Central News Hub

Category: UK News

  • LAST CALL FOR FINAL FLIGHT

    LAST CALL FOR FINAL FLIGHT

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer once again urged British nationals still in the country to come forward to be evacuated…reports Asian Lite News

    The government has confirmed its final charter plane to fly British nationals out of Lebanon as the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel intensifies and tensions in the region escalate.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer once again urged British nationals still in the country to come forward to be evacuated.

    “To everybody listening who may be in that position: now is the time to leave, we have got the plans in place. So please come forward and we can make sure that they are evacuated,” Starmer said.

    The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said after a chartered flight leaves Beirut on Sunday, there are no more scheduled flights due to a decrease in demand. However, the situation will be kept under constant review as the UK urged all remaining British nationals who want to leave Lebanon to register with the government immediately.

    “The situation in Lebanon remains volatile, so I am glad that we have helped the many people who have heeded our advice to leave the country immediately,” said Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

    “With demand falling and the security situation deteriorating, there is no guarantee other options to leave quickly will become available. I urge anyone who wants to leave to register now,” Lammy said.

    The government has been advising its nationals to leave Lebanon amid a deteriorating security situation: three chartered flights have left Beirut and more than 250 additional people have been able to leave the country in the last week.

    British nationals and their spouse or partner, and children under the age of 18 are eligible for Sunday’s flight, with dependents who are not British nationals requiring a valid visa. Sunday’s flight will depart from Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport, and British nationals who have registered their presence with the government will be sent details on how to request a seat.   

    The FCDO said government officials have been working round the clock in London, Beirut and the wider region to provide support to British nationals. An FCDO Rapid Deployment Team has also arrived in Lebanon to bolster the support offered by British Embassy officials.

    The government reiterated its call for a ceasefire between Lebanese Hezbollah and Israel to provide the space necessary to find a political solution that enables civilians on both sides to return to their homes in safety amid air strikes and ground incursions as the conflict escalates.

    Forces in Cyprus remain on standby

    British military forces remain on standby as efforts continue to evacuate UK citizens from Lebanon, with more than 250 Britons already flown out amid escalating conflict in the region.

    Elements from across the British Armed Forces have been deployed to Cyprus to prepare for a range of contingencies. Over 700 troops from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army, and Royal Air Force are working alongside a Joint Task Force to ensure the safe evacuation of UK nationals should the need arise.

    HMS Duncan and RFA Mounts Bay have also been dispatched to support any potential maritime operations as part of this effort. Defence Secretary John Healey visited Cyprus this week to oversee preparations and meet personnel.

    The task force has been coordinating closely with the UK government to provide options for evacuating citizens if the situation worsens further.

    This latest flight from Beirut’s Rafic Hariri Airport is expected to be the last for the time being, with the UK government citing “significantly reduced” demand. However, officials confirmed that the situation is under constant review, and more flights could be arranged if needed.

    Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut suburbs and cut off the main border crossing between Lebanon and Syria. BBC teams in Beirut have reported that another strike has hit the Burj el Brajneh area, which is close to the airport.

    More blasts in Beirut

    A series of loud blasts was heard over southern Beirut in the early hours of Saturday morning, following Israeli airstrikes. The Israeli military had earlier issued evacuation orders for parts of the capital’s southern suburbs. The first alert warned residents in a building in the Burj al-Barajneh neighbourhood and the second in a building in Choueifat district. The third alert mentioned buildings in Haret Hreik as well as Burj al-Barajneh.

    Meanwhile, A South Korean military transport aircraft has evacuated 97 citizens and family members from Lebanon, the country’s foreign ministry said.

    A KC-330 aircraft landed in Beirut on Friday morning and departed in the afternoon with the evacuees, who include Lebanese family members. The flight will arrive in the capital, Seoul, on Saturday afternoon.

    South Korean diplomats stationed in Lebanon remained in the country, Yonhap news agency reported.

    ALSO READ: India Can Convince Israel To Stop Escalation In Middle East, Says Iran

  • More charter flights to evacuate Britons 

    More charter flights to evacuate Britons 

    The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it was ready to support “hundreds” more to leave Lebanon in the coming days…reports Asian Lite News

    Britain will charter more flights to help citizens and dependents leave Lebanon, the foreign office said on Thursday as Israel continued to strike Beirut overnight.

    More than 150 British nationals and their dependents were evacuated from the Lebanese capital on a UK government chartered flight that arrived in Birmingham, central England, on Wednesday, the ministry said.

    “A limited number” of flights will depart from Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport on Thursday, and “will continue for as long as the security situation allows,” it added.

    The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it was ready to support “hundreds” more to leave Lebanon in the coming days.

    The statement came a day after Defense Secretary John Healey visited Cyprus, where 700 British troops and staff are stationed to prepare for the possible evacuations.

    Many commercial airlines have suspended flights to and from Beirut.

    “Recent events have demonstrated the volatility of the situation in Lebanon,” Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Thursday, reiterating his message for nationals to “leave the country immediately.”

    As of last week, there were around 5,000 British nationals, dual nationals and dependents in Lebanon, according to government estimates.

    Israel has intensified its bombing of southern Lebanon and parts of Beirut, saying it aims to secure its northern border after nearly a year of hostilities with Iran-backed Hezbollah.

    The fighting has cost more than 1,000 lives in Lebanon so far.

    The British government has confirmed that two of its fighter jets and a tanker were involved in responding to Iran’s firing of a barrage of missiles at Israel on Tuesday, although they “did not engage any targets.”

    EU announces extra €30 mn humanitarian aid

    Meanwhile, The European Commission announced on Thursday an extra $33.1 million in humanitarian aid for Lebanon, which has been hit by clashes between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

    “I am extremely concerned by the constant escalation of tensions in the Middle East. All parties must do their outmost to protect the lives of innocent civilians,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

    This comes in addition to the 10 million euros already announced on Sept. 29 and brings total EU humanitarian assistance to the country to over 104 million euros this year.

    WHO warning

    At least 28 on-duty medics have been killed in the past 24 hours in Lebanon, where Israel has launched airstrikes and sent troops to fight Hezbollah in an escalating conflict, the World Health Organization chief said on Thursday.

    “Many (other) health workers are not reporting to duty and fled the areas where they work due to bombardments,” Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told an online press briefing, calling for stronger protections for health workers.

    “This is severely limiting the provision of mass trauma management and continuity of health services,” he said.

    The global health agency will not be able to deliver a large planned shipment of trauma and medical supplies to the country on Friday due to flight restrictions, he added.

    WHO’s representative in Lebanon Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar told the briefing that all of the health care workers killed in the past day had been on duty, helping with the wounded.

    A total of nearly 2,000 people have been killed, including 127 children, and 9,384 injured since the start of Israeli attacks on Lebanon over the last year, the country’s health ministry said.

    “Hospitals have been already evacuated. I think what I can say for now is the capacity for mass casualty management exists, but it’s just a matter of time until the system actually reaches its limit,” said the WHO’s Abubakar.

    ALSO READ: Iran will pay a price, says Israel envoy to India

  • ‘Britain ill-equipped to back Israel’

    ‘Britain ill-equipped to back Israel’

    Royal Navy’s fleet of Type-45 destroyers are ill-equipped to respond to attacks, according to former Defense Secretary Ben Wallace..reports Asian Lite News

    The UK lacks the military means to help Israel defend itself from Iranian ballistic missile attacks, defense experts have said. Iran struck Israel with nearly 200 long-range ballistic missiles on Tuesday, but RAF Typhoon aircraft based in Cyprus lacked the weapons needed to intercept them.

    They were instead relegated to a monitoring role, with the Ministry of Defense saying they “did not engage any targets.” The Royal Navy’s fleet of Type-45 destroyers is also ill-equipped to respond to such attacks, according to former Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.

    Its two carrier groups, meanwhile, are reportedly understaffed to the point where they would struggle if deployed to an active war zone. Tom Sharpe, former navy commander, told the Telegraph: “Our involvement (in the response to Iran) was underwhelming and it’s a reflection of 40 years of underfunding. Given what is going on in the Middle East and Russia, we need to expedite our ability to provide ballistic missile defense from our T-45 destroyers.”

    MoD sources told the newspaper that “the Armed Forces remained open to the changing situation in the Middle East,” and were capable of destroying incoming ballistic missiles. RAF jets took part in defending Israel from an Iranian missile barrage in April following an Israeli attack on Tehran’s consulate in Damascus. However, that Iranian attack involved less sophisticated cruise missiles and drones.

    The ballistic missiles used in Tuesday’s attack fly faster and on higher trajectories, making them harder to intercept. Tehran is believed to have spent large sums on developing its ballistic missile program in recent years, and US intelligence believes it to have a stockpile of over 3,000.

    The UK plans to equip its Type-45s with next-generation Aster 30 interceptor weapons to intercept ballistic missiles, but the development program, though approved by the MoD, is yet to get underway. Wallace, who green-lit the program, told the Telegraph: “Britain could have the capability to have a Type-45 permanently guarding our shores equipped with the upgraded Aster 30.

    “We should, with immediate effect, seek to accelerate the already planned upgrade of their missile systems in light of what we are seeing in the Middle East.” The US was able to deploy three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to help defend Israel against the missile salvo.

    UK forces, initially deployed to the region to conduct missions against Daesh in Iraq and Syria, have seen their numbers bolstered since the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas last year. However, their combat capabilities have been repeatedly questioned, including after a Telegraph investigation discovered that manpower shortages meant the Royal Navy was not at “optimal readiness” to be deployed to the Red Sea to counter the threat posed by the Houthis in Yemen to global shipping.

    A source told the Telegraph: “The Navy has clearly been hiding the fact it has a clear problem with getting sailors to sea. They don’t have enough people to crew the ships they already have, let alone new ships.” Wallace said the UK’s F-35 aircraft, which fly from its carrier groups, were also poorly equipped to deal with threats in the Middle East.

    “Sadly, because of slow walking by the F-35 Joint Programme Office in the US, Britain’s F-35s cannot enjoy the full range of weapons that we would like to put on them. This limits its utility and means that a land-based Typhoon still offers the best offensive capability in the Gulf region.”

    He added: “If F-35s were properly equipped with the right missiles it probably is worth sending, but at the moment it isn’t. It would go down there and guard American aircraft carriers and not maximize its potential.”

    Sharpe said: “We are getting a little fixated by drones and swarm attacks and yet, if you look at the Red Sea, 94 percent of attacks on shipping contained missiles. Tuesday was 100 percent missiles. The good old missile is not going away. All of this needs more money.”

    Netanyahu bugged my bathroom, claims Boris

    Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has claimed that his security team found a listening device from his personal bathroom after it was used by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting in 2017, The Telegraph reported citing an excerpt of the Conservative politician’s new book.

    Johnson’s new book titled ‘Unleashed’, which is slated for its release on October 10, mentioned the episode wherein the alleged incident took place in British Foreign Office when Johnson was serving as UK’s foreign secretary.

    Johnson has alleged in his memoir that during his meeting with Netanyahu, the latter whom he refers to as Bibi, excused to go to the bathroom which Johnson described as similar to “the gents in a posh London club” which exist within a “secret annexe”.

    Boris Johnson has claimed that his security team found a listening device from his personal bathroom after it was used by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting in 2017, The Telegraph reported citing an excerpt of the Conservative politician’s new book.

    Johnson’s new book titled ‘Unleashed’, which is slated for its release on October 10, mentioned the episode wherein the alleged incident took place in British Foreign Office when Johnson was serving as UK’s foreign secretary.

    Johnson has alleged in his memoir that during his meeting with Netanyahu, the latter whom he refers to as Bibi, excused to go to the bathroom which Johnson described as similar to “the gents in a posh London club” which exist within a “secret annexe”.

    In the book, Johnson writes, “Thither Bibi repaired for a while, and it may or may not be a coincidence but I am told that later, when they were doing a regular sweep for bugs, they found a listening device in the thunderbox.”

    Post the excerpt was published in the media, Johnson was questioned if he could provide more detail on the issue, to which the former PM responded “I think everything you need to know about that episode is in the book,” reported The Telegraph.

    ALSO READ: Iran will pay a price, says Israel envoy to India

  • Trudeau Sends Warm Wishes for Navratri

    Trudeau Sends Warm Wishes for Navratri

    Canada hosts one of the largest Indian Diasporas in the world, which accounts for more than 4 per cent of its total population…reports Asian Lite News

    Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau extended greetings to Hindu Canadians on the first day of Navratri on Thursday.

    “Tonight, Hindu communities in Canada and around the world will celebrate the beginning of the festival of Navratri. It celebrates the victory of good over evil and light over darkness,” he said in a statement, adding that for those celebrating, the “next nine nights will see families and friends come together with prayer, music, and to spend time with loved ones”.

    Describing Hindu Canadians as an integral part of Canada, Trudeau said: “Their festivals and celebrations, like Navratri, are also our festivals. The joy, celebration, and diversity that Hindu Canadians exemplify, makes us stronger as a country.”

    “On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my warmest wishes of happiness and prosperity to all those celebrating Navratri,” he added.

    Hinduism is the third-largest religion in Canada, with approximately 2.3 per cent of the nation’s total population identifying as Hindu in the 2021 census.

    Canada also hosts one of the largest Indian Diasporas in the world, which accounts for more than 4 per cent of its total population.

    ALSO READ: ‘India using Imran’s statements to target Pak institutions’

  • Prof. Kishan Devani BEM Gets New Post

    Prof. Kishan Devani BEM Gets New Post

    Professor Kishan Devani BEM appointed to the Advisory Board of Occupational Safety & Health Association (OSHAssociation) and Conferred International Fellowship

    Professor Kishan Devani BEM has been appointed to the Advisory Board of Occupational Safety & Health Association (OSHAssociation) and conferred an International Fellowship. The Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHAssociation) is an international professional membership and certification organisation with the aim of promoting safety in all industries worldwide.

    In the field of Health, Safety, Security and Environment, we provide and connect our members with the resources, guidance, events and training that they need to remain proactive in their efforts to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities.

    The Members of the Advisory Board advise the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHAssociation) on global best practices and local operations by the country representatives or chapter office; most members are external and are responsible for monitoring the independence and objectivity of our work.

    The OSHAssociation Advisory Board Members represent countries and provide their expertise on international best practices. They also act as consultants to our special safety projects for our members and related services. The Advisory Board Members have direct input and communication with the Board of Executive Directors. They communicate member needs, concerns, and suggestions to the board of Executive Directors for implementation.

    The Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHAssociation) website announces they are “pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Kishan Devani BEM, FRSA as a distinguished member of its Advisory Board. In recognition of his exemplary contributions to leadership, education, and service to society, OSHAssociation has also conferred upon Professor Devani an International Fellowship following his contributions and impacts in the health sector.

    Professor Devani is a highly respected leader and advocate with a longstanding commitment to public service, recognized with prestigious honors such as the British Empire Medal (BEM) and his Fellowship at the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA). His extensive experience in advisory roles across sectors—ranging from education, diversity, community development, and policy-making—uniquely positions him to provide invaluable insights into OSHAssociation’s ongoing global mission of advancing workplace safety and health standards.

    As an Advisory Board member, Professor Devani will work closely with OSHAssociation’s leadership in the UK and country chapter leaders in over 50 countries, contributing his expertise to strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing occupational safety and health practices globally. His guidance will assist in developing innovative programmes that promote health and safety awareness, advocacy, focusing on both regional and international efforts.

    In addition to this appointment, OSHAssociation is proud to confer an International Fellowship upon Professor Devani, a prestigious recognition reserved for individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service and leadership in their fields. This Fellowship underscores his ongoing dedication to the safety, health, well-being, and empowerment of communities worldwide.
    Speaking on the development, Tony Cullen, Executive Director OSHAssociation, said: “We are honored to welcome Professor Kishan Devani BEM, FRSA to our Advisory Board and to bestow upon him the International Fellowship. His contributions to public service and leadership are truly remarkable, and we look forward to benefiting from his wisdom and experience as we advance the cause of occupational safety and health on a global scale.”

    Professor Devani expressed his gratitude for the appointment and Fellowship: “It is a great privilege to join the Occupational Safety and Health Association’s Advisory Board and receive the International Fellowship. I am deeply committed to contributing to OSHAssociation’s mission of improving workplace safety and health for all, in line with the new project of the OSHAssociation ”Global Action for Safety (GAS)” 2024 –2029, ensuring safety for the young and old, rich and poor globally. Together, we will continue to champion this critical cause and ensure safer, healthier environments for workers worldwide.”

    ALSO READ: Westminster Group appoints Prof. Kishan Devani as Senior International Advisor

  • I plead guilty to journalism, says Assange

    I plead guilty to journalism, says Assange

    Assange returned to Australia a free man in late June. At the time his wife, Stella, said he needed time to recuperate before speaking publicly…reports Asian Lite News

    WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said Tuesday that he was freed after years of incarceration because he “pled guilty to journalism.” In his first public remarks since he was released from prison in June, Assange gave evidence of the impact of his detention and conviction to the legal affairs and human rights committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France. The Parliamentary Assembly includes lawmakers from 46 European countries.

    A group of supporters, holding a banner that said “Thank you, Julian” greeted Assange as he stepped out of a van smiling and raising his fist in defiance along with his wife, Stella, and WikiLeaks editor-in-chief, Kristinn Hrafnsson.

    “Assange is free! We are here. The world is with you,” one supporter shouted before Assange entered the Council of Europe building early Tuesday.

    “I am not free today because the system worked,” Assange said. “I am free today after years of incarceration because I pled guilty to journalism.”

    He added: “I pled guilty to seeking information from a source. I pled guilty to obtaining information from a source. And I pled guilty to informing the public what that information was.”

    Assange was released in June after five years in a British prison after he pleaded guilty to obtaining and publishing U.S. military secrets in a deal with Justice Department prosecutors that concluded a drawn-out legal saga. Prior to his time in prison, he had spent seven years in self-imposed exile in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he claimed asylum on the grounds of political persecution.

    The transition from years in a maximum security prison to addressing the European parliamentarians has been a “profound and a surreal shift,” Assange said as he detailed the experience of isolation in a small cell.

    “It strips away one’s sense of self, leaving only the raw essence of existence,” he said, his voice cracking while he offered an apology for his “faltering words” and an “unpolished presentation.”

    “I’m not yet fully equipped to speak about what I have endured — the relentless struggle to stay alive, both physically and mentally,” Assange said.

    The Australian internet publisher was accused of receiving and publishing hundreds of thousands of war logs and diplomatic cables that included details of U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan. His activities were celebrated by press freedom advocates, who heralded his role in bringing to light military conduct that might otherwise have been concealed.

    Among the files published by WikiLeaks was a video of a 2007 Apache helicopter attack by American forces in Baghdad that killed 11 people, including two Reuters journalists.

    Critics say his conduct put American national security and innocent lives — such as people who provided information to U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan — at risk, and strayed far beyond the bounds of traditional journalism duties.

    The yearslong case ended with Assange entering his plea in a U.S. district court on the Northern Mariana Islands, an American commonwealth in the Pacific.

    Assange pleaded guilty to an Espionage Act charge of conspiring to unlawfully obtain and disseminate classified national defense information. A judge sentenced him to the five years he had already spent behind bars in the U.K. fighting extradition to the United States.

    Assange returned to Australia a free man in late June. At the time his wife, Stella, said he needed time to recuperate before speaking publicly.

    His appearance on Tuesday comes after the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly published a report on Assange’s detention in a high-security U.K. prison for five years.

    The assembly’s human rights committee said Assange qualified as a political prisoner and issued a draft resolution expressing deep concern at his harsh treatment.

    ALSO READ: EU and UK agree to strengthen cooperation

  • Boris claims late Queen had bone cancer

    Boris claims late Queen had bone cancer

    In the book, the 60-year-old recalled travelling to the royal residence of Balmoral for the customary outgoing audience and resignation…reports Asian Lite News

    Late Queen Elizabeth II had a form of bone cancer in her final years, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson claimed in his memoir. In the book, titled ‘Unleashed’, which will be released on 10 October, Johnson recalled the monarch’s final days at Balmoral, Scotland.

    He also described the queen’s appearance days before she died on September 8, 2022. Notably, the ex- PM’s account is the first public indication by a former senior government official as to what the Queen’s cause of death might have been. It is listed as “old age” on her death certificate.

    “I had known for a year or more that she had a form of bone cancer, and her doctors were worried that at any time she could enter a sharp decline,” Boris Johnson wrote in the excerpt.

    In the book, the 60-year-old recalled travelling to the royal residence of Balmoral for the customary outgoing audience and resignation. He described Queen Elizabeth in her last days, saying, “She seemed pale and more stooped, and she had dark bruising on her hands and wrists, probably from drips or injections”.

    “But her mind – as Edward (Queen’s private secretary) had also said – was completely unimpaired by her illness, and from time to time in our conversation, she still flashed that great white smile in its sudden mood-lifting beauty,” Johnson wrote.

    Boris Johnson described the weekly prime minister audiences with Queen Elizabeth as a “privilege” and a “balm”. “She radiated such an ethic of service, patience and leadership that you really felt you would, if necessary, die for her,” he continued.

    “That may sound barmy to some people (and totally obvious to many more), but that loyalty, primitive as it may appear, is still at the heart of our system. You need someone kind and wise, and above politics, to personify what is good about our country. She did that job brilliantly,” he added.

    Notably Buckingham Palace has a policy not to comment on books released about the royal family and, as such, has not confirmed or denied Johnson’s assertions.

    Meanwhile, in the same book, Johnson has also claimed that Buckingham Palace asked him to persuade Prince Harry not to quit royal life or leave the UK shortly before the Sussexes moved to North America.

    He wrote that he delivered a “manly pep talk” to the Duke of Sussex in a bid to convince him it would be a mistake to leave Britain. He said that officials in Downing Street and Buckingham Palace approached him in January 2020, believing that he might be able to dissuade Prince Harry of his decision.

    ALSO READ: EU and UK agree to strengthen cooperation

  • ‘Surge in anti-Semitic incidents in UK over past year’

    ‘Surge in anti-Semitic incidents in UK over past year’

    In the month of October 2023 alone, following Hamas’s attack on Israel – in which at least 1,139 people were killed and around 250 were taken as captives…reports Asian Lite News

    The number of anti-Semitic incidents in the United Kingdom has soared since Israel launched its assault on Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, according to a Jewish charity.

    The Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors anti-Semitism in the UK, released its latest figures on Wednesday, reporting 5,583 anti-Semitic incidents across the country between October 7, 2023 and September 30, 2024 – the highest tally recorded in any 12-month period since it began its count in 1984.

    In the month of October 2023 alone, following Hamas’s attack on Israel – in which at least 1,139 people were killed and around 250 were taken as captives, sparking Israel’s retaliatory war on Gaza – the charity logged 1,400 anti-Semitic incidents.

    CST said that anti-Semitism had gone up 204 percent compared to the previous year, stating in a report focused on the months between January and June that the “unprecedented” spike in abusive behaviour was caused by people directing “their anger over this geopolitical conflict towards British Jews”.

    “When conflict rages in Israel, anti-Jewish hate rises in the UK,” the charity said on X, alongside a breakdown of its figures, adding that reports of anti-Semitism had been “flooding in” even before Israel’s military retaliation.

    In its breakdown of anti-Semitic incidents in Britain over the last year, CST categorised 4,583 as “abusive behaviour” and 302 as “assault”, with 266 incidents involving “damage and desecration” and 30 relating to anti-Semitic “literature”.

    Over the past year, there had been one incident of “extreme violence”. The largest number of abusive incidents – 3,167 – was recorded in London. A high incidence of anti-Semitism was also recorded in Manchester and West Yorkshire, with cases totalling 729 and 642, respectively.

    Britain has also seen a spike in Islamophobia and hate crimes against Muslims, dating back several years, other advocacy groups have previously said.

    Towns and cities across England and in Northern Ireland were rocked over the summer months by anti-immigrant riots, with hotels housing asylum seekers torched by far-right agitators.

    Sadiq fears rise in hate crime linked to Middle East violence

    Sadiq Khan has warned of a potential increase in hate crime in Britain triggered by the rise in Middle East violence, as a leading British Jewish group warned of the danger of “reprisal” attacks here.

    The London mayor’s warning comes after a series of Israeli airstrikes against targets in Lebanon, which have killed Hezbollah’s top leaders as well as its followers, and it is feared, scores of civilians. Khan is pumping extra emergency funding into groups in London countering hate.

    Tensions have been heightened since Hamas’s 7 October attack on Israel, followed by the sustained attacks on Gaza with large loss of civilian life. British officials also fear tensions remain high after this summer’s far right-led riots.

    The Metropolitan police assistant commissioner Matt Twist said: “As the situation in the Middle East becomes less certain once again, we know that fears and tensions will rise here at home too. Together, we are determined to demonstrate that there will be no tolerance for hate crime in London.”

    Jewish communities suffered large increases in hate crimes after the 7 October attacks on Israel, as did Muslims in Britain. Israel’s clashes with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah are leading to concerns the group designated as terrorist by the British government may launch attacks against Jewish targets overseas as a way of seeking vengeance against Israel.

    The Iranian regime is feared to have targeted dissidents in the UK, showing it is prepared to operate on British soil.

    The Community Security Trust (CST), which spearheads Jewish security efforts in Britain, said: “Hezbollah and Iran have a long record of terrorism against Jewish and Israeli targets around the world, especially as a form of reprisal.

    “It is certainly possible they may look to do something overseas to avenge [the assassinated Hezbollah leader] Hassan Nasrallah’s death, and this is something that forms an important part of our security planning.”

    Khan said: “We know that an escalation in conflict in the Middle East often leads to an increase in hate crime here in London. We have seen an abhorrent and completely unacceptable rise in hate crime over the last year – particularly antisemitism and Islamophobia – which has profoundly impacted our Jewish and Muslim communities in London.

    Khan said he was already spending £15m to “support victims of hate crime and tackle hate and extremism in London”. The Lebanon crisis, which may escalate further if a feared Israeli ground invasion takes place, is prompting another £875,000 of spending on tackling anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hatred, including online.

    It will go to “grassroots community projects to tackle hate, intolerance, extremism, radicalisation and terrorism”, a spokesperson for the London mayor said.

    The Met recorded a 286% rise in antisemitic hate crime in the 12 months from September 2023 to August 2024, compared with the same period last year, and a 67% increase in anti-Muslim hate crime in the same period.

    Khan said: “At a time of rising tension and online hate, this scheme will continue to build bridges across communities, embrace what we have in common and help ensure Londoners of all backgrounds and faiths feel welcome [and] safe and can thrive.”

    ALSO READ: EU and UK agree to strengthen cooperation

  • EU and UK agree to strengthen cooperation

    EU and UK agree to strengthen cooperation

    Both sides agreed to hold a summit to “oversee the development” of the new relationship in early 2025…reports Asian Lite News

    The United Kingdom and the European Union have jointly vowed to take forward their “agenda of strengthened cooperation at pace”, with a leader-level summit on the reset in relations expected to take place early next year.

    In a joint statement, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said they would start the work of defining “the areas in which strengthened cooperation would be mutually beneficial,” listing the economy, energy, security and resilience as priority areas.

    Despite the warmer tones, Starmer refused to be drawn on how he saw EU-UK relations strengthening in the future; insisting the two sides were still in the early days of the reset.

    However, he stressed the UK government’s intention to improve relations in order to achieve practical “deliverables”.

    This visit was about charting a “return to pragmatism and to doing business in a respectful way and in a way which I think will focus on deliverables”, he told reporters after the meeting.

    He agreed talks going forward might be challenging but said that rebuilding relations with Brussels rather than “charging to the nearest camera or megaphone” was the better option.

    “Look, of course, there’ll be challenges along the way, but this was about a good faith step forward to constructive deliverables, which I think are achievable,” he told journalists.

    ‘Move beyond Brexit’

    Wednesday’s meeting was Starmer’s first formal bilateral one-on-one with von der Leyen since his election last July. He also met the outgoing president of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola.

    The move is of major symbolic importance in efforts to restore the relationship between both sides, eight years after the UK voted to leave the bloc and four years since it formally exited its political and economic structures.

    Starmer’s Labour-led government has set out to change the tone of UK-EU relations after 14 years of successive Conservative governments in London, during which the relationship plunged to a historic low.

    With war raging on Europe’s doorstep in Ukraine and in the Middle East, closer cooperation on security and defence that could span broad areas including critical raw materials, energy and migration, is said to be under consideration.

    Since he entered government in July, Starmer has also vowed to smooth out barriers to trade with the EU, after the UK’s post-Brexit exit from the EU single market delivered a heavy blow to UK-based traders and businesses.

    Speaking ahead of the meeting, von der Leyen said: “Our alignment on global affairs provides a good foundation for our bilateral relations and we have a set of solid agreements in place.”

    “We should explore the scope for more cooperation while we focus on the full and faithful implementation of the withdrawal agreement, the Windsor Framework and the TCA,” von der Leyen added, signalling the EU executive will want the UK to comply with all its post-Brexit obligations before it can improve its post-Brexit trading conditions with the European bloc.

    Ahead of the talks, the UK government said in a statement it wanted to “move beyond Brexit” with improved cooperation with the European bloc.

    “I firmly believe that the British public want to return to pragmatic, sensible leadership when it comes to dealing with our closest neighbours,” Starmer told reporters.

    “To make Brexit work and to deliver in their interests, to find ways to boost economic growth, strengthen our security and tackle shared challenges like irregular migration and climate change,” he added.

    But Starmer has also defined clear red lines, ruling out any return to the EU’s single market, customs union or freedom of movement as part of the re-negotiated relationship. A stance he reiterated in his post-meeting press conference

    “There will be no return to freedom of movement, no return to the Customs Union, no return to the single market, but we will find constructive ways to work together and deliver for the British people,” he said.

    No ‘cherry-picking’

    While there is appetite in Brussels to engage, especially on common efforts to tackle irregular migration and boost cooperation on security, the EU is unlikely to give in to Starmer’s demands without drawing concessions.

    In April, the EU executive tabled a proposal for a youth mobility agreement, which would restore young Brits and Europeans’ ability to freely travel, work and study on both sides.

    But the deal would likely be unpalatable to large swathes of the UK’s pro-Brexit electorate, meaning Starmer has repeatedly ruled it out both during and after his electoral campaign. His home secretary Yvette Cooper said in an interview last week that the EU sees the deal “in the context of free movement,” doubling down on the UK’s refusal to allow freedom of movement across its borders.

    Analysts say that both London and Brussels may need to strike a compromise deal on youth mobility to be able to reach more mutually beneficial agreement on critical issues such as trade and security.

    “I think there is a recognition within the (Labour) party that it is going to have to agree to some kind of youth mobility agreement,” Joel Reland of UK in a Changing Europe said.

    “Similarly, the EU has hinted that it may be willing to compromise on the initial deal it proposed – for instance by reducing the length of time that young people can travel for, or removing the demand that EU students pay the same tuition fees as UK students,” Ireland added, suggesting there is a “landing zone” where both sides could subscribe to the mobility deal.

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  • Hostage Diplomacy: British journalist says 10,000 foreigners detained across CCP prison network

    Hostage Diplomacy: British journalist says 10,000 foreigners detained across CCP prison network

    Former British journalist Peter Humphrey noted that while countries like the United States have institutional frameworks for addressing the wrongful detention of their citizens abroad, these measures have proven ineffective when dealing with the Chinese regime, a report by Rajesh Kumar Sharma

    In recent years, there has been increasing attention on the detention of foreigners within China’s prison system, controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

    These detentions, which often occur under ambiguous legal circumstances, raise concerns about the transparency of China’s legal system, its use of hostages for political leverage, and the treatment of foreign nationals who are often left to navigate a complex and opaque judicial system.

    Recently, a British journalist told an Australian Senate Committee that around 10,000 foreigners are currently held in the CCP’s prison system.

    According to a report by The Epoch Times, at an enquirty hearing last week, former British journalist and business Peter Humphrey, who was involved with China for 50 years, shared his experience of being wrongfully detained by China’s communist regime.

    Humphrey said he and his Chinese American wife were arrested in 2013 on fabricated charges of illegal “information gathering.”

    At the time of their arrest, they were operating a consultancy firm focused on fraud investigation, assisting clients in mitigating risks while conducting business in China.

    The couple endured two years in a Shanghai prison, which they later described as a “devastating experience.”

    Humphrey was released early in June 2015 due to health complications, with his wife being freed around the same time.

    Following his release, Humphrey began working with families facing the challenges of securing the release of loved ones who had been arbitrarily detained in China.

    Based on his research, he estimated that approximately 10,000 foreigners were imprisoned in China, with many of them likely wrongfully detained.

    Foreigners detained in China often find themselves caught in a system where the legal process can be difficult to follow.

    The charges leveled against them may range from common crimes such as drug trafficking or fraud to more politically sensitive accusations like espionage or endangering national security.

    In many cases, foreign nationals are not immediately granted access to legal counsel or consular support, a violation of international norms.

    Recounting his experience in China, Humphrey described the judicial system under the CCP as one of oppression rather than justice.

    He emphasized that every aspect of the system—police, prosecution, judiciary, prisons, and even Chinese lawyers—operates under the regime’s complete control.

    “No judge is independent or impartial; they merely serve as the Party’s messengers,” Humphrey said, explaining that the system is often manipulated by influential individuals to harm those they have personal grievances against.

    “Cases are built on coerced confessions, sometimes broadcast on television, and false witness statements,” he noted.

    Shedding light on the harsh conditions within CCP-run prisons, Humphrey recounted how prisoners were forced to sleep on the floor in overcrowded cells and were given filthy, substandard food to eat.

    He revealed that prisoners were subjected to forced labor for the prison’s commercial gain and were compelled to write “mandatory thought reports” as part of a brainwashing campaign.

    Additionally, proper medical care was often withheld, even for serious conditions like cancer, Humphrey added.

    Humphrey highlighted the issue of a “two-tier response” from Western countries regarding the detention of their citizens in China.

    “The first tier is what I refer to as a ‘nanny and messenger service,’ where detainees receive occasional consular visits. These visits may include delivering letters, messages from home, or reading materials,” he explained.

    “The second tier involves what we frequently hear from Western consular representatives during these visits: ‘Sorry, we can’t intervene in your case.’”

    He expressed frustration, noting that whenever detainees request any action that the consular officials perceive as interfering with the legal process, they refuse to take further steps.

    Humphrey noted that while countries like the United States have institutional frameworks for addressing the wrongful detention of their citizens abroad, these measures have proven ineffective when dealing with the Chinese regime.

    He emphasized, “Western democracies need to join forces and present a united front in their approach to this issue.”

    In some cases, the detention of foreigners serves as a tactic for political bargaining.

    National security charges are often vague, and trials are frequently held behind closed doors.

    This lack of transparency makes it difficult for the international community to scrutinize whether due process is followed.

    Moreover, China’s judicial system has a high conviction rate, especially in politically sensitive cases, further exacerbating concerns over the fairness of these trials.

    The use of foreign detainees as leverage in diplomatic negotiations has led to accusations that China is engaging in “hostage diplomacy.”

    In such cases, foreigners are detained not solely for their individual actions but as a means of exerting pressure on their home countries.

    This has been seen in multiple high-profile cases involving US, UK, Canadian, and Australian nationals.

    These cases often involve accusations of spying or other threats to national security, even when evidence may be scarce or ambiguous.

    The detention of foreigners across the CCP’s prison system highlights several key issues, including the lack of transparency in China’s legal processes, the use of detainees as political leverage, and concerns over human rights and fair treatment in detention.

    For foreign nationals living or working in China, the threat of arbitrary detention remains a looming concern, one that underscores the broader challenges of navigating China’s complex and opaque legal landscape.

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