Page 7 - Britain

Look forward to fostering ties with partners in UK, says Mamata Banerjee

Speaking at the High Commission of India in London where she attended a high-tea reception, CM Banerjee called the relationship very deep

UK welfare spending cuts pose unexpected risk to carmakers' EV ambitions

A review of the benefits system announced in recent days could hit a car-financing program called Motability, which provides vehicles to disabled customers on mobility benefits

Britain pledges $775 million to tackle construction skills shortages

Housebuilding and improving British infrastructure are key parts of the Labour government's growth strategy

BoE set to keep UK rate unchanged at 4.50% despite gloomy economic news

The Bank of England is set to keep UK interest rates unchanged Thursday even though the economy is barely growing and set for further uncertainty in light of the tariff policies being enacted by the Trump administration in the US. The nine-member Monetary Policy Committee is expected to keep the bank's main interest rate at 4.50%, given that inflation remains above target and set to go higher in the coming months, as firms are expected to raise prices as a result of a big increase in the minimum wage and higher payroll taxes. Inflation in the UK rose to a 10-month high of 3% in January further above the bank's target of 2%. And many economists think it could rise as high as 4% in the coming months. The rate-setting panel has reduced the bank's main rate from a 16-year high of 5.25% by a quarter of a percentage on three occasions since last August, most recently in February, after inflation fell from multi-decade highs of over 10%. If it pursues this gradual approach, then it would

UK, EU to ramp up pressure on Russia and boost defence initiatives

The talks will coordinate cooperation on Ukraine and discuss efforts to increase economic pressure on Russia, UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in a statement

Carney meets Britain, Germany leaders as Trump targets Canada's sovereignty

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met the leaders of Britain and France on Monday during his first official overseas trip, seeking support from two of Ottawa's oldest allies as US President Donald Trump targets Canada's sovereignty and economy. Canadians have criticized the leaders of the two countries that founded Canada for their muted response to Trump's attacks. The president has imposed tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum and repeatedly commented on turning Canada into the 51st state. Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron did not take journalists' questions, and a joint news conference was not scheduled with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, either. An official familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly, said the Canadians proposed a press conference in Paris but the French declined. Starmer has called Canada a friend and ally of the U.K. but has declined to directly call out Trump's talk of annexati

Canada PM Carney to meet European allies as tensions with Trump admin rise

New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Paris Monday to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron, seeking support from one of Canada's oldest allies as tensions with the Trump administration spike. This is Carney's first official foreign trip since he was sworn in on March 14. He will next land in London where he will sit down with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III, the head of state in Canada. Carney has deliberately chosen the two European capital cities that shaped Canada's early existence. During his swearing-in ceremony, he noted the country was built on the bedrock of three peoples, French, English and Indigenous, and said Canada is fundamentally different from America and will never, ever, in any way shape or form, be part of the United States. Since US President Donald Trump came to office, he has imposed whopping tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum and repeatedly commented on turning Canada into the 51st state, infuriating Canadians and ...

Chagos Islanders seek to take UK govt to court over deal with Mauritius

Two women born on the Chagos Islands are seeking to take the British government to court over a proposed deal to transfer sovereignty of the disputed Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius. Lawyers for the two women argued Monday that it was unlawful to exclude Chagossians from deciding the future of the tropical archipelago, home to a strategically important UK-US naval and bomber base. The UK government announced in October that it intends to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius though Britain would retain control of Diego Garcia, the largest island where the military base is located. But negotiations have stalled, pending agreement from US President Donald Trump's government. Britain evicted hundreds of people from the remote islands in the 1960s and 1970s so the US military could build the base on Diego Garcia. Many of the islanders were relocated to the UK and have faced legal challenges returning to their birthplace. Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, both British citize

Virgin Group aims to raise $900 million to fund Eurostar rival: Report

Virgin Group intends to raise 300 million pounds in equity and 400 million pounds in debt and plans to be a cornerstone equity investor in the project

EAM Jaishankar holds talks with UK PM Keir Starmer, ministers in London

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street in London on Tuesday evening to convey warm greetings from Prime Narendra Modi. Jaishankar said bilateral cooperation and the UK's perspective on the Russia-Ukraine conflict were among the topics covered during his meeting with the UK PM. Discussed taking forward our bilateral, economic cooperation and enhancing people to people exchanges. PM Starmer also shared the UK's perspective on the Ukraine conflict, Jaishankar said in a social media post. Earlier on Tuesday, the External Affairs Minister (EAM) held a series of ministerial dialogues on the first day of his six-day visit covering the UK and Ireland. During a meeting with UK Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, the ministers discussed the progress of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations. Discussed the progress on our FTA talks, Jaishankar said in a post on X after his meeting with Reynolds. Ind

South Asian-origin men guilty of one of UK's largest money laundering plots

Four British men, including two of South Asian heritage who ran jewellery businesses, were on Tuesday convicted in one of the UK's largest money laundering prosecutions worth an estimated GBP 266 million following a complex eight-year investigation. Arjun Babber, 32, and Haroon Rashid, 53, were found guilty alongside Gregory Frankel and Daniel Rawson, both 46, at Leeds Cloth Hall Nightingale Crown Court in northern England over large amounts of unexplained cash passing through their businesses. Babber ran Goldsteel Limited and is said to have started laundering cash for others through Fowler Oldfield Limited in 2015. According to the UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Babber's family members ran RPS Jewellers Limited, a well-known and reputable gold and jewellery business based in west London and Hatton Garden. Meanwhile, Rashid was the sole director of Rashid Jewellers Ltd and was a frequent visitor to the premises of Fowler Oldfield and had access to its computers. This case is

UK investigates TikTok, Reddit over children's personal data practices

Social media companies use complex algorithms to prioritise content and keep users engaged

Europe needs a 'coalition of the willing' for Ukraine: UK PM Keir Starmer

Starmer said that such a grouping would likely include the UK and France and "one or two others," who would work with Ukraine on a "plan to stop the fighting."

Indian businessman wins UK extradition appeal over torture concerns

Sanjay Bhandari, who is described by his lawyers as a consultant in the defence sector, is wanted in India on charges of tax evasion and money laundering

UK ready to put 'boots on ground' for Ukraine: Starmer while meeting Trump

Trump said he thinks progress is being made on ending the Russia-Ukraine war, and that an agreement will "either be fairly soon or it won't be at all"

Donald Trump says 'yes' to King Charles' invitation for state visit

Trump accepting this invitation from King Charles, makes him the first elected political leader in modern times to be hosted for two state visits by a British monarch

UK's Starmer meets Trump amid worries over drifting US support for Ukraine

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer flew to Washington on Wednesday after announcing a big increase in the British defense budget, an investment that he hopes will help persuade US President Donald Trump to maintain support for Ukraine as Washington pushes to end the war. Though Starmer is touting the trans-Atlantic special relationship that has endured since World War II, he faces an uncertain reception. Trump has upended decades of US foreign policy during his first weeks in office. Ukraine and its European allies are scrambling to respond after the Trump administration engaged directly with Moscow on ending the war in Ukraine. Starmer's visit to the White House on Thursday is part of European efforts following a trip to Washington by French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this week to ensure Kyiv gets a voice in negotiations, and that the US still backs Europe in dealing with an aggressive Russia on its doorstep. Starmer confirmed he will host a meeting of international leaders in

Trump to meet French, UK leaders as uncertainty grows about US-Europe ties

President Donald Trump holds talks this week with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a moment of deep uncertainty about the future of transatlantic relations, with Trump transforming American foreign policy and effectively tuning out European leadership as he looks to quickly end Russia's war in Ukraine. Trump also has made demands for territory Greenland, Canada, Gaza and the Panama Canal as well as precious rare earth minerals from Ukraine. Just over a month into his second term, the America First president has cast an enormous shadow over what veteran US diplomats and former government officials had regarded as America's calming presence of global stability and continuity. Despite some notable hiccups, the military, economic and moral power of the United States has dominated the post-World War II era, most notably after the Cold War came to an end with the collapse of the Soviet Union. All of that, some fear, may be lost if Trump gets

How end-to-end encryption will and won't change for Apple users in the UK

The move came in response to a recent order from the UK government, which asked the iPhone maker to build a backdoor for global access to user data

Britain's Railway to celebrate 30 years of 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge'

British Railway celebrated 200 years of modern railways by collaborating with Yash Raj Films (YRF) for 'Come Fall In Love - The DDLJ Musical', marking 30 years of DDLJ