- Sunday, February 05, 2023
The Biden administration is in talks with Indian officials over a possible White House visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this year, according to a U.S. official aware of the discussions and another person briefed on the matter. U.S. President Joe Biden is eager to deepen ties with the…
Rishi Sunak marked his 100th day in office as the first non-white British Prime Minister on Thursday with a slick new video for social media pledging to deliver change, amidst multiple challenges, including spiralling inflation. The UK's first Indian-origin Prime Minister took charge at 10 Downing Street a day after…
FROM where Sir Mike Wigston sits, he can see the most famous address in Britain – 10, Downing Street. “It’s good I can see what’s going on,” he says with something of a wry smile, showing Eastern Eye his impressive office. Mike Wigston is how he was born, but today…
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved loans of $4.7 billion to Bangladesh for disbursal starting immediately, making it the first to secure such funds out of three South Asian countries that applied last year amid economic trouble. The loans are a win for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ahead of…
The Kremlin on Monday dismissed as a "lie" accusations from former British prime minister Boris Johnson that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally threatened him with a missile attack. "What Mr Johnson said is not true. More precisely it's a lie," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "Moreover, this is either…
DOWNING STREET had a make-over last week. There were hanging lanterns in the staircases alongside the portraits of former prime ministers. Cherry blossom and auspicious orchids decorated the reception rooms. Rishi Sunak was celebrating Lunar New Year, noting that the year of the rabbit’s traditional association with peace and prosperity…
Protests in Stockholm on Saturday against Turkey and Sweden's bid to join NATO, including the burning of a copy of the Koran, sharply heightened tensions with Turkey at a time when the Nordic country needs Ankara's backing to gain entry to the military alliance."We condemn in the strongest possible terms…
There is a need for someone who can bring Ukraine and Russia to the table for talks and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi can play a key role in facilitating the negotiations between the two warring neighbours, a veteran French journalist said. However, at this moment it looks "extremely difficult"…
Malik Karim, a former Conservative Party treasurer, earned £13.8 million in 2022 from his boutique investment bank after advising on several takeover deals before the war in Ukraine broke out in February. According to The Sunday Times which reported it, Karim's payout from Fenchurch Advisory Partners, of which he is…
Amid its growing confrontation with the West, particularly in the wake of the intervention in Ukraine, Russia has slammed the UK saying the latter caused "real damage to the people of India" with its colonial policies and caused millions of deaths. Russia's foreign ministry said this on Saturday (14) while…
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Saturday pledged to provide heavy tanks to Ukraine to help Kyiv's forces "push Russian troops back".Sunak made the pledge to supply the tanks and additional artillery systems as a sign of the UK’s "ambition to intensify our support to Ukraine", according to a readout…
Some 100 variations of the hook steps, two months of rehearsals, and 20 days of shooting… that's what went into creating the perfectly synthesised moves in the global hit "Naatu Naatu" from the film RRR, says choreographer Prem Rakshith. The track, filmed on the movie's leading stars Jr NTR and…
The British government said on Thursday that a small number of people who were granted so-called "golden visas" for millionaire investors might have obtained their wealth through corruption or organised crime. The government last year scrapped the visas, which offered a route to residency for those investing at least 2…
Many may not be aware that RRR's 'Naatu Naatu' song, which won a Golden Globe trophy, has a special Ukrainian connection. Yes, you read it right. 'Naatu Naatu' was shot in August 2021 in Ukraine and that too outside Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's official residence. The track was filmed a…
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Rinat Akhmetov‘s Metinvest Group has made every effort to provide the defenders of Ukraine with tactical equipment, vehicles, protective gear, and special shelters. Among other efforts, the assistance is provided as part of Akhmetov’s Steel Front military initiative. Now, Rinat Akhmetov, the owner…
British opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer on Friday (6) lauded former BAPS (Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha) guru and president Pramukh Swami Maharaj (1921-2016) whose birth centenary celebrations are currently underway in India saying the spiritual leader had built more than 1,200 temples and the effort has been recognised across…
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has defended India's move to import crude oil from Russia notwithstanding the growing disquiet over it by Western powers, saying that Europe has imported six times the fossil fuel energy from Russia than India has done since February 2022. Jaishankar, who arrived here from Cyprus…
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said China is adopting the same principle with India as Russia is with Ukraine, as it is threatening to alter India's boundaries. He also claimed that the Sino-Indian border conflict has a link with a weak economy, a confused nation without any vision, hatred…
Rishi Sunak struck a cautious note with his first New Year message as British Prime Minister on Saturday (31) 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…
A British army veteran from Bristol has been nicknamed Rambo by colleagues after he survived multiple shrapnel wounds in battle with Russian troops in Ukraine. Shareef Amin, 40, a former soldier in Britain's 1st Battalion 'The Rifles', suffered injuries to every limb but said that he is ready to do…
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that his government has “no other option” but to implement the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme to revive the cash-starved economy. He regretted that if the government wanted to give any subsidy in any sector, it had to go to the IMF "which…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday sought India's help in the implementation of a peace formula with Russia. "I had a phone call with PM Modi & wished him a successful G20 presidency. It was on this platform that I announced…
Russia's February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine unleashed untold destruction and suffering on its neighbor. One unnoticed casualty of this senseless war was the manufacturing facility and warehouse of Ugears, a Ukrainian toy company that makes ingenious DIY wooden models and 3D puzzles. Located near Bucha, the company lost £439,881…
Rishi Sunak surprised diplomats, military personnel, charity workers and other public servants working across the world this Christmas by calling them to personally thank them for their sacrifice and dedication in an "extraordinary" year. Downing Street said the British Indian leader’s calls on Friday to diplomats included one to Pakistan…
Markets and restaurants across Pakistan will have to pull down their shutters by 8 pm while wedding halls will be limited till 10 pm, as the cash-strapped country on Tuesday unveiled a desperate plan to conserve energy. Pakistan is in the midst of an acute energy crisis, high inflation and…
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak used a European summit in the Latvian capital of Riga to reaffirm the UK’s support for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia and announced a fresh defensive aid package for the new year as part of a GBP 250-million contract. Addressing the meeting of…
Prime minister Narendra Modi's views on the use of nuclear weapons had an impact on the Russians and could well have averted a global disaster in the context of the Ukraine war, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Bill Burns said, according to PBS. "I think it's also been…
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed sorrow on Wednesday (14) after four people died following an incident involving a small migrant boat in the English Channel between Britain and France. "I'm sure the whole House will share my sorrow at the capsizing of a small boat in the Channel in…
2022 was a year when decades happened. The year of three Prime Ministers and a Royal funeral, war in Europe and recession at home could fill many pages in the future history books. Boris Johnson was sure he could survive the pressure over rule-breaking in Downing Street. For six months,…
The UK on Friday (9) came up with sanctions against 30 people across the world, including Mian Abdul Haq, a Muslim cleric from Pakistan, in a bid to target those it thinks are responsible for violation and abuse of human rights and perpetrate sexual violence in conflict. Mian Abdul Haq…
Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan accepted a human rights award at a "Ripple of Hope" gala in New York where they were honoured for addressing racial injustice and mental health. The British royals received the award late on Tuesday from the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation which…
The British government is looking at bringing in the military to help keep public services running if key workers, including in the state-run NHS, take strike action, the chairman of the governing Conservative Party said on Sunday (4). Britain is already grappling with industrial action in a range of sectors,…
Imagine running a small business with missiles and mortars raining down around your company's headquarters and manufacturing facility, while shock troops move in to occupy your town, slaughtering defenders and civilians alike. That was the situation where Ugears, a reputed Ukrainian toymaker, found itself earlier this year when Russia attacked…
The godmother of Britain’s Prince William on Wednesday (30) resigned from her honorary duties at Buckingham Palace following controversial remarks made to a black British charity worker at an event that were perceived as racist. Lady Susan Hussey, 83, who had been an aide to the late Queen Elizabeth II…
A member of the British royal family's household has left her role after making "unacceptable and deeply regrettable" comments about race and nationality to a woman at a grand reception at Buckingham Palace, a spokesperson said on Wednesday (30). Ngozi Fulani, who was born in Britain and works for a…
The census results offer a once-a-decade statistical snapshot of the society that we all live in. So it should be little surprise that they confirm that this is an ethnically diverse and more secular society. The census has run for two centuries, this 2021 edition is only the fourth to…
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Monday that the so-called "golden era" of relations with China was over, saying Beijing's systemic challenge to Britain's interests and values was growing more acute. In his first major foreign policy speech, Sunak said Britain's approach to China needed to evolve and Beijing…
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has reiterated the UK’s commitment to a free trade agreement (FTA) with India as part of the country’s wider focus on enhancing ties with the Indo-Pacific region and standing up to competitors with “robust pragmatism”. Delivering his first major foreign policy speech since taking charge…
Former cabinet minister Alok Sharma has joined a growing number of Conservative MPs calling for an end to the moratorium on onshore wind farms in England.Sharma, who led the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow last year, has backed an amendment to the Levelling UP bill to reverse the ban…
One month on since Rishi Sunak took charge as Britain’s first Indian-origin Prime Minister, indications on Friday are that his popularity with the UK electorate remains on stronger ground than that of the governing Conservative Party. The 42-year-old former chancellor had pitched himself as a steady hand to steer the…
The devastating floods that affected lives and economy in the South Asian nation of Pakistan this year have rung the warning bells across the globe. Environmentalists and conservationists have raised serious concerns over the deadly disaster that has killed nearly 1,700 people and displaced almost eight million people. The extreme…
Indian students have for the first time overtaken Chinese as the largest group of foreign students studying in the UK with a massive 273 per cent hike in visas granted over the past few years, according to the country’s official immigration statistics released on Thursday (24). The UK Home Office…
UK police on Thursday said their biggest ever counter-fraud operation had disrupted an international criminal network targeting hundreds of thousands of victims in millions of spam phone calls. The Metropolitan Police spearheaded the 18-month global probe into the iSpoof.cc website, working with Europol, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty have made their debut on the Asian Rich List 2022, which profiles the 101 wealthiest Asians in Britain. Sunak and his wife – whose father NR Narayana Murthy co-founded Indian IT major, Infosys – are ranked 17th in the list, with…
For the first time, people from across the world will vote to choose the Oxford Word of the Year 2022, Oxford Languages has announced. A team of expert lexicographers has narrowed down a long list of worthy contestants to a final choice of three words -- metaverse, #IStandWith, and goblin…
Britain needs more migrant labour to boost productivity as it faces a toxic mix of soaring inflation and shrinking growth, the country's main business lobby group warned Monday. The verdict from the Confederation of British Industry came at its annual gathering in Birmingham, Britain's second-biggest city. The CBI conference comes…
IT'S no secret that these are difficult economic times for people around the country, and indeed across the world. Many of us are feeling the pinch as the war in Ukraine and its impacts on energy markets drive up inflation and the cost of living. The government’s response of supporting…
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that the UK government remains committed to working “as quickly as possible” towards a successful conclusion to the ongoing free trade agreement (FTA) talks with India, as the majority of the substantive negotiation conversations were completed at the end of last month. At a…
Rishi Sunak on Wednesday highlighted the strong bonds between India and Britain during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the two leaders discussing areas where the UK and India are working increasingly closely including defence and security. In the meeting held on the sidelines of the G20 summit…
India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Rishi Sunak met at the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Bali on Wednesday (16) and discussed ways to boost trade between the two countries, Modi said. It was the first meeting between Modi and Sunak, who is of Indian origin,…
Liberty Steel is inching towards a deal with its creditors to restructure its debt as the struggling company owned by metals tycoon Sanjeev Gupta seeks to fend off insolvency proceedings against it. Liberty is part of metals tycoon Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance which owes $1.2 billion to clients of the…
The UK's international reputation has taken "a bit of a knock" this year, Rishi Sunak said on Tuesday, as he vowed to restore economic stability. In an interview with the BBC in Bali on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, Sunak said tax rises and spending cuts in Thursday's Autumn…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden on Tuesday reviewed the state of India-US strategic partnership including in sectors like critical and emerging technologies and artificial intelligence. It is understood that Modi and Biden also touched upon the Ukraine conflict and its implications in their meeting that took…
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that he wants the United States to have a "dignified relationship" with Pakistan similar to what it shares with India. In a recent interview with the UK-based publication Financial Times, Khan stated that India has a "very dignified" relationship with the US.…
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday (15) met his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi after assuming office for the first time on the sidelines of the 17th edition of the G20 Summit in Bali (Indonesia). "Prime Ministers @narendramodi and @RishiSunak in conversation during the first day of the @g20org Summit…
Imran Khan has said he wants to mend relations with the US if re-elected and no longer blames it for his removal as Pakistan's prime minister, apparently taking a U-turn after accusing Washington of engineering his ouster by supporting the then Opposition’s no-confidence motion. Khan, 70, who was ousted in…
It has been anything but a smooth ride for the Rishi Sunak led UK government, with the latest official data released this week reflecting a shrinking economy and a looming two-year-long recession. The British Indian former finance minister, who took charge at 10 Downing Street last month with the promise…
The US Department of Treasury on Friday (11) removed India along with Italy, Mexico, Thailand and Vietnam from its Currency Monitoring List of major trading partners that merit close attention to their currency practices and macroeconomic policies. India had been on the list for the last two years. The move…
Ties between the United Kingdom and India will remain on a “phenomenal upward trajectory” under Indian-origin UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, that country’s former premier Boris Johnson said on Saturday. The two countries need each other now more than ever as “we live in dangerous and turbulent times”, he said.…
The government must embrace immigrants who take risks setting up businesses, create jobs, and contribute billions of pounds to Britain’s economy. That is the call from MPs and business leaders who have spoken to Eastern Eye. They have told this newspaper that the home secretary, Suella Braverman, should be ashamed…
Rishi Sunak’s decision to skip the upcoming Climate Summit in Egypt and the government preventing King Charles III from attending it has been criticised by many across the world who have accused the new UK Prime Minister of washing his hands of Britain’s commitment to tackle the climate crisis. COP27…
Britain is prioritising reaching a free-trade agreement with India, its foreign minister told Reuters on Saturday in his first visit to the country, but declined to give a new deadline after missing one this month.James Cleverly said after a meeting with his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar in New Delhi that…
Nikhil Rathi, the chief executive (CEO) of Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on Thursday (27) evening delivered an address in which he spoke about the role of the FCA in a changing regulatory landscape. Speaking at Lord Mayor's City Banquet at Mansion House, he highlighted the body's shifting approach and commitment…
In a momentous day, Britain’s first south Asian prime minister, who became the Conservative Party leader on Diwali day [24], has vowed to unite the country and his riven party. Speaking on the steps of Number 10, Rishi Sunak, a practising Hindu, told the country that he would be a…
Rishi Sunak made his first speech as Britain's prime minister on Tuesday (25), acknowledging the mistakes of his predecessor Liz Truss while vowing to fix the economy, lead with integrity and fulfil the promises of the Conservative Party's 2019 manifesto. Below are the highlights from Sunak's speech: ON THE ECONOMY…
Since entering the contest to be British prime minister, Rishi Sunak has said little publicly about how he intends to run the country and how he would address multiple economic and political crises. Sunak ran unsuccessfully to be prime minister earlier this year, setting out a full policy platform. Although…
Priti Patel, a loyalist of former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, on October 24 came out in support of Rishi Sunak to take over at 10 Downing Street as the Conservative Party leader after her former boss withdrew from the leadership contest. The Indian-origin former Home Secretary, who resigned from…
Conservative British politician of Indian descent Rishi Sunak is quick off the mark to bid for the leadership of the Conservative Party and the British Prime Ministership having secured more than a hundred nominations - which is the minimum requirement to contest for the post. Sunak, late Friday became the…
Veteran Indian-origin economist Sushil Wadhwani has been invited to advise the UK government on the economy and financial markets as the country grapples with surging inflation and a weakening sterling. Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor of the exchequer in the outgoing government, announced the formation of the Economic Advisory Council comprising…
Noting that the free trade agreements with the UK are well on track, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal Thursday said India will wait for the change in leadership before formulating a strategy vis a vis the UK. "We will have to wait and see whether they have a quick change…
Liz Truss said on Thursday she would resign as British prime minister just six weeks after she was appointed. A leadership election will be completed within the next week to replace Truss, who is the shortest serving prime minister in British history. George Canning previously held the record, serving 119…
London Mayor Sadiq Khan, speaking at a climate summit in Argentina, slammed global policymakers on Thursday for "dragging their feet" on environmental policy, amid fears that momentum to tackle climate change has stalled in the face of economic turmoil. A report this week said the latest pledges by countries to…
British Prime Minister Liz Truss is fighting for her political survival after only six weeks in the job. Below is a timeline: SEPT. 5 - TRUSS WINS LEADERSHIP CONTEST Truss is elected Conservative Party leader by the party's membership, winning 57% of the vote to succeed Boris Johnson. SEPT. 6…
Liz Truss said on Thursday (20) she was resigning as British prime minister, brought down by her economic programme that sent shockwaves through the markets and divided her Conservative Party just six weeks after she was appointed. A leadership election will be completed within the next week. Speaking outside the…
Millions of Britons are skipping meals in current the cost-of-living crisis, a consumer group warned Thursday, having already forecast that many risk fuel poverty after the UK curbed its energy price freeze. The news came after data showed UK inflation jumped back above 10 percent in September on rampant food…
British Prime Minister Liz Truss has enjoyed the shortest of political honeymoons -- her chaotic premiership apparently mortally wounded despite having barely begun. Discounting 10 days of mourning for the late Queen Elizabeth II, Truss had only a week before her political programme imploded, leading to the sacking of her…
British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis on Tuesday said that they are on track to get back to processing India to UK visa applications within our standard of 15 days. https://twitter.com/AlexWEllis/status/1582414674280460288?s=20&t=TpC6vGnwP-zYE_NXJOKBcQ "We are on track to get back to processing India to Great Britain #visa applications within our standard…
Former Congresswoman and the first Hindu American to run for the White House in 2020, Tulsi Gabbard, has compared US President Joe Biden to Adolf Hitler, days after announcing her exit from the governing Democratic Party. Gabbard, 41, who retired from the House of Representatives last year, made these remarks…
The Truss experiment is over. Her premiership may now prove the shortest in modern history. Yet its legacy in shifting the tectonic plates of British politics might endure for much longer. The mini-budget, pitched as an audacious break with Treasury orthodoxy, proved a reckless gamble. Its result was the triple…
In perhaps the most candid statement made against it, US President Joe Biden described Pakistan as "one of the most dangerous nations" in the world which holds "nuclear weapons without any cohesion." The US President made these remarks at a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Reception in Los Angeles (California), during…
Kwasi Kwarteng became the second shortest-serving British finance minister, paying the price for weeks of UK market tumult prompted by his controversial tax-slashing mini-budget. His sacking represents a humiliation for the Cambridge- and Harvard-educated former Chancellor of the Exchequer -- who as recently as Thursday insisted that he was "not…
The UK has decided to provide further humanitarian support to Pakistan following devastating floods that have killed more than 1,600 people and injured over 12,000. More than 33 million people have been affected by the disaster. As part of his visit to the South Asian nation on Friday (14), UK…
A lawmaker in western Indian state of Goa has warned that the tourist hotspot will face a loss of Rs 500 crore (£55m) if visa conditions to UK tourists are not relaxed. Goa Forward Party (GFP) president and legislator Vijai Sardesai has urged the BJP government at the centre and…
That fear combined with China's strength was driving it "into actions that could represent a huge threat to us all," he will say. China is using its financial and scientific muscle to manipulate technologies in a manner that risks global security, Britain's top cyber spy will say on Tuesday, warning…
India has a substantial inventory of Soviet and Russian-origin weapons because the Western countries opted for a military dictatorship in the region as its preferred partner and did not supply weapons to New Delhi for decades, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday, in an apparent reference to Pakistan.…
Britain is not asking people to use less energy, climate minister Graham Stuart said on Friday (7), despite a warning from the National Grid that homes and businesses could face three-hour planned blackouts this winter. "We're not in the business of telling people how to live their lives," Stuart said…
Prime minister, Liz Truss, and chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, have “risked” the Conservative Party’s election chances because of their “incompetent handling” of the mini budget, Asian parliamentarians have told Eastern Eye. In a so-called mini budget on September 23, Kwarteng abolished the 45p higher tax rate. However, on Monday (3) the…
Accusing the West of provoking colour revolution in any country for geopolitical gains, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said that the West has "plundered" countries like India in contradiction to the values of "truth, freedom and justice," according to Reuters translation of Putin's speech. "The West ... began its…
British Prime Minister Liz Truss said on Friday she recognised there had been some financial market disruption following the government's so-called mini-budget and that it was important monetary and fiscal policy are coordinated. Truss has so far argued market turbulence following the announcement of planned tax cuts a week ago…
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday (local time) emphasized the remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russian President Vladimir Putin in Samarkand, and said that he "could not agree more" with PM Modi's advice. On the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand on September 16,…
The pound hit a record low against the dollar Monday on surging fears about the UK economy after the government unveiled a huge tax-cutting budget. The selloff came as equity markets across Asia and Europe fell again owing to a growing expectation that central bank interest rate hikes to fight…
French police have busted a major people-smuggling ring that has been sending migrants to Britain in dinghies, seizing more than a dozen boats and 700 life jackets in a raid, French officials said Thursday. The ring, run by Iraqi Kurdish migrants, had a logistics hub in Lille, a northern French…
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Wednesday met his British counterpart James Cleverly and shared India's concern about the security and welfare of the Indian community in the UK. His remarks came in the wake of recent reports of violence in several UK cities against the Indian community. Jaishankar…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a powerful, influential voice on the world stage and the Russian leadership respects India’s position on the global arena, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has said, emphasising that London hopes President Vladimir Putin listens to those voices who are calling for peace amid the Ukraine…
Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has said that Pakistan's spy agency ISI considers him an "enemy" because of his stand against the radicals in the South Asian country. The Democratic Party lawmaker from Illinois said this while addressing community members during a fundraiser hosted by him in Boston at the residence…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was right when he said that the time is not for war, France President Emmanuel Macron said at the ongoing 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. "Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India was right when he said the time…
Hundreds of foreign royals and leaders are expected to attend the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London on Monday in one of the biggest diplomatic gatherings in decades. Westminster Abbey has space for around 2,000 people, so only heads of state and one or two guests have reportedly…
Senior leaders of UK's ruling party have raised concerns about inviting Chinese leaders to the Queen's funeral on Monday (19) over genocide of Uyghur minority. A group of MPs and peers, including former Tory leader leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, have urged the government to withdraw the invitation to the…
American president Joe Biden is among the few foreign dignitaries allowed to use their own cars to the venue of the Queen’s funeral while other world leaders would have to use a shared bus, media reports said. The funeral for Elizabeth II who died in Scotland last week will be…
Britain has not invited representatives from Russia, Belarus and Myanmar to attend Queen Elizabeth's state funeral due to be held next Monday, a Whitehall source said on Tuesday (13). Britain, along with its Western allies, has sought to isolate Russia and its ally Belarus on the world stage with economic…
Britain's new leader Liz Truss will cap soaring consumer power bills on Thursday and promote new sources of energy in an expected 100 billion pound ($115 billion)-plus package designed to limit the economic shock caused by the war in Ukraine. With Britain facing a lengthy recession sparked by a near…
New UK interior minister Suella Braverman is admired by the right for her attacks on "woke" politics but her legal acumen will be put to the test when tackling one of the government's toughest jobs. Braverman, 42, was appointed attorney general a year ago, serving as the government's principal legal…
Vedant Patel, the Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State, has scripted history by becoming the first Indian-American to hold the daily State Department press briefing, earning plaudits from senior White House officials for his "utmost professionalism" and "amazing debut". With State Department Spokesperson Ned Price on vacation,…
Liz Truss will become Britain's next prime minister after winning a leadership race for the governing Conservative party on Monday, vowing to press ahead with promises of tax cuts and to deal with a growing energy crisis. After weeks of an often bad-tempered and divisive leadership contest, Truss, currently the…
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi led initiative towards rescuing students of her country who were stuck in eastern Europe following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In a free-wheeling television interaction with ANI, Prime Minister Hasina, who is set to visit India on Monday, also…
Rachael Warwick, who oversees three schools in southeast England, has had to sign a new contract to heat and light their buildings at tariffs that she describes as "eye-watering". The executive head teacher of Ridgeway Education Trust in Oxfordshire calculates that if the schools she runs use the same amount…
On the auspicious day of Ganesh Chaturthi, India's external affairs minister Dr S. Jaishankar visited the BAPS Hindu Mandir site in Abu Dhabi. He was accompanied by an esteemed delegation of senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, including the Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Ambassador Sanjay Sudhir, Joint…
Britain's prime minister in waiting Liz Truss models herself on Margaret Thatcher, judging by her photo ops echoing famous images of the country's first female premier. If Truss becomes leader of the ruling party on Monday as is widely expected, she'll need all the grit and guile of the Iron…
Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that the company will donate to flood relief and recovery efforts in flood-hit Pakistan. “The floods in Pakistan and surrounding areas are devastating humanitarian disasters. Our thoughts are with those that have lost loved ones, the many displaced families, and all those affected. Apple…
British Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has said that he is 'deeply concerned' that people could freeze this winter, media reports said. He revealed that the Treasury has been finalising plans to extend support to people to help pay their energy bills. Meanwhile, Liz Truss, the frontrunner to replace Boris Johnson as…
Former James Bond actor Daniel Craig has called for an end of the use of cluster bombs and ammunitions worldwide, specifically referencing the use of the weapons in Ukraine. Cluster bombs release a series of smaller explosions, posing risks to civilians. They can be costly to locate and remove. The…
British Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi is visiting New York and Washington this week to discuss global economic challenges and collaboration in areas such as energy security and financial services, his office said on Monday. Britain and Europe are facing a sharp rise in power bills driven by sky-rocketing gas prices, as…
Outgoing UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday (26) that the government will announce new measures to support the population next month amid the pressure of rising energy bills. "Don't forget that even more statements [on support measures] will follow next month. More funds will be received starting from…
EVERYONE now expects Westminster’s Game of Thrones to end with foreign secretary Liz Truss wearing the crown. The former chancellor and her opponent, Rishi Sunak, embraces his underdog status and pledges to fight to the end. The candidates’ fates are now sealed in the returned but unopened ballot papers. Top…
Sri Lanka is ranked fifth among the 10 countries with the highest food price inflation in the world, according to the latest World Bank assessment. In its Food Security update, the World Bank said trade policy actions on food and fertilizers have surged since the beginning of the war in…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday discussed the Ukraine conflict with French President Emmanuel Macron in a telephonic conversation. "The Head of State and the Prime Minister of India exchanged views on the Russian-led war in Ukraine and its destabilising consequences for the rest of the world. The President of…
The US and other nations in the world may not appreciate India buying Russian oil, but they have accepted it as New Delhi has not been defensive about its stand but made them realise the obligation the government has to its people amidst "unreasonably high" oil and gas prices, External…
British inflation surged to a new 40-year high in July on rising food prices, official data showed Wednesday, adding to a cost-of-living crisis as the country faces the prospect of recession. The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) accelerated to 10.1 percent last month from 9.4 percent in June -- a 40-year…
More than seven per cent of India's population owns digital currency, according to the UN, which said the use of cryptocurrency rose globally at an unprecedented rate during the Covid-19 pandemic. The UN trade and development body UNCTAD said that in 2021, developing countries accounted for 15 of the top…
Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa celebrated the country's 76th Independence Day at the Pakistan Embassy in London where Ukrainian pop star and wife of British-Pakistani business tycoon Muhammad Zahoor, Kamaliya, gave a singing performance. Pakistani billionaire Mohammad Zahoor, the former publisher of Kyiv Post, has reportedly helped purchase…
British prime minister Boris Johnson hosted world activists across the UK at Downing Street including 7-year-old climate activist Aleesha Gadhia During the meeting on Tuesday (9), Johnson exuded confidence that his successor will have the fiscal firepower and the headroom to continue to look after people. Gadhia from Nottinghamshire, who…
British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis, on Friday (12) apologised for the delay in UK visa approvals. The envoy shared a video message on Twitter detailing what the country is doing to address the issue. He also shared details about what applicants can also do to solve the crisis.…
Events such as this summer’s Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the Women’s Euros and Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games have a very important role to play in breaking down prejudice and stereotypes in society, according to a new report by think tank British Future for a major Inquiry by Spirit of 2012, published on…
WE ARE currently at a critical juncture for our country, living through arguably some of the most difficult challenges we have faced for a generation. There was great hope as we emerged from the tragic consequences of the pandemic, yet in February, a dark shadow was cast across our continent…
The recent India-specific CAATSA sanctions waiver by the U.S. House of Representatives is the most consequential vote since the civilian nuclear deal, an influential Indian-American Democratic Congressman has said, asserting that U.S. President Joe Biden will expedite the waiver because he has the “political mileage” and the backing of 300…
The race to be the next leader of Britain's ruling-Conservative Party and the country's prime minister is into its final leg, with the September outcome likely to shape the fortunes of sterling, gilts and UK stocks in coming months. The contest between foreign minister Liz Truss and former finance minister…
Liz Truss, the front-runner to become Britain's next prime minister, plans to rush through tax cuts earlier than planned in an attempt to boost the country's flagging economy, the Sunday Telegraph reported. Truss was considering accelerating by six months her plan to reverse this year's increase in social security contributions…
Conservative leadership candidate Rishi Sunak said his party stood no chance of winning the next general election unless the surging inflation was tamed. The former chancellor of exchequer said at a hustings that the moderation of price rise would be his immediate priority if he became the prime minister succeeding…
The former president of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Lord Karan Bilimoria, is urging Rishi Sunak to cut taxes now, and not, as he has declared, in seven years. He has told Eastern Eye that reducing rates will not necessarily mean that inflation will rise. Speaking in a personal…
Rishi Sunak on Thursday appeared to score a surprise win with a studio audience at a key debate with frontrunner Liz Truss in the race to become Britain's next prime minister. While opinion polls back Truss to win the vote among Conservative party members, those sitting in the audience at…
The British Asian Trust has announced that a national commemorative event marking the 50th anniversary of the arrival of British Asians from Uganda in the UK will be held at The Guildhall in London on September 18 . The event is being organised in collaboration with British Ugandan Asians at…
The Bank of England is expected Thursday to follow other major central banks with an aggressive interest rate hike to tackle surging inflation. The BoE is tipped to lift its main rate by 0.50 percentage points -- the biggest amount in more than a quarter of a century. British inflation…
Fifty years ago, dictator Idi Amin announced his intention to expel Uganda's thriving community of British South Asians. They were given 90 days to leave, or be rounded up in concentration camps. More than 27,000 ethnic Indian and Pakistani holders of UK passports made their way to Britain, which reluctantly…
Priyanka Chopra, who is also a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, has joined forces with the agency responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide, to meet and amplify support for children and women refugees from Ukraine who have crossed the border into Poland and are currently staying in Blue…
Google has asked its employees to improve their productivity after the tech giant’s parent Alphabet reported a drop in its profit last week. With the global macro-economic environment looking uncertain, Google launched “Simplicity Sprint”, an initiative to crowdsource ideas for quicker product development from its 1,70,000 full-time employees. It’s an…
As a seven-year-old in 1983, Liz Truss played the role of Britain's then prime minister Margaret Thatcher in her school's mock elections but failed to get a single vote. Four decades on, the foreign secretary is again bidding to emulate the Iron Lady to become Conservative party leader and prime…
The bruising race between Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to become Britain's next prime minister steps up a gear on Monday with the mailing out of ballots to Conservative party members.With voting set to begin to find Boris Johnson's replacement, bookmakers have Foreign Secretary Truss as heavy favourite ahead of…
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the party formed by former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan whose political rise has stemmed from anti-corruption rhetoric, had received funding via a private cricket tournament organised by a Pakistani tycoon, the Financial Times reported. The report said that Pakistani tycoon Arif Naqvi, founder of Dubai-based Abraaj Group,…
China on Thursday defended its massive infrastructure ventures and investments in crisis-hit Sri Lanka and said that they have "boosted" its economic development, amid criticism from the US of Beijing's unproductive projects and opaque loan deals among the reasons for the country's bankruptcy. The China-Sri Lanka practical cooperation has always…
British Conservatives Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss Thursday underwent their first grilling in front of party members as they wage a bitter duel to succeed Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The hustings in Leeds, northern England, were the opening bout of 12 nationwide events as the grassroots members elect a new…
FOREIGN SECRETARY Liz Truss and ex chancellor Rishi Sunak are battling it out to become Britain’s next prime minister, setting up the last stage of the contest to replace Boris Johnson. Both candidates present a clean face to help restore the government’s integrity and reputation. Truss was against Brexit, so…
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska posed for Vogue magazine amid the ongoing war with Russia. While Vogue described the cover as a 'portrait of bravery', many called it 'insensitive and pandering to Western influence'. It created a buzz on social media, with many users calling the digital…
Pope Francis will be visiting Canada to apologize for Indigenous abuse in Catholic residential schools. He departed from Rome on Sunday for a week-long trip to Edmonton, Canada, where he's set to apologize for the Catholic Church's role in the abuse of Canadian Indigenous children, reported CNN. The Vatican has…
FORMER health secretary Matt Hancock has described Rishi Sunak as an “incredible talent” and a proven decision-maker who would make a “great” prime minister. Sunak, who resigned as the chancellor earlier this month, is expected to be in the final two in the race to become prime minister after he…
EXPERTS described the Dutch plan to house refugees arriving in the country on cruise ships as 'absurd and illegal', according to reports. The UNHCR Netherlands has also condemned the move as 'unacceptable'. In a controversial move, three large ships were commissioned by the Netherlands government commissioned for refugees. Reports revealed that…
TEN known British sex offenders travelled to Poland shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine purportedly to provide humanitarian help before being sent back home, British police said on Thursday (21). The individuals, who all had convictions for sex offences, went to Poland in the six weeks that followed the…
UK defence secretary has revealed that the country will supply scores of artillery guns, hundreds of drones and hundreds more anti-tank weapons to Ukraine soon, an official statement said. Ben Wallace told the British Parliament that more than 20 M109 155mm self-propelled guns and 36 L119 105mm artillery guns will…
If it's not the pictures of her standing atop a tank in a nod to Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher, it's the meme-defining moment when she vented her anger over cheese imports into Britain that made Liz Truss something of a household name.For many, she was a figure of fun, but…
The race to succeed Boris Johnson as British prime minister was on Wednesday (20) reduced to the final two candidates, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, who will go forward for a summer of campaigning to win over the around 200,000 Conservative Party members who make the final decision. Below is…
BRITISH Prime Minister Boris Johnson bowed out of his final showpiece parliamentary appearance with a round of applause from his party, jeers from opponents and an enigmatic exit line: "Mission largely accomplished ... hasta la vista, baby." Johnson was forced to announce his resignation earlier this month after a mass…
Rishi Sunak, one of the final three candidates to become Britain's next prime minister, said he wanted to make the country energy independent by 2045 in response to the supply shock caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "It has never been more important that our country achieves Energy Sovereignty so…
BRITISH annual inflation surged to a new 40-year high in June on rising motor fuel and food prices, official data showed Wednesday (20), adding to a cost-of-living crisis. The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) jumped to 9.4 percent last month from 9.1 per cent in May, the Office for National Statistics…
BRITAIN's former finance minister Rishi Sunak held on to his lead on Tuesday (19) among Conservative lawmakers in the race to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister, but his two remaining rivals were closing the gap, leaving the race wide open. In a vote among Conservative Party members of parliament,…
RISHI SUNAK, frontrunner in the contest to become Britain's next prime minister, would lose to any of his remaining opponents if he makes it through to the final stage of the contest when rank and file party members get to vote, polling showed on Tuesday (19). The YouGov poll of…
FORMER finance minister Rishi Sunak widened his lead in the latest round of voting Monday (18) by Conservative MPs to decide Britain's next prime minister, but the race to get in the final two tightened. Sunak won the support of 115 Tory lawmakers, followed by Penny Mordaunt on 82 votes,…
Barbs flew and derisive laughter rang out as the Conservative contenders battling to succeed UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson clashed in a live TV debate Sunday, heading into a pivotal week for the acrimonious race.Rising global temperatures were among the policy areas under contention after Britain's climate minister, COP26 president…
Amid the ongoing economic crisis, the upcoming Asia Cup 2022, which was supposed to be hosted by Sri Lanka is now likely to be shifted to UAE. According to ANI sources in Sri Lanka Cricket Board, the country is facing a huge financial crisis and the board has finally taken…
ALNOOR MITHA had an idyllic childhood, spending his days climbing hills, swimming in lakes and listening to the sounds of lions roaring in his home town of Ngora in Uganda. Then, when he was nine, it was all snatched away in a heartbeat. He and his family were among the…
The race to replace Boris Johnson as Conservative leader and Britain's prime minister is down to five candidates after the second round of voting among Tory MPs on Thursday.While former finance minister Rishi Sunak is leading the way with his MP colleagues, second-placed Penny Mordaunt is polling out front with…
A British parliamentary committee has said that domestic security agency MI5 needs more funds to tackle the increasing threat of extreme-right terrorism, according to a report. The intelligence and security committee has said that the agency could not expand other activities since it is more focused on dealing with Islamist…
FORMER finance minister Rishi Sunak won the biggest backing from Conservative lawmakers on Wednesday (13) in the first vote to choose who will succeed Boris Johnson as party leader and British prime minister, while two more rivals were eliminated. Sunak, whose resignation as finance minister last week helped precipitate Johnson's…
THE race to replace Boris Johnson as Conservative leader and Britain's prime minister is heating up, with eight candidates facing a first vote among Tory MPs on Wednesday (13). While several possible successors are seen as frontrunners, there is no clear favourite -- and such contests are notoriously volatile. Rishi…
Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday told a febrile UK parliament that he would leave office with his "head held high" despite the downfall of his scandal-hit leadership.Labour leader Keir Starmer took aim at his outgoing foe during the weekly Prime Minister's Questions session, calling him "totally deluded to the…
Britain's economy rebounded in May, official data showed Wednesday, dampening fears of a slowdown despite surging inflation and rising interest rates. Gross domestic product expanded 0.5 per cent, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement, beating expectations of zero growth. "The economy rebounded in May with growth across…
Frontrunning Conservative leadership aspirant Rishi Sunak has come under frontal attack from his rivals and prime minister Boris Johnson’s loyalists as the intra-party contest has hotted up.Brexit opportunities minister Jacob Rees-Mogg accused the former chancellor of damaging the reputation of the ruling party with his mismanagement of the country’s economy…
Conservative lawmakers will vote on Wednesday to narrow the field of eight candidates hoping to succeed Boris Johnson as party leader and prime minister, as rival camps trade barbs in an increasingly fractious contest for the leadership.Three of the 11 initial challengers for the premiership fell away on Tuesday after…
Ex-finance minister Rishi Sunak and two others will start their campaigns on Tuesday to become Britain's next prime minister, battling for the support of a party deeply split over who should succeed Boris Johnson. So far 11 candidates have said they are bidding to become leader of the governing Conservative…
Britain's new prime minister will be announced on Sept. 5, with the first votes to begin eliminating candidates in a crowded and increasingly unpredictable and divisive contest to replace Boris Johnson coming this week. So far 11 candidates have thrown their hats in the ring to succeed Johnson as leader…
While several possible successors are seen as frontrunners, there is no clear favourite -- and such contests are notoriously volatile. Rishi Sunak The UK's first Hindu finance minister, Sunak quit on Tuesday and declared he was standing three days later. Long seen as Johnson's most likely successor, his prospects were…
PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson has called his promise to "level up and unite" Britain his government's "defining mission". But critics say it was a vague slogan lacking a coherent strategy for delivery -- even before Johnson announced his resignation as Conservative leader this week. What is levelling up? Broadly, it…
Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government is in suspended animation, including on economic policy, just as a cost-of-living crisis worsens for millions of Britons. But tax cuts are inevitable under a new leader, to confront the financial pain that is rapidly spreading in the world's fifth-largest economy, analysts say. Low taxes…
Pakistan's former Home Minister Shaikh Rasheed on Friday said that the government is targeting journalists in the country. Popular news anchor Imran Riaz Khan was arrested on Tuesday near the outskirts of Islamabad, hours after he claimed that his life was under threat. Khan was heading to Islamabad when he…
As many as a dozen candidates were on Friday eyeing up replacing Boris Johnson as British prime minister who is quitting after his Conservative Party turned on him, as opponents said they wanted him out of Downing Street immediately. Johnson said on Thursday that he would step down as Conservative…
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's decision on Thursday to step down as leader of his Conservative Party, paving the way for a new premier to take over, drew a spectrum of reactions from leaders worldwide. Johnson, who quit as Tory leader following a series of scandals and an exodus of…
Here are some of the highlights from his six-minute resignation speech delivered outside No 10 Downing Street. On resigning "It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister... the process of choosing…
Scandal-ridden Boris Johnson announced on Thursday he would quit as British prime minister after he dramatically lost the support of his ministers and most Conservative lawmakers, but said he would stay on until his successor was chosen. Bowing to the inevitable as more than 50 ministers quit and lawmakers said…
BRITAIN's Boris Johnson will reportedly announce his resignation as Conservative leader, paving the way for an internal party contest to replace him and become prime minister. While several possible successors have been suggested, there is no clear favourite. Rishi Sunak The UK's first Hindu chancellor of the exchequer, who quit…
Boris Johnson lasted just three years as British prime minister. Weakened by scandals, he refused for months to resign but on Thursday was poised to quit, forced by his own colleagues.July 2019: triumphant victory After Theresa May's resignation, Brexit figurehead Johnson is elected head of the Conservative party in July…
BRITAIN's newly appointed chancellor of the exchequer, Nadhim Zahawi has urged prime minister Boris Johnson to 'go now' in a letter. He also clarified that he took the new role ‘out of loyalty', adding that he is willing to 'shoulder the criticism' for his decision. In his letter, Zahawi said…
Britain's new finance minister, Nadhim Zahawi, set out his priorities for the economy in a series of interviews early on Wednesday, hours after he was appointed to replace Rishi Sunak.Below are the highlights:ON HIS PRIORITIES"I've got to rebuild and grow the economy. We've just come out of the equivalent of…
Britain's finance and health ministers resigned in quick succession on Tuesday, in moves that put the future of Prime Minister Boris Johnson in peril after a series of scandals that have damaged his administration.Below is a summary of some of those who could be in the frame to replace him…
Britain's finance and health ministers resigned on Tuesday, in what looked to be the final blow for Prime Minister Boris Johnson's premiership after he had tried to apologise for the latest scandal to dog his administration. Both finance minister Rishi Sunak and health minister Sajid Javid resigned in what appeared…
THE City of London corporation has donated £25,000 to a fund providing relief to victims of floods in Bangladesh, a statement said. It has donated the money from its International Disasters Fund to the charity Save The Children’s response to the humanitarian crisis in the country. Heavy monsoon rains and floodwater…
Even as the Western bloc continues to impose sanctions on Moscow, former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has said that Pakistan's future is tied to Russia. In an interview with German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW), the beleaguered PTI chief, said it was good to take a moral stand on the…
The chancellor must do more to help families and business. The call comes from Lord Karan Bilimoria, who is stepping down as the president of the Confederation of British Industry after two years at the helm. In an exclusive interview with Eastern Eye, the peer said the cost of living…
Ninth seed Cameron Norrie made light work of Spain's Pablo Andujar to give Britain its first win at this year's Wimbledon, easing through 6-0 7-6(3) 6-3 on Monday. With the home spotlight very much on Centre Court where fellow Britons Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray were in action later, Norrie…
A high-level US delegation on Monday met Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and discussed measures to help the island nation cope with an unprecedented economic crisis and severe shortages of essential supplies. US Ambassador Kelly Keiderling, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Department of State, and Robert Kaproth, Deputy Assistant…
PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi on Sunday (26) arrived here on a two-day visit to Germany during which he will attend the G7 summit and discuss issues like energy, food security, counter-terrorism, environment and democracy with the leaders of the powerful bloc and its partner countries. “Landed in Munich to participate…
BRITISH retail sales by volume dropped in May as soaring inflation caused consumers to limit spending, especially on food, official data showed Friday (24). Sales fell 0.5 per cent compared with a rise of 0.4 per cent in April, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. April's data was sharply…
Wimbledon starts on Monday without Russia's world number one Daniil Medvedev and Belarus's former top-ranked Victoria Azarenka but the grasscourt Grand Slam will hardly feel like an exhibition event despite no ranking points on offer. The 2022 edition of the world's most prestigious tennis tournament will be held without points…
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday defended his controversial deal to expel migrants to Rwanda, telling critics to "keep an open mind". On the first day of a trip to Kigali -- which is hosting a Commonwealth summit this week -- he also heaped praise on Rwandan President Paul…
British annual inflation has hit a fresh 40-year high, official data showed Wednesday, further eroding workers' wages and pressuring the Bank of England to keep on raising interest rates.The rate edged higher to 9.1 percent in May from 9.0 percent in April, remaining at the highest level since 1982, the…
British aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce Holdings RR.L said it was offering a cash lump sum of 2,000 pounds ($2,458) to about 70% of its UK workforce to help them navigate high living costs. Britain's economy initially rebounded strongly from the COVID-19 pandemic but is now battling high living costs worsened…
RUSH-HOUR commuters in the UK faced chaos on Tuesday (21) as railway workers began the network's biggest strike action in more than three decades, with a cost-of-living crisis threatening wider industrial action. Last-ditch talks to avert the strike broke down on Monday, meaning more than 50,000 members of rail union…
While fuel prices are going through the roof, an Indian-origin gas station owner in the United States takes a part of the burden on himself from his customers.Jaswinder Singh, who runs a Valero Food Mart in Phoenix in the southwestern US state of Arizona, buys fuel from his supplier at…
Workers across the UK will be able to go online, input their salary and see how much they could save thanks to the tax cut which comes in on 6th July.New Financial Support and Benefits Checker Tool will also help people find the government support they’re eligible for.A NEW online…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson offered to launch a military training programme for Ukrainian forces on Friday (17) as he met president Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on his second trip to the Ukrainian capital since Russia's invasion. Johnson, who survived a no confidence vote earlier this month, was greeted by…
DATA suggests thousands of millionaires are trying to leave Russia, and a continued exodus of its business and oligarch community will likely exacerbate the war's long-term damage to its economy, Britain's defence ministry said on Friday (17). "Migration applications suggest that 15,000 Russian millionaires are likely already attempting to leave,"…
RUSSIA has already "strategically lost" its war with Ukraine, suffering heavy losses and strengthening NATO, the UK's chief of defence staff said in an interview published on Friday (17). "This is a dreadful mistake by Russia. Russia will never take control of Ukraine," said Tony Radakin, the country's highest-ranking military…
Two Britons sentenced to death by a separatist regime in eastern Ukraine will be executed with UK-made a gun and bullets, according to a hardline Russian lawmaker.Aleksey Zhuravlyov, who called the British nationals “b******s”, said the weapons to be used for their execution would be sent to their relatives who…
UK startups raised more cash in early 2022 than counterparts in China, France or India, and were surpassed only by the US, data showed. The figures from data provider Dealroom were published alongside the UK government's new digital strategy on the first day of London Tech Week. UK startups raised…
FACED with the highest inflation in four decades, central banks in the US, eurozone and UK are hiking interest rates in order to contain inflation. The reversal in monetary policy will have a tangible impact on the real economy for consumers as well as businesses in these countries, and elsewhere…
Russia on Tuesday said it was blacklisting 49 UK citizens, including defence officials and prominent reporters and editors from the BBC, The Financial Times and The Guardian. London has been one of the most vocal supporters of Kyiv after President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine on February 24. "The…
Britain will soon deliver multiple-launch rocket systems to Ukraine in response to its request for heavy arms to repel the Russian invasion, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said Wednesday. Following in the footsteps of the United States, London had announced on June 6 that it would send Ukraine its Guided…
A European court ruling sparked an embarrassing climbdown for the British government by forcing the cancellation of Britain's first deportation flight of asylum seekers to Rwanda. The British government expressed fury at the decision. But it is legally obliged to implement rulings by the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights…
The European Commission launched new legal action against Britain on Wednesday, accusing London of putting peace in Northern Ireland at risk by trying to overhaul the post-Brexit trade deal."The UK government tabled legislation confirming its intention to unilaterally break international law," EU commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic said."More precisely to break…
Supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin have been accused of mocking the potential execution of two British fighters captured in Ukraine and claiming the UK was not doing anything to help them out.A court in the breakaway republic of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine had last week sentenced the Britons -…
The leader of the Russian-backed separatist Donetsk region of Ukraine said on Sunday there was no reason to pardon two British nationals who were sentenced to death last week after being captured while fighting for Ukraine.A court in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic on Thursday found Aiden Aslin and Shaun…
Britain will set out its first national food strategy on Monday, focused on increasing domestic production to boost food security rather than on tackling obesity after a recommendation to tax salt and sugar in processed food was rejected.The government said Russia's invasion of Ukraine had hit food supplies and caused…
THE Russia-Ukraine war has adversely affected the livelihood of thousands of workers in the diamond industry in Gujarat, especially in rural parts of Saurashtra region where many units import small-size diamonds from Russia for processing and polishing, according to industry representatives. The state's diamond industry employs nearly 1.5 million workers,…
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday praised British leadership and its support for Kyiv's fight against Russia during an unannounced visit from UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace."Words turn into actions. That's the difference between Ukraine's relationship with Great Britain and other countries," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video statement."Weapons,…
Britain on Friday condemned Russian proxy authorities in Donbas for what it called an "egregious breach" of the Geneva convention in sentencing to death two British nationals captured in the separatist region while fighting for Ukraine.Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said he was talking to Ukraine rather than Russia about…
A British minister on Friday denied a claim that the Treasury's decision not to insure against Bank of England interest-rate rises had cost taxpayers £11 billion ($13.7 billion) during a cost-of-living crisis. "The Treasury has inaccurately been accused of wasting billions of pounds," John Glen, a junior Treasury minister working…
A former top military commander has warned that Britain's armed forces are too weak to prevent war or protect the nation during conflict due to 'chronic underfunding', according to a report. Labour peer Lord West of Spithead, who served as First Sea Lord from 2002-06, has said that there may…
Britain is prioritising talking to Ukraine rather than Russia on the situation of two jailed British men who have been sentenced to death in one of Russia's proxies in eastern Ukraine, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said on Friday. Two Britons and a Moroccan who were captured while fighting for…
A toxic cocktail of sluggish growth and high inflation, plus Brexit and fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, is set to weigh on the pound in the coming months, economists warned. Since the start of the year, the sterling has fallen by more than seven per cent against the dollar, which…
India's surprise decision to ban wheat exports has raised concerns about potential curbs on rice exports as well, prompting rice traders to step up purchases and place atypical orders for longer-dated deliveries. Government and trade officials have said India, the world's biggest exporter of rice, does not plan to curb…
THE STRICTEST headteacher in Britain has urged people to reject the “old view” of social mobility in her inaugural speech as the chair of the Social Mobility commission. Katharine Birbalsingh, 48, is the founder and head teacher of Michaela Community school in Wembley, north London. In a speech yesterday (9),…
The United Nations on Thursday said foreign direct investment (FDI) in India declined by $19 billion to $45 billion in 2021. However, despite this, the country remains in the top 10 global economies in terms of FDI. According to the World Investment Report of the United Nations Conference on Trade…
The UK government on Thursday said it was "deeply concerned" after Russian news agencies reported pro-Moscow separatists had sentenced to death two British fighters captured by Russian troops while fighting for Ukraine. "We are obviously deeply concerned by this. Under the Geneva Convention, prisoners of war are entitled to combatant…
JOHN Lyon School, Harrow-on-the-Hill, on Wednesday (8) hosted two events supported by the High Commission of India, London. The school welcomed Shitanshu Chaurasiya, first secretary of the Indian High Commission, and Amish Tripathi, author and director of the Nehru Centre -- the cultural wing of the High Commission of India…
With crude oil prices rocketing, the average cost of filling a 55-litre family car has now passed the £100 mark for the first time, according to a British automotive services firm.As the average price of unleaded diesel in the UK topped 182p for a litre and the unleaded variant cost…
THE British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has warned that the economic growth in UK will "grind to a halt" in 2022 before briefly falling into negative territory, according to a report. It downgraded the growth forecast to 3.5 per cent from from 3.6 per cent, and said inflation would reach…
Iran is satisfied with the efforts made by the Indian government in dealing with those responsible for comments on Prophet Muhammed, the visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said.Abdollahian, who is on his first visit to India since he assumed office last year, raised the issue of the controversial…
Britain's railway network faces its biggest strike action in more than three decades later this month in a row over pay as inflation erodes earnings, a union has announced. Rail union RMT said more than 50,000 workers will take part in a three-day national strike coinciding with major events including…
The Colombo Commercial High Court considered a motion filed by the Sri Lankan Attorney General and suspended the previous order which had led to the detention of the Aeroflot aircraft, the News First website reported. The motion was considered in the presence of Colombo Commercial High Court Judge Harsha Setunga.…
Singer-songwriter Armaan Malik on Monday said he is set to team up with Ed Sheeran on a brand-new version of the popular British singer's latest single 2Step. In a Twitter post, Malik also shared that the song will be released Tuesday on all music streaming platforms. "Out tomorrow," he captioned…
The head of the UK armed forces Admiral Tony Radakin said on Sunday that it was "unlawful and unhelpful" for Britons to go and fight against Russia in Ukraine. His comments contradict British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who said she supported anyone who wanted to volunteer and followed an appeal…
INDIA has a difficult relationship with China but it is perfectly capable of managing it, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Friday (3). He rejected the European construct that New Delhi's position on Ukraine could impact global support to it if its problems with Beijing increases. In an interactive…
Scotland captain Andy Robertson rued his side's limp display in Wednesday's World Cup playoff against Ukraine and apologised to fans after the defeat in Glasgow ended their hopes of a first appearance at the global soccer showpiece in 24 years. Goals from Andriy Yarmolenko, Roman Yaremchuk and Artem Dovbyk fired…
SEVEN decades is a long time in history. As Britain pauses for four days to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee, the longest reign in British history symbolises how much can change within one lifetime. The Queen spoke of her sense of “extraordinary progress, socially, technologically and culturally that has benefited us…
A Russian TV presenter has suggested his country should invade Britain next and take Stonehenge, a prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, according to a report. Stonehenge is one of the wonders of the world and the best-known prehistoric monument in Europe. Vladimir Solovyov, who has close ties…
Britain's cheapest brands of pasta and bread have surged in price over the past year, but overall the cost of lower-priced food and drink staples has risen at a similar pace to average prices, the Office for National Statistics said.Anti-poverty campaigners have pointed to sharp price rises in the cheapest…
AS prime minister Boris Johnson successfully delivered Brexit and won the 2019 election, 2020 started with great hope and optimism. However, the outbreak of Covid-19 came as the biggest watershed in recent global history. Two years later, we now hope to have the pandemic under control in the country, while…
Shaunak Sen's "All That Breathes", an audience favourite from the outset, won the 2022 L'Oeil d'Or (Golden Eye) for the best documentary at the 75th Cannes Film Festival on Saturday (28), making it two in succession for India. "All That Breathes" is about two Delhi brothers Nadeem and Saud who,…
A Conservative lawmaker has submitted a letter of no confidence in Boris Johnson and another quit a role as an assistant to Britain's interior minister, putting new pressure on the prime minister over illegal parties at his Downing Street residence during Covid-19 lockdowns.Bob Neill, the chair of parliament's justice committee,…
Wimbledon will drop the titles "Miss" and "Mrs" before the names of female winners on its honour roll to match the men's boards in an attempt to modernise the tournament, The Times newspaper reported. The All England Lawn Tennis Club has traditionally used the titles just for women - Ash…
RESTRICTIONS being eased has led to a surge in travel bookings. While some just want to get away for a break after being locked down during the pandemic for so long, Jaya Sibia has used travel to fulfil a dream of visiting 40 countries before she turns 40. It has…
AT west London's Hooked Fish and Chips, Bally Singh is struggling to keep the tills ringing for a British tradition, with prices sky-rocketing for fish, potatoes, cooking oil and even the flour used for the batter the dish is cooked in. Cranking up their bubbling oil friers only to see…
The UK government announced Wednesday (25) it had approved Todd Boehly's £4.25 billion purchase of Chelsea football club from the sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.The Premier League club was put on the market in early March, days before Abramovich was sanctioned by Britain following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.The billionaire, also…
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF) managing director Kristalina Georgieva has exhorted India to consider reversing its ban on the exports of wheat, even as New Delhi capped sugar shipments in its latest bid to tame domestic inflation.As the Russian invasion of Ukraine has disrupted the food supply chain, Georgieva said in…
Leaders of the Quad alliance said on Tuesday (24) they opposed all attempts to "change the status quo by force, particularly in the Indo-Pacific".The statement, which followed a summit meeting of the four members of the grouping - India, Japan, Australia and the United States in Tokyo - comes with…
The rollout of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) by the US came as part of Washington's efforts to push forward a strong economic policy for the Indo-Pacific to counter China's aggressive strategy on trade in the region."Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in an event in Tokyo today to…
WHEN India refused to succumb to the Western pressure to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine earlier this year, the praise for New Delhi’s diplomatic tightrope walk came from unexpected quarters.Pakistan’s then prime minister Imran Khan found merit in India’s “independent foreign policy” and even said his government was also…
INDIA's Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi has said that democracy in India is a global public good and a central anchor for the planet. "If that cracks, it is going to cause a problem for the planet," Gandhi said at the 'Ideas for India' conference in London on Friday (20).…
THE health of Vladimir Putin is a double-edged weapon. A British tabloid is reporting that Putin is “very ill with blood cancer”. If the Russian president really is going down, he may calculate he has nothing to lose by taking everyone else down with him. The source for the claim…
INDIA'S huge diamond-polishing industry has furloughed around 250,000 of its roughly two million workers because of sanctions on Russia hitting supplies, a trade union said Thursday (19).The South Asian nation cuts and polishes 90 per cent of the world's diamonds, with Russian diamond miners such as Alrosa traditionally accounting for…
AN ACTION-PACKED journey led Somy Ali from a thriving Bollywood career to becoming a hard-working humanitarian and setting up the USA-based No More Tears NGO, which has helped over 30,000 victims of domestic abuse. The driving force behind the charity, she has fearlessly fought for what is right and features…
BRITISH chancellor Rishi Sunak has insisted that the state "cannot protect people completely" as he warned the next few months "will be tough"after inflation rate has surged to a 40-year high. Reacting to Wednesday's (18) data, he blamed the situation on "global challenges" and noted Britain was not alone in…
INDIA's Vistara has started daily direct flights from London to New Delhi as part of its plans to focus more on Europe, the company said. The airline celebrated the flight from London Heathrow Airport to New Delhi on Tuesday (17). Vistara, a joint venture of Tata Group and Singapore Airlines,…
THE Queen’s platinum Jubilee, marking the longest reign in history, is a chance to reflect on how Britain has changed over the last seven decades. A more diverse Britain is a society of more faiths but is felt to be a less religious place too. The somewhat disunited Kingdom is…
BRITAIN'S worst cost of living crisis in three decades won't peak until the tail end of this year but the Bank of England will be more aggressive in raising interest rates than was thought as it battles soaring inflation, a Reuters poll found.Renewed coronavirus lockdowns in China and Russia's invasion…
INDIAN state-owned insurance giant LIC slumped on its market debut on Tuesday (17) following the country's biggest-ever initial public offering, closing nearly eight per cent below the IPO price.Prime minister Narendra Modi's government raised $2.7 billion (£2.16 bn) by selling 3.5 per cent of Life Insurance Corporation of India as…
HUNDREDS of thousands of tonnes of wheat were stranded at a major port in India on Tuesday (17) after New Delhi's surprise ban on exports over inflation and food security worries. India, the world's second-largest grower of wheat, last week ordered that traders could not enter into new export deals…
CHANCELLOR Rishi Sunak has appointed a Delhi School of Economics alumna as an external member of the monetary policy committee (MPC) of the Bank of England.Swati Dhingra's appointment to the central bank comes amid the UK’s fight to tame the post-pandemic inflation, amplified by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Dhingra,…
BRITAIN will delay by a year new rules banning multi-buy deals on foods and drinks high in fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS), with the government saying on Saturday (14) it needed more time given the cost of living crisis. The ban on the deals, including "buy one get one free"…
RUSSIA has probably lost around a third of the ground forces it deployed to Ukraine and its offensive in the Donbas region "has lost momentum and fallen significantly behind schedule", British military intelligence said on Sunday (15). "Despite small-scale initial advances, Russia has failed to achieve substantial territorial gains over…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson will fly to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday (15) to pay his condolences following the death of president Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Downing Street said. Johnson's visit will also "reinforce the close bond between the UK and United Arab Emirates," the statement said.…
INDIA banned wheat exports on Saturday (14), just days after saying it was targeting record shipments this year, as a scorching heat wave curtailed output and domestic prices soared to an all-time high.The government said it would still allow exports backed by already issued letters of credit and to countries…
RISING student debt is severely affecting students across Britain, who are already struggling with a cost-of-living crisis. Britons heading to university next year face major changes that critics argue will worsen the financial pain. The pressure is "exhausting, especially for someone in their 20s who has just started thinking about…
Improved demand helped India's Tata Motors narrow losses, the carmaker reported Thursday, even as chip shortages continued to hurt sales at British subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover. The Mumbai-headquartered automaker reported its fifth straight quarter of losses for the three months ended March 31, but said it was able to manage…
SAUDI ARAMCO on Wednesday (11) dethroned Apple as the world's most valuable company as surging oil prices drove up shares and tech stocks slumped. The Saudi Arabian national petroleum and natural gas company billed as the largest oil-producing company globally was valued at $2.42 trillion based on the price of…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson said he had agreed new deals with Sweden and Finland to bolster European security, pledging to support both countries' armed forces should they come under attack. Johnson on Wednesday (11) signed the new declarations, described by Britain as "a step-change in defence and security cooperation",…
PRIME minister Boris Johnson warned that a windfall tax could deter investment by energy companies, amid the indications that the government could choose to be practical about such a levy.Rishi Sunak, the chancellor of the exchequer, said he was "pragmatic" about the idea of a windfall tax on the profits…
UK SUPERMARKET giant Morrisons announced on Monday (9) it had agreed a rescue deal for British convenience store chain McColl's that will preserve all 16,000 jobs.Morrisons, Britain's fourth-largest supermarket chain, beat off competition from forecourt giant EG, whose co-owners - the billionaire Issa brothers - also run UK supermarket group…
A NEW UK-India Industry Task Force, a joint commission to increase cross-industry collaboration and push the UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) over the line, was launched on Monday (9).The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) have created the new task force as part of…
BRITAIN has shown an uptick in month-on-month footfall as the weather improved, although the number of store visitors remains way below the pre-pandemic levels three years ago.According to BRC-Sensormatic IQ data, the total UK footfall decreased 13.1 per cent in April year-on-three-years (Yo3Y), but there was a 2.3 percentage point…
NARENDRA MODI is this week visiting Germany, Denmark and France, where the Indian prime minister will be pressed about his government’s decision not to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The West appears to have accepted that India has a longstanding relationship with Russia and that its import of Russian…
PRIME Minister Boris Johnson was on Friday (6) left reflecting on a string of losses at local elections in England, in a mid-term test of his popularity after a string of scandals. Johnson conceded Thursday's (5) vote had produced a "mixed" set of results for his ruling Conservatives, including the…
INDIA and France on Wednesday (4) called for "an immediate cessation of hostilities" in Ukraine, with prime minister Narendra Modi again stopping short of condemning Russia's invasion of its neighbour. India, which imports much of its military hardware from Russia, has long walked a diplomatic tightrope between the West and…
A BRITISH-ASIAN entrepreneur and vaccination role-model is running for a seat on the Brent Borough Council. Sapna Chadha will contest the Brondesbury Park ward for the Conservative party in the local elections which take place on Thursday (5). Last year, Chadha was part of the local Conservative party team which…
CONSERVATIVES chairman Oliver Dowden MP outlined his party’s commitment to “stamp out Islamophobia from society” and his plans to welcome more Muslims into public life.At the first-ever iftar reception hosted by the party at its headquarters in London last week, the lawmaker also thanked the Muslim community for its contributions,…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (3) appealed for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, even as his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen hoped New Delhi will use its influence over Russia to end the war. The two leaders discussed the Ukraine crisis and several regional and global issues including increasing…
RECKITT CEO Laxman Narasimhan, who has steered the FMCG company through challenging times, said in an interview he derives his strength from his Indian upbringing. The pandemic struck months after Narasimhan took over the Slough-headquartered firm, and as the global economy is showing signs of recovery, high inflation has reduced…
GERMAN chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged $10.51 billion (£8.4bn) to help India achieve its climate goals after meeting its prime minister Narendra Modi in Berlin on Monday (2), but the leaders remained far apart in their stance on the Ukraine war. In a statement to media, Scholz highlighted the countries' common…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi called for dialogue to end the war in Ukraine at the start of a European tour on Monday (2) but steered clear of condemning Russia over the invasion. India, which imports much of its military hardware from Russia, has long walked a diplomatic tightrope between…
VOTERS go to the polls in Britain on Thursday (5), in a mid-term test for the Conservative government that could determine beleaguered prime minister Boris Johnson's future.The local election results will be seen as a barometer of support for the Conservatives nationally, as well as an indicator of whether the…
PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson landed in Gujarat last Thursday (21) as he began his two-day India visit. He said he felt like Indian cricket star Sachin Tendulkar, as hundreds of people lined the streets and dozens of billboards depicted his image. “I had an amazing reception,” he said. “My face…
THE European Union (EU) and India agreed on Monday (25) to set up a trade and technology council (TTC) to step up cooperation, as the bloc’s chief held talks with officials in New Delhi. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen concluded a two-day trip to India’s capital, part of…
EUROPE will make sure that Russia’s “unprovoked and unjustified” aggression against Ukraine will be a “strategic failure”, though the Indo-Pacific region has started feeling the impact of the crisis, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday (25). She also said energising the partnership with New Delhi is…
UNILEVER announced a jump in revenue after the British consumer goods giant passed on higher costs to customers. The maker of a vast amount of products including Magnum ice cream, Cif surface cleaner and Dove soap said revenue increased nearly 12 per cent to £11.5 billion in the first quarter…
AN Indo-British bilateral free-trade deal could be wrapped up by October, prime minister Boris Johnson said in New Delhi last week, as he concluded his much-delayed visit to India. Britain and India also agreed to step up defence and business cooperation, Johnson said, adding that London would support Delhi’s goal…
IN 2019, Johnson upended conventional British politics by winning in both the traditional Conservative southern heartlands and more industrial areas in central and northern England. But his support has waned as the government grapples with a cost-of-living crisis and revelations about his conduct. Now many Conservative lawmakers are wondering if…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi will embark on a three-day visit to Germany, Denmark and France from May 2, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) announced. German chancellor Olaf Scholz will receive Modi in Berlin on May 2, a German government spokesperson said on Wednesday (27). Modi will then visit…
INDIA said the best solution to the Ukraine conflict is to “stop the fighting” and get the warring sides to the negotiation table.“The best way forward is to focus on stopping the fighting, getting the talking and finding ways of moving forward. We think our choices, our positions are best…
BRITAIN wants to keep growing its ties with India as part of efforts to work more closely with allies to create a so-called Network of Liberty, foreign secretary Liz Truss said.She used her keynote address at the Lord Mayor's Easter banquet in London on Wednesday (27) to issue a stark…
INDIA has slashed the size of an initial public offering (IPO) by insurance giant LIC but the share issue will still be the country's largest to date, with a targeted windfall of $2.7 billion (£2.15 bn), regulatory filings showed on Wednesday (27).Prime minister Narendra Modi's government is desperate for proceeds…
THE top 5 military spenders in 2021 were the US, China, India, the UK and Russia, which together accounted for almost 62 per cent of the world military expenditure, data published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) showed on Monday (25). India's military spending was recorded to be…
ALMOST a quarter of people in Britain said it became harder to pay household bills even before increases in regulated energy prices took effect, according to an official survey that underscored the breadth of a cost-of-living crisis. Some 23 per cent of people surveyed in March by the Office for…
PAKISTAN'S new prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russian president Vladimir Putin have quietly exchanged letters to strengthen bilateral relations, a media report has said. The letters were exchanged after the election of Shehbaz as the prime minister but both the sides kept development away from the media glare in what seemed to be a move aimed at…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Monday (25) announced the setting up of an India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC), a strategic mechanism to tackle key trade, economic and technological challenges.India is the second country after the US to have such a…
EUROPE will make sure that Russia's “unprovoked and unjustified” aggression against Ukraine will be a “strategic failure”, though the Indo-Pacific region has started feeling the impact of the crisis, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday (25). She also said energising the partnership with New Delhi is…
INDIAN and the European Union (EU) agreed on Monday (25) to set up a trade and technology council to step up cooperation between them, the two sides said in a joint statement as the EU chief met government officials in New Delhi.European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is on…
START-UP banks in the UK have been found to lack checks on financial crime risk, including getting around the kind of sanctions recently imposed on Russia, British regulators said. The Financial Conduct Authority published the findings of a 2021 review into so-called challenger banks that rely heavily on technology and…
SEVEN-TIME Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton said that being part of a consortium bidding to take over English Premier League club Chelsea was too great an opportunity to pass by. Hamilton, along with American tennis star Serena Williams, could each invest up to £10 million, according to Sky News,…
ONEWEB, the low earth orbit satellite communications company, has collaborated with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to complete its satellite launch programme.The London-based company was forced to look for alternatives after it broke with Russian space agency Roscosmos in March this year as Moscow invaded Ukraine. But it later…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson said that his country has already raised the Ukraine issue with prime minister Narendra Modi at a diplomatic level. Johnson added that everybody understands that India and Russia shared “very different relationships historically”. Johnson’s visit to India comes at a time when India has taken…
INDIA is looking at boosting oil purchases from Brazil, oil minister Hardeep Singh Puri said after a meeting with Brazilian Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque. Currently, India, the world's third-biggest oil importer and consumer, imports only a fraction of its oil imports from Brazil. "We have expressed to the honourable minister…
BRITAIN and India agreed on Friday (22) to step up defence and business cooperation during a visit to New Delhi by Boris Johnson, who said a bilateral free-trade deal could be wrapped up by October. On his first visit to the Indian capital as UK prime minister, Johnson discussed with…
Britain and India agreed a "new and expanded" defence and security partnership on Friday, British prime minister Boris Johnson said in New Delhi. Johnson is visiting India just as he faces criticism from his own Conservative MPs and the embarrassing prospect of a probe into whether he lied to parliament…
A charity walk has been organised by the combined efforts of the Lotus Trust and ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Manor to raise funds for needy Ukrainian refugees. The Lotus Trust started this campaign two months ago and has managed to initially serve thousands of warm vegetarian meals to refugees coming out of…
Britain's prime minister Boris Johnson faced stinging criticism on Thursday from his own Conservative MPs and the embarrassing prospect of a probe into whether he lied to parliament over the "Partygate" scandal. Lawmakers agreed to launch an investigation by a parliamentary committee into his past denials to the House of…
PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson hopes to defuse a parliamentary showdown on Thursday (21) by asking lawmakers to delay a decision on whether he should be investigated over accusations that he misled parliament about breaches of Covid-19 rules. He faces a test of Conservative party loyalty on Thursday when MPs vote…
BORIS JOHNSON was accorded a cordial welcome when he landed in Gujarat on Thursday (21) as the British prime minister began his two-day trip to India. But the pomp and publicity that generally marks top world leaders’ visits to the south Asian country was conspicuously missing.Johnson was received at the…
TATA STEEL has said it will stop doing business with Russia, making it the latest global company to cut ties with the country for invading Ukraine.The announcement comes about a week after Infosys, India's second-largest software services firm, said it would move its business out of Russia.In a statement on…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson arrived in India Thursday (21) touting job-creating investment but facing long odds to get his reluctant counterpart Narendra Modi to back Western action against Russia. Johnson arrived in Gujarat -- Modi's home state and the ancestral home to half of the United Kingdom's British Indians…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson will offer to help India cut reliance on Russian oil and defence equipment when he begins a two-day visit this week that will test his diplomatic skills and provide brief respite from a row raging at home. On his first trip to India as prime…
PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson on Tuesday (19) apologised to MPs after he became the first British leader fined for breaking the law, but faced opposition calls to quit for the sake of integrity in politics. Addressing parliament for the first time since the April 12 fine, he reiterated that he…
THE co-owner of supermarket chain Asda has said that the value of its investment in the firm has soared by nearly 20 times in just over a year, according to a report. London-based private equity firm TDR Capital and British Indian billionaire brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa jointly bought a…
In 1999, a court found a brother and mother guilty of murdering a 19-year-old Muslim woman. While he strangled her, their mother sat on her legs. Her crime was to be carrying the baby of her childhood sweetheart while her husband, by forced marriage, was in Pakistan. The story of…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson will face angry lawmakers on Tuesday (19) for the first time since being fined for breaking his own coronavirus laws by attending a party at his Downing Street office.An embattled Johnson last week became the first modern British leader to be fined for breaking the…
TWO spiritual leaders of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan (BAPS) Sanstha met Indian prime minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi recently. The trio prayed for the welfare of Indians worldwide. HH Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami honoured Modi with a garland, while Brahmavihari Swami updated the prime minister on Sanstha’s Covid-19 pandemic…
PAKISTAN’S Army has said it has "nothing to do with politics" as it asserted that its chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa will retire on November 29 "no matter what."Amidst a vicious social media campaign against the powerful "establishment" for not backing former prime minister Imran Khan, military spokesman major general…
MOSCOW on Saturday (16) announced it was banning entry to UK prime minister Boris Johnson and several other top UK officials after London imposed sanctions on Russia over its military operation in Ukraine."This step was taken as a response to London's unbridled information and political campaign aimed at isolating Russia…
IN A strong message to China, Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh has said that if harmed, his country “will not spare anyone”.He asserted that India under prime minister Narendra Modi has emerged as a powerful country and is headed to be among the top three economies of the world.Singh, in…
Pakistan's new prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said Thursday the country's economy had stagnated under his predecessor Imran Khan, setting the tone for possibly months of bitterness before an election that must be held by October next year. Sharif, sworn in Monday after Khan was ousted by a no-confidence vote in…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson is expected to arrive in India next week with a wide-ranging schedule in New Delhi, according to Indian government sources.The visit, which is yet to be formally announced by Downing Street, follows the successful completion of four out of 26 chapters in the ongoing India-UK…
Indian software giant Infosys said on Wednesday it was 'transitioning' out of the Russian market following the Ukraine war and conflict of interest accusations levelled at Rishi Sunak, the British chancellor. Sunak's wife Akshata Murty holds a nearly $1 billion stake in the IT firm, which was founded by her…
AKSHATA MURTY, the wife of Britain’s chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak, is set to receive a dividend payment of £6 million from the Indian IT major Infosys in which she has a 0.93 per cent stake.The company, founded by her father NR Narayana Murthy, has declared a dividend of…
VARIOUS Sikh organisations have formed a team to retrieve Sikh scriptures from a gurdwara in Odessa, Ukraine and shifted them to the United Kingdom. The items were brought to the UK by charity United Sikhs, which found a way to take them from Odesa to avoid them being destroyed in…
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai met Indian external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Tuesday (12) and both agreed the newly relaunched US-India Trade Policy Forum could help boost bilateral trade and reduce barriers, Tai's office said. Tai and one of her deputies, Sarah Bianchi, discussed bilateral trade relations and the…
BRITAIN'S annual inflation rate soared to the highest level in three decades last month as energy prices rocket, official data showed Wednesday (13), worsening the cost-of-living crisis.Inflation surged to 7.0 per cent in March from 6.2 per cent in February, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement."Broad-based…
INDIA's relationship with Russia was developed over decades at a time when the US was not able to be a partner, secretary of state Antony Blinken. Top officials of the Biden administration on Monday (11) showed an understanding of New Delhi's position on Ukraine war. "India's relationship with Russia was…
RUSSIA's state-owned diamond miner Alrosa said that it cannot make a payment on a eurobond after Washington imposed blocking sanctions, the Interfax news agency reported. The company said that for "technical reasons" it cannot pay a $11.6 million coupon on a dollar-denominated eurobond, the agency reported. The US Treasury on…
Global star Priyanka Chopra has urged world leaders to stand up and deal with the "humanitarian and refugee crisis" emerging out of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Chopra, who is the goodwill ambassador of UNICEF, took to her Instagram and posted a video, appealing to the world leaders to support the crisis…
AMERICAN president Joe Biden and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi held a virtual summit on Monday (11), clouded by US frustration over New Delhi's neutral stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.The South Asian nation has tried to walk a tightrope between maintaining relations with the West and avoiding alienating Russia…
INDIA'S dependence on Russia for major defence equipment and other items like fertiliser is immense, a top American diplomat said.US deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman, during her testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, dwelt on India's position on Russia and its repeated abstention from the United Nations on…
THE PASSENGER traffic at London's Heathrow Airport in March this year was the highest since the pandemic began, driven by outbound leisure travel and the removal of all Covid restrictions.Heathrow, however, said in a statement on Monday (11) that inbound leisure and business travel had remained weak due to high…
RUSSIA was suspended from the UN Human Rights Council after the 193-member General Assembly on Thursday (7) voted to adopt a resolution moved by the US while India abstained.The resolution titled ‘Suspension of the rights of membership of the Russian Federation in the Human Rights Council' was adopted with 93…
British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran on Wednesday won his copyright trial at London's High Court, following accusations of plagiarism from a fellow UK artiste. Sami Chokri, who performs as Sami Switch, and music producer Ross O’Donoghue had accused the Grammy award-winning singer of lifting parts of his song for Sheeran’s 2017…
UK chancellor Rishi Sunak, once a leading contender to become prime minister, faced new criticism on Thursday after it emerged his Indian wife holds non-domiciled status, shielding her from UK taxes. Akshata Murthy, daughter of Indian billionaire NR Narayana Murthy, confirmed she "is treated as non-domiciled for UK tax purposes"…
INDIA has said it will “soon” begin the delivery of more medicines requested by Ukraine, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said as the situation in the war-torn country calls for urgent humanitarian relief.He also asserted that Russia remains “an important partner” for India, amid calls from Western countries to scale…
INDIA's foreign minister said he was "deeply disturbed" by civilian deaths in the Ukrainian city of Bucha but stopped short of blaming Russia, calling for an independent probe. New Delhi has historically close ties with Moscow and has refrained from condemning its invasion of its ex-Soviet neighbour, abstaining in several…
INDIA is in talks with eastern European countries for continuing the education of the students evacuated from Ukraine, external affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said.The Ukrainian government has offered relaxation for students for taking two key examinations in their medical education courses, he told Parliament on Wednesday (6)."The mandatory CROC…
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he is looking forward to sharing the joy of Ramadan with non-Muslims now that the pandemic restrictions are over. Khan will be taking part in a number of iftar gatherings with interfaith leaders and people from different religious backgrounds with the aim of 'building togetherness'.…
INDIA'S foreign minister said on Wednesday (6) the government is working to stabilise economic transactions with Russia, a day after New Delhi condemned the killings of civilians in Ukraine and called for an independent probe.S Jaishankar told lawmakers in Parliament that Russia continues to be a critical economic partner and…
India on Tuesday condemned the killings of civilians in Ukraine's Bucha and called for an independent investigation, having earlier declined to explicitly criticise the invasion of Ukraine by its long-time partner Russia. A Ukrainian human rights ombudswoman said on Tuesday that between 150 and 300 bodies may be in a…
AS THE sun dips below the Indian Ocean waves, Ukrainian tourist Viktoria Makarenko and her daughter light incense every evening at a temple in a Sri Lankan beach resort to pray for a return home.Russia's February invasion of the 35-year-old's homeland has left thousands of foreign travellers from the two…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson is planning to visit India by April end with a focus on strengthening bilateral ties, according to official sources. The visit, which is expected around April 22, is long overdue after Johnson was forced to cancel planned visits to India twice last year due to…
INDIA batsman Cheteshwar Pujara's debut for English county Sussex has been delayed by visa problems, it was announced Monday (4). Sussex had hoped to have Pujara available for their opening County Championship match at home to Nottinghamshire starting on Thursday (7). But delays in issuing the 34-year-old a visa mean…
Bollywood star John Abraham, who can be currently seen in his home production Attack (2022), has said that he will begin filming his next Tehran in June in Iran. The actor describes the upcoming venture as a relevant geopolitical film. “I begin shooting the film in June in Iran. We…
"WE WERE never asked” has been the persistent lament of those who objected most vociferously to immigration in Britain. For more than half a century, stretching back to the deep foreboding of Enoch Powell, migration sceptics have invariably blamed governments for opening Britain up to migration without the consent of…
REGARDED as a wily cricket captain during his playing days, Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan appeared on Sunday (3) to have stumped his political opposition as well.The country's president dissolved the national assembly just hours after the deputy speaker declined to accept a no-confidence motion that would likely have seen…
THIS week marks the start of Ramadan, a unique and special time for Muslims in Britain and across the world. It’s a time to reflect on and renew their faith, through devotion and spirituality while fulfilling the five pillars of Islam. The strength of devotion exemplified in fasting as the…
INDIA's Infosys has said that it is in the process of urgently closing down its Russian operations, media reports said. Staff in Moscow are being relocated to other countries. UK chancellor Rishi Sunak has been facing burning questions over wife Akshata Murty's shares in Infosys, which was co-founded by her…
KRISHNAN GURU-MURTHY has been promoted as Channel 4 News lead anchor, replacing veteran newsreader Jon Snow, according to media reports. Guru-Murthy, 51, will assume the new role in London having first joined the programme, produced by ITN, in 1998. Snow, 74, retired from Channel 4 News on December 23, after…
THE US will not set any "red line" for India on its energy imports from Russia but does not want to see a "rapid acceleration" in purchases, a top US official said during a visit to New Delhi. However, Daleep Singh, Washington's chief sanctions strategist, was quoted by local media…
RUSSIA will increase its use of non-Western currencies for trade with countries such as India, its foreign minister said on Friday (1), as he hailed India as a friend that was not taking a "one-sided view" on the Ukraine war.Sergei Lavrov visited India on a mission to shore up support…
“WE WERE never asked” has been the persistent lament of those who objected most vociferously to immigration in Britain. For more than half a century, stretching back to the deep foreboding of Enoch Powell, migration sceptics have invariably blamed governments for opening Britain up to migration without the consent of…
BOTH main parties in the UK have traditionally had loyal supporters from different parts of the Asian diaspora, but there is growing unease that neither can be trusted or represent the values and aspirations of the Asian community. Prime minister Boris Johnson has a long history of making racist and…
PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan has accused the United States of meddling in Islamabad's politics - a claim quickly denied by Washington - as a debate on a no-confidence motion against him in parliament was postponed.No Pakistan premier has ever seen out a full term, and Khan is facing the…
STRONGER ties with India are more important than ever before in view of the crisis in Ukraine, British foreign secretary Liz Truss said Thursday (31), but she said the UK would not tell India not to buy discounted Russian oil. Her comments came after talks with India’s external affairs minister…
UKRAINE has sought India’s intervention to stop Russian aggression on the eastern European country as peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv have not made any meaningful headway.Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said India should leverage its friendly ties with Russia and prevail upon its president Vladimir Putin to stop the…
Britain's foreign secretary was in India on Thursday (31) to press for tougher action on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, ahead of a visit by Moscow's top diplomat likely aimed at urging Delhi to do the opposite. India has abstained from UN resolutions censuring Russia, calling only for a cessation of…
US president Joe Biden's deputy national security adviser for economics Daleep Singh will be in New Delhi on March 30 and 31 to meet government officials to discuss Russia's war against Ukraine and develop an economic framework for the Indo-Pacific, the White House said. “Singh will consult closely with counterparts…
BARCLAYS shares continued to slide for a second on Wednesday (30) after one of its top investors offloaded a £900-million chunk of stock in the lender at a discount.The investor on Tuesday (29) sold 599 million shares at 150p apiece against the previous day’s closing price of 160.48p on the…
RUSSIA'S foreign minister Sergei Lavrov will visit India for a two-day visit beginning on Thursday (31), officials said.He is likely to press New Delhi to resist Western pressure to condemn the Ukraine invasion.India has abstained from UN resolutions censuring Russia and continues to buy Russian oil and other goods. Lavrov's…
Ed Sheeran and Camila Cabello were among the leading music stars who performed on Tuesday night at a televised concert aiming to raise funds for a Ukrainian humanitarian appeal. Camila Cabello and Ed Sheeran joined forces to perform their new collaboration “Bam Bam” live together for the very first time.…
RUSSIAN foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is set to fly to India this week, sources said, finding time to visit one of the biggest buyers of Russian commodities since the international community began isolating Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.There is little sign that buying will slow down any time soon,…
THE Homes for Ukraine scheme should be extended to Afghan refugees, two UK charities have said in an open letter to Michael Gove MP, the secretary of state for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. A coalition of civic society thinktanks and refugee support groups - led by More in Common…
LONDON’S Met police probing the alleged breaches of coronavirus lockdown laws by prime minister Boris Johnson and his staff in Downing Street said Tuesday (29) that 20 initial fines will be issued."We will today initially begin to refer 20 fixed penalty notices to be issued for breaches of Covid-19 regulations,"…
BRITISH foreign secretary Elizabeth Truss will visit India on Thursday (31) against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine.India’s ministry of external affairs (MEA) on Monday (28) said Truss will hold consultations with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.Russian foreign minister…
INDIA's Infosys played down its business ties in Russia after British chancellor Rishi Sunak came under fire over his wife's stake in the IT giant. Infosys, with a market value of some $100 billion, was co-founded by Sunak's father-in-law NR Narayana Murthy. His daughter Akshata Murty, Sunak's wife, owns a…
THOUSANDS of people rallied in the UK capital in solidarity with Ukraine following Russia's invasion, as London's mayor stepped up criticism of the government's response to the refugee crisis. Following a call from the mayor Sadiq Khan for a demonstration of "solidarity with Ukraine", crowds marched through the city centre…
A SENIOR White House (USA) official said on Friday (25) India's position at the United Nations over the crisis in Ukraine has been "unsatisfactory" but was also unsurprising given its historical relationship with Russia.Mira Rapp-Hooper, director for the Indo-Pacific on the White House National Security Council, told an online forum…
British chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak is being accused of being out of touch with ordinary voters, in a sudden fall from grace just months after he was tipped as the next prime minister. The star of the 41-year-old had been in ascendancy for his handling of public finances…
INDIA said on Friday (25) ties with China could not be normal until their troops pulled back from each other on the disputed border, but Beijing struck a conciliatory note during a meeting of their foreign ministers in New Delhi. Both nations have deployed thousands of troops on the high-altitude…
INDIA on Thursday (24) abstained in the UN General Assembly on a resolution by Ukraine and its allies on the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn eastern European country.India said the focus should be on cessation of hostilities and on urgent humanitarian assistance and the draft did not fully reflect New…
AN INFLUENTIAL doctors’ leader has raised concerns about the pressure GPs are likely to face as the imminent cost of living crisis bites, while a leading business figure said higher taxes will stifle economic recovery as he also urged ministers to continue free lateral flow tests beyond March. Dr Chaand…
THE THIRD round of the ongoing India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations will be hosted by India next month, Britain's Department for International Trade (DIT) said on Thursday (24).A joint “outcome statement” released by the DIT confirmed that a draft treaty text of chapters that will make up the new…
CHANCELLOR Rishi Sunak denied his family is benefiting from Russia when his government has imposed sanctions on Moscow.Sunak’s wife Akshata Murthy is the daughter of Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy. She is believed to have a stake in the IT services company which has operations in Russia.“I don’t think so,"…
THE UK has called off a high-powered delegation to India over the latter's stand on Ukraine invasion, the BBC reported. The cross-party UK delegation to India led by the Commons Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, and his deputy was cancelled at the last minute, the report added. It is largely viewed…
WHEN 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a 2020 border clash with China, the military hardware New Delhi sent to bolster its Himalayan frontier was mostly Russian-origin, showing not for the first time its closeness to "longstanding and time-tested friend" Moscow.Facing an increasingly assertive China closer to home, these ties…
CHINA's foreign minister Wang Yi drew a rebuke from the Indian government ahead of his expected but unconfirmed visit to New Delhi on Friday (25), upsetting his hosts with remarks made in Pakistan this week concerning the disputed Kashmir region. Relations between the two nuclear-armed Asian powers turned chilly two…
CHINA's foreign minister will visit New Delhi for talks on Friday (25), an Indian official said, though neither side has formally announced what would be the purpose of the highest-level visit since border clashes soured relations two years ago. Foreign minister Wang Yi attended a conference of the Organization of…
BRITAIN unveils on Wednesday (23) a mini-budget update aimed at easing a cost of living crisis, as data revealed inflation spiking to a three-decade high on soaring energy prices.Annual inflation accelerated to 6.2 per cent in February from 5.5 per cent in January, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said…
FOREIGN ministers of Muslim nations began meeting in Pakistan on Tuesday (22) as the country's leader trumpets his Islamic credentials while at the same time battling the most serious challenge to his rule in four years.The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is meeting in Islamabad with an ambitious agenda that…
INDIA and Australia have underlined the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Ukraine. Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison made the assertion during their virtual summit on Monday (21). According to a joint statement, both nations stressed that the contemporary global order has…
INDIA’S hospitality technology platform OYO on Tuesday (22) said it will offer free accommodation to refugees fleeing Ukraine.Starting with Poland, the company has initiated efforts to appeal to its 600-plus Belvilla homeowners on its platform in Poland to open their holiday homes to refugees."These stays will be free for refugees…
US president Joe Biden has said only India among the Quad group of countries was "somewhat shaky" in acting against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, as India tries to balance its ties with Russia and the West. While the other Quad countries - the US, Japan and Australia -…
DIAMONDS from Russia will continue to be imported to India where they will be processed and sold to the rest of the world, a top expert has been quoted as saying. Russia is an important link in the world’s diamond industry supply chain - the country is the largest producer…
PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan on Sunday (20) lauded India for following an “independent foreign policy”.Addressing a public rally in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, he said India, which is part of the Quad grouping, has imported crude oil from Russia despite American sanctions on Moscow.The Quad grouping has the US, India,…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi has thanked volunteer groups, including BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, who had supported the evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine and neighbouring countries.In a video conference last week, Modi hailed the emergency response of the groups to help affected people as the war unfolded in Ukraine.Through its…
JAPANESE prime minister Fumio Kishida has announced an investment target of Rs 3.2 trillion (£31.97 bn) in India over the next five years as the two sides concluded a raft of agreements to expand their special strategic partnership.Following talks between Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and Kishida at the 14th…
JAPANESE prime minister Fumio Kishida will encourage a unified approach on Ukraine when he meets Indian prime minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Saturday (19), while aiming to strengthen security ties across the Indo-Pacific region. "Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine coincides with this trip, I'd like to emphasise…
INDIA's oil imports from the US will rise by 11 per cent this year, officials said on Saturday (19), as the severely energy-deficient country looks to secure supplies from producers around the world, including heavily sanctioned Russia. The surge in oil prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine last month threatens…
NICK BEEVER proudly shows off the pristine spare bedroom at his home in the London suburbs, one of thousands of Britons ready to take part in a government programme to host Ukrainian refugees. "So this is currently our guest room actually, but we hope to have one, maybe two Ukrainian…
BRITAIN's head of counter-terrorism policing has said that the police had serious concern about a rise in the number of young people and children becoming caught up in far-right extremism. Matt Jukes said youngsters, mainly boys in their early teens, were becoming self-radicalised online and then progressing to actually planning…
DEFENCE secretary Ben Wallace ordered an inquiry on Thursday (17) after an impostor claiming to be the Ukrainian prime minister was able to contact him, an incident he blamed on Russia. The video call was set up after an email was sent to a government department, purportedly from an aide…
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…
FACED with a bombed-out House of Commons after the Second World War, Winston Churchill could have had the heavily damaged, long-outgrown Victorian-era chamber rebuilt to accommodate the correct number of MPs. Instead, it remained the same size – seating just 420 out of 650 to retain the cosy atmosphere. I…
A website for Britons interested in housing and sponsoring Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion went live on Monday (14) as the government steps up its efforts to deflect anger over its response to the refugee crisis. Prime minister Boris Johnson has sought to portray Britain as helping lead the global…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson began lobbying Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to pump more oil to calm markets roiled by Russia's invasion of Ukraine as he met the Gulf states' leadership on Wednesday (16).Johnson arrived in Abu Dhabi for talks with crown prince Mohammed bin Zayed and…
INDIA once again renewed calls for a halt to the fighting in Ukraine and urged Moscow and Kyiv to resolve their hostilities through diplomatic dialogue and not violence. India’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador R Ravindra said Delhi has been and will continue to remain in touch with…
RUSSIA'S share of arms supply to India fell from 69 per cent in 2012-17 to 46 per cent in 2017-21, according to a report released on Monday (14) by the Stockholm-based defence think-tank SIPRI.Russia started a war against Ukraine on February 24, which led the US and other western countries…
BRITAIN and the US have committed to coordinating the implementation of their Indo-Pacific strategies, with a focus on enhancing ties with India, Downing Street has said.At “high-level consultations” on the Indo-Pacific held in London last week, officials from both governments resolved to broaden and deepen their alignment and cooperation in…
ELON MUSK, the world's richest man, on Monday (14) challenged Russian president Vladimir Putin to a fight, with nothing less than the fate of Ukraine, scene of Moscow's brutal invasion, at stake.The eccentric billionaire and founder of aerospace company SpaceX took to Twitter, where his messages are notoriously erratic, to…
The Ukraine war has seen a surge in pro-refugee public sentiment. British Future’s six-monthly tracker of migration attitudes, conducted by Ipsos, offers conclusive evidence that this is underpinned by a long-term softening of attitudes to immigration. Most striking of all is the shift in people’s views on overall numbers. In 2016,…
JOANNA SCANLAN, who won the best actress award at the BAFTAs for her role in After Love, paid tribute to the film director Aleem Khan and his mother. Scanlan, 60, plays a widow who discovers her late husband’s secret family in the drama, which she said was made with “blood,…
BRITAIN will pay people to open their homes to Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion as the government moves to deflect anger over its response to the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two. The new scheme called "Homes for Ukraine" will let refugees from the war come to…
INDIA is considering taking up a Russian offer to buy its crude oil and other commodities at discounted prices with payment via a rupee-rouble transaction, two Indian officials said, amid tough Western sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.India, which imports 80 per cent of its oil needs, usually…
LONDON'S Heathrow said concerns from US travellers over the war in Europe, longer flight times to avoid closed airspace, and higher fuel prices had added to lingering worries about Covid-19, creating "huge uncertainty" over the recovery in flying.The UK's largest airport said it had not seen as many passengers return…
BRITAIN said that it was easing customs processes for aid donations being exported to support those affected by the humanitarian crisis following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Local media have reported lorries full of charity donations bound for Ukraine and its neighbours being stuck at British ports because of complex post-Brexit…
US lawmakers have questioned India's UN vote on the Ukraine issue during a Congressional hearing on the Indo-Pacific on Wednesday (9). India, a non-permanent member of the powerful United Nations Security Council for a two-year term ending December this year, has repeatedly abstained on resolutions against Russia's invasion of Ukraine.…
EMOTIONS ran high as Indian students, evacuated from the embattled Ukrainian city of Sumy, came out of the Delhi airport on Friday (11) and hugged their waiting parents.Some of the parents distributed sweets and garlanded their children while others welcomed them with bouquets and hugs as they arrived at the…
SEWA INTERNATIONAL, a Houston-based Indian-American non-profit body, has evacuated 467 African students from Ukraine's Sumy amidst a Russian military offensive.Sewa volunteers coordinated the evacuation efforts responding to a request by Shina Alege, the Nigerian Ambassador to Ukraine, the organisation said in a statement.Nigeria's minister for foreign affairs Geoffrey Onyema thanked…
INDIA is set to wind up on Thursday (10) its evacuation mission 'Operation Ganga' to bring back Indian nationals following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.Over 17,000 Indians, mostly students, have been evacuated so far under the mission. The last flight is scheduled for Thursday evening, people familiar with the development…
FORMER world number one Andy Murray said he would donate his prize money won from tennis tournaments in 2022 towards aid efforts for children affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Two million people - mostly women and children - have now fled Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion…
INDIA is likely to rank among the emerging economies worst affected by the Russia-Ukraine crisis as a surge in global prices of commodities is set to upend spending plans and derail its pandemic recovery, analysts say.If the conflict lasts, India, which imports close to 85 per cent of its oil…
UKRAINIAN president Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to Britain on Tuesday (8) to do more to help his country battle Russia and punish what he called a "terrorist state", striking a defiant tone that Ukraine would fight on, no matter what the cost. Addressing Britain's parliament and greeted by a standing ovation…
INDIAN pharmaceutical major Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd said on Wednesday (9) it was focused on employee safety and business continuity in and around Russia, despite many Western companies pulling out from Russia in recent days.No Indian company has publicly withdrawn from Russia and New Delhi has declined to condemn Moscow's…
CHAIR of KPMG, Bina Mehta; former president of the Supreme Court, Baroness Hale of Richmond DBE and Aviva Group CEO Amanda Blanc were among influential speakers who took part in an annual International Women’s Day debate in London last Friday (4). Mehta said events like International Women’s Day “are a…
UKRAINIAN president Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address British lawmakers via videolink in the House of Commons on Tuesday (8), the first time a president of another country has addressed the main Westminster chamber. Zelenskyy, who has spoken to British prime minister Boris Johnson on several occasions since Russia invaded his country,…
SEVERAL Indian students stranded in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy hoped that they would be in a safe zone soon as their evacuation process started on Tuesday (8)."The evacuation from Sumy has started. There was finally some good news. All Indian students will be evacuated from Sumy on Tuesday…
BRITAIN’S import of Russian energy faced resistance from workers who refused to unload oil shipped from the Eurasian country.A German cargo ship - Seacod - with oil from Primorsk in Russia - was moored in Liverpool from where Stanlow Refinery, operated by Essar Oil gets its supply.Last week, the UK…
PAKISTAN’S prime minister Imran Khan has hit out at Islamabad-based Western envoys who last week urged the south Asian country to condemn Russia's actions in Ukraine, asking them if they thought Pakistan was their "slave".The heads of 22 diplomatic missions, including those of European Union member states, released a joint…
RUSSIAN president Vladimir Putin on Monday (7) assured Indian prime minister Narendra Modi that his forces are “doing everything” to evacuate stranded Indian citizens from the war-torn eastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, according to his office.During a 50-minute telephonic conversation with Putin, Modi conveyed his "deep concern" over the safety…
RUSSIA announced humanitarian corridors would open in several Ukrainian cities on Monday (7) after terrified civilians came under fire in two previous attempts and with Moscow's forces pummeling cities across the country.The announcement came after another night of relentless bombardment by Russian forces from the air, land and sea, and…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday (7) spoke to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and sought his "support' in the evacuation of Indian students stuck in Sumy.Modi is also expected to speak to Russian president Vladimir Putin later in the day, official sources said.Around 700 Indian students are stranded in…
'NEED a cab for four people in Kyiv.’ ‘Do we know someone in Poland who can drop food packets at the border?’ ‘A group is starting from Kharkiv, any updates on trains?’Thousands of such messages keep pouring in WhatsApp, Telegram and social media groups created by Indian medical students abroad…
RUSSIA has informed the UN security council that buses are ready at crossing points to go to Kharkiv and Sumy in Ukraine to evacuate Indian students and other foreign nationals stranded there. An emergency UN session was held on Friday (4) following Russia's attack on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant,…
INDIA will raise petrol and diesel prices soon for the first time in more than four months as global crude prices soar after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, three government officials said, amid growing concern about inflation. Asia's third-largest economy, which imports 80 per cent of its oil needs, faces retail…
INDIA urged Ukraine and Russia to impose a ceasefire in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy to help evacuate hundreds of Indian students trapped there amid worsening conflict. Around 700 Indian students have been unable to leave Sumy after Russian troops invaded Ukraine in late February, with their evacuation hampered…
THE UK government has unilaterally called off a scheduled visit of Pakistan's National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf to London apparently because of Islamabad's policy towards Russia's military offensive against Ukraine, according to a media report.The visit, which was scheduled for next week, was called off on Friday (4) without mentioning…
THE New Development Bank (NDB) of the BRICS bloc has put all new transactions in Russia on hold citing the "unfolding uncertainties and restrictions", amidst the Ukraine crisis.The NDB's move came a day after the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) put on hold all its projects in Russia and its…
GLOBAL satellite communications company OneWeb has announced that its board had voted to suspend all launches from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. With this, OneWeb has joined a growing list of companies snapping or suspending ties with Russia. Russia's space agency Roscosmos has sought guarantees from OneWeb and Europe's Arianespace…
INDIA is considering guarantees of lenders' letters of credit and soft loans for exporters hit by a cash squeeze following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions imposed on Moscow, two people familiar with the matter said. Indian banks are scrambling after bills for imports from Russia have started bouncing…
A Bangladeshi sailor has been killed in an attack on his vessel in the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Olvia, the state shipping company said Thursday (3). The Banglar Samriddhi, a bulk carrier, arrived in the country on February 22, a day before Russia invaded, and has since been unable…
US president Joe Biden on Thursday (3) met virtually with the leaders of Japan, Australia and India over Ukraine, but the "Quad" group failed to agree on condemning Russia's invasion, with New Delhi hesitant to censure Moscow. The impromptu meeting was held shortly after it was announced by Delhi. Washington…
Netflix has reportedly put on hold all future projects and acquisitions from Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine. According to Variety, the streaming service had four Russian originals in the pipeline, including a crime thriller series directed by Dasha Zhuk, which was shooting and has been postponed. [caption id="attachment_177103" align="aligncenter"…
LEADERS of the Quad group of countries - the US, Japan, Australia and India - will hold a previously unannounced online meeting on Thursday (3), India and Australia said. US president Joe Biden, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, Australian prime minister Scott Morrison and Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida will…
INDIA denied on Thursday (3) Russian claims that Ukraine was holding Indian students hostage in Kharkiv, instead of thanking Ukraine for its help in evacuations from the embattled city. "We note that with the cooperation of the Ukrainian authorities, many students have left Kharkiv yesterday," said Indian foreign ministry spokesman…
BAPS volunteers in Europe have joined emergency relief efforts on the Polish, Romanian and Hungarian borders with Ukraine as instructed by His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj. Last month, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi had a video conference with Pujya Swami Brahmaviharidas seeking assistance from BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in ensuring the…
STATE BANK OF INDIA (SBI) has stopped processing transactions of Russian entities sanctioned by the West over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, sources said.India’s largest lender has issued a circular as it fears that any transaction with entities or sectors under sanction will invite sanction on it as well, the sources…
THE charity wing of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Bhaktivedanta Manor, the Lotus Trust has launched a campaign through its network of temples and affiliate organisations to support those impacted by the conflict in Ukraine, a statement said. Devotees of ISKCON based in countries bordering Ukraine are distributing…
JAGUAR LAND ROVER has said it is pausing deliveries of its cars to Russia due to “trading challenges”, while leading steelmaker ArcelorMittal announced a reduction in its production in Ukraine.A statement from Britain-based JLR, owned by India's Tata Motors said on Tuesday (1), “the current global context... presents us with…
FOR Rajesh Munishwar, a space and defence engineer hailing from Maharashtra's Nagpur and settled in Kyiv for the past 17 years, it is "painful” to see the Ukrainian city devastated by the Russian forces.Munishwar, 35, who has managed to flee Kyiv with his wife and eight-year-old son and cross over to…
MORE THAN 600 Indian students are stranded in a university in Sumy, a city in north-eastern Ukraine, hoping they will soon be evacuated as firing and bombing left them “terrified”. Not a single Indian student from Sumy State University, located close to the Russian border has been evacuated so far,…
INDIA’s abstention on the UN Security Council Resolution over Russia’s aggression in Ukraine is a significant yet surprising decision. Given that India has moved so much closer to the US by joining the Quad, is actively negotiating the EU India Trade Treaty and that Indian stock markets are receiving lot…
INDIA's opposition on Wednesday (2) stepped up pressure on the government to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a day after an Indian student died during shelling in the eastern city of Kharkiv. India is yet to criticise long-standing arms supplier Russia publicly, instead urging both sides to cease hostilities,…
HALF a century ago, it was the Ugandan Asians who needed sanctuary. Given just 90 days to get out by the dictator Idi Amin, it was not clear where they would go. At the height of the Powellite era, some MPs floated hare-brained schemes to send them all to the…
INDIA has stepped up efforts to evacuate its nationals from Ukraine as new Delhi confirmed on Tuesday (1) that a student had died in shelling in Ukraine.Prime minister Narendra Modi has directed the Indian Air Force to bring back stranded citizens, most of whom are students pursuing medicine in Ukraine’s…
RUSSIA has been expelled from the Qatar World Cup after being suspended from all international competitions "until further notice", FIFA and UEFA announced in a joint statement, while European football's governing body also ended its partnership with Russian energy giant Gazprom. The men's team had been due to play in…
AN INDIAN student was killed on Tuesday (1) in shelling in Ukraine, New Delhi said as it urged Moscow and Kyiv to secure safe passage for around 12,000 of its stranded nationals."With profound sorrow we confirm that an Indian student lost his life in shelling in Kharkiv this morning," Indian…
RUSSIA'S invasion of Ukraine has left India's traditional balancing act between Moscow and the West looking wobblier than ever, with experts saying New Delhi has few good diplomatic options.Last week India abstained on a UN Security Council resolution deploring Russia's "aggression" against Ukraine, winning praise from Moscow for its "independent…
FOR the second time, India abstained on a UN Security Council resolution to convene a rare emergency special session of the UN General Assembly on Russia's aggression against Ukraine, even as New Delhi asserted that there is no other choice but to return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue…
THE Indian embassy in Ukraine on Monday (28) advised all Indian students stranded in Kyiv to reach the railway station in the Ukrainian capital for their onward journey to the western parts of the war-torn country. It said the weekend curfew in Kyiv has been lifted and they can go…
Prime minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on the Ukraine crisis on Sunday (27) and asserted that ensuring the safety of Indian students and evacuating them is the government's top priority, official sources said. It was also decided at the meeting to further enhance cooperation with the neighbouring countries…
RUSSIA has praised India's "independent and balanced" position after Delhi abstained from a UN Security Council vote that deplored Moscow's "aggression" against Ukraine. India, along with China and the UAE, did not vote on the resolution Friday (25), a move in line with the fine balance Delhi has sought to…
A GROUP of students stuck in Ukraine has made a desperate appeal to the Indian government to evacuate them from the eastern European country “as fast as possible”. The students have been stranded in Ukraine as the nation closed its airspace because of the ongoing military action by Russia on…
THE Ministry of Education (MoE) appealed to the Indian students stranded in Ukraine on Saturday (26) to follow all the guidelines issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian embassy. It also assured the students that all possible efforts are being made by the government to bring…
THE Indian Air Force has decided not to deploy its combat jets in a multilateral air exercise in the UK next month in view of the situation in Ukraine. The announcement by the IAF to not send its aircraft for the 'Cobra Warrior' exercise came just three days after it…
INDIA abstained on a US-sponsored UN Security Council resolution that condemned Russia's "aggression" against Ukraine and demanded "immediate, complete and unconditional" withdrawal of Russian forces from the neighbouring country. The UN Security Council voted on Friday (25) on the draft resolution sponsored by the US and Albania and supported by…
VIRGIN ATLANTIC's Delhi-London flights will have a slightly longer flying time as the Russian government has banned all British planes from crossing its airspace. In response to the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, Britain announced that Russian national carrier Aeroflot will not be allowed to land in the UK. Consequently,…
INDIAN students in Ukraine have spoken of their despair as they hope to make their way out of the country following the military attack by Russia. It is estimated that some 16,000 Indians are currently stuck in Ukraine; New Delhi is making arrangements to evacuate them from the border regions…
UKRAINE’S foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba on Friday (25) spoke to his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar to discuss the situation in Ukraine, ahead of a vote at the UN Security Council on the Russian attack. Jaishankar said he emphasised that India supports diplomacy and dialogue as the "way out". "Received call…
AIR INDIA will operate two flights to Romanian capital Bucharest on Friday (25) to evacuate Indians stranded in Ukraine following the military offensive by Russia, senior Indian government officials said. Around 20,000 Indians, mainly students, are currently stranded in Ukraine, officials said. Indian nationals who have reached the Ukraine-Romania border…
INDIAN nationals stuck in Ukraine should stay calm and remain wherever they are residing, Russian diplomatic sources said on Friday (25) amid India's moves to evacuate its citizens from the eastern European nation. The sources said president Vladimir Putin conveyed to India’s prime minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (24) night…
INDIA is focusing on evacuating its 16,000 nationals still stuck in Ukraine, foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said, after Russian forces mounted a mass assault by land, air and sea on the former Soviet republic. Teams of Indian foreign ministry officials have been sent to Ukraine's land borders with Hungary,…
US PRESIDENT Joe Biden said Washington is in unresolved "consultations" with India over Ukraine. He was asked on Thursday (24) if Washington and Delhi were "fully in sync" over Russia's attack on Ukraine ahead of an expected UN Security Council vote. Biden did not elaborate, but his short response to a question…
ALONE in his apartment and every bit scared, former Indian national rapid chess champion Anwesh Upadhyaya is one among the several of his compatriots stuck in Ukraine amid a Russian invasion and is desperately hoping to be evacuated from the country which has been his home since 2012. The 30-year…
Actress Priyanka Chopra, who is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, on Friday took to social media to react to the Russian invasion in Ukraine. Dubbing the military attack by Russia on Ukraine as “terrifying,” she said it was difficult to understand how the situation has escalated to a “catastrophic point”. Sharing…
PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson unveiled Britain's largest-ever package of sanctions against Russia on Thursday (24), targeting banks, members of president Vladimir Putin's closest circle and wealthy Russians who enjoy high-rolling London lifestyles. Western nations are coordinating action to impose tough sanctions against Russia in response to its all-out invasion on…
RUSSIA'S president Vladimir Putin met Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan in Moscow on Thursday (24) in his first face-to-face talks since the start of a special military operation in eastern Ukraine. During their meeting in the Kremlin, the leaders discussed bilateral cooperation and current regional topics, including developments in south…
INDIA on Thursday (24) called for an immediate de-escalation of tensions between Russia and Ukraine as president Vladimir Putin launched a 'military operation' in eastern Ukraine. India also warned that the situation is in danger of spiralling into a major crisis. Russian forces fired missiles at several cities in Ukraine…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson on Thursday (24) condemned Russia's "unprovoked" and "horrific" attack on Ukraine, as he prepared to chair an emergency meeting of top ministers and officials. Johnson spoke to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky overnight and vowed "the West would not stand by as (Russian) president (Vladimir) Putin…
AN Indian American economic advisor is playing a crucial role to impose punitive sanctions on Russia over its actions against Ukraine. Daleep Singh, deputy national security advisor for international economics and deputy director of the national economic council, made his second appearance in the White House press room in a…
VISTARA chief Vinod Kannan has emphasised that financial viability will be important in deciding on flying to new international destinations.The full-service carrier, which commenced its international operations less than three years ago, currently flies to 11 overseas destinations."For the remaining ones, I think it is really a matter of two…
PAKISTAN’S prime minister Imran Khan said on Tuesday (22) he would like to have a televised debate with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, to resolve differences between the two neighbours."I would love to debate with Narendra Modi on TV," Khan told Russia Today in an interview, adding that it would…
PRIME minister Imran Khan will travel to Russia on Wednesday (23) on a two-day visit - the first by a Pakistan premier in more than two decades.Khan will hold talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin and review the bilateral ties including energy cooperation besides exchanging views on major regional and…
INDIA has asked the family members of its embassy staff in Ukraine to return home and advised its citizens to leave that country temporarily.The Indian embassy in Kyiv issued the advisory on Sunday (20) amid continuing tensions between NATO countries and Russia over the Ukraine crisis."In view of the continued…
Britain's government stoked controversy by issuing new schools guidance that urges teachers to avoid "contested" areas in history, anti-racism and climate change. The guidance, which singles out the activist group Black Lives Matter, comes with prime minister Boris Johnson fighting for his political survival and accused of trying to distract…
BRITAIN has scrapped its so-called "golden visas" for wealthy investors amid concerns about the inflow of illicit Russian money at a time of heightened tensions between Moscow and the West over Ukraine.Hundreds of billions of dollars have flowed into London and Britain's overseas territories from Russia since the fall of…
THE US has expressed its hope that India will stand by it in case of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in Washington on Wednesday (16) that there was a discussion on Russia and Ukraine during the recently concluded Quad ministerial in Melbourne that included…
BRITAIN threatened to block Russian companies from raising capital in London and to expose property and company ownership if Russia invades Ukraine, saying the West must remain united on the cost to Moscow of any conflict. Russia has massed troops and military equipment on the Ukrainian border, drawing warnings from…
A British student has managed to return home from Ukraine amid rising tensions with Russia. Haider Ali, 21, said the proximity of his college, Dnipro Medical Institute to the country's eastern region was a concern, as there is a buildup of Russian forces on the other side of the border.…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson has received a legal questionnaire from police investigating claims of lockdown-breaking parties in his Downing Street office, his spokesperson said on Friday (11). "We can confirm the prime minister has received a questionnaire from the Metropolitan Police. He will respond as required," his spokesperson said…
THE United States, Australia, Japan and India on Friday pledged to deepen cooperation to ensure the Indo-Pacific region was free from "coercion", a thinly-veiled swipe at China's growing economic and military expansion, as their top diplomats convened to also tackle climate change, Covid and other threats. Foreign ministers of the…
LABOUR leader Keir Starmer has blamed prime minister Boris Johnson’s slur about Jimmy Savile for inciting a mob that accosted him outside parliament on Monday (7), according to a media report. In an interview with the Times, Starmer said he had never before been accused in public of being a ‘paedophile…
COAL INDIA LTD, the world's largest coal miner, plans to directly export output to neighbouring countries after decades of exclusively supplying domestic consumers, according to sources and documents. The state-run company plans to export to Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, according to a draft policy sent to the secretary of India's…
Senior Tory politician says ‘partygate’ apology is not enough PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson has “lost the support of many parliamentarians” and needs to do more than just apologise for the “partygate” scandal, a senior Tory parliamentarian has said. Senior civil servant Sue Gray’s report, details of which were made public…
A long-awaited report into claims of lockdown-breaking parties at British prime minister Boris Johnson's offices was published in part on Monday (31), criticising "failures of leadership" that allowed events to go ahead. Political and public anger at the revelations put Johnson's position as leader under threat, but senior civil servant…
RUSSIA selling S-400 air defence missile system to India puts spotlight on the "destabilising role" that Moscow is playing in the region and potentially beyond as well, the United States has said. In October 2018, India signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the…
British prime minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday rejected opposition calls to resign for attending lockdown parties but accepted that a rule that ministers should lose their jobs if they had knowlingly misled parliament applied to him. Johnson, who in 2019 won the biggest Conservative majority in more than 30 years,…
NASA on Monday (6) announced its 10 latest trainee astronauts, who include an Indian-origin physician. Anil Menon, 45, is a lieutenant colonel in the US Air Force who was previously SpaceX's first flight surgeon before an earlier stint at NASA. A physician born to parents from India and Ukraine, he…
PAKISTAN has banned travel from 15 countries and tightened up travel restrictions on 13 other nations amid the threat of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron. The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), Pakistan’s top coronavirus response agency, reviewed the Covid-19 situation across the globe to revise the categorisation of travel.…
After the rousing success of the espionage thriller Special Ops (2020), Disney+ Hotstar and Friday Storytellers are set to present an all-new exciting extension to the show’s universe with Special Ops 1.5: The Himmat Story. Directed by Neeraj Pandey of Friday Storytellers, along with Shivam Nair, the compelling narrative of…
KATERYNA MONZUL will become the first woman to referee an England men's international when Gareth Southgate's team face Andorra in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday (9). The Ukrainian will be joined by assistant referees Maryna Striletska and Svitlana Grushko, both also from Ukraine, in an all-female on-pitch officiating team…
SHOOTER Avani Lekhara on Friday (3) became the first Indian woman to win two Paralympic medals by claiming the 50m Rifle 3 Position SH1 bronze to add to an unprecedented gold she had won earlier in the ongoing Games in Tokyo. The 19-year-old Lekhara, competing in her debut Games, qualified…
SHOOTER Avani Lekhara scripted history on Monday (30) as she became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Paralympics, firing her way to the top of the podium in the R-2 women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event in Tokyo. The 19-year-old from Jaipur, who sustained…
LONG JUMPER Shaili Singh on Sunday (22) missed out on a gold medal just by 1cm as she took home silver at the U-20 World Athletics Championships in Nairobi. The 17-year-old Indian's personal best effort of 6.59m was not enough for the top podium finish as Sweden's reigning European junior…
The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan will inspire terrorists and trigger an “explosion” of extremism and security challenges for the world, UK defence secretary Ben Wallace warned on Thursday. Speaking to the BBC, the cabinet minister said he feared that terror groups like Al Qaeda would view the Taliban advance as…
ASIAN campaigners have urged authorities to take action against racism within football, as their viral petition to ban perpetrators permanently from matches in England garnered more than one million signatures last month. Footballers Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were the targets of racial abuse and online trolling after…
DEBUTANT Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) assured India of its first boxing medal at the ongoing Olympic Games when she upstaged former world champion Nien-Chin Chen of Chinese Taipei to enter the semifinals on Friday (30). The 23-year-old Assam boxer prevailed 4-1 to make the last-four where she will square off against…
AHEAD of England's Euro 2020 semifinal clash against Denmark on Wednesday (7), a new campaign, #EnglandTogether, is calling on fans to show their support for the team and also back the idea for an inclusive England that is shared by people of all backgrounds. Supporters from faith, diversity and cohesion…
SERGEY KARJAKIN at 12 years seven months was the youngest grandmaster ever, but on Wednesday (30), Abhimanyu Mishra, from Englishtown, New Jersey, US, broke that record at 12 years four months. Mishra, who was already the youngest ever international master at 10 years nine months, finally achieved his third and…
RAHEEM STERLING and Harry Kane fired England into the Euro 2020 quarterfinals as they sealed a 2-0 win against Germany that ended decades of hurt at the hands of their bitter rivals on Tuesday (29). Sterling struck with 15 minutes left in a tense last 16 tie at Wembley before…
Bollywood actor Yami Gautam and filmmaker Aditya Dhar, who tied the nuptial knot on June 4, 2021, in an extremely intimate ceremony in Chandigarh, are set to resume work on their respective projects. According to reports, Gautam will join the sets of her upcoming film A Thursday on Tuesday. Dhar,…
The US announced a $57 million (£46 m) aid for seven Tuberculosis (TB) affected countries on Friday (4). In the wake of the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic on TB services, this assistance will strengthen simultaneous testing for both tuberculosis and Covid-19, identify cases through contact investigations and community…
THE EU, Britain and Japan continued to voice doubts at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Monday (31) about a proposed intellectual property waiver on Covid-19 products including vaccines, a Geneva trade official said. Proposals to initiate text-based discussions on an IP waiver, rather than more general talks, gained traction…
