Latest news with #British-French
See - Sada Elbalad
13-05-2025
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
Buckingham Palace: Macron to Visit UK in July
Rana Atef On Tuesday, Buckingham Palace announced that French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to the UK for a state visit in July. King Charles III and Queen Camilla will host the president and his wife, Brigitte Macron, at Windsor Castle. The King and Queen visited France in September 2023. During the visit the English and French officials worked on reshaping the British-French ties after Brexit. According to BBC, the state visit will be hosted in Windsor Castle, while the meeting related to work will be at Buckingham Palace. BBC added that the upcoming visit will include more discussions about the future relationships between the United Kingdom and Europe, including discussing the developments in Ukraine and tariff issues imposed by US President Donald Trump. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War
Powys County Times
07-05-2025
- Powys County Times
Daughter of World War II heroine attends Powys VE Day event
THE daughter of a World War II heroine executed by the Nazis officially unveiled a memorial in the Powys village where she lives last weekend, as celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day got underway. Violette Szabo was a British-French secret agent, recruited by the Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent during the war, having initially joined the Women's Land Army and later enlisting in the Auxiliary Territorial Service – the women's branch of the British Army during World War II. On just her second mission into occupied France, Violette was captured by the German army, interrogated, tortured and deported to Ravensbrück concentration camp, where she was executed, aged just 23. She was a posthumous recipient of the George Cross. Tania Szabo, born to Violette and her French husband Etienne on June 8, 1942, has called the village of Cilmery, near Builth Wells, home for some years; and it was here that she unveiled a bench last weekend, honouring the last native Prince of Wales, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, who was killed near the village, and which houses a monument to him. The unveiling of the bench was part of a day of celebration at Cilmery's Prince Llewelyn Inn on Sunday, May 4, with the pub hosting a commemorative event celebrating 80 years since VE Day. Refreshments and a buffet was provided by the pub's landlords, Julie and Adrian Beach, along with entertainment for children and rousing 1940's music. Members of Cilmery Community Council unveiled the 'Cilmery Bench', which sits just across the road from the pub. It was finely crafted by local blacksmith Kevin Preece, with thanks extended to Jewsons for supplying the materials. The bench is engraved with ' Llywelyn ap Gruffydd ' and an outline of the village monument to celebrate Llywelyn's connection to Cilmery. To complete the VE Day Commemorations, Tania recalled the heroic contribution that her late mother made to the Allied effort during World War II. Violette, as an SOE agent, went into France on June 7, 1944, on just her second mission, but was captured only three days later. She, along with two other SOE agents, Denise Block and Lilian Rolfe, was executed on February 5, 1945. After she and Etienne were married, Violette became a switchboard operator for the General Post Office in central London, working throughout the Blitz. However, bored by the job, she enlisted in the ATS in September 1941. She was stationed in Cheshire but returned to London in early 1942 when she learned she was pregnant. After giving birth to Tania, she sent her daughter to childminders while she worked at an aircraft factory. Étienne was killed in action on October 24, 1942, having never seen his daughter. It was Étienne's death that made Violette accept an offer to train as a field agent in the SOE, as she saw this as her best way of fighting the enemy.
Express Tribune
27-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Why nations advance and Pakistan struggles
Listen to article During the colonial era, experts believed that the true economic powerhouses lay in the Caribbean and Latin America, while North America was seen as relatively insignificant. Even the philosopher Voltaire famously dismissed the British-French struggle over Canada as a battle for "a few acres of snow." At the time, territories like Guadeloupe seemed far more valuable than the vast, cold lands of Canada and the United States. Yet history unfolded differently; North America eventually outpaced its southern counterparts in economic growth and prosperity. The question remains: why did the once-wealthy regions fall behind? Historical experiences of successful nations show several key factors that explain long-term economic success, particularly in terms of growth in per capita income, sustained economic growth, and broader economic development. These are as follows: First, industrialisation and technological advancements have played a crucial role. In many emerging economies, these forces have created new job opportunities and expanded access to education, helping to build a thriving middle class. Second, the complexity and diversity of a nation's export economy are strong indicators of its underlying knowledge base and expertise. A country's ability to produce and export high-value goods and services reflects its technological capabilities, industrial sophistication, and specialised skillsfactors that go beyond simple measures of human capital. Third, economies that rely heavily on a small number of natural resources are more vulnerable to economic instability and political corruption. Resource-dependent nations often struggle with governance challenges, making it difficult to achieve sustainable growth. Fourth, the structure of a nation's economy, whether formal or informal, plays a significant role in development. In well-regulated economies, clear legal and institutional frameworks promote transparency, competition, and fairness. However, in countries with weak institutions, the informal economy often flourishes, leading to black markets and unregistered businesses. While informal markets can provide short-term relief for individuals, they ultimately undermine economic development by reducing tax revenues, discouraging investment, and reinforcing inequality. Finally, the strength of a country's institutions is perhaps the most critical factor in long-term economic success. Institutions shape the "rules of the game," influencing political, economic, and social interactions. As economist Douglass North (1990) argued, strong institutions create incentives that reduce uncertainty and promote efficiency, leading to economic growth. These institutions range from broad legal and regulatory systems to specific mechanisms such as independent central banks, balanced budget laws, and trade agreements, all of which play crucial roles in fostering economic stability and prosperity. Ultimately, the rise of developed countries to economic dominance was not a historical accident. Their success can be attributed to a combination of industrialisation, economic diversification, strong institutions, and a well-regulated market economy. These are the factors that many natural resource-rich nations have struggled to develop. The fragility of Pakistan's economy and the challenge of achieving long-term economic success - particularly in terms of per capita income growth, sustained economic growth, and overall economic development - will persist indefinitely in the absence of these attributes. Heavy reliance on agriculture and other natural resources continues despite the well-established fact that these have a negative relationship with GDP per capita. Pakistan has yet to undergo a traditional structural transformation, a crucial driver of economic growth that shifts economic activity from low-productivity to high-productivity sectors. Typically, this process moves resources out of agriculture into textiles, followed by more advanced industries like electronics and machinery manufacturing. However, Pakistan's global market share in textile exports has remained stagnant over the past decade, and its electronics and machinery sectors have yet to gain momentum, limiting overall income growth. Over the last five years, Pakistan's export growth has been primarily driven by the textile sector. However, this growth has not been the result of simply operating in a booming global industry but rather from an increase in Pakistan's market share within textiles. Sustained economic growth requires diversification into new, increasingly complex products. Since 2007, Pakistan has introduced 25 new products, contributing $5 per capita in income by 2022. However, while the country has successfully diversified, the production scale of these new products remains too small to generate significant income growth. The growing population, escalating poverty levels, rising overall debt and its servicing, an unjust tax system, and the historical dependence on remittances, textiles, agriculture, and commodity exports will not produce the necessary changes for the economy to thrive in the long term. As a result, fragility will persist unless the practices and experiences of successful nations are effectively adopted both in substance and spirit. THE WRITER IS A PHD ECONOMICS SCHOLAR AT UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA (USM)
The Independent
29-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump wants more of Kyiv's rare minerals as US rejects Putin call to oust Zelensky
✕ Close Putin attends launch ceremony of new Russian nuclear submarine On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The White House has rejected Vladimir Putin's suggestion for a temporary administration in Kyiv, while also seeking sweeping access to Ukraine's minerals and energy commodities. The Russian President said Volodymyr Zelensky's government must be replaced to pave the way for a peace accord during a visit to a Russian nuclear submarine base on Thursday, before Moscow launched a drone assault on Ukraine overnight. A White House national security council spokesperson snubbed the Kremlin leader's demand and said the governance in Ukraine is determined by its constitution and the people of the country. The Trump administration is also pushing for a major new resources deal with Kyiv that would give the US control over all of Ukraine's energy assets and rare minerals. Yesterday, the Ukrainian president said the US is constantly changing the terms of a key minerals agreement as part of peace deal. Earlier, Emmanuel Macron announced that a British-French military delegation will be sent to Ukraine to scout Kyiv's needs and what can be done to support its army – and that troops would be deployed as a 'reassurance force' to uphold any potential peace deal agreed with Russia.
The Independent
28-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky says US ‘constantly changing' terms of rare earth deal
Volodymyr Zelensky has said the US is constantly changing the terms of a key minerals agreement as part of peace deal, expressing frustration over lack of a final agreement on Ukraine 's rare earth deal pitched by Washington. 'At the end of the day, they constantly change the terms. I am not going to Washington because there's no issue on the agenda,' Mr Zelensky said after the Leaders' Summit on Support for Ukraine in France Donald Trump has intensified his demands for US control over Ukraine 's rare minerals and energy assets, according to a fresh proposal seen by multiple media outlets. The new deal would see the US receive all royalties from such assets until Ukraine has paid off at least $100bn of war debt to the US, and hand Kyiv just 50 per cent thereafter, while giving the US a veto over the sale of any such assets to other nations, according to reports. It came as Emmanuel Macron announced that a British-French military delegation will be sent to Ukraine to scout Kyiv 's needs and what can be done to support its army – and that troops would be deployed as a 'reassurance force' to uphold any potential peace deal agreed with Russia. Zelensky says US 'constantly changing' terms of rare earth deal Volodymyr Zelensky has said the US is constantly changing the terms of a key minerals agreement as part of peace deal, expressing frustration over lack of a final agreement on Ukraine 's rare earth deal pitched by Washington. 'At the end of the day, they constantly change the terms. I am not going to Washington because there's no issue on the agenda,' Mr Zelensky said after the Leaders' Summit on Support for Ukraine in France. The Trump administration has proposed a new, more expansive minerals deal with Ukraine, according to three people familiar with the ongoing negotiations and a summary of a draft proposal obtained by Reuters. Mr Trump has said a minerals deal will help secure a peace agreement by giving the United States a financial stake in Ukraine's future. Arpan Rai28 March 2025 04:23 'Reassurance force' is part of a 'spectrum of options', says No 10 A 'reassurance force' for Ukraine is part of a 'spectrum of options' being considered by the so-called 'coalition of the willing', Downing Street has said. A No 10 spokesperson said: 'Military planning has started in earnest. We have teams working on air, sea and land as well as rebuilding the Ukrainian army. This will in the end depend on what is agreed in the peace deal.' Asked how a 'reassurance force' would differ from a peacekeeping force, he said: 'I think there is a spectrum of options and what you will see next week is senior British and French military leaders going to Ukraine to discuss with the Ukrainian military how this will work in practice. 'This will look both at rebuilding the Ukrainian military and how the reassurance force will work.' Arpan Rai28 March 2025 04:10 Full report: Starmer and Macron to send military chiefs to Ukraine to plan for future ceasefire Britain and France will send a joint military delegation to Ukraine to develop plans to enforce any future ceasefire deal, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The prime minister, speaking after a summit in Paris, revealed army chiefs from France and the UK will assess Kyiv's needs and how they can uphold peace should an agreement be struck. Sir Keir also called for a deadline for Russia to come to the negotiating table, adding: 'We need to see this developing in days and weeks, not months and months'. Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports from Paris: Starmer and Macron to send military chiefs to Ukraine to plan for future ceasefire It came as the prime minister hinted a ceasefire could be agreed in 'weeks not months' Andy Gregory28 March 2025 04:00 US to provide short-term funding for programme tracking abducted Ukrainian children US officials have said that short-term funding was being given to an initiative documenting abducted Ukrainian children, after Republican president Donald Trump's administration decided to pause the program on 25 January. The US government-funded initiative led by Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab helped track thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. The decision to terminate the programme, called the Ukraine Conflict Observatory, came after Trump ordered a broad review to prevent what he says is wasteful spending of US taxpayer dollars with causes that do not align with American interests. Ukraine says that more than 19,500 children have been taken to Russia or Russian-occupied territory during the war in Ukraine without the consent of family or guardians, calling the abductions a war crime that meets the UN treaty definition of genocide. Arpan Rai28 March 2025 03:49 Putin claims his troops achieving military goals in Ukraine Vladimir Putin said Russia was steadily moving forward to achieving the goals it had set out in its Ukraine operation. Russia, Mr Putin said, was in favour of "peaceful solutions to any conflict, including this one, through peaceful means, but not at our expense". "Throughout the entire line of military contact, our troops are holding the strategic initiative," Mr Putin said. "We are gradually – perhaps not as quickly as some might like – but still persistently and with confidence moving towards achieving the goals set out at the beginning of this operation," the agencies quoted him as saying. 28 March 2025 03:26 Netherlands to speed up release of aid to Ukraine The Netherlands will speed up the release of its promised €3.5bn euros of support for Ukraine and will send €2bn this year instead of in 2026, a spokesperson for Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof said on Thursday. Andy Gregory28 March 2025 03:01 Putin asks for temporary administration in Ukraine administration Vladimir Putin suggested Ukraine be placed under a form of temporary administration, by removal of the current Volodymyr Zelensky administration, to allow for new elections and the signature of key accords to reach a settlement in the war, Russian news agencies reported early today. "In principle, of course, a temporary administration could be introduced in Ukraine under the auspices of the UN, the United States, European countries and our partners," Mr Putin was quoted as saying in talks with seamen at the port. "This would be in order to hold democratic elections and bring to power a capable government enjoying the trust of the people and then to start talks with them about a peace treaty," he said. Moscow has wrongly claimed that the Zelensky administration in Kyiv is 'illegitimate' as they did not hold elections last year. However, the Ukrainian constitution says no elections can be held in a war-time period and while the country is under martial law. Mr Putin also appreciated Donald Trump's efforts to proceed with direct talks with Russia – in contrast with his predecessor Joe Biden, who shunned contacts – showed the new president wanted peace. "In my opinion, the newly elected president of the United States sincerely wants an end to the conflict for a number of reasons," the agencies quoted him as saying. Arpan Rai28 March 2025 02:58 White House says Ukrainians determine governance of Ukraine Governance in Ukraine is determined by its constitution and the people of the country, a White House National Security Council spokesperson said on Thursday. The White House official was responding to question on reported remarks by Russian president Vladimir Putin suggesting a temporary administration for Ukraine. In the early hours today, Russian president Vladimir Putin suggested Ukraine be placed under a form of temporary administration to allow for new elections and the signature of key accords to reach a settlement in the war, Russian news agencies reported. Arpan Rai28 March 2025 02:43 Italy's Meloni says US should be invited to future talks after Paris summit Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni said Washington should be invited to future talks, her office said, as European and Nato leaders met in Paris to discuss a potential peacekeeping force in Ukraine. Andy Gregory28 March 2025 02:01 'Premature' to discuss sending troops to Ukraine, says Czech PM As Ukraine's European allies discuss a peacekeeping force in Ukraine, some Ehave baulked at the prospect of sending troops without US guarantees and an international mandate. 'The debate on sending troops from concrete countries is premature,' Czech prime minister Petr Fiala told reporters. 'The idea still is that, if we debate something like that in Europe, there should be some kind of a safeguard from the United States.' Andy Gregory28 March 2025 01:01
