- Saturday, April 20, 2024
During the Covid inquiry, it was revealed that in a meeting held in July 2021, Rishi Sunak advocated fervently for the lifting of all lockdown restrictions. Boris Johnson, during the same meeting, reportedly referred to individuals as "malingering" and "workshy," as detailed in a diary entry by the then chief…
PRIME minister Rishi Sunak should leverage his Indian heritage for forging stronger ties between the UK and India in trade and defence, former foreign secretary Dominic Raab has said. “Britain remains uniquely placed to reap the dividends of a deeper friendship with India” with Sunak as the prime minister but…
POLICE said on Monday (5) they had charged a member of parliament (MP) from prime minister Rishi Sunak's ruling Tory party with racially aggravated behaviour. Bob Stewart was charged after police received an online report from a man alleging he had been "verbally racially abused" in December last year. Stewart…
Dominic Raab will not seek re-election as an MP in the upcoming general election, the Telegraph reported on Monday (22). Raab recently resigned from the government after being accused of bullying officials in an independent report. Citing letters to the chairman of Raab's local Conservative Association, the newspaper states that…
Rishi Sunak faces his first big electoral test as the Prime Minister next week in local polls where the opposition Labour Party hopes to capitalise on a year of chaos for the governing Conservatives, ahead of a national election expected next year. Sunak has tried to restore the credibility of…
On Friday (21), the British government announced the appointment of Oliver Dowden as the new deputy prime minister, in place of Dominic Raab who resigned earlier in the day amidst allegations of bullying colleagues. Although the role of deputy prime minister does not entail formal powers, it involves deputizing for…
Former business secretary Sir Alok Sharma has denied having bullied officials during his stint in the government.Bloomberg reported that four officials had accused the former UN Climate Change Conference president of being “difficult, unpredictable and could quickly lose his temper”.According to the news agency report, Sharma would often use “profanity”…
Deputy prime minister Dominic Raab on Friday (21) announced his resignation following allegations of bullying that were confirmed in a report. This has come as a surprise for Tories, creating a new political setback. Raab's resignation creates a challenge for prime minister Rishi Sunak, who now has to deal with…
A NEW law raising the legal age for marriage in England and Wales to 18 years came into force on Monday (27), aimed at protecting vulnerable young people from being forced into weddings against their will. Until now, those aged 16 or 17 could get married with parental consent as…
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to launch a mini reshuffle on Tuesday, breaking up two departments to better suit his pledge to spur the economy and turn around his party's fortunes before an election expected next year. Sources confirmed reports from the Sun and the Times newspapers late…
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…
Rishi Sunak said on Monday he had acted "pretty decisively" by sacking Conservative Party chair Nadhim Zahawi over his personal tax affairs, moving to quell criticism that he had acted too slowly. In the latest scandal to involve one of his ministers and just months after he entered Downing Street…
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak fired the Conservative Party chair Nadhim Zahawi from government on Sunday (29) after an investigation found he had been insufficiently open about a tax probe which he settled while finance minister. In an embarrassing episode for Sunak, he initially stood by Zahawi before ordering an…
Rishi Sunak has defended the appointment of his Conservative Party chairman, saying he was not aware of any tax issues at the time but had launched an investigation as soon as questions were raised. Questions over the tax affairs of Nadhim Zahawi have dogged the prime minister for a week,…
Thousands of families in the UK could now avoid the stress and expenses of lengthy courtroom battles through a breakthrough mediation scheme. The country's government could reveal on Monday (16) that the scheme has provided over 13,500 mediation vouchers worth £500 to separating couples in order to assist them in…
Under a planned amendment to the UK’s new Online Safety Bill, people who share so-called “deepfakes”—explicit images or videos which have been manipulated to look like someone without their consent—will be among those to be specifically criminalised for the first time and face potential time behind bars. The UK government…
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…
Conservative rivals Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak held face-to-face talks late Saturday (22), reports said, as the feuding pair who once headed Britain's government were poised to battle for the leadership of their fractured ruling party. Former prime minister Johnson, who returned from a Caribbean holiday earlier in the day…
As the runner-up of the leadership election which concluded last month, the former finance minister who had forecast much of the economic crisis unleashed by Truss' mini-budget is seen as a safe pair of hands to take charge at 10 Downing Street. The 42-year-old is holding a solid 55 per…
Only a few days are left for the election of the new British prime minister by the Conservative party. The new Tory leader will be announced on September 5. As expected, there will be major changes in the cabinet following the election of the new leader. Latest report suggests that…
Outgoing British prime minister Boris Johnson drew fresh criticism Monday (15) over his handling of multiple crises afflicting Britain, after taking a second summer holiday just weeks before he leaves office. The main opposition Labour party accused Johnson, who is due to leave office on September 6, of having "one…
A British cabinet member admitted Friday "I don't know where Boris is" as the prime minister checked out on holiday, in a week that saw the Bank of England warn a year-long recession is coming. Boris Johnson has since Wednesday been on a belated honeymoon with his wife Carrie, according…
The UK government is set to change rules to provide for isolating convicted terrorists to reduce the risk of fellow prisoners being radicalised.Justice Secretary Dominic Raab will introduce the change that enables jail authorities to put dangerous radicalisers in separate cells soon after their sentencing, Sky News reported.The measure, recommended…
London mayor Sadiq Khan has urged Justice Secretary Dominic Raab to take urgent steps to support victims of rape and sexual offences, saying the crisis in the justice system is straining the support services.In an open letter, Khan sought measures to tackle the persistent problem of “severe court backlogs” which…
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…
UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has gained backing from former Brexit negotiator David Frost and British lawmaker Suella Braverman to become the next UK prime minister, British media reported on Thursday.Truss, who received 64 votes in the second round of the Conservative Party's leadership election on Thursday, pledged an "upward…
BRITAIN's most notorious prisoner has requested the justice secretary to give him a free pardon as he already spent nearly 50 years in jail, according to a report. Charles Bronson, 69, was jailed aged 22. Born Michael Peterson, he was originally sentenced to seven years for armed robbery in 1974.…
Britain's former finance minister, Rishi Sunak, set out his leadership campaign pitch on Tuesday, offering himself up as an "honest" prime minister who would balance the books, reduce the role of the state and grow the economy.A frontrunner who received a further boost from two senior ministers, Sunak said he…
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…
Senior criminal lawyers in England and Wales on Thursday vowed to plough on with strike action, despite a government commitment to raise their fees. Barristers began a series of escalating walkouts on Monday, planning to stop work by one extra day a week until a full five-day strike from July…
British lawyers involved in criminal trials will stage a walkout on Monday in a dispute over government funding, refusing to take on new cases or cover cases for colleagues which have overrun. Barristers voted for action earlier this month with more than 80% of its 2,055 members backing walkouts, the…
THE UK government introduced legislation allowing it to override rulings by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), after a judge in Strasbourg blocked flights removing asylum seekers to Rwanda. Deputy prime minister Dominic Raab said the new 'Bill of Rights' would 'restore a healthy dose of common sense' to…
Britain will begin legislating on Wednesday for a new Bill of Rights to give the government the power to ignore rulings from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which last week blocked ministers' plans to send migrants to Rwanda.Last Tuesday, the ECHR issued last minute injunctions to prevent a…
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has had a "very minor routine operation related to his sinuses", his official spokesman said on Monday. "He went to the hospital around 6:00 am (0500 GMT) and the operation was carried out first thing this morning," he told reporters. "He was back in Downing…
Britain's government cannot give a fixed date for when it will first be able to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, deputy prime minister and justice secretary Dominic Raab said on Thursday.Britain's initial attempt to deport asylum seekers - part of a policy designed to deter dangerous sea crossings of the…
Commonwealth leaders have told Eastern Eye that the UK government is “hell bent on destroying the Commonwealth in pursuit of a colonial agenda”. This newspaper has previously reported on the campaign by Boris Johnson’s administration to oust the current boss of the organisation’s administrative arm, Patricia Scotland. But now her…
Britain’s governing Conservative Party backbenchers are mulling over changing party rules to allow another confidence vote against prime minister Boris Johnson within six months.Currently, the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs does not allow such a vote against the party leader within a year of surviving one.Senior Conservative backbencher Tobias Ellwood…
BRITAIN is "very unlikely" to hold an early election, deputy prime minister Dominic Raab said, as speculation swirls about the future of the government following growing criticism of prime minister Boris Johnson. Johnson is facing a mounting threat of a confidence vote from his own lawmakers, prompting some commentators to…
THE UK government said Wednesday (27) it will clamp down on "no-go" areas in jails carved out by extremist Islamist inmates who have been imposing Sharia law including floggings on other prisoners. Justice secretary Dominic Raab accepted the findings of an official investigation, which said that other prisoners were at…
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…
ASIANS and other members from Britain’s ethnic communities are being urged to apply to become magistrates as a recruitment drive gets underway to deliver more diversity, according to a media report. A new £1 million initiative seeks to find more than 4,000 new justices of the peace to help tackle…
Britain's justice secretary said Wednesday he wanted to put the "fear of God" into those who threaten women and that restoring women's faith in the legal system was his "top priority" following a string of high-profile murders in London. Dominic Raab said he was "shocked and horrified" by the recent…
DEPUTY prime minister Dominic Raab has unveiled plans to “restore a common-sense approach” to the UK’s ability to deport foreign criminals like drug dealers and terrorists. His proposals seek to restrict the rights available to those subject to deportation orders, as criminals “too often exploit human rights laws” of Britain.…
The British government was on Tuesday accused of botching its handling of the evacuations from Afghanistan, after claims it was unprepared and could have done more to help. The chairman of the cross-party foreign affairs committee, Tom Tugendhat, said the emergency response to the Taliban takeover in August left Afghans…
THOUSANDS of Black British immigrants have suffered "truly shocking" delays in government compensation after a scandal erupted four years ago over wrongful deportations, MPs said Wednesday (24). The government insisted it was serious about processing claims for restitution from members of the "Windrush" generation. But the cross-party Home Affairs Committee…
MPs have backed Tory MP Pauline Latham's Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) bill to raise the legal age of marriage to 18 to stop vulnerable children from being forced to wed, the BBC reported. In England and Wales, parental consent is needed for 16 and 17-year-olds. But there is…
BRITAIN pays tribute on Monday to David Amess, the veteran lawmaker stabbed to death while meeting constituency voters, as police questioned a 25-year-old man for the murder which they are treating as a potential terrorism incident. Amess, 69, was knifed repeatedly at a church on Friday (15) in Leigh-on-Sea, east…
JUSTICE secretary Dominic Raab on Wednesday (6) came under fire after saying that "misogyny is wrong, whether it's a man against a woman or a woman against a man". His confusion about the definition arose during an interview with the BBC in which he was asked why the government rejected…
JUSTICE SECRETARY Dominic Raab has promised to fight “nonsensical” human rights laws that allow foreign criminals in the UK escape deportation. Members of the public want offenders sent back to their native countries, Raab told the Conservative Party conference in Manchester on Tuesday (5). “Too often they see dangerous criminals…
PAKISTAN, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are among eight countries which will come out of the red list next week as the British government on Friday (17) relaxed pandemic restrictions on travel into England. The UK government overhauled its complicated "traffic light" watchlist with a simpler regime for fully vaccinated arrivals. …
PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson has carried out a major reshuffle of his government, replacing his foreign secretary and giving his former nemesis a key role. Here are winners and losers from a day of drama in Westminster: Liz Truss Truss, 46, had been earmarked for promotion after presiding over a…
Britain's new foreign secretary is a free-trade champion who once opposed Brexit and whose straight talk and willingness to wade in on the culture wars has made her popular among grassroots Conservative voters. Prime minister Boris Johnson nominated Liz Truss to be the country's top diplomat on Wednesday -- a…
British prime minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday (15) undertook a reshuffle of his top team, keeping two of his senior Cabinet ministers Rishi Sunak and Priti Patel in their posts. Sunak will remain next door to Johnson at Downing Street as his chancellor of the exchequer and Patel, who had…
Politicians urge ministers to help Britons with relatives seeking to flee Taliban rule MPs HAVE revealed that they have been flooded with pleas from Britons to help evacuate their relatives from Afghanistan to escape the Taliban. Britain’s last military flight left Kabul at the end of August after helping more…
THERE are chances of a cabinet reshuffle as Boris Johnson is expected to hand £34 billion to the NHS as part of a reform of health and social care. According to a report by The Sunday Times, the first ministreal reshuffle by the prime minister in more than 18 months…
PUBLIC health officials of Pakistan and the UK are scheduled to meet on Monday (6) to discuss the possibilities of taking Islamabad off London’s travel red list. British foreign secretary Dominic Raab who visited Pakistan on Friday (4) said it was a “sensitive and difficult” issue on which both sides…
BRITAIN will not recognise the Taliban as the new government in Kabul, but must deal with new realities in Afghanistan, UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab said on Friday (3). He asserted that the UK does not want to see Afghanistan’s social and economic fabric "broken". On a visit to Pakistan,…
BRITISH foreign secretary Dominic Raab said on Thursday (2) there is a need to engage with the Taliban on Afghanistan, but Britain has no immediate plans to recognise their government. "Our commitment on the part of the United Kingdom to Afghanistan remains. We need to adjust to the new reality,"…
TWO weeks ago, the world received news that the president of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, had fled, and the Taliban had strolled into the halls of the presidential palace unopposed. It was not supposed to end like this. We needed an exit plan, but this was not it. Afghan institutions are not yet…
PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson on Wednesday (1) said Britain owed "an immense debt" to Afghans who worked with NATO forces as he announced, "vital support" for those resettling in the UK. But his government is coming under fire after thousands of Afghans who helped NATO and are eligible to move…
THE number of British nationals still in Afghanistan is in the low hundreds, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Tuesday (31). "I know that the number of UK nationals, the particular responsibility of the Foreign Office, is now down at a very low level... low hundreds given that we taken…
THE UK government on Sunday (29) faced criticism after its hurried withdrawal from Afghanistan ended, leaving hundreds eligible for relocation behind. Prime minister Boris Johnson hailed a mission "unlike anything we have seen in our lifetimes" after the UK airlifted over 15,000 people in the last two weeks. Troops landed…
ON A fine spring day in 2014, Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Chauhan returned home to Britain from Afghanistan – in a coffin draped in the Union flag. A Royal Air Force (RAF) transport plane landed at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, bringing back the bodies of 29-year-old Rakesh and four other…
BRITAIN'S Foreign Office on Wednesday (25) advised against all travel to Afghanistan, adding the security situation in the country remained volatile, with a "high threat of a terrorist attack". "The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advise against all travel to Afghanistan. You should not travel to Afghanistan", the Foreign…
BRITISH foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Wednesday (25) that the deadline for evacuating people from Afghanistan was up to the last minute of this month. Raab was asked after a White House spokesperson said at a briefing on Tuesday (24) they needed to check if the deadline for evacuations…
SCOTLAND first minister Nicola Sturgeon has asked foreign secretary Dominic Raab to meet the family of Jagtar Singh Johal, a Scottish Sikh man from Dumbarton who is being held under anti-terror laws in India and imprisoned there for almost four years. Johal, who was held in the northern Indian state…
Former UK prime minister Tony Blair, who in 2001 took Britain into war in Afghanistan alongside the United States, on Saturday (21) condemned their "abandonment" of the country as "dangerous" and "unnecessary". In his first public comments on the crisis since the Afghan government collapsed last weekend, Blair criticised the…
SEVEN people died near Kabul airport amid chaos, reports stated on Sunday (22), citing Britain's Ministry of Defence. Meanwhile, the UK, US and other allies continue to struggle to evacuate thousands of foreign nationals and Afghans who are trying to flee Afghanistan after Taliban Islamists took control a week ago.…
PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson said on Friday (20) Britain would work with the Taliban if necessary after the militants capture of Afghanistan, and defended his foreign minister who has come under fire for his handling of the situation. "What I want to assure people is that our political and diplomatic…
AMID mounting calls for his resignation for declining to speak to his Afghan counterpart at a crucial time last week, Dominic Raab on Friday (20) defended his action, saying he was “rightly” focussing on his priorities. The British foreign secretary was holidaying on the Greek island of Crete on Friday…
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…
THE United Kingdom will double its humanitarian and development aid to Afghanistan to £286 million ($393.34 million) this year, foreign secretary Dominic Raab has said. "We call on others to follow our lead to ensure the most vulnerable Afghans receive the humanitarian assistance they need," Raab said late on Wednesday…
INDIA'S external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his British counterpart Dominic Raab have exchanged views on the developments in Afghanistan and agreed to work together to tackle shared security threats, support refugees and ease the humanitarian plight of Afghans. Jaishankar arrived in New York on Monday (16) to chair meetings…
INDIA is a key partner of Britain in Asia and will have an important role to play in dealing with the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan with the takeover of the Taliban, the UK government said on Tuesday (17). Defence secretary Ben Wallace said on Monday (17) described the Taliban takeover…
WITH the situation in Afghanistan deteriorating fast, British parliamentarian Navendu Mishra and 49 of his colleagues from across political parties have written a letter to foreign secretary Dominic Raab for extending urgent help to the refugees in the violence-ravaged nation who are at threat of persecution by the Taliban. In…
EARLIER this month, Rishi Sunak received some bad news when the conservative Home website, edited by Paul Goodman, made the chancellor favourite to take over from prime minister Boris Johnson. Goodman does concede that by the time the next Conservative leadership election comes along, there might be a very different list…
ENGLAND has been granted "dialogue partner" status by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) announced on Thursday (5), saying that the partnership is expected to lead to closer cooperation between the UK and the region on a range of issues such as trade,…
BRITAIN has warned all UK nationals in Afghanistan to leave the country immediately due to the "worsening security situation" as Taliban forces sweep across the country. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on Friday (6) updated its website to advise against all travel to Afghanistan. "All British nationals in Afghanistan…
COVID vaccine will not be mandatory for university students in England, Department for Education (DfE) said on Saturday (31), smashing rumors which stated that Covid vaccine passport may soon be made compulsory for students in England to attend lectures or stay in halls of residence. As per a statement…
THE FATHER, whose son went missing and was later found murdered 40 years ago, has strongly condemned Sussex police as the force reneged on their promise to make further public appeals for information, media reports said, a month after the father claimed police failed to catch the killer because of…
ENGLAND is ready to begin donating millions of coronavirus vaccine doses around the world following its pledge to provide 100 million jabs globally by next June, the government said on Wednesday (28), announcing its first donation roll out to Kenya, Indonesia and Jamaica. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the…
THE UK on Tuesday (27) announced £132m of new investments in Kenya to support building new green affordable homes, connecting households to clean energy, and boosting manufacturing. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab welcomed Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was on a three-day visit to the UK to co-host the Global Education…
BRITAIN’S foreign secretary Dominic Raab reached Hanoi on Monday (21) to kick start a three-nation visit to boost trade ties with Southeast Asia, post Brexit. Today (22), the UK will officially launch accession talks with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) nations to engage with some of…
A schoolboy, 40 years ago, went missing and later found murdered and his father claims that police failed to trace his killer because of institutional racism. Vishal Mehrotra, eight, disappeared from west London in July 1981, and his remains were found in Rogate, West Sussex, seven months later. A BBC…
BRITAIN’S travel ban relating to India will be lifted once experts can clarify the protection rates of the Covid-19 vaccine against the contagious coronavirus variant, the UK foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, has suggested. India was added to Britain’s travel-ban red list in April, to protect Britons against the new variant…
BRITAIN will host health ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) countries in Oxford on Thursday (3) for a two-day summit, as pressure intensifies to do more to broaden access to Covid-19 vaccines across the world. British foreign secretary Dominic Raab has said that equitable access to coronavirus vaccines will…
A Labour MP has triggered a political row by suggesting that Boris Johnson's Covid-19 condition was exaggerated by No 10. Valerie Vaz said the prime minister was “not quite at death’s door as we were led to believe” when he was put in intensive care in April last year. Johnson…
THE UK government's decision to cut humanitarian aid response by 40 per cent has upset Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. The fund was reduced to £27.6million for the joint humanitarian sector response plan from £47.5million last year by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). “When Foreign Minister Dominic Raab cuts…
By Shamit Saggar THE picture of India struggling to cope with Covid-19 is about as bleak as could be imagined. US vice president Kamala Harris declared US solidarity and backed relaxing intellectual property laws to get vaccines jumpstarted. Meanwhile, the UK’s foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, has spoken of “cooperating…
THE Naz Legacy Foundation on Monday (10) hosted its final #RamadanAtHome virtual Iftar in partnership with the British Asian Trust, compered by the Trust's Ambassador Asad Ahmad. Prince of Wales, UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Bishop of London, the chief Rabbi and Imam Mahmoud OBE (Hero Imam)…
THE UK sent three 18-tonne oxygen generators and 1,000 ventilators on Friday (7) as part of the UK’s latest response to India’s Covid-19 crisis. Airport staff at Belfast worked through the night to load the life-saving kit, funded by the foreign, commonwealth & development Office, aboard the massive Antonov 124…
UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab and Indian external affairs minister Dr Jaishankar held a virtual two hour meeting on Thursday (6) focussing on implementing the '2030 roadmap' of the India-UK enhanced trade partnership (ETP) to pave the way for a free trade agreement (FTA). Both the ministers also discussed Indo-Pacific…
AHEAD of their meeting in London this week, G7 Foreign and Development Ministers have committed $15 (£10.78) billion help women in developing countries to access jobs, build businesses and respond to the devastating economic impacts of Covid-19. They will also sign up to new global targets to get 40 million…
The UK is very close to turning the corner in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic and it is important to remain careful in the last lap of the process, UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab said on Sunday. Raab was defending the government’s roadmap out of the lockdown, which is…
The UK said on Sunday it was sending an extra 1,000 oxygen ventilators to Covid-struck India, as a group of doctors staged their own intervention by offering long-distance telemedicine from Britain. Britain has already sent 495 oxygen concentrators and 200 ventilators to India as the country grapples with a devastating…
Britain announced on Wednesday it was sending three oxygen generation units to Covid-struck India following a first consignment of aid this week, but said it had no spare vaccines to offer. The three units, dubbed oxygen factories, are each the size of a shipping container and can produce 500 litres…
THE UK has imposed sanctions on 22 individuals, including Indian businessmen, linked to corruption under a new anti-corruption regime. The brothers Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta were accused of serious corruption in South Africa. Individuals across South Africa, South Sudan and Latin America were also targeted with the asset freezes…
BRITAIN and the US rushed ventilators and vaccine materials to India on Monday (26) as the country battles a catastrophic, record-breaking coronavirus wave that has overwhelmed hospitals and set crematoriums working at full capacity. London has sent more than 600 pieces of equipment to New Delhi to support its fight…
By Claudia Webbe Labour MP for Leicester East NEARLY 12 years since the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka, almost no one has been held accountable for international crimes, and the alleged perpetrators continue to occupy key positions in the current government. This impunity for past abuses…
By Amit Roy ALTHOUGH prime minister Boris Johnson has had to call off his trip to India twice this year because of the Covid situation, Indo-British trade and bilateral relations are in remarkably good shape despite the pandemic, informed sources have told Eastern Eye. “It’s surprising, but encouraging,” said Anuj…
BRITAIN has criticised China after Beijing sanctioned UK politicians for leading a call for action over China's treatment of Uyghur Muslims. China announced sanctions today (26) against nine UK individuals and four entities, saying they had "maliciously spread lies and disinformation" over Beijing's treatment of Uyghurs. Those sanctioned include Iain…
BRITAIN on Tuesday (23) marked the anniversary of its first coronavirus lockdown with a 'National Day of Reflection', and the parliament observed a minute's silence in tribute to the more than 126,000 people who have died. "A year on, it is right that we take a moment to reflect on…
By Rithika Siddhartha BRITISH INDIAN ties are “under leveraged” for the benefit of both sides and there is a real focus in the UK on the Indo-Pacific region, a senior minister said as he embarked on a visit to the south Asian country. Lord Tariq Ahmad is the minister…
The UK has a central role to play on the world stage as an independent sovereign state, a leading member of the Western alliance, and an energetic and dependable partner in the growing prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region, UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab said in a major foreign policy speech…
BRITAIN wants to expand its influence among countries in the Indo-Pacific region to try to moderate China's global dominance, a document laying out post-Brexit foreign policy priorities will say on Tuesday (16). The document will also underline the importance of strong ties with the US, and British media said an…
UK prime minister Boris Johnson will visit India at the end of April in what will be his first major international trip after Britain's exit from the EU as part of efforts to boost UK opportunities in the region, his office said on Monday (15). Johnson had planned an Indian…
THE new British high commissioner to India Alex Ellis on Friday (5) said that the farmers' protest is India's 'internal issue' and it is for it to resolve. "I think the foreign secretary (Dominic Raab) said it when he was in India 'your politics is our politics'. In other words,…
By Amit Roy THE BBC’s flagship Panorama programme claimed last week that Indian commandos “kidnapped” Princess Latifa from her boat near the coast of Goa and allowed the drugged captive to be flown back in a private plane to her father, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of…
BRITAIN will on Wednesday(17) call on the UN Security Council to push for temporary ceasefires in conflict zones to enable the "moral duty" of rolling out vaccines against the coronavirus. Britain holds the council's chair this month and foreign secretary Dominic Raab said his resolution would also demand "equitable access"…
The UK government on Monday(15) introduced mandatory hotel quarantine rules for arrivals from dozens of countries deemed 'high risk' for coronavirus variants, as it tries to stop new strains spreading. The new policy requires all UK citizens and permanent residents entering England from 33 countries on a wider travel ban…
By Professor Rana Mitter AS BRITAIN definitively left the European Union, the government’s eyes have turned east. Asia has a pull for Britain that comes in part from the statistics – the two most populous countries on earth, the second- and third-biggest economies in the world, and a wealth of…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson may consider joining the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue(Quad) informal alliance when he visits India, reported The Times. The strategic Quad forum consists of the US, India, Japan and Australia, and was formed to strengthen alliances to counter China. According to reports, US president Biden is seeking to…
By Nadeem Badshah NEW coronavirus rules for travellers to England are not tough enough compared to measures implemented in other countries including India, according to experts and MPs. From Monday (18), everyone arriving by boat, train or plane have to test negative for Covid-19 before they can enter the UK.…
INDIAN government has informed the Supreme Court that the extradition of fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya from the UK is being delayed due to some legal issues. The government added that it is making all efforts to extradite Mallya, accused in bank loan default case of over Rs 9,000 crore (over…
THE UK government hopes to ease some lockdown restrictions in March as it presses ahead with Europe's fastest rollout of Covid-19 vaccines, foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Sunday. The country, which also has Europe's highest Covid-19 death toll, has been under national lockdown since January 5, with schools closed…
THE UK is vaccinating 140 people per minute against Covid-19 on average, vaccine deployment minister Nadhim Zahawi said on Monday(18). "It is going well, we're vaccinating on average 140 people, that's first jab, literally a minute. That's the average so some areas are doing better," Zahawi told Sky. "You'll see…
The UK government on Tuesday (12) praised India’s religious diversity and its "rich tapestry of religious minorities alongside its sizable Hindu majority" during a debate in the House of Commons complex and highlighted the important work being done to promote UK-India interfaith dialogue on tackling shared global challenges. Foreign, Commonwealth…
The UK government on Tuesday (12) announced sanctions on sourcing from Chinese businesses in retaliation of the “harrowing” human rights violations being perpetrated in the Xinjiang province of the country against the Uyghur Muslim minority. UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab said in a House of Commons statement that the United…
By Nadeem Badshah BORIS JOHNSON has been urged to raise the plight of Indian farmers who have been protesting against new laws introduced by Narendra Modi’s government, when the British prime minister visits New Delhi next month. Thousands of agriculture workers from Punjab and several other states have held demonstrations…
THE UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab has said that the mutual benefits of a post Brexit free-trade agreement between UK and India would be 'enormous'. He, however, added that such a deal could take many years. Responding to questions on the ongoing farmers’ protests in India, Raab said that India…
THE UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab on Wednesday(16) said that experts from India and the UK will join forces through a new virtual hub to deliver vaccines for coronavirus and other deadly viruses. Raab met Indian prime minister Modi to discuss the UK and India working together as a force…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson will travel to India in January, his first bilateral visit since taking office, to try to strengthen trade and investment ties and work together on tackling climate change, his office said on Tuesday(15). He also accepted his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi's invitation to be the…
THE UK has announced sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, on 11 politicians, officials and others responsible for gross human rights violations in Russia, Venezuela, The Gambia and Pakistan. Anwar Ahmad Khan, former senior superintendent of Police in Malir district, Karachi, Pakistan and Yahya Abdul Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh,…
BRITISH parliamentarians have extended their support to farmers in India who are protesting against new agricultural reforms in the country. A group of 36 cross-party parliamentarians has written to UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab asking him to make representations with his Indian counterpart, S Jaishankar, about the impact on British…
BRITAIN and the EU cautioned each other on Monday(30) that time was running out for a Brexit trade deal as negotiators sparred over state aid, enforcement and fishing in a bid to avoid a tumultuous exit in just a month's time. The UK finally leaves the EU's orbit on December…
THE UK foreign office has said that foreign secretary Dominic Raab is self-isolating after coming into contact with someone who later tested positive for Covid-19. "In line with government regulations and NHS Track and Trace rules, the foreign secretary has taken immediate steps to self-isolate for the required period. He will…
India's foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla held talks with British home secretary Priti Patel in London during which he strongly underlined India's interest in the expeditious extradition of former Kingfisher Airlines chief Vijay Mallya, who has completed all the legal processes related to extradition from the UK, and fugitive diamond…
AT UN aid meeting on Thursday(22) Britain announced £47.5 million new funding for Rohingya refugees in camps in Bangladesh and urged other donors not to forget their plight. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab outlined a further £47.5m ($63m) in aid, both for the Rohingya and to help Bangladesh deal with the…
BORIS JOHNSON faces mounting unease from his Conservative rank and file over the coronavirus pandemic as the party opens its annual conference on Saturday in a quieter virtual format. Instead of the usual tub-thumping speeches in cavernous halls and crowded drinks gatherings, the party faithful will follow proceedings online, depriving…
RISHI SUNAK is considering more "targeted measures" to help save jobs once its furlough scheme stops at the end of October, reports said, amid speculation that he could introduce German-style wage subsidies. Opposition and business leaders have been urging the chancellor to extend the job retention scheme in some form…
HUMAN RIGHTS advocate Amal Clooney has resigned from her role as a UK envoy for media freedom in protest at the government's "lamentable" decision to breach its Brexit treaty. Clooney became the third lawyer to part ways with Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government, after it introduced legislation that would rewrite…
PRITI PATEL has said eco activists who adopt “guerrilla tactics... that seek to undermine and cause damage to our society” should “face the full force of the law”. The home secretary said she was “disgusted to see” Extinction Rebellion protesters disrupting news services over the weekend, adding that a “free…
THE United Kingdom registered almost 3,000 new coronavirus cases over 24 hours, a level not seen since late May, health ministry figures showed on Sunday (6). The government said two more people had died after testing positive over the past 28 days, bringing the overall UK toll to 41,551, Europe's…
POLICE on Sunday (6) declared a "major incident" after several people were stabbed in the centre of the country's second city, Birmingham. Officers said they were searching for a man in relation to a two-hour stabbing spree that left one man dead and seven people injured, two of them critically. Violence…
The UK government has launched a review of its overseas aid budget allocations to ensure greater value for taxpayer funds as part of its new ministry merging its foreign and aid ministries. The new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), which formally launches on Wednesday, combines the Foreign and Commonwealth…
SIR Philip Barton, the UK’s High Commissioner to India based in New Delhi, was on Monday (3) promoted as a minister in the newly formed Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. "I am delighted that Sir Philip has been successfully selected as the Permanent Under-Secretary of the new Foreign, Commonwealth and…
Britain and India will be the "energetic champions" of free trade to boost small businesses, UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab said on Friday (10)as he pitched the two nations as leaders in tackling challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Raab acknowledged India’s help at the height of the coronavirus pandemic…
DOMINIC RAAB on Thursday (18) sparked mockery and dismay by suggesting the anti-racism protest of taking the knee was a symbol of "subjugation" that originated with the Game of Thrones. Premier League footballers took a knee on Wednesday evening in solidarity with demonstrations across the world sparked by the killing…
THE British government is following scientific advice in cautiously easing the coronavirus lockdown, Alok Sharma said on Monday (1), after criticism from some prominent epidemiologists. "Of course scientific advice does differ, but I think the key point is what is the overall view from SAGE?" the business secretary told BBC…
THOUSANDS of people defied lockdown restrictions and gathered across London on Sunday (31) in solidarity with the "Black Lives Matter" protest against the police killing of an unarmed black man the US. Protesters held up signs saying "Justice for George Floyd", who died in a police custody while an officer…
UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab on Sunday (31) defended the government's easing of the coronavirus lockdown and indicated that a more localised and targeted approach would be adopted if there is a second spike in the infection rate. The UK is set to relax a number of social distancing restrictions…
BRITAIN confirmed on Friday (29) that it was prepared to offer extended visa rights and a pathway to citizenship for almost three million Hong Kong residents in response to China's push to impose national security legislation in the former British colony. Beijing has approved a decision to go forward with…
PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson has instructed civil servants to make plans to end UK's reliance on China for vital medical supplies and other strategic imports in light of the coronavirus outbreak. The plans, which have been code named 'Project Defend', include identifying Britain's main economic vulnerabilities to potentially hostile foreign governments…
AT LEAST 30,000 British travellers have now returned to the UK on 142 special flights from 27 countries since the outbreak of coronavirus, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said on Monday (11). At least 13,500 British nationals stranded in India flew back on 58 flights since April 8. The 30,000th…
BORIS JOHNSON told senior ministers on Thursday (7) the government would adopt "maximum caution" as he prepared to outline how lockdown measures imposed to combat the coronavirus outbreak could be eased. The prime minister will address the nation on Sunday evening to set out a "roadmap" for relaxing social distancing…
BRITISH World War Two veteran Captain Tom Moore, who has become a national hero after raising almost £30 million for the NHS, celebrates his 100th birthday on Thursday (30) with an honorary promotion and two military flypasts. Moore has raised £29.4 million for charities that help front-line NHS staff by…
The UK government will think "very carefully" about relaxing lockdown rules regarding open-air activities, despite evidence that transmission of the coronavirus is less likely outdoors, said England's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam. "At various different points (the activities) might involve a congregation of individuals and one has to be…
The United Kingdom's COVID-19 death toll is probably higher than 27,241, making it one of the worst-hit countries in Europe, Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said on Wednesday (29) as he questioned the government's response to the outbreak. Prime minister Boris Johnson's government is facing growing criticism for its response…
The UK recorded its lowest daily death toll from the novel coronavirus in a month at 413 on Sunday, with its total number of hospital deaths climbing to 20,732. UK environment secretary George Eustice announced the update during the daily Downing Street briefing in London and revealed that hospitalisations from…
Tata Steel's UK arm is seeking an estimated £500 million government financial package to survive through the coronavirus lockdown period, according to UK media reports. Tata Steel, which owns the UK's largest steelworks in Port Talbot in Wales, is holding discussions with the Welsh government as well as the UK…
Boris Johnson will return to work at the start of the week as pressure increases on the UK government over its handling of the coronavirus crisis which has claimed more than 20,000 lives. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab told Sky News that Johnson would be back in his Downing Street office…
The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on Friday (24) announced 14 new charter flights from India -- eight from Amritsar, five from Ahmedabad and one from Delhi -- to repatriate British residents stranded in the COVID-19 lockdown back to the UK. The FCO said 3,600 more stranded travellers will…
By Barry Gardiner Labour MP for Brent North THIS is an open letter to Dominic Raab, first secretary of state. Since the first report of a UK death from Covid-19 in early March, my constituency of Brent North and its hospital at Northwick Park have been at the epicenter of…
THE number of people who have died in hospitals in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus rose to 18,100 by 1600 GMT on Tuesday (21), an increase of 763 on the figures published 24 hours earlier. The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 had risen to 133,495 by 0800…
A total of 16,509 people hospitalised with coronavirus in Britain have now died, health ministry figures showed Monday, up by 449 -- the lowest daily toll for a fortnight. The figures -- which do not include deaths in the community, including care homes -- are always lower on a Monday…
As many as 7,000 more Britons will return home from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh as the UK government has announced to operate 31 more charter flights over the next week to repatriate its citizens stranded in the coronavirus lockdown across South Asia. The flights, scheduled between April 20 and 27,…
British prime minister Boris Johnson has begun taking charge of the government even as he convalesces at Chequers in south-east England, following his hospitalisation after testing positive for coronavirus. The Sunday Telegraph reports that Johnson began giving directions to his Cabinet, including to his deputy UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab,…
The UK's hospital death toll due to Covid-19 rose by 847 to 14,576, as of 1600 GMT on April 16. The health department said at least "341,551 people have been tested of which 108,692 tested positive". “Today’s number of announced deaths indicates three things. Firstly, the UK is one of the hardest…
THE UK extended its nationwide lockdown on Thursday (16) as stand-in leader Dominic Raab ordered Britons to stay at home for at least another three weeks to prevent the spread of a coronavirus outbreak which has already claimed over 138,000 lives globally. "We have just come too far, we've lost too many…
The UK's death toll from Covid-19 in hospitals rose 861 to 13,729, as of 1600 GMT on Wednesday (15). It was the biggest daily rise in five days. "[At least] 327,608 people have been tested of which 103,093 tested positive," the health ministry said. Deaths in English hospitals rose by…
The UK's novel coronavirus outbreak is starting to peak, but it is too early to lift the lockdown because the virus would "run rampant" if the government eased social distancing measures, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Thursday (16). "We think it is too early to make a change," Hancock…
Keir Starmer has urged the government to set out how it plans to end the coronavirus lockdown, both to give people hope and avoid "mistakes" of the past. The Labour leader said his party would support the government's expected decision on Thursday to renew a stay-at-home order imposed three weeks…
The British government warned on Monday (13) it would not be lifting a nationwide lockdown anytime soon as the country remains in the grip of a coronavirus outbreak that has claimed more than 11,000 lives. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab, who is deputising for prime minister Boris Johnson as he recovers…
Virus-stricken prime minister Boris Johnson admitted on Sunday (12) he owed his medical team his "life" as Britain braced to pass the grim milestone of 10,000 hospital deaths from COVID-19 The country is now seeing death tolls to match Europe's hardest-hit nations Italy and Spain after recording nearly 1,000 daily…
Britain's prime minister Boris Johnson was making "very good progress" on Saturday in his recovery in hospital from coronavirus, officials said, as the number of deaths in Britain from the disease approached the grim milestone of 10,000. The 55-year-old leader was spending his second full day out of intensive care…
Prime minister Boris Johnson was able to walk in hospital on Friday some 24 hours after leaving intensive care treatment for COVID-19, as Britain recorded nearly 1,000 daily deaths from the virus for the first time. "The prime minister has been able to do short walks, between periods of rest,…
The UK government has announced an additional 12 charter flights to bring over 3,000 nationals stranded in India back to Britain. The flights planned from different parts of India, including from Punjab, Gujarat, West Bengal and South India, follows the seven charter flights announced last week from Goa, Mumbai and…
Prime Minister Boris Johnson left intensive care on Thursday evening as he continues to recover from COVID-19, but he remains under close observation in hospital. Johnson, 55, was admitted to St Thomas' Hospital on Sunday evening with a persistent high temperature and cough, and was rushed to intensive care on…
British prime minister Boris Johnson's health "continues to improve" on his fourth day in COVID-19 intensive care, his spokesman said Thursday, while the government prepared to extend a nationwide lockdown. "The prime minister had a good night and continues to improve in intensive care at St Thomas' Hospital. He's in…
British prime minister Boris Johnson on Thursday (9) began a fourth day in intensive care "improving" in his battle with coronavirus, as his government prepared to extend a nationwide lockdown introduced last month. Johnson is the most high-profile world leader to become infected with COVID-19 and his transfer to intensive…
Boris Johnson's "condition is improving" and he is able to sit up in bed and engage with clinical staff, Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday (8) as the prime minister remained in intensive care battling Covid-19. Earlier, reports had said Johnson was "clinically stable" and responding to treatment. "The latest from…
UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab, who is deputising for British prime minister Boris Johnson while he is in intensive care with coronavirus, said the prime minister is a "fighter" who will pull through the illness and be back in charge soon. During the daily Downing Street briefing on Tuesday (7)…
British prime minister Boris Johnson was battling the coronavirus in intensive care on Tuesday (7), raising deep concerns about his health as the country recorded its highest daily death toll. "The prime minister has been stable overnight and remains in good spirits," his official spokesman told reporters. He said the…
RISHI SUNAK would take responsibility for leading the country if Dominic Raab, currently standing in for hospitalised Prime Minister Boris Johnson, were also incapacitated. Johnson spent a night in intensive care receiving oxygen treatment following his admission to hospital with a persistent high temperature and cough, more than a week…
Several international leaders including US president Donald Trump and prime minister Narendra Modi have wished British prime minister Boris Johnson a quick recovery after he was admitted to an intensive care unit of a London hospital as his coronavirus symptoms worsened. Johnson, 55, was tested positive for coronavirus more than…
BORIS JOHNSON continues to be in intensive care after receiving oxygen support for serious Covid-19 complications, leaving his foreign secretary to lead the government's response to the accelerating outbreak. Johnson's personal battle with the virus has shaken the British government just as the UK enters what scientists say is likely…
British foreign secretary Dominic Raab on Monday (6) confirmed that flights are being fixed from India to bring British nationals stranded in the coronavirus lockdown back to the UK this week. During the daily Downing Street press briefing, the senior Cabinet minister revealed that the UK’s death toll from the…
British prime minister Boris Johnson has been taken into intensive care in hospital after his COVID-19 worsened, his office said on Monday (6). "Since Sunday evening, the prime minister has been under the care of doctors at St Thomas' Hospital, in London, after being admitted with persistent symptoms of coronavirus,"…
NEW LABOUR leader Sir Keir Starmer unveiled his shadow Cabinet after he was elected the leader of the opposition on Saturday (4). Sir Keir, a former director of public prosecutions who was known for his attention to detail when opposing the UK’s exit from the European Union, won with 56…
Lisa Nandy on Monday (6) promised a constructive Opposition to the British government as she got to work as the UK's shadow foreign secretary in the newly-elected Labour Party leader Keir Starmer's top team. The 40-year-old MP for Wigan in Greater Manchester was one of the first appointments to be…
BRITISH Prime Minister Boris Johnson was admitted to hospital for tests on Sunday (5), 10 days after testing positive for the virus, even as Downing Street said he remained in charge of the government. "The PM is still at hospital," a British government source said on Monday (6). "He spent…
The UK government on Sunday (5) announced the first seven chartered flights next week to bring home British nationals stranded in India amidst the international travel lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic. An estimated 35,000 British nationals are currently in India, out of whom over 20,000 have contacted the British High…
REPATRIATION flights for UK nationals stranded in India will start next week. The acting British High Commissioner in New Delhi, Jan Thompson, said: “Special charter flights from India to the UK organised by the British government will start next week. We are still in the process of finalising details with…
THE Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Ruchi Ghanashyam, issued another warning on Friday (4) for Indians stranded in the country amid the lockdown to not be misled by “mischievous” information being circulated around possible evacuation flights to India. Ghanashyam praised the “laudable contribution” of these Indian nationals in strengthening…
by LAUREN CODLING and S NEERAJ KRISHNA THOUSANDS of Britons “stranded” in India following the Covid-19 pandemic will be repatriated in the coming days, the UK government announced on Monday (30). The response comes after a number of British nationals stranded in India accused the UK government of “abandoning” them…
Dominic Raab has announced that the UK government was planning to charter special flights to bring back British nationals who find themselves stranded in the Covid-19 worldwide travel lockdown. The UK foreign secretary and his counterparts from about 20 countries had held discussions with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar…
British Prime minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating at his Downing Street residence but said he would still lead the government’s response to the accelerating outbreak. Johnson, 55, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday - a day after he answered at the prime minister’s weekly question-and-answer…
The UK government on Tuesday (24) called on all its citizens travelling abroad to make efforts to return to the country where possible through commercial airline routes as Britain's COVID-19 death toll jumped by 87 in a day to hit 422. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab told the House of Commons…
IN an unprecedented move, the UK government has urged British nationals to avoid all non-essential foreign travel amid the coronavirus chaos across the world. The foreign office said on Tuesday (17) that the travel curbs will be in place for 30 days, and extended if needed. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab…
A mad dash for emergency visas and flights was witnessed on Tuesday (17) as Indians in the UK began racing against time before the 1200 GMT deadline for India's travel ban from Britain and Europe kicks in on Wednesday, as part of measures to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. India on…
The UK government has reiterated its concern over the potential impact of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and said it is continuing to follow the events in India closely. In response to an urgent question on “Recent Violence in India” tabled by Labour Party MP Khalid Mahmood in the House…
THE Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has confirmed the evacuation flight back to the UK for British nationals on the Diamond Princess in Japan, following the outbreak of coronavirus. Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, said that the evacuation flight to depart Tokyo on Friday (21). “Details have been sent to those…
THE Indian High Commission in London has clarified that immigration officials in Delhi had deported British MP Debbie Abrahams because she “did not hold a valid visa”, and that there was “no provision for visa on arrival for UK nationals”. Mission has confirmed from the Indian immigration authorities that Ms…
The UK government on Sunday (26) unveiled a new 50-pence commemorative Brexit coin ahead of the UK's exit from the European Union (EU) next Friday. Chancellor of the exchequer Sajid Javid, who is also the UK’s master of the mint, said the new coin marks a new chapter in the…
The world reacted with alarm on Friday after top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US strike in Baghdad, with many governments appealing for restraint. The attack was praised by US President Donald Trump's Republicans and close ally Israel, but elsewhere there were sharp warnings it could inflame…
BRITISH foreign secretary Dominic Raab said on Thursday (21) that the UK had "facilitated" the return of British orphans whose parents had died in Syria "because it was the right thing to do". "These innocent, orphaned, children should never have been subjected to the horrors of war," Raab said in…
HOME secretary Priti Patel did not block the rescue of British orphans and unaccompanied minors from Syria, foreign secretary Dominic Raab has said. According to reports, during a National Security Committee meeting last month Patel raised objection to bringing British children from Syria citing security reasons. When quizzed about this…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday (30) said in Parliament that the UK's long-standing stance of Kashmir being a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan remains unchanged although the situation in the Valley is of "profound" concern to the country. Johnson's statement came in the backdrop of the two-day…
The UK government is considering ways of bringing home the children born to so-called runaway British Daesh (Islamic State)jihadi women from Syria, according to a media report. Aid organisations believe there are around 60 children with British origins in the region, most of whom remain with their mothers who had…
A BRITISH politician who took Twitter by storm with walking tours and viral clips during his leadership challenge against Boris Johnson said Friday (4) he was quitting parliament to run for London mayor. Rory Stewart used the social media platform to announce that he would not stand for re-election when…
by NADEEM BADSHAH CALLS for a British boycott of Indian products following anger over Kashmir must not spill over into hate speech online and spark further tension between communities, MPs and shopkeepers have warned. Images of Indian flags being burned have been posted on Twitter since prime minister Narenda Modi’s…
BRITISH Pakistani groups-led protests turned violent outside the Indian high commission in London on Tuesday (3) resulting in the arrest of two people. The Indian authorities will take up with the UK the matter of damage inflicted to the Indian high commission in London during the protests yesterday, media has…
British Kashmiri groups staged protests in the UK against the Indian government's decision to withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, even as UK MPs launched tit-for-tat letters to prime minister Boris Johnson over the issue. The “Stop Killing in Kashmir" protest saw a group of anti-India banner-wielding protesters…
The UK government said that it had expressed its concerns to over the Indian government's decision to revoke Article 370 and withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian government on Monday revoked Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated…
The UK government on Tuesday (6) said that it was monitoring the situation in Kashmir closely and called for calm as the country's parliamentarians echoed some of the wider divisions over the India's decision to revoke Article 370 and bifurcate the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian government on…
Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service and Minister for the Union Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP HM Treasury Chancellor of the Exchequer – Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP Chief Secretary to the Treasury – Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP*&** Financial Secretary to the Treasury…
By Amit Roy The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, is expected to offer the kind of apology Theresa May felt unable to give as prime minister for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre when he undertakes a 10-day trip to India. The visit will begin in Kottayam in Kerala…
BRADFORD MP Naz Shah has written to Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan after hearing that the former husband of beauty therapist Samia Shahid may be seeking to enter into the UK with his new wife. Shah said it was her understanding that Muhammad Shakeel, who is the alleged murdered of…
An imam chosen by the BBC for a select panel of members of the British public to put their questions to the UK’s prime ministerial hopefuls during a live television debate has triggered controversy over some of his past anti-Jewish remarks on social media. Imam Abdullah Patel challenged frontrunner Boris…
THE BRITISH leadership race narrowed to five today (18) as Brexit figurehead Boris Johnson prepared to defend his runaway favourite status in his first television debate. Johnson expanded his lead over his remaining rivals in a second secret ballot held by 313 Conservative MPs. The former foreign secretary and London…
THE six Conservatives vying to become Britain's prime minister face off in the second round of voting on Tuesday (18), with the final pair to be decided by the end of the week. The outcome of the leadership battle could determine under what conditions Britain leaves the European Union. It…
by LAUREN CODLING A SENIOR minister in the running for Tory leadership has urged politicians to “call out Islamophobia and racism” as he continues his campaign this week. Rory Stewart, who is currently the secretary of state for international development, is among six candidates to be the next prime minister,…
HOME secretary Sajid Javid on Sunday (16) said it was important to elect someone who can unite people, and said he would be an ideal candidate as he was not from “central casting.” Javid, along with Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove, Dominic Raab and Rory Stewart, took part in the Channel…
by RITHIKA SIDDHARTHA HOME SECRETARY Sajid Javid on Monday (27) entered the race to be Britain's next prime minister, promising to "deliver Brexit" and pledging to heal the divide between communities. Javid, who campaigned for Remain in the 2016 EU referendum, is among 10 contenders in the race to be…
After prime minister Theresa May announced her resignation on Friday (24), here are the top contenders for her job: - Boris Johnson - A former mayor of London, "Boris" or "BoJo", has confirmed he would "of course" contest any upcoming leadership contest, surprising very few in Westminster. A key figure…
The UK and India pledged to work closely post-Brexit as the bilateral ties moved forward smoothly in 2018, a year in which India scored a major diplomatic victory when a British court ordered the extradition of liquor baron Vijay Mallya wanted back home for alleged bank fraud. The year 2018…
Britain's government stepped up warnings on Wednesday (28) that a "no-deal" Brexit would hammer the economy, but acknowledged that prime minister Theresa May's plan, opposed by many of her own side, would also leave the economy worse off than staying in the EU. In a scenario resembling the agreement May…
by Amit Roy SO FAR no one has pointed out that Theresa May’s government looks a lot less diverse after the departure last week of no fewer than four Asians from their respective jobs. Perhaps the resignation that disappointed me most was that of Shailesh Vara as minister of state…
British prime minister Theresa May on Monday (19) vowed that Brexit would level the playing field for migrant workers in the UK, with migrants from the European Union (EU) no longer be able to jump the queue ahead of those from countries like India. Addressing the Confederation of British Industry…
British prime minister Theresa May was fighting for survival on Friday (16) after a draft divorce deal with the European Union provoked the resignations of senior ministers and calls for a vote of no confidence in her leadership. More than two years after the United Kingdom voted to leave the…
UK prime minister Theresa May vowed to fight for her draft divorce deal with the European Union on Thursday (15) after the resignation of her Brexit secretary and other ministers put her strategy and her job in peril. Just over 12 hours after May announced that her cabinet had agreed…
Mounting further pressure on British prime minister Theresa May, Gillingham and Rainham MP, Rehman Chishti has resigned on Thursday (15) as Conservative party junior vice chairman and prime minister’s trade envoy to Pakistan. Two reasons - the draft agreement prepared for leaving the EU as well as the UK's handling…
British prime minister Theresa May battled on Thursday (15) to save a draft divorce deal with the European Union after her Brexit secretary and other ministers quit in protest at an agreement they say will trap Britain in the bloc's orbit for years. Just over 12 hours after May announced…
British leader Theresa May suffered a huge blow on Thursday (15) when a series of ministers including her Brexit secretary quit as she tried to sell her proposed EU withdrawal agreement to a divided parliament. Dominic Raab resigned from his role at the Brexit ministry while a second cabinet minister and two junior…
British prime minister Theresa May has suffered 18 resignations from her government since last November, ten of which have been related to her approach to Brexit. Here is the list: Michael Fallon - Resigned as defence minister in November 2017 after a journalist accused him of sexual harassment. Priti Patel…
British prime minister Theresa May's Brexit secretary and other ministers quit one by one on Thursday (15), striking at the heart of a draft divorce deal with the European Union she is struggling to save. Just over 12 hours after May announced that her team of top ministers had agreed…
British prime minister Theresa May suffered a huge blow on Thursday (15) as Dominic Raab quit as her Brexit secretary over a proposed EU withdrawal agreement. May was preparing to start selling her Brexit deal to parliament, boosted by news that Europe is preparing a rapid summit to sign off…
British and Irish ministers said Friday (2) they were "very close" to agreeing how to keep open the land border between them after Brexit, which is holding up a divorce deal with the EU. "I think we're very close to resolving it, I certainly hope we are," Irish Foreign minister…
The Bank of England (BoE) on Thursday (1) trimmed its growth forecasts as Brexit approaches and froze interest rates but warned it could alter monetary policy "in either direction" after Britain leaves the European Union. The central bank's nine-strong Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted unanimously at a regular policy meeting…
The United Kingdom and the European Union have made progress on a deal to give London's dominant financial centre basic access to EU markets after Brexit, two British officials said, but no agreement has yet been clinched. The deal being discussed would be based on the EU's existing system of…
Britain hopes to finalise a deal on its withdrawal from the European Union by November 21, the Brexit minister told MPs in a letter published on Wednesday (31). "I would be happy to give evidence to the committee when a deal is finalised, and currently expect 21 November to be…
by Amit Roy THE utterly disgusting murder of the Saudi Arabian journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, inside his country’s consulate on October 2 has put the kingdom’s closest western allies, especially the UK, in an impossible situation. After initially lying that he walked out of the consulate unharmed and then suggesting he…
British and Irish ministers on Tuesday (9) played down hopes of a breakthrough in Brexit negotiations at an EU summit next week, suggesting it would take until November to clinch a divorce deal. European Union leaders have demanded real progress by the October 18 meeting, to allow time for any deal to be…
Britain's Brexit secretary will warn the European Union on Monday (1) that his government's willingness to compromise in divorce talks is "not without limits". In a speech to his Conservative party conference in Birmingham, central England, Dominic Raab will repeat London's threat to walk away if it cannot get a…
London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Sunday (16) called for a second Brexit referendum as he criticised the Conservative party-led UK government's increasingly "chaotic approach" to the negotiations with the 28-member European Union (EU). The Pakistani-origin Mayor said the fresh vote should offer voters the choice of staying in the EU…
THE UK is preparing to airlift in medicines with a short shelf life if London cannot strike a Brexit deal with the EU, the government said last Thursday (23). London has plans to ensure a continued supply of medicines from the moment Britain leaves the European Union at the end of March, health secretary Matt Hancock said in an…
BRITISH Prime Minister Theresa May will begin reshuffling her cabinet today (8) in a bid to reassert authority after a torrid 2017 in which she lost her working majority and several ministers to scandals. The long-awaited shake-up arrives ahead of another year of potentially bruising battles over Brexit, as talks…
The Conservative party has begun the process of electing a new leader and presumptive prime minister, after David Cameron said he would resign following the country’s vote last week to leave the European Union. The five candidates who were nominated yesterday will now go forward to a vote of Conservative…