Prasun Sonwalkar

UK: Royal honours for Indian-origin Covid-19 warriors

Indian-origin individuals named for some of the highest civilian honours such as OBE, MBE and BEM include popular actor Nina Wadia, who played various characters in films and TV programmes over the years

Year-end cheer: India closer to Covid-19 vaccine after UK’s Oxford nod

UK’s MHRA, on December 2, approved the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, making it the first inoculation to be approved anywhere in the world after due scientific process. The Moderna vaccine was approved by the US on December 18.

Ex-PM told Major about coalition conundrum

Indian-origin UK company director banned over tax bill

Surinder Singh, 62, was the director of the company that was placed into compulsory liquidation in July 2019 after ceasing trading and failing to pay the tax bill which had accumulated from April 2018.

New spike in UK cases as Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is approved

There were renewed calls for another lockdown and stopping schools from reopening after the holiday period ends in early January, as the number of new day-cases touched 53,135 on Tuesday evening – more than 10 times that of the April-May peak.

Year-ender UK: India, Indians figured more in pandemic, politics, protests

The elevation of persons of Indian origin in the British politics reflected success not only for the 1.5 million-strong Indian diaspora but also for the UK’s policies of multiculturalism.

Queen Elizabeth hails Diwali in Christmas message, doesn’t mention pandemic

The widely-watched royal message recorded in mid-December in Windsor did not mention “pandemic” or “Covid-19”, but the UK queen said the year that has necessarily kept people apart has, in many ways, brought them closer

Khalistan supporter’s nomination to UK House of Lords delayed, says Sikh group

Dabinderjit Singh Sidhu, principal adviser to Sikh Federation UK, was to be one of the new political peers, but his name was missing when the list was released by Downing Street on Monday

Energy giant Cairn wins high-profile tax dispute case against India

The case had gone into arbitration in 2015 when Cairn Energy contested a demand from Indian tax authorities for $1.4 billion owed on capital gains related to the 2007 listing of its Indian unit

Europe isolates UK as Covid-19 cases touch new high

France banned freight traffic through Eurotunnel for 48 hours from Sunday night over concerns over the spread of the new Covid-19 variant, leading to the closure of the Dover port, which could result in what industry called a “devastating effect”. It also suspended air traffic with the UK for 48 hours.

New variant makes Covid-19 ‘out of control’ in UK, flights banned

The Netherlands, Italy and Belgium have banned flights to and from the UK to prevent the new Covid-19 variant from entering the countries, as reports said other European countries were considering similar measures

FDA clears the way for emergency use of Moderna vaccine

The Covid-19 vaccine has been authorised for use on people aged 18 years and older, and has joined Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine, already being administered since Monday, on the front lines of the battle against the virus.

Alarm over new Covid-19 variant puts London in lockdown

UK PM Boris Johnson announced the creation of a new tier – Tier 4 – in the Covid-19 alert system, under which towns and areas in England are placed. London has been in the top Tier 3 with the toughest restrictions, but has gone further in the lockdown-like Tier 4

Another lockdown in England possible after Christmas, warns PM Boris Johnson

Relaxation in Covid-19 curbs across the UK from December 23 to 27 is expected to lead to spikes in cases and deaths, with the British PM, ministers and health officials repeatedly urging Britons to act responsibly during the celebrations

‘Consider cancelling Christmas’: Priti Patel tells Britons to play it safe as pandemic rages

The UK home secretary sounded the note of caution to moderate Christmas celebrations after PM Boris Johnson said on Wednesday “a smaller Christmas is going to be a safer Christmas”

‘Scandal… political stunt,’ says UK minister on Unicef feeding poor kids in London

Asked about the Unicef’s initiative, Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of the UK House of Commons with a cabinet ministerial status, criticised the UN body, saying it should be ashamed of itself

Covid-19: Pregnant women missing from most clinical trials

Pregnant women have been excluded from 75% of Covid-19 treatment trials, which puts potential effectiveness of treatment at risk, as well as the safety of pregnant women who may be at increased risk of severe illness, according to a new study published by the Lancet Global Health journal

Air pollution caused London girl’s death, says coroner in historic ruling

Ella Kissi-Debrah, 9, and her family lived near the South Circular Road in Lewisham, where levels of nitrogen dioxide air pollution from traffic constantly exceeded the annual legal limit.

New figures show British Indians hardest hit by Covid-19 pandemic

Studies have highlighted the disproportionately adverse impact on Indian and other non-white communities, mainly due to a range of pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and heart ailments; and socioeconomic factors such as residential overcrowding and employment in low-end public-facing occupations

Southall spitting row: Indian-origin man sentenced to long-term mental hospital

Lall attacked Allan Isichei, after the two had a brief verbal row over Lall’s spitting in the street. Lall was found guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility in October

Boris Johnson accepts India’s invite, will be Republic Day parade chief guest

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has accepted India’s invitation to be the chief guest at Republic Day on January 26 – the second UK prime minister to attend the event after John Major in 1993 – and has invited India to join the UK’s G7 summit next year.

New UK law set to fine social media firms up to £18mn for illegal content

The new rules, intended to enforce a “new age of accountability” for social media, includes the power to hold senior managers of the tech companies liable.

New Covid strain found in London that spreads rapidly; tough Tier 3 restrictions ordered

Health secretary tells parliament that a new variant of Covid-19 had been detected, which may have caused the spike in cases in London, Essex and Kent.

Novelist John le Carre, who defined Cold War era, passes away

Among his most popular works are: ‘The Spy Who Came in From the Cold’ and ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’. He worked for the British intelligence services in the 1950s and 1960s.

UK cuts quarantine time to 10 days for foreign arrivals

Chief medical officers of England, Wales, Scotland the Northern Ireland said in a statement that after reviewing evidence, they were now confident that the number of days can be reduced to 10 days.

London builder destroyed breeding site of bats, fined £600,000

The case was brought after the company carried out demolition work at the site, where the presence of Soprano Pipistrelle bats had been documented in 2017.

‘Concerning’ rise in Covid-19 cases puts London on the brink

There were 20,964 new cases across the UK as of Thursday evening, and 516 deaths. London recorded 4,144 new cases and 40 deaths, some of the highest figures in recent days.

UK slaps sanctions on Pak ex-cop for human rights violations

Others sanctioned include Russian, Venezuelan and Gambian human rights violators, the Foreign Office said, adding that the sanctions have been imposed alongside the United States on International Human Rights Day.

Boris misheard question, says office after he terms farmer protest an India-Pak issue

The widely reported exchange between Johnson and Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi evoked strong responses on social media.

In major faux pas, UK PM Boris Johnson says farm stir is India-Pak issue

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday was asked about the farmers’ agitation in India in the House of Commons, and apparently incorrectly viewing the issue as one between India and Pakistan, told the House of Commons that it is a matter for the two governments to settle.