By Adrian DENNIS HAINAULT, United Kingdom, April 30, 2024 (AFP) – A 14-year-old boy died on Tuesday after a man wielding a sword stabbed the youth, two police and two other people, in a street attack in east London, police said. The man used what appeared to be a Samurai-type sword in the Hainault district shortly before 7:00 am (0600 GMT). Police said they arrested a 36-year-old man using Taser stun weapons and took him […]
Tag: UK
Sunak says UK had shot down ‘a number’ of Iranian attack drones
LONDON, April 14, 2024 (AFP) – UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called Sunday for “calm heads to prevail” as he confirmed that British fighter jets had shot down Iranian drones during Tehran’s unprecedented attack on Israel. Israel and its allies intercepted almost all of the missiles and drones fired by Iran during its first-ever attack on Israeli territory. Sunak joined world leaders in urging restraint as Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned against any “reckless” Israeli […]
UK sends additional fighter jets to Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran
LONDON, April 13, 2024 (AFP) – The UK government said Saturday it was sending additional fighter jets to the Middle East and would intercept airborne attacks as needed after Iran launched strikes on Israel. Tehran’s unprecedented drone and missile attack marked a major escalation of the long-running covert war between the regional foes. Iran had repeatedly threatened to retaliate against Israel for a deadly April 1 air strike on its Damascus consular annexe, and Washington […]
Australia vows AUKUS nuclear-powered subs ‘going to happen’
ADELAIDE, Australia, March 22, 2024 (AFP) – Australia insisted on Friday that a landmark deal to develop AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines with London and Washington was “going to happen”, despite mounting fears about costs, capabilities and the possible return of Donald Trump. Under the fledgling AUKUS deal, the three longtime allies have pledged to jointly beef up their military muscle in a bid to counter China’s rise. Defence chiefs this week unveiled ambitious plans to supply […]
UK, US blast Hong Kong’s proposed new security law
LONDON, Feb 29, 2024 (AFP) – The United States and Britain on Wednesday criticized the Hong Kong government over a proposed new national security law, saying it would curtail freedoms in the finance hub. Massive pro-democracy protests rocked Hong Kong in 2019, bringing hundreds of thousands of people to the streets to call for greater freedoms. In response, Beijing imposed a national security law to punish four major crimes — secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion […]
US, UK launch new wave of strikes against Yemen’s Huthis
WASHINGTON, Feb 24, 2024 (AFP) – American and British forces carried out a fresh wave of strikes Saturday against 18 Huthi targets in Yemen, a joint statement said, following weeks of unrelenting attacks on Red Sea shipping by the Iran-backed rebels. The strikes “specifically targeted 18 Huthi targets across eight locations in Yemen associated with Houthi underground weapons storage facilities, missile storage facilities, one-way attack unmanned aerial systems, air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter,” […]
UK police seize record 5.7 tonnes of cocaine hidden in bananas
British police said Friday that they had made what is believed to be its biggest ever seizure of serious drugs. The National Crime Agency said that 5.7 tonnes (5,700 kg) of cocaine were found in a container at the port of Southampton on England’s south coast on 8 February. The drug haul was discovered hidden in a cargo of bananas which had been transported from South America, the agency said in a statement. It had […]
UK sanctions six officials at Russian prison where Navalny died
LONDON, Feb 21, 2024 (AFP) – UK Foreign minister David Cameron said Wednesday that London had imposed sanctions on six officials at the head of the Siberian penal colony where Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny died. “Those responsible for Navalny’s brutal treatment should be under no illusion — we will hold them accountable,” Cameron said. The sanctioned individuals will be subject to freezes of any UK assets and travel bans. They include Vadim Konstantinovich Kalinin, […]
UK economy enters recession: official data
LONDON, Feb 15, 2024 (AFP) – Britain sank into recession at the end of last year on high inflation and a cost-of-living crisis, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak before this year’s election. Gross domestic product shrank 0.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023 after contracting 0.1 percent in the prior three months, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement. That places the economy in recession, which is defined […]
Yemen’s Huthis fire missiles at ships in Red Sea
By Jamal al-Jabiri SANAA, Jan 24, 2024 (AFP) – Yemen’s Huthis fired three missiles at two merchant ships in the Red Sea on Wednesday in their latest attack in the commercially vital waterway, the White House and the Iran-backed rebels said. It came after the Huthis vowed to keep up their attacks despite repeated US and British strikes against them. One missile missed its target and a US Navy destroyer shot down the other two, […]
Storm Isha batters UK cutting power and diverting flights
LONDON, Jan 22, 2024 (AFP) – Tens of thousands of people across the UK and Ireland were without power on Monday after Storm Isha lashed the countries with strong winds and heavy rain, disrupting travel networks. Gusts of 99 miles per hour (159 kilometres per hour) were recorded in northeast England as the whole of United Kingdom was subject to weather warnings for its ninth named storm since September. Climatologists say climate change is causing […]
UK inflation in shock rise, dashing rate cut hopes
By Roland JACKSON LONDON, Jan 17, 2024 (AFP) – British annual inflation unexpectedly picked up in December, data showed Wednesday, dashing hopes of an early cut to UK interest rates and prolonging a cost-of-living squeeze before an election. The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) accelerated slightly to 4.0 percent from 3.9 percent in November, the Office for National Statistics said, confounding expectations for a modest slowdown. The news dented hopes the Bank of England would cut […]
