New Delhi (TIP)- Ride-hailing services provider Ola has decided to shut down operations in the UK, Australia and New Zealand and will continue to focus on India business, its promoter ANI Technologies said. The Softbank-backed company said that it sees immense opportunity for expansion in India. “Our ride-hailing business is growing rapidly, and we remain profitable and segment leaders in India. The future of mobility is electric – not just in personal mobility, but also for the ride-hailing business and there is immense opportunity for expansion in India.
With this clear focus, we have reassessed our priorities and have decided to shut down our overseas ride-hailing business in its current form in the UK, Australia and New Zealand,” an Ola Mobility spokesperson said.
The company had launched these operations in phases in 2018. ANI Technologies has reported a narrowing of consolidated net loss to Rs 772.25 crore in the fiscal 2023, according to a regulatory filing. The company posted a consolidated loss of Rs 1,522.33 crore in the financial year (FY) 2022.
The consolidated revenue from operations increased by about 48 per cent to Rs 2,481.35 crore in FY23 from Rs 1,679.54 crore in the year-ago period. On a standalone basis, ANI Technologies, which comprises a ride-hailing business, has reported a narrowing of loss to Rs 1,082.56 crore in FY23 compared to a loss of Rs 3,082.42 crore in FY22. Source: PTI
Tag: Britain
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Ola to shut ops in Britain, Australia, New Zealand; to focus on India
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EAM raises security of envoys with Britain
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday, July 13, met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Jakarta on the sidelines of a set of ASEAN-related ministerial dialogues. The meeting, among a large number of bilaterals, is significant, as was the one with his UK counterpart James Cleverley in which he brought up concerns pertaining to the security of Indian diplomats in the UK. Jaishankar also met his South Korean counterpart Park Jin to discuss critical minerals and cutting-edge technology. He raised the security of Indian diplomats with Cleverly days after NSA Ajit Doval asked his British counterpart Tim Barrow to take strong public action such as deportation against extremist elements threatening officers of the Indian High Commission in the UK.With Lavrov, Jaishankar discussed bilateral economic issues and matters related to the Ukraine conflict. India has become a major buyer of Russian oil, but there is no agreement with Russia on how to utilise the rupees that have accumulated due to western sanctions. India would want the rupees to be invested in its infrastructure sector or government bonds while Moscow wants the money to be repatriated before deciding what to do with it.
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Britain delays Brexit import checks to avert supply disruption
The UK government said it will delay imposing post-Brexit checks on imports coming from the European Union in a bid to avert disruption to supplies this summer. The UK won’t require firms to file customs declarations immediately for any imports from the EU until Jan. 1, 2022, instead of July 1 this year, Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said in a written statement to Parliament. Border inspections of food products will also be delayed.
“We have listened to businesses who have made a strong case that they need more time to prepare,” Gove said. “We have given strong weight to the disruption which has been caused, and is still being caused, by Covid.”
The postponement prolongs Britain’s hands-off approach to checks on goods coming from the bloc — its largest trading partner — since the country completed its split from the EU at the end of 2020. In contrast, the EU imposed full customs controls on the UK’s exports to the bloc, causing delays to shipments, lost revenue for businesses, and a decline in freight volumes.
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Britain’s cats and dogs face pet-food pouch shortage
London (TIP) : Britain’s growing ranks of cats and dogs could be left staring at empty bowls after Sainsbury’s, the nation’s second biggest supermarket group, warned of a shortage of pet food pouches. In emails to cat and dog-owning customers Sainsbury’s apologised but cautioned the issue could be long term. “Due to a national shortage of dog and cat food pouches, we’re sorry if you’re not able to find your usual product at Sainsbury’s,” it said. “We’re working hard to resolve this. We think the issue will be ongoing through the year, but we hope to get them back onto shelves as quickly as possible.” Dog and cat ownership has soared during the COVID-19 pandemic as Britons have sought four-legged companions during multiple lockdowns. That has fuelled significant growth in pet food sales. “We are seeing an increased demand for pet food pouches and are working hard to maintain stock levels,” said a spokeswoman for Sainsbury’s. She said the group continued to offer a range of canned and dry alternatives. Tesco, Britain’s biggest supermarket group, said it had experienced particularly strong demand for branded cat food pouches. It is working closely with suppliers to meet customer demand. No. 4 player Morrisons said it was also working closely with suppliers who were investing in increasing their capacity. It cautioned it may not have full availability for several months. “That being said, we do have enough stock to support all our customers and their new pets and so there is no need for people to buy more than they need,” it added. —Reuters
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China derecognises British passport amid row over HK
Beijing/London (TIP): Britain on Friday hailed a new visa offering Hong Kong citizens a route to citizenship after China’s crackdown but Beijing said it would no longer recognise special British passports offered to residents of the former colony. Britain and China have been bickering for months about what London and Washington say is an attempt to silence dissent in Hong Kong, though Beijing says the West’s views are clouded by misinformation and an imperial hangover. Britain says it is fulfilling a historic and moral commitment to the people of Hong Kong after China imposed a tough new security law on the city that Britain says breaches the terms of agreements to hand the colony back in 1997. “I am immensely proud that we have brought in this new route for Hong Kong BN(O)s to live, work and make their home in our country,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, referring to a special British National Overseas (BNO) passport. But China and the Hong Kong government hit back by saying neither would recognise the BNO passport as a valid travel document from January 31. “Britain is trying to turn large numbers of Hong Kong people into second-class British citizens. This has completely changed the original nature of BNO,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular briefing. Beijing’s decision not to recognise the travel document is largely symbolic as Hong Kong residents would not normally use their BNO passports to travel to the mainland. A BNO passport holder in Hong Kong could still use their Hong Kong passport or identity card. Beijing’s imposition of a national security law in the former British colony in June last year prompted Britain to offer refuge to almost 3 million Hong Kong residents eligible for the BNO passport from January 31. The scheme, first announced last year, opens on Sunday and allows those with “British National (Overseas)” status to live, study and work in Britain for five years and eventually apply for citizenship. — Reuters
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British Parliament blocks no-deal Brexit prompting PM Johnson to push for new elections
LONDON(TIP): British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on Thursday, September 5, kicking off what is in effect an election campaign, casting an alliance of opposition parties trying to block a ‘no-deal’ Brexit as defeatists surrendering to the European Union.
As the United Kingdom spins towards an election, Brexit remains up in the air more than three years after Britons voted to leave the bloc in a 2016 referendum. Options range from a turbulent ‘no-deal’ exit to abandoning the whole endeavor.
After wresting control of the Lower House of Parliament on Wednesday, an alliance of opposition parties and rebels expelled from Johnson’s Conservative party voted to force him to seek a three-month delay to Brexit rather than leaving without a deal on October 31, the date now set in law.
Behind the sound and the fury of the Brexit crisis, an election now beckons for a polarized country.
The main choices on offer are Johnson’s radical insistence on leaving the EU on October 31, come what may, and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s hard-left socialist vision, coupled with a promise of a fresh referendum with an option to stay in the EU.
“Boris will argue that it is now time for the people to decide after parliament has failed them, so we can resolve this once and for all,” a spokesman for the prime minister said.
“Jeremy Corbyn continues not only to block Brexit but is now also stopping the people having their say by refusing a General Election.”
The opposition Labour Party cast Johnson’s language – including calling Corbyn a “chicken” — as pathetic, said he was trying to act like US President Donald Trump, and compared him to a 3-year-old toddler having a tantrum.
An election adds a new twist to a Brexit crisis that has for three years overshadowed European Union affairs, eroded Britain’s reputation as a stable pillar of the West and seen sterling twitch in tune to the probability of a ‘no-deal’ exit.
Johnson, the face of the 2016 Vote Leave campaign, has pushed for an election on October 15, two weeks before the United Kingdom is due to leave the EU, though opposition parties are debating which date they would accept.
“We are saying, yeah, bring on a General Election, of course,” said John McDonnell, the Labour Party’s second most powerful man.
“We will ensure that happens after we have got the legislation to protect against a ‘no-deal’ Brexit. But we will consult and do it on at the date on which we will think will have maximum advantage against a ‘no-deal’,” he said.
While sterling rose on Parliament’s bid to block a no-deal exit, an election before Brexit would allow him, if he won, to repeal the blocking bill, which was passed by 329-300 and then 327-299 in the House of Commons on Wednesday. The law will pass the upper house, the Lords, by Friday evening.
Johnson’s finance minister, Sajid Javid, opened up the possibility of a change to the Oct. 15 date but said the government could strike a renegotiated Brexit deal with Brussels and get it through parliament before October 31.
But the EU, and Germany and France in particular, have repeatedly called on Britain to make specific proposals on how it wants to change the agreement struck by Johnson’s predecessor, Theresa May, in November.
Diplomats said an election campaign would halt any Brexit talks with the EU and expressed frustration with the turmoil of British politics at such an important juncture in European history.
“The UK side continues to produce chaos and it is very hard to predict anything,” said one EU diplomat.
(Source: Agencies)
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INDIAN ORIGIN YOGA CHAMPION NAMED ‘BRITISH INDIAN OF THE YEAR’
LONDON(TIP): Indian-origin schoolboy who is the under-11 UK national yoga champion has been named the British Indian of the Year for his achievements in the field.
Ishwar Sharma, 8, has won a string of titles in both individual and artistic yoga, most recently a gold medal representing Great Britain at the World Student Games 2018 in Winnipeg, Canada, in June.
“I believe I am competing with myself rather than anyone else, which makes me challenge myself to do the difficult postures,” said the schoolboy, who studies at St Michael’s Preparatory School in Kent.
“I will always be a student of yoga and am deeply grateful to my teachers for the wisdom they have shared with me,” he said.
He was named British Indian of the Year in the Young Achiever category at the sixth annual awards ceremony held in Birmingham earlier this week.
“We feel proud of his achievements and it has improved his academic performance. We want him to inspire adults and other children with this lifestyle habit,” said his father Vishwanath, himself a keen yoga practitioner.
“He and I perform Vedic Yoga with choreography to music, which includes Hatha Yoga postures with Acroyoga and artistic yoga,” he said.
The family is originally from Mysore, home to world-renowned yoga gurus, and travel to the region annually.
“He rejuvenates himself there and would love to stay for more time and get yoga training with the teachers there,” added Vishwanath.
His son has performed in more over 100 events across the UK and worldwide and among his many skills is the ability to chant up to 50 ‘shlokas’ from the ‘Vedas’ and ‘Bhagavad Gita’. He won a gold medal at the Euro Asian Yoga Championships in Turkey in May and has also performed at a number of charity events to raise funds for the under-privileged.
Some of his upcoming competitions include one in Chile in December and then Beijing in January next year. He is also training for the World Games in Canada next year.
“Ishwar is determined to spread awareness about yoga and its benefits, especially among children,” his father said.
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British Prime Minister May agrees with France, Germany on upholding N-pact with Iran
LONDON(TIP): In sharp variance to US position on Iran Nuclear deal, British Prime Minister Theresa May agreed with the leaders of Germany and France on Thursday, May 17 to uphold the Iran nuclear deal after meeting on the sidelines of an EU summit in Bulgaria, May’s spokeswoman said.
May met German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from a nuclear deal between Iran and major powers. Trump has since imposed new sanctions.
“The leaders reiterated their firm commitment to ensuring the deal is upheld, stressing that it is important for our shared security,” the spokeswoman said.
“They pledged to work with the many parties to the deal to this end. The leaders stressed that Iran must continue to meet its own obligations under the deal.”
Merkel said EU countries agreed the Iran nuclear deal was “not perfect” but insisted it should be preserved, after the US withdrawal threw the accord into doubt.
“Everyone in the European Union shares the view that the agreement is not perfect, but that we should remain in this agreement and conduct further negotiations with Iran on the basis of other issues such as the ballistic missile program,” Merkel said as she arrived for the summit.
Macron said the bloc was working to keep the existing agreement alive “so that our businesses can remain” in Iran. This effort would run alongside work to “pursue negotiations on a vital broader agreement,” Macron said.
“The 2015 agreement needs to be completed by a nuclear agreement beyond 2025, an agreement on ballistic activities and (Iran’s) regional presence,” Macron said.
Meanwhile, the European Commission will launch on Friday, May 18 the process of activating a law that bans European companies from complying with US sanctions against Iran and does not recognize any court rulings that enforce American penalties.
“As the European Commission we have the duty to protect European companies. We now need to act, and this is why we are launching the process to activate the ‘blocking statute’ from 1996. We will do that tomorrow morning at 1030,” European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said.
“We also decided to allow the European Investment Bank to facilitate European companies’ investment in Iran. The Commission itself will maintain its cooperation will Iran,” Juncker told a news conference after a meeting of EU leaders. (Source: Agencies)
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Narendra Modi’s U.K. visit in April signals new goals
‘Bharat ki baat, sabke saath’ event on April 18
NEW DELHI (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second visit to the U.K. in less than three years is due to take place in April, with a community event in central London planned alongside bilateral engagements, and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
A publicity campaign for the ‘Bharat ki baat, sabke saath’ event on April 18 kicked off on Wednesday, March 28. “A unique niche event… it will be a one of its kind live interactive conversation,” tweeted the BJP’s Vijay Chauthaiwale.
The event will be held in central London, as against the Wembley Stadium, where Mr. Modi addressed a gathering of around 60,000 people, and will be a smaller affair, with around 1,500 to 2,000 people.
Within the first hours of the website for free registration going live, the number of registrations had already exceeded this figure.
The planned format highlights the different tone of the current visit and the audience Mr. Modi hopes to focus on — while the Wembley event was pitched very much as a “diaspora” event, with community performances — the April event is targeted at a more global audience, matching the aspirations of the visit, which is pegged around the ambitions of taking the Commonwealth to a new level. India’s active engagement is seen as key to the revival of the Commonwealth during the heads of government meeting on April 19 and 20, and the preceding Commonwealth Business Forum.
Visiting London earlier this year, Suresh Prabhu touted the leadership role that India could adopt in the organization.
However, others are hopeful the visit will also provide an opportunity for the U.K. government to express concerns over a number of developments in India. Earlier this month Foreign Office Minister Mark Field, responding to a debate in the House of Commons Westminster Hall, during which MPs expressed concerns, said the government would raise the issue of the treatment of Christian and Sikh minorities in India in the “appropriate manner” during CHOGM to ensure that Parliament’s voice was “properly heard.”
“He will appreciate that diplomacy sometimes needs to be done behind closed doors, rather than with megaphones,” he told MPs.
With the government of Theresa May touting a free trade deal with India as one of the ambitions of a “global” post-Brexit Britain, the visit will be a crucial, though sensitive one for the UK.
Earlier this year Britain and India agreed to the terms of a memo on the swift return of Indian illegal immigrants from the U.K. – an issue that has repeatedly been raised by the British government and seen as an obstacle to immigration reform on the British side.
India’s action will park the ball back in Britain’s court and strengthen calls for change from the U.K. when it comes to immigration and visa issues, particularly for business travelers, students and those in professional services.
Protests and rallies are also expected to take place, as they did during Mr. Modi’s last visit. The Sikh Federation, U.K. said it expected large numbers to turn out for a protest rally during the visit. The protest will raise issues including the detention of U.K. citizen Jagtar Singh Johal by Indian authorities last year.
(Source: The Hindu)
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Indian Origin Former Met Officer May Take Charge As Britain’s Anti-Terrorism Chief
LONDON (TIP): A senior Indian origin metropolitan police officer is running for the charge of Britain’s anti-terrorism chief .The Scotland Yard’s National Lead for Counter Terrorism resigns next month.
Neil Basu, currently Metropolitan police deputy assistant commissioner and Senior National Coordinator for UK Counter Terrorism Policing, is tipped to take over one of the British policing s toughest jobs from Mark Rowley, The Sunday Times reported.
Mr Basu, whose father is of Indian origin, is a former Met Police commander overseeing organized crime and gangs. He has specialized in anti-terrorism policing for the past three years and is currently Rowley’s deputy.
He has been vocal about cracking down on British nationals who joined the ISIS terrorist group in Syria and Iraq.
In a recent interview with the Combating Terrorism Centre in New York, he said that exclusion powers would be applied to about 200 of the 300 fighters in the war zone as he revealed that about half of the 850 who travelled from Britain to join ISIS had already returned and more than 100 were dead. Of the remaining 300, two-thirds would be blocked from the UK.
Like other countries, we operate on the principle that we don’t want you back, and therefore we will deprive you of your British passport for those among these who end up coming back, we are absolutely waiting for them. That’s the bottom line, he said.
The big threat for us now is the ideology that’s been diffused onto the internet and the calls for attacks by its followers in the West by ISIS online. The caliphate may have been defeated militarily, but it has now become a virtual network, he warned.
Other possible candidates for the post of Britain’s anti-terror chief include Helen Ball, a Met Police assistant commissioner, and Dave Thompson, the West Midlands chief constable, from whose area numerous terrorist plots have emerged in the UK.