In a bid to avert a looming financial crisis within the UK's town halls, Simon Hoare, the Minister for Local Government, is encouraging councils to utilise their reserves for day-to-day expenses.<o:p></o:p>

According to Bloomberg, Hoare emphasised that the reserves, often allocated for emergencies, should be deployed cautiously to benefit communities. <o:p></o:p>

He argued that many councils bolstered their rainy-day funds during the pandemic and that tapping into these reserves is a sensible approach.<o:p></o:p>

However, the call has faced criticism from the Labour opposition, deeming it "ridiculous," along with scepticism from local authorities.<o:p></o:p>

At the Local Government Association conference on council finances, Minister Simon Hoare defended the idea. <o:p></o:p>

"Reserves are not there to be guarded like they are the sort of flame of the vestal virgins, never to be touched. They are to be used prudently and sensibly for the benefit of communities," Bloomberg quoted Hoare as saying. <o:p></o:p>

He emphasised that the reserves are up post-Covid and encouraged councils to leverage these funds.<o:p></o:p>

However, Labour's shadow minister, Jim McMahon, criticised the notion, stating that tapping into one-off reserves to address financial pressures is "ridiculous" and that the higher the risk, the more reserves are needed.<o:p></o:p>

The government's urging of councils to use reserves for day-to-day spending, such as employing staff and running public services, contradicts the usual advice to maintain reserves for sudden emergencies and to even out cash flow. <o:p></o:p>

The Local Government Association (LGA) has cautioned that one in five councils are on the verge of declaring effective bankruptcy in the coming year or two. <o:p></o:p>

Despite ministerial assurances that the number of councils at risk is lower, the LGA maintains that cuts to central government grants, inflation, and rising service demand have left many councils financially strained.<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from Bloomberg)<o:p></o:p>

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In a bid to avert a looming financial crisis within the UK's town halls, Simon Hoare, the Minister for Local Government, is encouraging councils to utilise their reserves for day-to-day expenses.

In a bid to avert a looming financial crisis within the UK's town halls, Simon Hoare, the Minister for Local Government, is encouraging councils to utilise their reserves for day-to-day expenses. According to Bloomberg, Hoare emphasised that the reserves, often allocated for emergencies, should be deployed cautiously to benefit communities. He argued that many councils bolstered their rainy-day funds during the pandemic and that tapping into these reserves is a sensible approach. However, the call has faced criticism from the Labour opposition, deeming it "ridiculous," along with scepticism from local authorities. At the Local Government Association conference on council finances, Minister Simon Hoare defended the idea. "Reserves are not there to be guarded like they are the sort of flame of the vestal virgins, never to be touched. They are to be used prudently and sensibly for the benefit of communities," Bloomberg quoted Hoare as saying. He emphasised that the reserves are up post-Covid and encouraged councils to leverage these funds. However, Labour's shadow minister, Jim McMahon, criticised the notion, stating that tapping into one-off reserves to address financial pressures is "ridiculous" and that the higher the risk, the more reserves are needed. The government's urging of councils to use reserves for day-to-day spending, such as employing staff and running public services, contradicts the usual advice to maintain reserves for sudden emergencies and to even out cash flow. The Local Government Association (LGA) has cautioned that one in five councils are on the verge of declaring effective bankruptcy in the coming year or two. Despite ministerial assurances that the number of councils at risk is lower, the LGA maintains that cuts to central government grants, inflation, and rising service demand have left many councils financially strained. (With inputs from Bloomberg) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

UK government urges councils to dip into reserves amid financial crisis concerns

According to the Trades Union Congress Analysis, UK household budgets will get worse. UK is only country in G7 where household budgets have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. UK household incomes squeezed by soaring energy prices. Watch to know more!

UK household budgets will get worse, says union | Britons exposed to skyrocketing bills | WION

In Pics | Severe floods hit UK after heavy rain causes major rivers to overflow

Thousands of doctors have walked off the job in Britain, the start of a six-day strike that's set to be the longest in the history of the state-funded National Health Service (NHS).

Junior doctors in England start longest strike in NHS history

England: Junior doctors at NHS start six-day walkout

Three people died yesterday after their car fell into a river in northern England, local police said, as Storm Gerrit battered much of the UK.

UK: Three dead as Storm Gerrit batters Britain, 14,000 homes left without power | World News | WION

Storm Gerrit wreaks Havoc in United Kingdom. Trains cancelled across Scotland & parts of northern England. Heavy rains are expected across England in coming days. Watch the video to know more!

UK: 3 dead as 'Storm Gerrit' batters Britain

Greece Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said that the country is willing to part with some of its greatest treasures so as to “fill the void” present in the British Museum if they are handed over the Parthenon marbles.

While speaking to the Guardian at the end of the year which marked their campaign for retrieving the fifth-century BC masterpieces, Mendoni vowed that the revered Greek galleries of London institution will never go empty.&nbsp;

“Our position is clear. Should the sculptures be reunited in Athens, Greece is prepared to organise rotating exhibitions of important antiquities that would fill the void,” she said.&nbsp;

Speaking about any particular works which have been requested by London, the minister - who is a classical archaeologist by training - said that the discussions between the two countries have not extended to “specific artefacts”.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-what-is-parthenon-sculptures-row-triggered-between-united-kingdom-and-greece-663622">Explained: The Parthenon Sculptures row between United Kingdom and Greece</a>

However, the minister for the first time gave a glimpse of how far Athens was willing to compensate to the British Museum in return for the sculptures - which are seen as a high point of art in the classical age – adding that any antiquities sent to the UK will also attract a lot of attention.

“[They] would fill the void, maintain, and constantly renew, international visitor interest in the Greek galleries of the British Museum,” said Mendoni, although she cautioned that “any agreement and all its particulars, would have to be in accordance with the Greek law on cultural heritage”.

<h2>UK, Greece discuss cultural exchange</h2>

Although the plan of cultural exchange was mooted after Greece Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis' centre-right New Democracy party came to power in 2019, there have been speculations that treasures, which include Agamemnon’s Mask – the gold funerary mask which has been called the “Mona Lisa of prehistory” by some historians - will be sent to Britain in return for the marbles.

Currently, the two sides have started to speak about “a partnership” which can offer a “win-win” solution in resolving the row. British Museum’s chair George Osborne, while speaking about the steps taken by Athens to reunite the marbles, appeared more determined to handle the issue head-on compared to any of his predecessors.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Greece demands return of 2500-year-old Parthenon sculptures from UK

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He is the first museum chairperson who has acknowledged the controversy regarding the presence of antiquities in the British Museum publicly. In 1816, the marbles were bought by the museum from a bankrupt Lord Elgin, who was a former ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Lord Elgin had himself got the marbles removed from the Parthenon temple and other places on Athens’ Acropolis with the use of marble saws.

This year, the former chancellor has more than once hinted that a compromise settlement is likely to be in the offing. “We want to create a proper partnership,” said Osborne, while speaking to MPs on the culture, media and sport committee in October. “[One] that would mean objects from Greece coming here, objects that have potentially never left Greece before and certainly never been seen before, and objects from the Parthenon collection potentially travelling to Greece," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

Greece Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said that the country is willing to part with some of its greatest treasures so as to “fill the void” present in the British Museum if they are handed over the Parthenon marbles.

Greece Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said that the country is willing to part with some of its greatest treasures so as to “fill the void” present in the British Museum if they are handed over the Parthenon marbles. While speaking to the Guardian at the end of the year which marked their campaign for retrieving the fifth-century BC masterpieces, Mendoni vowed that the revered Greek galleries of London institution will never go empty. “Our position is clear. Should the sculptures be reunited in Athens, Greece is prepared to organise rotating exhibitions of important antiquities that would fill the void,” she said. Speaking about any particular works which have been requested by London, the minister - who is a classical archaeologist by training - said that the discussions between the two countries have not extended to “specific artefacts”. Also read: Explained: The Parthenon Sculptures row between United Kingdom and Greece However, the minister for the first time gave a glimpse of how far Athens was willing to compensate to the British Museum in return for the sculptures - which are seen as a high point of art in the classical age – adding that any antiquities sent to the UK will also attract a lot of attention. “[They] would fill the void, maintain, and constantly renew, international visitor interest in the Greek galleries of the British Museum,” said Mendoni, although she cautioned that “any agreement and all its particulars, would have to be in accordance with the Greek law on cultural heritage”. UK, Greece discuss cultural exchange Although the plan of cultural exchange was mooted after Greece Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis' centre-right New Democracy party came to power in 2019, there have been speculations that treasures, which include Agamemnon’s Mask – the gold funerary mask which has been called the “Mona Lisa of prehistory” by some historians - will be sent to Britain in return for the marbles. Currently, the two sides have started to speak about “a partnership” which can offer a “win-win” solution in resolving the row. British Museum’s chair George Osborne, while speaking about the steps taken by Athens to reunite the marbles, appeared more determined to handle the issue head-on compared to any of his predecessors. Watch: Greece demands return of 2500-year-old Parthenon sculptures from UK He is the first museum chairperson who has acknowledged the controversy regarding the presence of antiquities in the British Museum publicly. In 1816, the marbles were bought by the museum from a bankrupt Lord Elgin, who was a former ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Lord Elgin had himself got the marbles removed from the Parthenon temple and other places on Athens’ Acropolis with the use of marble saws. This year, the former chancellor has more than once hinted that a compromise settlement is likely to be in the offing. “We want to create a proper partnership,” said Osborne, while speaking to MPs on the culture, media and sport committee in October. “[One] that would mean objects from Greece coming here, objects that have potentially never left Greece before and certainly never been seen before, and objects from the Parthenon collection potentially travelling to Greece," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Great Greek compromise for Parthenon marbles? Athens agrees to give away its ‘greatest treasures’ to Britain

King Charles III on Monday (Dec 25) delivered his second Christmas message, focusing on environmentalism and peace. King Charles' speech focused on 'shared values' amid global conflicts. Watch to know more!

UK: King Charles delivers Christmas Speech

Thundering at each other with lances while dressed in full armour, modern-day knights still practice the ancient sporting tradition of jousting at historic sites in the United Kingdom, following in the centuries-old hoof prints of their predecessors.

Medieval Jousting returns to modern-day Britain

British finance minister Jeremy Hunt surprised everyone with big tax cuts on Wednesday (Nov 22). The populist move may help the ruling Conservative Party win some favour among British voters, but it may create problems for the next government, irrespective of which party wins the upcoming elections.

Conservatives cheered Hunt in the parliament when he announced lowering social security contributions for employees by two percentage points. This was bigger than expected. A smaller cut has been awarded to self-employed workers.

The latest measure along with another taken earlier this year is going to be worth about 20 billion pounds ($25 billion) a year by the 2028-29 tax year. Earlier this year, Hunt made incentives for business investment permanent.

That represented Britain's biggest giveaway package since 1988, apart from the huge tax cut plans last year of former Prime Minister Liz Truss which hammered the bond market and were quickly dropped, the Resolution Foundation think tank said as reported by Reuters.

The big tax increases announced by Hunt and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last year dwarf Wednesday's tax cuts.

Currently, the Labour Party has about a 20-point lead over the Conservatives in opinion polls. An election is likely next year.

However, if it indeed forms the next government, it will likely have a hard time adhering to public spending that may result from Hunt's Autumn Statement plan.

"The giveaways announced today are funded by handing whoever wins the next election implausibly large spending cuts," Torsten Bell, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, said as quoted by Reuters.

Since the financial crisis of 2007-08, many of public services in Britain have had to withstand deep funding cuts when inflation is considered.

It is likely that Hunt will come under pressure from his own party for more tax cuts in a budget expected in March. It is likely to be a pre-election budget.

Paul Johnson, head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, told Reuters that the cost of tax cuts along with that of servicing Britain's 2.6 trillion-pound debt may possibly undermine Hunt's aim of boosting growth.

"There's a material risk that those plans prove undeliverable and today's tax cuts will not prove to be sustainable," Johnson said.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

British finance minister Jeremy Hunt surprised everyone with big tax cuts on Wednesday (Nov 22). The populist move may help the ruling Conservative Party win some favour among British voters, but it may create problems for the next government, irrespective of which party wins the upcoming elections.

British finance minister Jeremy Hunt surprised everyone with big tax cuts on Wednesday (Nov 22). The populist move may help the ruling Conservative Party win some favour among British voters, but it may create problems for the next government, irrespective of which party wins the upcoming elections. Conservatives cheered Hunt in the parliament when he announced lowering social security contributions for employees by two percentage points. This was bigger than expected. A smaller cut has been awarded to self-employed workers. The latest measure along with another taken earlier this year is going to be worth about 20 billion pounds ($25 billion) a year by the 2028-29 tax year. Earlier this year, Hunt made incentives for business investment permanent. That represented Britain's biggest giveaway package since 1988, apart from the huge tax cut plans last year of former Prime Minister Liz Truss which hammered the bond market and were quickly dropped, the Resolution Foundation think tank said as reported by Reuters. The big tax increases announced by Hunt and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last year dwarf Wednesday's tax cuts. Currently, the Labour Party has about a 20-point lead over the Conservatives in opinion polls. An election is likely next year. However, if it indeed forms the next government, it will likely have a hard time adhering to public spending that may result from Hunt's Autumn Statement plan. "The giveaways announced today are funded by handing whoever wins the next election implausibly large spending cuts," Torsten Bell, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, said as quoted by Reuters. Since the financial crisis of 2007-08, many of public services in Britain have had to withstand deep funding cuts when inflation is considered. It is likely that Hunt will come under pressure from his own party for more tax cuts in a budget expected in March. It is likely to be a pre-election budget. Paul Johnson, head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, told Reuters that the cost of tax cuts along with that of servicing Britain's 2.6 trillion-pound debt may possibly undermine Hunt's aim of boosting growth. "There's a material risk that those plans prove undeliverable and today's tax cuts will not prove to be sustainable," Johnson said. (With inputs from agencies)

Britain's Conservative government annouces surprise tax cuts

Retail sales in the UK have been falling. In October 2023, sales fell by 0.3%, which is the lowest level since February 2021. This was due to rising living costs, poor weather, high borrowing costs, and rising prices.

Retail sale take a plunge in UK

The flooded streets battered homes and severed communication lines storm Ciaran is smashed into Northwestern Europe. Unleashing some strong winds and heavy rains the storm was driven by the powerful jet stream that swept in from the Atlantic it had already caused heavy flooding in Northern Ireland and parts of Britain. Now Ciaran hit northern and western France uprooting trees and also blowing out windows.

Deadly storm Ciaran strikes north Europe, seven dead | People evacuated to hotels overnight | WION

NHS waiting lists could top eight million by next summer, even if doctor strikes cease, according to modelling work by the Health Foundation charity.

UK: NHS waits could exceed eight million by summer, charity says

#GravitasPlus | Crippling cost of living crisis, medical staff strikes, soaring inflation, and crumbling infrastructure is squeezing the life out of Britons. Is the Great Britain really that great? Join Priyanka Sharma on #GravitasPlus for more.

Gravitas Plus: Why the Great Britain is not that great

Hamish Ogston, one of Britain's richest persons, has been accused of exploiting vulnerable sex workers from Southeast Asia.

A swathe of documents, details of which were first reported by The Times newspaper, suggest Ogston's&nbsp;involvement in trafficking Thai and Filipina sex workers, hosting women who initially entered the country as tourists but engaged in sex work at his property.

This investigation is based on approximately 1,000 leaked documents, corroborated by interviews and open-source information.

It shows how Ogston used his wealth to fund and conceal his activities, employing a false name 'James Mac', conducting financial transactions under it, and even using aliases for anonymity.

<h2>What all Ogston has been accused of?&nbsp;</h2>

The accusations against Ogston&nbsp;include trafficking, illegal employment, drug procurement, extreme exploitation, and attempts to bring sex workers into the country under false pretenses.

Ogston is also accused of trying to bring&nbsp;Thai sex workers falsely claiming to be "bamboo basket weavers" into the country in 2022.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/catholic-church-sex-scandal-pope-in-portugal-and-so-as-controversies-621826">Explained: Catholic church sex scandal: Pope is in Portugal, and so are the controversies</a>

Ogston has also been accused of paying another Thai sex worker to procure prostitutes and class-A drugs, including crystal meth and cocaine, between 2014 and 2023.

<h2>Ogston's response</h2>

Ogston vehemently denies these accusations, stating that they do not amount to systematic exploitation. 
 
However, potential offences include&nbsp;immigration, prostitution, and human trafficking laws, as well as knowingly employing adults without the right to work or controlling prostitution for gain. all carrying significant prison sentences.

<h2>What does it mean?</h2>

The impact of Ogston's alleged exploitation on the women involved has been severe.&nbsp;

Some women reportedly required medical attention due to extreme sexual acts he allegedly&nbsp;demanded.

Also watch |&nbsp;Does Spain have a culture of sexual abuse?

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The Metropolitan Police's handling of reports regarding his activities is also under scrutiny, and they have launched an investigation into potential wrongdoing by officers.

Ogston's use of the alias "James Mac" in all his dealings related to criminal activities have been reported as&nbsp;a deliberate attempt to maintain anonymity.

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Hamish Ogston, one of Britain's richest persons, has been accused of exploiting vulnerable sex workers from Southeast Asia. A swathe of documents, details of which were first reported by The Times newspaper, suggest Ogston's involvement in trafficking Thai and Filipina sex workers, hosting women who initially entered the country as tourists but engaged in sex work at his property.

Hamish Ogston, one of Britain's richest persons, has been accused of exploiting vulnerable sex workers from Southeast Asia. A swathe of documents, details of which were first reported by The Times newspaper, suggest Ogston's involvement in trafficking Thai and Filipina sex workers, hosting women who initially entered the country as tourists but engaged in sex work at his property. This investigation is based on approximately 1,000 leaked documents, corroborated by interviews and open-source information. It shows how Ogston used his wealth to fund and conceal his activities, employing a false name 'James Mac', conducting financial transactions under it, and even using aliases for anonymity. What all Ogston has been accused of? The accusations against Ogston include trafficking, illegal employment, drug procurement, extreme exploitation, and attempts to bring sex workers into the country under false pretenses. Ogston is also accused of trying to bring Thai sex workers falsely claiming to be "bamboo basket weavers" into the country in 2022. Also read | Explained: Catholic church sex scandal: Pope is in Portugal, and so are the controversies Ogston has also been accused of paying another Thai sex worker to procure prostitutes and class-A drugs, including crystal meth and cocaine, between 2014 and 2023. Ogston's response Ogston vehemently denies these accusations, stating that they do not amount to systematic exploitation. However, potential offences include immigration, prostitution, and human trafficking laws, as well as knowingly employing adults without the right to work or controlling prostitution for gain. all carrying significant prison sentences. What does it mean? The impact of Ogston's alleged exploitation on the women involved has been severe. Some women reportedly required medical attention due to extreme sexual acts he allegedly demanded. Also watch | Does Spain have a culture of sexual abuse? × The Metropolitan Police's handling of reports regarding his activities is also under scrutiny, and they have launched an investigation into potential wrongdoing by officers. Ogston's use of the alias "James Mac" in all his dealings related to criminal activities have been reported as a deliberate attempt to maintain anonymity. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Hamish Ogston sex scandal: Millionaire accused of concealing sex workers as 'bamboo basket weavers'

British scientists are to build the world’s most powerful laser, an £85 million device that they hope will accelerate efforts to harness nuclear fusion as a source of near-limitless clean energy.

UK to build world's most powerful laser

August saw an unexpected decline in Britain's high inflation rate, which dropped to 6.7%, its lowest level since February 2022. Investors have begun to speculate on whether the Bank of England will hit the pause button on its historic run of interest rate hikes.

Bank of England's rate hike pause in sight as inflation drops

Britain's Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, said that she was seeking&nbsp;"urgent advice" about the potential prohibition of American Bully dogs after&nbsp;a recent dog attack on an 11-year-old girl.

Braverman has initiated the process of seeking counsel on outlawing XL Bully dogs&nbsp;after an incident in Birmingham over the weekend when a girl was harmed by one of the dogs of the XL Bully breed, also injuring the two men who tried to help her.

Expressing her shock and concern, Braverman described the American XL Bully as a significant and lethal threat to communities, especially children, in a social media statement. She stressed the need for immediate action.

<h2>UK deliberating ban on XL Bully dogs: What happened?</h2>

The incident occurred on a busy road over the weekend in Birmingham&nbsp;when the dog escaped its owner's control and attacked an 11-year-old&nbsp;girl.

She is currently in recovery after receiving hospital treatment.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/11-dog-breeds-banned-metal-chains-indian-cities-bring-sweeping-regulations-amidst-rise-in-pet-dog-attacks-535348">11 dog breeds banned as some Indian cities bring sweeping regulations amid rise in pet attacks</a>

Campaigners have been advocating for months for a ban on XL Bully dogs, which have ancestral links to the American pitbull terrier.

<h2>UK's Dangerous Dogs Act</h2>

The Dangerous Dogs Act prohibits certain types of dogs in private possession if they get&nbsp;dangerously out of control in a public place or a private place. The law also provides for such dogs to be seized by the authorities.

Currently, the UK bans four dog breeds, including the pitbull terrier, Japanese tosa, dogo Argentino, and fila Brasileiro, under the Dangerous Dogs Act.&nbsp;

Also watch |&nbsp;A new law banning 16 dog breeds passed in Egypt

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Notably, the XL Bully is not officially recognised as a distinct breed by the UK's Kennel Club. The Kennel Club argues against breed-specific bans, saying&nbsp;that responsible ownership and training play a pivotal role in preventing dog-related incidents, rather than focusing solely on specific breeds.

The term "bully breeds" originated from their historical use in blood sports like bull baiting, characterised by their muscular build and heavier bone structure compared to pit bulls.

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Britain's Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, said that she was seeking "urgent advice" about the potential prohibition of American Bully dogs after a recent dog attack on an 11-year-old girl.

Britain's Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, said that she was seeking "urgent advice" about the potential prohibition of American Bully dogs after a recent dog attack on an 11-year-old girl. Braverman has initiated the process of seeking counsel on outlawing XL Bully dogs after an incident in Birmingham over the weekend when a girl was harmed by one of the dogs of the XL Bully breed, also injuring the two men who tried to help her. Expressing her shock and concern, Braverman described the American XL Bully as a significant and lethal threat to communities, especially children, in a social media statement. She stressed the need for immediate action. UK deliberating ban on XL Bully dogs: What happened? The incident occurred on a busy road over the weekend in Birmingham when the dog escaped its owner's control and attacked an 11-year-old girl. She is currently in recovery after receiving hospital treatment. Also read | 11 dog breeds banned as some Indian cities bring sweeping regulations amid rise in pet attacks Campaigners have been advocating for months for a ban on XL Bully dogs, which have ancestral links to the American pitbull terrier. UK's Dangerous Dogs Act The Dangerous Dogs Act prohibits certain types of dogs in private possession if they get dangerously out of control in a public place or a private place. The law also provides for such dogs to be seized by the authorities. Currently, the UK bans four dog breeds, including the pitbull terrier, Japanese tosa, dogo Argentino, and fila Brasileiro, under the Dangerous Dogs Act. Also watch | A new law banning 16 dog breeds passed in Egypt × Notably, the XL Bully is not officially recognised as a distinct breed by the UK's Kennel Club. The Kennel Club argues against breed-specific bans, saying that responsible ownership and training play a pivotal role in preventing dog-related incidents, rather than focusing solely on specific breeds. The term "bully breeds" originated from their historical use in blood sports like bull baiting, characterised by their muscular build and heavier bone structure compared to pit bulls. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Britain weighs banning American XL bully dogs after deadly attack on 11-year-old

Britain's second-largest city Birmingham has declared itself bankrupt. This is due to an annual budgetary shortfall of millions of pounds. The city has shut down all non-essential spending.

Why did Britain's second-largest city Birmingham declare itself bankrupt?

Labour MP&nbsp;Bell Ribeiro-Addy has slammed the British Musem for refusing to return the stolen goods and artefacts to the country of their origin due to security reasons.&nbsp;Ribeiro-Addy said the recent thefts at the museum exposed the&nbsp;"insulting ridiculousness" of the institution's stance on the issue.&nbsp;

"One of the most insulting reasons that they’ve given is that the other countries that these items belong to would either not be able to take care of them or they are likely to be stolen. But you’ve got people in this country putting them on eBay,"&nbsp;Ribeiro-Addy was quoted as saying by The Guardian.&nbsp;

The Labour MP, who is also the chair of the&nbsp;all-party parliamentary group on Afrikan reparations, said the 1963 law that prohibits the return of objects such as the Parthenon marbles and the Benin bronzes should be changed.

"What makes it more awful is that they’ve been so lax about the suspected theft of other people’s items that they haven’t even bothered to assess what it is that they have....to know exactly what’s been stolen," she added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/british-museums-sacks-employees-over-missing-damaged-items-628759">Watch |&nbsp;British museum sacks employees over 'missing &amp; damaged' items</a>

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The controversial law, enacted by royal assent in 1963 states: "It&nbsp;shall be the duty of the Trustees of the British Museum to keep the objects comprised in the collections of the Museum within the authorised repositories of the Museum, except in so far as they may consider it expedient to remove them temporarily for any purpose connected with the administration of the Museum and the care of its collections."

<h2>What happened at the British Museum?</h2>

The parliamentarian's statement comes nearly a fortnight after the British Museum in London said nearly 2,000 antiquities had been stolen.&nbsp;The stolen items, worth millions of pounds allegedly include gold, jewellery, gems and semi-precious stones that date from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD.&nbsp;

The stolen items were not on display, and the museum kept them in the storeroom belonging to one of the collections. They also used the antiquities for academic and research work.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ironic-say-netizens-as-british-museum-sacks-staffer-after-items-found-missing-stolen-or-damaged-626192">Also read |&nbsp;'Ironic!' say netizens as British Museum sacks staffer after items found 'missing, stolen or damaged'</a>

Last week,&nbsp;Hartwig Fischer, the director of the museum, resigned from his position and admitted that his response to the warnings that an employee may have been stealing items should have been better and that the failings “must ultimately” rest with him.&nbsp;

“It is evident that the British Museum did not respond as comprehensively as it should have,” said Fischer.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has slammed the British Musem for refusing to return the stolen goods and artefacts to the country of their origin due to security reasons.

Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has slammed the British Musem for refusing to return the stolen goods and artefacts to the country of their origin due to security reasons. Ribeiro-Addy said the recent thefts at the museum exposed the "insulting ridiculousness" of the institution's stance on the issue. "One of the most insulting reasons that they’ve given is that the other countries that these items belong to would either not be able to take care of them or they are likely to be stolen. But you’ve got people in this country putting them on eBay," Ribeiro-Addy was quoted as saying by The Guardian. The Labour MP, who is also the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Afrikan reparations, said the 1963 law that prohibits the return of objects such as the Parthenon marbles and the Benin bronzes should be changed. "What makes it more awful is that they’ve been so lax about the suspected theft of other people’s items that they haven’t even bothered to assess what it is that they have....to know exactly what’s been stolen," she added. Watch | British museum sacks employees over 'missing & damaged' items × The controversial law, enacted by royal assent in 1963 states: "It shall be the duty of the Trustees of the British Museum to keep the objects comprised in the collections of the Museum within the authorised repositories of the Museum, except in so far as they may consider it expedient to remove them temporarily for any purpose connected with the administration of the Museum and the care of its collections." What happened at the British Museum? The parliamentarian's statement comes nearly a fortnight after the British Museum in London said nearly 2,000 antiquities had been stolen. The stolen items, worth millions of pounds allegedly include gold, jewellery, gems and semi-precious stones that date from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD. The stolen items were not on display, and the museum kept them in the storeroom belonging to one of the collections. They also used the antiquities for academic and research work. Also read | 'Ironic!' say netizens as British Museum sacks staffer after items found 'missing, stolen or damaged' Last week, Hartwig Fischer, the director of the museum, resigned from his position and admitted that his response to the warnings that an employee may have been stealing items should have been better and that the failings “must ultimately” rest with him. “It is evident that the British Museum did not respond as comprehensively as it should have,” said Fischer. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

British Museum theft: Labour MP bats for returning stolen artefacts to their country of origin

The inability of the museum to effectively heed earlier warnings "must ultimately rest with the director," according to the British museum's director since 2016, Hartwig Fischer. Now, he is no longer in his job.

British Museum director Hartwig Fischer quits over stolen treasures

Sebastian Coe has been re-elected as World Athletics President for a third and final term. Britain's double Olympic 1500 meters gold-medalist first elected in 2015 stood unopposed to the World Athletics Congress.

Sebastian Coe re-elected for final term as World Athletics President | World News | WION

Hundreds of hot air balloons will take to the skies from August 11. As the Britain's city of Bristol is ready for its annual ballooning event. The four-day Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is here.

Hot air balloons fill the sky over the city of Britain

Lawmakers in the UK have warned that Chinese electric cars imported to the country to reach net zero targets might enable Beijing&nbsp;to spy on citizens.&nbsp;

According to The Telegraph, the ministers are of the view that technology embedded in electric vehicles (EV) will allow the harvesting of&nbsp;information, including location data, audio recordings and video footage of the users.&nbsp;

“If it is manufactured in a country like China, how certain can you be that it won’t be a vehicle for collecting intel and data? If you have electric vehicles manufactured by countries who are already using technology to spy, why would they not do the same here?," reported The Telegraph citing a lawmaker.&nbsp;

“They are high-risk products. We know that China always thinks in very long terms. So if they were providing a product that could do more than just deliver the consumer’s desire to go from A to B, why would they not be doing it?”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-china-pushes-civilians-to-become-spies-621794">Gravitas: China pushes civilians to become spies</a>

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Earlier, a cross-party group of MPs warned that Britain was poised to cede control of the&nbsp;critical infrastructure&nbsp;of its car market to Beijing “with all the attendant security risks”.

“It will be used with all of the data that they collect, and that’s how it becomes incredibly valuable and quite dangerous," said another official.&nbsp;

<h2>China set to take advantage of laws&nbsp;</h2>

Currently, Germany is the biggest supplier of cars to the UK. However, with the car companies facing quotas for zero-emissions sales from next year ahead of a ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles in 2030, China is expected to take over the spot.&nbsp;

Reports state that if car manufacturers fail to hit the numbers, they will have to either pay fines or buy credits from companies that exceed those targets. However, the caveat is that&nbsp;Chinese electric car companies and Chinese-sourced Teslas will be the biggest beneficiaries of it.&nbsp;China is one of the biggest players in the EV market and currently has half of the world's EVs.

Lawmakers are of the view that government should take its previous stance when it&nbsp;banned Chinese firm Huawei from UK's 5G networks, due to security concerns.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"These are realistic risks. All we have to do is look at how government tied themselves up with things such as 5G."

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

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Lawmakers in the UK have warned that Chinese electric cars imported to the country to reach net zero targets might enable Beijing to spy on citizens. According to The Telegraph, the ministers are of the view that technology embedded in electric vehicles (EV) will allow the harvesting of information, including location data, audio recordings and video footage of the users.

Lawmakers in the UK have warned that Chinese electric cars imported to the country to reach net zero targets might enable Beijing to spy on citizens. According to The Telegraph, the ministers are of the view that technology embedded in electric vehicles (EV) will allow the harvesting of information, including location data, audio recordings and video footage of the users. “If it is manufactured in a country like China, how certain can you be that it won’t be a vehicle for collecting intel and data? If you have electric vehicles manufactured by countries who are already using technology to spy, why would they not do the same here?," reported The Telegraph citing a lawmaker. “They are high-risk products. We know that China always thinks in very long terms. So if they were providing a product that could do more than just deliver the consumer’s desire to go from A to B, why would they not be doing it?” Gravitas: China pushes civilians to become spies × Earlier, a cross-party group of MPs warned that Britain was poised to cede control of the critical infrastructure of its car market to Beijing “with all the attendant security risks”. “It will be used with all of the data that they collect, and that’s how it becomes incredibly valuable and quite dangerous," said another official. China set to take advantage of laws Currently, Germany is the biggest supplier of cars to the UK. However, with the car companies facing quotas for zero-emissions sales from next year ahead of a ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles in 2030, China is expected to take over the spot. Reports state that if car manufacturers fail to hit the numbers, they will have to either pay fines or buy credits from companies that exceed those targets. However, the caveat is that Chinese electric car companies and Chinese-sourced Teslas will be the biggest beneficiaries of it. China is one of the biggest players in the EV market and currently has half of the world's EVs. Lawmakers are of the view that government should take its previous stance when it banned Chinese firm Huawei from UK's 5G networks, due to security concerns. "These are realistic risks. All we have to do is look at how government tied themselves up with things such as 5G." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

China will use its exported electric cars to 'spy' on Britain, fear UK lawmakers

Teachers in England's largest education union, the NEU, have agreed on accepting a government pay offer on Monday, giving a boost to Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's efforts to put an end to disruptive public-sector strikes.

The strikes by the National Education Union this year have forced the British school to shut down on a number of occasions.&nbsp;

On Monday, the union released a statement saying that the teachers have voted to put an end to the industrial action and accept the 6.5 per cent&nbsp;pay rise announced on July 13 by the prime minister.

"Members have spoken very clearly and in great numbers," Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the NEU, said, describing the deal as the "highest pay award for over thirty years".

"The Government should be in no doubt that we will hold its feet to the fire on delivering for teachers and support staff on workload and funding," they added.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/quran-set-alight-outside-swedish-parliament-report-621067">Fresh incident of Quran burning outside Swedish Parliament: Report</a>

Earlier this month, the education unions had said that they would cancel further planned strikes and also suggested the teachers and other union members vote to accept the government's pay offer.

The NEU represents more than 450,000 teachers, lecturers, education support staff and leaders. It released a statement saying that around 86% of its teacher members who voted, chose to accept the offer and end industrial action in an electronic ballot, with a voting turnout of 60 per cent.

"This is good news for teachers, good news for parents and most of all, good news for students," Britain's education minister Gillian Keegan said in a post on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter.

Three other British education unions also said that they would put forth the government's offer to their members.

The UK has been facing a wave of industrial turmoil in years, including by railway workers, as pay offers fail to keep up with high inflation.

Sunak's pay offer still faces opposition from healthcare workers, whose walkouts have disrupted an already burdened state-run health system with thousands of cancelled appointments.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Teachers in England's largest education union, the NEU, have agreed on accepting a government pay offer on Monday, giving a boost to Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's efforts to put an end to disruptive public-sector strikes.

Teachers in England's largest education union, the NEU, have agreed on accepting a government pay offer on Monday, giving a boost to Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's efforts to put an end to disruptive public-sector strikes. The strikes by the National Education Union this year have forced the British school to shut down on a number of occasions. On Monday, the union released a statement saying that the teachers have voted to put an end to the industrial action and accept the 6.5 per cent pay rise announced on July 13 by the prime minister. "Members have spoken very clearly and in great numbers," Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the NEU, said, describing the deal as the "highest pay award for over thirty years". "The Government should be in no doubt that we will hold its feet to the fire on delivering for teachers and support staff on workload and funding," they added. Also read: Fresh incident of Quran burning outside Swedish Parliament: Report Earlier this month, the education unions had said that they would cancel further planned strikes and also suggested the teachers and other union members vote to accept the government's pay offer. The NEU represents more than 450,000 teachers, lecturers, education support staff and leaders. It released a statement saying that around 86% of its teacher members who voted, chose to accept the offer and end industrial action in an electronic ballot, with a voting turnout of 60 per cent. "This is good news for teachers, good news for parents and most of all, good news for students," Britain's education minister Gillian Keegan said in a post on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter. Three other British education unions also said that they would put forth the government's offer to their members. The UK has been facing a wave of industrial turmoil in years, including by railway workers, as pay offers fail to keep up with high inflation. Sunak's pay offer still faces opposition from healthcare workers, whose walkouts have disrupted an already burdened state-run health system with thousands of cancelled appointments. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Teachers in England accept government's offer of 6.5% pay rise, to end strikes

Here, we bring you the news that is trending across WION's social media platforms- Another case has been reported where important government emails are getting delivered to the wrong address because of a typo. Britain's Defence Ministry has launched a probe after officials unintentionally forwarded secret emails to a close Russian Ally due to a typing error.

British Defence Ministry accidentally sends classified emails to Russian ally

Pound on worst run since March 2020 as weak economy curbs interest rate rises. The pound has suffered its longest stretch of daily falls since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic amid growing speculation in the currency markets that a weakening economy will limit further increases in UK interest rates.

Pound on worst run since March 2020 as weak economy curbs interest rate rises

Britons are voting against the 2016 Brexit deal as the nation reels under a financial crisis. Did the UK shoot itself on the foot with the Brexit deal. Priyanka Sharma reports.

Gravitas: Survey: Britons vote against the Brexit deal

The United Kingdom is aiming to increase its nuclear power capacity. This as a part of the effort to boost energy security and electricity generation. And to this end, the government launched its new body- Great British Nuclear.

UK establishes Great British Nuclear body

The United Kingdom has entered into a major trans-Pacific trade pact. Britain is now the 12th member of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. CPTPP was set up in 2018 between 11 countries in order to boost trade ties. Britain now aims to Carter trade barriers with the Indo-Pacific agreement and is expected to open new avenues and trade opportunities for the UK.

Britain joins Indo-Pacific trade bloc

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