The British Royal Navy has been ordered to protect all British flag vessels sailing in the Strait of Hormuz, But does it actually have the strength to do so?

Is British Royal Navy big enough to esscort all ships?

&nbsp;British Prime Minister <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/videos/boris-johnson-reshuffles-cabinet-brexit-loyalists-take-front-seats-238303&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjA79O8ydLjAhUz7HMBHSBKC5kQFjACegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2lliv6xaVvzExtS1l5Xb8r">Boris Johnson</a> has suggested getting a dog for his Downing Street office to join current resident Larry the Cat.

Johnson took office earlier this week, walking through the black front door of Number 10 Downing Street for the first time after setting out a desire to defy his critics over <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-johnsons-backstop-elimination-unacceptable-eu-chief-brexit-negotiator-michel-barnier-238484&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjA79O8ydLjAhUz7HMBHSBKC5kQFjAIegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1Ur2IvhcbhgceNWXHYONZp">Brexit</a> and bring a decisive new leadership style to Britain's top job.

During an address to staff, he asked whether they would like a dog, a source with knowledge of the meeting said on Friday.

The staff replied with an enthusiastic "Yes".

Downing Street, the nerve centre of the British government for nearly 300 years, is already home to a brown and white tabby cat who carries the official title "Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office".

Appointed in 2011, Larry has outlasted two former prime ministers: David Cameron and Theresa May.

He has become a celebrity in his own right, with an unofficial Twitter account that uses some of the thousands of pictures taken by press photographers documenting his comings, goings, and territorial scraps with other departmental cats.

The source said no firm decisions on a dog had been taken and declined to comment on possible living arrangements alongside Larry.

"You can consider it a longer-term project," the source said.

Larry appears to be taking the news in his stride. He was seen lying on a window ledge in Downing Street for most of the morning, according to a Reuters witness.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has suggested getting a dog for his Downing Street office to join current resident Larry the Cat. Johnson took office earlier this week, walking through the black front door of Number 10 Downing Street for the first time after setting out a desire to defy his critics over Brexit and bring a decisive new leadership style to Britain's top job.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has suggested getting a dog for his Downing Street office to join current resident Larry the Cat. Johnson took office earlier this week, walking through the black front door of Number 10 Downing Street for the first time after setting out a desire to defy his critics over Brexit and bring a decisive new leadership style to Britain's top job. During an address to staff, he asked whether they would like a dog, a source with knowledge of the meeting said on Friday. The staff replied with an enthusiastic "Yes". Downing Street, the nerve centre of the British government for nearly 300 years, is already home to a brown and white tabby cat who carries the official title "Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office". Appointed in 2011, Larry has outlasted two former prime ministers: David Cameron and Theresa May. He has become a celebrity in his own right, with an unofficial Twitter account that uses some of the thousands of pictures taken by press photographers documenting his comings, goings, and territorial scraps with other departmental cats. The source said no firm decisions on a dog had been taken and declined to comment on possible living arrangements alongside Larry. "You can consider it a longer-term project," the source said. Larry appears to be taking the news in his stride. He was seen lying on a window ledge in Downing Street for most of the morning, according to a Reuters witness.

British PM Johnson eyes key appointment: A Downing Street dog

Sri Lanka customs Tuesday ordered the return of container loads of hazardous mortuary and clinical waste illegally imported into the island from Britain under the cover of metal recycling.

Customs officials said the racket dating back to 2017 was uncovered after the Colombo port complained last week that an importer had abandoned 111 containers which were emanating a huge stink.

A total of 241 containers had been imported since 2017 and 130 of them had been taken to a free-trade zone ostensibly for recycling and re-export, customs spokesman Sunil Jayaratne told AFP.

"We are taking immediate action to order the re-export of the 111 containers abandoned at the port," Jayaratne said.

"The other 130 which had already been cleared from the port will be dealt under environmental and other laws."

He said the 130 containers were stuffed with used mattresses and plastic and clinical waste imported in violation of international laws governing the shipping of hazardous material.

A Sri Lankan businessman who imported the containers would be liable for criminal prosecution if he failed to re-export them to Britain, from where they originated, Jayaratne said.

An official at the finance ministry, which is responsible for the customs department, said it would take up the issue with British authorities for exporting hazardous cargo without first checking if Sri Lanka was willing to accept it.

"This is a well-organised racket that has been going on since 2017," said the official, speaking anonymously because he was not authorised to talk to the media.

The 111 containers are believed to contain mortuary waste including human organs and had been unloaded and exposed to the elements for the past two years.

The 130 containers taken to a free-trade zone near Colombo International Airport were contaminating water and polluting the air in the area, he said.

Sri Lanka's pushback on imported trash came as Indonesia and the Philippines returned shipments of foreign rubbish to their originating ports.

Indonesia announced two weeks ago it was sending more than 210 tonnes of garbage back to Australia and Canada has agreed to accept 69 containers of rubbish it had shipped to the Philippines between 2013 and 2014.

Sri Lanka customs Tuesday ordered the return of container loads of hazardous mortuary and clinical waste illegally imported into the island from Britain under the cover of metal recycling.

Sri Lanka customs Tuesday ordered the return of container loads of hazardous mortuary and clinical waste illegally imported into the island from Britain under the cover of metal recycling. Customs officials said the racket dating back to 2017 was uncovered after the Colombo port complained last week that an importer had abandoned 111 containers which were emanating a huge stink. A total of 241 containers had been imported since 2017 and 130 of them had been taken to a free-trade zone ostensibly for recycling and re-export, customs spokesman Sunil Jayaratne told AFP. "We are taking immediate action to order the re-export of the 111 containers abandoned at the port," Jayaratne said. "The other 130 which had already been cleared from the port will be dealt under environmental and other laws." He said the 130 containers were stuffed with used mattresses and plastic and clinical waste imported in violation of international laws governing the shipping of hazardous material. A Sri Lankan businessman who imported the containers would be liable for criminal prosecution if he failed to re-export them to Britain, from where they originated, Jayaratne said. An official at the finance ministry, which is responsible for the customs department, said it would take up the issue with British authorities for exporting hazardous cargo without first checking if Sri Lanka was willing to accept it. "This is a well-organised racket that has been going on since 2017," said the official, speaking anonymously because he was not authorised to talk to the media. The 111 containers are believed to contain mortuary waste including human organs and had been unloaded and exposed to the elements for the past two years. The 130 containers taken to a free-trade zone near Colombo International Airport were contaminating water and polluting the air in the area, he said. Sri Lanka's pushback on imported trash came as Indonesia and the Philippines returned shipments of foreign rubbish to their originating ports. Indonesia announced two weeks ago it was sending more than 210 tonnes of garbage back to Australia and Canada has agreed to accept 69 containers of rubbish it had shipped to the Philippines between 2013 and 2014.

Sri Lanka orders return of smuggled British garbage

A British warship radioed an Iranian patrol boat to warn against interfering with the Stena Impero as the oil tanker passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a recording obtained by Reuters.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized the British-flagged tanker with a crew of 23 on Friday.

"Please confirm that you are not intending to violate international law by unlawfully attempting to board," Royal Navy frigate Montrose warned the Iranian boat, the recording provided by maritime security firm Dryad Global showed.

The warship also reminded the tanker`s crew of their right to pass through the strait,&nbsp;"As you are conducting transit passage in a recognised international strait, under international law your passage must not be impaired, impeded, obstructed or hampered."

In the radio messages the Iranian patrol boat is heard instructing the Stena Impero to alter course.

Responding to the Montrose`s warning not to interfere, the Iranian boat says it is taking action for security purposes.

"This is Sepah Navy patrol boat. No challenge is intended, no challenge is intended. I want to inspect the ship for security reason."

The Sepah Navy is a special unit of the Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Almost a fifth of the world`s annual oil consumption passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which lies at the entrance to the Gulf between Iran and Oman.

A British warship radioed an Iranian patrol boat to warn against interfering with the Stena Impero as the oil tanker passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a recording obtained by Reuters.

A British warship radioed an Iranian patrol boat to warn against interfering with the Stena Impero as the oil tanker passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a recording obtained by Reuters. Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized the British-flagged tanker with a crew of 23 on Friday. "Please confirm that you are not intending to violate international law by unlawfully attempting to board," Royal Navy frigate Montrose warned the Iranian boat, the recording provided by maritime security firm Dryad Global showed. The warship also reminded the tanker`s crew of their right to pass through the strait, "As you are conducting transit passage in a recognised international strait, under international law your passage must not be impaired, impeded, obstructed or hampered." In the radio messages the Iranian patrol boat is heard instructing the Stena Impero to alter course. Responding to the Montrose`s warning not to interfere, the Iranian boat says it is taking action for security purposes. "This is Sepah Navy patrol boat. No challenge is intended, no challenge is intended. I want to inspect the ship for security reason." The Sepah Navy is a special unit of the Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Almost a fifth of the world`s annual oil consumption passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which lies at the entrance to the Gulf between Iran and Oman.

British warship warned Iranian forces against seizing tanker

Theresa May boogied away one of her last weekends as British prime minister, showing off some of her famously awkward dance moves to Abba hits such as "Dancing Queen" and "Mamma Mia" at a festival.

In a video clip, she is shown dancing at the Henley Festival as her husband and other men in black tie swing their arms to the tunes.

May, whose premiership was riven by crises over Brexit and who was cast as robotic by opponents, occasionally sought to bring some humour to the job by performing dances in public.

She last year danced with school children in South Africa and then grooved onto stage at the Conservative Party conference to "Dancing Queen" - exhibiting a puzzling robotic hand movement that went viral on social media. 
&nbsp;

Theresa May boogied away one of her last weekends as British prime minister, showing off some of her famously awkward dance moves to Abba hits such as "Dancing Queen" and "Mamma Mia" at a festival.

Theresa May boogied away one of her last weekends as British prime minister, showing off some of her famously awkward dance moves to Abba hits such as "Dancing Queen" and "Mamma Mia" at a festival. In a video clip, she is shown dancing at the Henley Festival as her husband and other men in black tie swing their arms to the tunes. May, whose premiership was riven by crises over Brexit and who was cast as robotic by opponents, occasionally sought to bring some humour to the job by performing dances in public. She last year danced with school children in South Africa and then grooved onto stage at the Conservative Party conference to "Dancing Queen" - exhibiting a puzzling robotic hand movement that went viral on social media.

Dancing queen? Theresa May boogies to Abba in final days as British PM

Boris Johnson, the frontrunner to be <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-fends-off-dwindling-british-pm-rivals-in-tv-debate-228529">Britain's prime minister,</a> repeated his pledge on Tuesday that he would take the United Kingdom out of the European Union by October 31, saying otherwise the government would face a catastrophic loss in trust.

"We must come out on the 31 October because, otherwise I am afraid we face a catastrophic loss in politics," Johnson said in a televised debate with the other four remaining candidates seeking to be Britain's next leader.

"Unless we do it, unless we get out on October 31 I think we will all start to pay a really serious price."

Boris Johnson, the frontrunner to be Britain's prime minister, repeated his pledge on Tuesday that he would take the United Kingdom out of the European Union by October 31, saying otherwise the government would face a catastrophic loss in trust.

Boris Johnson, the frontrunner to be Britain's prime minister, repeated his pledge on Tuesday that he would take the United Kingdom out of the European Union by October 31, saying otherwise the government would face a catastrophic loss in trust. "We must come out on the 31 October because, otherwise I am afraid we face a catastrophic loss in politics," Johnson said in a televised debate with the other four remaining candidates seeking to be Britain's next leader. "Unless we do it, unless we get out on October 31 I think we will all start to pay a really serious price."

Britain must leave European Union by October 31 or pay the price: Boris Johnson

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-race-boris-johnson-tops-second-ballot-ex-brexit-minister-dominic-raab-eliminated-228505">Brexit figurehead Boris Johnson </a>said Tuesday that Britain "must come out" of the EU by the new October deadline as he fended off his four remaining UK <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-prime-ministerial-rivals-clash-over-brexit-strategy-227842">leadership race rivals in his first TV debate</a>.

The former foreign minister kept his cool and made no evident stumbles after seeing his advantage grow in a second-round ballot held earlier Tuesday by lawmakers from the ruling Conservatives in the lower House of Commons.

Johnson had ducked out of the first TV showdown on Sunday and has carefully stage-managed his media engagements in a contest that remains his to lose.

He cast himself on Tuesday as the one politician able to bring Britain successfully out of the European Union and therefore deliver the Brexit that UK voters called for three years ago.

"We must come out on October 31 because otherwise I'm afraid we face a catastrophic loss of confidence in politics," said Johnson in the hour-long BBC television question-and-answer session with voters.

"I think the British people are thoroughly fed up."

But neither he nor the other contenders raised their hands when asked by the BBC to do so if they could "guarantee" that Brexit will happen by October 31.

Frantic search for leader

The surprisingly even-tempered debate did little to alter a growing sense that Johnson would need to make an error of monumental proportions to lose at this stage.

The Guardian newspaper called Johnson's performance "sober and sensible".

Brexit Claims Another PM: May Steps Down

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-brexit-claims-another-pm-may-steps-down-225343/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Still the clear front-runner, still almost certainly the next PM," it wrote.

Johnson picked up 126 of the 313 Conservative MPs' votes cast Tuesday while hardline former Brexit minister Dominic Raab got knocked out after falling three short of 33-vote threshold.

Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt wo 46 votes and environment minister Michael Gove 41.

Moderate international development minister Rory Stewart continued his against-the-odds challenge by expanding his support base from last week's 19 to 37.

Interior minister Sajid Javid scraped through to the next round of coting with exactly 33.

Britain is frantically searching for a leader after Prime Minister Theresa May stepped down last month over her repeated failure to deliver Brexit on time.

Her successor will be saddled with both resolving Britain deepest political crisis in generations and setting the terms of how it deals with the rest of Europe for decades to come.

Further rounds of voting scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday will whittle the list of contenders down to just two.

The finalists will face the ruling party's 160,000 grassroots members in a vote next month to decide the winner, who will become the next prime minister.

'Not credible'

Johnson's lead is so substantial that some UK media say the others are simply fighting for a good spot in his future government.

Stewart fired the most direct barbs at Johnson on Tuesday by arguing that "no-deal \(Brexit) is not a credible threat".

Both Hunt and Gove repeated that a further delay may be required if a Brexit deal was within reach.

"If we were nearly there, then I would take a bit longer," Hunt said.

Gove said that he would also allow "extra time" if a solution was in sight.

But Javid said it was "fundamental" to get out of the EU by the new October deadline no matter what.

"We have got to learn from our mistakes," said Javid.

UK politicians are split between ardent eurosceptics who would prefer to see Britain leave without any strings attached to the bloc.

Moderate &nbsp;Brexit backers want some sort of deal that preserves established economic links between the ancient trading partners.

Johnson has warned throughout that he is prepared to get Britain out of the European Union without an agreement -- as long as it is done by the October 31 deadline.

But he has also called this tough talk a negotiating tactic designed to scare Brussels and force it to compromise on the nagging issue of status of Irish border.

EU leaders have long ruled out re-opening the binding part of the agreement they all signed with May last year.

Only Stewart is openly trying to salvage May's deal in the hope of pushing it through Britain's splintered parliament at the fourth attempt.

The Daily Telegraph suggested that Stewart and Johnson had moved closer to a face-to-face showdown "after emerging as the big winners" from Tuesday's vote and debate.

Brexit figurehead Boris Johnson said Tuesday that Britain "must come out" of the EU by the new October deadline as he fended off his four remaining UK leadership race rivals in his first TV debate.

Brexit figurehead Boris Johnson said Tuesday that Britain "must come out" of the EU by the new October deadline as he fended off his four remaining UK leadership race rivals in his first TV debate. The former foreign minister kept his cool and made no evident stumbles after seeing his advantage grow in a second-round ballot held earlier Tuesday by lawmakers from the ruling Conservatives in the lower House of Commons. Johnson had ducked out of the first TV showdown on Sunday and has carefully stage-managed his media engagements in a contest that remains his to lose. He cast himself on Tuesday as the one politician able to bring Britain successfully out of the European Union and therefore deliver the Brexit that UK voters called for three years ago. "We must come out on October 31 because otherwise I'm afraid we face a catastrophic loss of confidence in politics," said Johnson in the hour-long BBC television question-and-answer session with voters. "I think the British people are thoroughly fed up." But neither he nor the other contenders raised their hands when asked by the BBC to do so if they could "guarantee" that Brexit will happen by October 31. Frantic search for leader The surprisingly even-tempered debate did little to alter a growing sense that Johnson would need to make an error of monumental proportions to lose at this stage. The Guardian newspaper called Johnson's performance "sober and sensible". Brexit Claims Another PM: May Steps Down "Still the clear front-runner, still almost certainly the next PM," it wrote. Johnson picked up 126 of the 313 Conservative MPs' votes cast Tuesday while hardline former Brexit minister Dominic Raab got knocked out after falling three short of 33-vote threshold. Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt wo 46 votes and environment minister Michael Gove 41. Moderate international development minister Rory Stewart continued his against-the-odds challenge by expanding his support base from last week's 19 to 37. Interior minister Sajid Javid scraped through to the next round of coting with exactly 33. Britain is frantically searching for a leader after Prime Minister Theresa May stepped down last month over her repeated failure to deliver Brexit on time. Her successor will be saddled with both resolving Britain deepest political crisis in generations and setting the terms of how it deals with the rest of Europe for decades to come. Further rounds of voting scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday will whittle the list of contenders down to just two. The finalists will face the ruling party's 160,000 grassroots members in a vote next month to decide the winner, who will become the next prime minister. 'Not credible' Johnson's lead is so substantial that some UK media say the others are simply fighting for a good spot in his future government. Stewart fired the most direct barbs at Johnson on Tuesday by arguing that "no-deal \(Brexit) is not a credible threat". Both Hunt and Gove repeated that a further delay may be required if a Brexit deal was within reach. "If we were nearly there, then I would take a bit longer," Hunt said. Gove said that he would also allow "extra time" if a solution was in sight. But Javid said it was "fundamental" to get out of the EU by the new October deadline no matter what. "We have got to learn from our mistakes," said Javid. UK politicians are split between ardent eurosceptics who would prefer to see Britain leave without any strings attached to the bloc. Moderate Brexit backers want some sort of deal that preserves established economic links between the ancient trading partners. Johnson has warned throughout that he is prepared to get Britain out of the European Union without an agreement -- as long as it is done by the October 31 deadline. But he has also called this tough talk a negotiating tactic designed to scare Brussels and force it to compromise on the nagging issue of status of Irish border. EU leaders have long ruled out re-opening the binding part of the agreement they all signed with May last year. Only Stewart is openly trying to salvage May's deal in the hope of pushing it through Britain's splintered parliament at the fourth attempt. The Daily Telegraph suggested that Stewart and Johnson had moved closer to a face-to-face showdown "after emerging as the big winners" from Tuesday's vote and debate.

Boris Johnson fends off dwindling British PM rivals in TV debate

Theresa May has stepped down as head of the Conservative Party. Task now is to find replacement. Watch this video to know more.

Who will be the next British PM?

Britain's Prince Harry was given a baby outfit for his son Archie by Princess Margriet of the Netherlands on Thursday as the new dad went back to work. Watch this video to know more.

Baby gift for Prince Harry on 1st workday as father

Britain's Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle Wednesday named their newborn son Archie. The announcement came after the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were introduced to their eighth and newest great-grandchild. Watch this video to know more.

Meet Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor

The royal couple decided to eschew the recent royal tradition of posing for photographs with their new baby hours after the birth, leaving the world's media and royal fans waiting for a first glimpse of the boy who is entitled to both British and American citizenship.

Royal Family: Prince Harry and Meghan introduces baby son to the world

Tourists visiting Windsor castle on Tuesday watched the changing of the guard, but many say it is the imminent addition of a new baby to the royal family that really has them excited.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex Prince Harry and Meghan expect their first child soon. Royal family fans and tourists said they were hopeful the baby would be born during their stay in the city.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/the-queen-visits-meghan-markle-at-her-new-home-ahead-of-baby-sussexs-arrival-214713">The Queen visits Meghan Markle at her new home ahead of baby Sussex's arrival</a>

Prince Harry and Meghan have decided to keep the plans around the arrival of their first child private, Buckingham Palace said earlier this month.

Due in the coming weeks, the baby will be seventh-in-line to the throne.

Tourists visiting Windsor castle on Tuesday watched the changing of the guard, but many say it is the imminent addition of a new baby to the royal family that really has them excited.

Tourists visiting Windsor castle on Tuesday watched the changing of the guard, but many say it is the imminent addition of a new baby to the royal family that really has them excited. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex Prince Harry and Meghan expect their first child soon. Royal family fans and tourists said they were hopeful the baby would be born during their stay in the city. Also read: The Queen visits Meghan Markle at her new home ahead of baby Sussex's arrival Prince Harry and Meghan have decided to keep the plans around the arrival of their first child private, Buckingham Palace said earlier this month. Due in the coming weeks, the baby will be seventh-in-line to the throne.

Tourists excited over imminent birth of British royal baby, watch Windsor's changing of guard

British Prime Minister Theresa May has given the go-ahead for China's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-intelligence-accusses-huawei-of-chinese-funding-212012">Huawei</a> to help build a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-says-launches-worlds-first-5g-communications-hardware-for-autos-212561">5G network in the UK</a>, shrugging off security warnings from senior ministers and Washington surrounding the telecoms giant, media reported Wednesday.

Britain's National Security Council, which is chaired by May, agreed Tuesday to allow the Chinese technology giant limited access to build "non-core" infrastructure such as antennas, The Daily Telegraph said.

The Times was more cautious, stating that May was "considering giving limited approval".

May's reported moves come despite concerns raised by Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt.

Alsor read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-slams-huawei-for-hiring-former-obama-cyber-security-official-210479">Donald Trump slams Huawei for hiring former Obama cyber security official</a>

May's Downing Street office declined to comment, while Digital Minister Margot James also offered caution.

"In spite of cabinet leaks to the contrary, final decision yet to be made on managing threats to telecoms infrastructure," she tweeted.

She later told Sky News that while a final decision had not been made, James indicated that a security review had concluded.

"The decision has not been finally made yet and the Prime Minister will take advice form all of the relevant agencies and departments," James added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-has-no-evidence-of-backdoor-spying-in-5g-technology-huawei-chairman-199966">Huawei</a> meanwhile welcomed the report that May had given the go-ahead.

"Huawei welcomes reports that the UK government is moving towards allowing Huawei to help build the UK's 5G network," it said in a statement.

"This green light means that UK businesses and consumers will have access to the fastest and most reliable networks thanks to Huawei's cutting edge technology.

"While we await a formal government announcement, we are pleased that the UK is continuing to take an evidence-based approach to its work and we will continue work cooperatively with the government, and the industry," the Chinese company added.

Britain's move would be at odds with the United States, which has banned Huawei's 5G technology from its territory and urged allies in the so-called Five Eyes intelligence-sharing collective -- comprising also Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand -- to follow suit.

Huawei is the leading manufacturer of equipment for next-generation 5G mobile networks with almost instantaneous data transfer that will become the nervous system of Europe's economy, in strategic sectors like energy, transport, banking and health care.

Spying Fears

The technology titan faces pushback in some Western markets over fears Beijing could spy on communications and gain access to critical infrastructure.

Last month, Britain identified "significant technological issues" in Huawei's engineering processes that pose "new risks" for the nation's telecommunications, according to a government report.

"Further significant technical issues have been identified in Huawei's engineering processes, leading to new risks in the UK telecommunications networks," read annual findings from the Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre oversight board.

The board -- which includes officials from Britain's GCHQ cybersecurity agency as well as a senior Huawei executive and representatives from the UK telecommunications sector -- added it could provide only limited assurance that risks posed by the Chinese tech giant to UK national security would be "sufficiently mitigated long-term".

Shrugging off the widespread concerns, Egypt on Sunday said Huawei would roll out 5G phone network for the first time during the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations football tournament.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has given the go-ahead for China's Huawei to help build a 5G network in the UK, shrugging off security warnings from senior ministers and Washington surrounding the telecoms giant, media reported Wednesday.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has given the go-ahead for China's Huawei to help build a 5G network in the UK, shrugging off security warnings from senior ministers and Washington surrounding the telecoms giant, media reported Wednesday. Britain's National Security Council, which is chaired by May, agreed Tuesday to allow the Chinese technology giant limited access to build "non-core" infrastructure such as antennas, The Daily Telegraph said. The Times was more cautious, stating that May was "considering giving limited approval". May's reported moves come despite concerns raised by Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt. Alsor read: Donald Trump slams Huawei for hiring former Obama cyber security official May's Downing Street office declined to comment, while Digital Minister Margot James also offered caution. "In spite of cabinet leaks to the contrary, final decision yet to be made on managing threats to telecoms infrastructure," she tweeted. She later told Sky News that while a final decision had not been made, James indicated that a security review had concluded. "The decision has not been finally made yet and the Prime Minister will take advice form all of the relevant agencies and departments," James added. Huawei meanwhile welcomed the report that May had given the go-ahead. "Huawei welcomes reports that the UK government is moving towards allowing Huawei to help build the UK's 5G network," it said in a statement. "This green light means that UK businesses and consumers will have access to the fastest and most reliable networks thanks to Huawei's cutting edge technology. "While we await a formal government announcement, we are pleased that the UK is continuing to take an evidence-based approach to its work and we will continue work cooperatively with the government, and the industry," the Chinese company added. Britain's move would be at odds with the United States, which has banned Huawei's 5G technology from its territory and urged allies in the so-called Five Eyes intelligence-sharing collective -- comprising also Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand -- to follow suit. Huawei is the leading manufacturer of equipment for next-generation 5G mobile networks with almost instantaneous data transfer that will become the nervous system of Europe's economy, in strategic sectors like energy, transport, banking and health care. Spying Fears The technology titan faces pushback in some Western markets over fears Beijing could spy on communications and gain access to critical infrastructure. Last month, Britain identified "significant technological issues" in Huawei's engineering processes that pose "new risks" for the nation's telecommunications, according to a government report. "Further significant technical issues have been identified in Huawei's engineering processes, leading to new risks in the UK telecommunications networks," read annual findings from the Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre oversight board. The board -- which includes officials from Britain's GCHQ cybersecurity agency as well as a senior Huawei executive and representatives from the UK telecommunications sector -- added it could provide only limited assurance that risks posed by the Chinese tech giant to UK national security would be "sufficiently mitigated long-term". Shrugging off the widespread concerns, Egypt on Sunday said Huawei would roll out 5G phone network for the first time during the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations football tournament.

British PM Theresa May gives go-ahead for China's 5G Huawei network

British MPs on Wednesday voted against eight alternative <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/heres-how-brexit-endgame-could-play-out-205678">Brexit options</a> aimed at overcoming the deadlock over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-step-down-before-next-phase-of-brexit-negotiations-pm-theresa-may-to-mps-206112">Prime Minister Theresa May</a>'s unpopular European Union divorce deal.

The biggest vote against was against a&nbsp;second referendum.

A call to enter a customs union with the European Union meanwhile fared the best, losing by 272-264, while members voted 295-268 against a motion requiring the eventual Withdrawal Agreement to be submitted to a referendum.

The option of revoking the United Kingdom's Article 50 declaration that it intended to leave the bloc was defeated by 109 votes.

At the other end of the spectrum, 240 members opposed the idea of a no-deal Brexit.

The options being voted on included negotiating for closer economic ties with the EU after Brexit, holding a public vote on any deal or stopping Brexit altogether.

Earlier, May told her conservative lawmakers that she would step down before the "next phase" of Brexit negotiations.

MPs have twice rejected May's Brexit deal, both times by large majorities, but she is still trying to convince them and on Wednesday made what is expected to be her final offer.

"I know there is a desire for a new approach -- and new leadership -- in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I won't stand in the way of that," she told a packed meeting of her Conservative MPs.

"But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit. I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party."

(With inputs from agencies)

British MPs on Wednesday voted against eight alternative Brexit options aimed at overcoming the deadlock over Prime Minister Theresa May's unpopular European Union divorce deal.

British MPs on Wednesday voted against eight alternative Brexit options aimed at overcoming the deadlock over Prime Minister Theresa May's unpopular European Union divorce deal. The biggest vote against was against a second referendum. A call to enter a customs union with the European Union meanwhile fared the best, losing by 272-264, while members voted 295-268 against a motion requiring the eventual Withdrawal Agreement to be submitted to a referendum. The option of revoking the United Kingdom's Article 50 declaration that it intended to leave the bloc was defeated by 109 votes. At the other end of the spectrum, 240 members opposed the idea of a no-deal Brexit. The options being voted on included negotiating for closer economic ties with the EU after Brexit, holding a public vote on any deal or stopping Brexit altogether. Earlier, May told her conservative lawmakers that she would step down before the "next phase" of Brexit negotiations. MPs have twice rejected May's Brexit deal, both times by large majorities, but she is still trying to convince them and on Wednesday made what is expected to be her final offer. "I know there is a desire for a new approach -- and new leadership -- in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations and I won't stand in the way of that," she told a packed meeting of her Conservative MPs. "But we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit. I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party." (With inputs from agencies)

British MPs vote against all alternative Brexit options

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-mps-vote-to-seize-control-of-brexit-for-a-day-205630">British MPs</a> will on Wednesday hold votes on various <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/heres-how-brexit-endgame-could-play-out-205678">Brexit </a>options even as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/theresa-may-might-not-announce-resignation-until-lawmakers-back-brexit-deal-report-206004">Prime Minister Theresa May </a>comes under pressure to announce a departure plan to get support for her unpopular divorce deal.

Three years after a referendum in which Britain voted to leave the European Union, the country is gripped by painful uncertainty over how -- or even whether -- it should put an end to its 46-year membership.

May's deal negotiated with Brussels has already been voted down overwhelmingly by parliament twice but the government is widely expected to present it for a third time on Thursday to ensure an orderly<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/can-the-revoke-article-50-petition-change-the-course-of-brexit-205739"> Brexit</a>.

EU leaders said Britain could leave the EU on May 22 if the deal is adopted this week, or face a potential no-deal Brexit as early as April 12.

In a bid to find Brexit alternatives, lawmakers took the unprecedented step on Monday of seizing control of Wednesday's parliamentary business.

MPs will hold a series of "indicative votes" -- indicating their preferences on a piece of paper -- for different Brexit outcomes, although May is not legally-bound to follow their instructions.

The proposals put forward so include a customs union with the EU, remaining in the single market, holding a second referendum or stopping Brexit by revoking Article 50 -- the formal notification for departure.

The alternatives that will actually be voted on will be selected by speaker John Bercow on Wednesday and voting will take place at around 1900 GMT with the results expected at around 2100 GMT.

Time has been set aside next Monday to try and whittle down the most popular options to a final plan.

'Get it over the line'

Parliament's unprecedented power-grab was spearheaded by arch-EU MPs, who want to either reverse Brexit or preserve much closer economic ties with the remaining 27 states.

Three members of May's government quit in order to vote for the move, further piling pressure on their leader.

However, she received a boost on Tuesday when influential Brexiteer Jacob Rees Mogg suggested he could back her deal in order to make sure the whole process was not stopped.

Prominent Brexit supporter Boris Johnson has already indicated that he could back the deal, but only if May agrees to go, raising suggestions that she could announce plans for her departure at a meeting with Conservative MPs at 1700 GMT on Wednesday.

"If the Prime Minister announces a timetable of departure, I think that's going to swing a lot of people behind her deal, we could get it over the line," said Conservative MP Nigel Evans.

'Toxic Brexit'

But the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), the hardline Northern Irish power brokers who prop up the government, have poured cold water on the deal.

The group's Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson said the party would rather see a one-year Brexit delay.

"Even if we are forced into a one-year extension, we at least would have a say on the things which affect us during that time and would have the right to unilaterally decide to leave at the end of that one-year," he wrote in the Daily Telegraph.

"We won't let the PM or the Remainer horde in parliament bully us into backing a toxic Brexit," he said.

Britain was originally due to exit from the EU on March 29, and MPs will vote on Wednesday to formalise the extension into law.

It has already been written into international law and is expected to pass easily, with May's office saying that "there would be uncertainty for citizens and businesses" if MPs were to reject it.

A group of Brexit-supporting MPs, however, has said that holding the vote after the delay had already entered international law "created serious legal doubts about the legal situation surrounding the extension".

British MPs will on Wednesday hold votes on various Brexit options even as Prime Minister Theresa May comes under pressure to announce a departure plan to get support for her unpopular divorce deal.

British MPs will on Wednesday hold votes on various Brexit options even as Prime Minister Theresa May comes under pressure to announce a departure plan to get support for her unpopular divorce deal. Three years after a referendum in which Britain voted to leave the European Union, the country is gripped by painful uncertainty over how -- or even whether -- it should put an end to its 46-year membership. May's deal negotiated with Brussels has already been voted down overwhelmingly by parliament twice but the government is widely expected to present it for a third time on Thursday to ensure an orderly Brexit. EU leaders said Britain could leave the EU on May 22 if the deal is adopted this week, or face a potential no-deal Brexit as early as April 12. In a bid to find Brexit alternatives, lawmakers took the unprecedented step on Monday of seizing control of Wednesday's parliamentary business. MPs will hold a series of "indicative votes" -- indicating their preferences on a piece of paper -- for different Brexit outcomes, although May is not legally-bound to follow their instructions. The proposals put forward so include a customs union with the EU, remaining in the single market, holding a second referendum or stopping Brexit by revoking Article 50 -- the formal notification for departure. The alternatives that will actually be voted on will be selected by speaker John Bercow on Wednesday and voting will take place at around 1900 GMT with the results expected at around 2100 GMT. Time has been set aside next Monday to try and whittle down the most popular options to a final plan. 'Get it over the line' Parliament's unprecedented power-grab was spearheaded by arch-EU MPs, who want to either reverse Brexit or preserve much closer economic ties with the remaining 27 states. Three members of May's government quit in order to vote for the move, further piling pressure on their leader. However, she received a boost on Tuesday when influential Brexiteer Jacob Rees Mogg suggested he could back her deal in order to make sure the whole process was not stopped. Prominent Brexit supporter Boris Johnson has already indicated that he could back the deal, but only if May agrees to go, raising suggestions that she could announce plans for her departure at a meeting with Conservative MPs at 1700 GMT on Wednesday. "If the Prime Minister announces a timetable of departure, I think that's going to swing a lot of people behind her deal, we could get it over the line," said Conservative MP Nigel Evans. 'Toxic Brexit' But the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), the hardline Northern Irish power brokers who prop up the government, have poured cold water on the deal. The group's Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson said the party would rather see a one-year Brexit delay. "Even if we are forced into a one-year extension, we at least would have a say on the things which affect us during that time and would have the right to unilaterally decide to leave at the end of that one-year," he wrote in the Daily Telegraph. "We won't let the PM or the Remainer horde in parliament bully us into backing a toxic Brexit," he said. Britain was originally due to exit from the EU on March 29, and MPs will vote on Wednesday to formalise the extension into law. It has already been written into international law and is expected to pass easily, with May's office saying that "there would be uncertainty for citizens and businesses" if MPs were to reject it. A group of Brexit-supporting MPs, however, has said that holding the vote after the delay had already entered international law "created serious legal doubts about the legal situation surrounding the extension".

British MPs to vote on Brexit options

In the Brexit-voting town of Redcar in northeastern England, residents voiced dismay at the political infighting that threatens to delay Britain's departure from the EU and called on politicians to "make this work for the country".&nbsp;

"I think they're behaving like children," said one resident, Mark Blakey, a day after British MPs voted overwhelmingly against a Brexit deal agreed with Brussels in a humiliating blow for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-parliament-votes-down-pm-mays-eu-brexit-deal-by-230-votes-190586">Prime Minister Theresa May</a>.

The result leaves Britain with no plan and in turmoil just 73 days before its scheduled divorce date.

"There's a lot of political infighting, a lot of people trying to go for the top job and for their own self-serving benefits rather than thinking right," said Blakey.

"They need to, quite frankly, grow up, see what the situation is and come together with a proper plan across the parties," said Blakey.

"What we need to do is make this work for the country."

Opposition dilemma&nbsp;

Redcar, a once-prosperous industrial seaside town that has fallen on hard times, voted by 66 per cent in favour of leaving the European Union in the shock 2016 referendum.

It also traditionally votes Labour, illustrating the dilemma faced by the main opposition party, which also has many anti-Brexit supporters who want a second referendum.

Redcar's story is one of economic decline from its heyday.

It used to have a small tourism economy that died out with the 1960s and the advent of cheap foreign travel.

After Britain joined the European common market in 1973, its fishing fleet was next; and its skyline-dominating steelworks was mothballed by its Thai owners in 2015.

For many in Redcar, the Brexit vote was a protest and a hope that radical change could reverse the town's fortunes.

Local resident Kevin Steveson said he hoped that Britain would still be leaving the European Union "but obviously there are one or two things that they've got to sort out".

"I think too many people are taking it to a party political stance. I think Theresa May is doing a not bad job. I hope she wins a vote of no-confidence today," he said.

'Let's get back to normal'&nbsp;

On the beach, local farmer Ivan Crane said he was "worried" about export markets and prices for cattle and grain.

Crane said he had voted to stay in the European Union in 2016 but now wanted Brexit to be implemented.

Asked if he wanted a second referendum, Crane said: "No, I think what's to be will be. I think it sucks it and see."

With a population of 36,000, Redcar sits on the River Tees estuary and originally boomed as a seaside resort from the 1850s.

Archive photographs in the museum show a jolly world of bandstands, swimming baths, promenades and piers, entertainers, rollercoasters and small fishing boats.

The Yorkshire town's historic clock tower centrepiece is dedicated to King Edward VII, who liked to visit.

Its steelworks were emblematic of Britain's industrial might and produced steel for the Sydney Harbour Bridge among other 20th-century landmarks around the world.

Now its high street resembles many in provincial England: a mixture of cafes, betting shops, England flag-bedecked pubs showing football, tattoo parlours and charity shops.

The uncertainty hanging over Britain is a concern to residents like Kathy, who said it was time for MPs to "make their minds up and just get on with it".

"I think they should make a decision, stick to it, do it and let the world get back to normal," she said.

In the Brexit-voting town of Redcar in northeastern England, residents voiced dismay at the political infighting that threatens to delay Britain's departure from the EU and called on politicians to "make this work for the country".

In the Brexit-voting town of Redcar in northeastern England, residents voiced dismay at the political infighting that threatens to delay Britain's departure from the EU and called on politicians to "make this work for the country". "I think they're behaving like children," said one resident, Mark Blakey, a day after British MPs voted overwhelmingly against a Brexit deal agreed with Brussels in a humiliating blow for Prime Minister Theresa May. The result leaves Britain with no plan and in turmoil just 73 days before its scheduled divorce date. "There's a lot of political infighting, a lot of people trying to go for the top job and for their own self-serving benefits rather than thinking right," said Blakey. "They need to, quite frankly, grow up, see what the situation is and come together with a proper plan across the parties," said Blakey. "What we need to do is make this work for the country." Opposition dilemma Redcar, a once-prosperous industrial seaside town that has fallen on hard times, voted by 66 per cent in favour of leaving the European Union in the shock 2016 referendum. It also traditionally votes Labour, illustrating the dilemma faced by the main opposition party, which also has many anti-Brexit supporters who want a second referendum. Redcar's story is one of economic decline from its heyday. It used to have a small tourism economy that died out with the 1960s and the advent of cheap foreign travel. After Britain joined the European common market in 1973, its fishing fleet was next; and its skyline-dominating steelworks was mothballed by its Thai owners in 2015. For many in Redcar, the Brexit vote was a protest and a hope that radical change could reverse the town's fortunes. Local resident Kevin Steveson said he hoped that Britain would still be leaving the European Union "but obviously there are one or two things that they've got to sort out". "I think too many people are taking it to a party political stance. I think Theresa May is doing a not bad job. I hope she wins a vote of no-confidence today," he said. 'Let's get back to normal' On the beach, local farmer Ivan Crane said he was "worried" about export markets and prices for cattle and grain. Crane said he had voted to stay in the European Union in 2016 but now wanted Brexit to be implemented. Asked if he wanted a second referendum, Crane said: "No, I think what's to be will be. I think it sucks it and see." With a population of 36,000, Redcar sits on the River Tees estuary and originally boomed as a seaside resort from the 1850s. Archive photographs in the museum show a jolly world of bandstands, swimming baths, promenades and piers, entertainers, rollercoasters and small fishing boats. The Yorkshire town's historic clock tower centrepiece is dedicated to King Edward VII, who liked to visit. Its steelworks were emblematic of Britain's industrial might and produced steel for the Sydney Harbour Bridge among other 20th-century landmarks around the world. Now its high street resembles many in provincial England: a mixture of cafes, betting shops, England flag-bedecked pubs showing football, tattoo parlours and charity shops. The uncertainty hanging over Britain is a concern to residents like Kathy, who said it was time for MPs to "make their minds up and just get on with it". "I think they should make a decision, stick to it, do it and let the world get back to normal," she said.

Brexit-voting town urges British MPs to grow up

France is speeding up preparations for a "no deal" <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/still-time-to-negotiate-germanys-merkel-says-after-may-loses-brexit-vote-190761&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjdrPXdpfLfAhWMpI8KHRLkC4oQFggEMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3hfJzJRyiyJ3b6QcVj3ydU">Brexit </a>after the British parliament overwhelmingly rejected the agreement on the table, a French presidential source said Wednesday.

"The scenario we don't want is a no deal and the risks multiplied yesterday," the source said.

"The prime minister will meet tomorrow with the key ministers concerned to take stock of the preparations and accelerate them," the source added.

Ministers had already scheduled a meeting to decide on <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/scepticism-in-france-as-macron-launches-great-national-debate-190262&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiB_7OBpvLfAhVFJHIKHddpClsQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2hNYHiC1qoa1S--JMnWWu6">France</a>'s response to the result of the British parliamentary vote.

France has like other European nations been preparing for a scenario in which Britain crashes out of the EU with no divorce deal, and has already been recruiting extra customs agents to be deployed in Channel ports.

French employers' group MEDEF meanwhile called on the country's businesses to prepare for "the worst".

"Yesterday's vote piled uncertainty upon uncertainty," its chief Geoffroy Roux de Bezieux said.

Some 30,000 French companies export to Britain, according to the French finance ministry, with goods worth some 31 billion euros ($35.4 billion) in 2017.

French lawmakers have since November been debating a bill dealing with the Brexit fallout, which would potentially empower the government to issue emergency decrees if needed.

France's Europe Minister Nathalie Loiseau said Wednesday that the EU could extend the deadline for Brexit beyond March 29 if Britain made such a request.

But she stressed that other EU nations considered the deal already on the table to be "the only one possible".&nbsp;

President Emmanuel Macron late Tuesday indicated there was a small chance of only very minor tweaks being made to the agreement.

"Maybe we'll make improvements on one or two things, but I don't really think so because we've reached the maximum of what we could do with the deal," he said.

France is speeding up preparations for a "no deal" Brexit after the British parliament overwhelmingly rejected the agreement on the table, a French presidential source said Wednesday.

France is speeding up preparations for a "no deal" Brexit after the British parliament overwhelmingly rejected the agreement on the table, a French presidential source said Wednesday. "The scenario we don't want is a no deal and the risks multiplied yesterday," the source said. "The prime minister will meet tomorrow with the key ministers concerned to take stock of the preparations and accelerate them," the source added. Ministers had already scheduled a meeting to decide on France's response to the result of the British parliamentary vote. France has like other European nations been preparing for a scenario in which Britain crashes out of the EU with no divorce deal, and has already been recruiting extra customs agents to be deployed in Channel ports. French employers' group MEDEF meanwhile called on the country's businesses to prepare for "the worst". "Yesterday's vote piled uncertainty upon uncertainty," its chief Geoffroy Roux de Bezieux said. Some 30,000 French companies export to Britain, according to the French finance ministry, with goods worth some 31 billion euros ($35.4 billion) in 2017. French lawmakers have since November been debating a bill dealing with the Brexit fallout, which would potentially empower the government to issue emergency decrees if needed. France's Europe Minister Nathalie Loiseau said Wednesday that the EU could extend the deadline for Brexit beyond March 29 if Britain made such a request. But she stressed that other EU nations considered the deal already on the table to be "the only one possible". President Emmanuel Macron late Tuesday indicated there was a small chance of only very minor tweaks being made to the agreement. "Maybe we'll make improvements on one or two things, but I don't really think so because we've reached the maximum of what we could do with the deal," he said.

France to accelerate preparations for no-deal Brexit: Presidential source

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday that it was necessary to keep trying to secure an orderly Brexit but she stressed that Germany was prepared if Britain did end up exiting the European Union in a disorderly fashion.

She said she regretted that the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/risk-of-no-deal-has-never-seemed-so-high-says-eu-negotiator-after-may-loses-brexit-vote-in-parliament-190702">British parliament had rejected a Brexit deal</a> negotiated with the European Union and said British Prime Minister Theresa May needed to say how Britain would proceed.

"We think now it is up to the British side," Merkel said. "We want to keep damage to a minimum, and there will be damage with the departure of Britain."

"We will of course try to find an orderly solution but we are also prepared for the scenario that there may not be an orderly solution," Merkel added.

EU negotiator Michel Barnier warned on Wednesday that the British Parliament's overwhelming rejection of a negotiated Brexit deal increases the risk that Britain will crash out of the European Union without an agreement.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday that it was necessary to keep trying to secure an orderly Brexit but she stressed that Germany was prepared if Britain did end up exiting the European Union in a disorderly fashion.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday that it was necessary to keep trying to secure an orderly Brexit but she stressed that Germany was prepared if Britain did end up exiting the European Union in a disorderly fashion. She said she regretted that the British parliament had rejected a Brexit deal negotiated with the European Union and said British Prime Minister Theresa May needed to say how Britain would proceed. "We think now it is up to the British side," Merkel said. "We want to keep damage to a minimum, and there will be damage with the departure of Britain." "We will of course try to find an orderly solution but we are also prepared for the scenario that there may not be an orderly solution," Merkel added. EU negotiator Michel Barnier warned on Wednesday that the British Parliament's overwhelming rejection of a negotiated Brexit deal increases the risk that Britain will crash out of the European Union without an agreement.

We must still strive for orderly Brexit: Angela Merkel

British authorities have informed India that bank fraud fugitive <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/efforts-on-to-bring-back-29-economic-offenders-including-vijay-mallya-nirav-modi-mehul-choksi-government-185383">Nirav Modi</a> is living in the UK, the government has said.

Replying to a question, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh told Rajya Sabha that National Central Bureau of Manchester conveyed to Indian agencies that their investigations have led to the location of Nirav Modi in the UK.

"In August 2018, the government sent two requests, one from the CBI and the other from the Enforcement Directorate, to the authorities of the UK seeking the extradition of Nirav Modi to India," he said.

He said the requests are presently under the consideration of the authorities concerned of the UK.

In June, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had written to several European countries seeking help in tracing Nirav Modi.

Nirav Modi is wanted in connection with Punjab National Bank fraud case.

British authorities have informed India that bank fraud fugitive Nirav Modi is living in the UK, the government has said. Replying to a question, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh told Rajya Sabha that National Central Bureau of Manchester conveyed to Indian agencies that their investigations have led to the location of Nirav Modi in the UK.

British authorities have informed India that bank fraud fugitive Nirav Modi is living in the UK, the government has said. Replying to a question, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh told Rajya Sabha that National Central Bureau of Manchester conveyed to Indian agencies that their investigations have led to the location of Nirav Modi in the UK. "In August 2018, the government sent two requests, one from the CBI and the other from the Enforcement Directorate, to the authorities of the UK seeking the extradition of Nirav Modi to India," he said. He said the requests are presently under the consideration of the authorities concerned of the UK. In June, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had written to several European countries seeking help in tracing Nirav Modi. Nirav Modi is wanted in connection with Punjab National Bank fraud case.

Nirav Modi located in UK, British authorities inform India: Government

The British High Commission sought consular access to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/agustawestland-chopper-case-christian-michel-appears-in-delhi-court-security-tightened-181662">Christian Michel, the British national </a>who was sent to a five-day custody of the CBI on Wednesday, a day after he was brought here from the UAE to face probe in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal scam.

A spokesperson of the High Commission said information has been sought from the Indian authorities urgently on Michel's "circumstances". 
Another official said, "we have sought consular access to Michel."

"Our staff continue to support the family of a British man following his detention in the UAE. We are in contact with his family and the Emirati authorities regarding his case, and are urgently seeking information from the Indian authorities on his circumstances," the spokesperson said.

Michel was brought to India late Tuesday night following his extradition by the UAE in connection with the case.

A court Wednesday remanded him in five-day CBI custody.

The British High Commission sought consular access to Christian Michel, the British national who was sent to a five-day custody of the CBI on Wednesday, a day after he was brought here from the UAE to face probe in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal scam.

The British High Commission sought consular access to Christian Michel, the British national who was sent to a five-day custody of the CBI on Wednesday, a day after he was brought here from the UAE to face probe in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal scam. A spokesperson of the High Commission said information has been sought from the Indian authorities urgently on Michel's "circumstances". Another official said, "we have sought consular access to Michel." "Our staff continue to support the family of a British man following his detention in the UAE. We are in contact with his family and the Emirati authorities regarding his case, and are urgently seeking information from the Indian authorities on his circumstances," the spokesperson said. Michel was brought to India late Tuesday night following his extradition by the UAE in connection with the case. A court Wednesday remanded him in five-day CBI custody.

British High Commission seeks consular access to Christian Michel

A United Arab Emirates court sentenced British student Matthew Hedges to life in jail on spying charges on Wednesday, prompting a "shocked" Britain to warn of repercussions for relations with its longstanding Gulf ally.

Hedges, a 31-year-old PhD student, had protested his innocence ever since his arrest at Dubai airport on May 5 and British ministers had raised his case at the highest level.

"We can confirm that he was sentenced to life in prison," a family spokesperson told AFP.

"The hearing lasted less than five minutes, and his lawyer was not present."&nbsp;

Hedges was researching the UAE's foreign and internal security policies after the Arab Spring revolutions of 2011, studies that Britain insisted were entirely innocuous but which the UAE said threatened its political and economic security.&nbsp;

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was "deeply shocked and disappointed" by the UAE court's decision and warned of repercussions.

"Today's verdict is not what we expect from a friend and trusted partner of the United Kingdom and runs contrary to earlier assurances," he said.

"The handling of this case... will have repercussions for the relationship between our two countries, which has to be built on trust.

"I regret the fact that we have reached this position and I urge the UAE to reconsider," he added.

Hunt said he had personally raised the case at the highest levels of the UAE government, including during a visit to Abu Dhabi on November 12.

The case comes with relations already tested by the UAE's heavy involvement alongside Saudi Arabia in a military coalition battling Yemeni rebels since March 2015.

The deployment of Emirati ground troops, trainers and advisers alongside government forces advancing on the lifeline rebel-held port of Hodeida has prompted calls for Britain to halt or place conditions on its huge arms sales to the UAE.&nbsp;

'Nightmare even worse'

Hedges's temporary release on bail on October 29 had raised a glimmer of hope in his case but he was constantly monitored until Wednesday's court hearing, only his third since his arrest.

Hedges's wife Daniela Tejada, who had campaigned vigorously for his release, said the court ruling showed that the UAE was not a genuine ally.

"They say that the UAE is an ally, but the overwhelmingly arbitrary handling of Matt's case indicates a scarily different reality, for which Matt and I are being made to pay a devastatingly high price."

Tejada, who was in court for sentencing, said it had been devastating for her husband and for herself.

"This has been the worst six months of my life, let alone for Matt who was shaking when he heard the verdict," she said.

"The UAE authorities should feel ashamed for such an obvious injustice. I am very scared for Matt. I don't know where they are taking him or what will happen now. Our nightmare has gotten even worse."

She had previously expressed concern for his safety saying he was being held in solitary confinement at an undisclosed location with limited access to the British consulate and his family.

'Take a stand'

Tejada was deeply critical of the British government over the failure of its discreet, behind-the-scenes diplomacy in the case.

"Matthew is innocent. The Foreign Office know this and have made it clear to the UAE authorities that Matthew is not a spy for them. This whole case has been handled appallingly from the very beginning with no one taking Matthew's case seriously," she said.

"The British government must take a stand now for Matthew, one of their citizens."

UAE attorney general Hamad al-Shamsi said earlier this month that Hedges was accused of "spying for a foreign country, jeopardising the military, political and economic security of the state".

A United Arab Emirates court sentenced British student Matthew Hedges to life in jail on spying charges on Wednesday, prompting a "shocked" Britain to warn of repercussions for relations with its longstanding Gulf ally.

A United Arab Emirates court sentenced British student Matthew Hedges to life in jail on spying charges on Wednesday, prompting a "shocked" Britain to warn of repercussions for relations with its longstanding Gulf ally. Hedges, a 31-year-old PhD student, had protested his innocence ever since his arrest at Dubai airport on May 5 and British ministers had raised his case at the highest level. "We can confirm that he was sentenced to life in prison," a family spokesperson told AFP. "The hearing lasted less than five minutes, and his lawyer was not present." Hedges was researching the UAE's foreign and internal security policies after the Arab Spring revolutions of 2011, studies that Britain insisted were entirely innocuous but which the UAE said threatened its political and economic security. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was "deeply shocked and disappointed" by the UAE court's decision and warned of repercussions. "Today's verdict is not what we expect from a friend and trusted partner of the United Kingdom and runs contrary to earlier assurances," he said. "The handling of this case... will have repercussions for the relationship between our two countries, which has to be built on trust. "I regret the fact that we have reached this position and I urge the UAE to reconsider," he added. Hunt said he had personally raised the case at the highest levels of the UAE government, including during a visit to Abu Dhabi on November 12. The case comes with relations already tested by the UAE's heavy involvement alongside Saudi Arabia in a military coalition battling Yemeni rebels since March 2015. The deployment of Emirati ground troops, trainers and advisers alongside government forces advancing on the lifeline rebel-held port of Hodeida has prompted calls for Britain to halt or place conditions on its huge arms sales to the UAE. 'Nightmare even worse' Hedges's temporary release on bail on October 29 had raised a glimmer of hope in his case but he was constantly monitored until Wednesday's court hearing, only his third since his arrest. Hedges's wife Daniela Tejada, who had campaigned vigorously for his release, said the court ruling showed that the UAE was not a genuine ally. "They say that the UAE is an ally, but the overwhelmingly arbitrary handling of Matt's case indicates a scarily different reality, for which Matt and I are being made to pay a devastatingly high price." Tejada, who was in court for sentencing, said it had been devastating for her husband and for herself. "This has been the worst six months of my life, let alone for Matt who was shaking when he heard the verdict," she said. "The UAE authorities should feel ashamed for such an obvious injustice. I am very scared for Matt. I don't know where they are taking him or what will happen now. Our nightmare has gotten even worse." She had previously expressed concern for his safety saying he was being held in solitary confinement at an undisclosed location with limited access to the British consulate and his family. 'Take a stand' Tejada was deeply critical of the British government over the failure of its discreet, behind-the-scenes diplomacy in the case. "Matthew is innocent. The Foreign Office know this and have made it clear to the UAE authorities that Matthew is not a spy for them. This whole case has been handled appallingly from the very beginning with no one taking Matthew's case seriously," she said. "The British government must take a stand now for Matthew, one of their citizens." UAE attorney general Hamad al-Shamsi said earlier this month that Hedges was accused of "spying for a foreign country, jeopardising the military, political and economic security of the state".

UAE court sentences British student to life for spying

In the wake of the wave of opposition and resignations from the government and the Parliament over the volatile issue of Brexit, British ruling Conservative Party suffered another jolt on Thursday (November 15) when its Vice Chairman and Prime Minister`s Trade Envoy to Pakistan, Rehman Chishti, resigned from both portfolios.

Chishti is a Member of Parliament for Gillingham and Rainham constituencies.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Theresa May on November 15, Rehman Chishti openly opposed her policy on Brexit and termed it absolute contradiction to the promises made to public in the election manifesto.

"At the outset, this, for me is about delivering on the promises that we made to the British people at the General Election last year in our manifesto, that leaving the European Union (EU) means leaving the Single Market and the Customs Union, that the UK will be taking back, control over our laws, our borders and our money...The terms of the backstop, in effect, amount in my view to a hybrid membership of the EU Customs Union and Single Market and further the EU would hold a veto over our ability to exit. The UK in effect will be part of a system where it will be a rule taker without any say on the rules," he stated.

The second point of his resignation letter was Pakistani Christian woman Asia Bibi`s case. He complained that the government has dealt with the case inappropriately.

"This is a case that I have worked on passionately since 2012, alongside Bishop Michael Nazir Ali (former Bishop of Rochester) to ensure that justice is done which was handed down by the Pakistan Supreme Court only recently", he wrote.

Rehman Chishti added, "What I found shocking, is that the British Government is failing to put into practice the core values that our country stands for; religious freedom, justice, morally doing the right thing and that when we see injustice where an individual`s life is in clear danger and they have been persecuted for their faith, we do all that we can to help them. The Government should not wait to see if another country offers sanctuary, we should have had the conviction to lead on this matter and offer sanctuary ourselves straight away".

Rehman Chishti aka `Ray Chishti` drew the attention of Prime Minister Theresa May towards his letter sent to her on November 13 and said the letter has now the support of 124 British Parliamentarians of both Houses.

He once again requested for her personal intervention in this case and to ensure that a morally right decision is finally made which takes into account of British core values, irrespective of the position that any other country may take on this.

Referring to his appointment as PM`s Trade Envoy to Pakistan, Chishti said that he enjoyed this responsibility for the past 14 months for a country that he passionately cares about.

He added that the UK-Pakistan Trade Team has done fantastic work and the trade between the two countries has increased by over 10 per cent in the last year alone and now stands at £2.9 billion.&nbsp;

In the wake of the wave of opposition and resignations from the government and the Parliament over the volatile issue of Brexit, British ruling Conservative Party suffered another jolt on Thursday (November 15) when its Vice Chairman and Prime Minister`s Trade Envoy to Pakistan, Rehman Chishti, resigned from both portfolios.

In the wake of the wave of opposition and resignations from the government and the Parliament over the volatile issue of Brexit, British ruling Conservative Party suffered another jolt on Thursday (November 15) when its Vice Chairman and Prime Minister`s Trade Envoy to Pakistan, Rehman Chishti, resigned from both portfolios. Chishti is a Member of Parliament for Gillingham and Rainham constituencies. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Theresa May on November 15, Rehman Chishti openly opposed her policy on Brexit and termed it absolute contradiction to the promises made to public in the election manifesto. "At the outset, this, for me is about delivering on the promises that we made to the British people at the General Election last year in our manifesto, that leaving the European Union (EU) means leaving the Single Market and the Customs Union, that the UK will be taking back, control over our laws, our borders and our money...The terms of the backstop, in effect, amount in my view to a hybrid membership of the EU Customs Union and Single Market and further the EU would hold a veto over our ability to exit. The UK in effect will be part of a system where it will be a rule taker without any say on the rules," he stated. The second point of his resignation letter was Pakistani Christian woman Asia Bibi`s case. He complained that the government has dealt with the case inappropriately. "This is a case that I have worked on passionately since 2012, alongside Bishop Michael Nazir Ali (former Bishop of Rochester) to ensure that justice is done which was handed down by the Pakistan Supreme Court only recently", he wrote. Rehman Chishti added, "What I found shocking, is that the British Government is failing to put into practice the core values that our country stands for; religious freedom, justice, morally doing the right thing and that when we see injustice where an individual`s life is in clear danger and they have been persecuted for their faith, we do all that we can to help them. The Government should not wait to see if another country offers sanctuary, we should have had the conviction to lead on this matter and offer sanctuary ourselves straight away". Rehman Chishti aka `Ray Chishti` drew the attention of Prime Minister Theresa May towards his letter sent to her on November 13 and said the letter has now the support of 124 British Parliamentarians of both Houses. He once again requested for her personal intervention in this case and to ensure that a morally right decision is finally made which takes into account of British core values, irrespective of the position that any other country may take on this. Referring to his appointment as PM`s Trade Envoy to Pakistan, Chishti said that he enjoyed this responsibility for the past 14 months for a country that he passionately cares about. He added that the UK-Pakistan Trade Team has done fantastic work and the trade between the two countries has increased by over 10 per cent in the last year alone and now stands at £2.9 billion.

British MP Rehman Chishti resigns from UK top portfolios over Brexit, Asia Bibi case

Police armed with pickaxes and power tools have destroyed a modern artwork by a celebrated British sculptor in the Maldives, after the outgoing president in the tourist haven declared the installation offensive to Islam.

Abdulla Yameen in July ordered the sculptures demolished but his ruling was not acted upon until Friday, on the eve of a presidential election which he lost to a liberal candidate.

A series of statues by Jason deCaires Taylor were placed inside a semi-submerged metal cube in July at a resort in the Maldives, an archipelago of 340,000 Sunni Muslims popular with tourists.

Islam, the official religion in the Maldives, bans the depiction of idols, and the work provoked some criticism from clerics even though the statues have no religious symbols or meaning.

Yameen said in July that "significant public sentiment" against the artwork known as 'Coralarium' had guided his decision to destroy it.

It is unclear why the sculptures were not raised from the waters until Friday, just two days before Yameen was turfed out of office.

Police were photographed chipping away at the works with pickaxes and using power tools to remove them from the large and ornate cage housing them.&nbsp;

A video posted by state media showed several men tearing a statue off a plinth.&nbsp;

"I was extremely shocked and heartbroken to learn that my sculptures have been destroyed by the Maldivian authorities at the Coralarium, despite continued consultations and dialogue," deCaires Taylor told AFP in a statement.

"The Coralarium was conceived to connect humans to the environment and a nurturing space for marine life to thrive. Nothing else!

"The Maldives is still beautiful, with a warm and friendly population, but it was a sad day for art and sad day for the environment."

The import of statues is prohibited in the Maldives. Even depictions of the Buddha are banned despite a long legacy of Buddhism in the islands before Islam came to dominate the archipelago.

Despite the edict, huge cutouts of Yameen towered over the capital Male in the lead-up to Sunday's poll, which he lost after five years of strongman rule marked by a regression from democracy.

Many of these cardboard posters depicting the ousted leader were torn down after he suffered a shock defeat to opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, an act of defiance unthinkable under his iron-fisted leadership.

Police armed with pickaxes and power tools have destroyed a modern artwork by a celebrated British sculptor in the Maldives, after the outgoing president in the tourist haven declared the installation offensive to Islam.

Police armed with pickaxes and power tools have destroyed a modern artwork by a celebrated British sculptor in the Maldives, after the outgoing president in the tourist haven declared the installation offensive to Islam. Abdulla Yameen in July ordered the sculptures demolished but his ruling was not acted upon until Friday, on the eve of a presidential election which he lost to a liberal candidate. A series of statues by Jason deCaires Taylor were placed inside a semi-submerged metal cube in July at a resort in the Maldives, an archipelago of 340,000 Sunni Muslims popular with tourists. Islam, the official religion in the Maldives, bans the depiction of idols, and the work provoked some criticism from clerics even though the statues have no religious symbols or meaning. Yameen said in July that "significant public sentiment" against the artwork known as 'Coralarium' had guided his decision to destroy it. It is unclear why the sculptures were not raised from the waters until Friday, just two days before Yameen was turfed out of office. Police were photographed chipping away at the works with pickaxes and using power tools to remove them from the large and ornate cage housing them. A video posted by state media showed several men tearing a statue off a plinth. "I was extremely shocked and heartbroken to learn that my sculptures have been destroyed by the Maldivian authorities at the Coralarium, despite continued consultations and dialogue," deCaires Taylor told AFP in a statement. "The Coralarium was conceived to connect humans to the environment and a nurturing space for marine life to thrive. Nothing else! "The Maldives is still beautiful, with a warm and friendly population, but it was a sad day for art and sad day for the environment." The import of statues is prohibited in the Maldives. Even depictions of the Buddha are banned despite a long legacy of Buddhism in the islands before Islam came to dominate the archipelago. Despite the edict, huge cutouts of Yameen towered over the capital Male in the lead-up to Sunday's poll, which he lost after five years of strongman rule marked by a regression from democracy. Many of these cardboard posters depicting the ousted leader were torn down after he suffered a shock defeat to opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, an act of defiance unthinkable under his iron-fisted leadership.

Maldives destroys British statues deemed offensive to Islam

A video in which Tripura chief minister, Biplab Kumar Deb, purportedly stating that Rabindranath Tagore had given away his Noble prize in protest against the British, has surfaced.&nbsp;

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Deb while speaking at a function in Udaipur on Rabindra Jayanti said, "Tagore returned his Nobel award in protest against the British."&nbsp;

Tagore, in reality, had repudiated Knighthood in protest against the Jalianwalla Bagh massacre. In the past, there was a huge uproar over the theft of Rabindranath Tagore's Nobel Prize medal.

Deb recently courted controversy when he said internet existed in the days of epic Mahabharata.&nbsp;

"India is using internet since several lakhs years. In Mahabharata Sanjay, who was blind was narrating to Dhritarashtra as to what is happening in battlefield due to internet and technology."&nbsp;

The Tripura CM later said all international fashion and design contest organized in Paris are run by “international marketing mafia”.&nbsp;

Deb also stated that mechanical engineers should not opt for civil services but civil engineers should.&nbsp;

He even adviced the educated youth in his state to "set up paan shops and milk cows instead of running after political parties for several years to get government jobs and waste vital time of their life".

In the past, there was a huge uproar over the theft of Rabindranath Tagore's Nobel Prize medal.

A video in which Tripura chief minister, Biplab Kumar Deb, purportedly stating that Rabindranath Tagore had given away his Noble prize in protest against the British, has surfaced. × Deb while speaking at a function in Udaipur on Rabindra Jayanti said, "Tagore returned his Nobel award in protest against the British." Tagore, in reality, had repudiated Knighthood in protest against the Jalianwalla Bagh massacre. In the past, there was a huge uproar over the theft of Rabindranath Tagore's Nobel Prize medal. Deb recently courted controversy when he said internet existed in the days of epic Mahabharata. "India is using internet since several lakhs years. In Mahabharata Sanjay, who was blind was narrating to Dhritarashtra as to what is happening in battlefield due to internet and technology." The Tripura CM later said all international fashion and design contest organized in Paris are run by “international marketing mafia”. Deb also stated that mechanical engineers should not opt for civil services but civil engineers should. He even adviced the educated youth in his state to "set up paan shops and milk cows instead of running after political parties for several years to get government jobs and waste vital time of their life".

Now, Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb says Tagore 'gave away Nobel Prize'

By: Rakib Ehsan*

A recent survey looking into attitudes towards immigrants of different origins has thrown up some interesting figures.

YouGov asked 1,668 UK adults whether immigrants from various parts of the world had made a positive or negative contribution to British life.

While immigrants from India received a healthy positive figure of +25, their South Asian counterparts are in negative territory. Bangladeshis have a net figure of -3. Pakistanis fare even worse at -4. Net figures are calculated by taking away the figure for "negative contribution" from the figure for "positive contribution".

There are a range of factors that might account for these differences - some historical, some economic and some social and religious.

Migratory story

The initial flow of steady Indian migration started in the 1950s. As well as a notable number of politically disaffected Punjabi Sikhs, this flow included a stream of highly educated Gujarati migrants. Many ended up working as medical professionals in the NHS.

In the 1970s, a number of migrants of Indian origin sought refuge in the UK following their expulsion from Uganda. The stream of Indian migration from East Africa also included people fleeing state discrimination in Kenya.

The vast proportion of these migrants were well-educated and entrepreneurial. Indeed, following their expulsion, the backbone of the Ugandan economy crumbled under Idi Amin’s dictatorship. Ugandan Indians are collectively a British success story.

Many of the initial Pakistani and Bangladeshi migrants, on the other hand, originated from deprived regions such as Azad Kashmir, where the rate of Pakistani migration increased following the construction of the Mangla Dam in the 1960s, a project that left more than 250 villages submerged. Many others are from Sylhet and migrated following the damage caused by the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war.

Settlers from Pakistan and Bangladesh often filled manual jobs, particularly those in steel mills and the textiles industry. Due to poor English skills, many were unable to progress in terms of employment or to interact with the wider population. This continues to be a problem within Britain’s Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities, particularly among women.

Socio-economic status

Then there are differences in economic performance. According to 2010 data, Indians in the UK are far more likely to work in higher-skilled professional jobs than Bangladeshis and Pakistanis. A recent population survey found that 59% of UK women in a combined Bangladeshi-Pakistani category were economically inactive. The corresponding figure for Indian-origin women was only 32%.

British Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities have historically ranked highly when measuring average fertility rates by ethnicity in the UK. The fertility rate for British Indians is noticeably lower in comparison.

What this data collectively suggest is that due to superior occupational status, a higher proportion of two-income households and substantially lower fertility rates, British Indian households are far less likely to be dependent on welfare. Therefore perceptions regarding welfare dependency may have fed into the YouGov figures.

Social integration

The YouGov figures could also be influenced by differences in social contact. There is the possibility that a high number of the respondents simply don’t have much experience of communicating with people of Bangladeshi or Pakistani origin.

The 2010 data shows that Bangladeshis and Pakistanis living in the UK have far higher levels of residential and social segregation than Indians. They are more likely to be part of social and economic networks which are predominantly made out of people from their own ethnic group. This is partly down to being occupationally segregated in the transport and hospitality sectors.

British Indians have higher levels of “social mixing” through friends, neighbours and work colleagues. This creates greater opportunities for positive contact across ethnic groups. “Outgroupers” may be less likely to experience positive contact with British Bangladeshis and Pakistanis due to the comparatively higher levels of social, economic and residential segregation within these groups.

Religious effect

The religious composition of the ethnic groups cannot be ignored either. A substantial proportion of UK Indians are either Hindu or Sikh. Britain’s Bangladeshis and Pakistanis are nearly all Sunni Muslim. And the 2010 data shows that UK Bangladeshis and Pakistanis are more likely to identify more with their faith (when traded-off against British identification).

Perceptions of homegrown terrorism and Islamic radicalisation could also have played a part in the negative net figures for the Bangladeshi and Pakistani groups. The ethnic background of perpetrators involved in domestic terrorist activities and UK citizens who have joined Daesh “as jihadis” or “jihadi brides” may be implicated in negative group perceptions, even if these people make up a tiny proportion of the population. Major cases of child sexual exploitation in places such as Rochdale and Rotherham are unlikely to have helped.

Looking to the future

The YouGov figures suggest that economic performance, social relations and religio-cultural values can all influence perceptions on immigration.

The negative actions of a minority can certainly lead to unfair generalisations. But considering the group trends in socioeconomic status and sociocultural integration, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Bangladeshi and Pakistani immigrants are viewed more negatively than those of Indian origin. The question remains what to do about it.

The state does have a role to play in improving social and economic outcomes. But frank discussions need to be held within certain groups over socioeconomic progress and sociocultural modernisation. And their place in Britain’s liberal democracy.

*Rakib Ehsan is Doctoral Researcher in Political Science at Royal Holloway

(This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/poll-finds-more-favourable-attitudes-towards-indian-immigrants-than-pakistanis-and-bangladeshis-why-96040">original article</a>.)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

A recent survey looking into attitudes towards immigrants of different origins asked 1,668 UK adults whether immigrants had made a positive or negative contribution to British life

By: Rakib Ehsan* A recent survey looking into attitudes towards immigrants of different origins has thrown up some interesting figures. YouGov asked 1,668 UK adults whether immigrants from various parts of the world had made a positive or negative contribution to British life. While immigrants from India received a healthy positive figure of +25, their South Asian counterparts are in negative territory. Bangladeshis have a net figure of -3. Pakistanis fare even worse at -4. Net figures are calculated by taking away the figure for "negative contribution" from the figure for "positive contribution". There are a range of factors that might account for these differences - some historical, some economic and some social and religious. Migratory story The initial flow of steady Indian migration started in the 1950s. As well as a notable number of politically disaffected Punjabi Sikhs, this flow included a stream of highly educated Gujarati migrants. Many ended up working as medical professionals in the NHS. In the 1970s, a number of migrants of Indian origin sought refuge in the UK following their expulsion from Uganda. The stream of Indian migration from East Africa also included people fleeing state discrimination in Kenya. The vast proportion of these migrants were well-educated and entrepreneurial. Indeed, following their expulsion, the backbone of the Ugandan economy crumbled under Idi Amin’s dictatorship. Ugandan Indians are collectively a British success story. Many of the initial Pakistani and Bangladeshi migrants, on the other hand, originated from deprived regions such as Azad Kashmir, where the rate of Pakistani migration increased following the construction of the Mangla Dam in the 1960s, a project that left more than 250 villages submerged. Many others are from Sylhet and migrated following the damage caused by the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war. Settlers from Pakistan and Bangladesh often filled manual jobs, particularly those in steel mills and the textiles industry. Due to poor English skills, many were unable to progress in terms of employment or to interact with the wider population. This continues to be a problem within Britain’s Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities, particularly among women. Socio-economic status Then there are differences in economic performance. According to 2010 data, Indians in the UK are far more likely to work in higher-skilled professional jobs than Bangladeshis and Pakistanis. A recent population survey found that 59% of UK women in a combined Bangladeshi-Pakistani category were economically inactive. The corresponding figure for Indian-origin women was only 32%. British Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities have historically ranked highly when measuring average fertility rates by ethnicity in the UK. The fertility rate for British Indians is noticeably lower in comparison. What this data collectively suggest is that due to superior occupational status, a higher proportion of two-income households and substantially lower fertility rates, British Indian households are far less likely to be dependent on welfare. Therefore perceptions regarding welfare dependency may have fed into the YouGov figures. Social integration The YouGov figures could also be influenced by differences in social contact. There is the possibility that a high number of the respondents simply don’t have much experience of communicating with people of Bangladeshi or Pakistani origin. The 2010 data shows that Bangladeshis and Pakistanis living in the UK have far higher levels of residential and social segregation than Indians. They are more likely to be part of social and economic networks which are predominantly made out of people from their own ethnic group. This is partly down to being occupationally segregated in the transport and hospitality sectors. British Indians have higher levels of “social mixing” through friends, neighbours and work colleagues. This creates greater opportunities for positive contact across ethnic groups. “Outgroupers” may be less likely to experience positive contact with British Bangladeshis and Pakistanis due to the comparatively higher levels of social, economic and residential segregation within these groups. Religious effect The religious composition of the ethnic groups cannot be ignored either. A substantial proportion of UK Indians are either Hindu or Sikh. Britain’s Bangladeshis and Pakistanis are nearly all Sunni Muslim. And the 2010 data shows that UK Bangladeshis and Pakistanis are more likely to identify more with their faith (when traded-off against British identification). Perceptions of homegrown terrorism and Islamic radicalisation could also have played a part in the negative net figures for the Bangladeshi and Pakistani groups. The ethnic background of perpetrators involved in domestic terrorist activities and UK citizens who have joined Daesh “as jihadis” or “jihadi brides” may be implicated in negative group perceptions, even if these people make up a tiny proportion of the population. Major cases of child sexual exploitation in places such as Rochdale and Rotherham are unlikely to have helped. Looking to the future The YouGov figures suggest that economic performance, social relations and religio-cultural values can all influence perceptions on immigration. The negative actions of a minority can certainly lead to unfair generalisations. But considering the group trends in socioeconomic status and sociocultural integration, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Bangladeshi and Pakistani immigrants are viewed more negatively than those of Indian origin. The question remains what to do about it. The state does have a role to play in improving social and economic outcomes. But frank discussions need to be held within certain groups over socioeconomic progress and sociocultural modernisation. And their place in Britain’s liberal democracy. *Rakib Ehsan is Doctoral Researcher in Political Science at Royal Holloway (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Why Britishers have favourable attitude towards Indian immigrants

As Prince Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle inches closer, public hunger for all things royal will get its dessert as decades-old slices of cake from British royal weddings - including those of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and Prince William and Kate Middleton - go up for auction.

The five cake slices from royal weddings are expected to fetch hundreds and perhaps thousands of dollars each next month as memorabilia at the sale in Las Vegas, Julien's Auctions said.

But for those looking to play royal taster, there is a word of caution.

"They're not edible," Darren Julien, the Los Angeles-based auction house's chief executive, said ahead of the June 23 sale.

A slice from Charles and Diana's wedding, presented in a white box with "CD Buckingham Palace 29th July 1981" in silver printing and wrapped in a paper doily, is estimated to fetch $800-$1,200, the auction house said.

"These come from people who attended the wedding and kept them in the freezer the entire time," Julien said of all the cake slices, adding they have not been preserved by other means.

More than 600 guests have been invited to Harry and Meghan's May 19 wedding, which will take place at Windsor Castle's St. George's Chapel, with a further 200 being invited for the reception.

The fruitcake made for Prince William and Kate Middleton's 2011 wedding comes in a tin presented to guests with an enclosure card saluting attendees that said: "With best wishes from TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall in celebration of the wedding of TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge."

It is pegged to sell for $600-$800. Julien's sold a slice of William and Kate's cake for $7,500 in 2014.

Other cake slices include Charles' 2005 wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles and Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's 1986 nuptials, which each is estimated to fetch $600-$800.

The piece of royal cake from Princess Anne's 1973 marriage to her first husband, Captain Mark Philips, is expected to sell for $300-$500.

"It's kind of hard to throw something out that has been given to you by the royals," Julien said.

The five cake slices from royal weddings are expected to fetch hundreds and perhaps thousands of dollars each next month as memorabilia at the sale in Las Vegas, Julien's Auctions said.

As Prince Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle inches closer, public hunger for all things royal will get its dessert as decades-old slices of cake from British royal weddings - including those of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and Prince William and Kate Middleton - go up for auction. The five cake slices from royal weddings are expected to fetch hundreds and perhaps thousands of dollars each next month as memorabilia at the sale in Las Vegas, Julien's Auctions said. But for those looking to play royal taster, there is a word of caution. "They're not edible," Darren Julien, the Los Angeles-based auction house's chief executive, said ahead of the June 23 sale. A slice from Charles and Diana's wedding, presented in a white box with "CD Buckingham Palace 29th July 1981" in silver printing and wrapped in a paper doily, is estimated to fetch $800-$1,200, the auction house said. "These come from people who attended the wedding and kept them in the freezer the entire time," Julien said of all the cake slices, adding they have not been preserved by other means. More than 600 guests have been invited to Harry and Meghan's May 19 wedding, which will take place at Windsor Castle's St. George's Chapel, with a further 200 being invited for the reception. The fruitcake made for Prince William and Kate Middleton's 2011 wedding comes in a tin presented to guests with an enclosure card saluting attendees that said: "With best wishes from TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall in celebration of the wedding of TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge." It is pegged to sell for $600-$800. Julien's sold a slice of William and Kate's cake for $7,500 in 2014. Other cake slices include Charles' 2005 wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles and Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's 1986 nuptials, which each is estimated to fetch $600-$800. The piece of royal cake from Princess Anne's 1973 marriage to her first husband, Captain Mark Philips, is expected to sell for $300-$500. "It's kind of hard to throw something out that has been given to you by the royals," Julien said.

British royal wedding cake slices to be sold

Amber Rudd has resigned as UK's home secretary following an immigration scandal. She was repeatedly struggling to account for her role in the unjust treatment of Windrush-generation migrants, reports said on Monday.&nbsp;

A statement from Downing Street confirmed that the British Prime Minister Theresa May has accepted Rudd's resignation.

Sajid Javid has now been appointed the new home secretary. He is the first BAME politician to hold the role and his appointment could offer some hope to critics that the government is aware of how damaging the issue has been for community relations and trust in the immigration system.

Rudd, who was due to make a statement on Monday about her department's policy on removals, was under pressure to quit due to a scandal involving the Windrush generation, the first large group of Caribbean migrants to arrive in the UK after World War II, reported CNN.

She has been at the receiving end over the existence of Home Office removals targets and her know-how about the same.

Rudd told MPs last week the Home Office did not have targets for removing illegal immigrants, but on Sunday the Guardian published a letter in which Rudd set out her "ambitious but deliverable" aim to deport 10% more illegal immigrants over the "next few years" to Theresa May.

Rudd is the fourth person forced to resign from the cabinet in the last six months - following Sir Michael Fallon, Priti Patel and Damian Green.

However, reports said that she had written to the Prime Minister Theresa May about the department's aspiration to increase "removals" by 10 per cent.

"I wasn't aware of specific removal targets. I accept I should have been and I'm sorry that I wasn't. I didn't see the leaked document, although it was copied to my office as many documents are," Rudd tweeted on Friday.

British ministers have struggled for two weeks to explain why some descendants of the so-called "Windrush generation", invited to Britain from its former colonies to plug labour shortfalls between 1948 and 1971, were denied basic rights.

Javid, the first lawmaker from Britain's Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic community to become interior minister, tried before his appointment to address public anger over the scandal by saying his own family could have been caught up in it.

"We are going to have a strategy in place ... about making sure that we have an immigration policy that is fair, it treats people with respect and with decency, and that will be one of my most urgent tasks," Javid told Sky News on Monday.

A spokesman for May said Javid, who had been minister for housing, communities and local government, "is one of the most experienced ministers around the cabinet table".

"At Housing, he has proved his drive, his ambition and determination to get to grips with difficult subjects, and these are abilities which will all be required at the Home Office."

May will hope Javid's appointment deflects public anger over a problem the opposition Labour Party says is at least partly her fault because she spent six years as home secretary.

&nbsp;

Sajid Javid, the first lawmaker from Britain's Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic community to become interior minister, tried before his appointment to address public anger over the scandal by saying his own family could have been caught up in it

Amber Rudd has resigned as UK's home secretary following an immigration scandal. She was repeatedly struggling to account for her role in the unjust treatment of Windrush-generation migrants, reports said on Monday. A statement from Downing Street confirmed that the British Prime Minister Theresa May has accepted Rudd's resignation. Sajid Javid has now been appointed the new home secretary. He is the first BAME politician to hold the role and his appointment could offer some hope to critics that the government is aware of how damaging the issue has been for community relations and trust in the immigration system. Rudd, who was due to make a statement on Monday about her department's policy on removals, was under pressure to quit due to a scandal involving the Windrush generation, the first large group of Caribbean migrants to arrive in the UK after World War II, reported CNN. She has been at the receiving end over the existence of Home Office removals targets and her know-how about the same. Rudd told MPs last week the Home Office did not have targets for removing illegal immigrants, but on Sunday the Guardian published a letter in which Rudd set out her "ambitious but deliverable" aim to deport 10% more illegal immigrants over the "next few years" to Theresa May. Rudd is the fourth person forced to resign from the cabinet in the last six months - following Sir Michael Fallon, Priti Patel and Damian Green. However, reports said that she had written to the Prime Minister Theresa May about the department's aspiration to increase "removals" by 10 per cent. "I wasn't aware of specific removal targets. I accept I should have been and I'm sorry that I wasn't. I didn't see the leaked document, although it was copied to my office as many documents are," Rudd tweeted on Friday. British ministers have struggled for two weeks to explain why some descendants of the so-called "Windrush generation", invited to Britain from its former colonies to plug labour shortfalls between 1948 and 1971, were denied basic rights. Javid, the first lawmaker from Britain's Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic community to become interior minister, tried before his appointment to address public anger over the scandal by saying his own family could have been caught up in it. "We are going to have a strategy in place ... about making sure that we have an immigration policy that is fair, it treats people with respect and with decency, and that will be one of my most urgent tasks," Javid told Sky News on Monday. A spokesman for May said Javid, who had been minister for housing, communities and local government, "is one of the most experienced ministers around the cabinet table". "At Housing, he has proved his drive, his ambition and determination to get to grips with difficult subjects, and these are abilities which will all be required at the Home Office." May will hope Javid's appointment deflects public anger over a problem the opposition Labour Party says is at least partly her fault because she spent six years as home secretary.

In effort to end immigration scandal, Britain gets new home secretary of Pakistani origin

Syrian anti-aircraft defences shot down missiles fired at the Syrian air base of Shayrat in Homs province late on Monday and another base northeast of the capital, Damascus, Syria's state television and pro-Iranian Hezbollah media said.

State television showed pictures of a missile that was shot in the air above the air base only days after a U.S., British and French attack on Syrian targets in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack on the city of Douma on the outskirts of Damascus.

State television did not mention three missiles that were fired at Dumair military airport, northeast of Damascus, that pro-Iranian Hezbollah's media service reported were intercepted by Syrian air defences.

Opposition sources say Dumair airport is a major air base used in a large-scale military campaign waged by the Syrian army with Russian firepower that regained eastern Ghouta, a rebel enclave on the outskirts of Damascus.

A Pentagon spokesman said there was no U.S. military activity in that area at this time.

Asked about the missile attack, an Israeli military spokesman said: "We don't comment on such reports."

Shayrat air base was targeted last year in a U.S. cruise missile attack in response to a chemical attack that killed at least 70 people, including children, on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun.

Israel has struck Syrian army locations many times in the course of the conflict, hitting convoys and bases of Iranian-backed militias that fight alongside Syrian President Bashar al- Assad's forces.

Israel has long said Iran was expanding its influence in a belt of territory that stretches from the Iraqi border to the Lebanese border, where Israel says Iran supplies Hezbollah with arms.

Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed militias have a large military presence in Syria and are well entrenched in central and eastern areas near the Iraqi border.

State television showed pictures of a missile that was shot in the air above the air base only days after a US, British and French attack on Syrian targets in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack on the city of Douma on the outskirts of Damascus

Syrian anti-aircraft defences shot down missiles fired at the Syrian air base of Shayrat in Homs province late on Monday and another base northeast of the capital, Damascus, Syria's state television and pro-Iranian Hezbollah media said. State television showed pictures of a missile that was shot in the air above the air base only days after a U.S., British and French attack on Syrian targets in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack on the city of Douma on the outskirts of Damascus. State television did not mention three missiles that were fired at Dumair military airport, northeast of Damascus, that pro-Iranian Hezbollah's media service reported were intercepted by Syrian air defences. Opposition sources say Dumair airport is a major air base used in a large-scale military campaign waged by the Syrian army with Russian firepower that regained eastern Ghouta, a rebel enclave on the outskirts of Damascus. A Pentagon spokesman said there was no U.S. military activity in that area at this time. Asked about the missile attack, an Israeli military spokesman said: "We don't comment on such reports." Shayrat air base was targeted last year in a U.S. cruise missile attack in response to a chemical attack that killed at least 70 people, including children, on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun. Israel has struck Syrian army locations many times in the course of the conflict, hitting convoys and bases of Iranian-backed militias that fight alongside Syrian President Bashar al- Assad's forces. Israel has long said Iran was expanding its influence in a belt of territory that stretches from the Iraqi border to the Lebanese border, where Israel says Iran supplies Hezbollah with arms. Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed militias have a large military presence in Syria and are well entrenched in central and eastern areas near the Iraqi border.

Syrian air defences shoot down missiles over two air bases in Homs: State TV

Record-breaking British athlete Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile in under four minutes, has died aged 88, his family announced on Sunday.

&quot;Sir Roger Bannister, died peacefully in Oxford on 3rd March 2018, aged 88, surrounded by his family who was as loved by him, as he was loved by them,&quot; his family said.

&quot;He banked his treasure in the hearts of his friends,&quot; they added, in a statement published by the Press Association news agency.

Bannister gained global sporting glory on May 6, 1954, when he ran a mile (1.6 kilometres) in three minutes 59.4 seconds at the Iffley Road track in Oxford.

Seb Coe, president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, said Bannister`s death marked &quot;a day of intense sadness both for our nation and for all of us in athletics&quot;.

&quot;There is not a single athlete of my generation who was not inspired by Roger and his achievements both on and off the track,&quot; tweeted Coe, who won two Olympic gold medals in the 1980s.

Half a century later after Bannister`s record, the Royal Mint celebrated the occasion by issuing a 50 pence coin showing an athlete`s running legs against a stopwatch.

British Prime Minister Theresa May described Bannister as &quot;a great British sporting icon whose achievements were an inspiration to us all&quot;.

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Sir Roger Bannister was a great British sporting icon whose achievements were an inspiration to us all. He will be greatly missed.
&mdash; Theresa May (@theresa_may) <a href="https://twitter.com/theresa_may/status/970263880344719360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;He will be greatly missed,&quot; she wrote on Twitter.

Despite being famed for breaking the four-minute barrier, Bannister said he felt a greater sense of achievement winning gold at the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, beating his great rival Australian John Landy in a race later dubbed the &quot;Miracle Mile&quot;.

&quot;I think that racing in the Olympics and Commonwealths is more important than breaking records,&quot; Bannister said in 2014.

&quot;Vancouver was the pinnacle of my athletics career. It is very difficult to break records during the Olympic competition, but winning races was better than holding world records.&quot;

The current one-mile record has since 1999 been held by Morocco`s Hicham El Guerrouj with a time of 3:43.13 secs.

But Bannister`s achievement has continued to inspire athletics enthusiasts, with the shoes he wore to break the four-minute barrier selling for a record.

The black-leather pair of shoes sold for &pound;266,500 in September 2015 -- about $409,000 at the exchange rate at the time.

By then Bannister was having trouble walking, let alone running, after revealing he was suffering from Parkinson`s disease.

The condition progressively damages part of the brain over time and is one Bannister was familiar with, even before he was first diagnosed a few years ago, from his lengthy career as the neurologist.

&quot;I am being well looked after and I don`t intend to let it interfere -- as much as I can,&quot; he told the BBC in 2014.

&quot;Just consider the alternatives -- that is the way I look at it,&quot; he added. &quot;Intellectually I am not (degenerating) and what is walking anyway!&quot;

Bannister gained global sporting glory on May 6, 1954, when he ran a mile (1.6 kilometres) in three minutes 59.4 seconds at the Iffley Road track in Oxford

Record-breaking British athlete Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile in under four minutes, has died aged 88, his family announced on Sunday. "Sir Roger Bannister, died peacefully in Oxford on 3rd March 2018, aged 88, surrounded by his family who was as loved by him, as he was loved by them," his family said. "He banked his treasure in the hearts of his friends," they added, in a statement published by the Press Association news agency. Bannister gained global sporting glory on May 6, 1954, when he ran a mile (1.6 kilometres) in three minutes 59.4 seconds at the Iffley Road track in Oxford. Seb Coe, president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, said Bannister`s death marked "a day of intense sadness both for our nation and for all of us in athletics". "There is not a single athlete of my generation who was not inspired by Roger and his achievements both on and off the track," tweeted Coe, who won two Olympic gold medals in the 1980s. Half a century later after Bannister`s record, the Royal Mint celebrated the occasion by issuing a 50 pence coin showing an athlete`s running legs against a stopwatch. British Prime Minister Theresa May described Bannister as "a great British sporting icon whose achievements were an inspiration to us all". Sir Roger Bannister was a great British sporting icon whose achievements were an inspiration to us all. He will be greatly missed. — Theresa May (@theresa_may) March 4, 2018 × "He will be greatly missed," she wrote on Twitter. Despite being famed for breaking the four-minute barrier, Bannister said he felt a greater sense of achievement winning gold at the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, beating his great rival Australian John Landy in a race later dubbed the "Miracle Mile". "I think that racing in the Olympics and Commonwealths is more important than breaking records," Bannister said in 2014. "Vancouver was the pinnacle of my athletics career. It is very difficult to break records during the Olympic competition, but winning races was better than holding world records." The current one-mile record has since 1999 been held by Morocco`s Hicham El Guerrouj with a time of 3:43.13 secs. But Bannister`s achievement has continued to inspire athletics enthusiasts, with the shoes he wore to break the four-minute barrier selling for a record. The black-leather pair of shoes sold for £266,500 in September 2015 -- about $409,000 at the exchange rate at the time. By then Bannister was having trouble walking, let alone running, after revealing he was suffering from Parkinson`s disease. The condition progressively damages part of the brain over time and is one Bannister was familiar with, even before he was first diagnosed a few years ago, from his lengthy career as the neurologist. "I am being well looked after and I don`t intend to let it interfere -- as much as I can," he told the BBC in 2014. "Just consider the alternatives -- that is the way I look at it," he added. "Intellectually I am not (degenerating) and what is walking anyway!"

Roger Bannister, the first person to run a mile in under four minutes, dies at 88

Sri Lanka&#39;s Army Chief Lt Gen Mahesh Senanayake today said the country&#39;s defence attache in the UK was recalled for his own safety after he was filmed making &quot;throat cutting gestures&quot; to Tamil protesters outside the Sri Lankan High Commission in London earlier this month.

British politicians had demanded action against Brigadier Priyanka Fernando for openly making a death threat at the demonstrators.

Fernando, who was serving as the military attache in the Sri Lankan mission in London, caused controversy when he made throat cutting gestures to Tamil demonstrators opposite the mission in London on February 4.

&quot;As the commander of the army, I have to take responsibility for his safety. When he serves in another country his security cannot be guaranteed. So I wanted him to return,&quot; Senanayake said in the northern town of Vavuniya.

Fernando returned home on Thursday.

He had been suspended by the foreign ministry immediately after the incident however President Maithripala Sirisena ordered his reinstatement.

The incident was used by the opposition to win votes in the February 10 local council election where the government suffered a massive defeat against the new party of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The incident embarrassed Sri Lankan authorities who have promised reconciliation after decades of civil war that ended in 2009, when Sri Lankan troops crushed the Tamil separatist LTTE and killed its top leaders.&nbsp;

British politicians had demanded action against Brigadier Priyanka Fernando for openly making a death threat at the demonstrators.

Sri Lanka's Army Chief Lt Gen Mahesh Senanayake today said the country's defence attache in the UK was recalled for his own safety after he was filmed making "throat cutting gestures" to Tamil protesters outside the Sri Lankan High Commission in London earlier this month. British politicians had demanded action against Brigadier Priyanka Fernando for openly making a death threat at the demonstrators. Fernando, who was serving as the military attache in the Sri Lankan mission in London, caused controversy when he made throat cutting gestures to Tamil demonstrators opposite the mission in London on February 4. "As the commander of the army, I have to take responsibility for his safety. When he serves in another country his security cannot be guaranteed. So I wanted him to return," Senanayake said in the northern town of Vavuniya. Fernando returned home on Thursday. He had been suspended by the foreign ministry immediately after the incident however President Maithripala Sirisena ordered his reinstatement. The incident was used by the opposition to win votes in the February 10 local council election where the government suffered a massive defeat against the new party of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. The incident embarrassed Sri Lankan authorities who have promised reconciliation after decades of civil war that ended in 2009, when Sri Lankan troops crushed the Tamil separatist LTTE and killed its top leaders.

Sri Lanka army chief says attache recalled from UK for own safety

British pop musician Elton John is to quit touring after nearly 50 years, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported.

The 70-year-old star is calling time on the road after one last world tour, the newspaper said.

Elton is finishing his last performance of his Las Vegas show, The Million Dollar Piano, on 19 May after over 200 shows. It was his second stint at Vegas, with The Red Piano running from 2004 to 2009.

The Mirror&nbsp;report that the 70-year-old star is bowing out of stage performances following a bout of poor health.

Insiders claim the news will be announced &#39;imminently&#39;, after last year he&nbsp;was left in intensive care when he was struck down with a &lsquo;potentially deadly&rsquo; bacterial infection while touring South America.

With a penchant for fancy costumes and an ear for piano rockers and ballads that made music history, John has dominated the pop industry for five decades.

Once a hard-partying tearaway with a voracious appetite for cocaine and alcohol, John has achieved a long-lasting fame among British acts matched only by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie.

Raised in a modest family, he started playing the piano when he was just three.

A magazine advert in 1967 put him in touch with English lyricist Bernie Taupin and together they wrote some of the best-loved songs of all time - transforming shy Reg Dwight of suburban north London into global star Elton John.

Mixing ballads like &ldquo;Candle in the Wind&rdquo;, &ldquo;Your Song&rdquo; and &ldquo;Goodbye Yellow Brick Road&rdquo; with pounding rockers &ldquo;Crocodile Rock&rdquo; and &ldquo;Bennie and the Jets&rdquo; proved to be a winning formula: he has sold more than 300 million records.

With fame came riches, drugs and controversy, though his friends described him as a thoughtful and self-deprecating person at heart.

He serenaded mourners at Princess Diana&rsquo;s 1997 funeral in Westminster Abbey with a reworked version of &ldquo;Candle in the Wind&rdquo; that included the lyrics: &ldquo;Goodbye England&rsquo;s rose, may you ever grow in our hearts.&rdquo; It became one of the best-selling singles in history.

He has campaigned vigorously for gay rights and founded one of the world&rsquo;s biggest AIDS charities, the Elton John Foundation, raising hundreds of millions of dollars and helping millions of people.

The 70-year-old star is calling time on the road after one last world tour, the newspaper said.

British pop musician Elton John is to quit touring after nearly 50 years, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported. The 70-year-old star is calling time on the road after one last world tour, the newspaper said. Elton is finishing his last performance of his Las Vegas show, The Million Dollar Piano, on 19 May after over 200 shows. It was his second stint at Vegas, with The Red Piano running from 2004 to 2009. The Mirror report that the 70-year-old star is bowing out of stage performances following a bout of poor health. Insiders claim the news will be announced 'imminently', after last year he was left in intensive care when he was struck down with a ‘potentially deadly’ bacterial infection while touring South America. With a penchant for fancy costumes and an ear for piano rockers and ballads that made music history, John has dominated the pop industry for five decades. Once a hard-partying tearaway with a voracious appetite for cocaine and alcohol, John has achieved a long-lasting fame among British acts matched only by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie. Raised in a modest family, he started playing the piano when he was just three. A magazine advert in 1967 put him in touch with English lyricist Bernie Taupin and together they wrote some of the best-loved songs of all time - transforming shy Reg Dwight of suburban north London into global star Elton John. Mixing ballads like “Candle in the Wind”, “Your Song” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” with pounding rockers “Crocodile Rock” and “Bennie and the Jets” proved to be a winning formula: he has sold more than 300 million records. With fame came riches, drugs and controversy, though his friends described him as a thoughtful and self-deprecating person at heart. He serenaded mourners at Princess Diana’s 1997 funeral in Westminster Abbey with a reworked version of “Candle in the Wind” that included the lyrics: “Goodbye England’s rose, may you ever grow in our hearts.” It became one of the best-selling singles in history. He has campaigned vigorously for gay rights and founded one of the world’s biggest AIDS charities, the Elton John Foundation, raising hundreds of millions of dollars and helping millions of people.

British pop musician Elton John to quit touring after 50 years

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