Uk

UK enforces digital travel system, mandatory eVisas for Indians

New rules in force from Wednesday will see the UK transition to a digital transit system, including mandatory eVisas for Indian travellers and Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for non-visa requiring visitors. The new procedure will replace paper-based visa stickers as part of a phased programme over recent years. While the new system will still involve a physical visit to the application centre for biometric registration, it will do away with the need to leave behind the passport document during the processing period. "I'd urge anyone wanting to travel to the UK to ensure they are travel-ready and have the right permission, to make their journey much smoother," said Mike Tapp, UK Minister for Migration and Citizenship. It will be mandatory for visitors to the UK to have obtained digital permission to travel, which means airlines can prevent passengers from boarding planes if they do not have an eVisa, ETA or other valid documentation. The UK government had launched the eVisa .

UK weighs legal changes to remove Andrew Windsor from line of succession

Experts say the process of removing him from the line of succession could be lengthy because it requires the involvement of about a dozen countries that call the British monarch their head of state

Univ of Sheffield study helps AI better understand accents and dialects

AI could soon better understand people's accent and dialect, thanks to a landmark study being led by the University of Sheffield. The study, led by Dr Chris Montgomery from the University's School of English in collaboration with ICS.AI, the UK's fastest-growing, profitable AI business, is set to tackle one of the biggest challenges in public sector AI how well digital services understand people who speak with different regional accents and dialects. The collaboration is the first UK academic-industry partnership to apply sociolinguistic research to the evaluation of public sector conversational AI, focusing on how systems perform in real service interactions between citizens and public bodies - for example, when people contact their local council and conversational AI is used to answer questions and help them access the right information or services. The study is based on Dr Montgomery's systematic review of more than five decades of peer-reviewed research on accent and dialect ..

Former UK ambassador to US Peter Mandelson arrested amid Epstein probe

Peter Mandelson, theUK's formerambassador to the US,wasarrestedfrom his north London home on Monday onsuspicion of misconduct in public office, the Metropolitan Police said. Mandelson hadresigned from the House of Lords andLabour Party earlier this month following damaging allegations related to his association with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Met Police had confirmed soon after that the force had opened aninvestigation into the former frontlineLabour politician, who served in the Cabinet underprimeministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. "Officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office,"said a Met Police spokesperson. "He was arrested at an address in Camden on Monday, 23 February and has been taken to a London police station forinterview.This follows search warrants at two addresses in the Wiltshire and Camden areas. "We are not able to provide further information at this stage to preventprejudicing the integrity of the investigation," ..

How Britain's royal family can weather former Prince Andrew's arrest

Britain's royal family now faces one of its biggest modern-era tests after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest

Former Prince Andrew released 11 hours after his arrest amid Epstein probe

Former Prince Andrew has been released after his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The Thames Valley Police force said the former prince was released Thursday evening. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was photographed in a car leaving the station near his home in eastern England about 11 hours after his arrest. He was released under investigation, meaning he has neither been charged nor exonerated. Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested early Thursday at his home by detectives investigating his ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein. Police said they had finished searching Mountbatten-Windsor's home but were still searching another property. The former Prince Andrew was arrested by British police Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his links to Jeffrey Epstein, an extraordinary move in a country where authorities once sought to shield the royal family from embarrassment. It was the first time in nearly four centuries that a senior British royal was plac

UK PM Starmer seeks powers to regulate online access for child safety

Britain's government said last month it would consult on an Australian-style social media ban for children under 16

Australia to spend $2.7 bn on shipyard for nuclear submarines under Aukus

Aukus is Australia's largest-ever defence investment and will see US-commanded Virginia-class submarines based in Australia from 2027

Apple, Google agree app store changes after UK regulator's intervention

Thousands of businesses rely on Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store to review and distribute their apps, and many have complained the process is unclear and inconsistent

US, UK condemn 20 yrs prison sentence to Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai

US' Rubio called it tragic and unjust while British Foreign Secretary Cooper reiterated support to the people of Hong Kong

Work 'no longer a route out of poverty' for millions in UK: Think tank

Resolution's warning, comes with the incumbent Labour government in turmoil

Starmer says won't quit after losing 2 aides over Mandelson-Epstien ties

The resignation of Starmer's communications director, Tim Allan, on Monday, after just five months on the job will feed the sense of crisis engulfing his office

UK PM Starmer under pressure as chief of staff quits over Mandelson row

Starmer's vulnerability was laid bare in the wake of McSweeney's departure, when two key Labour-linked groups suggested accountability shouldn't end with the chief of staff

Trump warns Britain on China ties as Starmer hails progress in Beijing

As Western leaders reel from Trump's unpredictability, Starmer is the latest to head to China

Starmer arrives in Shanghai, seeks business opportunities for UK

PM Keir Starmer lands in Shanghai to push UK business ties with China, even as US President Donald Trump signals opposition to London-Beijing deals

Britain, China hail reset in ties as Starmer seeks 'sophisticated' bond

Britain and China signalled a reset in relations as PM Keir Starmer met President Xi Jinping to boost trade, investment and cooperation amid global uncertainty

UK's Starmer heads to China seeking reset in ties amid US strains

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is heading to China, seeking a thaw in relations with Beijing at a time of strained ties with the United States. He's hoping for an economic boost to Britain, but risks the wrath of China hawks at home and of US President Donald Trump, who's already heaping tariffs and criticism on America's closest allies. Starmer is due to meet China's President Xi Jinping during the visit that starts Wednesday, the first by a UK leader since 2018. He is expected to be accompanied by UK Business Secretary Peter Kyle and dozens of corporate chiefs as Britain seeks Chinese technology and investment, alongside greater access to the world's second-largest economy for UK financial services, cars and Scotch whisky. "China is no longer just the world's factory; it is also becoming a global market," said Zhao Minghao, a professor in the Institute of International Studies at Shanghai's Fudan University. From golden era to big chill ----------------------------- Kerry Brow

Staff cuts, red tape may derail India FTA gains, warns UK Parliament panel

Billions of pounds of tariff savings from Britain's free trade agreement with India could be jeopardised by deep cuts to UK export support staff helping firms use the deal in practice, an influential Parliament panel cautioned in a report on Wednesday. The House of Commons Business and Trade Committee, with a remit to scrutinise the country's trade deals, released its analysis as the government tables the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) in Parliament for ratification. It finds that initial duty savings for UK exporters to India could total400 million pounds a year, potentially rising up to3.2 billion pounds after 10 years as export volumes increase. "This is the biggest free trade deal since Brexit with the potential to deliver billions in tariff savings for UK exporters, boosting growth and creating new jobs," said committee chair Liam Byrne. "But Parliament is being asked to ratify a deal promising billions in tariff savings while the government is ...

Rising scabies cases across the UK raise fresh public health concerns

Once considered a disease of the past, scabies is affecting more people in the UK, with doctors highlighting how stigma and delayed treatment are worsening outbreaks

World Wide Web inventor wants to bring his digital data system to India

World Wide Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee said India could benefit from adopting SoLiD, a digital data platform designed to give users greater control over how their personal data is shared