The killing of British MP David Amess shocked the nation. In the latest, the alleged killer, Ali Harbi Ali who has been charged with murder has described himself to be affiliated with Islamic State.

British MP David Amess's murder shocks UK

Killing of British MP David Amess shocks the nation

Police searched for answers Sunday about what might have motivated a 25-year-old British man of Somali heritage, the suspect in the brutal slaying of a Conservative Party lawmaker during a meeting with his constituents that has shaken Britain’s political establishment.

Scotland Yard has not yet publicly named the suspect, though British news organisations, including the BBC, have identified him as Ali Harbi Ali. Ali’s father, Harbi Ali Kullane, told The Times of London that his son was being held in custody and described himself as “very traumatised” by the accusations.

Referring to the accusations, Kullane, who once served as an adviser to Somalia’s prime minister, said in the interview with The Times, “It’s not something that I expected or even dreamt of.”

The BBC reported that several years ago, Ali had been referred to a government program known as Prevent, which aims to keep people from being drawn to extremist ideas on social media. But his name has not been on any terrorism watch lists, according to the broadcaster.

The Metropolitan Police said Saturday that they had been granted a warrant under the Terrorism Act to keep the suspect in detention for six extra days in connection with the killing of the lawmaker, David Amess, on Friday in Leigh-on-Sea, England.

On Sunday, police guarded a red-brick row house on a tree-lined street in North London where the suspect is believed to live with his family. It was one of three addresses in London that were being searched by police.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-conservative-mp-dies-after-getting-stabbed-multiple-times-suspect-arrested-421026">Also read | UK: Conservative MP dies after getting stabbed multiple times; Suspect arrested</a>

A next-door neighbor, Tilly Gerrard, said three young men and a woman lived in the second-floor apartment. She described them as a neighborly presence in a community where most residents recognize one another and that recently threw a street party.

The sudden and very public nature of the attack evoked memories of previous lone-wolf assaults that rattled Britain. Last year, an extremist stabbed pedestrians on a busy London street, and in 2019, a man went on a stabbing spree on London Bridge before being shot and killed by police.

Counterterrorism experts said the attack Friday differed from those in that, according to news reports, the assailant did not harm anyone else in the room, waited for police to arrive and arrest him, and made no attempt to confront the officers.

“It doesn’t feel like anything we have seen before,” said David Videcette, a former counterterrorism detective at Scotland Yard.

Under the terms of the Prevent program, teachers, health workers and others can notify police of potentially radicalised individuals, and authorities then decide whether to intervene. The program is voluntary and does not result in a legal record.

Political leaders expressed outrage about the attack but insisted that it should not endanger a tradition of accessibility and face-to-face contact with members of Parliament that is deeply ingrained in Britain’s political system.

“This is an attack on democracy,” Gordon Brown, a former prime minister, said Sunday in an interview on Sky News, “so the answer cannot be less democracy.”

Still, the killing, at midday and in full public view, has rekindled questions about the security of members of Parliament, who routinely make themselves available to constituents in monthly meetings that are advertised in advance and that can become tense when voters show up with lists of grievances.

Two other lawmakers have been attacked at such meetings in little more than a decade. One, Jo Cox, a Labour Party lawmaker, died after she was stabbed and shot by a right-wing extremist a few days before the Brexit referendum in 2016. The other, Stephen Timms, also a Labour lawmaker, was seriously wounded after being stabbed in the abdomen by an Islamic extremist in 2010.

Britain’s home secretary, Priti Patel, said the government would review security policies for lawmakers, particularly as they relate to constituent meetings, known as surgeries. But she cautioned that these measures should not prevent voters from having face-to-face access to their elected representatives.

“We’re here to serve, we’re here to be accessible to the British public,” Patel said in an interview with the BBC.

Members of the public are usually asked to sign up in advance to attend surgeries, and news reports said the suspect had done so before Friday’s meeting, which was held in a Methodist church in Leigh-on-Sea.

In an interview with Sky News, Patel said the government would also consider tightening laws on social media to cut down on abusive behavior, including by removing the right of people to post material anonymously.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-says-will-beef-up-mps-security-after-mp-killed-421531">Also read |&nbsp;UK says will beef up MPs' security after MP killed</a>

In the neighborhood where the suspect is believed to live, residents expressed bewilderment about why someone would target a lawmaker in a town 40 miles away. A man passing on the street said that his younger brother had attended primary school with the suspect and that he was shocked to hear the reports.

The motive for targeting Amess, who was 69, was not clear. A soft-spoken, well-liked backbencher in the House of Commons, he was known for his staunch support of Brexit and his advocacy for animal welfare.

A Catholic and social conservative, Amess was also a strong supporter of Israel and of an Iranian opposition group, Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, or MEK, which campaigns for the overthrow of Iran’s government.

In London’s close-knit Somali community, reports of the attack stirred shock and unease, with some people voicing anxiety about a backlash. Though many Somali immigrants were displaced in the 1990s by the country’s civil war, the roots of the community in Britain go back generations.

“It’s very much people that are born here and raised here,” said Kahiye Alim, director of the Council of Somali Organisations, an umbrella group.

Police searched for answers Sunday about what might have motivated a 25-year-old British man of Somali heritage, the suspect in the brutal slaying of a Conservative Party lawmaker during a meeting with his constituents that has shaken Britain’s political establishment.

Police searched for answers Sunday about what might have motivated a 25-year-old British man of Somali heritage, the suspect in the brutal slaying of a Conservative Party lawmaker during a meeting with his constituents that has shaken Britain’s political establishment. Scotland Yard has not yet publicly named the suspect, though British news organisations, including the BBC, have identified him as Ali Harbi Ali. Ali’s father, Harbi Ali Kullane, told The Times of London that his son was being held in custody and described himself as “very traumatised” by the accusations. Referring to the accusations, Kullane, who once served as an adviser to Somalia’s prime minister, said in the interview with The Times, “It’s not something that I expected or even dreamt of.” The BBC reported that several years ago, Ali had been referred to a government program known as Prevent, which aims to keep people from being drawn to extremist ideas on social media. But his name has not been on any terrorism watch lists, according to the broadcaster. The Metropolitan Police said Saturday that they had been granted a warrant under the Terrorism Act to keep the suspect in detention for six extra days in connection with the killing of the lawmaker, David Amess, on Friday in Leigh-on-Sea, England. On Sunday, police guarded a red-brick row house on a tree-lined street in North London where the suspect is believed to live with his family. It was one of three addresses in London that were being searched by police. Also read | UK: Conservative MP dies after getting stabbed multiple times; Suspect arrested A next-door neighbor, Tilly Gerrard, said three young men and a woman lived in the second-floor apartment. She described them as a neighborly presence in a community where most residents recognize one another and that recently threw a street party. The sudden and very public nature of the attack evoked memories of previous lone-wolf assaults that rattled Britain. Last year, an extremist stabbed pedestrians on a busy London street, and in 2019, a man went on a stabbing spree on London Bridge before being shot and killed by police. Counterterrorism experts said the attack Friday differed from those in that, according to news reports, the assailant did not harm anyone else in the room, waited for police to arrive and arrest him, and made no attempt to confront the officers. “It doesn’t feel like anything we have seen before,” said David Videcette, a former counterterrorism detective at Scotland Yard. Under the terms of the Prevent program, teachers, health workers and others can notify police of potentially radicalised individuals, and authorities then decide whether to intervene. The program is voluntary and does not result in a legal record. Political leaders expressed outrage about the attack but insisted that it should not endanger a tradition of accessibility and face-to-face contact with members of Parliament that is deeply ingrained in Britain’s political system. “This is an attack on democracy,” Gordon Brown, a former prime minister, said Sunday in an interview on Sky News, “so the answer cannot be less democracy.” Still, the killing, at midday and in full public view, has rekindled questions about the security of members of Parliament, who routinely make themselves available to constituents in monthly meetings that are advertised in advance and that can become tense when voters show up with lists of grievances. Two other lawmakers have been attacked at such meetings in little more than a decade. One, Jo Cox, a Labour Party lawmaker, died after she was stabbed and shot by a right-wing extremist a few days before the Brexit referendum in 2016. The other, Stephen Timms, also a Labour lawmaker, was seriously wounded after being stabbed in the abdomen by an Islamic extremist in 2010. Britain’s home secretary, Priti Patel, said the government would review security policies for lawmakers, particularly as they relate to constituent meetings, known as surgeries. But she cautioned that these measures should not prevent voters from having face-to-face access to their elected representatives. “We’re here to serve, we’re here to be accessible to the British public,” Patel said in an interview with the BBC. Members of the public are usually asked to sign up in advance to attend surgeries, and news reports said the suspect had done so before Friday’s meeting, which was held in a Methodist church in Leigh-on-Sea. In an interview with Sky News, Patel said the government would also consider tightening laws on social media to cut down on abusive behavior, including by removing the right of people to post material anonymously. Also read | UK says will beef up MPs' security after MP killed In the neighborhood where the suspect is believed to live, residents expressed bewilderment about why someone would target a lawmaker in a town 40 miles away. A man passing on the street said that his younger brother had attended primary school with the suspect and that he was shocked to hear the reports. The motive for targeting Amess, who was 69, was not clear. A soft-spoken, well-liked backbencher in the House of Commons, he was known for his staunch support of Brexit and his advocacy for animal welfare. A Catholic and social conservative, Amess was also a strong supporter of Israel and of an Iranian opposition group, Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, or MEK, which campaigns for the overthrow of Iran’s government. In London’s close-knit Somali community, reports of the attack stirred shock and unease, with some people voicing anxiety about a backlash. Though many Somali immigrants were displaced in the 1990s by the country’s civil war, the roots of the community in Britain go back generations. “It’s very much people that are born here and raised here,” said Kahiye Alim, director of the Council of Somali Organisations, an umbrella group.

Police search for motive in British lawmaker’s killing

An appeals court in Iran on Saturday upheld one-year prison term for British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe as per her lawyer who was quoted by an Iranian news website

"The appeals court has approved the lower court's verdict without holding a hearing," attorney Hojjat Kermani told the Emtedad website.

An Iranian court had sentenced Zaghari-Ratcliffe to a new term in jail in April. She faced charges of propaganda against Iran's ruling system. The new sentence came just a month after she finished a prior five-year sentence.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested at a Tehran airport in April 2016 and later convicted of plotting to overthrow the clerical establishment.

There was no immediate official comment from Iran's judiciary on the appeals court decision.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe's family and the foundation have denied the charges. The foundation is a charity that operates independently of media firm Thomson Reuters and its news subsidiary Reuters.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who served out most of her first sentence in Tehran's Evin prison, was released in March 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic and kept under house arrest. In March 2021, she was released from house arrest but she was summoned to court again on the new charge.

British lawmaker Tulip Siddiq said she had spoken to Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband Richard.

"Nazanin has lost her latest appeal and her sentence of 1 year plus 1 year travel ban is upheld with no court hearing. She could now be returned to prison at any time," Siddiq said in a tweet, urging Prime Minister Boris Johnson to intervene.

(With inputs from agencies)

An appeals court in Iran on Saturday upheld one-year prison term for British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe as per her lawyer who was quoted by an Iranian news website "The appeals court has approved the lower court's verdict without holding a hearing," attorney Hojjat Kermani told the Emtedad website.

An appeals court in Iran on Saturday upheld one-year prison term for British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe as per her lawyer who was quoted by an Iranian news website "The appeals court has approved the lower court's verdict without holding a hearing," attorney Hojjat Kermani told the Emtedad website. An Iranian court had sentenced Zaghari-Ratcliffe to a new term in jail in April. She faced charges of propaganda against Iran's ruling system. The new sentence came just a month after she finished a prior five-year sentence. Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested at a Tehran airport in April 2016 and later convicted of plotting to overthrow the clerical establishment. There was no immediate official comment from Iran's judiciary on the appeals court decision. Zaghari-Ratcliffe's family and the foundation have denied the charges. The foundation is a charity that operates independently of media firm Thomson Reuters and its news subsidiary Reuters. Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who served out most of her first sentence in Tehran's Evin prison, was released in March 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic and kept under house arrest. In March 2021, she was released from house arrest but she was summoned to court again on the new charge. British lawmaker Tulip Siddiq said she had spoken to Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband Richard. "Nazanin has lost her latest appeal and her sentence of 1 year plus 1 year travel ban is upheld with no court hearing. She could now be returned to prison at any time," Siddiq said in a tweet, urging Prime Minister Boris Johnson to intervene. (With inputs from agencies)

Iranian court upholds jail term for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, says lawyer

In a shocking incident, British conservative party MP- David Amess died after he was stabbed multiple times at a church in leigh-on-sea. The 69 year old lawmaker was holding a meeting with voters from his electoral district when the attacker walked in and stabbed the MP. The incident took place at the belfairs methodist church.

British conservative party MP- David Amess stabbed multiple times at church in Leigh-On-Sea

British Prime Minister's decision to block public sexual harassment law has infuriated UK home secretary Priti Patel. Johnson's move to overrule the proposal has prompted concern at the home office. The home ministry has accused British Prime Minister of mere 'wolf whistling' the issue and not taking any concrete measures to counter the rising women safety issues.

British Prime Minister infuriates UK home secretary Priti Patel

Taiwan Strait is in news again. After a US warship conducted a 'routine' transit through the strait recently, a British warship HMS Richmond travelled through the same area on Monday. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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After a busy period working with partners and allies in the East China Sea, we are now en route through the Taiwan Strait to visit <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vietnam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Vietnam</a> and the Vietnam People's Navy. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSG21?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSG21</a> International by design <a href="https://t.co/0bys9eYY42">pic.twitter.com/0bys9eYY42</a>
— HMS Richmond (@HMS_Richmond) <a href="https://twitter.com/HMS_Richmond/status/1442189189320151047?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The development is a rare voyage by a non-US military vessel as the US has been regularly performing "freedom of navigation" voyages in the strait. This waterway separates Taiwan and mainland China. &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;

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In last some months, tensions have been continuously rising between China and Taiwan, and the regular transits by the warships of other countries have been only enraging Beijing further. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-white-paper-claims-rise-in-uyghur-population-in-xinjiang-416308" hreflang="en">China's white paper claims rise in Uyghur population in Xinjiang</a>

In a tweet, HMS Richmond, a frigate deployed with Britain's aircraft carrier strike group, said, "After a busy period working with partners and allies in the East China Sea, we are now en route through the Taiwan Strait to visit Vietnam and the Vietnam People's Navy." &nbsp;&nbsp;

Confirming reports, Taiwan's defence minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said that a foreign vessel sailed through the waterway but did not state which country it was from. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-warns-taiwan-about-existing-grim-situation-416172" hreflang="en">China warns Taiwan about existing 'grim' situation</a>

China claims Taiwan as a breakaway province, which it has said will be unified with the mainland by force if necessary.

Chinese jets have been repeatedly entering Taiwan's airspace in recent months with over 380 incursions reported into Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) earlier. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Taiwan Strait is in news again. After a US warship conducted a 'routine' transit through the strait recently, a British warship HMS Richmond travelled through the same area on Monday.

Taiwan Strait is in news again. After a US warship conducted a 'routine' transit through the strait recently, a British warship HMS Richmond travelled through the same area on Monday. After a busy period working with partners and allies in the East China Sea, we are now en route through the Taiwan Strait to visit #Vietnam and the Vietnam People's Navy. #CSG21 International by design pic.twitter.com/0bys9eYY42 — HMS Richmond (@HMS_Richmond) September 26, 2021 × The development is a rare voyage by a non-US military vessel as the US has been regularly performing "freedom of navigation" voyages in the strait. This waterway separates Taiwan and mainland China. Watch: × In last some months, tensions have been continuously rising between China and Taiwan, and the regular transits by the warships of other countries have been only enraging Beijing further. Also Read: China's white paper claims rise in Uyghur population in Xinjiang In a tweet, HMS Richmond, a frigate deployed with Britain's aircraft carrier strike group, said, "After a busy period working with partners and allies in the East China Sea, we are now en route through the Taiwan Strait to visit Vietnam and the Vietnam People's Navy." Confirming reports, Taiwan's defence minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said that a foreign vessel sailed through the waterway but did not state which country it was from. Also Read: China warns Taiwan about existing 'grim' situation China claims Taiwan as a breakaway province, which it has said will be unified with the mainland by force if necessary. Chinese jets have been repeatedly entering Taiwan's airspace in recent months with over 380 incursions reported into Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) earlier. (With inputs from agencies)

In ‘rare transit’, British warship HMS Richmond crosses Taiwan Strait

A British warship has sailed through the Taiwan Strait , a move that is most likely to anger China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory.

UK warship sails through Taiwan Strait, Beijing likely to be angered | WION News | English News

The British police had said that they had arrested a suspect in the hunt for the murderer of a teacher who was killed in a London park. The teacher was making a five-minute walk from her home to meet a friend at a pub.

Sabina Nessa left her home in south London just before 8:30 pm on September 17, as she went towards The Depot Bar on Pegler Square in Kidbrooke Village.

However, she never arrived and her body was found in the park the next afternoon.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/murder-rose-by-almost-30-in-2020-rising-at-a-slower-rate-in-2021-415480">Also read |&nbsp;Murder rose by almost 30% in 2020; rising at a slower rate in 2021</a>

"Sabina's journey should have taken just over five minutes but she never made it to her destination," said Detective Inspector Joe Garrity.

Later, the police said that they had arrested a 38-year-old man in Lewisham, south London, on suspicion of murder. They also released pictures taken from security TV footage of a man and a vehicle.

"Any information as to his identity or whereabouts could be vital for our investigation," said Detective Chief Inspector Neil John.

A postmortem was also carried out on Monday. However, the police said that it was inconclusive.

The British police had said that they had arrested a suspect in the hunt for the murderer of a teacher who was killed in a London park. The teacher was making a five-minute walk from her home to meet a friend at a pub.

The British police had said that they had arrested a suspect in the hunt for the murderer of a teacher who was killed in a London park. The teacher was making a five-minute walk from her home to meet a friend at a pub. Sabina Nessa left her home in south London just before 8:30 pm on September 17, as she went towards The Depot Bar on Pegler Square in Kidbrooke Village. However, she never arrived and her body was found in the park the next afternoon. Also read | Murder rose by almost 30% in 2020; rising at a slower rate in 2021 "Sabina's journey should have taken just over five minutes but she never made it to her destination," said Detective Inspector Joe Garrity. Later, the police said that they had arrested a 38-year-old man in Lewisham, south London, on suspicion of murder. They also released pictures taken from security TV footage of a man and a vehicle. "Any information as to his identity or whereabouts could be vital for our investigation," said Detective Chief Inspector Neil John. A postmortem was also carried out on Monday. However, the police said that it was inconclusive.

British police arrest suspect in murder of teacher

Britain has added Covishield to its list of recognized vaccines. But fully vaccinated Indian citizens will still have to quarantine. Reports say Britain is suspicious of India's vaccine certificates. Palki Sharma tells you why it's less about authenticity and more about British arrogance.

Gravitas US Edition | British arrogance: Indian vaccine certificates rejected

British former Royal Marine who runs an animal shelter in Kabul, Afghanistan, Paul 'Pen' Farthing, says that he was denied entry to the airport due to a change in paperwork rules.&nbsp;

Blaming Joe Biden, he said that he "went through hell" to reach the airport and was turned away as the US government had changed paperwork rules just two hours earlier.

He was caught up in the deadly explosions outside Kabul airport in which dozens of people were killed.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-virus-origins-us-intelligence-community-says-it-was-not-developed-as-biological-weapon-408909">Also read |&nbsp;COVID-19 virus&nbsp;origins:&nbsp;US intelligence community says it was 'not developed' as biological weapon</a>

Taking to Twitter, he wrote that he and his whole team, along with the animals, were safely inside the airport perimeter when he was told that Biden had "changed policy" on who could leave.&nbsp;

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The whole team &amp; dogs/cats were safely 300m inside the airport perimeter. We were turned away as <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> had changed paperwork rules just 2 hours earlier. Went through hell to get there &amp; we were turned away into the chaos of those devastating explosions. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OperationArk?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OperationArk</a>
— Pen Farthing (@PenFarthing) <a href="https://twitter.com/PenFarthing/status/1431109185207521280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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He said they were "turned away into the chaos of those devastating explosions."

Pen Farthing had launched a widely-covered campaign earlier this month to evacuate his shelter's 200 animals, along with his staff and their families, out of Kabul.&nbsp;

He chartered a $500,000 plane to land at Kabul airport for the rescue operation which has been named&nbsp;as Operation Ark.

He was questioned as to why he was not escorted by the British government. To this he replied that the&nbsp;US controlled the Kabul airport internally, so their rules "trumped" the British paperwork he carried.

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The US control the airport (internally) so it trumped the British paperwork we had.
— Pen Farthing (@PenFarthing) <a href="https://twitter.com/PenFarthing/status/1431110710982029313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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No ‘pets before people’ is a phrase that’ll come to haunt <a href="https://twitter.com/BWallaceMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BWallaceMP</a> &amp; other MPs who agreed with him. This flight would’ve also been evacuating qualified Afghan veterinary staff &amp; their families fleeing from the Taliban. It was as much a humanitarian mission as any <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NowzadRescue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NowzadRescue</a>
— Kina R-H (@KinaRestall) <a href="https://twitter.com/KinaRestall/status/1431162188719341570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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This is devastating news. I don't want to think about those poor animals and what will become of them now. 😥
— nicola twaddle (@n_twaddle) <a href="https://twitter.com/n_twaddle/status/1431318394796707854?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Pen Farthing&nbsp;said that it was&nbsp;'just so depressing' he had to leave his staff in Afghanistan as he prepared to fly off with 180 animals. He told how his employees were stopped from crossing the Taliban&nbsp;line to the British area at Kabul airport.

His desperate comments were in sharp contrast to his wife, who last night spoke that her husband and his furry friends were on their way home. Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when she was told he was getting out.

British former Royal Marine who runs an animal shelter in Kabul, Afghanistan, Paul 'Pen' Farthing, says that he was denied entry to the airport due to a change in paperwork rules.

British former Royal Marine who runs an animal shelter in Kabul, Afghanistan, Paul 'Pen' Farthing, says that he was denied entry to the airport due to a change in paperwork rules. Blaming Joe Biden, he said that he "went through hell" to reach the airport and was turned away as the US government had changed paperwork rules just two hours earlier. He was caught up in the deadly explosions outside Kabul airport in which dozens of people were killed. Also read | COVID-19 virus origins: US intelligence community says it was 'not developed' as biological weapon Taking to Twitter, he wrote that he and his whole team, along with the animals, were safely inside the airport perimeter when he was told that Biden had "changed policy" on who could leave. The whole team & dogs/cats were safely 300m inside the airport perimeter. We were turned away as @JoeBiden @POTUS had changed paperwork rules just 2 hours earlier. Went through hell to get there & we were turned away into the chaos of those devastating explosions. #OperationArk — Pen Farthing (@PenFarthing) August 27, 2021 × He said they were "turned away into the chaos of those devastating explosions." Pen Farthing had launched a widely-covered campaign earlier this month to evacuate his shelter's 200 animals, along with his staff and their families, out of Kabul. He chartered a $500,000 plane to land at Kabul airport for the rescue operation which has been named as Operation Ark. He was questioned as to why he was not escorted by the British government. To this he replied that the US controlled the Kabul airport internally, so their rules "trumped" the British paperwork he carried. The US control the airport (internally) so it trumped the British paperwork we had. — Pen Farthing (@PenFarthing) August 27, 2021 × No ‘pets before people’ is a phrase that’ll come to haunt @BWallaceMP & other MPs who agreed with him. This flight would’ve also been evacuating qualified Afghan veterinary staff & their families fleeing from the Taliban. It was as much a humanitarian mission as any #NowzadRescue — Kina R-H (@KinaRestall) August 27, 2021 × This is devastating news. I don't want to think about those poor animals and what will become of them now. 😥 — nicola twaddle (@n_twaddle) August 27, 2021 × Pen Farthing said that it was 'just so depressing' he had to leave his staff in Afghanistan as he prepared to fly off with 180 animals. He told how his employees were stopped from crossing the Taliban line to the British area at Kabul airport. His desperate comments were in sharp contrast to his wife, who last night spoke that her husband and his furry friends were on their way home. Kaisa Markhus, who fled Afghanistan last week for her native Norway, was eating dinner with her father in Oslo when she was told he was getting out.

British ex-marine survived Kabul attack with 200 animals

Officials in Singapore said on Thursday that a British man received a jail sentence of six weeks for not wearing a mask and harassing police.

Singapore has taken a tough line against people breaking virus rule. There have been several cases of foreigners being punished.

Benjamin Glynn, the British man, was arrested after clip of him not wearing a mask on a train went viral. The clip had gone viral in May.

The 40-year-old subsequently harassed police sent to arrest him, and refused to wear a face-covering during a court appearance last month.

According to reports, Glynn delivered a rant in court -- in which he described the proceedings as "preposterous" and "disgusting" -- and said masks were not effective in preventing the spread of Covid-19.

This prompted the judge to order a psychiatric assessment, but Glynn was deemed fit enough for the case to continue.

On Wednesday, he was convicted for breaching Covid-19 rules, his behaviour towards police, and causing a public nuisance.

A court official confirmed the jail term to AFP on Thursday, saying it was backdated to July 19 -- the date when Glynn was first remanded.

(With inputs from agencies)

Officials in Singapore said on Thursday that a British man received a jail sentence of six weeks for not wearing a mask and harassing police. Singapore has taken a tough line against people breaking virus rule.

Officials in Singapore said on Thursday that a British man received a jail sentence of six weeks for not wearing a mask and harassing police. Singapore has taken a tough line against people breaking virus rule. There have been several cases of foreigners being punished. Benjamin Glynn, the British man, was arrested after clip of him not wearing a mask on a train went viral. The clip had gone viral in May. The 40-year-old subsequently harassed police sent to arrest him, and refused to wear a face-covering during a court appearance last month. According to reports, Glynn delivered a rant in court -- in which he described the proceedings as "preposterous" and "disgusting" -- and said masks were not effective in preventing the spread of Covid-19. This prompted the judge to order a psychiatric assessment, but Glynn was deemed fit enough for the case to continue. On Wednesday, he was convicted for breaching Covid-19 rules, his behaviour towards police, and causing a public nuisance. A court official confirmed the jail term to AFP on Thursday, saying it was backdated to July 19 -- the date when Glynn was first remanded. (With inputs from agencies)

Singapore: British man handed jail term for not wearing mask

The fate of a&nbsp;doomed&nbsp;eight-year-old&nbsp;alpaca&nbsp;named Geronimo has triggered an&nbsp;outcry&nbsp;against&nbsp;British&nbsp;Prime Minister Boris&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;after his government ordered the animal be put down because of positive tests for bovine tuberculosis.

The order to kill the&nbsp;alpaca&nbsp;prompted pleas from owner Helen Macdonald for&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;and his wife Carrie to show mercy, prompting some celebrities to demand the prime minister swerve away from what they cast as a public relations disaster.

A march on&nbsp;Johnson's Downing Street base by fans of Geronimo is planned for Monday and more than 97,000 people have signed a petition calling for the creature to be saved.

As ministers insisted Geronimo must be put down,&nbsp;Johnson's 80-year-old father Stanley appealed for the "judicial execution" to be avoided so Geronimo could live in peace in the English county of Gloucestershire.

"I hope and believe his execution can be avoided even at this late stage,"&nbsp;Johnson's father was quoted saying in The Sun tabloid, adding he hoped owner Macdonald would block agriculture ministry staff from "carrying out their absurd murderous errand".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-faces-backbench-rebellion-over-hunger-poverty-in-home-counties-402384">Also read |&nbsp;UK PM faces ‘backbench’ rebellion over hunger, poverty in home counties&nbsp;</a>

Macdonald, a veterinary nurse, said the&nbsp;alpaca&nbsp;was negative when he was brought in from New Zealand and she had spent thousands of pounds on a failed court battle to save the animal. She told The Sun she would "take a bullet" for the&nbsp;alpaca.

Agriculture Secretary George Eustice said that while the fate of Geronimo was sad, the rules were clear that animals which tested positive for bovine Tuberculosis had to killed.

British&nbsp;ministers have been grilled over the fate of Geronimo for days.

Interviewed on Sky Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: "It's obviously difficult because there's a lot of people invested emotionally in a story of an animal, but there's a policy, and there's a reason why the policy shouldn't be stopped."

Macdonald did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The fate of a doomed eight-year-old alpaca named Geronimo has triggered an outcry against British Prime Minister Boris Johnson after his government ordered the animal be put down because of positive tests for bovine tuberculosis.

The fate of a doomed eight-year-old alpaca named Geronimo has triggered an outcry against British Prime Minister Boris Johnson after his government ordered the animal be put down because of positive tests for bovine tuberculosis. The order to kill the alpaca prompted pleas from owner Helen Macdonald for Johnson and his wife Carrie to show mercy, prompting some celebrities to demand the prime minister swerve away from what they cast as a public relations disaster. A march on Johnson's Downing Street base by fans of Geronimo is planned for Monday and more than 97,000 people have signed a petition calling for the creature to be saved. As ministers insisted Geronimo must be put down, Johnson's 80-year-old father Stanley appealed for the "judicial execution" to be avoided so Geronimo could live in peace in the English county of Gloucestershire. "I hope and believe his execution can be avoided even at this late stage," Johnson's father was quoted saying in The Sun tabloid, adding he hoped owner Macdonald would block agriculture ministry staff from "carrying out their absurd murderous errand". Also read | UK PM faces ‘backbench’ rebellion over hunger, poverty in home counties Macdonald, a veterinary nurse, said the alpaca was negative when he was brought in from New Zealand and she had spent thousands of pounds on a failed court battle to save the animal. She told The Sun she would "take a bullet" for the alpaca. Agriculture Secretary George Eustice said that while the fate of Geronimo was sad, the rules were clear that animals which tested positive for bovine Tuberculosis had to killed. British ministers have been grilled over the fate of Geronimo for days. Interviewed on Sky Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: "It's obviously difficult because there's a lot of people invested emotionally in a story of an animal, but there's a policy, and there's a reason why the policy shouldn't be stopped." Macdonald did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Doomed alpaca triggers outcry against British PM Johnson

Britain's chef de mission Mark England hailed the team's achievement as the greatest in their Olympic history after the team matched their medals total from their home games in London in 2012 on the final day of competition in Tokyo.

Track cyclist Jason Kenny and boxer Lauren Price ensured that Britain finished their campaign with two more gold, taking them to fourth in the Tokyo medals table with 22 gold, 21 silver and 22 bronze medals for a total of 65.

It made Tokyo their second-most successful&nbsp;Olympics&nbsp;overseas after the contingent won 67 medals in the Rio de Janeiro Games five years ago.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-at-olympics-graph-shows-positives-and-upward-curve-in-female-representation-more-efforts-still-needed-403973" hreflang="en">India at Olympics: Graph shows positives and upward curve in female representation; more efforts still needed</a>

"Following Beijing, we had no idea that British athletes would deliver 65 medals in London. We knew we were in great shape for Rio but it had never been done before, matching and then surpassing London's number of medals," England told reporters on Sunday.

"I just think that finishing this Games with two gold medals, and for this team to deliver 65 medals, is absolutely extraordinary.

"Not only has the team made history but it has probably made history on the back of the most complex and most challenging and difficult environment that we will face certainly in my lifetime.

"It has been against all the odds and I think it is the greatest achievement in British Olympic history. It has been the miracle of Tokyo and it has been wonderful to be here."

The next Olympic Games are in less than three years and England believes the youthful side would be in great shape heading into Paris.

"The Bryony Pages of this team, winning another (trampoline) bronze after her silver medal in Rio, and the women's artistic gymnastics team winning a bronze with two 16-year-old twins -- these kept the scoreboard ticking over and gave everybody the confidence that the team is in great shape," he said.

"We've had 16 fourth places. This is a very, very young team and a very talented team, and a team I'm absolutely confident that will go to Paris in less than three years and do exceptionally well."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ioc-chief-thomas-bach-calls-tokyo-olympics-2020-very-successful-403923" hreflang="en">IOC chief Thomas Bach calls Tokyo Olympics 2020 'very successful'</a>

The British Olympic Association and UK Sport had previously announced a change of approach towards funding, which was previously targeted narrowly at potential medallists, amid an athlete welfare crisis and various governance problems.

The organisation said last year that it would be taking a more holistic approach towards Olympic funding, with positive culture at its core, raising fears that a softer approach might lead to a drop in results.

"I'm thrilled that we are in a better place now and we certainly haven't seen any drop-off in performance," said Katherine Grainger, Chair Of UK Sport.

"If anyone was unconvinced before hopefully they would be convinced now."

Britain's chef de mission Mark England hailed the team's achievement as the greatest in their Olympic history after the team matched their medals total from their home games in London in 2012 on the final day of competition in Tokyo.

Britain's chef de mission Mark England hailed the team's achievement as the greatest in their Olympic history after the team matched their medals total from their home games in London in 2012 on the final day of competition in Tokyo. Track cyclist Jason Kenny and boxer Lauren Price ensured that Britain finished their campaign with two more gold, taking them to fourth in the Tokyo medals table with 22 gold, 21 silver and 22 bronze medals for a total of 65. It made Tokyo their second-most successful Olympics overseas after the contingent won 67 medals in the Rio de Janeiro Games five years ago. ALSO READ: India at Olympics: Graph shows positives and upward curve in female representation; more efforts still needed "Following Beijing, we had no idea that British athletes would deliver 65 medals in London. We knew we were in great shape for Rio but it had never been done before, matching and then surpassing London's number of medals," England told reporters on Sunday. "I just think that finishing this Games with two gold medals, and for this team to deliver 65 medals, is absolutely extraordinary. "Not only has the team made history but it has probably made history on the back of the most complex and most challenging and difficult environment that we will face certainly in my lifetime. "It has been against all the odds and I think it is the greatest achievement in British Olympic history. It has been the miracle of Tokyo and it has been wonderful to be here." The next Olympic Games are in less than three years and England believes the youthful side would be in great shape heading into Paris. "The Bryony Pages of this team, winning another (trampoline) bronze after her silver medal in Rio, and the women's artistic gymnastics team winning a bronze with two 16-year-old twins -- these kept the scoreboard ticking over and gave everybody the confidence that the team is in great shape," he said. "We've had 16 fourth places. This is a very, very young team and a very talented team, and a team I'm absolutely confident that will go to Paris in less than three years and do exceptionally well." ALSO READ: IOC chief Thomas Bach calls Tokyo Olympics 2020 'very successful' The British Olympic Association and UK Sport had previously announced a change of approach towards funding, which was previously targeted narrowly at potential medallists, amid an athlete welfare crisis and various governance problems. The organisation said last year that it would be taking a more holistic approach towards Olympic funding, with positive culture at its core, raising fears that a softer approach might lead to a drop in results. "I'm thrilled that we are in a better place now and we certainly haven't seen any drop-off in performance," said Katherine Grainger, Chair Of UK Sport. "If anyone was unconvinced before hopefully they would be convinced now."

Olympics 2020: British team hail 'miracle of Tokyo' after big medals haul

England's High Court will begin hearing arguments on Wednesday from lawyers for four Russian billionaires including Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich and state-owned oil firm Rosneft about a book on President Vladimir Putin which they say defames them. 
 
In the 2020 book, British journalist Catherine Belton chronicles Putin's rise to power and how many of his associates from the former Soviet spy services rose to positions of wealth and influence after he won the top Kremlin job in 1999. 
 
Lawyers for the businessmen will tell the court that passages in the book "Putin's People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and then Took on the West", published by HarperCollins, are defamatory. Abramovich is suing both HarperCollins and Belton, according to case details filed with the courts and tribunals service. 
 
HarperCollins said it would "robustly defend this acclaimed and ground-breaking book and the right to report on matters of considerable public interest". 
 
Belton, a former Financial Times Moscow correspondent and now a Reuters special correspondent, declined to comment. Law firm Wiggin, which is representing HarperCollins and Belton, did not respond to a request for comment. 
 
"The book falsely alleges that our client has acted corruptly, and makes false claims about our client`s purchase, and the activities, of Chelsea Football Club. Such claims are totally unacceptable and are without foundation," Abramovich`s lawyers, Harbottle &amp; Lewis, said on March 22. 
 
Abramovich said in the same statement that "the false allegations in this book are having a damaging effect, not only on my personal reputation, but also in respect of the activities of Chelsea Football Club." 
 
A spokeswoman for Abramovich declined to comment further. Harbottle &amp; Lewis did not respond to a request for comment. 
 
Rosneft, Russia's largest oil producer, is also suing both HarperCollins and Belton for defamation. The firm, and its lawyers Carter-Ruck, did not did not respond to a request for comment. 
 
Businessman Mikhail Fridman is suing HarperCollins for defamation and on data protection grounds. His long-term business partner, Pyotr Aven, is suing on data protection grounds. 
 
A spokesman said both men regretted it had not been possible to resolve the matter before Wednesday`s hearing. 
 
"Ms Belton's book, which has been promoted as a 'definitive historical record', contains inaccurate and offensive statements about Mr Aven and Mr Fridman," the spokesman said.&nbsp;"It is important to them that the record is set straight." 
 
Businessman Shalva Chigirinsky is suing both HarperCollins and Belton for defamation. His lawyers, Taylor Wessing LLP, passed on to him a Reuters request for comment on the proceedings. He did not immediately respond.

England's High Court will begin hearing arguments on Wednesday from lawyers for four Russian billionaires including Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich and state-owned oil firm Rosneft about a book on President Vladimir Putin which they say defames them.

England's High Court will begin hearing arguments on Wednesday from lawyers for four Russian billionaires including Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich and state-owned oil firm Rosneft about a book on President Vladimir Putin which they say defames them. In the 2020 book, British journalist Catherine Belton chronicles Putin's rise to power and how many of his associates from the former Soviet spy services rose to positions of wealth and influence after he won the top Kremlin job in 1999. Lawyers for the businessmen will tell the court that passages in the book "Putin's People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and then Took on the West", published by HarperCollins, are defamatory. Abramovich is suing both HarperCollins and Belton, according to case details filed with the courts and tribunals service. HarperCollins said it would "robustly defend this acclaimed and ground-breaking book and the right to report on matters of considerable public interest". Belton, a former Financial Times Moscow correspondent and now a Reuters special correspondent, declined to comment. Law firm Wiggin, which is representing HarperCollins and Belton, did not respond to a request for comment. "The book falsely alleges that our client has acted corruptly, and makes false claims about our client`s purchase, and the activities, of Chelsea Football Club. Such claims are totally unacceptable and are without foundation," Abramovich`s lawyers, Harbottle & Lewis, said on March 22. Abramovich said in the same statement that "the false allegations in this book are having a damaging effect, not only on my personal reputation, but also in respect of the activities of Chelsea Football Club." A spokeswoman for Abramovich declined to comment further. Harbottle & Lewis did not respond to a request for comment. Rosneft, Russia's largest oil producer, is also suing both HarperCollins and Belton for defamation. The firm, and its lawyers Carter-Ruck, did not did not respond to a request for comment. Businessman Mikhail Fridman is suing HarperCollins for defamation and on data protection grounds. His long-term business partner, Pyotr Aven, is suing on data protection grounds. A spokesman said both men regretted it had not been possible to resolve the matter before Wednesday`s hearing. "Ms Belton's book, which has been promoted as a 'definitive historical record', contains inaccurate and offensive statements about Mr Aven and Mr Fridman," the spokesman said. "It is important to them that the record is set straight." Businessman Shalva Chigirinsky is suing both HarperCollins and Belton for defamation. His lawyers, Taylor Wessing LLP, passed on to him a Reuters request for comment on the proceedings. He did not immediately respond.

Russian billionaires vs British writer: Court battle begins over Putin book

Having sat proudly on the medal table podium as a real sporting superpower at the last two Games, British success will be measured by a different metric in Tokyo, the country's leading Olympic and sporting officials said on Friday. 
 
From the low of 1996 when they managed only one gold and finished 36th in the rankings, Britain rose to finish third in the London Games medal table of 2012 on the back of a huge injection of lottery funding. 
 
Four years later in Rio, Britain finished an extraordinary second behind the United States. 
 
Expectations are lower this time, despite Britain sending their biggest team, of around 380, to an overseas Games and qualifying for 26 of the 33 sports. 
 
The British Olympic Association and UK Sport had previously announced a change of approach, with funding no longer targeted so narrowly at potential medallists, but the particular challenges surrounding the COVID-delayed Tokyo Games have further diluted that emphasis on "only the podium counts". 
 
"At this most extraordinary of Games success is definitely not just about counting medals," Sally Munday, CEO of UK Sport, told journalists. 
 
"It`s about our athletes reaching Tokyo, their well-being, and reaching their dreams but also about bringing us as Britons together and sharing that national pride. 
 
"We are not shying away from our target of wanting to keep winning medals and our long term aspiration is to always be in the top five, but it will feel very different this time and be very emotional and we also want every athlete to have a really positive journey." 
 
Hugh Robertson, chairman of the BOA and Britain`s former Minster for Sport, added: "Anybody watching this will realize these are an extraordinary and unique Games and this is going to be a bumpy ride and it will be an achievement just to get all those athletes to the start line. 
 
"We also have a much younger squad here than in London and Rio with some of that focus on potentially medalling in Paris (in 2024)." 
 
Officials have not made public any specific medal targets per-sport but are looking at a total range of 45-70 (compared to 65 in 2012 and 67 in 2016). 
 
"We are excited about the breadth and at some of the new sports coming in so there will be a real range of medal opportunities," Munday said. 
 
"But the athletes are also willing and keen to share their own experiences and it is important to tell those stories and show that this Games is more than medals. 
 
"I think the British public get it and are just thrilled that the Games are going ahead and that the athletes who have trained so hard to compete are able to be here."

Having sat proudly on the medal table podium as a real sporting superpower at the last two Games, British success will be measured by a different metric in Tokyo, the country's leading Olympic and sporting officials said on Friday.

Having sat proudly on the medal table podium as a real sporting superpower at the last two Games, British success will be measured by a different metric in Tokyo, the country's leading Olympic and sporting officials said on Friday. From the low of 1996 when they managed only one gold and finished 36th in the rankings, Britain rose to finish third in the London Games medal table of 2012 on the back of a huge injection of lottery funding. Four years later in Rio, Britain finished an extraordinary second behind the United States. Expectations are lower this time, despite Britain sending their biggest team, of around 380, to an overseas Games and qualifying for 26 of the 33 sports. The British Olympic Association and UK Sport had previously announced a change of approach, with funding no longer targeted so narrowly at potential medallists, but the particular challenges surrounding the COVID-delayed Tokyo Games have further diluted that emphasis on "only the podium counts". "At this most extraordinary of Games success is definitely not just about counting medals," Sally Munday, CEO of UK Sport, told journalists. "It`s about our athletes reaching Tokyo, their well-being, and reaching their dreams but also about bringing us as Britons together and sharing that national pride. "We are not shying away from our target of wanting to keep winning medals and our long term aspiration is to always be in the top five, but it will feel very different this time and be very emotional and we also want every athlete to have a really positive journey." Hugh Robertson, chairman of the BOA and Britain`s former Minster for Sport, added: "Anybody watching this will realize these are an extraordinary and unique Games and this is going to be a bumpy ride and it will be an achievement just to get all those athletes to the start line. "We also have a much younger squad here than in London and Rio with some of that focus on potentially medalling in Paris (in 2024)." Officials have not made public any specific medal targets per-sport but are looking at a total range of 45-70 (compared to 65 in 2012 and 67 in 2016). "We are excited about the breadth and at some of the new sports coming in so there will be a real range of medal opportunities," Munday said. "But the athletes are also willing and keen to share their own experiences and it is important to tell those stories and show that this Games is more than medals. "I think the British public get it and are just thrilled that the Games are going ahead and that the athletes who have trained so hard to compete are able to be here."

Olympics: Tokyo success about more than medals, say British officials

A new research by the scientists of the University of East Anglia, ZSL (Zoological Society of London), and Public Health England (PHE) has revealed that a coronavirus related to the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans has been found in&nbsp;horseshoe bats.

However, there is no evidence that this virus has been transmitted to humans, or that it could in the future.&nbsp;

As a part of the study, UEA researchers collected faecal samples from more than 50 lesser horseshoe bats in Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wales. The samples were then sent for viral analysis at Public Health England.

Through genome sequencing, ‘RhGB01’, a novel coronavirus was found in one of the bat samples.

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As per the research team, these bats will almost certainly have harboured the virus for a very long time. And it has been found now because this is the first time that they have been tested.&nbsp;

Prof Diana Bell, an expert in emerging zoonotic diseases from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, was quoted by Science Tech daily saying, "Similar viruses have been found in other horseshoe bat species in China, South East Asia, and Eastern Europe. Our research extends both the geographic and species ranges of these types of viruses and suggests their more widespread presence across more than 90 species of horseshoe bats".

“These bats will almost certainly have harboured this virus for a very long time – probably many thousands of years. We didn’t know about it before because this is the first time that such tests have been carried out in UK bats We already know that there are different coronaviruses in many other mammal species too".&nbsp;

A further analysis compared the virus with those found in other horseshoe bat species in China, South East Asia and Europe. It was then concluded that its closest relative was discovered in a Blasius’s bat from Bulgaria in 2008.

A new research by the scientists of the University of East Anglia, ZSL (Zoological Society of London), and Public Health England (PHE) has revealed that a coronavirus related to the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans has been found in horseshoe bats.

A new research by the scientists of the University of East Anglia, ZSL (Zoological Society of London), and Public Health England (PHE) has revealed that a coronavirus related to the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans has been found in horseshoe bats. However, there is no evidence that this virus has been transmitted to humans, or that it could in the future. As a part of the study, UEA researchers collected faecal samples from more than 50 lesser horseshoe bats in Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wales. The samples were then sent for viral analysis at Public Health England. Through genome sequencing, ‘RhGB01’, a novel coronavirus was found in one of the bat samples. Also read | Romanian woman stole diamonds worth $7.8 million by swapping them for pebbles As per the research team, these bats will almost certainly have harboured the virus for a very long time. And it has been found now because this is the first time that they have been tested. Prof Diana Bell, an expert in emerging zoonotic diseases from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, was quoted by Science Tech daily saying, "Similar viruses have been found in other horseshoe bat species in China, South East Asia, and Eastern Europe. Our research extends both the geographic and species ranges of these types of viruses and suggests their more widespread presence across more than 90 species of horseshoe bats". “These bats will almost certainly have harboured this virus for a very long time – probably many thousands of years. We didn’t know about it before because this is the first time that such tests have been carried out in UK bats We already know that there are different coronaviruses in many other mammal species too". A further analysis compared the virus with those found in other horseshoe bat species in China, South East Asia and Europe. It was then concluded that its closest relative was discovered in a Blasius’s bat from Bulgaria in 2008.

Novel coronavirus discovered in bats, says UK study

Britain will work with the Taliban should they enter the government in Afghanistan, British Defence Minister Ben Wallace told the Daily Telegraph in an interview published on Tuesday. 
 
"Whatever the government of the day is, provided it adheres to certain international norms, the UK government will engage with it," he was quoted as saying in the newspaper. 
 
However, Wallace warned that Britain will review any relationship 'if they behave in a way that is seriously against human rights'.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/will-take-a-stand-against-them-taliban-warns-turkey-over-involvement-in-kabul-airport-397830">Taliban warns Turkey over involvement in Kabul airport</a>

The Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan with an iron fist from 1996 to 2001, have been fighting for 20 years to topple the Western-backed government in Kabul. 
 
Emboldened by the departure of foreign forces by a September target, the Sunni Muslim insurgent group is making a fresh push to surround cities and gain territory. 
 
In his interview with the newspaper, Wallace recognised that the prospect of the UK working with the Taliban would be controversial. 
 
"What (the Taliban) desperately want is international recognition. They need to unlock financing and support (for) nation building, and you don't do that with a terrorist balaclava on," he said. 
 
"You have to be a partner for peace otherwise you risk isolation. Isolation led them to where they were last time", he added.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-kills-22-afghan-commandos-after-they-try-to-surrender-report-397798">Taliban kills 22 Afghan commandos after they try to surrender: Report&nbsp;</a>

Wallace appealed for the Taliban and Afghanistan's president, Ashraf Ghani, to work together to bring stability to the country after decades of conflict. 
 
Senior Afghan leaders will fly to Doha for talks with the Taliban this week, as the insurgent group takes a hard stance on negotiations, even warning Turkey against plans to keep some troops in Afghanistan to run and guard Kabul's main airport. 
 
Taliban officials said last week the group had taken control of 85% of territory in Afghanistan.

Britain will work with the Taliban should they enter the government in Afghanistan, British Defence Minister Ben Wallace told the Daily Telegraph in an interview published on Tuesday.

Britain will work with the Taliban should they enter the government in Afghanistan, British Defence Minister Ben Wallace told the Daily Telegraph in an interview published on Tuesday. "Whatever the government of the day is, provided it adheres to certain international norms, the UK government will engage with it," he was quoted as saying in the newspaper. However, Wallace warned that Britain will review any relationship 'if they behave in a way that is seriously against human rights'. Also Read | Taliban warns Turkey over involvement in Kabul airport The Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan with an iron fist from 1996 to 2001, have been fighting for 20 years to topple the Western-backed government in Kabul. Emboldened by the departure of foreign forces by a September target, the Sunni Muslim insurgent group is making a fresh push to surround cities and gain territory. In his interview with the newspaper, Wallace recognised that the prospect of the UK working with the Taliban would be controversial. "What (the Taliban) desperately want is international recognition. They need to unlock financing and support (for) nation building, and you don't do that with a terrorist balaclava on," he said. "You have to be a partner for peace otherwise you risk isolation. Isolation led them to where they were last time", he added. Also Read | Taliban kills 22 Afghan commandos after they try to surrender: Report Wallace appealed for the Taliban and Afghanistan's president, Ashraf Ghani, to work together to bring stability to the country after decades of conflict. Senior Afghan leaders will fly to Doha for talks with the Taliban this week, as the insurgent group takes a hard stance on negotiations, even warning Turkey against plans to keep some troops in Afghanistan to run and guard Kabul's main airport. Taliban officials said last week the group had taken control of 85% of territory in Afghanistan.

British defence minister says UK will work with Taliban should they come to power: Report

Despite the largest economic decline in over 300 years, Britain's wealth levels increased for the first time in 70 years during a recession, according to thinktank the Resolution Foundation.

The new data reveals that most British individuals became wealthier during the COVID-19 epidemic, owing to greater savings and rising housing values.

During the pandemic, Britain's family wealth increased by 900 billion pounds ($1.3 trillion), with much of it going to the country's wealthiest citizens, according to the Resolution Foundation analysis, which was produced in collaboration with the Standard Life Foundation.

It was the first wealth bubble in the middle of a recession since the post-war mid-1940s.

“During lockdowns, many families have been forced to save rather than spend, while property prices have continued to rise even as working hours have decreased," said Jack Leslie, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation.

It was an "unlikely wealth boom," according to Leslie.

During the last four recessions, property values, which are a major source of wealth in the UK, have dropped by an average of 22%.

According to a report published by Bloomberg, Households increased nominal savings by about 125 billion pounds and reduced non-credit card debts by 10 billion pounds. The richest fifth of households is four times as likely to have increased their savings during the crisis when compared with the poorest fifth.

The gap between the wealthiest 10% and average households rose by 44,000 pounds. The gap between the average and the poorest 10th of households grew by 7,000 pounds.

(With inputs from agencies)

Despite the largest economic decline in over 300 years, Britain's wealth levels increased for the first time in 70 years during a recession, according to thinktank the Resolution Foundation.

Despite the largest economic decline in over 300 years, Britain's wealth levels increased for the first time in 70 years during a recession, according to thinktank the Resolution Foundation. The new data reveals that most British individuals became wealthier during the COVID-19 epidemic, owing to greater savings and rising housing values. During the pandemic, Britain's family wealth increased by 900 billion pounds ($1.3 trillion), with much of it going to the country's wealthiest citizens, according to the Resolution Foundation analysis, which was produced in collaboration with the Standard Life Foundation. It was the first wealth bubble in the middle of a recession since the post-war mid-1940s. “During lockdowns, many families have been forced to save rather than spend, while property prices have continued to rise even as working hours have decreased," said Jack Leslie, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation. It was an "unlikely wealth boom," according to Leslie. During the last four recessions, property values, which are a major source of wealth in the UK, have dropped by an average of 22%. According to a report published by Bloomberg, Households increased nominal savings by about 125 billion pounds and reduced non-credit card debts by 10 billion pounds. The richest fifth of households is four times as likely to have increased their savings during the crisis when compared with the poorest fifth. The gap between the wealthiest 10% and average households rose by 44,000 pounds. The gap between the average and the poorest 10th of households grew by 7,000 pounds. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: UK's rich enjoy wealth boom as savings rise by $1.3 trillion

A British teenager was found guilty of murdering two sisters&nbsp;on Tuesday as part of a pact he believes to have&nbsp;made with demonic forces to kill at least six women every six months in exchange for a lottery win in future. 
 
In a savage attack, now 19-year-old Danyal Hussein, stabbed to death 46-year-old Bibaa Henry&nbsp;and 27-year-old Nicole Smallman, in a country park in northwest London in June 2020 after they celebrated Henry's birthday with friends, police said.

According to the police, Hussein made a 'contract' with the demon 'Mighty King Lucifuge Rofocale' by&nbsp;signing with his own blood to&nbsp;perform a minimum of six sacrifices every six months for as long as he is free and physically capable.&nbsp;He carried out these murders to fulfil it.

Hoping his reward would be to 'win the Mega Millions Super Jackpot',&nbsp;Hussein&nbsp;bought&nbsp;three lottery tickets&nbsp;after the murders.&nbsp;Police have found the tickets.&nbsp;

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Harding, who led the investigation, said, "I am totally convinced and my team are that he would have gone on to commit more murders. It is difficult for any normal person to comprehend. It's almost sort of movie like." 
 
Close sisters Henry and Smallman had gone to Wembley's Fryent Park to celebrate with friends but stayed alone into the early hours. They took 150 photos, Harding said, with the last 'haunting' picture showing them looking sideways at what police believe was the arrival of Hussein. 
 
He stabbed Henry eight times and Smallman suffered 28 wounds after putting up a 'very brave fight', Harding said. After the murders, he dragged the bodies into woodland where they were found intertwined the following day by Smallman's boyfriend. 
 
Hussein, who lived with his mother, was traced by bloodstains found at the scene and was arrested almost four weeks later, police told reporters. They believe only a hand injury he suffered during the murders prevented him carrying out further killings. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

A British teenager was found guilty of murdering two sisters on Tuesday as part of a pact he believes to have made with demonic forces to kill at least six women every six months in exchange for a lottery win in future.

A British teenager was found guilty of murdering two sisters on Tuesday as part of a pact he believes to have made with demonic forces to kill at least six women every six months in exchange for a lottery win in future. In a savage attack, now 19-year-old Danyal Hussein, stabbed to death 46-year-old Bibaa Henry and 27-year-old Nicole Smallman, in a country park in northwest London in June 2020 after they celebrated Henry's birthday with friends, police said. According to the police, Hussein made a 'contract' with the demon 'Mighty King Lucifuge Rofocale' by signing with his own blood to perform a minimum of six sacrifices every six months for as long as he is free and physically capable. He carried out these murders to fulfil it. Hoping his reward would be to 'win the Mega Millions Super Jackpot', Hussein bought three lottery tickets after the murders. Police have found the tickets. Detective Chief Inspector Simon Harding, who led the investigation, said, "I am totally convinced and my team are that he would have gone on to commit more murders. It is difficult for any normal person to comprehend. It's almost sort of movie like." Close sisters Henry and Smallman had gone to Wembley's Fryent Park to celebrate with friends but stayed alone into the early hours. They took 150 photos, Harding said, with the last 'haunting' picture showing them looking sideways at what police believe was the arrival of Hussein. He stabbed Henry eight times and Smallman suffered 28 wounds after putting up a 'very brave fight', Harding said. After the murders, he dragged the bodies into woodland where they were found intertwined the following day by Smallman's boyfriend. Hussein, who lived with his mother, was traced by bloodstains found at the scene and was arrested almost four weeks later, police told reporters. They believe only a hand injury he suffered during the murders prevented him carrying out further killings. (With inputs from agencies)

British teen found guilty of murdering sisters in demonic pact to win lottery

Britain's streaming services and broadcasters should be on a level-playing field, as traditional broadcasters now compete with 'one hand tied behind their backs', Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said on Wednesday. 
 
Dowden is to unveil plans for a white paper on broadcasting that aims to make streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ follow the code of British regulator Ofcom, he said in the Times newspaper. 
 
"Every 'linear' broadcaster - BBC, Sky and so on - has to comply with stringent content and audience protection standards," Dowden said in an article published on Wednesday. 
 
"You might assume the same is true of video-on-demand services, such as Amazon Prime and Disney+. You'd be wrong." 
 
The government will consult this summer on whether it is time to set the same basic rules for video-on-demand services as is done for traditional broadcasters, he added. 
 
"The white paper will also set out proposals on how we ensure public service broadcasters are given sufficient visibility...online, and ensure viewers can continue to find and watch original and high-quality British programmes." 
 
Separately, Britain's Conservative government said it plans to sell Channel 4, launched 39 years ago as an alternative to the BBC and ITV, to help secure its future as a public service broadcaster. 
 
"In summer, I will consult on the sale of Channel 4," Dowden wrote, adding that he would proceed on the lines that an alternative ownership model retaining the broadcaster's public service remit would better serve both it and Britain. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Britain's streaming services and broadcasters should be on a level-playing field, as traditional broadcasters now compete with 'one hand tied behind their backs', Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said on Wednesday.

Britain's streaming services and broadcasters should be on a level-playing field, as traditional broadcasters now compete with 'one hand tied behind their backs', Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said on Wednesday. Dowden is to unveil plans for a white paper on broadcasting that aims to make streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ follow the code of British regulator Ofcom, he said in the Times newspaper. "Every 'linear' broadcaster - BBC, Sky and so on - has to comply with stringent content and audience protection standards," Dowden said in an article published on Wednesday. "You might assume the same is true of video-on-demand services, such as Amazon Prime and Disney+. You'd be wrong." The government will consult this summer on whether it is time to set the same basic rules for video-on-demand services as is done for traditional broadcasters, he added. "The white paper will also set out proposals on how we ensure public service broadcasters are given sufficient visibility...online, and ensure viewers can continue to find and watch original and high-quality British programmes." Separately, Britain's Conservative government said it plans to sell Channel 4, launched 39 years ago as an alternative to the BBC and ITV, to help secure its future as a public service broadcaster. "In summer, I will consult on the sale of Channel 4," Dowden wrote, adding that he would proceed on the lines that an alternative ownership model retaining the broadcaster's public service remit would better serve both it and Britain. (With inputs from agencies)

British minister urges same rules for streaming services, broadcasters: Times

Racing&nbsp;"fanatic"&nbsp;Queen&nbsp;Elizabeth&nbsp;II could attend&nbsp;Royal&nbsp;Ascot&nbsp;this week even though there will be no traditional carriage procession should the British monarch make an appearance.

The 95-year-old sovereign has several runners during the five-day meeting, beginning with King's Lynn in Tuesday's King's Stand Stakes.

The&nbsp;queen's&nbsp;racing&nbsp;manager, John Warren, tipped Tactical in the Jersey Stakes on Saturday as a potential winner.

Racegoers are being welcomed back to&nbsp;Royal&nbsp;Ascot&nbsp;for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, with 12,000 spectators a day permitted at the&nbsp;course, west of London.

"Obviously the&nbsp;queen&nbsp;would love to attend," Warren told the BBC. "As you know she's fanatical about&nbsp;racing, watching&nbsp;racing&nbsp;and breeding horses, and has been going to&nbsp;Ascot&nbsp;all of&nbsp;her&nbsp;adult life,"&nbsp;

"So, it's a shame to miss an event.

"The plan at the moment is to see how it goes towards the latter part of the week and if the&nbsp;queen's able to come because she's got runners, then, fingers crossed, it will happen." 
 
He described how the&nbsp;queen&nbsp;-- whose horse Estimate won the 2013&nbsp;Ascot&nbsp;Gold Cup -- scrutinizes the winners of every race daily to see if the stallions offer the potential for breeding.

"It's a deep fascination, a very broad escapism for all the other things that the&nbsp;queen&nbsp;has to deal with in&nbsp;her&nbsp;life," added Warren.

The monarch, who is the nation's longest-reigning sovereign, lost&nbsp;her&nbsp;husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, in April.

The&nbsp;royal&nbsp;family has also experienced a turbulent time after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave a bombshell interview with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey earlier this year, during which they said racism had played a part in their decision to quit Britain.

Racing "fanatic" Queen Elizabeth II could attend Royal Ascot this week even though there will be no traditional carriage procession should the British monarch make an appearance.

Racing "fanatic" Queen Elizabeth II could attend Royal Ascot this week even though there will be no traditional carriage procession should the British monarch make an appearance. The 95-year-old sovereign has several runners during the five-day meeting, beginning with King's Lynn in Tuesday's King's Stand Stakes. The queen's racing manager, John Warren, tipped Tactical in the Jersey Stakes on Saturday as a potential winner. Racegoers are being welcomed back to Royal Ascot for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, with 12,000 spectators a day permitted at the course, west of London. "Obviously the queen would love to attend," Warren told the BBC. "As you know she's fanatical about racing, watching racing and breeding horses, and has been going to Ascot all of her adult life," "So, it's a shame to miss an event. "The plan at the moment is to see how it goes towards the latter part of the week and if the queen's able to come because she's got runners, then, fingers crossed, it will happen." He described how the queen -- whose horse Estimate won the 2013 Ascot Gold Cup -- scrutinizes the winners of every race daily to see if the stallions offer the potential for breeding. "It's a deep fascination, a very broad escapism for all the other things that the queen has to deal with in her life," added Warren. The monarch, who is the nation's longest-reigning sovereign, lost her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, in April. The royal family has also experienced a turbulent time after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave a bombshell interview with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey earlier this year, during which they said racism had played a part in their decision to quit Britain.

Racing 'fanatic' Queen Elizabeth has Royal Ascot in her sights

British soldiers unjustifiably shot or used disproportionate force in the deaths of nine of the 10 innocent people killed in a 1971 incident in Belfast that sparked an upsurge of violence during Northern Ireland's 'Troubles’, an inquiry has found.&nbsp;

A Catholic priest and a mother of eight, who served soldiers tea, were among the victims in an event Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney described on Tuesday as 'one of the most tragic days' of Northern Ireland's three decades of bloodshed.&nbsp;

Judge Siobhan Keegan delivered her findings to applause from families of the victims shortly after the British government announced it would introduce legislation to give greater protection to former soldiers, who served in Northern Ireland, plans Dublin and many in Belfast fiercely oppose.&nbsp;

"All of the deceased were entirely innocent of any wrongdoing on the day in question," Keegan, the coroner for the case, concluded.&nbsp;

The British government's minister for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis said he would carefully consider the findings, but it was clear that those who died were 'entirely innocent of wrongdoing’.&nbsp;

The victims' grief has been "compounded by the long and difficult process of waiting for answers for so many years," Lewis said in a statement. &nbsp;

The deaths over a three-day period of disorder in the Ballymurphy area of Belfast - a sprawling housing estate of Catholics, who opposed British rule, occurred in the days after the introduction of internment without trial for suspected militants triggered disorder on the streets.&nbsp;

Father Hugh Mullan, the 38-year-old priest who died, was helping an injured man and waving a white object before he was shot twice in the back, the inquiry found.&nbsp;

"Our brother was killed by the British Army and then they lied about it to cover up their injustice," Mullan's brother Patsy told a news conference. "After 50 years, the truth we always knew has finally been told."&nbsp;

There was not enough evidence to say whether the army were responsible for the death of one the victims, John James McKerr, who was indiscriminately shot going to and from work. However, Judge Keegan said it was 'shocking' that the state did not carry out a proper investigation into the killing.&nbsp;

Questions also remain unanswered about the identity of the soldiers, who shot many of the victims, the judge added.&nbsp;

No one has been charged or convicted in connection with any of the killings. The inquest was a fact-finding exercise and not a criminal trial. &nbsp;

"The police have never to this day investigated the deaths of our loved ones," said John Teggart, the son of one of those killed. "No one should be above the law."&nbsp;

Some 3,600 people were killed in the sectarian confrontation between Irish nationalist militants, pro-British 'loyalist' paramilitaries and British military that largely came to an end after a 1998 peace agreement.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

British soldiers unjustifiably shot or used disproportionate force in the deaths of nine of the 10 innocent people killed in a 1971 incident in Belfast that sparked an upsurge of violence during Northern Ireland's 'Troubles’, an inquiry has found.

British soldiers unjustifiably shot or used disproportionate force in the deaths of nine of the 10 innocent people killed in a 1971 incident in Belfast that sparked an upsurge of violence during Northern Ireland's 'Troubles’, an inquiry has found. A Catholic priest and a mother of eight, who served soldiers tea, were among the victims in an event Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney described on Tuesday as 'one of the most tragic days' of Northern Ireland's three decades of bloodshed. Judge Siobhan Keegan delivered her findings to applause from families of the victims shortly after the British government announced it would introduce legislation to give greater protection to former soldiers, who served in Northern Ireland, plans Dublin and many in Belfast fiercely oppose. "All of the deceased were entirely innocent of any wrongdoing on the day in question," Keegan, the coroner for the case, concluded. The British government's minister for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis said he would carefully consider the findings, but it was clear that those who died were 'entirely innocent of wrongdoing’. The victims' grief has been "compounded by the long and difficult process of waiting for answers for so many years," Lewis said in a statement. The deaths over a three-day period of disorder in the Ballymurphy area of Belfast - a sprawling housing estate of Catholics, who opposed British rule, occurred in the days after the introduction of internment without trial for suspected militants triggered disorder on the streets. Father Hugh Mullan, the 38-year-old priest who died, was helping an injured man and waving a white object before he was shot twice in the back, the inquiry found. "Our brother was killed by the British Army and then they lied about it to cover up their injustice," Mullan's brother Patsy told a news conference. "After 50 years, the truth we always knew has finally been told." There was not enough evidence to say whether the army were responsible for the death of one the victims, John James McKerr, who was indiscriminately shot going to and from work. However, Judge Keegan said it was 'shocking' that the state did not carry out a proper investigation into the killing. Questions also remain unanswered about the identity of the soldiers, who shot many of the victims, the judge added. No one has been charged or convicted in connection with any of the killings. The inquest was a fact-finding exercise and not a criminal trial. "The police have never to this day investigated the deaths of our loved ones," said John Teggart, the son of one of those killed. "No one should be above the law." Some 3,600 people were killed in the sectarian confrontation between Irish nationalist militants, pro-British 'loyalist' paramilitaries and British military that largely came to an end after a 1998 peace agreement. (With inputs from agencies)

British Army killed innocent civilians in Belfast in 1971, says inquiry 

The "Mayflower&nbsp;400",&nbsp;the world's first intelligent ship,&nbsp;bobs gently in a light swell as it stops its engines in Plymouth Sound, off England's southwest coast, before self-activating a hydrophone designed to listen to whales.

The 50-foot (15-metre) trimaran, which weighs nine tonnes and navigates with complete autonomy, is preparing for a transatlantic voyage.

On its journey, the vessel, covered in solar panels, will study marine pollution and analyse plastic in the water, as well as track aquatic mammals.

Eighty per cent of the underwater world remains unexplored.

Brett Phaneuf, the co-founder of the charity ProMare and the mastermind behind the&nbsp;Mayflower&nbsp;project, said the ocean exerts "the most powerful force" on the global climate.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/al-driven-robot-mayflower-recreates-historic-voyage-370411/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Rosie Lickorish, a specialist in emerging technologies at IBM, one of the partners on the project, said the unmanned craft provided an advantage in the "unforgiving environment".

"Having a ship without people on board allows scientists to expand the area they can observe," she told AFP.

A variety of technology and service providers have contributed to the project with hundreds of individuals involved from nations including India, Switzerland and the United States, said Phaneuf.

The project would have cost 10 times the roughly $1 million (820,000 euros) invested by ProMare without the "global effort," he added.

Smart captain&nbsp;

The non-profit venture will offer the data gathered by the project free of charge. The information could be of particular use to the future of commercial shipping.

The autonomous ship is scheduled to embark on May 15 if the weather is favourable and permission is granted by British authorities.

The journey to Plymouth, Massachusetts,&nbsp;the same voyage made by pilgrims on the original "Mayflower" in 1620 as they sought a new life in America, will take three weeks.

While the&nbsp;Mayflower&nbsp;400&nbsp;voyage has been delayed because of the pandemic, Phaneuf said at least no one will fall ill on the trip.

"No one will get bored or tired or sick on this one. So it can take as long as it likes to do science," he said from the British port.

Sitting alongside him were three computer technicians checking the equipment remotely.&nbsp;

Meirwen Jenking-Rees, a 21-year-old student engineer, checked the ship's engines before it headed out for a sea trial.

Construction of the trimaran, which is automated from the robotic rudder that steers it to the diesel generator that supplements its solar power, took a year.

Developing its "smart captain", the onboard artificial intelligence, took even longer as the computer has had to learn how to identify maritime obstacles by analysing thousands of photographs.

Lack of regulations&nbsp;

The "Mayflower&nbsp;400" also had to be taught how to avoid collisions and first went to sea for "supervised learning".

Robotics and software engineer Ollie Thompson said that by running a "number of scenarios" the ship can learn "what are good actions, bad actions, so safe and unsafe".

So if it makes a mistake, the boat can correct itself "and then learn itself," he added.

The automated vessel uses its "eyes" and "ears",&nbsp;a sophisticated system of six cameras and radar, to continue learning on its own.

Because of a lack of regulations around unmanned sailing, the&nbsp;Mayflower&nbsp;400&nbsp;is yet to be tested in rough seas or storms, a situation Jenking-Rees described as a "worst case scenario".

In simulated settings, however, the robotic craft has faced 50-metre waves.

Lickorish explained that the boat's artificial intelligence will be pivotal in conducting scientific experiments.

"It was trained with hundreds of hours of audio data," she said, "to detect the presence of marine mammals, recognise the marine mammals, and actually tell us something about population distributions out in the open ocean".&nbsp;

Analysing the chemical composition of the water, measuring sea levels and collecting samples of microplastics are the ship's other missions.&nbsp;

Similar robotic data collection has been ongoing in space for decades.

While the ship is totally autonomous, the team will monitor the ship 24 hours a day from England, ready to intervene remotely in case of danger.

The "Mayflower 400", the world's first intelligent ship, bobs gently in a light swell as it stops its engines in Plymouth Sound, off England's southwest coast, before self-activating a hydrophone designed to listen to whales.

The "Mayflower 400", the world's first intelligent ship, bobs gently in a light swell as it stops its engines in Plymouth Sound, off England's southwest coast, before self-activating a hydrophone designed to listen to whales. The 50-foot (15-metre) trimaran, which weighs nine tonnes and navigates with complete autonomy, is preparing for a transatlantic voyage. On its journey, the vessel, covered in solar panels, will study marine pollution and analyse plastic in the water, as well as track aquatic mammals. Eighty per cent of the underwater world remains unexplored. Brett Phaneuf, the co-founder of the charity ProMare and the mastermind behind the Mayflower project, said the ocean exerts "the most powerful force" on the global climate. Rosie Lickorish, a specialist in emerging technologies at IBM, one of the partners on the project, said the unmanned craft provided an advantage in the "unforgiving environment". "Having a ship without people on board allows scientists to expand the area they can observe," she told AFP. A variety of technology and service providers have contributed to the project with hundreds of individuals involved from nations including India, Switzerland and the United States, said Phaneuf. The project would have cost 10 times the roughly $1 million (820,000 euros) invested by ProMare without the "global effort," he added. Smart captain The non-profit venture will offer the data gathered by the project free of charge. The information could be of particular use to the future of commercial shipping. The autonomous ship is scheduled to embark on May 15 if the weather is favourable and permission is granted by British authorities. The journey to Plymouth, Massachusetts, the same voyage made by pilgrims on the original "Mayflower" in 1620 as they sought a new life in America, will take three weeks. While the Mayflower 400 voyage has been delayed because of the pandemic, Phaneuf said at least no one will fall ill on the trip. "No one will get bored or tired or sick on this one. So it can take as long as it likes to do science," he said from the British port. Sitting alongside him were three computer technicians checking the equipment remotely. Meirwen Jenking-Rees, a 21-year-old student engineer, checked the ship's engines before it headed out for a sea trial. Construction of the trimaran, which is automated from the robotic rudder that steers it to the diesel generator that supplements its solar power, took a year. Developing its "smart captain", the onboard artificial intelligence, took even longer as the computer has had to learn how to identify maritime obstacles by analysing thousands of photographs. Lack of regulations The "Mayflower 400" also had to be taught how to avoid collisions and first went to sea for "supervised learning". Robotics and software engineer Ollie Thompson said that by running a "number of scenarios" the ship can learn "what are good actions, bad actions, so safe and unsafe". So if it makes a mistake, the boat can correct itself "and then learn itself," he added. The automated vessel uses its "eyes" and "ears", a sophisticated system of six cameras and radar, to continue learning on its own. Because of a lack of regulations around unmanned sailing, the Mayflower 400 is yet to be tested in rough seas or storms, a situation Jenking-Rees described as a "worst case scenario". In simulated settings, however, the robotic craft has faced 50-metre waves. Lickorish explained that the boat's artificial intelligence will be pivotal in conducting scientific experiments. "It was trained with hundreds of hours of audio data," she said, "to detect the presence of marine mammals, recognise the marine mammals, and actually tell us something about population distributions out in the open ocean". Analysing the chemical composition of the water, measuring sea levels and collecting samples of microplastics are the ship's other missions. Similar robotic data collection has been ongoing in space for decades. While the ship is totally autonomous, the team will monitor the ship 24 hours a day from England, ready to intervene remotely in case of danger.

First ship controlled by artificial intelligence prepares for maiden voyage

&nbsp;

Lovebirds Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas were spotted at Mumbai's Kalina airport on Tuesday morning. The couple, who got engaged in September this year took a private flight to Jodhpur.&nbsp;

<img alt="Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas. Image via Yogen Shah" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4bc93364-f0ef-4fcd-8bae-fb81b4c2161f" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/nickpc2.jpg" /> 
<img alt="Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas. Image via Yogen Shah" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0b60d592-b4fc-4d6e-ba4b-a0f2692d2374" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/nickpc1.jpg" />

While it appears that the two have gone to the popular destination for a vacation, fans have been wondering if the two have gone scout for the wedding venue. Reports state that the wedding is going to be a mix of American and Indian tradition and Jodhpur can serve as the perfect location for a grand wedding.&nbsp;

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Nick arrived in Mumbai on Saturday and even played a game of football with MS Dhoni, Ishaan Khatter and others. Priyanka is currently shooting in India for Shonali Bose's film co-starring Farhan Akhtar.&nbsp;

Lovebirds Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas were spotted at Mumbai's Kalina airport on Tuesday morning. The couple, who got engaged in September this year took a private flight to Jodhpur.

Lovebirds Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas were spotted at Mumbai's Kalina airport on Tuesday morning. The couple, who got engaged in September this year took a private flight to Jodhpur. While it appears that the two have gone to the popular destination for a vacation, fans have been wondering if the two have gone scout for the wedding venue. Reports state that the wedding is going to be a mix of American and Indian tradition and Jodhpur can serve as the perfect location for a grand wedding. View this post on Instagram Mobbed in Jodhpur #nickjonas #priyankachopra #media #airport #travel #tuesday #paparazzi @manav.manglani A post shared by Manav Manglani (@manav.manglani) on Oct 2, 2018 at 1:15am PDT × Nick arrived in Mumbai on Saturday and even played a game of football with MS Dhoni, Ishaan Khatter and others. Priyanka is currently shooting in India for Shonali Bose's film co-starring Farhan Akhtar.

Germany to return bronzes looted by Britain from Nigeria

Britain`s three current Formula One drivers, led by seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton, joined leading sports bodies on Friday in a growing boycott of social media to protest online abuse. 
 
The soccer-led campaign has gathered momentum, spreading from clubs and leagues to national and international bodies in tennis, cricket, rugby and cycling. 
 
European soccer body UEFA has said it will stay silent across its platforms over the weekend, starting at 1500 BST (1600 CEST) on Friday. 
 
"To stand in solidarity with the football community, I will be going dark on my social media channels this weekend," said Hamilton, Formula One`s only Black driver, on Instagram where he has 22 million followers. 
 
"There is no place in our society for any kind of abuse, online or not, and for too long it`s been easy for a small few to post hate from behind their screens. 
 
"While a boycott might not solve this issue overnight, we have to call for change when needed, even when it seems like an almost impossible task," added the Mercedes driver, who is racing in Portugal this weekend. 
 
McLaren`s Lando Norris, who has suffered abuse from online trolls and has a million followers on Twitter, said he was also supporting the boycott. 
 
"Everyone struggles with abuse on here at some point and social media companies need to do more to tackle it," said the 21-year-old. "Hiding behind a keyboard is not okay. Enough is enough." 
 
McLaren said the team was not planning to do a blackout, however. 
 
"We think it`s very important for us over the course of a race weekend to have this positive engagement with our fans," team principal Andreas Seidl told reporters on a video call from Portimao. 
 
Williams` George Russell, 23, said it was time to make a change. 
 
"There is far too much online abuse, hatred, negativity, racism that is just undeserved," he said. "I thought it`s our duty to raise as much awareness as possible, not just in sport."

Britain`s three current Formula One drivers, led by seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton, joined leading sports bodies on Friday in a growing boycott of social media to protest online abuse.

Britain`s three current Formula One drivers, led by seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton, joined leading sports bodies on Friday in a growing boycott of social media to protest online abuse. The soccer-led campaign has gathered momentum, spreading from clubs and leagues to national and international bodies in tennis, cricket, rugby and cycling. European soccer body UEFA has said it will stay silent across its platforms over the weekend, starting at 1500 BST (1600 CEST) on Friday. "To stand in solidarity with the football community, I will be going dark on my social media channels this weekend," said Hamilton, Formula One`s only Black driver, on Instagram where he has 22 million followers. "There is no place in our society for any kind of abuse, online or not, and for too long it`s been easy for a small few to post hate from behind their screens. "While a boycott might not solve this issue overnight, we have to call for change when needed, even when it seems like an almost impossible task," added the Mercedes driver, who is racing in Portugal this weekend. McLaren`s Lando Norris, who has suffered abuse from online trolls and has a million followers on Twitter, said he was also supporting the boycott. "Everyone struggles with abuse on here at some point and social media companies need to do more to tackle it," said the 21-year-old. "Hiding behind a keyboard is not okay. Enough is enough." McLaren said the team was not planning to do a blackout, however. "We think it`s very important for us over the course of a race weekend to have this positive engagement with our fans," team principal Andreas Seidl told reporters on a video call from Portimao. Williams` George Russell, 23, said it was time to make a change. "There is far too much online abuse, hatred, negativity, racism that is just undeserved," he said. "I thought it`s our duty to raise as much awareness as possible, not just in sport."

British F1 drivers join social media boycott against online abuse

Russian businessman Nikolai Glushkov, who was found dead in 2018, was strangled in his home in southwest London by an unidentified person, a British coroner has ruled, the BBC reported.&nbsp;

Glushkov fled Russia after being accused of fraud during his time as deputy director of the Aeroflot airline, and was granted political asylum in the UK in 2010, the BBC reported on Saturday.&nbsp;

Senior coroner Chinyere Inyama ruled that Glushkov was unlawfully killed.&nbsp;

A pathology report summarised to the court said the injuries "could be consistent with a neck-hold, applied from behind, and the assailant being behind the victim," the BBC reported.&nbsp;

British police have appealed for information as part of a murder investigation and said they were seeking to trace a black car that was seen around his home but which has never been traced.&nbsp;

"This has been a hugely complex, challenging investigation from the outset," said Commander Richard Smith, head of London police's Counter Terrorism Command.&nbsp;

"Officers have taken hundreds of statements and collected a large amount of evidential material, but so far no arrests have been made," he said in a police statement on Friday. &nbsp;

Counter terrorism police are heading the inquiry into the death. It occurred shortly after the attempted murders of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury, although detectives said there was nothing to link the events.&nbsp;

Glushkov was also an associate of late Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky, who was found dead in March 2013 with a scarf tied around his neck in the bathroom of a luxury mansion west of London.&nbsp;

His family feared he might have been murdered by enemies from Russia. British police and forensic experts concluded it was suicide, although a British judge in 2014 reached an open verdict on Berezovsky’s death, saying he could not be sure if the Russian killed himself or was the victim of foul play.

Russian businessman Nikolai Glushkov, who was found dead in 2018, was strangled in his home in southwest London by an unidentified person, a British coroner has ruled, the BBC reported.

Russian businessman Nikolai Glushkov, who was found dead in 2018, was strangled in his home in southwest London by an unidentified person, a British coroner has ruled, the BBC reported. Glushkov fled Russia after being accused of fraud during his time as deputy director of the Aeroflot airline, and was granted political asylum in the UK in 2010, the BBC reported on Saturday. Senior coroner Chinyere Inyama ruled that Glushkov was unlawfully killed. A pathology report summarised to the court said the injuries "could be consistent with a neck-hold, applied from behind, and the assailant being behind the victim," the BBC reported. British police have appealed for information as part of a murder investigation and said they were seeking to trace a black car that was seen around his home but which has never been traced. "This has been a hugely complex, challenging investigation from the outset," said Commander Richard Smith, head of London police's Counter Terrorism Command. "Officers have taken hundreds of statements and collected a large amount of evidential material, but so far no arrests have been made," he said in a police statement on Friday. Counter terrorism police are heading the inquiry into the death. It occurred shortly after the attempted murders of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury, although detectives said there was nothing to link the events. Glushkov was also an associate of late Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky, who was found dead in March 2013 with a scarf tied around his neck in the bathroom of a luxury mansion west of London. His family feared he might have been murdered by enemies from Russia. British police and forensic experts concluded it was suicide, although a British judge in 2014 reached an open verdict on Berezovsky’s death, saying he could not be sure if the Russian killed himself or was the victim of foul play.

Russian businessman Glushkov was strangled in 2018, British coroner rules 

British Parliament has now said that Farmers protests that are taking place in India for the last two months are an internal and domestic matter of India. The statement came up by the UK House of Commons leader.

British Parliament on farmers protest: Protest is India's internal & domestic matter

British Foreign secretary Dominic Raab will be on an India visit starting later tonight till Thursday, a visit that comes in the backdrop of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's India visit next month to take part in Republic day celebrations and Brexit.

He will hold talks with India's external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar on Tuesday morning and later meet India's environment minister Prakash Javadekar and Education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal. In his 2nd leg of the visit, he will travel to the southern Indian city of Bengaluru and call on the Chief Minister of Karnataka B.S. Yediyurappa.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-defence-minister-highlights-chinas-unprovoked-aggression-build-up-in-ladakh-349692" hreflang="en">India's Defence Minister highlights China's ‘unprovoked aggression’, ‘build-up’ in Ladakh</a>

A release by the MEA said, "Raab’s visit will pave the way for further strengthening of the partnership across trade, defence, climate, migration and mobility, education and health sectors in the post-Covid, post-Brexit context."

India and the UK, who have strategic partnership since 2004, have seen a number of high-level engagements including the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the country in 2018 and 2015. This year, Indian PM and British PM have spoken many times, the main focus being the COVID-19 crisis.

British Foreign secretary's India visit is a third-highest level diplomatic visit to India amidst COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier in October top Afghan govt negotiator, Dr Abdullah Abdulla had visited India, followed by the US secretary of state Mike Pompeo and the then US defence secretary Mark Esper for India, US 2+2 dialogue.

British Foreign secretary Dominic Raab will be on an India visit starting later tonight till Thursday, a visit that comes in the backdrop of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's India visit next month to take part in Republic day celebrations and Brexit.

British Foreign secretary Dominic Raab will be on an India visit starting later tonight till Thursday, a visit that comes in the backdrop of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's India visit next month to take part in Republic day celebrations and Brexit. He will hold talks with India's external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar on Tuesday morning and later meet India's environment minister Prakash Javadekar and Education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal. In his 2nd leg of the visit, he will travel to the southern Indian city of Bengaluru and call on the Chief Minister of Karnataka B.S. Yediyurappa. Also read| India's Defence Minister highlights China's ‘unprovoked aggression’, ‘build-up’ in Ladakh A release by the MEA said, "Raab’s visit will pave the way for further strengthening of the partnership across trade, defence, climate, migration and mobility, education and health sectors in the post-Covid, post-Brexit context." India and the UK, who have strategic partnership since 2004, have seen a number of high-level engagements including the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the country in 2018 and 2015. This year, Indian PM and British PM have spoken many times, the main focus being the COVID-19 crisis. British Foreign secretary's India visit is a third-highest level diplomatic visit to India amidst COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier in October top Afghan govt negotiator, Dr Abdullah Abdulla had visited India, followed by the US secretary of state Mike Pompeo and the then US defence secretary Mark Esper for India, US 2+2 dialogue.

British foreign secretary Dominic Raab to visit India

The United Kingdom could soon give its spies and secret service agents 'The Licence to Kill'. Reportedly, the MI5 will be given the power to sanction its agents to carry out 'necessary and proportionate' crimes in the line of duty. What does this mean? WION's Palki Sarma has a report.

Gravitas: Licence to kill for British spies?

Pakistan's archaeological department has objected the demolition of three British-era bridges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Also read: Court orders former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif to surrender in corruption case The department urged the provincial government to reverse its decision and preserve them given their historic importance.

Pakistan's archaeological department has objected the demolition of three British-era bridges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Also read: Court orders former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif to surrender in corruption case The department urged the provincial government to reverse its decision and preserve them given their historic importance. They have asked the KPK government to maintain Sardaryab, Naguman and Khialay bridges that hold a historic significance on Charsadda road near Peshawar. The archaeologists suggested to the government to preserve the bridges instead of demolishing them after the provincial highway authority moved a report to the KPK government to construct new bridges in place of these old bridges. (Inputs from PTI)

Pakistan's archaeological department objects demolishing bridges from British-era

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