UK | DD News

March 3, 2026 8:04 PM

UK’s Reeves promises stability against backdrop of Middle East conflict

British finance minister Rachel Reeves said she would provide stability for the economy in a budget update speech on Tuesday that contained no big policy surprises and was overshadowed by alarm among investors over the conflict in the Middle East. Reeves said fresh forecasts showed inflation and borrowing would be lower than previously thought by Britain's fiscal watchdog, although its economic growth projection for this year was cut to 1.1% from a previous estimate of 1.4%. Those forecasts ma...

February 18, 2026 3:07 PM

India, UK launch offshore wind taskforce under Vision 2035

India and the United Kingdom on Wednesday launched the India–UK Offshore Wind Taskforce, aimed at accelerating cooperation in offshore wind development as part of their broader clean energy partnership under Vision 2035. Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi addressed the launch event in the presence of UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron. Describing the initiative as a “Trustforce”, Joshi said the Taskforce reflec...

February 18, 2026 9:55 AM

Spain, Finland, Sweden, UK leaders arrive in Delhi for AI Impact Summit

Several global leaders and senior dignitaries have begun arriving in New Delhi to attend the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, currently under way at Bharat Mandapam. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) welcomed Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, President of Spain, on his arrival in the national capital. He was received at the airport by Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary. In a post on X, MEA said President Sánchez’s visit will add momentum to the ong...

January 21, 2026 4:44 PM

UK sets out $20 billion plan to cut energy bills, heat homes

Britain on Tuesday set out a 15-billion-pound ($20 billion) plan to cut energy bills through home upgrades and other efficiency measures, forming part of its wider decarbonisation efforts. Here are some details: • New homes will be built cheaper to run, with solar panels as the standard from early 2026, the government said • Homeowners will be able to apply for government-backed, low- and zero-interest loans for solar panels, batteries and heat pumps • The move will triple the number o...

January 20, 2026 8:55 PM

Environmental campaigners begin legal challenge against expansion of UK airport

A legal challenge to Britain's plan to expand Gatwick Airport, the country's second largest, began on Tuesday, as campaigners sought to block the project on climate change grounds. Britain's transport minister Heidi Alexander approved the opening of a second runway in September, hoping that converting a back-up runway into one that is fully operational will allow thousands of extra flights and drive economic growth. But campaign group Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions, or CAGNE, said...

January 20, 2026 10:58 PM

UK weighs Australia-style social media ban for children under 16

Britain is considering an Australian-style ban on social media for children under 16, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer warning on Tuesday they risk being pulled into "a world of endless scrolling, anxiety and comparison". Starmer said the government was prepared to take robust action, a day after it announced it would examine whether features such as infinite scrolling and the age at which children can access platforms should be restricted and how such measures could be imposed. "This is a hug...

January 4, 2026 11:11 AM

Britain says it and France bombed suspected Islamic State arms dump in Syria

Britain's and France's air forces conducted a joint operation on Saturday evening to bomb a suspected underground arms cache previously used by the Islamic State group in Syria, Britain's defence ministry said. Western aircraft have been conducting patrols to stop a resurgence of the Islamist militant group that ruled parts of Syria until 2019. Intelligence analysis identified an underground facility believed to be used to store weapons and explosives in mountains north of Palmyra, Britain said...

December 9, 2025 3:02 PM

India welcomes UK sanctions on Khalistani terror group linked to Babbar Khalsa

India on Monday welcomed the United Kingdom government’s decision to impose sanctions on pro-Khalistan extremist entities linked to the banned terror outfit Babbar Khalsa, calling it a significant step toward strengthening global counter-terrorism efforts. During the weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi appreciates London’s action targeting individuals and organisations involved in anti-India extremist activities. He noted tha...

November 16, 2025 3:49 PM

Britain to make refugee status temporary under asylum overhaul

Britain said it would make refugee status temporary and the wait for permanent settlement would be quadrupled to 20 years under the country's most sweeping overhaul of policy on asylum seekers in modern times. The Labour government has been hardening its immigration policies, above all on illegal small-boat crossings from France, in efforts to stem the soaring popularity of the populist Reform UK party, which has driven the immigration agenda. The government said it would take inspiration from...

November 16, 2025 3:25 PM

Storm Claudia kills three in Portugal, causes flooding in Britain

Violent weather brought on by Storm Claudia killed three people and injured dozens in Portugal, authorities there said on Saturday, while in Britain rescue workers were organising evacuations due to heavy flooding in Wales and England. Portugal and parts of neighbouring Spain have faced days of extreme conditions brought on by Storm Claudia, which had reached parts of Britain and Ireland by Saturday. Rescue workers found the bodies of an elderly couple inside their flooded home in Fernao Ferro...