Australia's right-wing former prime minister Tony Abbott registered as an agent of foreign influence Friday, after controversially taking up a role as a trade advisor to the UK government.

Abbott -- who lost his seat in parliament at the last election -- is registered under the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme, which is designed to monitor outside influence over Australian public life.

The scheme is similar to the United States' Foreign Agents Registration Act, and was introduced in late 2018 amid concerns about growing Chinese lobbying efforts Down Under.

"Anthony John Abbott" -- "Occupation: Former Prime Minister" -- appeared on register Friday as "an unpaid adviser to the UK Board of Trade. The role is to advocate for free and fair trade especially trade with the UK and its allies."

Abbott's 2013-2015 tenure was marked by hardline policies on illegal immigration, opposition to same-sex marriage and scepticism of man-made climate change.

His appointment prompted outrage in Britain, where he was pilloried as a "climate change-denying, Trump-worshipping misogynist" and raised questions in Australia about whether a former prime minister should work for a foreign state.

In 2014, Abbott -- an ardent monarchist -- reintroduced knights and dames to the Australian honours system, and his subsequent decision to knight Queen Elizabeth II's husband Prince Philip was met with ridicule and disbelief.

The titles have since been removed from the honours system by his successor.

Abbott's party mate, Australia's former minister of foreign affairs Alexander Downer also appears on the register, working as a trade advisor to Britain's Iberian enclave of Gibraltar.

Australia's right-wing former prime minister Tony Abbott registered as an agent of foreign influence Friday, after controversially taking up a role as a trade advisor to the UK government.

Australia's right-wing former prime minister Tony Abbott registered as an agent of foreign influence Friday, after controversially taking up a role as a trade advisor to the UK government. Abbott -- who lost his seat in parliament at the last election -- is registered under the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme, which is designed to monitor outside influence over Australian public life. The scheme is similar to the United States' Foreign Agents Registration Act, and was introduced in late 2018 amid concerns about growing Chinese lobbying efforts Down Under. "Anthony John Abbott" -- "Occupation: Former Prime Minister" -- appeared on register Friday as "an unpaid adviser to the UK Board of Trade. The role is to advocate for free and fair trade especially trade with the UK and its allies." Abbott's 2013-2015 tenure was marked by hardline policies on illegal immigration, opposition to same-sex marriage and scepticism of man-made climate change. His appointment prompted outrage in Britain, where he was pilloried as a "climate change-denying, Trump-worshipping misogynist" and raised questions in Australia about whether a former prime minister should work for a foreign state. In 2014, Abbott -- an ardent monarchist -- reintroduced knights and dames to the Australian honours system, and his subsequent decision to knight Queen Elizabeth II's husband Prince Philip was met with ridicule and disbelief. The titles have since been removed from the honours system by his successor. Abbott's party mate, Australia's former minister of foreign affairs Alexander Downer also appears on the register, working as a trade advisor to Britain's Iberian enclave of Gibraltar.

Aussie ex-PM registers as foreign agent over UK role

Britain`s Prince William launched a multi-million-pound environmental prize on Thursday, teaming up with celebrities including footballer Dani Alves and Alibaba founder Jack Ma to launch a prize aimed at tackling the world`s climate problems. 
 
With the high-profile project, William, the Queen`s grandson who is second-in-line to the throne, opened up a new chapter in the royal family`s decades-long environmental campaigning. 
The Earthshot Prize will award five one-million-pound ($1.29-million) prizes each year for the next 10 years under the categories of protecting and restoring nature, cleaner air, reviving oceans, waste-reduction and climate change. 
 
William has recruited a dozen global celebrities to join the Earthshot Prize Council to decide the winners. As well as Brazilian footballer Alves and Chinese entrepreneur Ma, they include British naturalist David Attenborough, Queen Rania of Jordan, Australian actor Cate Blanchett, Colombian singer Shakira and former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres. 
 
William`s grandfather, Queen Elizabeth`s husband Prince Philip, and his father Prince Charles have both spoken for decades about the importance of conservation and the impact of climate change, years before such ideas became mainstream. 
 
William told BBC Radio it was now his responsibility to take on that baton because the world was at a tipping point and he owed it to his children and grandchildren to leave the world in a better condition. 
 
While he had often wondered what his father was "banging on about" he realised now it had been a very hard sell "to predict and see some of the slow-moving catastrophes that we were headed towards". 
 
"This is a generational baton-handling, my grandfather started it, my father has picked it up and really accelerated that and I feel right now that it`s my responsibility, I really feel that we are at a tipping point," he said. 
 
Speaking alongside Attenborough, William said change was critical in the next decade. 
"By 2030 we really hope to have made huge strides in fixing some of the biggest problems the Earth faces," William, 38, said. 
 
"I think that urgency with optimism really creates action. And so the Earthshot Prize is really about harnessing that optimism and that urgency to find solutions to some of the world’s greatest environmental problems." 
 
Nominations open on Nov. 1 ahead of the first awards ceremony in the autumn next year. 
Kensington Palace said the prize drew inspiration from U.S. President John F. Kennedy`s Moonshot, which it said had been synonymous with ambitious and ground-breaking goals since the 1969 moon landing. 
 
Further members of the Earthshot Prize Council will be announced in the coming months.&nbsp;

Britain`s Prince William launched a multi-million-pound environmental prize on Thursday, teaming up with celebrities including footballer Dani Alves and Alibaba founder Jack Ma to launch a prize aimed at tackling the world`s climate problems.

Britain`s Prince William launched a multi-million-pound environmental prize on Thursday, teaming up with celebrities including footballer Dani Alves and Alibaba founder Jack Ma to launch a prize aimed at tackling the world`s climate problems. With the high-profile project, William, the Queen`s grandson who is second-in-line to the throne, opened up a new chapter in the royal family`s decades-long environmental campaigning. The Earthshot Prize will award five one-million-pound ($1.29-million) prizes each year for the next 10 years under the categories of protecting and restoring nature, cleaner air, reviving oceans, waste-reduction and climate change. William has recruited a dozen global celebrities to join the Earthshot Prize Council to decide the winners. As well as Brazilian footballer Alves and Chinese entrepreneur Ma, they include British naturalist David Attenborough, Queen Rania of Jordan, Australian actor Cate Blanchett, Colombian singer Shakira and former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres. William`s grandfather, Queen Elizabeth`s husband Prince Philip, and his father Prince Charles have both spoken for decades about the importance of conservation and the impact of climate change, years before such ideas became mainstream. William told BBC Radio it was now his responsibility to take on that baton because the world was at a tipping point and he owed it to his children and grandchildren to leave the world in a better condition. While he had often wondered what his father was "banging on about" he realised now it had been a very hard sell "to predict and see some of the slow-moving catastrophes that we were headed towards". "This is a generational baton-handling, my grandfather started it, my father has picked it up and really accelerated that and I feel right now that it`s my responsibility, I really feel that we are at a tipping point," he said. Speaking alongside Attenborough, William said change was critical in the next decade. "By 2030 we really hope to have made huge strides in fixing some of the biggest problems the Earth faces," William, 38, said. "I think that urgency with optimism really creates action. And so the Earthshot Prize is really about harnessing that optimism and that urgency to find solutions to some of the world’s greatest environmental problems." Nominations open on Nov. 1 ahead of the first awards ceremony in the autumn next year. Kensington Palace said the prize drew inspiration from U.S. President John F. Kennedy`s Moonshot, which it said had been synonymous with ambitious and ground-breaking goals since the 1969 moon landing. Further members of the Earthshot Prize Council will be announced in the coming months.

Britain's Prince William recruits celebrities to launch global environment prize

Cornwall, in England’s far southwest, is known for antique fishing villages and snug, cliff-lined beaches. Soon it may be the scene of something very different: a small but growing space industry.

One day in a year or two, a modified Boeing 747 is expected to lift off from the long runway at the region’s airport, head out over the Atlantic Ocean and soar into the stratosphere. There, a rocket will drop from below a wing, fire its engines and ferry a load of small satellites into orbit, while the plane returns to the airport.

After six years of planning and fundraising, construction of a bare-bones spaceport, budgeted at about 22 million pounds ($28 million), is beginning this month at the airport in Newquay.

The anchor tenant is expected to be Virgin Orbit, a part of Richard Branson’s Virgin universe. Its selling point: Putting satellites into orbit via aircraft can be done faster and with less infrastructure than earthbound rockets. It plans to bring its 747 (called the Cosmic Girl) and other gear being tested in the Mojave Desert to Britain with the help of 7.35 million pounds from the U.K. Space Agency.

“At the beginning, people laughed at us,” said Melissa Thorpe, head of engagement for Spaceport Cornwall, the developer. “It took a lot of work to convince a lot of people.”

Among the better arguments: The spaceport, which is owned by the local government, could eventually provide 150 good jobs in what, despite its charm, is a region dependent on low-paid, seasonal work from tourism.

Britain is doubling down on the always risky space business after, some would say, years of neglect. Besides Cornwall, the government is putting money behind several other potential launch sites, including one on the remote north coast of Scotland, which is being tailored for an environmentally friendly rocket to be manufactured nearby.

This is all new for a country that does not have a deep history of rocketry or launching satellites into space. The case for spaceports in Britain is far from proven. In fact, some analysts say there are already too many such facilities, including in the United States.

The first — and, to date, only — British-made satellite-bearing rocket was launched from Woomera in Australia in 1971. That program, called Black Arrow, was scrapped after four launches for not being cost effective.

“You do have to pinch yourself that the U.K is within a few years of launching satellites,” said Doug Millard, space curator at the Science Museum in London. “That is something that never would have been considered not so long ago.”

A big reason for the turnaround is Brexit. The decision to pull away from the European Union has heightened awareness that Britain, which has largely relied on European and American space programs for services like satellite navigation, would be at risk without its own space infrastructure. This year the space agency’s budget was bumped up 10% to 556 million pounds (still a small fraction of NASA’s $22 billion).

Brexit has provided “a real stimulus to get us to think about what we actually need as a country in space,” said Graham Turnock, chief executive of the U.K. Space Agency.

But the decision to look skyward also coincides with the growing commercial use of space around the world, promoted by deep-pocketed investors like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Branson, but also pushed along by a range of less prominent entrepreneurs and businesses.

Key has been the emergence of much smaller and cheaper satellites, some the size of a shoe box and costing a relatively small $1 million or less. Some are used for observation, such as measuring how much oil is stored in a tank farm, valuable data for energy investors. Others are planned to provide internet connectivity on earth and a key link in the burgeoning Internet of Things, essential for self-driving cars and smart kitchens.

“We are right at the beginning of this journey,” said Mark Boggett, chief executive of London-based Seraphim Capital, which is managing a $90 million space fund.

The government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson put its own chips on such efforts by agreeing in July to spend 500 million pounds to acquire 45% of OneWeb, a satellite operator.

OneWeb filed for bankruptcy this year, but is involved in the hottest area of the satellite industry: the creation of so-called constellations, blizzards of coordinated satellites in low orbit, designed to provide blanket coverage for purposes like extending the internet to remote regions.

OneWeb is building its satellites at a factory co-owned by Airbus in Florida. The hope in the British government and space community is that OneWeb will build a future generation of satellites in Britain.

Overall, the government is trying to support activity in what is known as “new space,” a more agile and commercial approach to an industry traditionally dominated by government and military programs.

“OneWeb, and what we are doing on launch, is all about taking a really big role in that new economy,” Turnock said.

While Britain has participated in prestigious space activities like making a Mars rover for an upcoming European-Russian mission, it has catching up to do. Still, space experts say the direction the industry is moving could play to its advantage.

The launch vehicles that Britain is trying to nurture would be suited for smaller satellites that operate in low-Earth orbit, around 800 miles up, compared with about 22,000 miles for telecommunications giants that sometimes cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

Smaller satellites also have much shorter life spans than the larger ones, implying the need for more of them, and more launches. Virgin Orbit says it plans to charge $12 million to take a nearly 700-pound payload of satellites into space.

Having nearby launch sites will fill a need for companies like In-Space Missions, a space service firm in Hampshire, outside London. Doug Liddle, the chief executive, said the company went all the way to New Zealand to launch a satellite this year, only to lose it when the rocket failed.

The new space economy is also more affordable for medium-size countries like Britain.

“The small-satellite approach now means we are not going to spend our entire national budget on our space program,” said Martin Sweeting, a founder and executive chairman of a British university spinoff called Surrey Satellite Technology, a pioneer in small satellites.

Space is also becoming far more accessible to startups like Open Cosmos, which offers to build satellites and arrange their launch and early operation at a cost of $10 million or less. The company is one of many technology businesses clustered in Harwell, a community near the University of Oxford.

Among the neighbors are clients like Lacuna Space, which plans to deploy satellites for a range of uses like tracking cattle on vast Latin American ranches, and potential suppliers like Oxford Space Systems, which builds satellite-mounted antennas that unfurl once in orbit to send data to ground receivers.

“It is a small ecosystem. Everybody knows each other,” said Rafel Jordá Siquier, 31, founder of Open Cosmos.

But not all the companies are startups. Airbus, the giant French maker of commercial aircraft, is also a major manufacturer of satellites and employs 3,500 people doing space work in Britain.

The company had been nervous about Brexit’s implications for those operations, but the government’s move into OneWeb offered some reassurance.

“The investment in OneWeb and focus of the U.K. on space is actually making Airbus go, ‘Look, the U.K. is a really good place to invest,’” said Richard Franklin, head of space and defense for Britain at Airbus.

That said, Britain’s ambitions face large unknowns and risks.

The launch technologies it is counting on are unproven. Virgin Orbit’s first test this year in the United States sputtered when the main rocket engine shut down. And the coronavirus pandemic has put huge financial strain on Branson’s empire, including the flagship, Virgin Atlantic. To help bolster the finances of the airline and other companies, the entrepreneur sold around $500 million of shares in Virgin Galactic, a space tourism business.

But Will Pomerantz, Virgin Orbit’s vice president for special projects, said the 747 would come to Cornwall “when they are ready and they need us.”

The satellite market is also both competitive and turbulent. Musk, Tesla’s founder, whose SpaceX has carried U.S. astronauts to the International Space Station and returned them safely to Earth, is building his own mega constellation satellite system, Starlink. Other technology companies are likely to follow, while many countries can now build satellites.

“One of the beautiful things about small sats is that anyone can make one,” said Alexandre Najjar, senior consultant at Euroconsult, a market research firm.

Still, Britain’s space entrepreneurs say having a launchpad near home might give them an edge.

”If we can get in a van and drive our spacecraft up to Scotland or Cornwall, the whole process becomes much more straightforward,” said Liddle, the satellite builder.

Cornwall, in England’s far southwest, is known for antique fishing villages and snug, cliff-lined beaches. Soon it may be the scene of something very different: a small but growing space industry.

Cornwall, in England’s far southwest, is known for antique fishing villages and snug, cliff-lined beaches. Soon it may be the scene of something very different: a small but growing space industry. One day in a year or two, a modified Boeing 747 is expected to lift off from the long runway at the region’s airport, head out over the Atlantic Ocean and soar into the stratosphere. There, a rocket will drop from below a wing, fire its engines and ferry a load of small satellites into orbit, while the plane returns to the airport. After six years of planning and fundraising, construction of a bare-bones spaceport, budgeted at about 22 million pounds ($28 million), is beginning this month at the airport in Newquay. The anchor tenant is expected to be Virgin Orbit, a part of Richard Branson’s Virgin universe. Its selling point: Putting satellites into orbit via aircraft can be done faster and with less infrastructure than earthbound rockets. It plans to bring its 747 (called the Cosmic Girl) and other gear being tested in the Mojave Desert to Britain with the help of 7.35 million pounds from the U.K. Space Agency. “At the beginning, people laughed at us,” said Melissa Thorpe, head of engagement for Spaceport Cornwall, the developer. “It took a lot of work to convince a lot of people.” Among the better arguments: The spaceport, which is owned by the local government, could eventually provide 150 good jobs in what, despite its charm, is a region dependent on low-paid, seasonal work from tourism. Britain is doubling down on the always risky space business after, some would say, years of neglect. Besides Cornwall, the government is putting money behind several other potential launch sites, including one on the remote north coast of Scotland, which is being tailored for an environmentally friendly rocket to be manufactured nearby. This is all new for a country that does not have a deep history of rocketry or launching satellites into space. The case for spaceports in Britain is far from proven. In fact, some analysts say there are already too many such facilities, including in the United States. The first — and, to date, only — British-made satellite-bearing rocket was launched from Woomera in Australia in 1971. That program, called Black Arrow, was scrapped after four launches for not being cost effective. “You do have to pinch yourself that the U.K is within a few years of launching satellites,” said Doug Millard, space curator at the Science Museum in London. “That is something that never would have been considered not so long ago.” A big reason for the turnaround is Brexit. The decision to pull away from the European Union has heightened awareness that Britain, which has largely relied on European and American space programs for services like satellite navigation, would be at risk without its own space infrastructure. This year the space agency’s budget was bumped up 10% to 556 million pounds (still a small fraction of NASA’s $22 billion). Brexit has provided “a real stimulus to get us to think about what we actually need as a country in space,” said Graham Turnock, chief executive of the U.K. Space Agency. But the decision to look skyward also coincides with the growing commercial use of space around the world, promoted by deep-pocketed investors like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Branson, but also pushed along by a range of less prominent entrepreneurs and businesses. Key has been the emergence of much smaller and cheaper satellites, some the size of a shoe box and costing a relatively small $1 million or less. Some are used for observation, such as measuring how much oil is stored in a tank farm, valuable data for energy investors. Others are planned to provide internet connectivity on earth and a key link in the burgeoning Internet of Things, essential for self-driving cars and smart kitchens. “We are right at the beginning of this journey,” said Mark Boggett, chief executive of London-based Seraphim Capital, which is managing a $90 million space fund. The government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson put its own chips on such efforts by agreeing in July to spend 500 million pounds to acquire 45% of OneWeb, a satellite operator. OneWeb filed for bankruptcy this year, but is involved in the hottest area of the satellite industry: the creation of so-called constellations, blizzards of coordinated satellites in low orbit, designed to provide blanket coverage for purposes like extending the internet to remote regions. OneWeb is building its satellites at a factory co-owned by Airbus in Florida. The hope in the British government and space community is that OneWeb will build a future generation of satellites in Britain. Overall, the government is trying to support activity in what is known as “new space,” a more agile and commercial approach to an industry traditionally dominated by government and military programs. “OneWeb, and what we are doing on launch, is all about taking a really big role in that new economy,” Turnock said. While Britain has participated in prestigious space activities like making a Mars rover for an upcoming European-Russian mission, it has catching up to do. Still, space experts say the direction the industry is moving could play to its advantage. The launch vehicles that Britain is trying to nurture would be suited for smaller satellites that operate in low-Earth orbit, around 800 miles up, compared with about 22,000 miles for telecommunications giants that sometimes cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Smaller satellites also have much shorter life spans than the larger ones, implying the need for more of them, and more launches. Virgin Orbit says it plans to charge $12 million to take a nearly 700-pound payload of satellites into space. Having nearby launch sites will fill a need for companies like In-Space Missions, a space service firm in Hampshire, outside London. Doug Liddle, the chief executive, said the company went all the way to New Zealand to launch a satellite this year, only to lose it when the rocket failed. The new space economy is also more affordable for medium-size countries like Britain. “The small-satellite approach now means we are not going to spend our entire national budget on our space program,” said Martin Sweeting, a founder and executive chairman of a British university spinoff called Surrey Satellite Technology, a pioneer in small satellites. Space is also becoming far more accessible to startups like Open Cosmos, which offers to build satellites and arrange their launch and early operation at a cost of $10 million or less. The company is one of many technology businesses clustered in Harwell, a community near the University of Oxford. Among the neighbors are clients like Lacuna Space, which plans to deploy satellites for a range of uses like tracking cattle on vast Latin American ranches, and potential suppliers like Oxford Space Systems, which builds satellite-mounted antennas that unfurl once in orbit to send data to ground receivers. “It is a small ecosystem. Everybody knows each other,” said Rafel Jordá Siquier, 31, founder of Open Cosmos. But not all the companies are startups. Airbus, the giant French maker of commercial aircraft, is also a major manufacturer of satellites and employs 3,500 people doing space work in Britain. The company had been nervous about Brexit’s implications for those operations, but the government’s move into OneWeb offered some reassurance. “The investment in OneWeb and focus of the U.K. on space is actually making Airbus go, ‘Look, the U.K. is a really good place to invest,’” said Richard Franklin, head of space and defense for Britain at Airbus. That said, Britain’s ambitions face large unknowns and risks. The launch technologies it is counting on are unproven. Virgin Orbit’s first test this year in the United States sputtered when the main rocket engine shut down. And the coronavirus pandemic has put huge financial strain on Branson’s empire, including the flagship, Virgin Atlantic. To help bolster the finances of the airline and other companies, the entrepreneur sold around $500 million of shares in Virgin Galactic, a space tourism business. But Will Pomerantz, Virgin Orbit’s vice president for special projects, said the 747 would come to Cornwall “when they are ready and they need us.” The satellite market is also both competitive and turbulent. Musk, Tesla’s founder, whose SpaceX has carried U.S. astronauts to the International Space Station and returned them safely to Earth, is building his own mega constellation satellite system, Starlink. Other technology companies are likely to follow, while many countries can now build satellites. “One of the beautiful things about small sats is that anyone can make one,” said Alexandre Najjar, senior consultant at Euroconsult, a market research firm. Still, Britain’s space entrepreneurs say having a launchpad near home might give them an edge. ”If we can get in a van and drive our spacecraft up to Scotland or Cornwall, the whole process becomes much more straightforward,” said Liddle, the satellite builder.

Britain is getting ready for its space race

Britain's government has launched an investigation into why a technical issue with its test and trace programme had not been identified sooner, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday.

Britain reported a jump in COVID-19 cases after a technical issue meant that more than 15,000 test results had not been transferred into computer systems on time, including for contact tracers, a response that is seen as key to control the virus.

"There was a technical issue in the process that transfers positive test results into the reporting dashboards ... that was resolved and all of the cases have been fed into the contact-tracing system," the spokesman said, adding that additional contact tracers were being used.

"An investigation is under way to determine why the issue was not identified sooner."

Britain's government has launched an investigation into why a technical issue with its test and trace programme had not been identified sooner, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday.

Britain's government has launched an investigation into why a technical issue with its test and trace programme had not been identified sooner, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday. Britain reported a jump in COVID-19 cases after a technical issue meant that more than 15,000 test results had not been transferred into computer systems on time, including for contact tracers, a response that is seen as key to control the virus. "There was a technical issue in the process that transfers positive test results into the reporting dashboards ... that was resolved and all of the cases have been fed into the contact-tracing system," the spokesman said, adding that additional contact tracers were being used. "An investigation is under way to determine why the issue was not identified sooner."

Britain opens investigation into coronavirus test and trace glitch

As the deadline for the Brexit deal approaches British PM Boris Johnson has expressed his optimism that the deal will come through. Watch report.

The Brexit Deal: Will Britain crash out of single market with no deal

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was optimistic that a Brexit deal could be reached as he prepared for talks on Saturday with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen to determine the next steps in the fraught negotiations.

The comments came&nbsp;ahead of a videoconference with von der Leyen to take stock of progress made in the latest round of talks.

According to The Daily Telegraph, Johnson said the prospects of a year-end deal to avoid an abrupt Brexit separation "are very good if everybody just exercises some common sense and looks at the deal that is there to be done".&nbsp;

British and EU negotiators said Friday trade discussions remained deadlocked on key areas, with London urging Brussels to give ground to avoid a damaging "no-deal" at the end of the year.

Both sides have pinpointed a European summit on October 15 as the latest an agreement could be reached for it to be ratified in time for it take effect at the end of December.

But von der Leyen has already warned against a deal "at any price".

After the ninth round of talks in the tortuous process broke up in Brussels, with renewed commitments to find a way out of the impasse, there was clear acknowledgement the clock was ticking.

Despite indicating there were signs of agreement in a number of areas, UK negotiator David Frost warned disagreements over competition rules and fishing may be "impossible" to overcome without the EU giving ground.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she believed a deal was still possible, though she said that the next days would be crucial.

The von der Leyen and Johnson call also follows the launch of legal action by Brussels in response to the British government's attempt to overturn parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement.

On Tuesday, British MPs backed a bill to regulate the UK's internal market from January 1, when Britain completes its post-Brexit transition period and leaves the EU single market and customs union.

Johnson has pushed on with the legislation despite concerns in his own party and a warning from Washington that it puts Irish peace at risk.

(with inputs)

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was optimistic that a Brexit deal could be reached as he prepared for talks on Saturday with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen to determine the next steps in the fraught negotiations.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was optimistic that a Brexit deal could be reached as he prepared for talks on Saturday with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen to determine the next steps in the fraught negotiations. The comments came ahead of a videoconference with von der Leyen to take stock of progress made in the latest round of talks. According to The Daily Telegraph, Johnson said the prospects of a year-end deal to avoid an abrupt Brexit separation "are very good if everybody just exercises some common sense and looks at the deal that is there to be done". British and EU negotiators said Friday trade discussions remained deadlocked on key areas, with London urging Brussels to give ground to avoid a damaging "no-deal" at the end of the year. Both sides have pinpointed a European summit on October 15 as the latest an agreement could be reached for it to be ratified in time for it take effect at the end of December. But von der Leyen has already warned against a deal "at any price". After the ninth round of talks in the tortuous process broke up in Brussels, with renewed commitments to find a way out of the impasse, there was clear acknowledgement the clock was ticking. Despite indicating there were signs of agreement in a number of areas, UK negotiator David Frost warned disagreements over competition rules and fishing may be "impossible" to overcome without the EU giving ground. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she believed a deal was still possible, though she said that the next days would be crucial. The von der Leyen and Johnson call also follows the launch of legal action by Brussels in response to the British government's attempt to overturn parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement. On Tuesday, British MPs backed a bill to regulate the UK's internal market from January 1, when Britain completes its post-Brexit transition period and leaves the EU single market and customs union. Johnson has pushed on with the legislation despite concerns in his own party and a warning from Washington that it puts Irish peace at risk. (with inputs)

UK PM Johnson 'optimistic' over Brexit deal ahead of talks with EU chief

Britain`s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have called for an end to "structural racism", saying it holds back young people of colour, in their latest foray into politically sensitive issues usually avoided by the British royal family. 
 
In an interview for The Evening Standard newspaper, Harry said Britain could be a better place if white people understood more about those "of a different coloured skin". 
 
"For as long as structural racism exists, there will be generations of young people of colour who do not start their lives with the same equality of opportunity as their white peers," the couple wrote in an article for the paper. 
 
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made several comments on race issues since stepping down from their roles as working members of the royal family at the end of March and moving to California. 
 
Harry, 36, told the Standard he had been awakened to the issues facing Black and other ethnic minorities since meeting Meghan, whose father is white and mother is African American. 
 
"I wasn’t aware of so many of the issues and so many of the problems within the UK and also globally as well. I thought I did but I didn’t," he said. 
 
"It is not about pointing the finger, it is not about blame. I will be the first person to say, again, this is about learning," Harry told the paper. 
 
"And about how we can make it better. I think it is a really exciting time in British culture and British history, and in world culture," added Harry, who is Queen Elizabeth`s grandson and sixth-in-line to the throne. 
 
"A BEAUTIFUL THING" 
 
The interview, carried out by video from their new home, coincides with the start of Black History Month in Britain which celebrates the contribution of Black people to the nation. 
 
However, the Sussexes have faced accusations in the British media that they are not respecting the tradition that the royal family does not comment on political matters. 
 
Last week, they encouraged Americans to vote in the November presidential election, with Harry saying it was "vital that we reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity". 
 
Critics said his comments could be understood as a call to vote against U.S. President Donald Trump. Buckingham Palace said the remarks represented Harry`s personal views. 
 
The paper said Harry had accepted in the interview that their views "may seem controversial".

In June, Meghan, 39, said she was sorry that children had to grow up in a world where racism still existed and that events in the United States after the death of George Floyd were "devastating". 
 
Asked about the ongoing Black Lives Matters protests, Meghan told the paper they had been inflammatory for a lot of people, but added: "When there is just peaceful protest and when there is the intention of just wanting community and just wanting the recognition of equality, then that is a beautiful thing".

Britain`s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have called for an end to "structural racism", saying it holds back young people of colour, in their latest foray into politically sensitive issues usually avoided by the British royal family.

Britain`s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have called for an end to "structural racism", saying it holds back young people of colour, in their latest foray into politically sensitive issues usually avoided by the British royal family. In an interview for The Evening Standard newspaper, Harry said Britain could be a better place if white people understood more about those "of a different coloured skin". "For as long as structural racism exists, there will be generations of young people of colour who do not start their lives with the same equality of opportunity as their white peers," the couple wrote in an article for the paper. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made several comments on race issues since stepping down from their roles as working members of the royal family at the end of March and moving to California. Harry, 36, told the Standard he had been awakened to the issues facing Black and other ethnic minorities since meeting Meghan, whose father is white and mother is African American. "I wasn’t aware of so many of the issues and so many of the problems within the UK and also globally as well. I thought I did but I didn’t," he said. "It is not about pointing the finger, it is not about blame. I will be the first person to say, again, this is about learning," Harry told the paper. "And about how we can make it better. I think it is a really exciting time in British culture and British history, and in world culture," added Harry, who is Queen Elizabeth`s grandson and sixth-in-line to the throne. "A BEAUTIFUL THING" The interview, carried out by video from their new home, coincides with the start of Black History Month in Britain which celebrates the contribution of Black people to the nation. However, the Sussexes have faced accusations in the British media that they are not respecting the tradition that the royal family does not comment on political matters. Last week, they encouraged Americans to vote in the November presidential election, with Harry saying it was "vital that we reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity". Critics said his comments could be understood as a call to vote against U.S. President Donald Trump. Buckingham Palace said the remarks represented Harry`s personal views. The paper said Harry had accepted in the interview that their views "may seem controversial". In June, Meghan, 39, said she was sorry that children had to grow up in a world where racism still existed and that events in the United States after the death of George Floyd were "devastating". Asked about the ongoing Black Lives Matters protests, Meghan told the paper they had been inflammatory for a lot of people, but added: "When there is just peaceful protest and when there is the intention of just wanting community and just wanting the recognition of equality, then that is a beautiful thing".

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle urge Britain to end 'structural racism'

The UK will face severe disruption at its ports and food shortages if it fails to strike a trade deal with the European Union before the end of the year. Watch report.

How will the post-Brexit Britain look?

James Bond has the licence to kill, and he has never been shy to use it. In just 24 movies, 007 has killed 597 people. Real life British agents are not Bond. And they do not have the licence to kill.

A former boss of MI-5 once said, “assassination is not part of the policy of Her Majesty's government”.

But this may soon be history. The United Kingdom is mulling a new law which could arm British spies with the licence to kill, and commit necessary crimes.

What crimes?

The covert Human Intelligence Sources Bill does not explain. Reports say the idea is to take on spies, saboteurs, and hackers from countries like Russia, North Korea and Iran.

In 2019, a British court ruled that MI5 spies can kill in the line of duty, and they will not be prosecuted unless they fail to justify the killing.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/brexit-provisions-to-stay-in-internal-market-bill-as-uk-shows-no-indication-of-withdrawal-330985" hreflang="en">Brexit provisions to stay in Internal Market Bill as UK shows 'no indication' of withdrawal</a>

Human rights groups said that the move could authorise killing on British soil.

Killings by spies are brushed under the carpet, and most countries do not have laws justifying these killings.

In 2018, Australia was mulling arming its spies with the licence to kill. The CIA was given the licence to kill after 9/11 attacks.

The poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Sripal in Salisbury in 2018 was a case of Russian spies exercising their licence to kill.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/british-artist-is-painting-worlds-largest-canvas-to-raise-money-for-childrens-charities-330982" hreflang="en">British artist is painting world's largest canvas to raise money for children's charities</a>

A DailyMail report says that Israel's Mossad has killed more people than the agents of any other country since the second World War - more than 800, at least.

Are these cases of assassination or self defence? Or are the spies killing people to safeguard their country?

The licence to kill is often justified with one question - Who will guard the guardians?

James Bond has the licence to kill, and he has never been shy to use it. In just 24 movies, 007 has killed 597 people. Real life British agents are not Bond. And they do not have the licence to kill.

James Bond has the licence to kill, and he has never been shy to use it. In just 24 movies, 007 has killed 597 people. Real life British agents are not Bond. And they do not have the licence to kill. A former boss of MI-5 once said, “assassination is not part of the policy of Her Majesty's government”. But this may soon be history. The United Kingdom is mulling a new law which could arm British spies with the licence to kill, and commit necessary crimes. What crimes? The covert Human Intelligence Sources Bill does not explain. Reports say the idea is to take on spies, saboteurs, and hackers from countries like Russia, North Korea and Iran. In 2019, a British court ruled that MI5 spies can kill in the line of duty, and they will not be prosecuted unless they fail to justify the killing. Also read: Brexit provisions to stay in Internal Market Bill as UK shows 'no indication' of withdrawal Human rights groups said that the move could authorise killing on British soil. Killings by spies are brushed under the carpet, and most countries do not have laws justifying these killings. In 2018, Australia was mulling arming its spies with the licence to kill. The CIA was given the licence to kill after 9/11 attacks. The poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Sripal in Salisbury in 2018 was a case of Russian spies exercising their licence to kill. Also read: British artist is painting world's largest canvas to raise money for children's charities A DailyMail report says that Israel's Mossad has killed more people than the agents of any other country since the second World War - more than 800, at least. Are these cases of assassination or self defence? Or are the spies killing people to safeguard their country? The licence to kill is often justified with one question - Who will guard the guardians?

United Kingdom mulling a new law to give its spies licence to kill

An artist from the United Kingdom is hoping to raise more than $30 million for children’s charities by painting the world’s largest canvas. And guess what? He intends auction it in 60 sections.

The piece is titled “The Journey of Humanity”, and will measure 2,000 square metres as reported by Reuters. Additionally, it will benefit global organisations like UNICEF, UNESCO, Global Gift Foundation, Dubai Cares, etc.&nbsp;

<h6><img alt="pppp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1396e400-7fbf-447f-ad9e-61f846898769" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29_155.jpg" /> 
A view shows the giant canvas painted by British artist Sacha Jafri, who partnered with UNICEF and UNESCO looking to raise up $30 million from selling the painting and donating them to children's charities, at The Atlantis hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, September 20, 2020 | Reuters</h6>

The artist, Sacha Jafri was staying in the United Arab Emirates when the COVID-19 lockdown was announced. Jafri intends to imbibe contributions by children from across the globe.&nbsp;His work is being painted in a ballroom at Dubai’s Atlantis resort.

Given the times, the themes are isolation and connection.

"Children do not have the tools to deal with what they're going through right now," Jafri told Reuters.

"I wanted to put a call out to the children of the world, to basically give them a chance to express themselves emotionally”, Jafri added.

<h6><img alt=" view shows the giant canvas painted by British artist Sacha Jafri, who partnered with UNICEF and UNESCO looking to raise up $30 million from selling the painting and donating them to children's charities, at The Atlantis hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, September 20, 2020" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c4a65250-4a24-4f3a-bf19-84ed58c9472d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29_108.jpg" />A view shows the giant canvas painted by British artist Sacha Jafri, who partnered with UNICEF and UNESCO looking to raise up $30 million from selling the painting and donating them to children's charities, at The Atlantis hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, September 20, 2020 | Reuters</h6>

The canvas was painted over six months and used 1,200 gallons of paint, with 1,000 brushes. It will now tour the UAE.

The artist, hoping to use philanthropic connections cultivated over 25 years, is eyeing $30 million for the auctioning of the piece.

Owing to COVID-19, economies around the around are struggling.

"We pray and we hope that's going to be the case. And if not, whatever comes is so welcome," Maria Bravo of the Global Gift Foundation told Reuters.&nbsp;

"At this moment anything helps truly. We had to cancel all our galas this year. We had to create new ways to fundraise”, Bravo added.

An artist from the United Kingdom is hoping to raise more than $30 million for children’s charities by painting the world’s largest canvas. And guess what? He intends auction it in 60 sections.

An artist from the United Kingdom is hoping to raise more than $30 million for children’s charities by painting the world’s largest canvas. And guess what? He intends auction it in 60 sections. The piece is titled “The Journey of Humanity”, and will measure 2,000 square metres as reported by Reuters. Additionally, it will benefit global organisations like UNICEF, UNESCO, Global Gift Foundation, Dubai Cares, etc. A view shows the giant canvas painted by British artist Sacha Jafri, who partnered with UNICEF and UNESCO looking to raise up $30 million from selling the painting and donating them to children's charities, at The Atlantis hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, September 20, 2020 | Reuters The artist, Sacha Jafri was staying in the United Arab Emirates when the COVID-19 lockdown was announced. Jafri intends to imbibe contributions by children from across the globe. His work is being painted in a ballroom at Dubai’s Atlantis resort. Given the times, the themes are isolation and connection. "Children do not have the tools to deal with what they're going through right now," Jafri told Reuters. "I wanted to put a call out to the children of the world, to basically give them a chance to express themselves emotionally”, Jafri added. A view shows the giant canvas painted by British artist Sacha Jafri, who partnered with UNICEF and UNESCO looking to raise up $30 million from selling the painting and donating them to children's charities, at The Atlantis hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, September 20, 2020 | Reuters The canvas was painted over six months and used 1,200 gallons of paint, with 1,000 brushes. It will now tour the UAE. The artist, hoping to use philanthropic connections cultivated over 25 years, is eyeing $30 million for the auctioning of the piece. Owing to COVID-19, economies around the around are struggling. "We pray and we hope that's going to be the case. And if not, whatever comes is so welcome," Maria Bravo of the Global Gift Foundation told Reuters. "At this moment anything helps truly. We had to cancel all our galas this year. We had to create new ways to fundraise”, Bravo added.

British artist is painting world's largest canvas to raise money for children's charities

Sri Lanka has shipped back to Britain container-loads of waste that the government said was brought into the island in violation of international laws governing the shipping of hazardous material.

Sri Lanka returns 21 containers of illegal waste to Britain

UK's Prince Charles has issued an urgent plea in favour of the youth. He fears the youth are being severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Prince Charles said that at least 1 million young people could be in urgent need of help as he reflected upon the work of his Trust charity in this area over nearly 45 years.

He wrote this in an article for 'The Sunday Telegraph'.

"Over all these years since the Trust was launched, there has never been an easy time. However, there has never been a time as uniquely challenging as the present, when the pandemic has left perhaps another million young people needing urgent help to protect their futures," he wrote.

"The task ahead is unquestionably vast, but it is not insurmountable," he said.

He compared the current crisis to "other times when hope was scarce", citing the concerns over youth unemployment in the 1970s. He, notably, had then set up the Prince's Trust to help people aged between 11 and 30 seek employment opportunities and life skills.&nbsp;

He also reflected on the Young People Relief Fund set up by the Trust to provide extra support to young people affected by the impact of the virus.

"As we face the task before us, our experience ever since those days of the 1970s shows us that we have a model that works, that we have the skills and knowledge and organisation to make a crucial difference, and that we have the help of so many generous supporters who make it all possible," he said.

"Most of all, we know that each of the young people we seek to help has the potential to achieve great things, just like those who have gone before have proved, a million times over," he concluded.

The Prince of Wales had to go into self-isolation in March after testing positive for coronavirus.

UK's Prince Charles has issued an urgent plea in favour of the youth. He fears the youth are being severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Prince Charles said that at least 1 million young people could be in urgent need of help as he reflected upon the work of his Trust charity in this area over nearly 45 years.

UK's Prince Charles has issued an urgent plea in favour of the youth. He fears the youth are being severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Prince Charles said that at least 1 million young people could be in urgent need of help as he reflected upon the work of his Trust charity in this area over nearly 45 years. He wrote this in an article for 'The Sunday Telegraph'. "Over all these years since the Trust was launched, there has never been an easy time. However, there has never been a time as uniquely challenging as the present, when the pandemic has left perhaps another million young people needing urgent help to protect their futures," he wrote. "The task ahead is unquestionably vast, but it is not insurmountable," he said. He compared the current crisis to "other times when hope was scarce", citing the concerns over youth unemployment in the 1970s. He, notably, had then set up the Prince's Trust to help people aged between 11 and 30 seek employment opportunities and life skills. He also reflected on the Young People Relief Fund set up by the Trust to provide extra support to young people affected by the impact of the virus. "As we face the task before us, our experience ever since those days of the 1970s shows us that we have a model that works, that we have the skills and knowledge and organisation to make a crucial difference, and that we have the help of so many generous supporters who make it all possible," he said. "Most of all, we know that each of the young people we seek to help has the potential to achieve great things, just like those who have gone before have proved, a million times over," he concluded. The Prince of Wales had to go into self-isolation in March after testing positive for coronavirus.

Britain's Prince Charles warns of coronavirus impact on youth

Sri Lanka has shipped back to Britain container-loads of waste that the government said was brought into the island in violation of international laws governing the shipping of hazardous material.

The 21 containers -- holding up to 260 tonnes of rubbish -- first arrived by ship in the capital Colombo's main port between September 2017 and March 2018, customs told AFP, adding that they departed Sri Lanka on Saturday.

They were meant to carry used mattresses, carpets and rugs, but had also contained hospital waste, officials said.

"The shipper had agreed to take back these 21 containers," customs spokesman Sunil Jayaratne told AFP on Sunday.

Another 242 containers from Britain, which the government said was carrying illegal garbage in violation of international law, remains abandoned at the same port and at a free trade zone outside the capital.

They arrived in 2017 and 2018.

The government is currently engaged in legal action against the shipper to have the 242 containers removed from the country.

A Sri Lankan investigation last year into nearly 3,000 tonnes of illegally imported hazardous waste found the importer had reshipped about 180 tonnes to India and Dubai in 2017 and 2018.

Several Asian countries, sick of being the wealthy world's rubbish dump, have in the past two years turned back container-loads of waste from foreign shores.

(with inputs)

Sri Lanka has shipped back to Britain container-loads of waste that the government said was brought into the island in violation of international laws governing the shipping of hazardous material. The 21 containers -- holding up to 260 tonnes of rubbish -- first arrived by ship in the capital Colombo's main port between September 2017 and March 2018, customs told AFP, adding that they departed Sri Lanka on Saturday. They were meant to carry used mattresses, carpets and rugs, but had also contained hospital waste, officials said. "The shipper had agreed to take back these 21 containers," customs spokesman Sunil Jayaratne told AFP on Sunday. Another 242 containers from Britain, which the government said was carrying illegal garbage in violation of international law, remains abandoned at the same port and at a free trade zone outside the capital. They arrived in 2017 and 2018. The government is currently engaged in legal action against the shipper to have the 242 containers removed from the country. A Sri Lankan investigation last year into nearly 3,000 tonnes of illegally imported hazardous waste found the importer had reshipped about 180 tonnes to India and Dubai in 2017 and 2018. Several Asian countries, sick of being the wealthy world's rubbish dump, have in the past two years turned back container-loads of waste from foreign shores. (with inputs)

Sri Lanka returns containers of illegal waste to Britain

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has decided to impose 'work from home' guidelines wherever possible, and to curb timings for bars and restaurants to tackle a fast-spreading second coronavirus wave, but the opposition accused him of losing control.

Notably, the United Kingdom is already under some form of COVID-19 restriction, and Johnson will tighten measures while stopping short of another full lockdown like he imposed in March, according to Reuters.

Johnson will hold emergency meetings with ministers to zero in on more possibilities.

Reuters says Johnson will now advise them to stay at home if they can. He will also order all pubs, bars, restaurants and other hospitality sites across England to start closing at 10 pm from Thursday.

The new curbs will restrict the hospitality sector to table service only, though Gove said he wanted those who could not work from home - for example in manufacturing, construction and retail - to continue to work from COVID-secure workplaces.

It was unclear if the measures would be enough to tackle Britain's second wave, which government scientists warned could reach 50,000 new cases per day by mid-October.

The United Kingdom already has the biggest official COVID-19 death toll in Europe - and the fifth largest in the world - while it is borrowing record amounts to pump emergency money through the damaged economy. 
&nbsp;

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has decided to impose 'work from home' guidelines wherever possible, and to curb timings for bars and restaurants to tackle a fast-spreading second coronavirus wave, but the opposition accused him of losing control.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has decided to impose 'work from home' guidelines wherever possible, and to curb timings for bars and restaurants to tackle a fast-spreading second coronavirus wave, but the opposition accused him of losing control. Notably, the United Kingdom is already under some form of COVID-19 restriction, and Johnson will tighten measures while stopping short of another full lockdown like he imposed in March, according to Reuters. Johnson will hold emergency meetings with ministers to zero in on more possibilities. Reuters says Johnson will now advise them to stay at home if they can. He will also order all pubs, bars, restaurants and other hospitality sites across England to start closing at 10 pm from Thursday. The new curbs will restrict the hospitality sector to table service only, though Gove said he wanted those who could not work from home - for example in manufacturing, construction and retail - to continue to work from COVID-secure workplaces. It was unclear if the measures would be enough to tackle Britain's second wave, which government scientists warned could reach 50,000 new cases per day by mid-October. The United Kingdom already has the biggest official COVID-19 death toll in Europe - and the fifth largest in the world - while it is borrowing record amounts to pump emergency money through the damaged economy.

Boris Johnson starts shutting down Britain again as coronavirus spreads

India is all set to get back 15th Century Idols of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman&nbsp;from UK. The idols were stolen from a temple in Tamil Nadu in 1978. The temple was built-in Vijayanagara period.

In August 2019, Indian high commission in London was informed by India Pride Project that 4 antique idols --Shri Ram, Sita, Lakshman&nbsp;and Hanuman, stolen from India, may be in UK.&nbsp;

The Indian mission raised the matter with Art and Antique Unit of the London's Metropolitan Police and Idol wing of Tamil Nadu police. Tamil Nadu police sent a comprehensive report confirming the theft of 1978 and also provided the expert opinion about the match of the idol with a photo archive.

The London Metropolitan Police who investigated the matter contacted the present owner of the statue and conveyed Indian Mission’s request to return the statue as they were stolen from a "living temple" in India.&nbsp;

The art collector had bought the idol on good faith including through a check of Art Loss Register Certificates.&nbsp;

The vendor responsible for the sell is now deceased due to which there were no grounds to open an investigation in the UK.

The owner of the Ram&nbsp;idol was also in possession of two other idols of Sita and Lakshman&nbsp;which were handed over to the High Commissioner. All the three idols are being transferred to Tamil Nadu Government.

The Indian mission in a statement said, "HCI is working on many such cases at present. We are confident that in coming days, with this partnership of the ASI, law enforcement agencies, and the independent experts, we will be successful in returning many more pieces of our cultural heritage to India."

The Indian mission in London in the past was able to get back to India, Bramha- Brahmani sculpture which was stolen from the World heritage site Rani-Ki Vav, 12th Century Bronze statue of Buddha, two antiques – a 17th Century Bronze idol of Navanitha Krishna and a 2nd-century limestone Carved Pillar motif.&nbsp;

Earlier this year, the mission sent back Shiva statue stolen from the Ghateshwar temple, Baroli in Rajasthan to India.

India is all set to get back 15th Century Idols of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman from UK. The idols were stolen from a temple in Tamil Nadu in 1978. The temple was built-in Vijayanagara period.

India is all set to get back 15th Century Idols of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman from UK. The idols were stolen from a temple in Tamil Nadu in 1978. The temple was built-in Vijayanagara period. In August 2019, Indian high commission in London was informed by India Pride Project that 4 antique idols --Shri Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman, stolen from India, may be in UK. The Indian mission raised the matter with Art and Antique Unit of the London's Metropolitan Police and Idol wing of Tamil Nadu police. Tamil Nadu police sent a comprehensive report confirming the theft of 1978 and also provided the expert opinion about the match of the idol with a photo archive. The London Metropolitan Police who investigated the matter contacted the present owner of the statue and conveyed Indian Mission’s request to return the statue as they were stolen from a "living temple" in India. The art collector had bought the idol on good faith including through a check of Art Loss Register Certificates. The vendor responsible for the sell is now deceased due to which there were no grounds to open an investigation in the UK. The owner of the Ram idol was also in possession of two other idols of Sita and Lakshman which were handed over to the High Commissioner. All the three idols are being transferred to Tamil Nadu Government. The Indian mission in a statement said, "HCI is working on many such cases at present. We are confident that in coming days, with this partnership of the ASI, law enforcement agencies, and the independent experts, we will be successful in returning many more pieces of our cultural heritage to India." The Indian mission in London in the past was able to get back to India, Bramha- Brahmani sculpture which was stolen from the World heritage site Rani-Ki Vav, 12th Century Bronze statue of Buddha, two antiques – a 17th Century Bronze idol of Navanitha Krishna and a 2nd-century limestone Carved Pillar motif. Earlier this year, the mission sent back Shiva statue stolen from the Ghateshwar temple, Baroli in Rajasthan to India.

Britain returns stolen sculptures of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman to India after 40 years

From Vijay Mallya to Nirav Modi, why do most fugitive billionaires consider Britain the safest hiding spot? On Gravitas Plus, Palki Sharma tells you what makes UK a haven for financial fraudsters.

Gravitas Plus: Why do the British love fugitive Billionaires?

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has asked the European Union to not threaten his country, saying a bill which would breach a divorce treaty with the bloc was needed to protect the country's integrity.

With the EU stepping up planning for talks on trade to end without a deal, Johnson has accused its negotiators of threatening to impose a food blockade between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland.

"Let's make the EU take their threats off the table", Johnson said on Twitter on Saturday. "And let's get this Bill through, back up our negotiators, and protect our country."

British lawmakers will on Monday begin debating the Internal Markets Bill, which one minister has said would breach international law "in a very specific and limited way".

The government says it is needed to clarify the Northern Ireland protocol element of the Brexit deal it signed in January to protect free trade between the four constituent nations of the United Kingdom.

But European lawmakers said on Friday they would not approve any new trade deal unless the withdrawal agreement was fully implemented, while there is also talk of possible legal action.

Both sides have set a deadline of the end of October for a deal, raising the prospect that nearly $1 trillion in trade between the EU and Britain could be thrown into confusion at the start of 2021 when a transition period ends.

Johnson's bill also faces opposition from senior figures in his Conservative Party and some of his own lawmakers who are unhappy at the prospect of infringing international law.

In a video conference call with his lawmakers on Friday he appealed for support for his bill and for them to avoid repeating the "squabbling" over the Brexit divorce deal which saw some quit the party and others thrown out.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has asked the European Union to not threaten his country, saying a bill which would breach a divorce treaty with the bloc was needed to protect the country's integrity.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has asked the European Union to not threaten his country, saying a bill which would breach a divorce treaty with the bloc was needed to protect the country's integrity. With the EU stepping up planning for talks on trade to end without a deal, Johnson has accused its negotiators of threatening to impose a food blockade between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland. "Let's make the EU take their threats off the table", Johnson said on Twitter on Saturday. "And let's get this Bill through, back up our negotiators, and protect our country." British lawmakers will on Monday begin debating the Internal Markets Bill, which one minister has said would breach international law "in a very specific and limited way". The government says it is needed to clarify the Northern Ireland protocol element of the Brexit deal it signed in January to protect free trade between the four constituent nations of the United Kingdom. But European lawmakers said on Friday they would not approve any new trade deal unless the withdrawal agreement was fully implemented, while there is also talk of possible legal action. Both sides have set a deadline of the end of October for a deal, raising the prospect that nearly $1 trillion in trade between the EU and Britain could be thrown into confusion at the start of 2021 when a transition period ends. Johnson's bill also faces opposition from senior figures in his Conservative Party and some of his own lawmakers who are unhappy at the prospect of infringing international law. In a video conference call with his lawmakers on Friday he appealed for support for his bill and for them to avoid repeating the "squabbling" over the Brexit divorce deal which saw some quit the party and others thrown out.

Boris Johnson tells EU to not threaten Britain over trade row

Britain has reached a free trade agreement with Japan, its first since leaving the European Union earlier this year.

The deal was agreed to in principle on Friday.

The UK Department for International Trade said in a statement that it will increase trade between the two countries by about £15.2 billion ($19.5 billion).

As a result, UK businesses won't face tariffs on 99% of exports to Japan, including on products such as knitwear, biscuits and coats.

Also, Japanese car manufacturers including Nissan (NSANF) will enjoy reduced tariffs on parts coming into the UK and streamlined regulatory procedures, according to the statement.

The UK government plans to replicate dozens of EU trade deals with third countries before its transitional agreement with the bloc expires at the end of the year. If the deals don't materialise, British companies could face barriers to doing business in most of the foreign markets they serve starting next year.

Meanwhile, the European Union stepped up planning for a 'no-deal' Brexit on Friday after Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government refused to revoke an ultimatum on breaking the divorce treaty that Brussels says will sink four years of talks.

Britain said explicitly this week that it plans to break international law by breaching parts of the Withdrawal Agreement treaty that it signed in January, when it formally left the bloc.

Britain says the move is aimed at clarifying ambiguities, but it caused a new crisis in talks less than four months before the United Kingdom is due to complete its departure from the EU's orbit when a transition period ends in December.

The EU has demanded that Britain scrap the plan to breach the divorce treaty by the end of this month. Britain has refused, saying its parliament is sovereign above international law.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said on Thursday, after talks in London, that the bloc was increasing its planning for a no-deal Brexit at the end of this year after trade talks made little progress.

Investment banks have increased their estimates of the chances of a messy end to Britain's divorce from the trading and political bloc it first joined in 1973, and sterling has fallen against the dollar and the euro.

European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic urged Britain to scrap by the end of September the main elements of new legislation put forward this week that would override parts of the Withdrawal Agreement, but Britain said parliament would debate the bill on Monday.

The bill will face opposition in both houses of parliament as many senior British politicians have expressed shock that London is explicitly planning to breach international law.

Barnier's team will brief the 27 members of the EU on the progress of trade talks on Friday. 
&nbsp;

Britain has reached a free trade agreement with Japan, its first since leaving the European Union earlier this year. The deal was agreed to in principle on Friday.

Britain has reached a free trade agreement with Japan, its first since leaving the European Union earlier this year. The deal was agreed to in principle on Friday. The UK Department for International Trade said in a statement that it will increase trade between the two countries by about £15.2 billion ($19.5 billion). As a result, UK businesses won't face tariffs on 99% of exports to Japan, including on products such as knitwear, biscuits and coats. Also, Japanese car manufacturers including Nissan (NSANF) will enjoy reduced tariffs on parts coming into the UK and streamlined regulatory procedures, according to the statement. The UK government plans to replicate dozens of EU trade deals with third countries before its transitional agreement with the bloc expires at the end of the year. If the deals don't materialise, British companies could face barriers to doing business in most of the foreign markets they serve starting next year. Meanwhile, the European Union stepped up planning for a 'no-deal' Brexit on Friday after Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government refused to revoke an ultimatum on breaking the divorce treaty that Brussels says will sink four years of talks. Britain said explicitly this week that it plans to break international law by breaching parts of the Withdrawal Agreement treaty that it signed in January, when it formally left the bloc. Britain says the move is aimed at clarifying ambiguities, but it caused a new crisis in talks less than four months before the United Kingdom is due to complete its departure from the EU's orbit when a transition period ends in December. The EU has demanded that Britain scrap the plan to breach the divorce treaty by the end of this month. Britain has refused, saying its parliament is sovereign above international law. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said on Thursday, after talks in London, that the bloc was increasing its planning for a no-deal Brexit at the end of this year after trade talks made little progress. Investment banks have increased their estimates of the chances of a messy end to Britain's divorce from the trading and political bloc it first joined in 1973, and sterling has fallen against the dollar and the euro. European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic urged Britain to scrap by the end of September the main elements of new legislation put forward this week that would override parts of the Withdrawal Agreement, but Britain said parliament would debate the bill on Monday. The bill will face opposition in both houses of parliament as many senior British politicians have expressed shock that London is explicitly planning to breach international law. Barnier's team will brief the 27 members of the EU on the progress of trade talks on Friday.

Britain clinches first major trade deal since leaving the EU

British ministers and medics are urging the public to get serious again about the coronavirus after fears the outbreak was slipping out of control in some areas.

Close to 3,000 new cases were recorded on Sunday and again on Monday - a sudden jump from numbers much closer to 1,000 for most of August, and the highest since May.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said young people who were too complacent about social distancing could endanger older relatives.

"Don't kill your gran by catching coronavirus and then passing it on," he told a BBC radio programme aimed at younger audiences on Monday.

Appearing before a parliamentary committee on Tuesday, he was concerned about the rise in cases. "It is so important ... people don't become relaxed about this virus," he said.

Several media reported that the government was planning to cut the maximum number of people allowed to gather in a house in England. As things stand, groups of up to 30 people from two households are allowed to socialise indoors.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/brexit-back-in-crisis-as-uk-threatens-to-undercut-divorce-pact-325750" hreflang="en">Brexit back in crisis as UK threatens to undercut divorce pact</a>

Some 41,554 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19 in Britain, the worst fatalities toll in Europe, though in recent weeks infection numbers had been lower than in several European neighbours.

England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam warned of a "creeping geographic trend" as higher infection rates were being seen in many parts. "That is really a signal that we've got to change this now, got to start taking it seriously, very seriously again," he told Channel 4 News.

The director of testing at the national test-and-trace scheme, Sarah-Jane Marsh, apologised to anyone who was unable to get a COVID-19 test at present, after reports that people in some areas were unable to access a testing facility.

"All of our testing sites have capacity, which is why they don't look overcrowded, it's our laboratory processing that is the critical pinch-point. We are doing all we can to expand quickly," Marsh said in a Tweet.

British ministers and medics are urging the public to get serious again about the coronavirus after fears the outbreak was slipping out of control in some areas.

British ministers and medics are urging the public to get serious again about the coronavirus after fears the outbreak was slipping out of control in some areas. Close to 3,000 new cases were recorded on Sunday and again on Monday - a sudden jump from numbers much closer to 1,000 for most of August, and the highest since May. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said young people who were too complacent about social distancing could endanger older relatives. "Don't kill your gran by catching coronavirus and then passing it on," he told a BBC radio programme aimed at younger audiences on Monday. Appearing before a parliamentary committee on Tuesday, he was concerned about the rise in cases. "It is so important ... people don't become relaxed about this virus," he said. Several media reported that the government was planning to cut the maximum number of people allowed to gather in a house in England. As things stand, groups of up to 30 people from two households are allowed to socialise indoors. Also read: Brexit back in crisis as UK threatens to undercut divorce pact Some 41,554 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19 in Britain, the worst fatalities toll in Europe, though in recent weeks infection numbers had been lower than in several European neighbours. England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam warned of a "creeping geographic trend" as higher infection rates were being seen in many parts. "That is really a signal that we've got to change this now, got to start taking it seriously, very seriously again," he told Channel 4 News. The director of testing at the national test-and-trace scheme, Sarah-Jane Marsh, apologised to anyone who was unable to get a COVID-19 test at present, after reports that people in some areas were unable to access a testing facility. "All of our testing sites have capacity, which is why they don't look overcrowded, it's our laboratory processing that is the critical pinch-point. We are doing all we can to expand quickly," Marsh said in a Tweet.

'Don't kill your gran' - Britain sounds COVID alarm

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave a deadline for a post-Brexit trade agreement with the European Union. He has set October 15 as the deadline, brushing off fears about "no-deal" chaos if talks fail.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave a deadline for a post-Brexit trade agreement with the European Union. He has set October 15 as the deadline, brushing off fears about "no-deal" chaos if talks fail. Also read: 'We won't blink first': UK warns the EU on Brexit trade negotiations This week, the eighth round of negotiations between the two will resume in London. Both sides talking increasingly tough, amid accusations of intransigence and political brinkmanship. Britain's top Brexit negotiator warned the European Union that the island country will not blink first in trade negotiations with the EU and is not scared of a no-deal exit. His EU opposite number, Michel Barnier, this week said the talks stood or failed on the need to get an accord on EU access to UK fishing waters and state aid rules, but Britain was giving no ground. Also read: Brexit trade deal: Brits 'do not understand', says French foreign minister According to Brussels, it indicated that mid-October was the latest a deal could be struck, given the need for translation and ratification by the European Parliament. Despite months of refusing to confirm a firm cut-off date, Johnson agreed. "There needs to be an agreement with our European friends by the time of the European Council on October 15 if it's going to be in force by the end of the year," he said in remarks released by his office. "So, there is no sense in thinking beyond that point. If we can't agree by then, then I do not see that there will be a free trade agreement between us." If this happens, the United Kingdom will have an "Australia-style" deal with the EU or one similar to that agreed with Canada and other countries, he said. Australia trades with the EU under World Trade Organization rules and tariffs. But Johnson, whose government had said it wanted a "zero tariff, zero quota" regime, insisted it would still be a "good outcome" for Britain. (Inputs from AFP)

British PM Boris Johnson sets October 15 as deadline for Brexit negotiations with EU

A "major incident" was declared by the British police on Sunday after several people were stabbed in the centre of England's second city Birmingham.

"We can confirm that at approximately 12:30am today (Sunday 6 September) we were called to reports of a stabbing in Birmingham city centre", West Midlands Police said in a statement.

"A number of other stabbings" were reported in the area shortly after and &nbsp;"this has been declared a major incident", the statement added.

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"We are aware of a number of injured people, but at the moment we are not in a position to say how many or how serious.

"However, all emergency services are working together at the scene, and making sure that those who are injured receive medical care."

According to the footage shown by British news channels, large areas of the city centre have been cordoned off as police officers wearing forensic suits worked at the scene.

"Work is still going on to establish what has happened, and could take some time before we are in a position to confirm anything," West Midlands Police said.&nbsp;

"At this early stage it would not be appropriate to speculate on the causes of the incident."

(Inputs from AFP)

A "major incident" was declared by the British police on Sunday after several people were stabbed in the centre of England's second city Birmingham. "We can confirm that at approximately 12:30am today (Sunday 6 September) we were called to reports of a stabbing in Birmingham city centre", West Midlands Police said in a statement.

A "major incident" was declared by the British police on Sunday after several people were stabbed in the centre of England's second city Birmingham. "We can confirm that at approximately 12:30am today (Sunday 6 September) we were called to reports of a stabbing in Birmingham city centre", West Midlands Police said in a statement. "A number of other stabbings" were reported in the area shortly after and "this has been declared a major incident", the statement added. "We are aware of a number of injured people, but at the moment we are not in a position to say how many or how serious. "However, all emergency services are working together at the scene, and making sure that those who are injured receive medical care." According to the footage shown by British news channels, large areas of the city centre have been cordoned off as police officers wearing forensic suits worked at the scene. "Work is still going on to establish what has happened, and could take some time before we are in a position to confirm anything," West Midlands Police said. "At this early stage it would not be appropriate to speculate on the causes of the incident." (Inputs from AFP)

'Major incident' in Birmingham after several stabbed: British police

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian had strong words for a man at his position as he weighed in on the ongoing negotiations between Britain and the European Union. While underlining that it was urgent that Britain and the EU reached trade deal swiftly he said that British 'did not seem to understand' that in an negotiation, discussion on all issues will take place.

There are many points of disagreement between the UK and the EU. Both sides are locked in negotiations that have not made much headway after Britain's exit (Brexit) from the EU on January 31.

The British people do not seem to understand that if one wants to negotate a good deal, one must talk about all issues," Le Drian told France Inter radio.

"It`s not going well, with only two months left, it is urgent, the countdown has started. We prefer to reach a deal but we need to discuss the whole package, including fisheries, to avoid a no-deal," he added.

Also Read: <a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/we-wont-blink-first-uk-warns-the-eu-on-brexit-trade-negotiations-325513">'We won't blink first': UK warns the EU on Brexit trade negotiations</a>

The United Kingdom formally left the EU on Jan. 31 but it remains in a transition phase under which EU rules still apply until Dec. 31, after which either a new trade regime comes into force or it will revert to rules set by the World Trade Organisation.

(With Reuters inputs)

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian had strong words for a man at his position as he weighed in on the ongoing negotiations between Britain and the European Union.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian had strong words for a man at his position as he weighed in on the ongoing negotiations between Britain and the European Union. While underlining that it was urgent that Britain and the EU reached trade deal swiftly he said that British 'did not seem to understand' that in an negotiation, discussion on all issues will take place. There are many points of disagreement between the UK and the EU. Both sides are locked in negotiations that have not made much headway after Britain's exit (Brexit) from the EU on January 31. The British people do not seem to understand that if one wants to negotate a good deal, one must talk about all issues," Le Drian told France Inter radio. "It`s not going well, with only two months left, it is urgent, the countdown has started. We prefer to reach a deal but we need to discuss the whole package, including fisheries, to avoid a no-deal," he added. Also Read: 'We won't blink first': UK warns the EU on Brexit trade negotiations The United Kingdom formally left the EU on Jan. 31 but it remains in a transition phase under which EU rules still apply until Dec. 31, after which either a new trade regime comes into force or it will revert to rules set by the World Trade Organisation. (With Reuters inputs)

Brexit trade deal: Brits 'do not understand', says French foreign minister

Britain's top Brexit negotiator warned the European Union that the island country will not blink first in trade negotiations with the EU and is not scared of a no-deal exit.

Britain's top Brexit negotiator warned the European Union that the island country will not blink first in trade negotiations with the EU and is not scared of a no-deal exit. Britain left the European Union on January 31. However, talks have so far made little headway on agreeing on a new trade deal with the bloc by the time a status-quo transition arrangement ends in December. Also read: 'Major incident' in Birmingham after several stabbed: British police "We came in after a government and negotiating team that had blinked and had its bluff called at critical moments and the EU had learned not to take our word seriously," negotiator David Frost told the Mail on Sunday. "So a lot of what we are trying to do this year is to get them to realise that we mean what we say and they should take our position seriously," he was quoted as saying. According to Britain, the EU is dragging its feet in talks and has failed to fully accept that it is now an independent country. "We are not going to be a client state. We are not going to compromise on the fundamentals of having control over our own laws," Frost told the Mail. "We are not going to accept level playing field provisions that lock us in to the way the EU do things," he added. "That's what being an independent country is about, that's what the British people voted for and that's what will happen at the end of the year, come what may," Frost said. As per Frost, a lot of preparation had been done for a possible exit without a trade deal. "I don't think that we are scared of this at all," Frost said. "If we can reach an agreement that regulates trade like Canada's, great. If we can't, it will be an Australian-like trading agreement and we are fully ready for that." (Inputs from Reuters)

'We won't blink first': UK warns the EU on Brexit trade negotiations

Smartphones have our life easier and faster, but some researchers have concluded that the invention has also brought extreme laziness in humans, especially I one of the countries.

Researchers have warned that laziness in the&nbsp;residents of the United Kingdom due to smartphones is alarmingly more than&nbsp;in any other major western European country.

The study was conducted for the period from 2007 to 2017, and interestingly the first iPhone was launched in Europe in 2007.&nbsp;Since then, there has been an alarming increase of 22 per cent in the&nbsp;levels of sedentary behaviour among adults in the UK, in a period of 10 years.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-boris-johnson-really-pleased-with-reopening-of-schools-323026">Also read|&nbsp;UK PM Boris Johnson 'really pleased' with reopening of schools</a>

The increase has majorly been due to the change in lifestyle of adults between the age range of 35 to 44. People in this age, who earlier used to move around and indulge in various activities, have now started spending&nbsp;their leisure time on their smartphones.

Europe, as a whole, saw an increase of about 8 per cent, with France following the UK at 17.8 per cent, followed by a 7.4 per cent increase in Germany, 3.9 per cent in Spain, and just 0.2 per cent in Italy. Adults in these countries spend more than four hours sitting down using their smartphones.

The increase in the laziness is being considered as dangerous as the inactivity usually leads to deadly long-term diseases such as type-2 diabetes and cancer. It has also been revealed that nearly 12 per cent (or&nbsp;70,000 deaths) in the UK are caused due to inactivity.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-to-ask-schools-to-reopen-by-september-reports-319158">Also read|&nbsp;Boris Johnson to ask schools to reopen by September: Reports</a>

The researchers are urging the respective government to encourage citizens to give up the temptation of sitting down and indulge in physical and healthy activities, other than gym trips.&nbsp;

The researchers feel this increase is majorly due to the advancement in technology, such as streaming platforms. Professor Xián Mayo Mauriz, who took part in the research at the King Juan Carlos University in Spain, said: "We propose that the observed increase in the prevalence of physical inactivity could be attributed to people increasingly interacting with technology such as smartphones and streaming services during work and leisure time.

“Our findings suggest that in addition to encouraging physical activity, governments should focus on reducing the amount of time people spend sitting per day."

The research was published in&nbsp;the journal BCM Public Health.

Another independent study in the UK last year had found out that people, on an average, spend nearly four hours every day on their phones, out of which nearly one hour is spent on social media.

Smartphones have our life easier and faster, but some researchers have concluded that the invention has also brought extreme laziness in humans, especially I one of the countries.

Smartphones have our life easier and faster, but some researchers have concluded that the invention has also brought extreme laziness in humans, especially I one of the countries. Researchers have warned that laziness in the residents of the United Kingdom due to smartphones is alarmingly more than in any other major western European country. The study was conducted for the period from 2007 to 2017, and interestingly the first iPhone was launched in Europe in 2007. Since then, there has been an alarming increase of 22 per cent in the levels of sedentary behaviour among adults in the UK, in a period of 10 years. Also read| UK PM Boris Johnson 'really pleased' with reopening of schools The increase has majorly been due to the change in lifestyle of adults between the age range of 35 to 44. People in this age, who earlier used to move around and indulge in various activities, have now started spending their leisure time on their smartphones. Europe, as a whole, saw an increase of about 8 per cent, with France following the UK at 17.8 per cent, followed by a 7.4 per cent increase in Germany, 3.9 per cent in Spain, and just 0.2 per cent in Italy. Adults in these countries spend more than four hours sitting down using their smartphones. The increase in the laziness is being considered as dangerous as the inactivity usually leads to deadly long-term diseases such as type-2 diabetes and cancer. It has also been revealed that nearly 12 per cent (or 70,000 deaths) in the UK are caused due to inactivity. Also read| Boris Johnson to ask schools to reopen by September: Reports The researchers are urging the respective government to encourage citizens to give up the temptation of sitting down and indulge in physical and healthy activities, other than gym trips. The researchers feel this increase is majorly due to the advancement in technology, such as streaming platforms. Professor Xián Mayo Mauriz, who took part in the research at the King Juan Carlos University in Spain, said: "We propose that the observed increase in the prevalence of physical inactivity could be attributed to people increasingly interacting with technology such as smartphones and streaming services during work and leisure time. “Our findings suggest that in addition to encouraging physical activity, governments should focus on reducing the amount of time people spend sitting per day." The research was published in the journal BCM Public Health. Another independent study in the UK last year had found out that people, on an average, spend nearly four hours every day on their phones, out of which nearly one hour is spent on social media.

Smartphones have made UK one of the laziest countries in Europe

Facebook on Tuesday said it is speeding up plans to go international with a news tab feature that involves paying publishers for stories delivered through the leading social network.

A Facebook News section that debuted late last year in the US will be expanded in the next six months or so to more countries, with top contenders said to be Brazil, Britain, France, Germany, and India.

"In each country, we'll pay news publishers to ensure their content is available in the new product," Facebook global news partnerships vice president Campbell Brown said in a blog post.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/after-block-new-facebook-group-critical-of-thai-monarchy-gains-500000-members-323118">Also read:&nbsp;After block, new Facebook group critical of Thai monarchy gains 500,000 members</a>

"We will keep building new products and making global investments to help the news industry build long-lasting business models."

Facebook News is off to a "strong start" in the US, driving a significant amount of online traffic to publishers, according to Brown.

"Based on this progress, we are accelerating our plans to expand internationally," Brown said.

News agencies have struggled to make money as ad revenue and people's attention have shifted online, where stories are available free of charge in a dynamic criticized by publishers.

"Innovation is critical to building a sustainable news ecosystem," Brown said.

Facebook on Tuesday said it is speeding up plans to go international with a news tab feature that involves paying publishers for stories delivered through the leading social network.

Facebook on Tuesday said it is speeding up plans to go international with a news tab feature that involves paying publishers for stories delivered through the leading social network. A Facebook News section that debuted late last year in the US will be expanded in the next six months or so to more countries, with top contenders said to be Brazil, Britain, France, Germany, and India. "In each country, we'll pay news publishers to ensure their content is available in the new product," Facebook global news partnerships vice president Campbell Brown said in a blog post. Also read: After block, new Facebook group critical of Thai monarchy gains 500,000 members "We will keep building new products and making global investments to help the news industry build long-lasting business models." Facebook News is off to a "strong start" in the US, driving a significant amount of online traffic to publishers, according to Brown. "Based on this progress, we are accelerating our plans to expand internationally," Brown said. News agencies have struggled to make money as ad revenue and people's attention have shifted online, where stories are available free of charge in a dynamic criticized by publishers. "Innovation is critical to building a sustainable news ecosystem," Brown said.

Facebook News feature to expand in India, Brazil, UK and other countries

Britain's Education Secretary Gavin Williamson on Monday (August 24) cited a warning over the weekend from medical advisers who said that students faced bigger risks from missing out on their education than from catching COVID-19.

British pupils school return 'safe' insists education minister

Official figures showed on Friday that the British government's debt has exceeded £2.0 trillion after taking loans from a large state for the first time.

British government debt exceeds £2 trillion for the first time in July

The US President Donald Trump is planning to sit out the emergency Iran summit that was proposed by the Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.

On Friday, Putin called on the&nbsp;permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany to convene on Iran to avoid an escalation of tensions in the Gulf.

However, Trump, in his golf field news conference said,&nbsp;"I think we'll wait till after the election."

Labelling it is an "urgent issue", Putin called on to leaders of China, France,&nbsp;Britain, the United States, Germany and Iran to attend the summit to resolve the increasingly tense situations in Iran.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/edward-snowden-asks-to-return-to-the-us-trump-to-take-a-look-at-pardoning-320867">Also read:&nbsp;Edward Snowden asks to return to the US; Trump to 'take a look' at pardoning</a>

"Discussions at the UN Security Council over the Iranian issue are becoming increasingly tense," Putin said, adding that Moscow's ally Iran was a target of "groundless accusations."

Trump's "probably" status of the invitation came after the Security Council&nbsp;rejected a US resolution to extend an Iranian arms embargo, in a move with huge repercussions for the Iran nuclear deal. Out of 15 members of the Security Council, only two voted in favour of this.

Since Trump pulled out and slapped unilateral sanctions on Iran under a campaign of "maximum pressure," Tehran has since taken small but escalating steps away from compliance with the nuclear accord as it presses for sanctions relief.

European allies of the United States -- who, along with Russia and China, signed the deal with Iran -- have voiced support for extending the 13-year-long conventional arms embargo, saying an expiry threatens stability in the Middle East.&nbsp;

However, the Iranian President&nbsp;Hassan Rouhani feels the US has "failed in this conspiracy with humiliation."

(With inputs from agencies)

The US President Donald Trump is planning to sit out the emergency Iran summit that was proposed by the Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. On Friday, Putin called on the permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany to convene on Iran to avoid an escalation of tensions in the Gulf.

The US President Donald Trump is planning to sit out the emergency Iran summit that was proposed by the Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. On Friday, Putin called on the permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany to convene on Iran to avoid an escalation of tensions in the Gulf. However, Trump, in his golf field news conference said, "I think we'll wait till after the election." Labelling it is an "urgent issue", Putin called on to leaders of China, France, Britain, the United States, Germany and Iran to attend the summit to resolve the increasingly tense situations in Iran. Also read: Edward Snowden asks to return to the US; Trump to 'take a look' at pardoning "Discussions at the UN Security Council over the Iranian issue are becoming increasingly tense," Putin said, adding that Moscow's ally Iran was a target of "groundless accusations." Trump's "probably" status of the invitation came after the Security Council rejected a US resolution to extend an Iranian arms embargo, in a move with huge repercussions for the Iran nuclear deal. Out of 15 members of the Security Council, only two voted in favour of this. Since Trump pulled out and slapped unilateral sanctions on Iran under a campaign of "maximum pressure," Tehran has since taken small but escalating steps away from compliance with the nuclear accord as it presses for sanctions relief. European allies of the United States -- who, along with Russia and China, signed the deal with Iran -- have voiced support for extending the 13-year-long conventional arms embargo, saying an expiry threatens stability in the Middle East. However, the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani feels the US has "failed in this conspiracy with humiliation." (With inputs from agencies)

Trump may 'probably not' attend Putin's 'urgent' Iran summit

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi will visit Britain this week for what he said will be difficult talks with British Trade Minister Liz Truss, in the hope of finding middle ground and concluding a post-Brexit trade deal.

"It is indispensable to swiftly form a framework for trade and investment between Japan and Britain that will replace the Japan-EU EPA to ensure the smooth continuation of bilateral businesses," Motegi told reporters on Tuesday, referring to an economic partnership agreement with the EU.

The two countries hope to clinch a deal before Britain’s transition out of the European Union concludes at the year end, to avoid any gaps in bilateral trade arrangements.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-shifts-gear-to-counter-chinese-north-korea-aggression-317933">Also read:&nbsp;Japan shifts gear to counter Chinese, North Korea aggression</a>

Motegi`s Aug. 5-7 visit to Britain will be the first overseas trip for any Japanese government minister since the global spread of the novel coronavirus, he said.

"Difficult negotiations such as this, where national interest is at stake, cannot be conducted over the telephone," he told a regular news conference.

"We will negotiate face-to-face. I`m afraid negotiations will last many hours, but I would like to find middle ground and reach an agreement."

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi will visit Britain this week for what he said will be difficult talks with British Trade Minister Liz Truss, in the hope of finding middle ground and concluding a post-Brexit trade deal.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi will visit Britain this week for what he said will be difficult talks with British Trade Minister Liz Truss, in the hope of finding middle ground and concluding a post-Brexit trade deal. "It is indispensable to swiftly form a framework for trade and investment between Japan and Britain that will replace the Japan-EU EPA to ensure the smooth continuation of bilateral businesses," Motegi told reporters on Tuesday, referring to an economic partnership agreement with the EU. The two countries hope to clinch a deal before Britain’s transition out of the European Union concludes at the year end, to avoid any gaps in bilateral trade arrangements. Also read: Japan shifts gear to counter Chinese, North Korea aggression Motegi`s Aug. 5-7 visit to Britain will be the first overseas trip for any Japanese government minister since the global spread of the novel coronavirus, he said. "Difficult negotiations such as this, where national interest is at stake, cannot be conducted over the telephone," he told a regular news conference. "We will negotiate face-to-face. I`m afraid negotiations will last many hours, but I would like to find middle ground and reach an agreement."

Japanese minister to visit Britain for 'difficult' talks on trade deal

Britain’s lockdown has been slowly lifting since May, with the last major change on July 4 when hotels, pubs and restaurants were allowed to reopen.

Two thirds of UK firms fully operational after COVID, says Survey

Millions of COVID-19 tests able to detect the virus within 90 minutes will be rolled out to British hospitals, care homes and laboratories to boost capacity in the coming months, the country`s health minister said on Monday.

They will comprise 5.8 million tests using DNA and 450,000 swab tests. Neither will need to be administered by a health professional, said Matt Hancock.

"The fact these tests can detect flu as well as COVID-19 will be hugely beneficial as we head into winter, so patients can follow the right advice to protect themselves and others," he said.

Separately, the publicly-funded National Health Service said it would be offering "COVID-friendly" treatments to cancer patients, including drugs that do not have a big impact on the immune system.

Britain`s healthcare system has come under severe strain during peaks in the country`s COVID-19 outbreak, which has killed more than 46,000 people, the fourth highest toll in the world, according to a Reuters tally collated on Sunday.

Millions of COVID-19 tests able to detect the virus within 90 minutes will be rolled out to British hospitals, care homes and laboratories to boost capacity in the coming months, the country`s health minister said on Monday.

Millions of COVID-19 tests able to detect the virus within 90 minutes will be rolled out to British hospitals, care homes and laboratories to boost capacity in the coming months, the country`s health minister said on Monday. They will comprise 5.8 million tests using DNA and 450,000 swab tests. Neither will need to be administered by a health professional, said Matt Hancock. "The fact these tests can detect flu as well as COVID-19 will be hugely beneficial as we head into winter, so patients can follow the right advice to protect themselves and others," he said. Separately, the publicly-funded National Health Service said it would be offering "COVID-friendly" treatments to cancer patients, including drugs that do not have a big impact on the immune system. Britain`s healthcare system has come under severe strain during peaks in the country`s COVID-19 outbreak, which has killed more than 46,000 people, the fourth highest toll in the world, according to a Reuters tally collated on Sunday.

Britain to roll out millions of 90-minute coronavirus tests

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