Page 21 - Britain

UK foreign secy says halting arms sales to Israel would strengthen Hamas

Halting arms exports to Israel is not a wise path" and would only strengthen Hamas, Britain's foreign secretary said Sunday. Asked whether the UK would follow the US in threatening to cut the supply of offensive weapons to Israel if it carried out an attack on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the two countries cannot be compared because unlike the US, Britain supplies a very small amount of Israel's weapons. The UK provides less than 1% of Israel's weapons and it's not a state supplier," Cameron told the BBC on Sunday. "We have a licensing system and those licences can be closed if it's judged there's a serious risk of a serious international human rights violation. US President Joe Biden has said that his government will stop supplying weapons and artillery to Israel if its forces launch an all-out assault on Rafah, the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza. Britain's opposition Labour Party and human rights groups have argued that the UK should

British newspaper groups warn Apple over ad-blocking plans, says report

NMA is an association of UK-based national, regional and local news media organizations, according to its website

UK exits recession with better-than-expected forecast 0.6% GDP growth

The Office for National Statistics said gross domestic product expanded by 0.6 per cent in the three months to March, the strongest expansion since the fourth quarter of 2021

UK PM Sunak suffers defection of MP amid charge of 'incompetence'

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday suffered a humiliating defection from his party benches as a Conservative member of Parliament walked across the floor of the House of Commons to join the Opposition Labour ranks. Natalie Elphicke, MP for Dover, said the Tories under Sunak "have become a byword for incompetence and division" in a resignation statement just moments before the weekly Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs). The 43-year-old British Indian leader went on to face off with Labour Leader Keir Starmer, who made the most of the shock move which marks the second defection from the Tories to Labour in two weeks and comes on the back of bruising local election results for the governing party. "When I was elected in 2019, the Conservative Party occupied the centre ground of British politics. The party was about building the future and making the most of the opportunities that lay ahead for our country, Elphicke, a staunch critic of the Labour Party until only a few days

UK facing disaster of hung parl, warns Sunak after local election debacle

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warned on Monday that an analysis of the local election results shows the country is headed for a hung Parliament led by the Opposition Labour Party, which would be a disaster for Britain. The 43-year-old British Indian leader told The Times' in the wake of a debacle for the governing Conservative Party, who lost hundreds of local council seats and key mayoralties across England in results over the weekend, that he was bitterly disappointed but determined to fight back. He sought to paint a less bleak picture for party rebels, demanding a change of political course to win back voters in time for a general election, expected later this year. These results suggest we are heading for a hung parliament with Labour as the largest party, Sunak told the newspaper. [Labour Leader] Keir Starmer propped up in Downing Street by the SNP [Scottish National Party], Liberal Democrats and the Greens would be a disaster for Britain. The country doesn't need more political

King Charles III takes over charity patronages on Coronation anniversary

Britain's King Charles has significantly increased his charity patronages by nearly 300 this weekend to mark the first anniversary of his Coronation in May last year, taking over several that Buckingham Palace said were supported by his mother late Queen Elizabeth II. The palace said a major review of more than 1,000 royal patronages and charity presidencies was undertaken following the 75-year-old monarch's accession to the throne in September 2022 after the death of his mother. Other working members of the royal family, including wife Camilla and son and heir Prince William, will also take on the patronage of a number of organisations previously supported by the late Queen to add to their existing portfolios. The King and Queen [Camilla] will continue to serve as patron to many of the charities and institutions with which His Majesty was affiliated as Prince of Wales, and respectively Her Majesty as Duchess of Cornwall, a Buckingham Palace statement said on Saturday. In addition,

UK govt acted unlawfully in approving climate plan: High Court judge

A High Court judge ruled Friday that the UK government acted unlawfully when it approved a plan to meet climate targets without evidence that it could be delivered. It was the second time in two years that the government's main climate action plan was found to be unlawful and insufficient in meeting legally-binding targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Justice Clive Sheldon sided Friday with three environmental groups that brought the case, ruling that the government's decision to approve its Carbon Budget Delivery Plan last year was simply not justified by the evidence. The plan outlined how the UK aims to achieve its climate targets, including pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about two-thirds of 1990 levels by 2030 and to reach net zero by 2050. The judge said the details in the draft plan were vague and unquantified, and didn't provide officials with enough information on whether the plan should be approved. Lawyers acting for the environmental organizations tol

UK PM Sunak under pressure amid dire local election results for his party

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's leadership is under severe pressure on Friday as the results of local elections and a crucial by-election poured in overnight, delivering what is being characterised as one of the worst poll outcomes for the governing Conservative Party in 40 years. Rebels from within his party are expected to renew their attacks on the British Indian leader after the Opposition Labour Party made definitive gains, including overturning the Tory majority in the Blackpool South by-election which was necessitated following a resignation amid a lobbying row. Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer declared the result as a "seismic" victory and an overall poll verdict in favour of the party as it comes on the eve of a general election, expected later this year. "Blackpool speaks for the whole country... This is the one contest where voters had the chance to send a message to Rishi Sunak's Conservatives directly, and that message is an overwhelming vote for change," said Starmer

Britain claims drastic drop in student dependents after visa crackdown

The UK government has welcomed a significant fall in the number of dependents, or close family members such as a spouse and children, accompanying overseas students after its crackdown on student visas from early this year. In an update issued on Tuesday from January to March this year compared to the same period in 2023, the Home Office said that dependents had drastically fallen by almost 80 per cent amid over 26,000 fewer student visa applications made. Indians have led the international student visa tally in recent years and these figures indicate that a downward trend noted earlier this year is likely to mean fewer Indian students choosing UK universities. Under rules effective from January, most international students except those on research courses cannot bring along family members. They can no longer switch their visa either before completing their course, which the government claimed misused the student visa as a backdoor to work in the UK amid a wider Home Office clampdow

South Korea confirms talks on joining AUKUS pact with US, UK and Australia

AUKUS, formed by the three countries in 2021, is part of efforts to push back against China's growing power in the Asia Pacific region.

Gurbani, messages of harmony at UK Parliament complex for Baisakhi

The devotional strains of Gurbani and messages of harmony rang out at the Houses of Parliament complex in London this week for a first-of-its-kind Baisakhi celebration. Organised by the British Indian think tank 1928 Institute and diaspora membership organisations City Sikhs and the British Punjabi Welfare Association (BPWA), the event brought together a cross-section of professionals, community leaders and philanthropists at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Room on Monday evening to spotlight the UK-India relationship and contributions of the Sikh community to British life. City Sikhs Chair Jasvir Singh led the proceedings, which included speeches and Gurbani by the Anahad Kirtan Society. It's a real honour to celebrate Baisakhi, the birth of the Khalsa by Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1699. Baisakhi celebrates the beginning of the Khalsa and the teachings that accompany this, focussing on equality by proactively removing forms of hierarchy, ego and fear, said Kiran Kaur .

Britain, France forge new alliance for Ukraine, eye Nato partners

But the stakes now are high. War continues to rage in Ukraine. The US's hard power commitment remains fallible

Britain's new 'world first' laws crack down on smart gadget cyber attacks

All internet connected smart devices will be required to meet minimum security standards under what the UK government has dubbed as world first laws, effective from Monday to protect consumers and businesses from hacking and cyber-attacks. Under the new regime, manufacturers will be banned from having weak, easily guessable default passwords like admin or 12345 and if there is a common password, the user will be prompted to change it on start-up. An investigation conducted by the Which? consumer group found that a UK home filled with smart devices could be exposed to more than 12,000 hacking attacks from across the world in a single week, with a total of 2,684 attempts to guess weak default passwords on just five devices. From today, consumers will have greater peace of mind that their smart devices are protected from cyber criminals, as we introduce world first laws that will make sure their personal privacy, data and finances are safe, said UK Minister for Cyber Viscount Camrose, .

Microsoft, Amazon face scrutiny from UK govt over recent AI deals

British competition regulators said Wednesday they'll scrutinise recent artificial intelligence deals by Microsoft and Amazon over concerns that the moves could thwart competition in the AI industry. The Competition and Markets Authority said it's looking into Microsoft's partnership with France's Mistral AI and the company's hiring of key staff from another startup, Inflection AI. The watchdog also separately announced that it's investigating Amazon's $4 billion investment in San Francisco-based Anthropic. Big Tech companies have been pouring money into generative AI startups amid growing public and business interest in the technology, but the investments have also drawn attention from antitrust authorities. The UK watchdog said it was seeking comments from interested third parties," before deciding whether to carry out an in-depth antitrust investigation. "We will assess, objectively and impartially, whether each of these three deals fall within UK merger rules and, if they do, .

UK pledges an additional $620 million in new military supplies for Ukraine

The UK on Tuesday pledged an additional $620 million in new military supplies for Ukraine, including long-range missiles and four millions rounds of ammunition, at a time when Ukraine is struggling to hold off advancing Russian forces on the eastern front line of the war, now in its third year. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday morning to confirm the assistance and "assure him of the UK's steadfast support for Ukraine's defence against Russia's brutal and expansionist ambitions, Sunak's office said. Sunak was travelling to Warsaw later Tuesday to meet with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg for talks about further aid for Ukraine. Ahead of the visit, the UK government said Sunak would announce 500 million pounds ($620 million, 580 million euros) in new British military supplies, including 400 vehicles, 60 boats, 1,600 munitions and 4 million rounds of ammunition. The shipment wi

Nothing will stand in way of Rwanda flights: Sunak after key bill passes

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's latest effort to send some migrants to Rwanda finally won approval from Parliament early Tuesday, hours after he pledged deportation flights would begin in July. The parliamentary logjam that had stalled the legislation for two months was finally broken just after midnight when the unelected House of Lords recognised the primacy of the elected House of Commons and dropped the last of its proposed amendments, clearing the way for the bill to become law. Earlier in the day, Sunak held a rare morning press conference to demand that the Lords stop blocking his key proposal for ending the tide of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats, promising that both houses of Parliament would remain in session until it was approved. The legislative stalemate was just the latest hurdle to delay implementation of a plan that has been repeatedly blocked by a series of court rulings and opposition from human rights activists who say it is illegal and .

Britain's plan to send some migrants to Rwanda hits hurdle in Parliament

A law that will enable Britain to send some asylum-seekers on a one-way trip to Rwanda suffered a setback on Wednesday after Parliament's upper chamber pressed its attempt to amend the contentious legislation. The House of Lords inserted amendments into the Safety of Rwanda Bill, sending it back to the lower House of Commons in a process known as parliamentary ping-pong. The government had hoped members of the Lords would stop blocking the bill on Wednesday, relenting to the parliamentary rule that the unelected Lords ultimately can't overrule the elected Commons. The Lords' resistance underlines the strength of opposition in the upper house, where the governing Conservative Party does not have a majority. The bill is still overwhelmingly likely to become law, but the latest move delays its passage, likely until next week. The legislation will pave the way for deportation flights to take off though opponents plan new legal challenges that could keep them grounded. The Rwanda plan

Working towards ambitious deal with India, says UK as FTA talks resume

The UK government on Tuesday said that it continues to work towards striking an ambitious trade deal with India as a negotiating team from Delhi resumed talks with their British counterparts in London this week. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) reiterated its stance of only signing a free trade agreement (FTA) that was in the best interests of the British people and economy. Last month, DBT officials had indicated that formal trade negotiations were being paused for the course of India's phased general election, though some talks were expected to carry on until the poll results are declared on June 4. On Tuesday, UK officials said discussions resume in London this week to "continue talks under Round 14" of the negotiations, which opened in January. The UK and India continue to work towards an ambitious trade deal that work for both countries, a DBT spokesperson said. While we do not comment on the details of negotiations, we are clear that we will only sign a deal that i

India, UK discuss prioritising extradition requests relating to fugitives

India and the United Kingdom on Monday discussed the need for expediting action under mutual legal assistance treaty and prioritisation of extradition requests relating to fugitives. A number of fugitives from India including former Kingfisher Airlines promoter Vijay Mallya, diamantaire Nirav Modi and arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari besides separatists from Punjab and wanted terrorist sympathisers are based in the United Kingdom and their extradition is being pursued by agencies. The issue came up for discussion during the visit of a high-level delegation from the United Kingdom that included its candidate for the post of Interpol Secretary General Stephen Kavanagh to the CBI Headquarters on Monday. During the visit, the CBI Director Praveen Sood and other senior agency officials held detailed discussions with Kavanagh about enhancing operational collaboration with the UK. Both sides discussed a host of issues including criminal intelligence sharing and combating financial crimes, ...

Britain adds Pakistan to list of countries 'too dangerous to travel'

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom has recently added Pakistan to its list of countries that it states are "too dangerous" for UK citizens to travel, reported Geo News.In their latest report, the FCDO alerted that the organisation has updated the list and added eight more countries.According to the latest FCDO alert, the total number of banned destinations is 24, Geo News reported.The FCDO's alert covers a range of concerns that pose a threat to visitor safety, including crime, war, terrorism, disease, weather conditions and natural disasters, Geo News reported, citing the Manchester Evening News.Moreover, the newly added countries are those involved in conflicts, including Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Iran, Sudan, Lebanon, Belarus, and the Palestinian territories.Meanwhile, the blacklisted countries include, Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Chad, Haiti, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Niger, North Korea, Somalia, .