- Tuesday, December 05, 2023
THE United Nations refugee agency on Tuesday (17) urged the international community to keep focus on the plight of the Rohingya refugees amid a funding crunch and the lack of long-term solution for their safe return to Myanmar. Nearly one million Rohingya Muslims fled a military-led crackdown in Buddhist-majority Myanmar…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak has said he hopes to see a de-escalation of the India-Canada diplomatic row in a call with his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau. According to a Downing Street statement, Sunak spoke to Trudeau on Friday (6) evening during which he was updated on the situation relating to…
A British government minister expressed concern that a visit by a senior Indian diplomat to a Sikh temple in Glasgow had been disrupted by protesters the day before. "The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance and our places of worship in the UK must be open…
A unique event commemorating India's 76th year of independence took place at the UK Parliament complex, receiving cross-party support and the endorsement of the India (Trade and Investment) All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG). The event was organised by the 1928 Institute, a British Indian think tank, and featured a special…
BRITAIN has announced a new £5.26-million humanitarian funding to support Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said £4.26 million out of the package will be distributed through the World Food Programme and the remaining £1m will go through the UNHCR for pressure cookers. London’s gesture…
As India celebrates its 74th Republic Day, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly extended greetings to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the people of the country. https://twitter.com/JamesCleverly/status/1618502632229961728?s=20&t=Bk4KLbT8lFEUIoWG_nM-kg Taking to his Twitter handle, Cleverly stated that the UK looks forward to another year of "friendship and cooperation." James Cleverly tweeted, "Happy Republic…
British Indian MP Navendu Mishra has tabled a motion in the UK Parliament to mark the 38th anniversary of the Bhopal gas tragedy which is considered one of the world’s worst industrial disasters. Mishra, the Labour MP for Stockport in northern England and chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group…
The UK is using its post-Brexit powers to launch one of the world’s most generous trading schemes with developing countries on Tuesday (16). International trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan launched the new Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), which will extend tariff cuts to hundreds of products exported from developing countries, going…
THE UK and India on Thursday (21) signed an agreement to recognise each other’s higher education qualifications in a move welcomed by British universities. The memorandum of understanding, which is part of the UK-India Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) agreed by British prime minister Boris Johnson and his Indian counterpart Narendra…
Confirming that both sides are now getting on with the market access aspects of a trade deal, the minister in-charge of the negotiations on the UK government side said that some compromise and cooperation will be required on both sides to get a deal over the line. A free trade…
THE way things are progressing between the two negotiating teams, a free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the UK could be ready by Diwali without the need for an interim early harvest agreement, said commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal during a visit to the UK. The minister arrived…
BRITISH trade minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said all women working in parliament had been subject to inappropriate touching or sexist language and advised her male colleagues to keep their hands in their pockets. The behaviour of lawmakers is in focus after the ruling Conservative Party said this week it was investigating…
BRITAIN is very disappointed with India's stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, trade minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said ahead of the conclusion of the second round of trade talks. India has avoided condemning Russian actions since it invaded Ukraine three weeks ago, to the frustration of allies including the US, and…
INDIA and the UK have announced the conclusion of a "productive" first round of free trade agreement (FTA) talks, held virtually between officials of both governments.Britain’s department for international trade (DIT) said on Friday (28) that during the two-week round, technical experts from both sides came together for discussions in…
THE NEGOTIATIONS between India and the UK to strike a free trade agreement (FTA) will conclude quickly due to an "absolute agreement” at the senior political level, England’s West Midlands mayor has said.Andy Street, who is in charge of the West Midlands Combined Authority that covers some of England's major…
Britain-India pact will open doors in every nation of the UK, Jayawardena says A BRITISH minister has made it clear for the first time that all parts of Britain will benefit from a UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Ranil Jayawardena, parliamentary under secretary of state at the Department of International…
BRITAIN on Thursday (13) announced the launch of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with India, describing it as a "golden opportunity" to put the UK’s businesses at the "front of the queue" of the Indian economy.Prime minister Boris Johnson said an FTA would take the country's historic partnership with India…
BRITISH trade minister arrived in India on Wednesday (12) to begin talks as part of its efforts to sign its own trade deals following its departure from the European Union.Anne-Marie Trevelyan is due to meet officials in New Delhi before formally launching negotiations with her counterpart Piyush Goyal on Thursday…
BRITAIN'S secretary of state for international trade Anne-Marie Trevelyan will launch Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations during a visit to New Delhi starting on Wednesday (12), the UK government has said.The schedule for the two-day visit to India will include bilateral talks between Trevelyan and the south Asian nation’s commerce…
By Amit Roy and Sarwar Alam HAVING achieved Brexit, Boris Johnson’s new year’s resolution is to “Get FTA done” – a reference to the Free Trade Agreement that the British prime minister is pursuing with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi. Although no dates have been announced, the international trade secretary…
BRITISH ministers are eager to ease immigration rules to make it easier for Indians to live and work in the UK as part of trade talks that are due to start between the two nations within weeks. According to a report by The Times, international trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan is…
FORMAL negotiations for an India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) are set to begin “imminently”, Confederation of British Industry (CBI) president Lord Karan Bilimoria said. He said the negotiations will be as comprehensive as possible to cover all aspects of the bilateral relationship. Addressing the CBI's annual conference on Wednesday (24),…
BRITISH steelmakers feel the recent trade deal between the EU and the US ending the import duty on several items has put the UK at a “competitive disadvantage”. Under the deal, Washington will allow EU countries duty-free access for steel and aluminium exports to the US in volumes comparable to…
BRITAIN will end sales of halogen light bulbs from this September as a part of the UK’s efforts to tackle climate change. Fluorescent lights will also be removed from the shelves from September 2023. Although the UK began phasing out the sale of higher-energy halogen light bulbs in 2018, the…
The UK has launched a £6.85 million aid to protect high street supply chains in developing countries. The funding will focus primarily on supply chains and workers in Myanmar, Bangladesh, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda and Ghana. These countries provide huge proportions of the world’s food, flowers and clothes. Ghana…
THE UK has announced £18 million funding to control millions of locusts attacking crops across east Africa, Yemen and south-west Asia. Minister for International development Anne-Marie Trevelyan announced the aid on Thursday (23) during a visit to British company Micron Group which supplies pesticide sprayers to locust-affected countries. The new…
THE UK and Switzerland on Friday (22) called for greater global collaboration to protect vital money transfers across the globe which account for more than five per cent of GDP in at least 60 developing countries. They urged countries to support greater access to digital remittance services and to declare…
British prime minister Boris Johnson opened a virtual global conference on COVID-19 on Monday (4) by calling on all countries to step up their efforts and work together on fighting the coronavirus pandemic, the “most urgent shared endeavour of our lifetimes”. The Coronavirus Global Response International Pledging Conference was co-hosted…
PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson forced the resignation of his finance minister on Thursday (13) for refusing to toe the line, a sign he was tightening his control in a government reshuffle designed to deliver his vision for Britain beyond Brexit. Johnson, who had wanted to minimise any disruption from his…
Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service and Minister for the Union Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP HM Treasury Chancellor of the Exchequer – Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP Chief Secretary to the Treasury – Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP*&** Financial Secretary to the Treasury…
A union boss has been accused of sexism and racism after appearing to make a derogatory remark about a Conservative minister Priti Patel. GMB general secretary Tim Roache sparked anger with a comment the Brexit campaigner during a speech in which he made the case for Britain to remain in…
