Page 16 - Uk Govt

Inflation eases slightly to 10.5% in Dec: UK national statistics office

The annual inflation rate for transport was 6.9 per cent in December, down for a sixth consecutive month, and the main driver behind the easing came from motor fuels, the ONS said

India, UK to launch Young Professionals Scheme on February 28: MEA

Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra led the Indian delegation while the British side was helmed by Philip Barton, Permanent Under-Secretary, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

UK strikes roll on as some 100,000 civil servants call for walkout

Workers for 124 government departments and agencies will walk out on Feb. 1, impacting a range of public services including driving tests, passport applications and welfare payments

Plane carrying 'Virgin Orbit' rocket takes off for 1st UK satellite launch

A modified jumbo jet carrying a Virgin Orbit rocket took off from southwestern England Monday, marking the first attempt to launch satellites into orbit from Western Europe. Hundreds gathered for the launch cheered as the repurposed Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 aircraft, named Cosmic Girl, took off from Cornwall late Monday. Around an hour into the flight, the plane will release the rocket at 35,000 feet (around 10,000 meters) over the Atlantic Ocean to the south of Ireland. The rocket will then take nine small satellites for mixed civil and defense use into orbit, while the plane, piloted by a Royal Air Force pilot, returns to Cornwall. If successful, the mission will mark the first international launch for Virgin Orbit, founded by British billionaire Richard Branson. The company, which is listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange, has already completed four similar launches from California. In the past, satellites produced in the U.K. had to be sent to spaceports in other countries to ma

UK PM Sunak pledges to halve inflation, boost country's economy in new year

Calling these the "people's priorities", Sunak vowed to "work night and day" to deliver for the British people

UK's problems won't go away in 2023, warns PM Sunak in New Year message

Rishi Sunak struck a cautious note with his first New Year message as British Prime Minister on Saturday as he warned that the UK's problems won't go away in 2023, at the end of an tough 12 months. The 42-year-old Indian-origin leader, who took charge as the UK's Prime Minister towards the end of October following turmoil within the ruling Conservative Party, recalled his inaugural address on the steps of 10 Downing Street to reiterate his promise to work relentlessly" on the things that matter. "I'm not going to pretend that all our problems will go away in the New Year," said Sunak. But 2023 will give us the opportunity to showcase the very best of Britain on the world stagedefending freedom and democracy wherever we find it under threat," he said. He highlighted the "barbaric" war in Ukraine as one of the dominating challenges ahead. Just as we recovered from an unprecedented global pandemic, Russia launched a barbaric and illegal invasion across Ukraine," he said in the video

Living with Covid phase: UK to stop publishing infections data in New Year

The UK health authorities said on Monday that they will stop publishing their regular COVID-19 infections modelling data in the new year because it is seen as no longer necessary as the country moves to a phase of living with the virus with the help of vaccines and medicines. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that it will continue to monitor COVID like other common viral illnesses such as seasonal flu. Since April this year, the data on the reproductive rate, or the R value speed at which the novel coronavirus infects people, has been published fortnightly as a monitoring tool. During the pandemic, the R value and growth rate served as a useful and simple indicator to inform public health action and government decisions, said Dr Nick Watkins, chair of the UKHSA Epidemiology Modelling Review Group (EMRG). Now that vaccines and therapeutics have allowed us to move to a phase where we are living with COVID-19, with surveillance scaled down but still closely monitored through a

Nirav Modi loses bid to go to UK Supreme Court against extradition to India

Fugitive jeweller and designer had fled India in early 2018, days before the details of his alleged role in large-scale fraud at the Punjab National Bank became public

UK minister reiterates backing for India UNSC seat, praises PM Modi

The UK wants India to be among the new permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, alongside Brazil, Japan, Germany and African representation, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said on Monday. In his first major foreign policy speech since taking charge in the Rishi Sunak-led government, Cleverly praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his categorical anti-war message to Russian President Vladimir Putin as he went on to commit himself to working with India during its G20 presidency. "The UK wants to welcome Brazil, India, Japan and Germany as permanent members of the UN Security Council, alongside permanent African representation. Our aim is to uphold a historic shared achievement that benefits everyone," Cleverly said in his keynote speech entitled British Foreign Policy and Diplomacy' at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London. "Putin's goal is to turn back the clock to the era when might was right and big countries could treat thei

UK, Italy, Japan team up to build sixth-generation fighter by 2035

Reports indicate the UK held talks with India on joining the coalition

UK to ease financial rules in post-Brexit shakeup to attract investments

Britain is easing banking rules brought in after the 2008 global financial crisis in a bid to attract investment and secure London's status as Europe's leading finance centre. Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt said Friday that the changes, which follow Britain's departure from the European Union in 2020, will make the UK one of the most open, dynamic and competitive financial services hubs in the world. The package of more than 30 changes includes lifting a cap on bankers' bonuses and easing capital requirements for smaller lenders. The government also said it will review regulations that hold bankers accountable for their decisions and will relax ringfencing rules intended to separate risky investment banking from retail operations. Hunt said the government was using Brexit freedoms to make Britain more competitive. But many economists point out that the U.K.'s departure from the EU has erected barriers to trade and led some firms to shift offices and jobs to other European cities. Last

European sanctions on Russian oil lead to a traffic jam on Turkey's coast

The government in Ankara is insisting the ships have a letter from their insurer guaranteeing cover while in Turkish waters -- something that's yet to happen

E-Visa facility resumes again for UK nationals travelling to India

For the first time since March 2020, India is all set to resume the e-Visa facility for UK citizens travelling to India, the High Commissioner of India to the UK announced in a video message on Monday

New UK govt examining our proposal, promised to come back soon: Narendran

We have highlighted to them our financial situation given the way things are in Europe, and we have been promised that they will come back soon

Force multiplier: Meet Lord Karan Bilimoria, India's voice in the UK

'An Indian living in London; but an Indian born and brought up in India: not a second generation Asian but a first generation immigrant - who's totally Indian but feels at home in both countries'

UK firms expect to raise prices 6% in 12 months, see inflation lingering

Inflation pressures in the UK economy showed only limited signs of abating in November, with companies expecting to raise prices by 5.7% in the coming 12 months

As British voters cool on Brexit, UK softens tone towards European Union

The British government on Sunday denied a report that it is seeking a Swiss-style relationship with the European Union that would remove many of the economic barriers erected by Brexit even as it tries to improve ties with the bloc after years of acrimony. Health Secretary Steve Barclay told Sky News I don't recognise the Sunday Times report, insisting the U.K. was still determined to use the Brexit freedoms we have by diverging from the EU's rules in key areas. Switzerland has a close economic relationship with the 27-nation EU in return for accepting the bloc's rules and paying into its coffers. The U.K. government said Brexit means we will never again have to accept a relationship with Europe that would see a return to freedom of movement, unnecessary payments to the European Union or jeopardise the full benefit of trade deals we are now able to strike around the world. But despite the denials, the new Conservative government led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wants to restore .

UK govt increases windfall tax on profits of oil, natural gas companies

Britain's Treasury chief says he's increasing the windfall tax on the profits of oil and natural gas companies as he announced an emergency budget aimed at restoring the nation's economic credibility and patching up its battered finances. Jeremy Hunt said Thursday that the windfall tax will rise from 25% to 35% from January 2024 to March 2028 and that electricity generators will have to pay a new temporary levy of 45%. He said the taxes combined would raise 14 billion pounds next year. Energy companies such as London-based BP and Shell have reported huge profits in recent months as Russia's war in Ukraine pushes up energy prices worldwide. Britain's government has faced pressure to increase taxes on oil and gas companies to help fund support for millions of Britons struggling to cope with soaring energy prices. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a former Treasury chief, introduced a 25% energy profits levy earlier this year but that was limited to profits made from extracting U.K. oil an

Deal activity has spiked in India despite global issues: Goldman Sachs MDs

In a Q&A, Rajat Sood and Som Krishna say their company isn't absolutely return-focused, but is a relative value investor that is looking out for bogh buyouts and minority stakes

Britain and Rishi Sunak

The new PM faces unenviable challenges ahead, but he is a testament to the progress Britain has made towards becoming a multi-racial society