The draft Brexit deal between Britain and the European Union was made possible by a breakthrough over the Irish border, but it could still prove the issue that unravels the agreement.

Both sides agreed last year to keep open Britain's land border with EU member Ireland no matter what happens but were stuck for months on how this could be achieved.

The end goal is to agree to a wide-ranging trade deal that removes the need for frontier checks on goods crossing between British Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

London hopes to secure this during a transition period planned to run from Brexit day on March 29, 2019, to December 31, 2020, in which Britain's relationship with the EU remains mostly the same.

But it has agreed that after then, a "backstop" arrangement would come into effect that keeps the border open unless and until the trade deal is struck.

Many commentators believe the backstop could become the basis of future EU-UK ties, which is why it has been subject to such intense scrutiny.

Why is this an issue?

After Britain leaves the European Union, the Irish border will become an external EU frontier.

Britain wants to leave the bloc's customs union and the single market, meaning checks would be required on people and products crossing from one territory to the other.

But both London and Brussels have pledged to avoid any physical infrastructure, or "hard border".

Many fear it could upset the delicate peace process that ended decades of violence between Protestant supporters of British rule over the province, and Irish Catholics nationalists, who believe in a united Ireland.

Residents and businesses on both sides of the now largely invisible 300-mile (500-kilometre) frontier also emphasise the importance of maintaining the free flow of trade and passenger traffic.

Is there a security risk?

British and Irish army checkpoints along the border were removed after the 1998 Good Friday peace accords, which largely ended three decades of conflict in Northern Ireland in which around 3,500 people were killed.

During "The Troubles" the border was a flashpoint for attacks and a lucrative smuggling route that helped fund paramilitaries.

Police have warned that any new infrastructure along the border could become a target for paramilitary activity by dissident militants who have not signed up to the peace deal.

What did the two sides propose?

The EU's proposed backstop envisaged keeping Northern Ireland in elements of the bloc's single market and customs union, meaning it would have to accept EU rules on quality standards and apply EU tariffs.

British Prime Minister Theresa May and the Northern Irish party that supports her government, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), said this was unacceptable.

They argued it would effectively carve off Northern Ireland from the rest of the country and create a border in the Irish Sea.

The British mainland accounts for 58 per cent of Northern Ireland's sales outside the province, nearly four times the value of exports to Ireland in 2016.

May proposed instead a temporary customs arrangement between the EU and the whole of Britain, including Northern Ireland.

What have they agreed?

The text has not yet been published but reports suggest both London and Brussels have given ground.

The EU has reportedly accepted the UK-wide customs backstop, but the deal includes provisions for Northern Ireland to stay more closely aligned with the bloc.

This could mean that some checks will be needed on goods transiting between Northern Ireland and the rest of Britain.

In return, Britain has agreed to a "level playing field" with the EU on state aid, competition, environmental and workers' rights, to ensure its businesses do not undercut those from the rest of the bloc.

The deal also includes some kind of review mechanism, although it reportedly falls short of Britain's early demands for either a time-limit on the arrangement or a unilateral right to leave it.

What has been the reaction?

European states will be scrutinising the draft text carefully for any signs that the backstop undermines the bloc's cherished single market.

In London, the DUP has warned it will not accept a situation where Northern Ireland follows trade rules set by the EU, nor one that places new barriers to mainland Britain.

Eurosceptic members of May's Conservative party also fear they will be trapped in a customs union with the EU for years after Brexit, unable to make their own trade rules.

&nbsp;

The draft Brexit deal between Britain and the European Union was made possible by a breakthrough over the Irish border, but it could still prove the issue that unravels the agreement.

The draft Brexit deal between Britain and the European Union was made possible by a breakthrough over the Irish border, but it could still prove the issue that unravels the agreement. Both sides agreed last year to keep open Britain's land border with EU member Ireland no matter what happens but were stuck for months on how this could be achieved. The end goal is to agree to a wide-ranging trade deal that removes the need for frontier checks on goods crossing between British Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. London hopes to secure this during a transition period planned to run from Brexit day on March 29, 2019, to December 31, 2020, in which Britain's relationship with the EU remains mostly the same. But it has agreed that after then, a "backstop" arrangement would come into effect that keeps the border open unless and until the trade deal is struck. Many commentators believe the backstop could become the basis of future EU-UK ties, which is why it has been subject to such intense scrutiny. Why is this an issue? After Britain leaves the European Union, the Irish border will become an external EU frontier. Britain wants to leave the bloc's customs union and the single market, meaning checks would be required on people and products crossing from one territory to the other. But both London and Brussels have pledged to avoid any physical infrastructure, or "hard border". Many fear it could upset the delicate peace process that ended decades of violence between Protestant supporters of British rule over the province, and Irish Catholics nationalists, who believe in a united Ireland. Residents and businesses on both sides of the now largely invisible 300-mile (500-kilometre) frontier also emphasise the importance of maintaining the free flow of trade and passenger traffic. Is there a security risk? British and Irish army checkpoints along the border were removed after the 1998 Good Friday peace accords, which largely ended three decades of conflict in Northern Ireland in which around 3,500 people were killed. During "The Troubles" the border was a flashpoint for attacks and a lucrative smuggling route that helped fund paramilitaries. Police have warned that any new infrastructure along the border could become a target for paramilitary activity by dissident militants who have not signed up to the peace deal. What did the two sides propose? The EU's proposed backstop envisaged keeping Northern Ireland in elements of the bloc's single market and customs union, meaning it would have to accept EU rules on quality standards and apply EU tariffs. British Prime Minister Theresa May and the Northern Irish party that supports her government, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), said this was unacceptable. They argued it would effectively carve off Northern Ireland from the rest of the country and create a border in the Irish Sea. The British mainland accounts for 58 per cent of Northern Ireland's sales outside the province, nearly four times the value of exports to Ireland in 2016. May proposed instead a temporary customs arrangement between the EU and the whole of Britain, including Northern Ireland. What have they agreed? The text has not yet been published but reports suggest both London and Brussels have given ground. The EU has reportedly accepted the UK-wide customs backstop, but the deal includes provisions for Northern Ireland to stay more closely aligned with the bloc. This could mean that some checks will be needed on goods transiting between Northern Ireland and the rest of Britain. In return, Britain has agreed to a "level playing field" with the EU on state aid, competition, environmental and workers' rights, to ensure its businesses do not undercut those from the rest of the bloc. The deal also includes some kind of review mechanism, although it reportedly falls short of Britain's early demands for either a time-limit on the arrangement or a unilateral right to leave it. What has been the reaction? European states will be scrutinising the draft text carefully for any signs that the backstop undermines the bloc's cherished single market. In London, the DUP has warned it will not accept a situation where Northern Ireland follows trade rules set by the EU, nor one that places new barriers to mainland Britain. Eurosceptic members of May's Conservative party also fear they will be trapped in a customs union with the EU for years after Brexit, unable to make their own trade rules.

Brexit breakthrough: The Irish issue explained

Critics of Theresa May's plans to leave the European Union stepped up the pressure on the prime minister on Sunday, with one former minister saying her cabinet team should exert its authority to force her to change course.

With less than six months before Brexit day and just days before May heads to Brussels for a summit, former Brexit minister David Davis pressed May to abandon her proposal for leaving the European Union, saying the bloc "has rejected it. The public does not like it. Parliament will not vote for it".

The head of a Northern Irish party that props up her government also raised the stakes, saying it was ready to trigger a so-called no deal Brexit to prevent what it called "the annexation" of the British province by the EU.

So far, May has shown little appetite to change tack in her strategy to leave the EU, pressing her plan and trying to persuade lawmakers in her Conservative Party and in opposition Labour to vote for any deal based on it in parliament.

Davis, who resigned his post in July, criticised the government for accepting "the EU's language on dealing with the Northern Ireland border" last December, said it was now up to senior ministers to use their influence.

"This is one of the most fundamental decisions that government has taken in modern times. It is time for cabinet members to exert their collective authority," wrote Davis, who campaigned for Britain to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum.

"This week the authority of our constitution is on the line," he said in an article in the Sunday Times.

Lobbying of May from all sides of the Brexit debate has increased in recent weeks as London and Brussels edge closer to an agreement on a draft withdrawal treaty to cover the divorce terms, a transition period and a solution for Northern Ireland.

Preventing any return of a hard border between the British province and EU member Ireland has become one of the major obstacles to such an agreement, with Brexit campaigners fearful that a non time-limited backstop will keep Britain inside a customs union with the bloc indefinitely.

May insists any customs arrangement as part of the backstop must be temporary, but the EU has refused to set an end date.

TEMPORARY

Health minister Matt Hancock suggested the backstop could be temporary without such a date, an argument that may fall flat for some eurosceptic lawmakers who are calling for May to "chuck Chequers", her Brexit plan named after her country residence.

"There are different ways to ensure that something is time limited. There are different ways of doing that. For instance, you can set conditions at the point at which the arrangements come to an end," he told the BBC.

Even if May reaches agreement with the Brussels on a withdrawal agreement, she will face a struggle to get any deal through parliament and may even find opposition from her Northern Irish partners to other legislation such as the budget.

"I fully appreciate the risks of a 'no deal' but the dangers of a bad deal are worse," Arlene Foster, head of the Democratic Unionist Party, wrote in an article in the Belfast Telegraph.

"This backstop arrangement would not be temporary. It would be the permanent annexation of Northern Ireland away from the rest of the United Kingdom and forever leave us subject to rules made in a place where we have no say."

Eurosceptic lawmakers in her Conservative Party are also concerned about a backstop, fearing it could keep Britain in the EU's sphere of influence possible forever and stop the country from striking new trade deals with the rest of the world.

Davis' words were clearly targeted at several Brexit supporters in May's cabinet of top ministers after there were reports that some were considering their position after being updated on the state of the Brexit talks.

But Iain Duncan Smith, a former Conservative leader and eurosceptic lawmaker, urged caution, saying it was not time to try to bring down the prime minister and replace her with someone else.

Critics of Theresa May's plans to leave the European Union stepped up the pressure on the prime minister on Sunday, with one former minister saying her cabinet team should exert its authority to force her to change course.

Critics of Theresa May's plans to leave the European Union stepped up the pressure on the prime minister on Sunday, with one former minister saying her cabinet team should exert its authority to force her to change course. With less than six months before Brexit day and just days before May heads to Brussels for a summit, former Brexit minister David Davis pressed May to abandon her proposal for leaving the European Union, saying the bloc "has rejected it. The public does not like it. Parliament will not vote for it". The head of a Northern Irish party that props up her government also raised the stakes, saying it was ready to trigger a so-called no deal Brexit to prevent what it called "the annexation" of the British province by the EU. So far, May has shown little appetite to change tack in her strategy to leave the EU, pressing her plan and trying to persuade lawmakers in her Conservative Party and in opposition Labour to vote for any deal based on it in parliament. Davis, who resigned his post in July, criticised the government for accepting "the EU's language on dealing with the Northern Ireland border" last December, said it was now up to senior ministers to use their influence. "This is one of the most fundamental decisions that government has taken in modern times. It is time for cabinet members to exert their collective authority," wrote Davis, who campaigned for Britain to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum. "This week the authority of our constitution is on the line," he said in an article in the Sunday Times. Lobbying of May from all sides of the Brexit debate has increased in recent weeks as London and Brussels edge closer to an agreement on a draft withdrawal treaty to cover the divorce terms, a transition period and a solution for Northern Ireland. Preventing any return of a hard border between the British province and EU member Ireland has become one of the major obstacles to such an agreement, with Brexit campaigners fearful that a non time-limited backstop will keep Britain inside a customs union with the bloc indefinitely. May insists any customs arrangement as part of the backstop must be temporary, but the EU has refused to set an end date. TEMPORARY Health minister Matt Hancock suggested the backstop could be temporary without such a date, an argument that may fall flat for some eurosceptic lawmakers who are calling for May to "chuck Chequers", her Brexit plan named after her country residence. "There are different ways to ensure that something is time limited. There are different ways of doing that. For instance, you can set conditions at the point at which the arrangements come to an end," he told the BBC. Even if May reaches agreement with the Brussels on a withdrawal agreement, she will face a struggle to get any deal through parliament and may even find opposition from her Northern Irish partners to other legislation such as the budget. "I fully appreciate the risks of a 'no deal' but the dangers of a bad deal are worse," Arlene Foster, head of the Democratic Unionist Party, wrote in an article in the Belfast Telegraph. "This backstop arrangement would not be temporary. It would be the permanent annexation of Northern Ireland away from the rest of the United Kingdom and forever leave us subject to rules made in a place where we have no say." Eurosceptic lawmakers in her Conservative Party are also concerned about a backstop, fearing it could keep Britain in the EU's sphere of influence possible forever and stop the country from striking new trade deals with the rest of the world. Davis' words were clearly targeted at several Brexit supporters in May's cabinet of top ministers after there were reports that some were considering their position after being updated on the state of the Brexit talks. But Iain Duncan Smith, a former Conservative leader and eurosceptic lawmaker, urged caution, saying it was not time to try to bring down the prime minister and replace her with someone else.

Former minister calls on UK cabinet to make May change mind on Brexit

Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin said on Saturday that he believed that Moscow and London would be able to restore friendly relations despite the recent major deterioration in bilateral relations.

"All wars end with peace," Naryshkin said in an interview with the Rossiya television channel when asked whether the two countries, which had fought against fascism together, will eventually overcome their differences.

The bilateral relations took a nosedive in March, when the United Kingdom claimed that Russia had orchestrated the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury. Moscow has refuted these allegations, arguing that London had not provided evidence to substantiate its claims.

On Thursday, London said that the Russian military intelligence service GRU was "almost certainly" responsible for a number of cyberattacks on political institutions, media outlets and companies around the world.&nbsp;

Moscow has repeatedly denied all allegations about its involvement in any cyberattacks, with Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova saying that the recent claims were a part of yet another anti-Russia campaign. 
&nbsp;

Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin said on Saturday that he believed that Moscow and London would be able to restore friendly relations despite the recent major deterioration in bilateral relations.

Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin said on Saturday that he believed that Moscow and London would be able to restore friendly relations despite the recent major deterioration in bilateral relations. "All wars end with peace," Naryshkin said in an interview with the Rossiya television channel when asked whether the two countries, which had fought against fascism together, will eventually overcome their differences. The bilateral relations took a nosedive in March, when the United Kingdom claimed that Russia had orchestrated the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury. Moscow has refuted these allegations, arguing that London had not provided evidence to substantiate its claims. On Thursday, London said that the Russian military intelligence service GRU was "almost certainly" responsible for a number of cyberattacks on political institutions, media outlets and companies around the world. Moscow has repeatedly denied all allegations about its involvement in any cyberattacks, with Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova saying that the recent claims were a part of yet another anti-Russia campaign.

All wars end with peace: Russian Foreign Intelligence Service head on Russia, UK relations

At the University of Buckingham, a course has been designed to teach would-be spies about the new global dangers. From January, students can get a Bachelor’s degree in security, intelligence and cyber threats. WION’s Mandy Clark travelled to Buckingham to find out more.&nbsp;

The University of Buckingham has created the first undergraduate degree in understanding international espionage. It’s run by Julian Richards, an expert on Pakistan who spent nearly 20 years working in the intelligence field -- but just don’t call his course a spy school.&nbsp;

"So, first of all, this is not a training programme for people going into the world of espionage. This is about these issues rather than training to do these things. The intelligence agencies train their own spies, we don’t do that here in the Universities, they pick the brightest people that they want and then they train them accordingly,” Richards notes. 
&nbsp; 
The issues covered in the course include modern challenges of terrorism, a possible new Cold War between Russia and the West, and cyber threats.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The goal of this course is to understand modern threats to the modern world. But you don’t have to cast away all thoughts of James Bond and his gadget inventor Q.&nbsp;

“Q is not entirely fictional in a way. Technology is an important part of this whole business, not just in governments but in commercial organisations as well. Things like autonomous technology, biomedical technology, the miniaturisation of surveillance devices, drones are the things we need to think about. We need to think about how they look, how they are going to be used, what are the ethical and legal considerations about these things not, just in governments, but across all sorts of organisations. We are not training people to be Q’s or to be James Bonds but we are equipping them with the consideration of what these things will mean and how we will have to develop strategies and policies to deal with it,” Richards added.&nbsp;

 
What the course doesn’t do is reveal how spies do what they do. That’s a secret, WION's Bureau Chief, London, Mandy Clark reported.&nbsp;

At the University of Buckingham, a course has been designed to teach would-be spies about the new global dangers. From January, students can get a Bachelor’s degree in security, intelligence and cyber threats.

At the University of Buckingham, a course has been designed to teach would-be spies about the new global dangers. From January, students can get a Bachelor’s degree in security, intelligence and cyber threats. WION’s Mandy Clark travelled to Buckingham to find out more. The University of Buckingham has created the first undergraduate degree in understanding international espionage. It’s run by Julian Richards, an expert on Pakistan who spent nearly 20 years working in the intelligence field -- but just don’t call his course a spy school. "So, first of all, this is not a training programme for people going into the world of espionage. This is about these issues rather than training to do these things. The intelligence agencies train their own spies, we don’t do that here in the Universities, they pick the brightest people that they want and then they train them accordingly,” Richards notes. The issues covered in the course include modern challenges of terrorism, a possible new Cold War between Russia and the West, and cyber threats. The goal of this course is to understand modern threats to the modern world. But you don’t have to cast away all thoughts of James Bond and his gadget inventor Q. “Q is not entirely fictional in a way. Technology is an important part of this whole business, not just in governments but in commercial organisations as well. Things like autonomous technology, biomedical technology, the miniaturisation of surveillance devices, drones are the things we need to think about. We need to think about how they look, how they are going to be used, what are the ethical and legal considerations about these things not, just in governments, but across all sorts of organisations. We are not training people to be Q’s or to be James Bonds but we are equipping them with the consideration of what these things will mean and how we will have to develop strategies and policies to deal with it,” Richards added. What the course doesn’t do is reveal how spies do what they do. That’s a secret, WION's Bureau Chief, London, Mandy Clark reported.

UK college offers espionage degree to decode modern threats to world

Britain's Brexit secretary will warn the European Union on Monday that his government's willingness to compromise in divorce talks is "not without limits".

In a speech to his Conservative party conference in Birmingham, central England, Dominic Raab will repeat London's threat to walk away if it cannot get a deal it wants.

"My approach to Brexit is pragmatic, not dogmatic," he will say, according to extracts released by the party.&nbsp;

"But our willingness to compromise is not without limits. We are leaving the European Union in fact, not just in name."

EU leaders have rejected Prime Minister Theresa May's plan for close post-Brexit trade ties, and demanded she rework the ideas before a summit next month.

Both sides are still hoping to reach a deal later this year, ahead of Brexit in March.

Raab said the British plan "manages the risks of Brexit" and "grasps the opportunities", while keeping open the border with Ireland.

"If an attempt is made to lock us in via the back door of the European Economic Area and Customs Union... or if the only offer from the EU threatens the integrity of our union, then we will be left with no choice but to leave without a deal," he will say.

May told the BBC on Sunday that she wanted to hear more detail about the EU objections.

"My mood is to listen to what the EU have to say about their concerns and to sit down and talk them through with them," she said.

Britain's Brexit secretary will warn the European Union on Monday that his government's willingness to compromise in divorce talks is "not without limits". In a speech to his Conservative party conference in Birmingham, central England, Dominic Raab will repeat London's threat to walk away if it cannot get a deal it wants.

Britain's Brexit secretary will warn the European Union on Monday that his government's willingness to compromise in divorce talks is "not without limits". In a speech to his Conservative party conference in Birmingham, central England, Dominic Raab will repeat London's threat to walk away if it cannot get a deal it wants. "My approach to Brexit is pragmatic, not dogmatic," he will say, according to extracts released by the party. "But our willingness to compromise is not without limits. We are leaving the European Union in fact, not just in name." EU leaders have rejected Prime Minister Theresa May's plan for close post-Brexit trade ties, and demanded she rework the ideas before a summit next month. Both sides are still hoping to reach a deal later this year, ahead of Brexit in March. Raab said the British plan "manages the risks of Brexit" and "grasps the opportunities", while keeping open the border with Ireland. "If an attempt is made to lock us in via the back door of the European Economic Area and Customs Union... or if the only offer from the EU threatens the integrity of our union, then we will be left with no choice but to leave without a deal," he will say. May told the BBC on Sunday that she wanted to hear more detail about the EU objections. "My mood is to listen to what the EU have to say about their concerns and to sit down and talk them through with them," she said.

UK warns of limits to Brexit compromises

A massive fire reportedly broke out at Cottingley Towers in Leeds in the United Kingdom on Monday morning.&nbsp;

The fire broke out at the upper floors with smoke pluming out of the high-rise buildings. The cause of the fire is unknown.

Firefighters have been immediately appointed at the scene, as per reports. Police and ambulances are currently at the scene.

Buses are being diverted from the area as emergency services attend to the incident, reports say.&nbsp;

It is unknown if there have been any casualties yet. Further information is awaited. &nbsp;

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Cottingley Towers - fire brigade there. <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCLeeds?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BBCLeeds</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCLookNorth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BBCLookNorth</a> <a href="https://t.co/SbNgmFGljv">pic.twitter.com/SbNgmFGljv</a>
— Duncan (@Duncan_Leeds) <a href="https://twitter.com/Duncan_Leeds/status/1046699354675978241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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— Adam davison (@adamdartdavison) <a href="https://twitter.com/adamdartdavison/status/1046699130591105024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

A massive fire reportedly broke out at Cottingley Towers in Leeds in the United Kingdom on Monday morning. The fire broke out at the upper floors with smoke pluming out of the high-rise buildings.

A massive fire reportedly broke out at Cottingley Towers in Leeds in the United Kingdom on Monday morning. The fire broke out at the upper floors with smoke pluming out of the high-rise buildings. The cause of the fire is unknown. Firefighters have been immediately appointed at the scene, as per reports. Police and ambulances are currently at the scene. Buses are being diverted from the area as emergency services attend to the incident, reports say. It is unknown if there have been any casualties yet. Further information is awaited. Cottingley Towers - fire brigade there. @BBCLeeds @BBCLookNorth pic.twitter.com/SbNgmFGljv — Duncan (@Duncan_Leeds) October 1, 2018 × @LeedsNews flats on fire in Leeds cottingley pic.twitter.com/9QBIG8Untb — Adam davison (@adamdartdavison) October 1, 2018 ×

UK: Massive fire breaks out at the Cottingley Towers in Leeds

The government has left no stone unturned in convincing a UK court that fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya must be extradited to India, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on Thursday.

"Extradition hearings have been going on. I understand that the closing submissions in the case have already been made. We now wait for the verdict. I can only assure you that we have left no stone unturned in our efforts to convince the courts that the extradition of Vijay Mallya to India should take place," Kumar told reporters in response to a question.

In February 2017, India made a formal request to the UK for extradition of Mallya, who faces charges of financial misconduct amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crore in debt owed to Indian banks by his defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

When asked about the location of fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, who allegedly duped Punjab National Bank to the tune of thousands of crores of rupees, he said the MEA will not be able to provide their location details as it comes into picture only when the agencies concerned inform it about their whereabouts.

Responding to a question on whether the issue of the extradition of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik from Malaysia came up for discussion during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad, Kumar said the interaction between the two leaders was very short.

The meeting happened on May 31 during Modi's visit enroute Singapore and the talks covered a broad overview about the relationship between the two countries.

Modi made a brief stopover in Malaysia to meet the nonagenarian leader, who won polls after trumping Najib Razak, the then Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Kumar added India had sent a request to Malaysia to extradite Naik and it was waiting for a response.

On the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un scheduled for June 12 in Singapore, Kumar said, " India welcomes the proposed meeting and supports the peaceful resolution to the Korean Peninsula problem."

'Extradition hearings have been going on. I understand that the closing submissions in the case have already been made. We now wait for the verdict. I can only assure you that we have left no stone unturned in our efforts to convince the courts that the extradition of Vijay Mallya to India should take place'

The government has left no stone unturned in convincing a UK court that fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya must be extradited to India, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on Thursday. "Extradition hearings have been going on. I understand that the closing submissions in the case have already been made. We now wait for the verdict. I can only assure you that we have left no stone unturned in our efforts to convince the courts that the extradition of Vijay Mallya to India should take place," Kumar told reporters in response to a question. In February 2017, India made a formal request to the UK for extradition of Mallya, who faces charges of financial misconduct amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crore in debt owed to Indian banks by his defunct Kingfisher Airlines. When asked about the location of fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, who allegedly duped Punjab National Bank to the tune of thousands of crores of rupees, he said the MEA will not be able to provide their location details as it comes into picture only when the agencies concerned inform it about their whereabouts. Responding to a question on whether the issue of the extradition of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik from Malaysia came up for discussion during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad, Kumar said the interaction between the two leaders was very short. The meeting happened on May 31 during Modi's visit enroute Singapore and the talks covered a broad overview about the relationship between the two countries. Modi made a brief stopover in Malaysia to meet the nonagenarian leader, who won polls after trumping Najib Razak, the then Prime Minister of Malaysia. Kumar added India had sent a request to Malaysia to extradite Naik and it was waiting for a response. On the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un scheduled for June 12 in Singapore, Kumar said, " India welcomes the proposed meeting and supports the peaceful resolution to the Korean Peninsula problem."

Govt has left no stone unturned in convincing UK court that Mallya should be extradited: MEA

Britain's Prince William visited the England soccer team on Thursday (June 7) ahead of the Three Lions' final World Cup warm-up match.

England face Costa Rica in Leeds on Thursday evening and the Duke of Cambridge - who is also President of the English FA - travelled to Yorkshire's West Riding Football Association to watch the team train.

Among those training was defender Danny Rose, who hit the headlines on Wednesday (June 6) after revealing his recent battle with depression.

Along with his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, and brother Prince Harry, William is spearheading Heads Together - a campaign to end the stigma surrounding mental health.

Britain's Prince William visited the England soccer team ahead of the Three Lions' final World Cup warm-up match

Britain's Prince William visited the England soccer team on Thursday (June 7) ahead of the Three Lions' final World Cup warm-up match. England face Costa Rica in Leeds on Thursday evening and the Duke of Cambridge - who is also President of the English FA - travelled to Yorkshire's West Riding Football Association to watch the team train. Among those training was defender Danny Rose, who hit the headlines on Wednesday (June 6) after revealing his recent battle with depression. Along with his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, and brother Prince Harry, William is spearheading Heads Together - a campaign to end the stigma surrounding mental health.

Watch: Prince William meets England's World Cup squad

India’s largest travelling film festival - Jagran Film Festival, which is in its 9th&nbsp;edition this year,&nbsp;has received movie entries across 116 countries.

The festival has received a total of 3,080 movie entries so far, wherein 967 are from India, 249 from Iran, 243 from the United States, 123 from Spain, 118 from Brazil, 118 from France and 107 from Turkey.&nbsp;

Besides these countries, other participating countries include - Pakistan, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Belgium, Poland, Malaysia and many more.

Scheduled to be inaugurated in New Delhi from&nbsp;June 29th, 2018, the festival invites film entries from filmmakers across several categories.&nbsp;

All the films in the competition sections would be previewed by the pre-selection panels comprising of filmmakers and film critics.&nbsp;

This panel includes names like Shivani Pandey, Sujata Shiven, Vinod Kapoor, Manjula Shirodkar, Sanjay Dattani and Sharad Dutt.

The festival will begin in New Delhi in June this year and will continue to tour in Kanpur, Lucknow, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna, Dehradun, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Bhopal, Indore, Gorakhpur, Agra, Ludhiana, Hissar, Meerut, Raipur before concluding in Mumbai in&nbsp;September 2018.

9th edition Jagran Film Festival has incessantly carried the ‘Cinematic Culture’ from metro cities to smaller cities thereby spreading and promoting the appreciation of the cinematic art at the grass root level.&nbsp;

<img alt="ko.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/ko.jpg" width="770" />

<img alt="Untitled design_4.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/Untitled%20design_4.jpg" width="770" />

<img alt="ju_0.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/ju_0.jpg" width="770" />

The festival has already received a total of 3,080 movie entries from around the world

India’s largest travelling film festival - Jagran Film Festival, which is in its 9th edition this year, has received movie entries across 116 countries. The festival has received a total of 3,080 movie entries so far, wherein 967 are from India, 249 from Iran, 243 from the United States, 123 from Spain, 118 from Brazil, 118 from France and 107 from Turkey. Besides these countries, other participating countries include - Pakistan, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Belgium, Poland, Malaysia and many more. Scheduled to be inaugurated in New Delhi from June 29th, 2018, the festival invites film entries from filmmakers across several categories. All the films in the competition sections would be previewed by the pre-selection panels comprising of filmmakers and film critics. This panel includes names like Shivani Pandey, Sujata Shiven, Vinod Kapoor, Manjula Shirodkar, Sanjay Dattani and Sharad Dutt. The festival will begin in New Delhi in June this year and will continue to tour in Kanpur, Lucknow, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna, Dehradun, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Bhopal, Indore, Gorakhpur, Agra, Ludhiana, Hissar, Meerut, Raipur before concluding in Mumbai in September 2018. 9th edition Jagran Film Festival has incessantly carried the ‘Cinematic Culture’ from metro cities to smaller cities thereby spreading and promoting the appreciation of the cinematic art at the grass root level.

India’s largest travelling film festival, Jagran to kickstart in June this year

British MPs urged the government Monday to clamp down on corrupt Russian money flowing through London, warning that turning a "blind eye" risked undermining its tough approach to Moscow.

Prime Minister Theresa May expelled diplomats and vowed new measures against human rights offenders after a nerve agent attack in Salisbury blamed on Moscow, and has been outspoken in her response to Russian aggression elsewhere.

But in a hard-hitting report, the House of Commons foreign affairs committee said: "President (Vladimir) Putin and his allies have been able to continue 'business as usual' by hiding and laundering their corrupt assets in London."

It called for stronger action against Kremlin-connected individuals and urged Britain to use its role as a financial centre to encourage global action to tighten loopholes in the existing sanctions regime.

"There is no excuse for the UK to turn a blind eye as President Putin's kleptocrats and human rights abusers use money laundered through London to corrupt our friends, weaken our alliances, and erode faith in our institutions," said committee chairman Tom Tugenhadt.&nbsp

He added: "The UK must be clear that the corruption stemming from the Kremlin is no longer welcome in our markets and we will act.&nbsp

"We must be united in our efforts to match rhetoric with action -- in the City, through government policy and among allies in the US, G7 and EU."

Outlining the "mixed messages" coming from Britain, the report noted last year's flotation on the London Stock Exchange of the Kremlin-linked En+ Group, aided by sanctioned banks VTB Capital and Gazprombank.

It also cited the sale of Russian sovereign debt in London on March 16 this year, two days after the government announced the expulsion of 23 diplomats over the Salisbury attack -- again involving VTB Bank.

Parliament recently agreed to step up action against corruptly-obtained assets, including approving a new Magnitsky law, which allows the government to sanction people for human rights abuses.

Ministers have also committed to a register of who is behind overseas companies that own property in Britain, although the MPs expressed regret that the move had been delayed.

Parliament recently agreed to step up action against corruptly-obtained assets

British MPs urged the government Monday to clamp down on corrupt Russian money flowing through London, warning that turning a "blind eye" risked undermining its tough approach to Moscow. Prime Minister Theresa May expelled diplomats and vowed new measures against human rights offenders after a nerve agent attack in Salisbury blamed on Moscow, and has been outspoken in her response to Russian aggression elsewhere. But in a hard-hitting report, the House of Commons foreign affairs committee said: "President (Vladimir) Putin and his allies have been able to continue 'business as usual' by hiding and laundering their corrupt assets in London." It called for stronger action against Kremlin-connected individuals and urged Britain to use its role as a financial centre to encourage global action to tighten loopholes in the existing sanctions regime. "There is no excuse for the UK to turn a blind eye as President Putin's kleptocrats and human rights abusers use money laundered through London to corrupt our friends, weaken our alliances, and erode faith in our institutions," said committee chairman Tom Tugenhadt. He added: "The UK must be clear that the corruption stemming from the Kremlin is no longer welcome in our markets and we will act. "We must be united in our efforts to match rhetoric with action -- in the City, through government policy and among allies in the US, G7 and EU." Outlining the "mixed messages" coming from Britain, the report noted last year's flotation on the London Stock Exchange of the Kremlin-linked En+ Group, aided by sanctioned banks VTB Capital and Gazprombank. It also cited the sale of Russian sovereign debt in London on March 16 this year, two days after the government announced the expulsion of 23 diplomats over the Salisbury attack -- again involving VTB Bank. Parliament recently agreed to step up action against corruptly-obtained assets, including approving a new Magnitsky law, which allows the government to sanction people for human rights abuses. Ministers have also committed to a register of who is behind overseas companies that own property in Britain, although the MPs expressed regret that the move had been delayed.

Britain turning 'blind eye' to corrupt Russian cash: MPs

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, to travel to offshore locations in United Kingdom, Germany and Spain with certain conditions, including that he would not open or close a bank account abroad.

Karti, who has been facing probe in various corruption cases, was allowed to go abroad from May 19 to 27 by a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra.

The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said "he (Karti) shall not open or close any overseas bank account" and not enter into any property transaction abroad.&nbsp

It asked Karti to furnish an undertaking before it, saying he would follow the conditions and apprise it about the flight details and date of arrival back to India.

The court also made it clear that its permission to Karti to travel abroad should not be used in any court of law for grant of statutory and regular bail in any other offence.

The bench told Karti that he would cooperate in investigation and hand over passport to investigation agency, that is the Enforcement Directorate, on return.

Karti, who has been facing probe in various corruption cases, was allowed to go abroad from May 19 to 27 by a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra.

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, to travel to offshore locations in United Kingdom, Germany and Spain with certain conditions, including that he would not open or close a bank account abroad. Karti, who has been facing probe in various corruption cases, was allowed to go abroad from May 19 to 27 by a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra. The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said "he (Karti) shall not open or close any overseas bank account" and not enter into any property transaction abroad. It asked Karti to furnish an undertaking before it, saying he would follow the conditions and apprise it about the flight details and date of arrival back to India. The court also made it clear that its permission to Karti to travel abroad should not be used in any court of law for grant of statutory and regular bail in any other offence. The bench told Karti that he would cooperate in investigation and hand over passport to investigation agency, that is the Enforcement Directorate, on return.

Supreme Court allows Karti Chidambaram to travel abroad

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

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

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

Opinion: Why Britishers have favourable attitude towards Indian immigrants

By:&nbsp;Damir Kurtagic*

What was the rationale behind the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in Salisbury?

In an amusing, yet undiplomatic tweet following the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, the Russian Embassy in London valorised the temperature of Russia-UK relations at-23, referencing the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats from Britain.

Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were poisoned with a nerve agent on March 4 and found unconscious on a public bench in Salisbury, UK.

Bilateral relations between Russia and the UK have certainly reached a new nadir and, more significantly, the poisoning caused a wider rift in diplomatic relations between Russia and the United States, along with its allies more than 150 Russian diplomats from two dozen countries were expelled.

While unified in their condemnation of Russian state leadership for this act, the perceived rationale for the attack generally takes on two different forms — both of which do not make much sense from a Russian perspective.

First, the assassination attempt served to solidify the margin of electoral support ahead of the Russian presidential elections, which took place on March 18.

Second, the attack was meant to send out a message that traitors do not go unpunished. However, these motives are difficult to uphold, and it is also hard to justify Russian President Vladimir Putin’s involvement from a geopolitical viewpoint. These considerations should have caused the United Kingdom and its allies to reserve judgment until all evidence was collected.

Electoral support

Regarding the first rationale, it has been widely considered that Russian leadership was trying to provoke a response from its citizens. The argument goes that the attack was meant to ensure a strong counter-reaction to the expulsion of its diplomats, which would then translate into an uptick in national pride and greater support for Putin at the elections.

The difficulty with this argument is the timing of the assassination attempt. According to Professor Gerd Mangott of the University of Innsbruck, “The poisoning of Skripal could not have in any way influenced voting behavior and turnout, as it was too close to the elections.” Indeed, the elections were certainly in the spotlight, but at no point in time did its outcome — another landslide victory on Putin’s resume — come into question.

A message to traitors

The second rationale is that the attack served as a strong message to those in the Russian military intelligence community who contemplate turning their back on the state. The community — and especially Putin as a former KGB agent — has a strong disdain for those that reveal Russian military and intelligence secrets to enemies.

With that being said, it seems that Russia could have chosen a more opportune moment for messaging, perhaps at a much earlier point in time.

Skripal had been living on British soil for eight and a half years prior to the attack and previously served prison time in Russia for treason. Russia could have chosen a less risky approach to punish Skripal rather than endangering UK residents.

The history of Russian assassination attempts in Britain reveals that using nerve agents such as the Novichok used on Skripal and his daughter is not in the spirit of the Russian modus operandi.

Moreover, there are a lot of “firsts” involving the poisoning, and none of them bode well for Russia: first nerve gas attack on European soil after World War II first time collaterals were involved and the first time that not only the target but the broader public were exposed to danger.

Most of all, the case of Skripal is baffling for strategic considerations. Relations between Russia and the United States along with its allies have been strained ever since Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The Russian strategy has been to split Western unity through the support of domestic political options favoring closer engagement with Russia (anti-establishment and populist) and influencing votes, as seen with the Brexit referendum and the 2016 US presidential election.

The failure of this assassination attempt not only affects relations with the United Kingdom but the entire Western alliance. Russians were aware that a chemical nerve agent attack on British soil would have forced the UK to take a hardball stance, and it seems more likely that the Russians would have held off on potentially aggravating its adversaries over further undercover activities and alienating itself in the process.

What is most clear at the moment is the imprudent diplomatic reactions on both sides following the poisoning. While the United Kingdom levied attacks on Putin based on international law, it decided to circumvent the involvement of the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in early stages and have an independent specialist analyse the blood sample under article 9 of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The Russians, on the other hand, did nothing to offer support and compassion, but jumped right into counter-accusations, lending no credibility to their case either.

At the end of the day, this incident will not reflect favorably on cooperation between Russia and the Western bloc for the foreseeable future.

*Damir Kurtagic is a Europe fellow at Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP). He is a Brussels-based scholar and has previously worked with the European Economic and Social Committee, the UN Development Program in Bosnia & Herzegovina, and the UNIDO headquarters in Vienna, Austria.&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/">Fair Observer</a>. Read the original&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/europe/russia-news-sergei-skripal-poisoning-salisbury-34909/">article</a>.)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

What was the rationale behind the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in Salisbury?

By: Damir Kurtagic* What was the rationale behind the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in Salisbury? In an amusing, yet undiplomatic tweet following the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, the Russian Embassy in London valorised the temperature of Russia-UK relations at-23, referencing the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats from Britain. Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were poisoned with a nerve agent on March 4 and found unconscious on a public bench in Salisbury, UK. Bilateral relations between Russia and the UK have certainly reached a new nadir and, more significantly, the poisoning caused a wider rift in diplomatic relations between Russia and the United States, along with its allies more than 150 Russian diplomats from two dozen countries were expelled. While unified in their condemnation of Russian state leadership for this act, the perceived rationale for the attack generally takes on two different forms — both of which do not make much sense from a Russian perspective. First, the assassination attempt served to solidify the margin of electoral support ahead of the Russian presidential elections, which took place on March 18. Second, the attack was meant to send out a message that traitors do not go unpunished. However, these motives are difficult to uphold, and it is also hard to justify Russian President Vladimir Putin’s involvement from a geopolitical viewpoint. These considerations should have caused the United Kingdom and its allies to reserve judgment until all evidence was collected. Electoral support Regarding the first rationale, it has been widely considered that Russian leadership was trying to provoke a response from its citizens. The argument goes that the attack was meant to ensure a strong counter-reaction to the expulsion of its diplomats, which would then translate into an uptick in national pride and greater support for Putin at the elections. The difficulty with this argument is the timing of the assassination attempt. According to Professor Gerd Mangott of the University of Innsbruck, “The poisoning of Skripal could not have in any way influenced voting behavior and turnout, as it was too close to the elections.” Indeed, the elections were certainly in the spotlight, but at no point in time did its outcome — another landslide victory on Putin’s resume — come into question. A message to traitors The second rationale is that the attack served as a strong message to those in the Russian military intelligence community who contemplate turning their back on the state. The community — and especially Putin as a former KGB agent — has a strong disdain for those that reveal Russian military and intelligence secrets to enemies. With that being said, it seems that Russia could have chosen a more opportune moment for messaging, perhaps at a much earlier point in time. Skripal had been living on British soil for eight and a half years prior to the attack and previously served prison time in Russia for treason. Russia could have chosen a less risky approach to punish Skripal rather than endangering UK residents. The history of Russian assassination attempts in Britain reveals that using nerve agents such as the Novichok used on Skripal and his daughter is not in the spirit of the Russian modus operandi. Moreover, there are a lot of “firsts” involving the poisoning, and none of them bode well for Russia: first nerve gas attack on European soil after World War II first time collaterals were involved and the first time that not only the target but the broader public were exposed to danger. Most of all, the case of Skripal is baffling for strategic considerations. Relations between Russia and the United States along with its allies have been strained ever since Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. The Russian strategy has been to split Western unity through the support of domestic political options favoring closer engagement with Russia (anti-establishment and populist) and influencing votes, as seen with the Brexit referendum and the 2016 US presidential election. The failure of this assassination attempt not only affects relations with the United Kingdom but the entire Western alliance. Russians were aware that a chemical nerve agent attack on British soil would have forced the UK to take a hardball stance, and it seems more likely that the Russians would have held off on potentially aggravating its adversaries over further undercover activities and alienating itself in the process. What is most clear at the moment is the imprudent diplomatic reactions on both sides following the poisoning. While the United Kingdom levied attacks on Putin based on international law, it decided to circumvent the involvement of the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in early stages and have an independent specialist analyse the blood sample under article 9 of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Russians, on the other hand, did nothing to offer support and compassion, but jumped right into counter-accusations, lending no credibility to their case either. At the end of the day, this incident will not reflect favorably on cooperation between Russia and the Western bloc for the foreseeable future. *Damir Kurtagic is a Europe fellow at Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP). He is a Brussels-based scholar and has previously worked with the European Economic and Social Committee, the UN Development Program in Bosnia & Herzegovina, and the UNIDO headquarters in Vienna, Austria. (This article was originally published on Fair Observer. Read the original article.) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: The curious case of Sergei Skripal

An Indian official who worked at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London has won an employment tribunal claim that he was unlawfully forced out of his job and is entitled to thousands of pounds in damages.

Ram Venuprasad had brought the case against Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland for unfairly disciplining him over leaks of information to the media, which he denied responsibility for.

The 45-year-old's lawyers had argued that the former deputy head of office at the Secretariat had been "marked out" by Scotland after he raised concerns over her decision to spend 50,000 pounds on a garden party shortly after she had taken office in 2016.

The specially-convened employment tribunal concluded that Venuprasad was unlawfully forced out of his job and the disciplinary processes used against the former senior civil servant were "seriously flawed", The Times reported.

The ruling from the tribunal, held at the Secretariat headquarters in Marlborough House in London, came soon after the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) concluded on April 20.

"Despite receiving the judgment last week, I did not want to speak publicly until the conclusion of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London," Venuprasad told the newspaper.

The Indian citizen who has lived in Britain for 20 years hopes to find work at another international organisation but had been told by head-hunters that the case would hinder his chances.

Venuprasad's legal team told the tribunal that when media reports highlighted Scotland's alleged "extravagant and overzealous spending", the civil servant was blamed for the leak and suffered a campaign of "intimidation and hostility", which he said was "designed to damage his reputation and damage him psychologically".

The civil servant, who joined the Secretariat in 2001, said the tipping point came when Scotland, 62, organised a major meeting for staff and caused a stir by telling the meeting that no one outside of the organisation had ever heard of her predecessor, Kamalesh Sharma, the former Indian high commissioner to the UK.

"That really did not go down well," Venuprasad recalls, claiming that Scotland – a former UK Attorney-General – appeared to suggest that she was a big name who was going to raise the profile of the Secretariat.

"I spoke to her directly and frankly about her comments. I told her that I thought her criticisms were very unfair as (Sharma) was not there to defend himself. I saw it as a question of common courtesy. And she did not like that," he claims.

The employment tribunal, chaired by David Goddard, concluded that Venuprasad's suspension was a "breach of the secretariat's obligations" under its employment contract and is now set to take submissions regarding the amount of compensation to be awarded.

The panel also criticised Scotland for not giving evidence. Failing to do so "overlooks the Secretariat's responsibility to assist the tribunal to reach an informed decision, and the real risk of adverse inferences being drawn," it noted.

Disciplinary action was brought against Venuprasad in July 2016, when it was alleged that he was "disaffected" and had leaked information to the media, which he continues to deny.

"We are reviewing the tribunal's judgment and will consider our next steps," a Commonwealth Secretariat spokesperson said.

Ram Venuprasad had brought the case against Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland for unfairly disciplining him over leaks of information to the media, which he denied responsibility for

An Indian official who worked at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London has won an employment tribunal claim that he was unlawfully forced out of his job and is entitled to thousands of pounds in damages. Ram Venuprasad had brought the case against Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland for unfairly disciplining him over leaks of information to the media, which he denied responsibility for. The 45-year-old's lawyers had argued that the former deputy head of office at the Secretariat had been "marked out" by Scotland after he raised concerns over her decision to spend 50,000 pounds on a garden party shortly after she had taken office in 2016. The specially-convened employment tribunal concluded that Venuprasad was unlawfully forced out of his job and the disciplinary processes used against the former senior civil servant were "seriously flawed", The Times reported. The ruling from the tribunal, held at the Secretariat headquarters in Marlborough House in London, came soon after the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) concluded on April 20. "Despite receiving the judgment last week, I did not want to speak publicly until the conclusion of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London," Venuprasad told the newspaper. The Indian citizen who has lived in Britain for 20 years hopes to find work at another international organisation but had been told by head-hunters that the case would hinder his chances. Venuprasad's legal team told the tribunal that when media reports highlighted Scotland's alleged "extravagant and overzealous spending", the civil servant was blamed for the leak and suffered a campaign of "intimidation and hostility", which he said was "designed to damage his reputation and damage him psychologically". The civil servant, who joined the Secretariat in 2001, said the tipping point came when Scotland, 62, organised a major meeting for staff and caused a stir by telling the meeting that no one outside of the organisation had ever heard of her predecessor, Kamalesh Sharma, the former Indian high commissioner to the UK. "That really did not go down well," Venuprasad recalls, claiming that Scotland – a former UK Attorney-General – appeared to suggest that she was a big name who was going to raise the profile of the Secretariat. "I spoke to her directly and frankly about her comments. I told her that I thought her criticisms were very unfair as (Sharma) was not there to defend himself. I saw it as a question of common courtesy. And she did not like that," he claims. The employment tribunal, chaired by David Goddard, concluded that Venuprasad's suspension was a "breach of the secretariat's obligations" under its employment contract and is now set to take submissions regarding the amount of compensation to be awarded. The panel also criticised Scotland for not giving evidence. Failing to do so "overlooks the Secretariat's responsibility to assist the tribunal to reach an informed decision, and the real risk of adverse inferences being drawn," it noted. Disciplinary action was brought against Venuprasad in July 2016, when it was alleged that he was "disaffected" and had leaked information to the media, which he continues to deny. "We are reviewing the tribunal's judgment and will consider our next steps," a Commonwealth Secretariat spokesperson said.

Indian Commonwealth official wins unfair dismissal case in UK

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

Britain's Prince Philip, the 96-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth, was admitted to hospital and will have surgery on his hip on Wednesday, Buckingham Palace said.

"His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London this afternoon, for planned surgery on his hip which will take place tomorrow," a spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

Philip, whose title is the Duke of Edinburgh, retired from public life last August although he said he would still attend some events.

Last June, he spent two days in hospital as a precautionary measure for the treatment of an infection and he pulled out of another event in March because of ill health, according to British newspaper reports.

He did not attend an annual service attended by the monarch on Thursday because of a hip problem, a royal source said last week. 
&nbsp;

Philip, whose title is the Duke of Edinburgh, retired from public life last August although he said he would still attend some events

Britain's Prince Philip, the 96-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth, was admitted to hospital and will have surgery on his hip on Wednesday, Buckingham Palace said. "His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London this afternoon, for planned surgery on his hip which will take place tomorrow," a spokeswoman said on Tuesday. Philip, whose title is the Duke of Edinburgh, retired from public life last August although he said he would still attend some events. Last June, he spent two days in hospital as a precautionary measure for the treatment of an infection and he pulled out of another event in March because of ill health, according to British newspaper reports. He did not attend an annual service attended by the monarch on Thursday because of a hip problem, a royal source said last week.

Britain's Prince Philip, 96, admitted to hospital: Official

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

&nbsp;Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leadership has distanced itself from the recently launched Free Karachi campaign in the United States.

&quot;The meeting also unanimously informed hereby that the Movement and its founder and leader Hussain has nothing to do with the recently surfaced &quot;#FreeKarachi&quot; campaign&quot;, the MQM said in a statement.

The decision was taken in a meeting of its senior leaders held at the MQM International Secretariat here.

The meeting was attended by seniors from Pakistan, United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Belgium, South Africa and other countries.

It deliberated on issues relating to Pakistan, international and MQM organisational matters.

The statement comes after taxis lined up with #FreeKarachi banners to participate in the Dr Martin Luther King Day parade earlier this week in Washington and similar demonstrations were held in New York.&nbsp;​​​​​​​

The meeting was attended by seniors from Pakistan, United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Belgium, South Africa and other countries. It deliberated on issues relating to Pakistan, international and MQM organisational matters

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leadership has distanced itself from the recently launched Free Karachi campaign in the United States. "The meeting also unanimously informed hereby that the Movement and its founder and leader Hussain has nothing to do with the recently surfaced "#FreeKarachi" campaign", the MQM said in a statement. The decision was taken in a meeting of its senior leaders held at the MQM International Secretariat here. The meeting was attended by seniors from Pakistan, United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Belgium, South Africa and other countries. It deliberated on issues relating to Pakistan, international and MQM organisational matters. The statement comes after taxis lined up with #FreeKarachi banners to participate in the Dr Martin Luther King Day parade earlier this week in Washington and similar demonstrations were held in New York.

MQM distances itself from #FreeKrachi campaign

Britain signed deals worth more than 9.3 billion pounds ($13.26 billion) creating over 2,500 jobs across the United Kingdom during Prime Minister Theresa May&#39;s visit to China this week, the British government said on Friday.

&quot;The agreements signed this week, valued at more than 9 billion pounds, demonstrate a clear demand for British goods and services,&quot; International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said in the statement.

&quot;As an international economic department, we will continue to develop this valuable relationship, which already benefits British companies to the tune of 59 billion pounds in trade each year.&quot;

The figure is expected to rise as more agreements are signed, the statement added, representing commercial signings, market access agreements and future contract commitments within different sectors.

More than 1 billion pounds of deals and market access, and 890 jobs, were secured for Britain&#39;s financial services industry, it said.

May ended her three-day visit to China in the country&#39;s commercial capital Shanghai on Friday.

Britain is trying to reinvent itself as a global trading nation after a 2016 referendum decision to leave the European Union, but Brexit has unnerved Beijing, even as London hopes to sign a free trade deal with the world&#39;s second-largest economy.

Still, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told May on Wednesday that China&#39;s relations with Britain will remain unchanged through Brexit.

May ended her three-day visit to China in the country's commercial capital Shanghai on Friday.

Britain signed deals worth more than 9.3 billion pounds ($13.26 billion) creating over 2,500 jobs across the United Kingdom during Prime Minister Theresa May's visit to China this week, the British government said on Friday. "The agreements signed this week, valued at more than 9 billion pounds, demonstrate a clear demand for British goods and services," International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said in the statement. "As an international economic department, we will continue to develop this valuable relationship, which already benefits British companies to the tune of 59 billion pounds in trade each year." The figure is expected to rise as more agreements are signed, the statement added, representing commercial signings, market access agreements and future contract commitments within different sectors. More than 1 billion pounds of deals and market access, and 890 jobs, were secured for Britain's financial services industry, it said. May ended her three-day visit to China in the country's commercial capital Shanghai on Friday. Britain is trying to reinvent itself as a global trading nation after a 2016 referendum decision to leave the European Union, but Brexit has unnerved Beijing, even as London hopes to sign a free trade deal with the world's second-largest economy. Still, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told May on Wednesday that China's relations with Britain will remain unchanged through Brexit.

UK signs over 9 billion pounds in deals during PM's China trip

India has been ranked sixth in the list of wealthiest countries with a total wealth of $8,230 billion, while the United States topped the chart, says a report.

According to a report by New World Wealth, the United States is the wealthiest country in the world as the total wealth held in 2017 amounted to $64,584 billion, followed by China at the second place with &nbsp;$24,803 billion and Japan with $19,522 billion at third.

Total wealth refers to the private wealth held by all the individuals living in each country/city. It includes all their assets (property, cash, equities, business interests) less any liabilities. The report, however, excludes government funds from its figures.

Others in the list include United Kingdom (4th, $9,919 billion), Germany (5th, $9,660 billion), France (7th, $6,649 billion), Canada (8th, $6,393 billion), Australia (9th, $6,142 billion) and Italy (10th, $4,276 billion).

The report further noted that India was the best-performing wealth market globally in 2017 as its total wealth swelled from $6,584 billion in 2016 to $8,230 billion in 2017, registering a 25 per cent growth. 
Meanwhile, during the period under consideration, China&#39;s wealth saw an increase of 22 per cent and global wealth rose by 12 per cent (from $192 trillion at the end of 2016 to $215 trillion at the end of 2017).

Over the past decade (2007-2017) India&#39;s total wealth increased from $3,165 billion in 2007 to $8,230 billion in 2017, a jump of 160 per cent.

The report further noted that India is home to 3,30,400 HNWIs (individuals with $1 million or more in net assets).

Globally, India was ranked 9th in this aspect while US topped the list with 50,47,400 HNWIs (high-net-worth individuals). India is also home to 20,730 multi-millionaires, 7th largest in the world. &nbsp;And in terms of resident billionaires, India with 119 such individuals was named among the top three countries globally, after the US and China.

A billionaire is defined as an individual with $1 billion or more in net assets.

&quot;In general, it was a good year for all W10 (wealthiest 10) markets, thanks to strong global stock market gains - the MSCI world index was up 23 per cent and the Dow Jones (DJIA) was up 26 per cent during the year (in USD terms),&quot; the report said, adding &quot;wealth held in China, India, USA, Japan and Australia all grew strongly over the past year&quot;.

According to a report by New World Wealth, the United States is the wealthiest country in the world

India has been ranked sixth in the list of wealthiest countries with a total wealth of $8,230 billion, while the United States topped the chart, says a report. According to a report by New World Wealth, the United States is the wealthiest country in the world as the total wealth held in 2017 amounted to $64,584 billion, followed by China at the second place with $24,803 billion and Japan with $19,522 billion at third. Total wealth refers to the private wealth held by all the individuals living in each country/city. It includes all their assets (property, cash, equities, business interests) less any liabilities. The report, however, excludes government funds from its figures. Others in the list include United Kingdom (4th, $9,919 billion), Germany (5th, $9,660 billion), France (7th, $6,649 billion), Canada (8th, $6,393 billion), Australia (9th, $6,142 billion) and Italy (10th, $4,276 billion). The report further noted that India was the best-performing wealth market globally in 2017 as its total wealth swelled from $6,584 billion in 2016 to $8,230 billion in 2017, registering a 25 per cent growth. Meanwhile, during the period under consideration, China's wealth saw an increase of 22 per cent and global wealth rose by 12 per cent (from $192 trillion at the end of 2016 to $215 trillion at the end of 2017). Over the past decade (2007-2017) India's total wealth increased from $3,165 billion in 2007 to $8,230 billion in 2017, a jump of 160 per cent. The report further noted that India is home to 3,30,400 HNWIs (individuals with $1 million or more in net assets). Globally, India was ranked 9th in this aspect while US topped the list with 50,47,400 HNWIs (high-net-worth individuals). India is also home to 20,730 multi-millionaires, 7th largest in the world. And in terms of resident billionaires, India with 119 such individuals was named among the top three countries globally, after the US and China. A billionaire is defined as an individual with $1 billion or more in net assets. "In general, it was a good year for all W10 (wealthiest 10) markets, thanks to strong global stock market gains - the MSCI world index was up 23 per cent and the Dow Jones (DJIA) was up 26 per cent during the year (in USD terms)," the report said, adding "wealth held in China, India, USA, Japan and Australia all grew strongly over the past year".

India ranked sixth wealthiest country with total wealth of $8,230 billion: Report

France&rsquo;s president Emannuel Macron is having a busy week meeting two women: &nbsp;one who is going to sever their relationship and the other, looking to strengthen it. &nbsp;On a cold, blustery day straight out of the windblown scenes of the famous novel, &ldquo;The French Lieutenant&rsquo;s Woman&rsquo;&rsquo;, Monsieur Macron first met with UK PM &nbsp;Theresa May for the 35th Anglo-French Summit in Sandhurst. There were two subjects uppermost on their minds: the plight of refugees in the French town of Calais, which is the French transit point across the English Channel from the UK. And how Brexit will affect the UK-France relationship.

Le Touquet in French means a trivial sum, something of no consequence. But it&rsquo;s also the name of a 2003 agreement between the two countries which allows British officials to screen refugees in Calais &ndash; on French soil, before they can leave for the UK and that is proving to be a big deal. &nbsp;Calais officials are annoyed because the signatories didn&rsquo;t anticipate just how many refugees would arrive in the seaside town, 33 km across the sea from the UK. There were once 10,000 refugees here. The number has dwindled to 700 and yet, officials say that many arrive without papers and formal family reunification requests and &ndash; the numbers are reportedly mounting again.

The youthful Macron swore to amend the agreement and &ndash; the exquisite meal in a Michelin-starred pub that his 61-year-old U.K. counterpart invited him to, may have helped in striking a deal. The UK will offer France 62 million dollars to bolster security at French border controls and the two sides signed a new treaty to complement the agreement too. Ms May, of course, hopes that the gesture will soften Mr Macron towards the UK even after Brexit.

&quot;While this summit takes place as the UK prepares to leave the EU, we are and will remain a steadfast partner to our friends and allies, said Ms May at a joint press conference. &ldquo;And a strong and deep relationship between the United Kingdom and France remains in both of our interests. The president and I agree on the importance of the UK-France relationship, not just to our security but to European security.&quot;

When it came to the subject of Brexit and the EU, &nbsp;not even the finest partridge lunch seems to have helped. Macron was unmoved and continued to play hardball.

&quot;First of all, I&#39;m going to be very clear with you: I am not here to reward or punish, the French President said. &ldquo; I am here to do the utmost to make sure that our mutual interests are defended. But I have one demand and that is that the single market is preserved. It is one of the benefits of the European Union and one of the bases of the European Union. So now the choice in on the British side, it&#39;s not on my side. There cannot be a differentiated access to the single market of which financial services are part.&rdquo;

It was a bittersweet parting. &nbsp;And just like in the famous novel by John Fowles, Monsieur Macron returned to France &ndash; leaving a windblown Ms May gazing across the channel in despair and pondering over their joint future after the formal divorce &ndash; Brexit &ndash; is through.

But the flexible &quot;Mr Plexiglas&quot; - as some of his opponents call him - is already on to something new: a rendezvous with his all-time favourite lady.&nbsp;

Her age is perfect &ndash; she&rsquo;s 64. She is just as powerful as he is, Europeans say even more so. And the stars seem right since she is finally going to give Germany a long-awaited coalition government. Chancellor Angela Merkel will spend an afternoon on the banks of the Seine on Friday to celebrate an even longer alliance: 55 years of fraternit&eacute; with France.

Merkel brings Mr Macron the news he has been waiting for: that five months after Germany&rsquo;s general election, the coalition between her conservatives and the Social Democrats will finally take shape. The two superpowers of the European Union are in synch: Macron is putting tough but necessary reforms in place - of the kind that have propelled Germany&rsquo;s economy back on track. Ms Merkel and Mr Macron will aim at strengthening the Eurozone and aim at closer cooperation over the three issues closest to their hearts: defence, migration and climate change.

But the flexible "Mr Plexiglas" - as some of his opponents call him - is already on to something new: a rendezvous with his all-time favourite lady.

France’s president Emannuel Macron is having a busy week meeting two women: one who is going to sever their relationship and the other, looking to strengthen it. On a cold, blustery day straight out of the windblown scenes of the famous novel, “The French Lieutenant’s Woman’’, Monsieur Macron first met with UK PM Theresa May for the 35th Anglo-French Summit in Sandhurst. There were two subjects uppermost on their minds: the plight of refugees in the French town of Calais, which is the French transit point across the English Channel from the UK. And how Brexit will affect the UK-France relationship. Le Touquet in French means a trivial sum, something of no consequence. But it’s also the name of a 2003 agreement between the two countries which allows British officials to screen refugees in Calais – on French soil, before they can leave for the UK and that is proving to be a big deal. Calais officials are annoyed because the signatories didn’t anticipate just how many refugees would arrive in the seaside town, 33 km across the sea from the UK. There were once 10,000 refugees here. The number has dwindled to 700 and yet, officials say that many arrive without papers and formal family reunification requests and – the numbers are reportedly mounting again. The youthful Macron swore to amend the agreement and – the exquisite meal in a Michelin-starred pub that his 61-year-old U.K. counterpart invited him to, may have helped in striking a deal. The UK will offer France 62 million dollars to bolster security at French border controls and the two sides signed a new treaty to complement the agreement too. Ms May, of course, hopes that the gesture will soften Mr Macron towards the UK even after Brexit. "While this summit takes place as the UK prepares to leave the EU, we are and will remain a steadfast partner to our friends and allies, said Ms May at a joint press conference. “And a strong and deep relationship between the United Kingdom and France remains in both of our interests. The president and I agree on the importance of the UK-France relationship, not just to our security but to European security." When it came to the subject of Brexit and the EU, not even the finest partridge lunch seems to have helped. Macron was unmoved and continued to play hardball. "First of all, I'm going to be very clear with you: I am not here to reward or punish, the French President said. “ I am here to do the utmost to make sure that our mutual interests are defended. But I have one demand and that is that the single market is preserved. It is one of the benefits of the European Union and one of the bases of the European Union. So now the choice in on the British side, it's not on my side. There cannot be a differentiated access to the single market of which financial services are part.” It was a bittersweet parting. And just like in the famous novel by John Fowles, Monsieur Macron returned to France – leaving a windblown Ms May gazing across the channel in despair and pondering over their joint future after the formal divorce – Brexit – is through. But the flexible "Mr Plexiglas" - as some of his opponents call him - is already on to something new: a rendezvous with his all-time favourite lady. Her age is perfect – she’s 64. She is just as powerful as he is, Europeans say even more so. And the stars seem right since she is finally going to give Germany a long-awaited coalition government. Chancellor Angela Merkel will spend an afternoon on the banks of the Seine on Friday to celebrate an even longer alliance: 55 years of fraternité with France. Merkel brings Mr Macron the news he has been waiting for: that five months after Germany’s general election, the coalition between her conservatives and the Social Democrats will finally take shape. The two superpowers of the European Union are in synch: Macron is putting tough but necessary reforms in place - of the kind that have propelled Germany’s economy back on track. Ms Merkel and Mr Macron will aim at strengthening the Eurozone and aim at closer cooperation over the three issues closest to their hearts: defence, migration and climate change.

Emannuel Macron meets Theresa May, Angela Merkel as UK prepares to leave the EU

Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales heard a case of a &quot;sexually obsessed&quot; British Pakistani builder Mujahid Arshid on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old&nbsp;man is allegedly charged with&nbsp;kidnapping, raping and murdering his 21-year-old niece.

After killing the girl he chopped her body and stuffed it into the freezer.

Arshid kidnapped his niece, Celine Dookhran,&nbsp;along with another woman from a property in southwest London on July 19, 2017.

He raped both the women, however, failed to kill the other. She later alerted the police about the gruesome crime.&nbsp;

The police then investigated and found the body of Celina in the freezer.&nbsp;The alleged culprit was also arrested in Folkestone, Kent. The police recovered the keys of the freezer from him.

He was accompanied by another man, Vincent Tappu, in the kidnapping of both the girls.&nbsp;

The 21-year-old victim was born in the UK to a British Indian mother and a Caribbean father. Her mother later married a&nbsp;Pakistani man after separating from her father. The girl was not in good terms with her family because of the choice of her boyfriend. Her stepfather wanted her to be with a Pakistani boy.&nbsp;

Arshid has denied all the charges against him.&nbsp;

A 33 year old man is allegedly charged for kidnapping, raping and murdering his 21-year-old niece. After killing the girl he chopped her body and stuffed it into the freezer.

Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales heard a case of a "sexually obsessed" British Pakistani builder Mujahid Arshid on Wednesday. The 33-year-old man is allegedly charged with kidnapping, raping and murdering his 21-year-old niece. After killing the girl he chopped her body and stuffed it into the freezer. Arshid kidnapped his niece, Celine Dookhran, along with another woman from a property in southwest London on July 19, 2017. He raped both the women, however, failed to kill the other. She later alerted the police about the gruesome crime. The police then investigated and found the body of Celina in the freezer. The alleged culprit was also arrested in Folkestone, Kent. The police recovered the keys of the freezer from him. He was accompanied by another man, Vincent Tappu, in the kidnapping of both the girls. The 21-year-old victim was born in the UK to a British Indian mother and a Caribbean father. Her mother later married a Pakistani man after separating from her father. The girl was not in good terms with her family because of the choice of her boyfriend. Her stepfather wanted her to be with a Pakistani boy. Arshid has denied all the charges against him.

British Pakistani man rapes, kills niece; puts body in freezer

The UK government on Monday said that that it is extending a pilot student visa scheme to 23 more universities under which Indian and other non-EU students will get six months time to find a job after finishing their course. The scheme was introduced last year on a pilot basis in four British varsities &mdash; Oxford, Bath, Cambridge and Imperial College London. Currently, in its second year, the pilot scheme aims to streamline the process for international students looking to study a Master&rsquo;s degree course of 13 months or less in the UK.

It also provides greater support for students who wish to switch to a work visa and take up a graduate role by allowing them to remain in the UK for six months after they have finished their course. Universities taking part in the scheme are given responsibility for eligibility checks, which means that students have to submit fewer documents than required in the current process alongside their visa applications. The additional 23 universities to benefit this scheme include two in Scotland, two in Wales, one in Northern Ireland and others from across England.

Announcing this, Britain&rsquo;s immigration minister Brandon Lewis said, &ldquo;This is a clear indication that genuine students are welcome and there is no limit on the number who can come to study in the UK.&rdquo;

The scheme was introduced last year on a pilot basis in four British varsities ? Oxford, Bath, Cambridge and Imperial College London.

The UK government on Monday said that that it is extending a pilot student visa scheme to 23 more universities under which Indian and other non-EU students will get six months time to find a job after finishing their course. The scheme was introduced last year on a pilot basis in four British varsities — Oxford, Bath, Cambridge and Imperial College London. Currently, in its second year, the pilot scheme aims to streamline the process for international students looking to study a Master’s degree course of 13 months or less in the UK. It also provides greater support for students who wish to switch to a work visa and take up a graduate role by allowing them to remain in the UK for six months after they have finished their course. Universities taking part in the scheme are given responsibility for eligibility checks, which means that students have to submit fewer documents than required in the current process alongside their visa applications. The additional 23 universities to benefit this scheme include two in Scotland, two in Wales, one in Northern Ireland and others from across England. Announcing this, Britain’s immigration minister Brandon Lewis said, “This is a clear indication that genuine students are welcome and there is no limit on the number who can come to study in the UK.”

UK to extend 6-month visa scheme for Indian students to find jobs

British Prime Minister Theresa May was set to avoid a damaging parliamentary defeat after rebels in her party appeared to strike a compromise over the exact timing of Brexit.&nbsp;The government is trying to pass major domestic legislation to implement Brexit and had wanted to enshrine the leaving date of March 29, 2019, in British law, two years after serving its intention to withdraw.&nbsp;

But Conservative rebel MPs, who helped deliver the government a stinging Brexit defeat in parliament on Wednesday, looked set to reject the plan over fears that Britain could crash out of the EU without a deal if talks overrun, heaping further worries on the vulnerable prime minister.

A senior EU official told AFP on Saturday that sealing a final deal by March 2019 was a daunting task, pointing out that the EU trade deal with Canada &quot;is 1,598 pages of legal text, and we have negotiated for nine months and have 19 pages of non-legal text.&quot;

May is therefore under pressure from MPs to avoid a &quot;cliff-edge&quot; divorce that would throw the economy into chaos.&nbsp;But at the same time, she is being pressed by Brexit voters and eurosceptic potential usurpers in her own party to deliver Brexit in March 2019, as stipulated by the EU&#39;s Lisbon Treaty.

As a result, the rebels late Friday backed a new, more conciliatory, amendment to the Brexit bill to avert another House of Commons vote loss for the government.&nbsp;While the original plan to leave in March 2019 will stay in the bill, a new amendment will give ministers the power to delay the date if talks overrun.

&#39;Time to move on&#39;

Tory MP Oliver Letwin, who tabled the new amendment, told the Guardian it would &quot;create a sensible arrangement in which the date for leaving is set&quot; while allowing &quot;a little extra time&quot; to reach a new deal if needed.&nbsp;

Rebel MP Sarah Wollaston backed the compromise, tweeting it was &quot;good to see this amendment&quot;, and attached text saying &quot;we are pleased the government has responded to our concerns and will support&quot;, although May&#39;s office would not confirm that it had officially backed the plan.

Fellow rebel Anna Soubry tweeted it was &quot;time to move on and build a consensus on Brexit&quot;.&nbsp;The two teamed up on Wednesday to help pass an amendment demanding MPs get a &quot;meaningful vote&quot; on the deal before Britain leaves the EU in March 2019.

It was May&#39;s first defeat over the legislation, which will formally end Britain&#39;s membership of the EU, as well as smooth its exit by transferring thousands of pieces of European legislation onto the UK statute books.&nbsp;It came as a body blow to May on the eve of a summit in Brussels, where EU leaders approved the terms of the interim Brexit deal agreed last week after months of tortuous negotiations.

May lost her parliamentary majority during June&#39;s snap election and had to strike a deal with Northern Ireland&#39;s DUP to stay in power.&nbsp;She has since struggled to assert her authority, with rumours swirling of a leadership challenge, but appeared to be on the more solid ground after agreeing to the interim Brexit deal.

But her domestic weakness was laid bare on Wednesday when it took only 11 rebels to defeat the government&#39;s powers to enact a Brexit deal without a parliamentary vote.

Theresa May is under pressure from MPs to avoid a "cliff-edge" divorce that would throw the economy into chaos. But at the same time she is being pressed by Brexit voters to deliver Brexit in March 2019, as stipulated by the EU's Lisbon Treaty

British Prime Minister Theresa May was set to avoid a damaging parliamentary defeat after rebels in her party appeared to strike a compromise over the exact timing of Brexit. The government is trying to pass major domestic legislation to implement Brexit and had wanted to enshrine the leaving date of March 29, 2019, in British law, two years after serving its intention to withdraw. But Conservative rebel MPs, who helped deliver the government a stinging Brexit defeat in parliament on Wednesday, looked set to reject the plan over fears that Britain could crash out of the EU without a deal if talks overrun, heaping further worries on the vulnerable prime minister. A senior EU official told AFP on Saturday that sealing a final deal by March 2019 was a daunting task, pointing out that the EU trade deal with Canada "is 1,598 pages of legal text, and we have negotiated for nine months and have 19 pages of non-legal text." May is therefore under pressure from MPs to avoid a "cliff-edge" divorce that would throw the economy into chaos. But at the same time, she is being pressed by Brexit voters and eurosceptic potential usurpers in her own party to deliver Brexit in March 2019, as stipulated by the EU's Lisbon Treaty. As a result, the rebels late Friday backed a new, more conciliatory, amendment to the Brexit bill to avert another House of Commons vote loss for the government. While the original plan to leave in March 2019 will stay in the bill, a new amendment will give ministers the power to delay the date if talks overrun. 'Time to move on' Tory MP Oliver Letwin, who tabled the new amendment, told the Guardian it would "create a sensible arrangement in which the date for leaving is set" while allowing "a little extra time" to reach a new deal if needed. Rebel MP Sarah Wollaston backed the compromise, tweeting it was "good to see this amendment", and attached text saying "we are pleased the government has responded to our concerns and will support", although May's office would not confirm that it had officially backed the plan. Fellow rebel Anna Soubry tweeted it was "time to move on and build a consensus on Brexit". The two teamed up on Wednesday to help pass an amendment demanding MPs get a "meaningful vote" on the deal before Britain leaves the EU in March 2019. It was May's first defeat over the legislation, which will formally end Britain's membership of the EU, as well as smooth its exit by transferring thousands of pieces of European legislation onto the UK statute books. It came as a body blow to May on the eve of a summit in Brussels, where EU leaders approved the terms of the interim Brexit deal agreed last week after months of tortuous negotiations. May lost her parliamentary majority during June's snap election and had to strike a deal with Northern Ireland's DUP to stay in power. She has since struggled to assert her authority, with rumours swirling of a leadership challenge, but appeared to be on the more solid ground after agreeing to the interim Brexit deal. But her domestic weakness was laid bare on Wednesday when it took only 11 rebels to defeat the government's powers to enact a Brexit deal without a parliamentary vote.

Brexit rebel MPs compromise with UK govt over key bill

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Friday that the United States was demanding &quot;the immediate release&quot; of two Reuters reporters arrested in Myanmar &quot;or information as to the circumstances around their disappearance.&quot;

The United States joined mounting demands for the reporters to be freed. The United Nations, United Kingdom, Sweden and Bangladesh, among others, have denounced the arrests.

The journalists, Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, went missing on Tuesday after being invited to meet police officials over dinner on the northern outskirts of the city of Yangon. They had worked on stories about a military crackdown in Rakhine state, which has triggered the flight of more than 600,000 Rohingya Muslims to Bangladesh since late August.

As of Friday, Reuters had not been formally contacted by officials about the detention of the reporters. The Ministry of Information has said that Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo &ldquo;illegally acquired information with the intention to share it with foreign media,&rdquo; and released a photo of the pair in handcuffs.

Reuters President and Editor-in-Chief Stephen J. Adler has called for the immediate release of the journalists, saying in a statement on Wednesday that the global news organization was &ldquo;outraged by this blatant attack on press freedom.&rdquo;

A court official in the northern district of Yangon where they were detained said that no paperwork had been filed relating to either journalist. The official said that usually cases are lodged 20-30 days after an arrest as suspects can be held in custody for up to 28 days without being charged.

On Wednesday, Myanmar&#39;s Ministry of Information said the reporters and two policemen faced charges under the British colonial-era Official Secrets Act, though officials have since disclosed that they have not been charged. The 1923 law carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

The United States joined mounting demands for the reporters to be freed. The United Nations, United Kingdom, Sweden and Bangladesh, among others, have denounced the arrests.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Friday that the United States was demanding "the immediate release" of two Reuters reporters arrested in Myanmar "or information as to the circumstances around their disappearance." The United States joined mounting demands for the reporters to be freed. The United Nations, United Kingdom, Sweden and Bangladesh, among others, have denounced the arrests. The journalists, Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, went missing on Tuesday after being invited to meet police officials over dinner on the northern outskirts of the city of Yangon. They had worked on stories about a military crackdown in Rakhine state, which has triggered the flight of more than 600,000 Rohingya Muslims to Bangladesh since late August. As of Friday, Reuters had not been formally contacted by officials about the detention of the reporters. The Ministry of Information has said that Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo “illegally acquired information with the intention to share it with foreign media,” and released a photo of the pair in handcuffs. Reuters President and Editor-in-Chief Stephen J. Adler has called for the immediate release of the journalists, saying in a statement on Wednesday that the global news organization was “outraged by this blatant attack on press freedom.” A court official in the northern district of Yangon where they were detained said that no paperwork had been filed relating to either journalist. The official said that usually cases are lodged 20-30 days after an arrest as suspects can be held in custody for up to 28 days without being charged. On Wednesday, Myanmar's Ministry of Information said the reporters and two policemen faced charges under the British colonial-era Official Secrets Act, though officials have since disclosed that they have not been charged. The 1923 law carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

Rex Tillerson calls for release of two reporters arrested in Myanmar

Big companies are stepping up their plans in case Britain crashes out of the European Union without a deal as Prime Minister Theresa May struggles to get talks back on track after a major setback.&nbsp;

Britain is aiming to agree with the EU on December 14 to move the Brexit talks on to the second phase. This would focus on trade and a two-year transition deal to smooth the departure after March 2019. But the timetable has been thrown into doubt after discussions broke down in Brussels on Monday.&nbsp;

Senior executives in the financial services sector, which accounts for about 12 percent of the economy, told Reuters May&#39;s efforts to secure a transition deal had come too late and they had no choice but to start restructuring.&nbsp;Big supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury&#39;s have been working with suppliers to identify potential delays, shortages or price rises. They have lined up alternative providers, according to suppliers and sources in the industry.

The uncertainty is particularly painful for the manufacturing sector as low margins make it risky for them to restructure unless it is essential. They have been holding off on investment but are preparing for new certification that would allow them to sell in Europe if there is no deal.&nbsp;&quot;The delay is so great and the uncertainty is so great that companies have no choice but to start triggering their plans,&quot; the head of one of Britain`s largest companies said.

Britain and the EU are working to get talks back on track this week but the chairman of one large international bank said its executives had decided to plan for the worst at a conference call on Tuesday.&nbsp;&quot;The question is no longer whether we are moving (operations to the EU), it is a question of how big those moves are going to be&quot; he said.&nbsp;Like other executives, he had been asked by his board and the government not to divulge their&nbsp;thinking.&nbsp;

The chairman said the bank has started discussions with customers about rerouting client activity to European hubs, including rewriting thousands of contracts.&nbsp;Senior employees were told last month if they had to relocate to Europe, he said.&nbsp;

Another senior executive at a large U.S. bank said that he was increasingly concerned that May&#39;s government could collapse after the Brussels talks broke down over a dispute over the Irish border, adding to the uncertainty. &quot;We are at the maximum point of danger,&quot; he said.

The financial sector needs extra time to make sure its clients are prepared. For instance, a British bank opening a subsidiary in Europe may need its clients to adopt a new sort code throughout their own supply chains.&nbsp;In other sectors, companies are making smaller changes that would enable them to operate in Europe after Brexit, from preparing compliance changes to drawing up shadow supply chains and looking for additional warehouse space.&nbsp;

Fruit and beef&nbsp;

Food retailers are lining up alternative suppliers in Britain or outside the EU in case of delays at borders or new tariffs disrupt deliveries. Around 30 percent of Britain`s food and drink comes from the EU.&nbsp;Some changes would need to be made early next year in time for the 2019 departure. Changing a fresh fruit supplier could require a lead time of a year, depending on the growing cycle.&nbsp;

Ali Capper, a partner in Stocks Farm in Worcestershire, central England, and a chair of the Horticulture and Potatoes Board at the National Farmers Union, said there were signs retail customers were requesting more British produce.&nbsp;Ireland provides almost 70 percent of UK beef imports, or 270,000 tonnes a year. Were tariffs or border delays to make Irish beef less competitive, supermarkets could look further afield, for instance to Argentina.&nbsp;

Manufacturing pressure

Many manufacturers are unwilling to sign off on new plans until they know how Britain will trade in the future.&nbsp;The drugs sector has been among the first to move so they can comply with EU regulations. GSK and AstraZeneca have already set up new facilities in mainland Europe to test batches of drugs made in Britain.&nbsp;Autos and aerospace firms are focusing on certification. According to the aerospace and defense trade body, ADS, some companies are considering applying to the European Aviation Safety Agency for a status that would enable them to sell in the EU if Britain was no longer a member state.&nbsp;

Japanese carmaker Honda, which builds around 8 percent of British cars at its plant in Swindon, is considering increasing its warehouse capacity in Britain and stock levels to counter any new border delays.&nbsp;Manufacturers reluctance to sign off on big plans has had a knock-on effect on companies in the supply chain.&nbsp;

&quot;The biggest impact we see is a general unwillingness to make investment and capacity decisions as result of the continued uncertainty,&quot; said Stephen Cheetham, owner of PK Engineering Ltd of Hereford, a supplier of components to the aerospace and scientific industries.&nbsp;&quot;We would expect continued paralysis and short-termism until a trade deal is finalized,&quot; he told Reuters.&nbsp;

Having a transition deal will allow businesses to survive the two years after Brexit by allowing them to defer any big decisions until the final parameters of Brexit are worked out, said Andrew Bonfield, finance director of National Grid and chairman of the 100 Group of finance chiefs.&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s about the avoidance of a cliff edge,&quot; he said.

Banks, food retailers, drug manufacturers, and car makers are preparing for disorderly Brexit.

Big companies are stepping up their plans in case Britain crashes out of the European Union without a deal as Prime Minister Theresa May struggles to get talks back on track after a major setback. Britain is aiming to agree with the EU on December 14 to move the Brexit talks on to the second phase. This would focus on trade and a two-year transition deal to smooth the departure after March 2019. But the timetable has been thrown into doubt after discussions broke down in Brussels on Monday. Senior executives in the financial services sector, which accounts for about 12 percent of the economy, told Reuters May's efforts to secure a transition deal had come too late and they had no choice but to start restructuring. Big supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury's have been working with suppliers to identify potential delays, shortages or price rises. They have lined up alternative providers, according to suppliers and sources in the industry. The uncertainty is particularly painful for the manufacturing sector as low margins make it risky for them to restructure unless it is essential. They have been holding off on investment but are preparing for new certification that would allow them to sell in Europe if there is no deal. "The delay is so great and the uncertainty is so great that companies have no choice but to start triggering their plans," the head of one of Britain`s largest companies said. Britain and the EU are working to get talks back on track this week but the chairman of one large international bank said its executives had decided to plan for the worst at a conference call on Tuesday. "The question is no longer whether we are moving (operations to the EU), it is a question of how big those moves are going to be" he said. Like other executives, he had been asked by his board and the government not to divulge their thinking. The chairman said the bank has started discussions with customers about rerouting client activity to European hubs, including rewriting thousands of contracts. Senior employees were told last month if they had to relocate to Europe, he said. Another senior executive at a large U.S. bank said that he was increasingly concerned that May's government could collapse after the Brussels talks broke down over a dispute over the Irish border, adding to the uncertainty. "We are at the maximum point of danger," he said. The financial sector needs extra time to make sure its clients are prepared. For instance, a British bank opening a subsidiary in Europe may need its clients to adopt a new sort code throughout their own supply chains. In other sectors, companies are making smaller changes that would enable them to operate in Europe after Brexit, from preparing compliance changes to drawing up shadow supply chains and looking for additional warehouse space. Fruit and beef Food retailers are lining up alternative suppliers in Britain or outside the EU in case of delays at borders or new tariffs disrupt deliveries. Around 30 percent of Britain`s food and drink comes from the EU. Some changes would need to be made early next year in time for the 2019 departure. Changing a fresh fruit supplier could require a lead time of a year, depending on the growing cycle. Ali Capper, a partner in Stocks Farm in Worcestershire, central England, and a chair of the Horticulture and Potatoes Board at the National Farmers Union, said there were signs retail customers were requesting more British produce. Ireland provides almost 70 percent of UK beef imports, or 270,000 tonnes a year. Were tariffs or border delays to make Irish beef less competitive, supermarkets could look further afield, for instance to Argentina. Manufacturing pressure Many manufacturers are unwilling to sign off on new plans until they know how Britain will trade in the future. The drugs sector has been among the first to move so they can comply with EU regulations. GSK and AstraZeneca have already set up new facilities in mainland Europe to test batches of drugs made in Britain. Autos and aerospace firms are focusing on certification. According to the aerospace and defense trade body, ADS, some companies are considering applying to the European Aviation Safety Agency for a status that would enable them to sell in the EU if Britain was no longer a member state. Japanese carmaker Honda, which builds around 8 percent of British cars at its plant in Swindon, is considering increasing its warehouse capacity in Britain and stock levels to counter any new border delays. Manufacturers reluctance to sign off on big plans has had a knock-on effect on companies in the supply chain. "The biggest impact we see is a general unwillingness to make investment and capacity decisions as result of the continued uncertainty," said Stephen Cheetham, owner of PK Engineering Ltd of Hereford, a supplier of components to the aerospace and scientific industries. "We would expect continued paralysis and short-termism until a trade deal is finalized," he told Reuters. Having a transition deal will allow businesses to survive the two years after Brexit by allowing them to defer any big decisions until the final parameters of Brexit are worked out, said Andrew Bonfield, finance director of National Grid and chairman of the 100 Group of finance chiefs. "It's about the avoidance of a cliff edge," he said.

Companies prepare for disorderly Brexit as talks stall

Terming United Kingdom&#39;s visa norms a &quot;big mistake&quot;, London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Sunday said he was &quot;lobbying&quot; with the British government to change its stringent visa norms.

Khan arrived in the country&#39;s commercial capital as part of his first official tour to three Indian cities, others being Delhi and Amritsar, to strengthen the UK capital&#39;s trade ties.

&quot;I am a big critic of the British government over the change in the Visa policy. I think they have made a big mistake, as on one hand the British government is asking Indian businesses to trade there and on the other hand they have made it harder (to enter the country),&quot; Khan said during his interaction with reporters.

The Theresa May government recently changed its visa policy for non-EU (European Union) nationals to curb its soaring immigration figures. The policy which came into effect in November will affect a large number of Indians, especially IT professionals.

&quot;I want to assure you that I am lobbying with my government to change its immigration stance, because I want talented Indians to come to London and not go to Canada, Australia or the US.&nbsp; 
London is open to people, talent and partnership,&quot; the London Mayor said.

India last month flagged its serious concerns to Britain over its stringent visa norms and hike in threshold limit of annual pay of working professionals to get the travel documents. 
Khan said the change in UK&#39;s current position on immigration is needed in the interest of the UK capital.

&quot;One of the reasons why London is the greatest city in the world is its ability to catch talent. (A total of) 40 per cent of Londoners are from outside the UK. IT&#39;s in the interest of London to change its stance on immigration and I&#39;m optimistic that it will change in near future,&quot; he said.

(With PTI inputs)

The Theresa May government recently changed its visa policy for non-EU (European Union) nationals to curb its soaring immigration figures.

Terming United Kingdom's visa norms a "big mistake", London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Sunday said he was "lobbying" with the British government to change its stringent visa norms. Khan arrived in the country's commercial capital as part of his first official tour to three Indian cities, others being Delhi and Amritsar, to strengthen the UK capital's trade ties. "I am a big critic of the British government over the change in the Visa policy. I think they have made a big mistake, as on one hand the British government is asking Indian businesses to trade there and on the other hand they have made it harder (to enter the country)," Khan said during his interaction with reporters. The Theresa May government recently changed its visa policy for non-EU (European Union) nationals to curb its soaring immigration figures. The policy which came into effect in November will affect a large number of Indians, especially IT professionals. "I want to assure you that I am lobbying with my government to change its immigration stance, because I want talented Indians to come to London and not go to Canada, Australia or the US. London is open to people, talent and partnership," the London Mayor said. India last month flagged its serious concerns to Britain over its stringent visa norms and hike in threshold limit of annual pay of working professionals to get the travel documents. Khan said the change in UK's current position on immigration is needed in the interest of the UK capital. "One of the reasons why London is the greatest city in the world is its ability to catch talent. (A total of) 40 per cent of Londoners are from outside the UK. IT's in the interest of London to change its stance on immigration and I'm optimistic that it will change in near future," he said. (With PTI inputs)

UK govt's visa norms a 'big mistake': London Mayor

It is up to Britain to&nbsp;move&nbsp;Brexit&nbsp;talks&nbsp;forward,&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;said on Friday, warning that &quot;time is&nbsp;running&nbsp;out&quot; for London to negotiate the deal it wants.

A day after the EU&#39;s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, said the&nbsp;talks&nbsp;were deadlocked over money and could not progress to discussions about future trade ties, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert urged Britain to act before an EU summit in December.

EU leaders will discuss&nbsp;Brexit&nbsp;at that meeting, Seibert said. &quot;This means Great Britain still has it in its own hands whether there will be enough progress so that the second phase of negotiations can be started.&quot;

British Prime Minister Theresa May told parliament on Monday it was up to the European Union to move&nbsp;talks&nbsp;to the next phase, saying: &quot;the ball is in their court&quot;.

But her spokesman said on Friday that May would have &quot;more to say&quot; on the financial settlement at an EU summit next week.

Germany&#39;s biggest industry group has advised companies active in Britain to make provisions for a &quot;very hard&nbsp;Brexit&quot; as London lacked a clear strategy.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says London should not expect a special deal, and that it is more important to keep the remaining 27 member states together.

A day after the EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, said the?talks?were deadlocked over money and could not progress to discussions about future trade ties, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert urged Britain to act before an EU summit in December

It is up to Britain to move Brexit talks forward, Germany said on Friday, warning that "time is running out" for London to negotiate the deal it wants. A day after the EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, said the talks were deadlocked over money and could not progress to discussions about future trade ties, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert urged Britain to act before an EU summit in December. EU leaders will discuss Brexit at that meeting, Seibert said. "This means Great Britain still has it in its own hands whether there will be enough progress so that the second phase of negotiations can be started." British Prime Minister Theresa May told parliament on Monday it was up to the European Union to move talks to the next phase, saying: "the ball is in their court". But her spokesman said on Friday that May would have "more to say" on the financial settlement at an EU summit next week. Germany's biggest industry group has advised companies active in Britain to make provisions for a "very hard Brexit" as London lacked a clear strategy. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says London should not expect a special deal, and that it is more important to keep the remaining 27 member states together.

'Time is running out,' says Germany on Brexit talks

Britain&#39;s&nbsp;foreign minister&nbsp;Boris&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;was&nbsp;accused&nbsp;by cabinet colleagues on Sunday of &quot;backseat driving&quot; on&nbsp;Brexit&nbsp;after setting out his own vision of the country&#39;s future outside the European Union.

Only days before Prime Minister Theresa May is due to speak in Italy about&nbsp;Britain&#39;s&nbsp;planned EU departure,&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;on Saturday published a 4,300-word newspaper article that roamed well beyond his ministerial brief and, in some cases, the approach set out by the government.

Interior minister Amber Rudd said it was &quot;absolutely fine&quot; for the foreign secretary to intervene publicly but that she did not want him managing the&nbsp;Brexit&nbsp;process.

&quot;What we&#39;ve got is Theresa May managing that process, she&#39;s driving the car,&quot; Rudd told the BBC&#39;s Andrew Marr on Sunday.

Asked if&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;was backseat driving, she replied: &quot;Yes, you could call it backseat driving, absolutely.&quot;

Johnson&#39;s article re-ignited speculation that he would challenge May for the leadership of the Conservative Party.

Rudd, however, said she did not think&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;was laying the groundwork to challenge May.

&quot;I think that he, like I, supports the prime minister at this difficult time as we try to conclude the negotiations with the EU,&quot; she said.

May&#39;s deputy, Damian Green, also weighed in, saying that&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;had written a &quot;very exuberant&quot; article but it was &quot;absolutely clear to everyone that the driver of the car in this instance is the prime minister&quot;.

&quot;It is the job of the rest of us in the cabinet to agree on a set of proposals and get behind those proposals and get behind the prime minister,&quot; Green told BBC TV.

&#39;MISUSE OF STATISTICS&#39;

Johnson&nbsp;wrote in the Daily Telegraph that Britain would not pay to access the EU market in the future. Once out of the EU, the country should borrow to invest in infrastructure, reform the tax code and set immigration levels as it sees fit, he said.

Johnson&nbsp;also repeated the&nbsp;Brexit&nbsp;campaign claim that the government would be 350 million pounds ($476 million) a week better off outside the EU.

Government officials criticised&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;for repeating the claim, saying the figure does not take into account the funding Britain receives back from Brussels.

David Norgrove, of the UK Statistics Authority, said he was &quot;surprised and disappointed&quot; thatJohnson&nbsp;was still quoting a figure that confused gross and net contributions.

&quot;It is a clear misuse of official statistics,&quot; Norgrove said in a letter to&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;on Sunday.

Johnson&nbsp;said in reply that Norgrove&#39;s letter was &quot;based on what appeared to be a wilful distortion of the text of my article&quot; and asked the official to withdraw it.

The timing of&nbsp;Johnson&#39;s article -- published a day after a bomb injured 30 people on a train in London -- also drew criticism from some colleagues.

Reacting to the furore his article had generated,&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;tweeted on Saturday: &quot;Looking forward to PM&#39;s Florence Speech. All behind Theresa for a glorious&nbsp;Brexit.&quot;

Only days before Prime Minister Theresa May is due to speak in Italy about?Britain's?planned EU departure,?Johnson?on Saturday published a 4,300-word newspaper article that roamed well beyond his ministerial brief and, in some cases, the approach set out by the government.

Britain's foreign minister Boris Johnson was accused by cabinet colleagues on Sunday of "backseat driving" on Brexit after setting out his own vision of the country's future outside the European Union. Only days before Prime Minister Theresa May is due to speak in Italy about Britain's planned EU departure, Johnson on Saturday published a 4,300-word newspaper article that roamed well beyond his ministerial brief and, in some cases, the approach set out by the government. Interior minister Amber Rudd said it was "absolutely fine" for the foreign secretary to intervene publicly but that she did not want him managing the Brexit process. "What we've got is Theresa May managing that process, she's driving the car," Rudd told the BBC's Andrew Marr on Sunday. Asked if Johnson was backseat driving, she replied: "Yes, you could call it backseat driving, absolutely." Johnson's article re-ignited speculation that he would challenge May for the leadership of the Conservative Party. Rudd, however, said she did not think Johnson was laying the groundwork to challenge May. "I think that he, like I, supports the prime minister at this difficult time as we try to conclude the negotiations with the EU," she said. May's deputy, Damian Green, also weighed in, saying that Johnson had written a "very exuberant" article but it was "absolutely clear to everyone that the driver of the car in this instance is the prime minister". "It is the job of the rest of us in the cabinet to agree on a set of proposals and get behind those proposals and get behind the prime minister," Green told BBC TV. 'MISUSE OF STATISTICS' Johnson wrote in the Daily Telegraph that Britain would not pay to access the EU market in the future. Once out of the EU, the country should borrow to invest in infrastructure, reform the tax code and set immigration levels as it sees fit, he said. Johnson also repeated the Brexit campaign claim that the government would be 350 million pounds ($476 million) a week better off outside the EU. Government officials criticised Johnson for repeating the claim, saying the figure does not take into account the funding Britain receives back from Brussels. David Norgrove, of the UK Statistics Authority, said he was "surprised and disappointed" thatJohnson was still quoting a figure that confused gross and net contributions. "It is a clear misuse of official statistics," Norgrove said in a letter to Johnson on Sunday. Johnson said in reply that Norgrove's letter was "based on what appeared to be a wilful distortion of the text of my article" and asked the official to withdraw it. The timing of Johnson's article -- published a day after a bomb injured 30 people on a train in London -- also drew criticism from some colleagues. Reacting to the furore his article had generated, Johnson tweeted on Saturday: "Looking forward to PM's Florence Speech. All behind Theresa for a glorious Brexit."

Britain's Boris Johnson accused of Brexit 'backseat driving'

British&nbsp;police&nbsp;released a&nbsp;new&nbsp;image&nbsp;on Wednesday in a fresh bid to trace a male&nbsp;jogger&nbsp;who appeared to push a woman into the path of an oncoming&nbsp;bus&nbsp;on a&nbsp;busy&nbsp;Londonstreet four months ago.

Video footage of the apparently callous incident on Putney Bridge, southwest&nbsp;London, has been repeatedly screened on British television but the runner has yet to be found.

Footage shows him jog past one man on the bridge on May 5 before knocking into the 33-year-old victim. She tumbled head-first into the path of an oncoming&nbsp;bus, which managed to swerve out of her way, missing her by inches.

The&nbsp;new&nbsp;CCTV still was taken from the&nbsp;bus, and shows a white man in a grey top and dark shorts.&nbsp;Police&nbsp;said he came back the other way across the bridge 15 minutes later but did not acknowledge the victim when she tried to speak to him.

&quot;Images of this alarming incident have been circulated widely and we continue to work through the information received to identify the man responsible,&quot; said Detective Sergeant Chris Griffith.

Two men arrested last month in connection with the incident have both been&nbsp;released without charge.

Video footage of the apparently callous incident on Putney Bridge, southwest?London, has been repeatedly screened on British television but the runner has yet to be found.

British police released a new image on Wednesday in a fresh bid to trace a male jogger who appeared to push a woman into the path of an oncoming bus on a busy Londonstreet four months ago. Video footage of the apparently callous incident on Putney Bridge, southwest London, has been repeatedly screened on British television but the runner has yet to be found. Footage shows him jog past one man on the bridge on May 5 before knocking into the 33-year-old victim. She tumbled head-first into the path of an oncoming bus, which managed to swerve out of her way, missing her by inches. The new CCTV still was taken from the bus, and shows a white man in a grey top and dark shorts. Police said he came back the other way across the bridge 15 minutes later but did not acknowledge the victim when she tried to speak to him. "Images of this alarming incident have been circulated widely and we continue to work through the information received to identify the man responsible," said Detective Sergeant Chris Griffith. Two men arrested last month in connection with the incident have both been released without charge.

UK police release new image of jogger in London bus mystery

Prime Minister Theresa&nbsp;May&nbsp;on Tuesday said talks with Northern Ireland&#39;s DUP about a deal to support her minority government had been &quot;productive&quot;, and confirmed that Brexit negotiations would begin next week.

May&nbsp;met with Northern Ireland&#39;s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) earlier on Tuesday to thrash out a deal that would see the DUP support&nbsp;May&nbsp;in government after she failed to win an outright majority at an election last week.&nbsp;

&quot;What we&#39;re doing in relation to the talks that we&#39;re holding, the productive talks we&#39;re holding with the Democratic Unionist Party, is ensuring that it is possible to, with their support, give the stability to the UK government that I think is necessary at this time,&quot;&nbsp;May&nbsp;told a news conference in Paris following a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

&quot;I confirmed to President Macron that the timetable for the Brexit negotiation remains on course and will begin next week.&quot;

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May?met with the?Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) on Tuesday to discuss?a deal that would see the DUP support?her in government after she failed to win a?majority in last week's election?

Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday said talks with Northern Ireland's DUP about a deal to support her minority government had been "productive", and confirmed that Brexit negotiations would begin next week. May met with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) earlier on Tuesday to thrash out a deal that would see the DUP support May in government after she failed to win an outright majority at an election last week. "What we're doing in relation to the talks that we're holding, the productive talks we're holding with the Democratic Unionist Party, is ensuring that it is possible to, with their support, give the stability to the UK government that I think is necessary at this time," May told a news conference in Paris following a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. "I confirmed to President Macron that the timetable for the Brexit negotiation remains on course and will begin next week."

May says minority government talks 'productive', Brexit negotiation starts next week

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