
I am grateful for all the ways Lindsey gave to America and Americans. His mark on history and his impact on the conservative movement will be well documented, but I will be equally, if not more, grateful for the mark he left on my life. Thank you, Lindsey, for being a true and loyal friend, and thank you for always making me laugh.
Preliminary reports reveal South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham died at 71 from an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, breaks down the fatal condition and the emergency response timeline at Graham’s home. Additionally, Dr. Siegel warns about a spike in Cyclosporiasis cases across 31 states, offering crucial safety tips for prevention.
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Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sudden death has thrown new attention on a rare but often deadly cardiovascular emergency known as aortic dissection.
The cause of death was identified as an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a statement released by Graham’s office on Sunday, citing preliminary findings from the District of Columbia’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
“It occurs when the layers of the aorta (the body’s largest artery) come apart and the inner one tears,” Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel, who did not treat Graham, told Fox News Digital.
“It can come on in minutes or days and may be hard to recognize,” added the doctor, noting that while dissections can evolve over time, symptoms often appear suddenly.
Graham, 71, is not the only notable figure to have died from an aortic dissection.
Sen. Lindsey Graham’s cause of death was ruled an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a statement released by Graham’s office on Sunday.(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Below are three other celebrities and public officials whose deaths were linked to the same life-threatening condition.
1. John Ritter
Actor John Ritter, best known for his role in the hit sitcom “Three’s Company,” died from an aortic dissection on Sept. 11, 2003.
The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health (JRF) said the actor was taken to the hospital after experiencing symptoms later identified as a type A aortic dissection. The nonprofit, founded in his honor to fund research and raise awareness for the condition, later said Graham’s death brought “needed attention” to the condition.
John Ritter is seen at CBS TV City on Jan. 5, 1978, in Los Angeles, California.(Tom Wargacki/WireImage)
Type A dissections involve the ascending (upper) aorta near the heart, which typically require emergency surgery.
At the time of his death, Ritter was filming the sitcom “8 Simple Rules… for Dating My Teenage Daughter,” co-starring Kaley Cuoco.
The actor was initially treated for a presumed heart attack, but passed away that night as his condition worsened.
In a press release, the JRF extended its condolences to Graham’s family.
“Deaths due to aortic dissections are preventable if individuals at risk are identified and properly treated.”
“These deaths underscore that aortic dissections are not a rare cause of death,” Meredith Ford O’Neal, CEO of the foundation, shared with Fox News Digital. “Deaths due to aortic dissections are preventable if individuals at risk are identified and properly treated.”
“We hope this moment encourages people to learn the warning signs of aortic dissection, which includes an increased risk for family members of individuals who have had an aortic dissection.”
2. Rep. Doug LaMalfa
Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., died on Jan. 6, 2026, at age 65 from complications of an aortic dissection, according to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office. Cardiomegaly (an enlarged heart) was listed as another significant condition, and his death was ruled natural.
Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., died on Jan. 6, 2026, at age 65 from complications of an aortic dissection.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
LaMalfa, who represented California’s 1st Congressional District, was taken into emergency surgery but passed away during the procedure, according to a statement from the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.
A month later, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to People that his cause of death was complications of an aortic dissection. Cardiomegaly, or an enlarged heart, was also listed as a significant condition.
3. Alan Thicke
“Growing Pains” actor Alan Thicke died from an aortic dissection on Dec. 13, 2016, at the age of 69.
Thicke reportedly experienced chest pain while playing hockey with his son and was taken to the hospital.
“Growing Pains” actor Alan Thicke died from an aortic dissection on Dec. 13, 2016, at the age of 69.(Brian To/FilmMagic)
The Los Angeles County coroner later determined that Thicke died from a ruptured aorta caused by a type A aortic dissection, according to ABC News.
Raising awareness
In a 2016 HCA Healthcare article, Nashville-based heart surgeon Dr. Grayson Wheatley reflected on Thicke’s “unfortunate” case.
“I am sharing with you my expert thoughts based on limited information about Mr. Thicke’s case, but in light of an extensive career of treating hundreds of patients with aortic dissections, I can connect the dots in Mr. Thicke’s case from patterns that have emerged from treating similar patients with aortic dissections,” he said.
Alan Thicke, pictured with son Robin Thicke in 2013, reportedly experienced chest pain while playing hockey with his son and was taken to the hospital before his death.(Francis Specker/CBS via Getty Images)
Chest pain is often the first sign of a sudden tear or rip in the aorta, which can develop “within a few heartbeats,” according to Wheatley.
“The pain associated with an aortic dissection is extreme,” he said. “My patients describe it as so intense and sudden that it drops them to their knees. They literally fall to the ground and feel an intense tearing or ripping in their mid-upper back and/or chest.”
“The aorta is the main blood vessel that comes off of the heart, and it runs like a pipe through your body,” he told Fox News Digital. “Smaller blood vessels branch off to go to all your internal organs, arms, legs and brain.”
“The aorta itself has three layers,” the surgeon went on. “A tear in the lining of the aorta causes those layers to separate. It’s similar to paint peeling off a wall. And that brings a lot of consequences depending on where the tear is.”
“The aorta is the main blood vessel that comes off of the heart, and it runs like a pipe through your body,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. “Smaller blood vessels branch off to go to all your internal organs, arms, legs and brain.”(iStock)
An enlarged aorta or damage to the vessel wall from cardiovascular disease can increase the likelihood of an aortic dissection, although age and high blood pressure remain the leading risk factors, Mansukhani said.
“As we get older, blood vessels can weaken, and over time the constant pressure of blood flow can make the wall of the aorta more vulnerable to a dissection,” he said.
In addition to Graham (left), actors John Ritter and Alan Thicke both died after experiencing an aortic dissection.(Getty Images)
Type A dissections are “immediately life-threatening,” as they are “right by the heart,” according to the doctor.
“It’s an emergency that usually needs surgery within 24 hours if a patient can tolerate that,” he said. “A type B dissection is located further down from the heart. It can also be life-threatening, but does not usually need immediate surgery.”
Although an aortic dissection often strikes without warning, maintaining cardiovascular health and monitoring conditions such as high blood pressure can help lower the risk, Mansukhani advised.
Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.
As the Trump administration’s January deadline looms for states to enforce a new Medicaid work requirement, some state lawmakers are turning the tables by pushing to publicly name the largest companies that have employees enrolled in the government program covering low-income and disabled people.
California lawmakers seek to revive an expired law that would require the state to identify companies that employ 100 or more people and have employees enrolled in Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program. Nevada has had a similar law in place since 2017, though a proposal for one in Oregon stalled when its legislative session ended in March.
The California bill author, Democratic state Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, said she is deeply troubled by what is going to happen when work requirements kick in. According to the state, nearly 5 million out of more than 14 million residents on Medi-Cal will be subject to the requirement.
“We think this is a bill that’s about fairness,” Smallwood-Cuevas said. “It’s a basic principle that taxpayers deserve transparency about which large employers are shifting their healthcare costs onto the public.”
California state Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas wants the state to identify companies that employ 100 or more people and have employees enrolled in Medi-Cal.
Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Large employers that regularly top Nevada’s list, such as Walmart and Amazon, have said that the state included part-time and seasonal workers in their counts and that their full-time hourly employees make too much to qualify for Medicaid.
Walmart spokesperson Katrina Proffitt said that the company offers affordable medical coverage to most employees, including eligible part-time workers, and that most of its plans include no-cost virtual care options.
“Healthcare affordability and access to quality care remain real barriers for many Americans, and Walmart continues to be committed to being part of the solution,” Proffitt said.
The push to name and shame companies reflects dueling narratives about the biggest abusers of the joint state-federal Medicaid program, which reached nearly $932 billion in government spending in 2024. The Trump administration, led by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, has called out blue states for not doing enough to fight insurer fraud and abuse. State Democratic leaders, meanwhile, are pushing back by calling attention to big employers that don’t offer affordable health benefits, which leaves taxpayers subsidizing healthcare costs for the low-wage workforce.
Some states have considered financial penalties. Democratic New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed a bill in June to fine businesses that have at least 50 Medicaid-enrolled employees. Companies with 50 to 249 workers on Medicaid will pay $325 a year per person, and those with at least 500 will pay $725.
Bills that would have penalized companies with workers enrolled in Medicaid failed in Washington stateand Colorado this year.
In Sacramento, California, Democrats want to figure out a way to make large businesses pay for their employees’ health coverage. State lawmakers struck a deal with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is contemplating a presidential bid as he wraps up his final year in the governor’s office, to explore tax options. Any tax hike would be up to the new governor.
States face losing billions of dollars under HR 1, the GOP tax-and-spending law known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, notably through a provision that requires nondisabled Medicaid enrollees ages 19 to 64 in most states to prove they are working, volunteering, or going to school at least 80 hours a month to keep their coverage.
Yet federal work requirements are projected to increase the number of uninsured people nationwide by more than 5 million by 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Nebraska and Montana have begun enforcing the rule.
One health policy researcher said employer Medicaid reports highlight the lack of affordable healthcare options available to low-wage workers. More than half of adults enrolled in Medicaid who don’t have dependent children already meet the 80-hour-a-month requirement or face challenges that would likely qualify them for an exemption, according to KFF.
“There’s a whole set of people who are working — they may not satisfy the work requirement provisions, they may not get the exemption that they’re qualified for, and they don’t have access to that employer-sponsored insurance either,” said Edwin Park, a research professor at the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University.
Employers push back
While employer lists haven’t succeeded in bringing down Medicaid costs, supporters say measuring the burden can be the first step and help lawmakers make the case for further action.
In Nevada, Amazon has employed more Medicaid enrollees than any other company since 2020, according to the state’s report published in January. For state fiscal year 2025, Walmart, the Clark County School District, the state government, and Tesla rounded out the top five.
Employers have argued that the reports are misleading because they have included part-time and seasonal employees. The state’s latest report includes only full-time employees, plus those who could not be confirmed as either full- or part-time employees.
That came to 4,914 Amazon employees and 3,503 Walmart workers in Nevada on Medicaid in 2025.
There are no penalties for companies on the list.
Amazon said it pays its workers more than double the $7.25-an-hour federal minimum wage and noted that Medicaid eligibility is based on household income and size rather than an individual’s wage. That means two employees who earn the same pay may have different eligibility depending on whether they have children or live with parents.
“Pointing fingers at Amazon over Medicaid is a red herring,” said spokesperson Alisa Carroll. “What really needs to happen is a significant and large increase in the federal minimum wage — that would be a big boost for American families.”
Nevada Medicaid spent nearly $950 million on healthcare for more than 133,000 full-time employees and more than 140,000 of their dependents. While the total amount spent dipped in fiscal year 2025, the average cost per member per year increased by nearly 17%.
Yvanna Cancela, a former Nevada lawmaker who sponsored the legislation on Medicaid work reports, said the annual reports force an important conversation “about whether or not this is the kind of economy we want and whether or not it is right or just that people who work full-time don’t make enough to have health insurance.”
A fraying safety net
Health researchers say that uninsured people delay or skip using healthcare and that their children may end up losing coverage, too.
One analysis found that more than 2 million fewer children were enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program this April than in January 2025. California is among the states with the steepest enrollment losses among children.
The loss in healthcare coverage among residents will be compounded by the loss of public food assistance benefits, Smallwood-Cuevas said. Her bill is pending in the legislature.
She compared Medi-Cal to a trampoline that has become a “very tattered kind of fishnet” overwhelmed by people falling into it. President Trump’s spending-and-tax law pulls and rips at the safety net, she said.
When people lose food assistance and health benefits, they must choose between paying for medicine and paying for rent, Smallwood-Cuevas said.
“We’re going to see more people in their cars, more people on the street, and a lot more people in the emergency room,” she said. “That is dangerous for all of California.”
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism.
Earlier this summer, there was some incredible progress in cervical cancer. Women who have been vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV) now have an almost zero chance of dying from cervical cancer before the age of 30. But does that mean women will no longer need cervical screening? Dr Jo Morrison, a consultant gynaecological oncologist from Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, joins James Gallagher and resident GP Dr Margaret McCartney to discuss.
The government has announced school dinners will soon be overhauled in England, in order to reduce the amount of salt, sugar and fat, and boost the amount of fibre and nutrients offered to schoolchildren. James is joined by Dr Maria Traka, head of the food and nutrition national bioscience research infrastructure at the Quadram Institute in Norwich, to find out what the new dinners will look like. He also pays a visit to the Food Museum in Suffolk, where curator Katherine Bridges takes him on a trip through the decades, to see whether school dinners are healthier than ever.
Also, have you seen the buzz surrounding creatine on social media? Gym-goers promise it can help you get stronger and build bigger muscles, but there is also some debate about whether it could boost your brain too. To dig into the science, James chats with Dr Damian Bailey, a professor of physiology and biochemistry at the University of South Wales.
Presenter: James Gallagher
Producer: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell
Editor: Ilan Goodman
Production coordinator: Stu Laws
Sound engineer: Steve Greenwood
Nationwide Building Society has backed plans to lower the demands on how much cash regional banks and building societies must keep in reserve, saying it should enable them to put an extra £40bn of lending into the economy.
The chancellor is expected to address capital reforms as part of a wider package of economic boosts in her Mansion House speech on Tuesday, alongside Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey.
Capital buffer requirements dictate how much money lenders must keep in reserve, to account for unexpected moments of financial shocks or economic downturns.
However, this amount is set to be lowered for low-risk lenders – such as those who are involved with residential mortgage lending for example, rather than investment banking or foreign exchange trading, which are much higher-volatility markets.
In the case of Nationwide, this change would reduce the amount of capital required from 4.3 per cent to 3.75 per cent – creating the potential to support up to £40bn of extra lending.
That additional cash would enter the economy through new mortgage and lending and backing small and medium-sized businesses.
Dame Debbie Crosbie, the chief executive of Nationwide, said the reform would boost the economy (PA)
Dame Debbie Crosbie, chief executive of Nationwide, said: “This reform would boost the economy by unlocking over £40bn of new Nationwide lending for mortgages and business growth.
“A more proportionate framework would recognise the low-risk nature of building society lending while preserving the resilience of the financial system. We are ready to work with regulators to turn that opportunity into real support for the UK economy.”
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Last year, Nationwide were listed as the second-biggest mortgage provider in the UK, while data from the Building Societies Association suggested that mutuals were responsible for 89 per cent of total mortgage market growth in 2024.
Nationwide already provides business banking services through Virgin Money, though will also launch Nationwide-branded business banking in 2027.
The reforms to capital requirement frameworks have been backed by lenders with the expectation it will support the Government’s growth plan, while not risking financial resilience across the industry.
That news comes as Rachel Reeves announces additional resource and support for UK SMEs, with £500m in government funding allocated to “innovative” firms and startups, to try and close a funding gap estimated to be worth around £2-4bn per year.
Ms Reeves, said: “Our plan for the economy has put Britain on a stronger footing – restoring stability, getting investment flowing, and delivering reform.
“We know that small businesses are the backbone of this economy and growth in all our regions, and for too long they have heard ‘no’ when trying to raise the funds they need to grow and create jobs across the UK.
“When they succeed, we all succeed, and today’s major reforms are the most significant step in years to unleash their potential.”
HONG KONG — China’s exports accelerated in June, jumping 27% from a year earlier thanks partly to the boom in artificial intelligence, the customs agency said Tuesday.
The increase in exports in June was much better than economists had expected. Exports rose 19.4% year-on-year in May.
Imports in June surged 36%, better than May’s 27.4% year-on-year growth, with analysts attributing the expansion in part due to the Iran war driving up import costs.
China recorded a trade surplus of $125.6 billion in June, widening from $105.4 billion in the previous month.
“Trade values took another big leg up in June,” Julian Evans-Pritchard, head of China Economics at Capital Economics, wrote in a note Tuesday. “This predominantly reflects the recent surge in semiconductor prices on the back of the AI boom. But even putting that aside, foreign demand for Chinese goods remains robust.”
China’s exports of vehicles, especially EVs, and other tech-related products have boomed as rapid adoption of AI increases the need for semiconductors and other electronic equipment.
The strength in export manufacturing has helped to offset prolonged weakness in domestic spending and investmentdue to a prolonged downturn in the property industry.
In January-June, China’s exports climbed 17.6% from a year earlier, while imports jumped 26.6%, according to the customs data.
Policymakers including those in the U.S. and in Europe have express alarm over rising trade deficits with China. In order to bypass barriers such as higher tariffs, Chinese businesses have been moving factories to regions like Europe. China has also been exporting more to Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa.
While China’s export growth is likely to continue, it is becoming increasingly fragile, said Wei Li, Head of Multi-Asset Investments at BNP Paribas Securities (China). Robust shipments in autos and AI-related items will remain dependent on global demand and regulatory barriers, he said.
Exports to Southeast Asia in June surged nearly 35% from a year ago, while those to the European Union and Latin America increased more than 18% and 28%, respectively.
Exports to the United States climbed almost 14% from a year earlier. China’s shipments to the U.S. have risen in recent months, partly due to declines in shipments a year earlier after President Donald Trump returned to office last year and implemented higher tariffs.
China is set to announce its economic growth data for the April-June quarter on Wednesday. Chinese leaders have set an annual growth target of 4.5% to 5% for this year, slightly lower than the 5% growth in 2025.
Last week, the International Monetary Fund raised China’s annual growth forecast by 0.2 percentage point to 4.6%. But it said it expects China’s economy to expand just 4.1% in 2027.
Chinese leaders have sought to boost consumer spending through various initiatives, including trade-in subsidies for autos and home appliances. But many ordinary Chinese have been feeling the pressure from a slowing economy and avoiding big-ticket purchases.
Indian authorities are investigating whether a film based on a separatist insurgency in India’s Punjab state in the 1980s and early 1990s is fit for viewers.
Satluj, as the film is titled after a river in Punjab, claims to tell the true story of Jaswant Singh Khalra, a human rights activist who was tortured and killed by the police in 1995 for investigating thousands of disappearances and extrajudicial killings during a brutal government crackdown on the separatist movement.
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Originally titled Punjab 95, the film was blocked by India’s censor board for three years. The board ordered a change in the film’s name and demanded nearly 130 cuts before allowing a theatrical release.
The filmmakers refused the cuts and instead released Satluj on the ZEE5 streaming platform on July 3, only for it to be removed 48 hours later on security grounds.
Here’s a look at the controversy.
What is Satluj about?
Written and directed by Honey Trehan, the 163-minute biopic is based on the life – and killing – of Khalra, a bank employee in Punjab’s city of Amritsar, who begins to investigate the disappearance of a friend and the friend’s mother, and ends up finding thousands of similar cases.
The disappearances – and presumed killings – were part of a larger crackdown by Indian security forces to crush a separatist movement that aimed to establish Khalistan, an independent, sovereign state for Sikhs in Punjab.
Khalra’s investigation alleged that police secretly cremated nearly 25,000 disappeared people without informing their families or maintaining official records.
He continued his investigations despite threats and warnings, until he was picked up from outside his home on September 6, 1995. He was presumed to be murdered, though his body was never found. He was 42.
After Khalra’s custodial murder, his wife, Paramjit, campaigned for justice, forcing the government to order an investigation by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the allegations. Five police officials are serving life in prison for Khalra’s killing.
Villagers watch a special screening of Satluj at a Sikh temple at Tatley village, in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district, India, July 8, 2026 [Prabhjot Gill/AP]
Diljit Dosanjh, one of India’s biggest film stars, plays Khalra. The film is narrated by the actor playing the police officer who led the CBI probe.
The movie has received rave reviews, with critics touting it as one of the most powerful films made in India in recent years.
What is Khalistan and what happened in Punjab?
The Khalistan rebellion was one of independent India’s bloodiest internal conflicts during the 1980s and early 1990s.
The separatist movement was rooted in long-running political and religious grievances over Sikh identity, demands for greater state autonomy, disputes over sharing river water with other states, and excessive federal control over the western state bordering Pakistan.
Armed Sikh fighters carried out bombings, targeted killings, and assassinations, as the police and paramilitary forces launched a sweeping operation to crack down on those involved in the movement. According to human rights groups, the operation included torture, extrajudicial and custodial killings, enforced disappearances, and secret cremations.
In the summer of 1984, Indian troops stormed the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Sikhism’s holiest site, which was occupied by separatist fighters at the time. Operation Blue Star, as it was called, left hundreds dead.
The Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, on May 30, 1985 [Ramesh Pande/Reuters]
Later that year, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was shot dead by her Sikh bodyguards, who held her responsible for the Golden Temple bloodshed. Gandhi’s assassination triggered anti-Sikh riots, with thousands of Sikhs killed in Punjab and the Indian capital, New Delhi, in what Sikh groups have described as a genocide.
Sikh fighters responded by killing General Arun Kumar Vaidya, the army chief who had overseen the storming of the Golden Temple, in 1986. They also killed members of parliament, whom they believed to be behind the anti-Sikh violence in the middle 1980s.
In 1994, the fighters killed the then-Punjab governor, Surendar Nath, and state Chief Minister Beant Singh the next year.
Violence largely subsided in the mid-90s, but several Sikh groups in India and abroad are still accused by India of separatist tendencies.
Who was Jaswant Singh Khalra?
The story of Khalra, the human rights activist, sits in the middle of the violence and chaos in Punjab in the 1980s and the 1990s.
He investigated municipal cremation records and alleged that police had secretly mass cremated nearly 25,000 unidentified bodies, an extrapolation from his research, without informing families or conducting proper legal procedures.
“Khalra was not a trained human rights activist. He was just a guy who got into activism because he saw something wrong happening in front of his eyes,” Jupinderjit Singh, an author from Punjab who has written on the violence in the state, told Al Jazeera.
“It was a natural resistance against oppression, and Khalra became a symbol of that,” he added.
“And the impact of the film is huge; it has shaken Punjab to the core and reopened wounds that the government thought were done,” added Singh, who saw the film last year in a private screening.
“The police’s image has taken a big hit.”
Why is the government blocking the film?
Although the Punjab rebellion was crushed, and support for Khalistan waned in the state, the Indian government continues to view separatist sentiments as a national security issue.
It has not publicly explained why the film was removed, but officials have told local media that they ordered it taken down over security concerns.
A report by the Press Trust of India news agency this week said the government has also constituted a committee to examine why the film’s ban on the ZEE5 streaming platform should continue. According to media reports citing sources, the committee has upheld the ban and has concluded that the film “goes against India’s sovereignty”.
In a statement, ZEE5 said the film would not be available in India “until further notice” because of “current developments”, without explaining or specifying them. It added that it would explore “every appropriate avenue through due process” to restore it.
Actor Dosanjh held a live session on Instagram after the film was removed from ZEE5 and told his fans that his worst fears had come to be true.
Dosanjh appeared disillusioned by the years-long obstacles the film had faced. But he said he also found solace in the fact that it is now being viewed at community screenings across the country, as well as being downloaded and widely shared.
“Nothing can stop the film now,” he said.
People watch Satluj at a Sikh temple at Tatley village, Gurdaspur, Punjab, India, July 8, 2026 [Prabhjot Gill/AP]
India’s film industry has come under increasing pressure since Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power.
Critics say his government has been patronising far-right “propaganda” films, making them tax-free, while censoring and even banning independent movies that challenge and question the state.
How are people viewing a banned film?
Social media users are uploading the movie onto YouTube and other platforms in defiance of the government ban. One link goes down, another pops up within minutes.
Across Punjab and other parts of India, Sikh groups and activists have also converted Sikh temple compounds and village halls into makeshift cinemas to organise community screenings of Satluj.
The community screenings are free of charge, with locals bringing homemade buttermilk and distributing cold drinks and snacks.
At one such screening in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district, Inderpal Bains told Al Jazeera he was able to watch the film after a long wait. To him, the biopic is “a horror show of reality”.
“This film talks about our pain and the dark tales our parents and grandparents lived through in Punjab,” he said. “The government is yet again burying the evidence of our sufferings.”
Similar screenings have also been reported from Sikh diaspora groups in London, New York, and Toronto.
“No generation should forget its history, no matter how painful it is,” Bains said. “What remains of us if we don’t know how we reached here?”
Parents are being encouraged to donate unwanted school uniforms and prom outfits and swap them for something else, or take what they need for free, at a new pop-up event.
Peterborough City Council said the pop-up shop would be open on 31 July on Bridge Street, next to the Town Hall.
It said the event was “built around the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle… and supporting families with the cost of the new school year”.
Labour cabinet member for children’s services at the council, Katy Cole, said: “It can be an expensive time for families when it comes to thinking about uniform for the new term in September, so I would encourage them to pop along to this event if they can.”
The council said it had held a similar event last summer and wanted to provide “another opportunity to support local families while promoting sustainable living”.
Residents can donate their clean, good-quality school uniform items or prom dresses that are no longer needed, and take ones they may require.
Liberal Democrat cabinet member for environmental services, Chris Wiggin, said the event was “diverting textiles from waste by prioritising reuse and recycling instead of being discarded as waste”.
“This is an important way to minimise the overall impact that clothing has on our environment.”
The pop-up shop will be open from midday to 17:00 BST at unit 31 on Bridge Street.
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There comes a stage in life that few people prepare for. One minute you’re packing school lunches, helping with homework and attending parent-teacher meetings. Next, you’re scheduling doctor’s appointments for your ageing parents, reminding them to take their medication and worrying about their health. Somewhere in between, you’re trying to meet work deadlines, pay bills, nurture your relationships and, if time allows, take care of yourself. This is what experts call the sandwich generation, adults who find themselves squeezed between the responsibilities of raising children and caring for elderly parents at the same time. With people living longer, families becoming smaller and many couples choosing to have children later in life, this balancing act has become increasingly common across the world. In India, where caring for ageing parents is deeply rooted in family values, the emotional and practical weight of this role is often even greater. While many embrace these responsibilities out of love, the reality is that constantly caring for two generations can leave little room for one’s own needs.
What does being part of the sandwich generation really mean?
Being part of the sandwich generation isn’t defined by age. It’s defined by responsibility. A typical day might begin with getting children ready for school before rushing to work. During lunch, there may be a call from an elderly parent who needs help with a medical appointment or banking paperwork. Evenings are spent preparing dinner, checking homework, ordering medicines, managing household expenses and planning for everyone’s future. The emotional load is often invisible. People aren’t just managing schedules; they’re carrying the worries of multiple generations at once. Many describe feeling as though they are constantly switching roles, parent, caregiver, employee, spouse, financial planner and emotional support system, without ever getting the chance to simply be themselves.
Why this generation is growing
Several social changes have contributed to the rise of the sandwich generation. People today are living longer than previous generations, thanks to advances in healthcare and better disease management. At the same time, many adults are becoming parents later in life, meaning their children are still young when their own parents begin needing additional support.
Migration for education and employment has also changed family structures. Many families no longer live in large joint households where caregiving responsibilities are shared among several relatives. Instead, a smaller number of family members often shoulder most of the responsibility. Financial pressures have added another layer of complexity. Rising healthcare costs, children’s education expenses, home loans and the increasing cost of living mean many adults are supporting both younger and older family members simultaneously.
The emotional toll that often goes unnoticed
The demands of the sandwich generation are not only physical, they’re deeply emotional. Many caregivers experience a constant feeling of being pulled in different directions. They may feel guilty for missing a school event because a parent needed medical care, or guilty for not spending enough time with ageing parents because their children needed attention.There is also the quiet grief of watching parents grow older while trying to preserve a sense of normalcy for children. One generation is becoming more independent while another is becoming increasingly dependent, leaving caregivers caught between two very different phases of life. Over time, this emotional juggling can contribute to chronic stress, sleep problems, anxiety and burnout. Yet many people hesitate to talk about these struggles because they believe caring for family is simply something they are expected to do.
Why self-care is not selfish
For people in the sandwich generation, self-care is often the first thing to disappear. Medical check-ups get postponed. Exercise routines are abandoned. Meals become hurried, sleep becomes irregular and hobbies slowly fade into the background. But experts consistently point out that caregivers cannot provide sustainable care if they are running on empty themselves. Looking after your own physical and emotional wellbeing is not an act of selfishness, it’s an essential part of being able to care for others over the long term.
Even small habits, such as taking a daily walk, eating regular meals, maintaining friendships or asking for help when needed, can make a meaningful difference.
Sharing responsibility matters
One of the biggest mistakes caregivers make is believing they have to do everything alone. Family caregiving works best when responsibilities are shared. Siblings can divide financial, medical and logistical tasks. Older children can take on age-appropriate household responsibilities. Friends, neighbours and extended family members may also be willing to help if asked.Professional support, whether through home healthcare services, counselling or community organisations, can also reduce the burden. Accepting help isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a practical way to protect both the caregiver and the family they are trying to favour.
Finding meaning amid the pressure
Despite the challenges, many people in the sandwich generation also speak about unexpected moments of fulfilment. Children who witness compassionate caregiving often grow up with a stronger understanding of empathy, responsibility and family bonds. Spending time with ageing parents can also create opportunities to preserve family stories, traditions and memories that might otherwise be lost. These moments don’t erase the stress, but they often remind caregivers why they continue showing up every day.The sandwich generation occupies one of life’s most demanding positions. It asks people to nurture dreams at one end of the family while protecting memories at the other. It requires extraordinary patience, resilience and love, often without recognition.There may not be a perfect way to balance the needs of children, parents and personal wellbeing every single day. But recognising the realities of this stage of life is an important first step. After all, those caring for everyone else deserve care, understanding and support too.
