Voters in London are expected to punish Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative Party at local government elections this week which could embolden critics of her Brexit strategy, but are not expected to trigger her downfall.

London and some other regions will on Thursday elect the local officials in charge of day-to-day public spending - a vote as much about issues like refuse collection and road repairs as it is about the national debate on immigration and May’s plan to take Britain out of the European Union after a 2016 referendum.

The elections which are seen as a public sentiment and polls&nbsp

The elections are seen as a bellwether of public sentiment and polls show voters are ready to deliver a critical verdict on both May’s leadership and her party’s eight years spent pursuing a policy of public spending cuts to shore up Britain’s finances.

“A government that’s been in power for eight years with an austerity programme is naturally going to suffer at elections,” said Robert Hayward, a former Conservative lawmaker who now sits in parliament’s upper house and specialises in polling analysis.

A YouGov survey published on April 26 gave the opposition Labour Party, led by Jeremy Corbyn, a 22 percentage point lead over the Conservatives in London, putting it on course for its best performance in the capital for 40 years.

Thursday’s vote will come less than a year after a snap parliamentary election splintered the previously rock-solid foundations of May’s position, stripping her party of its majority in a vote she had expected to win easily.

The result of that general election has been a weakened leadership, open dissent among Conservative lawmakers over exiting the EU and a nagging fear for some investors that her government could fall and be replaced by socialist-led Labour.

Thursday will not directly affect May’s practical ability to govern: the vote does not cause seats in parliament to change hands and the slim working majority she has thanks to a deal with a smaller party will be unaffected.

But a below-par performance will embolden critics in her party and could then complicate the already-difficult task of executing her Brexit plan without making concessions to pro-EU factions, such as agreeing to stay in the EU customs union.

“Politicians always look at the last set of election results and by definition they’re going to look at what happens on May 3 and make a judgement on that,” Hayward said.

“It will have an impact on what has to happen in the budget, ‘Do I take a more militant view in relation to the Customs Union, or Brexit, or nurses, or numbers of policemen?’

The key results in London will be Wandsworth and Westminster, both boroughs with a strong Conservative tradition that are now within reach of Labour.

However, anything short of a total Conservative wipeout is not expected to generate renewed calls for her to quit.

Although her party is deeply divided over Brexit, neither the faction that seeks a clean break from the EU nor those who favour a closer relationship have shown an appetite for a leadership contest before Britain has left the bloc.

Low Expectations

Fortunately for May, expectations are low.

London has in recent decades voted more towards Labour, favouring its more liberal policies on immigration and social issues. The Conservatives currently control only eight of 32 boroughs outright.&nbsp

Labour’s surprise surge in popularity under Corbyn, a crucial factor in May 2017’s election flop, was also strongly felt in London. The party won 54.5 per cent of votes in London last year - more than any other party for at least 70 years.

Factor in deep spending cuts overseen by May and her predecessor David Cameron, and the unpopularity of Brexit in a city that voted 60-40 against it - compared with a 52-48 per cent margin in favour nationally, and some of the remaining Conservative strongholds are expected to be under threat.

But the grim outlook leaves room for May to outperform. Polling suggests her handling of a nerve agent attack against a former Russian double agent in England in March and the decision to take military action in Syria has improved her public image.

Conversely, Labour could gain seats and control of boroughs in London but still fail to live up to the huge expectations generated by last summer’s stronger-than-forecast general election result.

“It’s more difficult for Labour to come out of this doing really well than the Tories given how low the expectations are,” said Tony Travers, a professor at the London School of Economics Department of Government.

While May has gained from recent national and international crises, Corbyn has been criticised by opponents and some in his own party for misjudging the public mood in his responses.

The party has also recently found itself bogged down in a high-profile dispute with the Jewish community over what they say is its failure to stamp out anti-Semitism within the party.

That could affect its ability to get control of winnable boroughs like Barnet, which has the highest proportion of Jewish residents in England at 15.5 per cent according to the latest census data.

Nevertheless, polls show Labour will still make gains.

Labour activists say that is continuing evidence of the potency of “the Corbyn Project”, and even if headline gains from the Conservatives do not materialise, they have their eyes on a bigger prize.

“We’ve been treating the whole thing as a bit of a general election dry run, really... refining campaigning techniques and trying to come up with new ones,” said Joseph Todd, a spokesman for the influential pro-Corbyn grassroots campaign group Momentum. “This is the next step for the Corbyn Project.”

London and some other regions will on Thursday elect the local officials in charge of day-to-day public spending - a vote as much about issues like refuse collection and road repairs as it is about the national debate on immigration and May’s plan to take Britain out of the European Union after a 2016 referendum

Voters in London are expected to punish Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative Party at local government elections this week which could embolden critics of her Brexit strategy, but are not expected to trigger her downfall. London and some other regions will on Thursday elect the local officials in charge of day-to-day public spending - a vote as much about issues like refuse collection and road repairs as it is about the national debate on immigration and May’s plan to take Britain out of the European Union after a 2016 referendum. The elections which are seen as a public sentiment and polls The elections are seen as a bellwether of public sentiment and polls show voters are ready to deliver a critical verdict on both May’s leadership and her party’s eight years spent pursuing a policy of public spending cuts to shore up Britain’s finances. “A government that’s been in power for eight years with an austerity programme is naturally going to suffer at elections,” said Robert Hayward, a former Conservative lawmaker who now sits in parliament’s upper house and specialises in polling analysis. A YouGov survey published on April 26 gave the opposition Labour Party, led by Jeremy Corbyn, a 22 percentage point lead over the Conservatives in London, putting it on course for its best performance in the capital for 40 years. Thursday’s vote will come less than a year after a snap parliamentary election splintered the previously rock-solid foundations of May’s position, stripping her party of its majority in a vote she had expected to win easily. The result of that general election has been a weakened leadership, open dissent among Conservative lawmakers over exiting the EU and a nagging fear for some investors that her government could fall and be replaced by socialist-led Labour. Thursday will not directly affect May’s practical ability to govern: the vote does not cause seats in parliament to change hands and the slim working majority she has thanks to a deal with a smaller party will be unaffected. But a below-par performance will embolden critics in her party and could then complicate the already-difficult task of executing her Brexit plan without making concessions to pro-EU factions, such as agreeing to stay in the EU customs union. “Politicians always look at the last set of election results and by definition they’re going to look at what happens on May 3 and make a judgement on that,” Hayward said. “It will have an impact on what has to happen in the budget, ‘Do I take a more militant view in relation to the Customs Union, or Brexit, or nurses, or numbers of policemen?’ The key results in London will be Wandsworth and Westminster, both boroughs with a strong Conservative tradition that are now within reach of Labour. However, anything short of a total Conservative wipeout is not expected to generate renewed calls for her to quit. Although her party is deeply divided over Brexit, neither the faction that seeks a clean break from the EU nor those who favour a closer relationship have shown an appetite for a leadership contest before Britain has left the bloc. Low Expectations Fortunately for May, expectations are low. London has in recent decades voted more towards Labour, favouring its more liberal policies on immigration and social issues. The Conservatives currently control only eight of 32 boroughs outright. Labour’s surprise surge in popularity under Corbyn, a crucial factor in May 2017’s election flop, was also strongly felt in London. The party won 54.5 per cent of votes in London last year - more than any other party for at least 70 years. Factor in deep spending cuts overseen by May and her predecessor David Cameron, and the unpopularity of Brexit in a city that voted 60-40 against it - compared with a 52-48 per cent margin in favour nationally, and some of the remaining Conservative strongholds are expected to be under threat. But the grim outlook leaves room for May to outperform. Polling suggests her handling of a nerve agent attack against a former Russian double agent in England in March and the decision to take military action in Syria has improved her public image. Conversely, Labour could gain seats and control of boroughs in London but still fail to live up to the huge expectations generated by last summer’s stronger-than-forecast general election result. “It’s more difficult for Labour to come out of this doing really well than the Tories given how low the expectations are,” said Tony Travers, a professor at the London School of Economics Department of Government. While May has gained from recent national and international crises, Corbyn has been criticised by opponents and some in his own party for misjudging the public mood in his responses. The party has also recently found itself bogged down in a high-profile dispute with the Jewish community over what they say is its failure to stamp out anti-Semitism within the party. That could affect its ability to get control of winnable boroughs like Barnet, which has the highest proportion of Jewish residents in England at 15.5 per cent according to the latest census data. Nevertheless, polls show Labour will still make gains. Labour activists say that is continuing evidence of the potency of “the Corbyn Project”, and even if headline gains from the Conservatives do not materialise, they have their eyes on a bigger prize. “We’ve been treating the whole thing as a bit of a general election dry run, really... refining campaigning techniques and trying to come up with new ones,” said Joseph Todd, a spokesman for the influential pro-Corbyn grassroots campaign group Momentum. “This is the next step for the Corbyn Project.”

London elections set to leave British PM May down, but not out

Scores of protesters on Sunday gathered outside 10 Downing Street - the official residence of British Prime Minister - in London to protest against human rights violations in Balochistan by Pakistani authorities.

Baloch Republican Party's UK chapter posted pictures and a video clip of the same on Twitter.

Positing 10 pictures from their "official" Twitter handle, the party captioned them as "BRP urged @10DowningStreet & international community to take notice of massive Human Rights abuses being committed in #Balochistan by the Pakistani security forces. #HumanRights #London".

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On Sunday, Activists from Baloch Republican Party (BRP) and Baloch Republican Student Organisation (BRSO) on Sunday jointly held a protest demonstration outside Busan Station in South Korea to highlight war crimes and state atrocities allegedly being committed by the Pakistani military forces in Balochistan.

The party workers distributed informative pamphlets to the public and shouted slogans such as - "We want Freedom" and "Stop Killing Baloch" during the protest.

The Baloch activists have been trying to voice their concerns at multiple international platforms, including the United Nations.

Recently, at the 37th session of the Human Rights Council, activists raised the issue of enforced disappearances, torture and killings of several Baloch activists and intellectuals.

The Baloch activists have been trying to voice their concerns at multiple international platforms, including the United Nations

Scores of protesters on Sunday gathered outside 10 Downing Street - the official residence of British Prime Minister - in London to protest against human rights violations in Balochistan by Pakistani authorities. Baloch Republican Party's UK chapter posted pictures and a video clip of the same on Twitter. Positing 10 pictures from their "official" Twitter handle, the party captioned them as "BRP urged @10DowningStreet & international community to take notice of massive Human Rights abuses being committed in #Balochistan by the Pakistani security forces. #HumanRights #London". Members of Baloch Republican Party UK, protested yesterday at 10 Downing Street in London against human rights violations in Balochistan by Pakistan and demanded an intervention by the United Kingdom. pic.twitter.com/TFwwVtepeI — ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2018 × On Sunday, Activists from Baloch Republican Party (BRP) and Baloch Republican Student Organisation (BRSO) on Sunday jointly held a protest demonstration outside Busan Station in South Korea to highlight war crimes and state atrocities allegedly being committed by the Pakistani military forces in Balochistan. The party workers distributed informative pamphlets to the public and shouted slogans such as - "We want Freedom" and "Stop Killing Baloch" during the protest. The Baloch activists have been trying to voice their concerns at multiple international platforms, including the United Nations. Recently, at the 37th session of the Human Rights Council, activists raised the issue of enforced disappearances, torture and killings of several Baloch activists and intellectuals.

Baloch activists now protest in London after Seoul

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that it is shameful to play politics over the issues related to rapes and sexual assaults in the country.

Prime Minister Modi's remarks come in the backdrop of a nationwide outrage over the rape cases in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Uttar Pradesh's Unnao.

Addressing a gathering at the event 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' in London, Prime Minister Modi said, "A rape is a rape. How can we tolerate this exploitation of our daughters?"

"When a child is raped, do we compare metrics versus earlier governments? That is shameful. We cannot say there were this many rapes in our government and that many of yours. There cannot be a worse way to deal with this issue," the prime minister added.

He further said that there is nothing worse than a child is raped, while raising a question to the audience that why do the parents get worried when their girl child comes late to home but never asks the boy child about his whereabouts.

The person who is "committing the sin" is somebody's son Prime Minister Modi said while calling the rape incidents as a cause of concern for the entire nation.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/live-pm-modi-set-to-speak-at-central-hall-westminster-131249">Read the full text of Modi's address at Central Hall Westminster</a>

In the Kathua case, an eight-year-old girl was allegedly drugged, tortured and gang-raped continuously for a week by eight people in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua in January.

In the Unnao case, the victim has alleged that she was raped by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar at his residence on June 4, 2017, where she had gone with a relative seeking a job.

Modi said making India a secured nation for women is one of his utmost priority. "When I addressed the nation for the first time from the ramparts of Red Fort, I expressed anguish over the hardship faced by our women. Why they have to fear for their safety each evening after it gets dark?"

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> Live from London: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BharatKiBaatSabkeSaath?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BharatKiBaatSabkeSaath</a> event at Central Hall Westminster. <a href="https://t.co/fqYzelOaHy">https://t.co/fqYzelOaHy</a>
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Earlier, Modi had on Friday referred to the Kathua rape incident during his address on Dr BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary, saying, "Our daughters will get justice". His detractors, however, called the response inadequate, demanding a formal statement to be issued by the Prime Minister's Office.

'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' event took place in the Westminster's Central Hall in London and was moderated by noted Indian lyricist Prasoon Joshi.

Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to attend a dinner hosted by United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May for the leaders of the Commonwealth Nations.

Later on Thursday (local time), he will take part in the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting along with the other Commonwealth leaders.

(With inputs from ANI)

The prime minister did not specify if he was talking about a particular instance of rape but it was clear that his comments were in the context of the Kathua and Unnao gangrape cases.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that it is shameful to play politics over the issues related to rapes and sexual assaults in the country. Prime Minister Modi's remarks come in the backdrop of a nationwide outrage over the rape cases in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Uttar Pradesh's Unnao. Addressing a gathering at the event 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' in London, Prime Minister Modi said, "A rape is a rape. How can we tolerate this exploitation of our daughters?" "When a child is raped, do we compare metrics versus earlier governments? That is shameful. We cannot say there were this many rapes in our government and that many of yours. There cannot be a worse way to deal with this issue," the prime minister added. He further said that there is nothing worse than a child is raped, while raising a question to the audience that why do the parents get worried when their girl child comes late to home but never asks the boy child about his whereabouts. The person who is "committing the sin" is somebody's son Prime Minister Modi said while calling the rape incidents as a cause of concern for the entire nation. Read the full text of Modi's address at Central Hall Westminster In the Kathua case, an eight-year-old girl was allegedly drugged, tortured and gang-raped continuously for a week by eight people in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua in January. In the Unnao case, the victim has alleged that she was raped by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar at his residence on June 4, 2017, where she had gone with a relative seeking a job. Modi said making India a secured nation for women is one of his utmost priority. "When I addressed the nation for the first time from the ramparts of Red Fort, I expressed anguish over the hardship faced by our women. Why they have to fear for their safety each evening after it gets dark?" #WATCH Live from London: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at #BharatKiBaatSabkeSaath event at Central Hall Westminster. https://t.co/fqYzelOaHy — ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2018 × Earlier, Modi had on Friday referred to the Kathua rape incident during his address on Dr BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary, saying, "Our daughters will get justice". His detractors, however, called the response inadequate, demanding a formal statement to be issued by the Prime Minister's Office. 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' event took place in the Westminster's Central Hall in London and was moderated by noted Indian lyricist Prasoon Joshi. Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to attend a dinner hosted by United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May for the leaders of the Commonwealth Nations. Later on Thursday (local time), he will take part in the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting along with the other Commonwealth leaders. (With inputs from ANI)

Rape is rape, don't politicise such issues: PM Narendra Modi at London event

United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday hosted a black-tie dinner for the leaders of 53 Commonwealth Nations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi after attending the Westminster's Central Hall's event "Bharat Ki Baat Sabke Saath" departed for the dinner.

Prime Minister Modi is on a three-day visit to the United Kingdom as part of which he will attend the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting scheduled to take place on April 19.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister had a bilateral talk with PM Theresa May in which they discussed economic offenders including Vijay Mallya and the much-talked attacked ex Russian spy Sergei Skripal.

He was earlier honoured in a private audience with Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace, an event which has been organised previously for only three nations.

Earlier,&nbsp;'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' event took place in the Westminster's Central Hall in London and was moderated by noted Indian lyricist Prasoon Joshi.

(With inputs from ANI)

Prime Minister Modi is on a three-day visit to the United Kingdom

United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday hosted a black-tie dinner for the leaders of 53 Commonwealth Nations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi after attending the Westminster's Central Hall's event "Bharat Ki Baat Sabke Saath" departed for the dinner. Prime Minister Modi is on a three-day visit to the United Kingdom as part of which he will attend the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting scheduled to take place on April 19. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister had a bilateral talk with PM Theresa May in which they discussed economic offenders including Vijay Mallya and the much-talked attacked ex Russian spy Sergei Skripal. He was earlier honoured in a private audience with Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace, an event which has been organised previously for only three nations. Earlier, 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' event took place in the Westminster's Central Hall in London and was moderated by noted Indian lyricist Prasoon Joshi. (With inputs from ANI)

PM Modi attends dinner hosted by Theresa May for Commonwealth leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the UK today for a four-day visit of bilateral engagements as well as multilateral discussions as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson received Modi at the Heathrow airport here.

Johnson said he was "excited" about the growing India-UK bilateral trade and that the visit will help build on "huge economic advantages".

"..Thanks to our shared history, we have a living bridge between us? and now we want to build on the incredible tech sector where both India and the UK are making giant strides together," Johnson said in a statement.

Modi is set for a packed day of official engagements today, starting with his bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street.

The two leaders are expected to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including separatism, cross-border terrorism, visas and immigration.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the return of illegal immigrants, which had expired in 2014, will be officially renewed to take into account biometric and other developments in the field, along with a range of nearly a dozen MoUs across different sectors.

Modi will then head to the Science Museum in London to visit the '5000 Years of Science and Innovation' exhibition where he will interact with Indian-origin and other scientists and innovators based in the UK.

The event, hosted by Prince Charles, will include the launch of a new Ayurvedic Centre of Excellence, aimed at creating a first-of-its-kind global network for evidence-based research on yoga and Ayurveda.

A brief stop to garland the Basaveshwara statue -- which Modi had inaugurated during his last visit to the UK in 2015 -- on the banks of the river Thames will then be followed by his second meeting with May at an event hosted by the British prime minister at the Francis Crick Institute.&nbsp;

After an interaction with Indian-origin scientists working on cancer research, malaria and other tropical diseases, both leaders will initiate the India-UK CEOs Forum.

Modi is then scheduled for a private audience with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace before the 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' diaspora event, to be telecast live from the iconic Central Hall Westminster in London today.

The event, billed as the centrepiece of the 'Living Bridge' theme of the India-UK bilateral visit, will involve Modi addressing questions from across the world which have already been received via social media.

At the end of the live telecast, he will join Heads of Government from 52 other Commonwealth countries at a dinner hosted by the British prime minister as a formal welcome to CHOGM.

This will be followed by the executive session of the heads in London tomorrow before they head to Windsor for the CHOGM retreat, where the world leaders will interact on an informal basis.&nbsp;

This will conclude Modi's UK visit after which he will leave for India.&nbsp;

According to official estimates, the India-UK bilateral trade stands at USD 13 billion, with the UK among the largest G20 investors into India.&nbsp;

Modi's visit will have a particular focus on the India-UK technological partnership as well as an enhanced role in the Commonwealth.

"India's engagement is absolutely brilliant? there is a recognition that the Commonwealth offers a great opportunity for India and within that opportunity lies an opportunity for the rest of the Commonwealth," says Lord Marland, chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC).

An Indian prime minister will attend the Commonwealth summit, which is held every two years, after a hiatus of nearly a decade, having last attended the 2009 CHOGM in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Indian government has said that Modi's attendance at the summit this year symbolises the country's wider efforts to step up its role across global forums. This stepped-up engagement is likely to take the form of increased activity within the Commonwealth, including greater resources and manpower as well as financial contributions.&nbsp;

Modi was received at Heathrow by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. He will be in the UK on a four-day visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the UK today for a four-day visit of bilateral engagements as well as multilateral discussions as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson received Modi at the Heathrow airport here. Johnson said he was "excited" about the growing India-UK bilateral trade and that the visit will help build on "huge economic advantages". "..Thanks to our shared history, we have a living bridge between us? and now we want to build on the incredible tech sector where both India and the UK are making giant strides together," Johnson said in a statement. Modi is set for a packed day of official engagements today, starting with his bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street. The two leaders are expected to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including separatism, cross-border terrorism, visas and immigration. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the return of illegal immigrants, which had expired in 2014, will be officially renewed to take into account biometric and other developments in the field, along with a range of nearly a dozen MoUs across different sectors. Modi will then head to the Science Museum in London to visit the '5000 Years of Science and Innovation' exhibition where he will interact with Indian-origin and other scientists and innovators based in the UK. The event, hosted by Prince Charles, will include the launch of a new Ayurvedic Centre of Excellence, aimed at creating a first-of-its-kind global network for evidence-based research on yoga and Ayurveda. A brief stop to garland the Basaveshwara statue -- which Modi had inaugurated during his last visit to the UK in 2015 -- on the banks of the river Thames will then be followed by his second meeting with May at an event hosted by the British prime minister at the Francis Crick Institute. After an interaction with Indian-origin scientists working on cancer research, malaria and other tropical diseases, both leaders will initiate the India-UK CEOs Forum. Modi is then scheduled for a private audience with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace before the 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' diaspora event, to be telecast live from the iconic Central Hall Westminster in London today. The event, billed as the centrepiece of the 'Living Bridge' theme of the India-UK bilateral visit, will involve Modi addressing questions from across the world which have already been received via social media. At the end of the live telecast, he will join Heads of Government from 52 other Commonwealth countries at a dinner hosted by the British prime minister as a formal welcome to CHOGM. This will be followed by the executive session of the heads in London tomorrow before they head to Windsor for the CHOGM retreat, where the world leaders will interact on an informal basis. This will conclude Modi's UK visit after which he will leave for India. According to official estimates, the India-UK bilateral trade stands at USD 13 billion, with the UK among the largest G20 investors into India. Modi's visit will have a particular focus on the India-UK technological partnership as well as an enhanced role in the Commonwealth. "India's engagement is absolutely brilliant? there is a recognition that the Commonwealth offers a great opportunity for India and within that opportunity lies an opportunity for the rest of the Commonwealth," says Lord Marland, chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC). An Indian prime minister will attend the Commonwealth summit, which is held every two years, after a hiatus of nearly a decade, having last attended the 2009 CHOGM in Trinidad and Tobago. The Indian government has said that Modi's attendance at the summit this year symbolises the country's wider efforts to step up its role across global forums. This stepped-up engagement is likely to take the form of increased activity within the Commonwealth, including greater resources and manpower as well as financial contributions.

Modi lands in London for Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first leg of four-day-long UK visit, is all set to address UK's Indian community from London's Central Hall Westminster. Modi's address will be globally telecast while in attendance there will be around 1500 people from the diaspora at the invite-only event.

The invitees for the 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath', event were selected by lottery from the registrations received on the website created for the event.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Prime Minister last such address was in November 2015 at Wembley stadium that saw around 30,000 people from the community in attendance.&nbsp;

The Prime Minister paid floral tributes at the bust of Basaveshwara (12th-century Lingayat philosopher) at Albert Embankment Gardens a short while ago.&nbsp;

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Prime Minister Modi's first day in the UK kicked off with a quick meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May. Both the leaders discussed a host of issues over breakfast.&nbsp;

"It is a matter of happiness for me that I will get to interact with people here on the birth anniversary of Lord Basaveshwara," PM Modi said during his meeting with the British PM Theresa May.

"I hope we can work together for the people of both India and UK," Theresa May told the PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited the Science Museum in London where he was welcomed by Prince Charles.&nbsp;

Prince Charles welcomed and greeted PM Modi and explored a science and innovation exhibition set up at the museum.

The event, hosted by Prince Charles, will also include the launch of a new Ayurvedic Centre of Excellence.

Modi interacted with&nbsp;Indian-origin and other scientists and innovators based in the UK.&nbsp;

Modi's first leg of UK visit is packed with meetings and engagements. Later today, the PM will meet Queen Elizabeth at the Buckingham Palace and will also deliver a live address. He will attend the CEO's summit along with numerous tours planned for the rest of the day.&nbsp;

The Prime Minister paid floral tributes at the bust of Basaveshwara (12th-century Lingayat philosopher) at Albert Embankment Gardens a short while ago

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first leg of four-day-long UK visit, is all set to address UK's Indian community from London's Central Hall Westminster. Modi's address will be globally telecast while in attendance there will be around 1500 people from the diaspora at the invite-only event. The invitees for the 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath', event were selected by lottery from the registrations received on the website created for the event. London: People from Indian diaspora gather at Parliament Square to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi. pic.twitter.com/az3zYdfagC — ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2018 × Prime Minister last such address was in November 2015 at Wembley stadium that saw around 30,000 people from the community in attendance. The Prime Minister paid floral tributes at the bust of Basaveshwara (12th-century Lingayat philosopher) at Albert Embankment Gardens a short while ago. London: Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes at the bust of Basaveshwara (12th-century Lingayat philosopher) at Albert Embankment Gardens. pic.twitter.com/Z9SJLRsuE7 — ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2018 × Prime Minister Modi's first day in the UK kicked off with a quick meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May. Both the leaders discussed a host of issues over breakfast. "It is a matter of happiness for me that I will get to interact with people here on the birth anniversary of Lord Basaveshwara," PM Modi said during his meeting with the British PM Theresa May. "I hope we can work together for the people of both India and UK," Theresa May told the PM Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited the Science Museum in London where he was welcomed by Prince Charles. Prince Charles welcomed and greeted PM Modi and explored a science and innovation exhibition set up at the museum. The event, hosted by Prince Charles, will also include the launch of a new Ayurvedic Centre of Excellence. Modi interacted with Indian-origin and other scientists and innovators based in the UK. Modi's first leg of UK visit is packed with meetings and engagements. Later today, the PM will meet Queen Elizabeth at the Buckingham Palace and will also deliver a live address. He will attend the CEO's summit along with numerous tours planned for the rest of the day.

Modi in UK: PM to address Indian diaspora at Westminster Square

Pakistan's deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif today left for London along with his daughter to see his cancer-stricken wife amid speculation that he might not return because of a likely conviction in three corruption cases against him.

As Sharif's family spokesman did not reveal his return schedule, analysts here believe that it is likely that Sharif will skip his appearance before a combined investigation team of the National Accountability Bureau in Lahore on April 21.&nbsp;

NAB has summoned Sharif for allegedly misusing his authority for illegal construction of a road leading to his Jati Umra, Raiwind residence.

Sharif who was disqualified by the Supreme Court is due to appear in the accountability court on April 23 in a corruption case. But it is likely that he may skip it.

"Begum Kulsoom Nawaz has been under treatment in a hospital in London as her condition is serious," the family spokesperson said, adding that because of her serious condition Sharif and his daughter have to be with her. 
Maryam also tweeted about her mother.

"My mother is hospitalised again. Remember her in your special prayers. I know prayers can do wonders. Allah answers prayers," Maryam tweeted.

Kulsoom, last year, had undergone a surgery for lymphoma (throat cancer). Her condition recently deteriorated and she was hospitalised.&nbsp;

Last week, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khakan Abbasi had shown reluctance to place the names of Nawaz Sharif and his family on the Exit Control List (ECL).

The NAB had asked to include on the ECL the names of Sharif's children - Maryam, Hassan and Hussain - his son-in-law retired Captain Safdar Awan.&nbsp;

All of them are being tried in accountability courts regarding the Panama Leaks cases. His both sons are already in London. They have been declared proclaimed offenders by the accountability court in the corruption cases against them.

Opposition parties especially the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has criticised the government for not placing the Sharif family on ECL.&nbsp;

"Nawaz Sharif and Maryam left the country at the time when a decision against them by the accountability court is about to come," Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf senior leader Babar Awan said and claimed that Sharif would not return the country.&nbsp;

"Nawaz Sharif has left the country on the pretext of his wife's ailment," he said.

Kulsoom, last year, had undergone a surgery for lymphoma (throat cancer). Her condition recently deteriorated and she was hospitalised

Pakistan's deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif today left for London along with his daughter to see his cancer-stricken wife amid speculation that he might not return because of a likely conviction in three corruption cases against him. As Sharif's family spokesman did not reveal his return schedule, analysts here believe that it is likely that Sharif will skip his appearance before a combined investigation team of the National Accountability Bureau in Lahore on April 21. NAB has summoned Sharif for allegedly misusing his authority for illegal construction of a road leading to his Jati Umra, Raiwind residence. Sharif who was disqualified by the Supreme Court is due to appear in the accountability court on April 23 in a corruption case. But it is likely that he may skip it. "Begum Kulsoom Nawaz has been under treatment in a hospital in London as her condition is serious," the family spokesperson said, adding that because of her serious condition Sharif and his daughter have to be with her. Maryam also tweeted about her mother. "My mother is hospitalised again. Remember her in your special prayers. I know prayers can do wonders. Allah answers prayers," Maryam tweeted. Kulsoom, last year, had undergone a surgery for lymphoma (throat cancer). Her condition recently deteriorated and she was hospitalised. Last week, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khakan Abbasi had shown reluctance to place the names of Nawaz Sharif and his family on the Exit Control List (ECL). The NAB had asked to include on the ECL the names of Sharif's children - Maryam, Hassan and Hussain - his son-in-law retired Captain Safdar Awan. All of them are being tried in accountability courts regarding the Panama Leaks cases. His both sons are already in London. They have been declared proclaimed offenders by the accountability court in the corruption cases against them. Opposition parties especially the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has criticised the government for not placing the Sharif family on ECL. "Nawaz Sharif and Maryam left the country at the time when a decision against them by the accountability court is about to come," Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf senior leader Babar Awan said and claimed that Sharif would not return the country. "Nawaz Sharif has left the country on the pretext of his wife's ailment," he said.

Nawaz Sharif leaves for London to see ailing wife

A colourful graffiti of world famous physicist Stephen Hawking that sprang up on a railway bridge in Cambridge days after his death last month is likely to become a permanent tribute to the scientist in his home city.

The 76-year-old theoretical physicist and author of "A Brief History of Time"&nbsppassed away on March 14 and the graffiti appeared on March 25.

Network Rail, the company which owns the bridge, has said that it would consider requests not to remove the graffiti. The company, which spends 3.5 million pounds each year removing unwanted graffiti, said it does not condone or encourage the use of railway infrastructure as a canvas for street artists.

"But we would consider requests not to remove artwork that did not impact on the safety of the railway and was not offensive," a spokesperson said.

Gonville and Caius College at the University of Cambridge, where Hawking was a Fellow, described it as a "touching tribute" to the scientist.

The senior bursar of the college, David Secher, who knew Hawking for 45 years, said: "He loved Cambridge and Cambridge loved him. The art is a symbol of how he touched lives in the city and instilled a sense of pride in its residents."

The mystery artist behind the mural of the cosmologist's face and a silhouette of him on his wheelchair with the words "Be Curious" was revealed by Cambridge News' as Kyle Warwick, a tattoo artist from Cambridge this week. He is surprised that the graffiti has been left alone for as long as it already has.

"I was really surprised the graffiti is still there to be honest, as it usually goes really quickly. I've had really positive feedback so far about the graffiti. Cambridge is a small city but I'm very proud of the way we do things here," he said.

The design resembles a black hole&nbspwith reference to the physicist's love of the universe. Warwick said he got a picture of Hawking from Google and began sketching it out before adding colours to it.

"There's a group of other artists who worked on the other parts of the design, I only did the portrait. Another artist did the graffiti letters, but they want to be anonymous,&nbsphe said.

"I'm Cambridge born and bred, and Stephen Hawking used to come to my primary school in Newnham back in the day. I remember his visits always being a really big thing. I've also always been interested in physics and things like that ? so I thought a graffiti portrait of Prof. Hawking would be a really fitting tribute," he added.

There are also plans underway for the city's newest railway station to be named after Hawking. Cambridge mayor, Councillor George Pippas, said naming a new railway station near Addenbrooke's Hospital after the city's famous resident would be a nice way of paying tribute to his support for the state-funded National Health Service and also the work the hospital had done to help him after his motor neuron disease diagnosis.

"When he was young, he was not given much time to live and, thanks to the hospital, he was given a new lease of life he was one of the strongest advocates for the NHS and helped put Addenbrooke's on the map," Pippas said. 
The proposal is set to be raised at the local council's meetings and with Hawking's family.

Thousands had lined the streets of the city last month for the scientist's funeral last week at Great St Mary's Church, part of the University of Cambridge. His ashes will be buried at Westminster Abbey in London in June, near the grave of Sir Isaac Newton.&nbsp

&nbsp

The 76-year-old theoretical physicist and author of 'A Brief History of Time" passed away on March 14 and the graffiti appeared on March 25

A colourful graffiti of world famous physicist Stephen Hawking that sprang up on a railway bridge in Cambridge days after his death last month is likely to become a permanent tribute to the scientist in his home city. The 76-year-old theoretical physicist and author of "A Brief History of Time"&nbsppassed away on March 14 and the graffiti appeared on March 25. Network Rail, the company which owns the bridge, has said that it would consider requests not to remove the graffiti. The company, which spends 3.5 million pounds each year removing unwanted graffiti, said it does not condone or encourage the use of railway infrastructure as a canvas for street artists. "But we would consider requests not to remove artwork that did not impact on the safety of the railway and was not offensive," a spokesperson said. Gonville and Caius College at the University of Cambridge, where Hawking was a Fellow, described it as a "touching tribute" to the scientist. The senior bursar of the college, David Secher, who knew Hawking for 45 years, said: "He loved Cambridge and Cambridge loved him. The art is a symbol of how he touched lives in the city and instilled a sense of pride in its residents." The mystery artist behind the mural of the cosmologist's face and a silhouette of him on his wheelchair with the words "Be Curious" was revealed by Cambridge News' as Kyle Warwick, a tattoo artist from Cambridge this week. He is surprised that the graffiti has been left alone for as long as it already has. "I was really surprised the graffiti is still there to be honest, as it usually goes really quickly. I've had really positive feedback so far about the graffiti. Cambridge is a small city but I'm very proud of the way we do things here," he said. The design resembles a black hole&nbspwith reference to the physicist's love of the universe. Warwick said he got a picture of Hawking from Google and began sketching it out before adding colours to it. "There's a group of other artists who worked on the other parts of the design, I only did the portrait. Another artist did the graffiti letters, but they want to be anonymous,&nbsphe said. "I'm Cambridge born and bred, and Stephen Hawking used to come to my primary school in Newnham back in the day. I remember his visits always being a really big thing. I've also always been interested in physics and things like that ? so I thought a graffiti portrait of Prof. Hawking would be a really fitting tribute," he added. There are also plans underway for the city's newest railway station to be named after Hawking. Cambridge mayor, Councillor George Pippas, said naming a new railway station near Addenbrooke's Hospital after the city's famous resident would be a nice way of paying tribute to his support for the state-funded National Health Service and also the work the hospital had done to help him after his motor neuron disease diagnosis. "When he was young, he was not given much time to live and, thanks to the hospital, he was given a new lease of life he was one of the strongest advocates for the NHS and helped put Addenbrooke's on the map," Pippas said. The proposal is set to be raised at the local council's meetings and with Hawking's family. Thousands had lined the streets of the city last month for the scientist's funeral last week at Great St Mary's Church, part of the University of Cambridge. His ashes will be buried at Westminster Abbey in London in June, near the grave of Sir Isaac Newton.

Hawking graffiti on UK bridge may become permanent tribute

Queen Elizabeth II sent congratulatory wishes to Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) on the 100th anniversary of its founding.&nbsp

The Queen's message was read at a breakfast reception at a central London building that served as the RAF's first headquarters.&nbsp

Britain's Royal Air Force was formed towards the end of the First World War on April 1, 1918, through the merger of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service.&nbsp

It is the oldest independent air force in the world.&nbsp

The reputation of the force is strongly associated with the extraordinary bravery and skill of the pilots who defended Britain against Germany's Luftwaffe during World War II.&nbsp

Queen Elizabeth II in her anniversary wishes added that the RAF has defended "our freedom gallantly".

The Queen's message was read at a breakfast reception at a central London building that served as the RAF's first headquarters

Queen Elizabeth II sent congratulatory wishes to Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) on the 100th anniversary of its founding. The Queen's message was read at a breakfast reception at a central London building that served as the RAF's first headquarters. Britain's Royal Air Force was formed towards the end of the First World War on April 1, 1918, through the merger of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. It is the oldest independent air force in the world. The reputation of the force is strongly associated with the extraordinary bravery and skill of the pilots who defended Britain against Germany's Luftwaffe during World War II. Queen Elizabeth II in her anniversary wishes added that the RAF has defended "our freedom gallantly".

Queen Elizabeth II praises Royal Air Force on 100th anniversary

Pakistani actress Mahira Khan is back in scrutiny after her <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/mahira-khan-caught-smoking-again-internet-divided-in-reactions-127042">video smoking at an event in Pakistan</a> became viral recently. She also shot up on social media for her amazing <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/watch-mahira-khans-gig-on-bollywood-hits-127234">dance performance at a friend’s function</a> in which she incidentally dances on Bollywood hit numbers. But there’s one more thing she became a hot talking point for -- and it’s Ranbir Kapoor’s visit to London.&nbsp;

It was earlier reported that while Ranbir Kapoor was coming back to India from Bulgaria after wrapping the shooting schedule for Brahmastra with co-star Alia Bhatt (with whom he has been romantically linked too), he took a detour and stopped at London. Everyone’s best guess was, visiting Mahira Khan who was incidentally in London at the same time.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/entertainment-mahira-khan-reacts-to-the-javed-shiekh-viral-kiss-video-calls-it-silly-stuff-33795">Also Read:&nbsp;Mahira Khan reacts to the Javed Shiekh viral kiss video calls it 'silly stuff'</a>

It is now revealed that Ranbir Kapoor did not stop in London to meet the Pakistani actress but for some personal work. Also, Mahira was not in London by the time Ranbir reached and had already left for her home country, Pakistan.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ranbir-kapoor-mahira-khan-caught-in-new-york-twitter-explodes-20507">Ranbir Kapoor and Mahira Khan were linked when their pictures smoking together in New York</a> outside Mahira’s hotel went viral. Mahira was clicked smoking with Ranbir, wearing a backless white coloured dress that didn’t sit well with most Pakistanis who thought she went against the country’s culture.&nbsp;

At that time when the issue was in its heat, Ranbir issued a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/very-unfair-the-way-shes-being-judged-ranbir-kapoor-breaks-silence-on-pics-with-mahira-khan-20567">statement </a>that read: "I've gotten to know Mahira in a personal capacity over the last few months. She is somebody who I admire and respect, for her achievements and even more for the person she is. It is very unfair the way she is being judged and spoken about. What is also said is the inequality in judgment just because she is a woman. I request you to stop the negativity and move on with your beautiful god gifted lives. Peace and Love." He further added, "PS: Both smoking and hate are injurious to health." <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/mahira-khan-reacts-on-her-leaked-photos-with-ranbir-kapoor-i-understand-where-all-the-criticsm-came-from-23713">This is how Mahira reacted.&nbsp;</a> 
&nbsp;

It was earlier reported that Ranbir Kapoor especially took a detour on his way to India from Bulgaria, to meet Pakistani actress Mahira Khan in London.

Pakistani actress Mahira Khan is back in scrutiny after her video smoking at an event in Pakistan became viral recently. She also shot up on social media for her amazing dance performance at a friend’s function in which she incidentally dances on Bollywood hit numbers. But there’s one more thing she became a hot talking point for -- and it’s Ranbir Kapoor’s visit to London. It was earlier reported that while Ranbir Kapoor was coming back to India from Bulgaria after wrapping the shooting schedule for Brahmastra with co-star Alia Bhatt (with whom he has been romantically linked too), he took a detour and stopped at London. Everyone’s best guess was, visiting Mahira Khan who was incidentally in London at the same time. Also Read: Mahira Khan reacts to the Javed Shiekh viral kiss video calls it 'silly stuff' It is now revealed that Ranbir Kapoor did not stop in London to meet the Pakistani actress but for some personal work. Also, Mahira was not in London by the time Ranbir reached and had already left for her home country, Pakistan. Ranbir Kapoor and Mahira Khan were linked when their pictures smoking together in New York outside Mahira’s hotel went viral. Mahira was clicked smoking with Ranbir, wearing a backless white coloured dress that didn’t sit well with most Pakistanis who thought she went against the country’s culture. At that time when the issue was in its heat, Ranbir issued a statement that read: "I've gotten to know Mahira in a personal capacity over the last few months. She is somebody who I admire and respect, for her achievements and even more for the person she is. It is very unfair the way she is being judged and spoken about. What is also said is the inequality in judgment just because she is a woman. I request you to stop the negativity and move on with your beautiful god gifted lives. Peace and Love." He further added, "PS: Both smoking and hate are injurious to health." This is how Mahira reacted.

This is the real reason why Ranbir Kapoor stopped in London and not Pakistani actress Mahira Khan!

The first scheduled non-stop flight between Australia and the United Kingdom touched down at London&#39;s Heathrow Airport, earlier on Sunday, reducing a trip that once took 12 1/2 days to 17 hours.

Qantas Airways&#39; inaugural service between the Australian city of Perth and Heathrow completed a 14,498 km (9,009-mile) journey in just 17 hours.

The airline used the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which is twice as fuel-efficient as the Boeing 747.

This new link is part of Qantas&#39; ambitious plans, unveiled over the past two years, to add ultra long-haul flights to its global schedules, a media reported.

&quot;The last frontier of global aviation ... the antidote to the tyranny of distance and a revolution for air travel in Australia,&quot; The Telegraph quoted Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce as saying last year.

Meanwhile, travel firm Flight Centre has recorded a &quot;high demand&quot; for the new Qantas flights.

&quot;Flight Centre definitely feels that long-term the new route is viable and we will see additional services being launched from Europe to Australia in the coming years,&quot; head of aviation, Justin Penny said.

The new link with Perth will be around three hours quicker than routes which involve stopping in the Middle East to change planes or refuel.

It will also enable faster journeys to Sydney and Melbourne than flying via Dubai.&nbsp;

The first scheduled non-stop flight between Australia and the United Kingdom touched down at London's Heathrow Airport, earlier on Sunday, reducing a trip that once took 12 1/2 days to 17 hours

The first scheduled non-stop flight between Australia and the United Kingdom touched down at London's Heathrow Airport, earlier on Sunday, reducing a trip that once took 12 1/2 days to 17 hours. Qantas Airways' inaugural service between the Australian city of Perth and Heathrow completed a 14,498 km (9,009-mile) journey in just 17 hours. The airline used the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which is twice as fuel-efficient as the Boeing 747. This new link is part of Qantas' ambitious plans, unveiled over the past two years, to add ultra long-haul flights to its global schedules, a media reported. "The last frontier of global aviation ... the antidote to the tyranny of distance and a revolution for air travel in Australia," The Telegraph quoted Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce as saying last year. Meanwhile, travel firm Flight Centre has recorded a "high demand" for the new Qantas flights. "Flight Centre definitely feels that long-term the new route is viable and we will see additional services being launched from Europe to Australia in the coming years," head of aviation, Justin Penny said. The new link with Perth will be around three hours quicker than routes which involve stopping in the Middle East to change planes or refuel. It will also enable faster journeys to Sydney and Melbourne than flying via Dubai.

'Last frontier' of aviation conquered with direct flight from Perth to London

The Democracy Forum (TDF), a prominent London-based think tank, hosted a seminar titled &#39;Economic &amp; Political Power of the Military: Its Impact on Democracy&#39;, at the St James&#39; Court Hotel, London on Monday.

The seminar, chaired by senior journalist Humphrey Hawksley, was addressed by TDF President Lord Bruce, and featured a distinguished panel of experts comprising Pervez Hoodbhoy, Ayesha Siddiqa, Myra MacDonald, Dr. Hamid Hussain, Dr. Rosena Khan and Dr. David Brenner.

Setting the tone for the discussions, Lord Bruce, in his opening remarks stated that it was a sine qua non that the role of the military is a frequent and sometimes nefarious participant in the suspension of democratic institutions across the world.

According to the Democracy Index, none of the four countries selected for discussion in the seminar - Pakistan, Myanmar, Turkey and Egypt, scores more than five out of ten in the Index&#39;s 2017 international survey, which covers indicators including pluralism, civil liberties and political culture.

Dr. Hoodbhoy, Zohra and Z.Z. Ahmed Foundation Distinguished Professor at Forman Christian College, who focused on Pakistan, opened his speech by referring to two media articles that clearly demonstrated the all-encompassing influence that the Pakistan Army had over the civilian government.

The first article referred to how members of the outgoing Senate, who requested for a presentation of the Nuclear Command Authority Act, passed by Parliament in 2010, were never shared the outlines of the Act on grounds that it related to national security.

According to Dr. Hoodbhoy, this was hardly surprising, as the Pakistan Army has always said that matters of national security can be entrusted only to those who are &#39;worthy&#39; of such trust.

The second article concerned the worry, in Pakistani financial circles, on ways to deal with the &#39;grey-listing&#39; of Pakistan by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Though the Army&#39;s official mouthpiece, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that this was not a matter for the army to resolve, Dr. Hoodbhoy was of the opinion that all Pakistanis were aware that this issue was largely dependent on the army&#39;s change of policy on supporting Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)-associated institutions.

To underline the deep-rooted links between the Pakistan Army and terrorist groups, he gave the example of former Pakistan President and Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf banning the LeT in January 2002 following American pressure, while admitting in November 2017 of the Army&#39;s links with the group and declaring them &#39;excellent institutions of Pakistan&#39;.

Dr. Hoodbhoy, however, believed that the message from the FATF would affect Rawalpindi, the heart of real power in Pakistan as the army had huge financial interests in Pakistan&#39;s national economy, and these interests would be affected by the grey-listing, and even more so by any blacklisting.

Former Reuters journalist and author Myra MacDonald drew on the research conducted for two books she has written - Heights of Madness, about the Siachen war between India and Pakistan, and Defeat is an Orphan: How Pakistan Lost the Great South Asian War - to compare the power of the military in both countries.

MacDonald looked at India and Pakistan&#39;s evolving relationship and said that the nuclear tests of 1998 should, in theory, have created parity between them, since Pakistan no longer had any reason to feel insecure about an Indian invasion. However, in reality, India had used the time since 1998 to emerge as a rising world power, while Pakistan had declined into a &#39;tottering&#39; state, weakened by its absence of democracy.

MacDonald argued that Indian democracy, combined with diplomacy, had helped to underpin its success while the dominance of the military in Pakistan not only undermined democracy but threatened to turn it into a failing state.

Asking why we value democracy so highly, she said that it allowed for the legitimacy of the State, peaceful settlement of disputes and domestic stability that then led to international strength. Based on these four criteria, India has thrived and Pakistan has been weakened, as the Pakistan army presented itself as the guardian of the nation, yet in reality created instability rather than stability by running foreign and security policy, manipulating the democratic process and dominating the economy.

She stated that such a centralised, military-dominated economy prohibited poor or middle class people from accessing more resources, building a recipe for conflict, apart from leading people to turn to Islamist or other right-wing religious groups to try and expand their power.

She added that rather than holding the country together, the army&#39;s power exaggerated the existing power of Punjab province and caused conflict in smaller provinces such as Balochistan, whose people resented the domination of both the military and of Punjab.

MacDonald, however, expressed optimism that Pakistan&#39;s vibrant civil society, as recently illustrated by the Pashtun Long March, would continue its peaceful opposition to the military&#39;s influence.

In her presentation, Dr. Siddiqa, well known for her book on the Pakistani military, focused on comparing the fledging democracies of Pakistan and Egypt and the role of their militaries.

Dr. Siddiqa said that her now-famous concept of &#39;Milbus&#39; (military business) is not benign wherever it takes place, as no matter how it is justified, it has an inherent illegality because it is meant for the personal benefit of the military fraternity, yet is neither recorded nor part of the defence budget.

&quot;So, when militaries engage in business, it is about a military organisation proactively partaking in resource generation, and thus blurring the line between what is for the public and private good,&quot; said Dr Siddiqa.

She highlighted both key differences and similarities between the Egyptian and Pakistani military systems. According to her, the Pakistan army was much more hierarchical, with fewer chances of coups from within, though in both nations the military had a greater sense of the national good.

The fall of the Turkish army was the main focus for military commentator Dr Hamid Hussain, who described the army&#39;s view of itself as a doctor tending to the sick child, secularism, that resulted from the marriage of democracy and Islam. He offered an overview of the Turkish army&#39;s role as guardian of the Kemalist tradition and spoke about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan&#39;s rise to power, and the dynamic between him and the military.

Dr. Brenner from the University of Surrey spoke on the Myanmar military and the country&#39;s move towards democracy in a top-down, military-led transition. He gave a short history of Tatmadaw&#39;s (the army&#39;s) emergence from the struggle for independence from Britain, considering its perception of itself as a &#39;guardian of the nation&#39; that prevents the Union of Burma from disintegrating, and spoke of how it maintained its economic sources of power through control of assets, resources such as jade and gold, and strategic infrastructure.

Also speaking on the subject of Myanmar was Dr. Khan, Labour MP from Tooting, who has personally witnessed the humanitarian crisis of the Rohingya people in the refugee camps in Bangladesh&#39;s Cox&#39;s Bazar.

Describing what is happening to the Rohingyas in Myanmar as &#39;nothing short of a genocide&#39;, she condemned the West&#39;s failure to call to account those who perpetrate such atrocities.

Senior journalist Hawksley, thereafter successfully steered a very lively Q&amp;A session.

The closing proceedings was TDF chair Barry Gardiner MP, Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade. He thanked the panel, and TDF for organising the event, which was, he said, a timely reminder of why democracy is valuable.

He urged everyone present to use the analysis of the seminar to consider the dangers to democracy and to think about how lack of transparency and accountability can affect us all, not only those living under authoritarian regimes.

The event was well attended, including by members of the Henry Jackson Society, postgraduate students from King&#39;s College London, University College of London and the University of Westminster, members of the print and TV media, representatives from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK, and several embassies and High Commissions. Baroness Shreela Flather was also in attendance.&nbsp;

A distinguished panel of experts gave the example of former Pakistan President and Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf banning the LeT in January 2002 following American pressure, while admitting in November 2017 of the Army's links with the group and declaring them 'excellent institutions of Pak'

The Democracy Forum (TDF), a prominent London-based think tank, hosted a seminar titled 'Economic & Political Power of the Military: Its Impact on Democracy', at the St James' Court Hotel, London on Monday. The seminar, chaired by senior journalist Humphrey Hawksley, was addressed by TDF President Lord Bruce, and featured a distinguished panel of experts comprising Pervez Hoodbhoy, Ayesha Siddiqa, Myra MacDonald, Dr. Hamid Hussain, Dr. Rosena Khan and Dr. David Brenner. Setting the tone for the discussions, Lord Bruce, in his opening remarks stated that it was a sine qua non that the role of the military is a frequent and sometimes nefarious participant in the suspension of democratic institutions across the world. According to the Democracy Index, none of the four countries selected for discussion in the seminar - Pakistan, Myanmar, Turkey and Egypt, scores more than five out of ten in the Index's 2017 international survey, which covers indicators including pluralism, civil liberties and political culture. Dr. Hoodbhoy, Zohra and Z.Z. Ahmed Foundation Distinguished Professor at Forman Christian College, who focused on Pakistan, opened his speech by referring to two media articles that clearly demonstrated the all-encompassing influence that the Pakistan Army had over the civilian government. The first article referred to how members of the outgoing Senate, who requested for a presentation of the Nuclear Command Authority Act, passed by Parliament in 2010, were never shared the outlines of the Act on grounds that it related to national security. According to Dr. Hoodbhoy, this was hardly surprising, as the Pakistan Army has always said that matters of national security can be entrusted only to those who are 'worthy' of such trust. The second article concerned the worry, in Pakistani financial circles, on ways to deal with the 'grey-listing' of Pakistan by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Though the Army's official mouthpiece, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that this was not a matter for the army to resolve, Dr. Hoodbhoy was of the opinion that all Pakistanis were aware that this issue was largely dependent on the army's change of policy on supporting Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)-associated institutions. To underline the deep-rooted links between the Pakistan Army and terrorist groups, he gave the example of former Pakistan President and Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf banning the LeT in January 2002 following American pressure, while admitting in November 2017 of the Army's links with the group and declaring them 'excellent institutions of Pakistan'. Dr. Hoodbhoy, however, believed that the message from the FATF would affect Rawalpindi, the heart of real power in Pakistan as the army had huge financial interests in Pakistan's national economy, and these interests would be affected by the grey-listing, and even more so by any blacklisting. Former Reuters journalist and author Myra MacDonald drew on the research conducted for two books she has written - Heights of Madness, about the Siachen war between India and Pakistan, and Defeat is an Orphan: How Pakistan Lost the Great South Asian War - to compare the power of the military in both countries. MacDonald looked at India and Pakistan's evolving relationship and said that the nuclear tests of 1998 should, in theory, have created parity between them, since Pakistan no longer had any reason to feel insecure about an Indian invasion. However, in reality, India had used the time since 1998 to emerge as a rising world power, while Pakistan had declined into a 'tottering' state, weakened by its absence of democracy. MacDonald argued that Indian democracy, combined with diplomacy, had helped to underpin its success while the dominance of the military in Pakistan not only undermined democracy but threatened to turn it into a failing state. Asking why we value democracy so highly, she said that it allowed for the legitimacy of the State, peaceful settlement of disputes and domestic stability that then led to international strength. Based on these four criteria, India has thrived and Pakistan has been weakened, as the Pakistan army presented itself as the guardian of the nation, yet in reality created instability rather than stability by running foreign and security policy, manipulating the democratic process and dominating the economy. She stated that such a centralised, military-dominated economy prohibited poor or middle class people from accessing more resources, building a recipe for conflict, apart from leading people to turn to Islamist or other right-wing religious groups to try and expand their power. She added that rather than holding the country together, the army's power exaggerated the existing power of Punjab province and caused conflict in smaller provinces such as Balochistan, whose people resented the domination of both the military and of Punjab. MacDonald, however, expressed optimism that Pakistan's vibrant civil society, as recently illustrated by the Pashtun Long March, would continue its peaceful opposition to the military's influence. In her presentation, Dr. Siddiqa, well known for her book on the Pakistani military, focused on comparing the fledging democracies of Pakistan and Egypt and the role of their militaries. Dr. Siddiqa said that her now-famous concept of 'Milbus' (military business) is not benign wherever it takes place, as no matter how it is justified, it has an inherent illegality because it is meant for the personal benefit of the military fraternity, yet is neither recorded nor part of the defence budget. "So, when militaries engage in business, it is about a military organisation proactively partaking in resource generation, and thus blurring the line between what is for the public and private good," said Dr Siddiqa. She highlighted both key differences and similarities between the Egyptian and Pakistani military systems. According to her, the Pakistan army was much more hierarchical, with fewer chances of coups from within, though in both nations the military had a greater sense of the national good. The fall of the Turkish army was the main focus for military commentator Dr Hamid Hussain, who described the army's view of itself as a doctor tending to the sick child, secularism, that resulted from the marriage of democracy and Islam. He offered an overview of the Turkish army's role as guardian of the Kemalist tradition and spoke about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's rise to power, and the dynamic between him and the military. Dr. Brenner from the University of Surrey spoke on the Myanmar military and the country's move towards democracy in a top-down, military-led transition. He gave a short history of Tatmadaw's (the army's) emergence from the struggle for independence from Britain, considering its perception of itself as a 'guardian of the nation' that prevents the Union of Burma from disintegrating, and spoke of how it maintained its economic sources of power through control of assets, resources such as jade and gold, and strategic infrastructure. Also speaking on the subject of Myanmar was Dr. Khan, Labour MP from Tooting, who has personally witnessed the humanitarian crisis of the Rohingya people in the refugee camps in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar. Describing what is happening to the Rohingyas in Myanmar as 'nothing short of a genocide', she condemned the West's failure to call to account those who perpetrate such atrocities. Senior journalist Hawksley, thereafter successfully steered a very lively Q&A session. The closing proceedings was TDF chair Barry Gardiner MP, Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade. He thanked the panel, and TDF for organising the event, which was, he said, a timely reminder of why democracy is valuable. He urged everyone present to use the analysis of the seminar to consider the dangers to democracy and to think about how lack of transparency and accountability can affect us all, not only those living under authoritarian regimes. The event was well attended, including by members of the Henry Jackson Society, postgraduate students from King's College London, University College of London and the University of Westminster, members of the print and TV media, representatives from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK, and several embassies and High Commissions. Baroness Shreela Flather was also in attendance.

Dominance of military turns Pakistan into a failing state, say experts

A British firefighter has described discovering the charred remnants of a young French nanny, during the trial of a couple accused of killing her and disposing of the body in a bonfire in their garden.

The remains of 21-year-old Sophie Lionnet were discovered by responders from the London Fire Brigade on September 20, in the back garden of the southwest London home where she cared for two children.

Parents Sabrina Kouider, 35, and her partner Ouissem Medouni, 40, are accused of torturing and then murdering their au-pair but deny the charges.

They have admitted perverting the course of justice in the case.

Neighbours had alerted the authorities after noticing smoke and a &quot;horrible&quot; smell coming from the property that afternoon.

Firefighter Thomas Hunt told a court in London&#39;s Old Bailey on Wednesday that he confronted Medouni after he found human fingers and a nose as he put out the fire.

Hunt told jurors he used a small amount of water to put the fire out and was turning it over with a spade when he noticed clothes and jewellery among the ashes.

The firefighter said he was then able to see &quot;features of a body found on a human being&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;I could make out a nose and fingers,&quot; he added, noting he asked colleagues to confirm his suspicions.&nbsp;

&quot;When I recognised it was a body I was concerned for my crew&#39;s safety,&quot; he said.

&quot;I turned to the occupant and asked &#39;Why are you burning a body?&#39;&quot;

&quot;He said &#39;It&#39;s a sheep&#39;,&quot; Hunt added.

Asked how Medouni seemed, he said: &quot;Very calm. When I challenged him he shrugged off the accusation.

&quot;When he sat down there was a look of resignation on him, like &#39;The game&#39;s up, I&#39;ve been caught&#39;.&quot;

Neighbours had alerted the authorities after noticing smoke and a "horrible" smell coming from the property that afternoon

A British firefighter has described discovering the charred remnants of a young French nanny, during the trial of a couple accused of killing her and disposing of the body in a bonfire in their garden. The remains of 21-year-old Sophie Lionnet were discovered by responders from the London Fire Brigade on September 20, in the back garden of the southwest London home where she cared for two children. Parents Sabrina Kouider, 35, and her partner Ouissem Medouni, 40, are accused of torturing and then murdering their au-pair but deny the charges. They have admitted perverting the course of justice in the case. Neighbours had alerted the authorities after noticing smoke and a "horrible" smell coming from the property that afternoon. Firefighter Thomas Hunt told a court in London's Old Bailey on Wednesday that he confronted Medouni after he found human fingers and a nose as he put out the fire. Hunt told jurors he used a small amount of water to put the fire out and was turning it over with a spade when he noticed clothes and jewellery among the ashes. The firefighter said he was then able to see "features of a body found on a human being". "I could make out a nose and fingers," he added, noting he asked colleagues to confirm his suspicions. "When I recognised it was a body I was concerned for my crew's safety," he said. "I turned to the occupant and asked 'Why are you burning a body?'" "He said 'It's a sheep'," Hunt added. Asked how Medouni seemed, he said: "Very calm. When I challenged him he shrugged off the accusation. "When he sat down there was a look of resignation on him, like 'The game's up, I've been caught'."

UK firefighter tells court of finding French nanny's remains on bonfire

Russia&#39;s ambassador to Britain insisted Thursday that England football fans will be safe at the 2018 World Cup, despite a raging diplomatic crisis between London and Moscow.

&quot;They will be safe in Russia,&quot; Alexander Yakovenko told a press conference at the London embassy.

All the necessary measures are being taken, and the British special authorities are in contact with the special Russian authorities to provide security.

&quot;It&#39;s regular precautions that we are doing with every single country.

&quot;I am sure that there will be full security, and by the way, there will be a visa-free regime for those who are coming to Moscow.

&quot;They will be the guests of Russia.&quot;

The comments came amid an escalating war of words between Russia and Britain over the poisoning of a Russian former double agent on British soil on March 4. Moscow denies involvement in the case.&nbsp;

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on Wednesday called for Russian guarantees over the safety of England fans at the World Cup in June and July.

Johnson also said President Vladimir Putin would exploit the 2018 football World Cup in Russia as Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler had done with the Berlin Olympics.

Johnson agreed with an MP who suggested, &quot;Putin is going to use it in the way Hitler used the 1936 Olympics&quot;, as a propaganda exercise.

&quot;I think the comparison with 1936 is certainly right,&quot; the minister replied, envisaging Putin &quot;glorying in this sporting event&quot;.

Yakovenko condemned Johnson&#39;s comparison.

&quot;I&#39;m authorised to say that Moscow considered these kind of statements... in any way unacceptable and totally irresponsible,&quot; he said.

&quot;The British government is free to make a decision about its participation in the World Cup but nobody has the right to insult the Russian people who defeated Nazism... by comparing our country to Nazi Germany.

&quot;We do not think British war veterans, including those of the Arctic Convoys, would share this opinion,&quot; he said, referring to World War II oceangoing convoys which sailed from the United Kingdom, Iceland, and North America to northern Soviet ports.

Russia's ambassador to Britain insisted England football fans will be safe at the 2018 World Cup, despite a raging diplomatic crisis between London and Moscow

Russia's ambassador to Britain insisted Thursday that England football fans will be safe at the 2018 World Cup, despite a raging diplomatic crisis between London and Moscow. "They will be safe in Russia," Alexander Yakovenko told a press conference at the London embassy. All the necessary measures are being taken, and the British special authorities are in contact with the special Russian authorities to provide security. "It's regular precautions that we are doing with every single country. "I am sure that there will be full security, and by the way, there will be a visa-free regime for those who are coming to Moscow. "They will be the guests of Russia." The comments came amid an escalating war of words between Russia and Britain over the poisoning of a Russian former double agent on British soil on March 4. Moscow denies involvement in the case. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on Wednesday called for Russian guarantees over the safety of England fans at the World Cup in June and July. Johnson also said President Vladimir Putin would exploit the 2018 football World Cup in Russia as Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler had done with the Berlin Olympics. Johnson agreed with an MP who suggested, "Putin is going to use it in the way Hitler used the 1936 Olympics", as a propaganda exercise. "I think the comparison with 1936 is certainly right," the minister replied, envisaging Putin "glorying in this sporting event". Yakovenko condemned Johnson's comparison. "I'm authorised to say that Moscow considered these kind of statements... in any way unacceptable and totally irresponsible," he said. "The British government is free to make a decision about its participation in the World Cup but nobody has the right to insult the Russian people who defeated Nazism... by comparing our country to Nazi Germany. "We do not think British war veterans, including those of the Arctic Convoys, would share this opinion," he said, referring to World War II oceangoing convoys which sailed from the United Kingdom, Iceland, and North America to northern Soviet ports.

British fans will be safe in Russia: Russian ambassador Yakovenko

Whistleblower Christopher Wylie, who helped set up data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica, said on Tuesday (March 20) that he believed the company had developed techniques capable of having an impact on elections.

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Speaking at a press club event in London, Wylie said he regretted working for the firm and apologised for what he described as his &quot;incredibly fundamental role&quot; in setting up the company.

Cambridge Analytica harvested private information from more than 50 million Facebook users in developing techniques to support President Donald Trump&#39;s 2016 election campaign, the New York Times and London&#39;s Observer reported on Saturday (March 18).

The firm&#39;s chief executive Alexander Nix was suspended after a secretly recorded video emerged in which he said that his UK-based political consultancy&#39;s online campaign played a decisive role in Trump&#39;s victory.

Wylie said working with Nix felt liberating as it enabled him to work freely on his research about predicting political behaviour using psychometric data. But he said the environment at the company soon became &quot;toxic&quot;.

Facebook&#39;s shares fell for a second day, closing down 2.5 percent to $168.15, as investors worried that its dealings with Cambridge Analytica might damage its reputation, deter advertisers and invite restrictive regulation. The company has lost $60 billion of its stock market value over the last two days.

U.S. and European lawmakers have demanded an explanation of how Cambridge Analytica gained access to user data in 2014 and why Facebook failed to inform its users, raising broader industry questions about consumer privacy.

Cambridge Analytica harvested private information from more than 50 million Facebook users in developing techniques to support President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign, the New York Times and London's Observer reported on Saturday (March 18)

Whistleblower Christopher Wylie, who helped set up data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica, said on Tuesday (March 20) that he believed the company had developed techniques capable of having an impact on elections. × Speaking at a press club event in London, Wylie said he regretted working for the firm and apologised for what he described as his "incredibly fundamental role" in setting up the company. Cambridge Analytica harvested private information from more than 50 million Facebook users in developing techniques to support President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign, the New York Times and London's Observer reported on Saturday (March 18). The firm's chief executive Alexander Nix was suspended after a secretly recorded video emerged in which he said that his UK-based political consultancy's online campaign played a decisive role in Trump's victory. Wylie said working with Nix felt liberating as it enabled him to work freely on his research about predicting political behaviour using psychometric data. But he said the environment at the company soon became "toxic". Facebook's shares fell for a second day, closing down 2.5 percent to $168.15, as investors worried that its dealings with Cambridge Analytica might damage its reputation, deter advertisers and invite restrictive regulation. The company has lost $60 billion of its stock market value over the last two days. U.S. and European lawmakers have demanded an explanation of how Cambridge Analytica gained access to user data in 2014 and why Facebook failed to inform its users, raising broader industry questions about consumer privacy.

Whistleblower apologises for role in Cambridge Analytica, says company can impact elections

Britain&#39;s foreign minister stepped up London&#39;s criticism of Moscow on Monday over a nerve agent attack on a former Russian double agent in England, calling Russian denials of responsibility &quot;increasingly absurd&quot;.

Boris Johnson, who was due to brief fellow European Union ministers in Brussels later on Monday, also won renewed support from the bloc, though diplomats cautioned there was no immediate prospect of fresh economic sanctions on Russia over the attack.

&quot;The Russian denial is increasingly absurd,&quot; Johnson told reporters as he arrived for the regular monthly meeting, which came a day after Vladimir Putin was re-elected for another six-year term as Russia&#39;s president.

&quot;This is a classic Russian strategy ... They&#39;re not fooling anybody anymore,&quot; Johnson said.

&quot;There is scarcely a country around the table here in Brussels that has not been affected in recent years by some kind of malign or disruptive Russian behaviour,&quot; he added.

Russia denies any involvement in the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, in what was the first known offensive use of nerve gas in Europe since World War Two.

Moscow announced on Saturday the expulsion of 23 British diplomats in a tit-for-tat response to Britain&#39;s decision last week to expel the same number of Russian diplomats from London.

On Sunday Johnson accused Russia of stockpiling the deadly Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok used to poison the Skripals, a charge Moscow denies. They were found unconscious on a bench in the English city of Salisbury on March 4 and remain in a critical condition in hospital.

On arrival at the Brussels meeting on Monday, Germany&#39;s new foreign minister, Heiko Maas, expressed his support for Britain. All 28 EU foreign ministers are expected to issue a joint statement on the attack later on Monday.

While there is no prospect of further sanctions on Russia being agreed on Monday, British Prime Minister Theresa May will have an opportunity to present her case for any such measures at an EU summit on Thursday, or call for others to expel diplomats.

&quot;We need to put pressure on Russia to take part in a real enquiry about the attack,&quot; Belgium&#39;s Foreign Minister Didier Reynders told reporters.

"This is a classic Russian strategy ... They're not fooling anybody anymore," Johnson said

Britain's foreign minister stepped up London's criticism of Moscow on Monday over a nerve agent attack on a former Russian double agent in England, calling Russian denials of responsibility "increasingly absurd". Boris Johnson, who was due to brief fellow European Union ministers in Brussels later on Monday, also won renewed support from the bloc, though diplomats cautioned there was no immediate prospect of fresh economic sanctions on Russia over the attack. "The Russian denial is increasingly absurd," Johnson told reporters as he arrived for the regular monthly meeting, which came a day after Vladimir Putin was re-elected for another six-year term as Russia's president. "This is a classic Russian strategy ... They're not fooling anybody anymore," Johnson said. "There is scarcely a country around the table here in Brussels that has not been affected in recent years by some kind of malign or disruptive Russian behaviour," he added. Russia denies any involvement in the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, in what was the first known offensive use of nerve gas in Europe since World War Two. Moscow announced on Saturday the expulsion of 23 British diplomats in a tit-for-tat response to Britain's decision last week to expel the same number of Russian diplomats from London. On Sunday Johnson accused Russia of stockpiling the deadly Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok used to poison the Skripals, a charge Moscow denies. They were found unconscious on a bench in the English city of Salisbury on March 4 and remain in a critical condition in hospital. On arrival at the Brussels meeting on Monday, Germany's new foreign minister, Heiko Maas, expressed his support for Britain. All 28 EU foreign ministers are expected to issue a joint statement on the attack later on Monday. While there is no prospect of further sanctions on Russia being agreed on Monday, British Prime Minister Theresa May will have an opportunity to present her case for any such measures at an EU summit on Thursday, or call for others to expel diplomats. "We need to put pressure on Russia to take part in a real enquiry about the attack," Belgium's Foreign Minister Didier Reynders told reporters.

Russian denials of British attack 'increasingly absurd': Johnson

Russia expelled 23 British diplomats on Saturday in a carefully calibrated retaliatory move against London, which has accused the Kremlin of orchestrating a nerve toxin attack on a former Russian double agent and his daughter in southern England.

Escalating a crisis in relations, Russia said it was also shutting down the activities of the British Council, which fosters cultural links between the two countries, and Britain&#39;s consulate-general in St. Petersburg.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was giving the 23 British diplomats one week to leave the country.

The move, which was tougher than expected, followed Britain&#39;s decision on Thursday to expel 23 Russian diplomats over the attack in the English city of Salisbury which left former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, critically ill in hospital.

Moscow announced the measures on the eve of a presidential election which incumbent Vladimir Putin should comfortably win. Putin has cast his country as a fortress besieged by hostile Western powers with him as its defender, and state media is likely to portray the anti-British move in that context.

The Foreign Ministry said Moscow&#39;s measures were a response to what it called Britain&#39;s &quot;provocative actions and groundless accusations&quot;. It warned London it stood ready to take further measures in the event of more &quot;unfriendly steps&quot;.

Relations between London and Moscow have crashed to a post-Cold War low over the Salisbury attack, the first known offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since World War Two.

The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the British ambassador, Laurie Bristow, to a meeting on Saturday morning in central Moscow at its Stalin-era headquarters during which he was informed of the retaliatory measures.

Bristow told reporters afterwards that Britain had only expelled the Russian diplomats after Moscow had failed to explain how the nerve toxin had got to Salisbury.

&quot;We will always do what is necessary to defend ourselves,&quot; the ambassador told reporters.

Britain&#39;s foreign ministry said it had anticipated Russia&#39;s response and the National Security Council would meet early next week to consider next steps.

&quot;Our priority today is looking after our staff in Russia and assisting those that will return to the UK,&quot; it said in a statement.

&quot;Russia&rsquo;s response doesn&rsquo;t change the facts of the matter - the attempted assassination of two people on British soil, for which there is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian State was culpable.&quot;

War of words

Russia&#39;s response was more robust than expected. The closure of the British Council&#39;s Moscow office will sever cultural ties, while that of the consulate-general in St Petersburg will end Britain&#39;s diplomatic presence in Russia&#39;s second city.

Russian news agencies cited politicians in Russia&#39;s upper house of parliament as welcoming the move to close the British Council, alleging it had been used as a cover by British spies.

British lawmaker Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said the move to close the organisation&#39;s office would hurt the Russian people.

&quot;It&rsquo;s a great shame for the Russian people that they&rsquo;re closing the British Council which has done an awful lot to educate Russian people in the English language and to help them get jobs and opportunities around the world,&quot; he told the BBC.

Amid calls from British politicians across the spectrum to take further action against Russia, former British ambassador to Russia, Sir Roderic Lyne, told the BBC that Britain should avoid getting dragged into a prolonged show down with Russia.

&quot;I don&rsquo;t think it would be sensible to get dragged down into a mud wrestling battle with a gorilla,&quot; Lyne said.

Russia has complained that Britain has failed to provide any evidence of its involvement in the Salisbury attack and has said it is shocked and bemused by the allegations.

Britain has escalated a war of words with Russia over the incident in recent days. On Friday, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said it was overwhelmingly likely that Russian President Vladimir Putin himself had made the decision to use a military-grade nerve toxin to strike down Skripal.

Britain, the United States, Germany and France have jointly called on Russia to explain the attack, while U.S. President Donald Trump has said it looks as if the Russians were behind it.

Russia has said is open to cooperation with Britain, but has refused Britain&#39;s demands to explain how Novichok, a nerve agent developed by the Soviet military, was used against the Skripals.

Skripal, a former colonel in the GRU who betrayed dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence, and his daughter have been critically ill since March 4, when they were found unconscious on a bench.

A British policeman was also poisoned when he went to help them and remains in a serious but stable condition.

Russian investigators said on Friday they had opened a criminal investigation into the attempted murder of Yulia Skripal and offered to cooperate with British authorities.

Russia offered some cooperation to British authorities after the 2006 London murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko too.

Britain said the assistance in that case was not enough, and in 2016, a judge-led inquiry concluded that Putin had probably approved Litvinenko&#39;s murder, something Moscow denies.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was giving the 23 British diplomats one week to leave the country.

Russia expelled 23 British diplomats on Saturday in a carefully calibrated retaliatory move against London, which has accused the Kremlin of orchestrating a nerve toxin attack on a former Russian double agent and his daughter in southern England. Escalating a crisis in relations, Russia said it was also shutting down the activities of the British Council, which fosters cultural links between the two countries, and Britain's consulate-general in St. Petersburg. The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was giving the 23 British diplomats one week to leave the country. The move, which was tougher than expected, followed Britain's decision on Thursday to expel 23 Russian diplomats over the attack in the English city of Salisbury which left former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, critically ill in hospital. Moscow announced the measures on the eve of a presidential election which incumbent Vladimir Putin should comfortably win. Putin has cast his country as a fortress besieged by hostile Western powers with him as its defender, and state media is likely to portray the anti-British move in that context. The Foreign Ministry said Moscow's measures were a response to what it called Britain's "provocative actions and groundless accusations". It warned London it stood ready to take further measures in the event of more "unfriendly steps". Relations between London and Moscow have crashed to a post-Cold War low over the Salisbury attack, the first known offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since World War Two. The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the British ambassador, Laurie Bristow, to a meeting on Saturday morning in central Moscow at its Stalin-era headquarters during which he was informed of the retaliatory measures. Bristow told reporters afterwards that Britain had only expelled the Russian diplomats after Moscow had failed to explain how the nerve toxin had got to Salisbury. "We will always do what is necessary to defend ourselves," the ambassador told reporters. Britain's foreign ministry said it had anticipated Russia's response and the National Security Council would meet early next week to consider next steps. "Our priority today is looking after our staff in Russia and assisting those that will return to the UK," it said in a statement. "Russia’s response doesn’t change the facts of the matter - the attempted assassination of two people on British soil, for which there is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian State was culpable." War of words Russia's response was more robust than expected. The closure of the British Council's Moscow office will sever cultural ties, while that of the consulate-general in St Petersburg will end Britain's diplomatic presence in Russia's second city. Russian news agencies cited politicians in Russia's upper house of parliament as welcoming the move to close the British Council, alleging it had been used as a cover by British spies. British lawmaker Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said the move to close the organisation's office would hurt the Russian people. "It’s a great shame for the Russian people that they’re closing the British Council which has done an awful lot to educate Russian people in the English language and to help them get jobs and opportunities around the world," he told the BBC. Amid calls from British politicians across the spectrum to take further action against Russia, former British ambassador to Russia, Sir Roderic Lyne, told the BBC that Britain should avoid getting dragged into a prolonged show down with Russia. "I don’t think it would be sensible to get dragged down into a mud wrestling battle with a gorilla," Lyne said. Russia has complained that Britain has failed to provide any evidence of its involvement in the Salisbury attack and has said it is shocked and bemused by the allegations. Britain has escalated a war of words with Russia over the incident in recent days. On Friday, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said it was overwhelmingly likely that Russian President Vladimir Putin himself had made the decision to use a military-grade nerve toxin to strike down Skripal. Britain, the United States, Germany and France have jointly called on Russia to explain the attack, while U.S. President Donald Trump has said it looks as if the Russians were behind it. Russia has said is open to cooperation with Britain, but has refused Britain's demands to explain how Novichok, a nerve agent developed by the Soviet military, was used against the Skripals. Skripal, a former colonel in the GRU who betrayed dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence, and his daughter have been critically ill since March 4, when they were found unconscious on a bench. A British policeman was also poisoned when he went to help them and remains in a serious but stable condition. Russian investigators said on Friday they had opened a criminal investigation into the attempted murder of Yulia Skripal and offered to cooperate with British authorities. Russia offered some cooperation to British authorities after the 2006 London murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko too. Britain said the assistance in that case was not enough, and in 2016, a judge-led inquiry concluded that Putin had probably approved Litvinenko's murder, something Moscow denies.

Russia expels 23 British diplomats as crisis over nerve toxin attack deepens

British police launched a murder probe on Friday into the death of Russian exile Nikolai Glushkov in London, after a post-mortem found he died from &quot;compression to the neck&quot;.

&quot;A murder investigation has been launched following the results of a post-mortem into the death of 68-year-old Russian businessman Nikolay Glushkov,&quot; London`s Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

The retired Russian executive was found dead at his home in southwest London on Monday evening.

&quot;A special post mortem began on Thursday, 15 March and we received the pathologist report today (Friday, 16 March), which gave the cause of death as compression to the neck,&quot; police said.

Glushkov had received political asylum in Britain after being jailed in Russia for money laundering and fraud.&nbsp;

He was linked to late Kremlin opponent Boris Berezovsky, an oligarch who was found hanged in his home outside London in 2013.&nbsp;

Police said the force`s Counter Terrorism Command would continue to lead the investigation into Glushkov`s death, &quot;because of the associations Mr Glushkov is believed to have had&quot;.

The British murder probe was launched shortly after Russia`s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, announced its own investigation into the death of Glushkov.

The murder is not believed to be linked to the nerve agent attack of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, southwestern England, on March 4.

Both Britain and Russia have launched their own investigations into the poisoning, which has led to an ongoing diplomatic crisis.&nbsp;

The retired Russian executive, Nikolai Glushkov, was found dead at his home in southwest London on Monday evening

British police launched a murder probe on Friday into the death of Russian exile Nikolai Glushkov in London, after a post-mortem found he died from "compression to the neck". "A murder investigation has been launched following the results of a post-mortem into the death of 68-year-old Russian businessman Nikolay Glushkov," London`s Metropolitan Police said in a statement. The retired Russian executive was found dead at his home in southwest London on Monday evening. "A special post mortem began on Thursday, 15 March and we received the pathologist report today (Friday, 16 March), which gave the cause of death as compression to the neck," police said. Glushkov had received political asylum in Britain after being jailed in Russia for money laundering and fraud. He was linked to late Kremlin opponent Boris Berezovsky, an oligarch who was found hanged in his home outside London in 2013. Police said the force`s Counter Terrorism Command would continue to lead the investigation into Glushkov`s death, "because of the associations Mr Glushkov is believed to have had". The British murder probe was launched shortly after Russia`s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, announced its own investigation into the death of Glushkov. The murder is not believed to be linked to the nerve agent attack of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, southwestern England, on March 4. Both Britain and Russia have launched their own investigations into the poisoning, which has led to an ongoing diplomatic crisis.

UK launches murder probe into Russian exile' s death

Speaking of some of the most expensive property markets in the world, London would certainly figure right at the top of the list. The city has always been a hot favourite for investors and buyers of properties.&nbsp;

Data suggests more and more Indians are now choosing London while buying property. Developers are also leaving no stone unturned while catering to the demands of their customers, quite literally!

According to a WION report, a newly constructed apartment in London&#39;s Kensington area was designed to be vastu compliant to adhere to the traditional Hindu system of architecture. The multi-million pound flat has three bedrooms and is completely vastu compliant.&nbsp;

The vastu-compliant, multi-million pound flat is a brainchild of property developers, One Point Six. &nbsp;

&ldquo;One key requirement that many Indian buyers have when they are buying a London property is that it is vastu compliant and really that audience is not properly catered to in London, so that really was the impetus behind having some of that capability in this apartment,&ldquo; Caroline Takla, Property Developer, One Point Six told WION.&nbsp;

The property is listed at a whopping 4.75 million pounds, although the makers argue that the price to be &quot;actually near the market price.&rdquo;

The team hopes to take up more vastu-compliant projects in the future.&nbsp;

Kensington and Chelsea emerge as the most expensive regions for properties in London. Apartments here can cost up to 4-5 million pounds to foreign investors.&nbsp;

The vastu-compliant property is listed at a whopping 4.75 million pounds

Speaking of some of the most expensive property markets in the world, London would certainly figure right at the top of the list. The city has always been a hot favourite for investors and buyers of properties. Data suggests more and more Indians are now choosing London while buying property. Developers are also leaving no stone unturned while catering to the demands of their customers, quite literally! According to a WION report, a newly constructed apartment in London's Kensington area was designed to be vastu compliant to adhere to the traditional Hindu system of architecture. The multi-million pound flat has three bedrooms and is completely vastu compliant. The vastu-compliant, multi-million pound flat is a brainchild of property developers, One Point Six. “One key requirement that many Indian buyers have when they are buying a London property is that it is vastu compliant and really that audience is not properly catered to in London, so that really was the impetus behind having some of that capability in this apartment,“ Caroline Takla, Property Developer, One Point Six told WION. The property is listed at a whopping 4.75 million pounds, although the makers argue that the price to be "actually near the market price.” The team hopes to take up more vastu-compliant projects in the future. Kensington and Chelsea emerge as the most expensive regions for properties in London. Apartments here can cost up to 4-5 million pounds to foreign investors.

Watch: How Vastu is changing London's real estate

Indian professionals have stepped up their fight against what they characterise as hostile immigration policies of the UK government and joined forces with migrants from other countries for a major protest outside the UK Parliament in London this week.

The Highly Skilled Migrants group, which represents nearly 1,000 doctors, engineers, IT professionals and teachers from countries outside the European Union (EU), will bring together migrants from South Asia and Africa for one of its biggest protests so far on Wednesday.

The professionals and their families, mainly from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria, will protest against UK Home Office delays and unjustified refusals related to their applications for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in Britain.

More and more people are joining in as it becomes clear they are being denied the right to live and work in the UK on no valid grounds, said Aditi Bhardwaj, one of the organisers of the group which held its first protest outside Downing Street last month.

The professionals, who entered the UK on Tier 1 (General) visa years ago, are entitled to apply for ILR or permanent residency status after five years of lawful residency in the UK.

While the visa category used by numerous software professionals from India among others was discontinued in 2010, former applicants are eligible to apply for residency in Britain until April this year if they meet the necessary requirements.

However, the Highly Skilled Migrants group claims to be aware of hundreds of cases where these applications are either held up in lengthy delays or refused on grounds of a section of the UK Immigration Act which is aimed at criminals and tax evaders.

Skilled migrants with excellent educational and professional skills are being refused ILR and being referred to as a threat to the country just because they might have filled their tax late or had to maybe amend their taxes, which is permitted by law, said Bhardwaj.

Her group has gathered nearly 22,500 signatures on an online petition on change.org, titled Stop creating hostile environment for immigrants[TM], addressed to British Prime Minister Theresa May, UK home secretary Amber Rudd and Opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Those immigrants who were mainly on a highly skilled programme in the UK, working in respectable industries and positions are going through almost inhumane conditions, the petition reads.

We want the UK Visas and Immigration, UKVI,&nbsp;to start processing the applications within the service standard times at the least &quot; which is six months, notes the petition, to be handed over to British MPs during a meeting the group has been invited for in the House of Commons complex on March 6.

British Sikh MP Tan Dhesi and Pakistani-origin British MP Afzal Khan are among the parliamentarians who have been supporting their cause.

Indeed, there are delays affecting applicants for virtually every kind of visas, and the handling of such matters by the Home Office is a cause of great concern for myself and many parliamentarians, said Dhesi, who is also a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Visas and Immigration.

The Highly Skilled Migrants group, formed as a result of various social media interactions, had raised 25,000 pounds through private donations and is now working on launching a crowd-funding initiative to be able to sustain any legal challenge that may be required against the UK Home Office.

The Home Office claims it is committed to resolving all visa applications as quickly as possible and that significant numbers of Tier 1 applicants have reported different figures to them and the UK tax department (HMRC) in order to alter their tax liabilities or meet the requirements of the immigration rules, or both.

It is vital that the correct decisions are made, particularly with complex Tier 1 applications that require detailed consideration and verification of evidence with HMRC. These robust checks are essential to avoid the potential abuse of our immigration or tax system. Where such abuse is identified, we will act accordingly, a Home Office spokesperson said.

The government claims that where there has been clear evidence that applicants have lied on their visa forms, the courts have upheld refusal decisions in most cases when these decisions are challenged.

Indian professionals have stepped up their fight against what they characterise as hostile immigration policies of the UK government and joined forces with migrants from other countries for a major protest outside the UK Parliament in London this week

Indian professionals have stepped up their fight against what they characterise as hostile immigration policies of the UK government and joined forces with migrants from other countries for a major protest outside the UK Parliament in London this week. The Highly Skilled Migrants group, which represents nearly 1,000 doctors, engineers, IT professionals and teachers from countries outside the European Union (EU), will bring together migrants from South Asia and Africa for one of its biggest protests so far on Wednesday. The professionals and their families, mainly from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria, will protest against UK Home Office delays and unjustified refusals related to their applications for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in Britain. More and more people are joining in as it becomes clear they are being denied the right to live and work in the UK on no valid grounds, said Aditi Bhardwaj, one of the organisers of the group which held its first protest outside Downing Street last month. The professionals, who entered the UK on Tier 1 (General) visa years ago, are entitled to apply for ILR or permanent residency status after five years of lawful residency in the UK. While the visa category used by numerous software professionals from India among others was discontinued in 2010, former applicants are eligible to apply for residency in Britain until April this year if they meet the necessary requirements. However, the Highly Skilled Migrants group claims to be aware of hundreds of cases where these applications are either held up in lengthy delays or refused on grounds of a section of the UK Immigration Act which is aimed at criminals and tax evaders. Skilled migrants with excellent educational and professional skills are being refused ILR and being referred to as a threat to the country just because they might have filled their tax late or had to maybe amend their taxes, which is permitted by law, said Bhardwaj. Her group has gathered nearly 22,500 signatures on an online petition on change.org, titled Stop creating hostile environment for immigrants[TM], addressed to British Prime Minister Theresa May, UK home secretary Amber Rudd and Opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn. Those immigrants who were mainly on a highly skilled programme in the UK, working in respectable industries and positions are going through almost inhumane conditions, the petition reads. We want the UK Visas and Immigration, UKVI, to start processing the applications within the service standard times at the least " which is six months, notes the petition, to be handed over to British MPs during a meeting the group has been invited for in the House of Commons complex on March 6. British Sikh MP Tan Dhesi and Pakistani-origin British MP Afzal Khan are among the parliamentarians who have been supporting their cause. Indeed, there are delays affecting applicants for virtually every kind of visas, and the handling of such matters by the Home Office is a cause of great concern for myself and many parliamentarians, said Dhesi, who is also a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Visas and Immigration. The Highly Skilled Migrants group, formed as a result of various social media interactions, had raised 25,000 pounds through private donations and is now working on launching a crowd-funding initiative to be able to sustain any legal challenge that may be required against the UK Home Office. The Home Office claims it is committed to resolving all visa applications as quickly as possible and that significant numbers of Tier 1 applicants have reported different figures to them and the UK tax department (HMRC) in order to alter their tax liabilities or meet the requirements of the immigration rules, or both. It is vital that the correct decisions are made, particularly with complex Tier 1 applications that require detailed consideration and verification of evidence with HMRC. These robust checks are essential to avoid the potential abuse of our immigration or tax system. Where such abuse is identified, we will act accordingly, a Home Office spokesperson said. The government claims that where there has been clear evidence that applicants have lied on their visa forms, the courts have upheld refusal decisions in most cases when these decisions are challenged.

Highly-skilled Indian professionals step up UK protests

Two vehicles collided on the airfield at London&#39;s Heathrow Airport on Wednesday. According to reports, a man lost his life in the accident that happened at Europe&#39;s biggest hub.&nbsp;

The local police reported few people to have sustained injuries. &quot;One male is believed to have sustained a broken shoulder; his injuries are not life-threatening or life-changing,&quot; the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.&nbsp;

&quot;Another male, aged in his 40s, was taken to a west London hospital with serious injuries. He has since died.&quot;&nbsp;

Some passengers were asked to deboard due to the incident. Aiport authorities stated their utmost cooperation with the police to facilitate further investigation.

The airport was not closed as a result of the accident.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The airport was not closed as a result of the accident

Two vehicles collided on the airfield at London's Heathrow Airport on Wednesday. According to reports, a man lost his life in the accident that happened at Europe's biggest hub. The local police reported few people to have sustained injuries. "One male is believed to have sustained a broken shoulder; his injuries are not life-threatening or life-changing," the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. "Another male, aged in his 40s, was taken to a west London hospital with serious injuries. He has since died." Some passengers were asked to deboard due to the incident. Aiport authorities stated their utmost cooperation with the police to facilitate further investigation. The airport was not closed as a result of the accident. (With inputs from Reuters)

London: Vehicles collide at Heathrow Airport, man dies 

Clashes erupted outside the Indian High Commission in London on Friday evening as Lord Nazir Ahmed, a pro-Pakistan peer in the House of Lords attempted to hold a &quot;black day&quot; protest, which was vehemently countered by many Indian and British groups.

The Pakistan-backed &#39;black day&#39; campaign, which coincides with India&#39;s Republic Day and took place outside the Indian High Commission in the heart of Central London, aimed at highlighting the &quot;oppression in India&quot;.

Hundreds of demonstrators led by Lord Nazir called for independence for Kashmir as well for Khalistan. They were met by an equal number of counter-protesters and soon scuffles broke out, leading to police intervention.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> Clashes erupted outside Indian High Commission in London as British Lord Nazir called for Azad Kashmir on India&#39;s Republic Day <a href="https://t.co/IJQb3XajIu">pic.twitter.com/IJQb3XajIu</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/956952581607120896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The counter-protesters questioned Lord Nazir on how he was making a mockery of the British system by openly playing Pakistan&#39;s game.

Lord Nazir is a highly controversial figure with a string of scandals, including a conviction for dangerous driving and being ousted from the Labour Party for his anti-Semitic views as well as his perceived sympathy towards radical Islamists.

&nbsp;

Hundreds of demonstrators led by Lord Nazir called for independence for Kashmir as well for Khalistan

Clashes erupted outside the Indian High Commission in London on Friday evening as Lord Nazir Ahmed, a pro-Pakistan peer in the House of Lords attempted to hold a "black day" protest, which was vehemently countered by many Indian and British groups. The Pakistan-backed 'black day' campaign, which coincides with India's Republic Day and took place outside the Indian High Commission in the heart of Central London, aimed at highlighting the "oppression in India". Hundreds of demonstrators led by Lord Nazir called for independence for Kashmir as well for Khalistan. They were met by an equal number of counter-protesters and soon scuffles broke out, leading to police intervention. #WATCH Clashes erupted outside Indian High Commission in London as British Lord Nazir called for Azad Kashmir on India's Republic Day pic.twitter.com/IJQb3XajIu — ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2018 × The counter-protesters questioned Lord Nazir on how he was making a mockery of the British system by openly playing Pakistan's game. Lord Nazir is a highly controversial figure with a string of scandals, including a conviction for dangerous driving and being ousted from the Labour Party for his anti-Semitic views as well as his perceived sympathy towards radical Islamists.

Anti-India, pro-India groups scuffle outside High Commission in London

All flights to and from London&rsquo;s City Airport were cancelled on Monday after an unexploded World War Two bomb was discovered in the River Thames at George V Dock, the airport said.

Police said that the ordnance was found during pre-planned work at the airport early on Sunday, and set up a 214-metre exclusion zone around the device that evening.&nbsp; A spokesman said the device remains under water and is likely to be removed on Monday night.

The Royal Navy and Metropolitan Police are working together to remove the device after it was found at about 5am on Sunday.

The airport was closed at 10pm and will remain shut throughout Monday, reports said.&nbsp;

&ldquo;All flights in and out of London City on Monday are cancelled and an exclusion zone is in place in the immediate area,&rdquo; said Robert Sinclair, CEO of London City Airport, the city&rsquo;s fifth biggest and most central airport.

&ldquo;The airport is cooperating fully with the Met Police and Royal Navy and working hard to safely remove the device and resolve the situation as quickly as possible,&rdquo; he said in a statement.

The Metropolitan Police said that properties within the exclusion zone had been evacuated, and that a number of road cordons were in place.

Police said that the ordinance was found during pre-planned work at the airport early on Sunday, and set up a 214-metre exclusion zone around the device that evening

All flights to and from London’s City Airport were cancelled on Monday after an unexploded World War Two bomb was discovered in the River Thames at George V Dock, the airport said. Police said that the ordnance was found during pre-planned work at the airport early on Sunday, and set up a 214-metre exclusion zone around the device that evening. A spokesman said the device remains under water and is likely to be removed on Monday night. The Royal Navy and Metropolitan Police are working together to remove the device after it was found at about 5am on Sunday. The airport was closed at 10pm and will remain shut throughout Monday, reports said. “All flights in and out of London City on Monday are cancelled and an exclusion zone is in place in the immediate area,” said Robert Sinclair, CEO of London City Airport, the city’s fifth biggest and most central airport. “The airport is cooperating fully with the Met Police and Royal Navy and working hard to safely remove the device and resolve the situation as quickly as possible,” he said in a statement. The Metropolitan Police said that properties within the exclusion zone had been evacuated, and that a number of road cordons were in place.

London City Airport shut after WW2 bomb found in Thames

As the Cape Town city is at the edge of becoming a first modern city to run out of the water, India&#39;s It hub and Karnataka&#39;s Bengaluru is also facing similar circumstances.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/as-cape-town-drought-bites-residents-prepare-for-day-zero-32350">As Cape Town drought bites, residents prepare for &#39;Day Zero&#39;</a>

India&#39;s IT hub, Bengaluru has been listed&nbsp;at number two in the list carrying cities name that would soon run out of the water.

Surprisingly the city that was also in the list was London; despite the recent heavy rains in January.

In 2017 many reports claimed that Bengaluru faced the worst drought in past 40 years in 2017.

Water in the Bengaluru city comes from&nbsp;number of sources and 80% of that supply is fulfilled by Cauvery river; &nbsp;report says that the place where Cauvery river originates has gone dry.

Other two main sources Krishna Sagar Dam and the Arkavathi has also gone dry.

According to reports as the sewage system need an urgent which leads to the loss of over half of the drinking water to waste.

Some of the cause of water shortage is the sewage system of the city which needs urgent expand.

Though the city is known for its lakes and rivers and not a single river is suitable to use for drinking or bathing purpose.

The number of healthy existing lakes has been reducing to 17 which used to be 51 in 1985.

The city that is at number one is Brazil&#39;s capital, Sao Paulo.&nbsp;

According to reports in 2017 about 850 cities of Brazil are suffering from water scarcity including Sao Paulo which is also in the list of most polluted cities in the world.

Beijing who is also suffering from pollution problem was at number three in the list.

Two-thirds of the water supply comes from groundwater, one third from surface water. Average rainfall has substantially declined since the 1950s. Furthermore, one of the two main rivers supplying the city, the Yongding River, had to be abandoned as a source of drinking water because of pollution.&nbsp;

The full list of cities that would soon run out of the water.

1. Sao Paulo, Brazil 
2. Banglore, India 
3. Beijing, China 
4. Cairo, Egypt 
5. Jakarta, Indonesia 
6. Moscow, Russia 
7. Istanbul, Turkey 
8. Mexico, United States 
9. &nbsp;London, United Kingdom 
10. Tokyo, Japan 
11. Miami, United States

South Africa&#39;s Cape Town has been hit by a severe drought&nbsp;due to climate change and is heading towards <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/drought-forces-some-cape-town-residents-into-midnight-queues-for-water-32064">&#39;day zero</a>&#39;, the day when the water in the dams reaches 13.5 per cent of the capacity which currently three-quarter empty, which probably will fall in April.

&nbsp;

Bengaluru has been listed at number two in the list carrying name of eleven cities that would soon run out of the water

As the Cape Town city is at the edge of becoming a first modern city to run out of the water, India's It hub and Karnataka's Bengaluru is also facing similar circumstances. Also read: As Cape Town drought bites, residents prepare for 'Day Zero' India's IT hub, Bengaluru has been listed at number two in the list carrying cities name that would soon run out of the water. Surprisingly the city that was also in the list was London; despite the recent heavy rains in January. In 2017 many reports claimed that Bengaluru faced the worst drought in past 40 years in 2017. Water in the Bengaluru city comes from number of sources and 80% of that supply is fulfilled by Cauvery river; report says that the place where Cauvery river originates has gone dry. Other two main sources Krishna Sagar Dam and the Arkavathi has also gone dry. According to reports as the sewage system need an urgent which leads to the loss of over half of the drinking water to waste. Some of the cause of water shortage is the sewage system of the city which needs urgent expand. Though the city is known for its lakes and rivers and not a single river is suitable to use for drinking or bathing purpose. The number of healthy existing lakes has been reducing to 17 which used to be 51 in 1985. The city that is at number one is Brazil's capital, Sao Paulo. According to reports in 2017 about 850 cities of Brazil are suffering from water scarcity including Sao Paulo which is also in the list of most polluted cities in the world. Beijing who is also suffering from pollution problem was at number three in the list. Two-thirds of the water supply comes from groundwater, one third from surface water. Average rainfall has substantially declined since the 1950s. Furthermore, one of the two main rivers supplying the city, the Yongding River, had to be abandoned as a source of drinking water because of pollution. The full list of cities that would soon run out of the water. 1. Sao Paulo, Brazil 2. Banglore, India 3. Beijing, China 4. Cairo, Egypt 5. Jakarta, Indonesia 6. Moscow, Russia 7. Istanbul, Turkey 8. Mexico, United States 9. London, United Kingdom 10. Tokyo, Japan 11. Miami, United States South Africa's Cape Town has been hit by a severe drought due to climate change and is heading towards 'day zero', the day when the water in the dams reaches 13.5 per cent of the capacity which currently three-quarter empty, which probably will fall in April.

Bengaluru, London, Tokyo among cities that would soon run out of water!

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