United Kingdom

London, Jan 13 (PTI) The UK government on Thursday announced the launch of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with India, describing it as a "golden opportunity" to put British businesses at the "front of the queue" of the Indian economy.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said an FTA would take the country's historic partnership with India to the next level, and highlighted Scotch whisky, financial services and cutting-edge renewable technology among some of the key sectors set to benefit.

LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologized Wednesday for attending a garden party during Britain’s first coronavirus lockdown, but brushed aside opposition demands that he resign for breaching the rules his own government had imposed on the nation.

The apology, which stopped short of admitting wrongdoing, was Johnson’s attempt to assuage a tide of anger from the public and politicians after repeated accusations he and his staff flouted pandemic restrictions by socializing when it was banned.

11 Jan 2022; MEMO: Campaign groups have claimed a "huge victory" against Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems, which they claim has been forced to shut one of its UK branches following an 18-month long sustained direct protest by Palestine Action.

Elbit sold off its Ferranti Power and Control business in Manchester to TT Electronics for $12 million in a deal which the Israeli firm completed, apparently, as part of its restructuring of its UK operations.

10 Jan 2022; MEMO: The fringe Muslim Ahmadiyya sect, which is feted by the ruling Conservative Party in Britain, has been rocked by a scandal involving its members and claims that its spiritual leader insisted that the relatives of an alleged rape victim should keep quiet about the case.

An audio recording has emerged which reveals that the leader of the Ahmadiyya community, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, encouraged a woman named as Nida Ul Nasser to keep quiet and urged her against taking the matter any further.

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced a wave of public and political outrage on Tuesday over allegations that he and his staff flouted coronavirus lockdown rules by holding a garden party in 2020 while Britons were barred by law from meeting up with more than one person outside their households.

LONDON, Jan 9 (Reuters) - The United Kingdom is ready to take unilateral action that would suspend customs checks on goods moving to Northern Ireland, foreign minister Liz Truss said ahead of talks with the European Union.

Truss is due to hold talks with EU Vice President Maros Sefcovic this week to resolve disagreements over post-Brexit trade arrangements for Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom which shares a land border with EU member Ireland.

LONDON (AP) — U.K. government advisers have recommended against giving a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine to nursing home residents and people over 80 because data shows that a third shot offers lasting protection against admission to the hospital.

For people over 65, protection against hospitalization remains at about 90% three months after the third dose, according to data compiled by the U.K. Health Security Agency.

07 Jan 2022; MEMO: More than one million people have signed an online petition asking that former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair's newly announced knighthood be rescinded.

The petition was created by Angus Scott at change.org as soon as the New Year Honours were announced on 31 December.

Scott accused Blair of causing "irreparable damage to both the constitution of the United Kingdom and to the very fabric of the nation's society."

LONDON (AP) — Health authorities eased COVID-19 testing requirements across the United Kingdom on Wednesday, a move that could ease staffing shortages that are hitting public services from hospitals and ambulances to trains and garbage collection amid an omicron-fueled infection surge.

05 Jan 2022; MEMO: A petition calling for former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair to be stripped of his knighthood has been signed by almost 700,000 people.

If the goal of one million signatures is hit, it will become one of the top signed petitions on the change.org website.