Page 10 - Uk Govt

US, UK, with others, step up strikes on Houthi targets after attack surge

The US and Britain struck more than a dozen Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday, answering a recent surge in attacks by the Iran-backed militia group on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, including a missile strike this past week that set fire to a cargo vessel. According to US officials, American and British fighter jets hit about 18 sites across multiple locations, targeting missiles, launchers, rockets, drones and unmanned surface and underwater vehicles. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in order to provide early details of an ongoing military operation. This is the fourth time that the US and British militaries have conducted a combined operation against the Houthis since January 12. But the US has also been carrying out almost daily strikes to take out Houthi targets, including incoming missiles and drones aimed at ships, as well as weapons that were prepared to launch. The US fighter jets launched from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, which is ..

Global commons getting 'contested', admirals pitch for strong partnerships

Underlining that global commons are getting "contested", top admirals from the UK, France and the US on Friday pitched for forging partnership between like-minded nations to respond to ongoing crises in the world, provide stability, reduce risks and restore confidence. Navy Chief Adm R Hari Kumar; Adm Sir Ben Key, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, the UK; Adm John C Aquilino, Commander, US Indo-Pacific Command; Adm Nicolas Vaujour, Chief of the Naval Staff, France; and Air Marshal Robert Chipman, Chief of the Air Force, Australia took part in a panel discussion titled 'From the Aegean Sea to the South China Sea: Responding to Maritime Sieges', held at the Raisina Dialogue here. "If you can see what is happening in the South China Sea, and Red Sea where people are seeking to impose their will on the global commons... then that ripple will be felt far and wide, and not just in that point. And, this is what separates the maritime environment from the land environment," Adm Key ..

UK announces new sanctions marking anniversary of Russia's Ukraine invasion

The European Union on Wednesday approved its own package of sweeping sanctions, banning nearly 200 entities

UK, EU to jointly tackle illegal immigration as post-Brexit relations thaw

Britain and its former partners in the European Union have struck a deal to cooperate more on tackling illegal migration, in the latest sign of a thawing in relations between the two sides following Brexit. The British government said in a statement Friday that UK border agencies and Frontex, the EU's border and coast guard agency, will be able to access each other's intelligence to secure borders and tackle organised immigration crime. There will also be joint training, deployments of staff from one side to the other, and collaboration on research and development on new technologies. The agreement, which will be signed later in London, doesn't include any bilateral returns agreement, which means neither side will be obliged to to take any asylum-seekers under burden-sharing arrangements agreed on between the EU's 27 member states. Organised immigration crime and people smuggling are global challenges that require shared solutions and ambitions," UK Home Secretary James Cleverly ...

UK withdraws from Energy Charter Treaty, following similar moves by EU

Britain's government said Thursday it is withdrawing from a controversial international energy treaty after efforts to modernize it ended in stalemate. The UK's move followed similar announcements by France, Germany and other European Union countries to quit the Energy Charter Treaty, which critics say is being used by the fossil fuel industry to legally challenge governments over their climate policies. The treaty entered into force in 1998 to protect and encourage international flows of investment in the energy sector. But a number of countries have faced costly legal challenges over reducing their reliance on fossil fuels and boosting greener energy sources. UK officials said negotiations to update the treaty to better support cleaner technologies had gone on for several years, but resulted in an impasse among European countries. "The Energy Charter Treaty is outdated and in urgent need of reform but talks have stalled and sensible renewal looks increasingly unlikely," said Grah

Indian-Origin Samir Shah appointed as BBC Chairman, to take charge on Mar 4

India-born media executive Dr Samir Shah was on Thursday confirmed as the new BBC chairman after his selection cleared the stages of scrutiny to be approved by King Charles III this week. Shah, who has worked in UK broadcasting for over 40 years, was picked as the government's preferred candidate in December last year and went on to be quizzed by cross-party MPs of the House of Commons Media Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee for his pre-appointment scrutiny. The 72-year-old has now been confirmed in the 160,000 pounds per year and four-year term role to take charge as the public broadcaster's first Indian-origin Chair from March 4 and running until March 2028. With a career spanning more than 40 years in TV production and journalism, Dr Shah has a wealth of experience to bring to the position of BBC Chair, said UK Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer as she announced his selection. He has a clear ambition to see the BBC succeed in a rapidly changing media landscape, and I have no

UK minister to discuss progress of 'ambitious' trade deal in India

Britain's minister for South Asia in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Lord Tariq Ahmad, arrived in India on Wednesday to participate in the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi and also discuss the progress made in the ongoing negotiations for an India-UK free trade agreement (FTA). Ahmad, FCDO Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia, UN and the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, leads the British delegation to the flagship foreign policy conference to reaffirm the UK's commitment to upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific region. His visit to India comes as Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal leads a team from India to London to carry forward the fourteenth round of talks with UK officials this week. "The UK and India continue to work towards an ambitious trade deal. While we do not comment on the details of live negotiations, we continue to actively engage with India and are clear that we will only sign a deal that i

FBI, UK crime agency disrupt Lockbit's website used for ransomware payments

Law enforcement from 11 different countries took part in the operation, which seized 11,000 domains used by LockBit and its affiliates to facilitate ransomware, an FBI official said

WikiLeaks founder Assange starts final UK legal battle to stay out of US

Julian Assange's lawyers will begin their final UK legal challenge on Tuesday to stop the WikiLeaks founder from being sent to the United States to face spying charges. The 52-year-old has been fighting extradition for more than a decade, including seven years in self-exile in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and the last five years in a high-security prison. Assange's attorneys will ask two High Court judges to grant a new appeal hearing, his last legal roll of the dice in Britain. If the judges rule against Assange, he can ask the European Court of Human Rights to block his extradition though supporters worry he could be put on a plane to the US before that happens. Judges Victoria Sharp and Jeremy Johnson could deliver a verdict at the end of the two-day hearing on Wednesday, but they're more likely to take several weeks to consider their decision. This hearing marks the beginning of the end of the extradition case, as any grounds rejected by these judges cannot be further ...

UK voters deliver double blow to Sunak, elect Labour lawmakers in polls

Voters in two districts in England delivered new blows to beleaguered Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, electing opposition-party lawmakers in seats that Sunak's Conservatives had held for years. Labour Party candidate Dan Egan won the House of Commons seats of Kingswood in southwest England, and Labour's Gen Kitchen took Wellingborough in the country's center, results announced Friday showed. The Conservatives won both by large margins at the last national election in 2019. The hard-right Reform Party came third, putting more pressure on the Conservatives. Labour leader Keir Starmer said the results show people want change. The results will likely worsen fears among Conservatives that, after 14 years in power, the party is heading for defeat when a national election is held in less than a year. The Tories consistently lag between 10 and 20 points behind Labour in opinion polls.

Crime wave a $4.2 bn headache for UK retailers amid 50% rise in violence

Violence and abuse against UK shop workers rose by 50% to 1,300 incidents a day while instances of theft grew to more than 45,000 daily

Totally up for the fight to win UK general election: PM Rishi Sunak

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he is totally up for the fight of pitching his policies to the electorate to win another term for the governing Conservative Party as he prepares for a general election expected to take place in the second half of the year. In an interview with The Times this weekend, the 43-year-old British Indian leader said he had reasons to be optimistic because the economy was pointing in the right direction and that the future is going to be better. At the beginning of this year there is a sense that the country is pointing in the right direction, he told the newspaper. Because economic conditions have improved, because the plan is working, you are starting to see mortgage rates come down and we have been able to cut taxes. I do believe those pressures are starting to ease and that hopefully over the course of this year, we can continue to make even more progress, he said. In a message as much for the voters as for the rebels within his own Tory ran

King Charles III thanks public for support after cancer diagnosis

King Charles III has expressed his heartfelt thanks to the British public for their messages of support ever since his cancer diagnosis was revealed by Buckingham Palace this week. The 75-year-old monarch wrote the message from his royal estate at Sandringham in Norfolk, eastern England, in which he also expressed his lifelong admiration for the work done by cancer charities." The King said he was heartened that his personal experience of the disease had helped shine a light on the tireless care provided by cancer organisations around the world. I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good wishes I have received in recent days, reads the King's message released by Buckingham Palace on Sunday. As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement, he said. It is equally heartening to hear how sharing my own diagnosis has helped promote public understanding and shine a ligh

UK Foreign Secy urges Pak to uphold fundamental rights amid poll violence

The ECP has released the provisional results for 134 out of 265 seats in the National Assembly

UK PM Rishi Sunak paid over half a million pounds in personal tax

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak paid over half a million pounds in personal tax for the financial year 2022-23, Downing Street revealed on Friday as part of its transparency data release. The 43-year-old Indian-origin leader had indicated his plans to publish his tax returns. His tax assessment document shows he paid a tax bill of GBP 508,308, around GBP 75,000 more than what he paid in the previous financial year (2021-22). The tax documents show that Sunak made nearly GBP 1.8 million through capital gains up from GBP 1.6 million in 2021-22 as well as GBP 293,407 in other interest and dividends. All of the investment income and capital gains came from a US-based investment fund listed as a blind trust, according to the summary. He also earned GBP 139,477 during the year from his roles as a member of Parliament and Prime Minister including allowances for the use of 10 Downing Street. Prepared by accountancy service Evelyn Partners, the tax summary follows the publication of h

King Charles III doing extremely well after cancer diagnosis: Queen Camilla

Queen Camilla said Thursday that King Charles III is doing well given his cancer diagnosis, adding that he has been touched by the messages of support he's received from the public. Camilla traveled from Sandringham House to Salisbury Cathedral on Thursday to attend a concert celebrating the work of local charities. Among the first people she met were workers from Wiltshire Air Ambulance, who offered hope that the king was doing well. Well he's doing extremely well under the circumstances,' Camilla said. He's very touched by all the letters and the messages the public have been sending from everywhere that's very cheering. The British monarch has been recuperating at his Sandringham estate in eastern England following his first treatment for an unspecified type of cancer. Buckingham Palace announced the diagnosis earlier this week.

Iran evaded sanctions, moved money using Santander, Lloyd accounts: Report

The banks provided accounts to front companies secretly owned by a sanctioned Iranian petrochemicals company

Tata Steel proposes additional support package for Port Talbot workers: CFO

Tata Steel UK will be closing its first blast furnace by mid-this year while the second furnace is planned to be shut down in the second half of 2024, he said

Job cuts in Britain 'least bad option', will continue talks: Tata Steel CEO

The steelmaker will close its two blast furnaces in Britain by the end of this year, axing up to 2,800 jobs at its Port Talbot steelworks in Wales

'UK wants India to treat it's citizens fairly after cricketer visa episode'

The UK government on Wednesday stated that India should treat British citizens "fairly" when they apply for visas after off-spinner Shoaib Bashir's arrival for the five-match Test series was delayed due to lingering issues relating to his travel documents. The 20-year-old Bashir, who plays for Somerset in the English county, was with the England squad in Abu Dhabi but couldn't proceed to India as he is yet to be granted visa. His family is of Pakistani heritage. "The specifics of this case are a matter for Shoaib Bashir and the Indian Government. But we absolutely expect India to treat British citizens fairly at all times in its visa process," a spokesperson of the British government was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. "We have previously raised the issues British citizens with Pakistani heritage experience applying for visas with the Indian High Commission in London." England captain Ben Stokes had earlier in the day said that he's "devastated" that the visa issues had forced ..