Latest news with #BritishGroup
Maroc
03-06-2025
- Business
- Maroc
British MP Says Future for Morocco & UK ‘Looks Better Than it Ever Has Been'
Chair of the British Group at the Inter-Parliamentary Union, MP Fabian Hamilton, stressed, on Monday 02 June in Rabat, that the future for Morocco and the United Kingdom 'looks better than it ever has been.' Speaking to the press following talks between a British parliamentary delegation, on a working visit to the Kingdom, with the Speaker of Morocco's House of Representatives, Rachid Talbi Alami, Hamilton underlined the promising prospects for cooperation between the two countries in energy, trade, security and climate change. Welcoming the decision of his country's government to support the autonomy proposal presented by Morocco to settle the Sahara issue, he said that this position represents a door to future collaboration between Morocco and the United Kingdom. The Lower House Speaker, Rachid Talbi Alami, held, on Monday in Rabat, talks with a British parliamentary delegation from the House of Commons and the House of Lords, providing an opportunity to express thanks and appreciation for the UK's position towards the autonomy proposal as 'the most credible, realistic, and pragmatic basis for a lasting solution to the conflict and the consolidation of stability in North Africa.' 'We now have three out of the five permanent members of the [UN] Security Council supporting the autonomy plan,' Hamilton recalled. In addition to Hamilton, the British delegation included MP Charlie Dewhirst, MP Rupa Huq, and MP Iqbal Mohamed, from the House of Commons, and Baroness Brown and Baroness Prashar from the House of Lords, as well as administrative officers and executives from both sides. (MAP: 02 June 2025)
Jordan News
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Jordan News
British Parliamentarians Commend Jordan's Pivotal Role in Peace Efforts and Gaza Aid Delivery - Jordan News
British Parliamentarians Commend Jordan's Pivotal Role in Peace Efforts and Gaza Aid Delivery Members of both the UK House of Commons and House of Lords, representing the Labor, Conservative, and Liberal Democrat parties, have lauded Jordan's significant role in achieving regional stability and its continuous humanitarian support for the Gaza Strip. اضافة اعلان They highlighted the Kingdom's efforts, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, in delivering crucial humanitarian aid and alleviating the suffering of Palestinian civilians caused by the Israeli war on Gaza. The commendations came in exclusive interviews with the Jordan News Agency (Petra) correspondent in London, on the sidelines of a visit by a Jordanian parliamentary delegation to the British House of Commons. The Jordanian delegation, headed by MP Zuhair Khashman, included MPs Ibrahim Tarawneh, Mohammad Maharmeh, Omar Khawaldeh, Hussein Tarawneh, and Tamara Nassereddin. The visit was at the invitation of the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). British parliamentarians affirmed the robust Jordanian-British relations, noting that Jordan is a strategic partner for the United Kingdom in security and peace matters. They stressed Jordan's central role in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, emphasizing the necessity of international support for Jordanian efforts aimed at ending the humanitarian suffering in the Strip and promoting regional stability. Fabian Hamilton MP, Chair of the British Group of the IPU, stated, "Jordan plays an important role in consolidating stability in the Middle East." He affirmed that the Kingdom, under King Abdullah II's leadership, is at the forefront of humanitarian initiatives for Gaza, describing Jordan's efforts in delivering humanitarian support as "a model of practical and effective solidarity." Hamilton added that three main factors make Jordan an effective force in the region: its vital geographical location, its political stability, and the wise leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, who continues the legacy of the late King Hussein bin Talal. Recalling his first official visit to Jordan in 2016 as Shadow Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Hamilton mentioned meeting Jordanian officials and visiting the Zaatari refugee camp, saying, "The visit gave me a deep understanding of the scale of the humanitarian role Jordan bears." He noted, "British public opinion is shocked by the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and appreciates the Jordanian role in alleviating that suffering." He pointed out that "aid delivery to Gaza depends to a large extent on Jordan, including cooperation with UNRWA," stressing the importance of continued coordination between Jordan and Britain, especially in the humanitarian field. "Jordan is our closest ally in the region and the most capable of effectively delivering aid to Gaza," he said. Baroness Gloria Dorothy Hooper, a member of the House of Lords, emphasized the strategic importance of Jordan's role in promoting stability and achieving peace in the Middle East. She praised Jordan's geopolitical position in the heart of the region, its reputation as a stable and balanced country, and the close ties between the royal families of Jordan and the United Kingdom, considering this a significant factor in supporting bilateral coordination and mutual understanding. She noted that the Jordanian parliamentary delegation's visit came at a critical time and contributed to conveying an accurate and realistic picture of the situation on the ground, adding that such parliamentary meetings are an important platform for exchanging views and coordinating efforts. Baroness Hooper confirmed that "despite growing pressure in Parliament on the British government to take more measures to stop the Israeli war on Gaza, we need to increase and redouble these efforts." She concluded by affirming that the two-state solution remains the most realistic option for achieving lasting peace, noting that a majority of British parliamentarians adopt and strongly support this position. Alistair Carmichael MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Jordan Group, underscored the importance of the strategic relationship between the UK and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, describing it as "long-standing and extremely important" amidst the volatile conditions in the Middle East. "We view Jordan as a reliable and stable partner in a region suffering from increasing instability. From this perspective, partnership with Jordan gains special importance, not only for its role in achieving regional stability but also for its pivotal humanitarian contributions amidst the escalating crisis in the occupied Palestinian territories," Carmichael said. He added, "The situation in Gaza is continuously deteriorating, making support for Jordanian humanitarian efforts a top priority," noting that Jordan plays a vital role as an effective mediator in the region and contributes to facilitating aid delivery to Gaza, alongside its permanent commitment to humanitarian causes. MP Afzal Khan expressed his appreciation for Jordan's consistent role in supporting the Palestinian cause, stating, "Jordan is not only a geographical neighbor to Palestine but also a strong and rational voice in defending the Palestinian people and their rights." He continued, "We are living through painful times; it is difficult to watch the daily suffering of the Palestinian people on television, but through Jordan's efforts, led by His Majesty King Abdullah II, we see continuous attempts to deliver aid to Gaza and show solidarity with its people." Khan added that "Jordan's efforts to deliver aid to Gaza and seek a ceasefire express a humanitarian and political commitment that must be supported by the international community." He called on the British government to take bolder steps, starting with the official and immediate recognition of a Palestinian state, considering this step "will send a clear message to the world and restore balance to the peace process." Khan added, "Justice cannot be achieved without recognizing legitimate Palestinian rights, and there can be no talk of lasting peace unless the injustice against the Palestinian people is lifted." Baroness Margaret Patricia Curran, a member of the House of Lords, affirmed that the UK views Jordan as a pivotal partner in international efforts to establish peace and end humanitarian suffering in the Gaza Strip. "We highly value the role of the Jordanian leadership and its continuous efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza," said Baroness Curran. She stressed that the British government has clearly expressed its rejection of the suffering of civilians in Gaza, demanding an immediate ceasefire, and confirmed there is "strong movement within the British Parliament – both in the House of Lords and the House of Commons – to press for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, whether by land or air." She added that the Jordanian parliamentary delegation's visit "contributes to broadening British MPs' understanding of the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip and Jordan's tireless efforts to deal with it." Similarly, Baroness Manzila Pola Uddin, a member of the House of Lords, expressed her appreciation for Jordan's role on both religious and humanitarian fronts. "Jordan has always been the voice of reason amidst the conflicts in the region, and today it continues its pivotal role in delivering aid to Gaza, an exemplary humanitarian model," she said. "Jordan, under the leadership of King Abdullah II, has played a leading role in promoting religious dialogue and consolidating values of tolerance. Today, it continues this approach in alleviating the suffering of peoples affected by conflicts and wars, especially in Gaza. The world must listen to Jordan's voice to end the suffering of the Strip's population." Baroness Uddin affirmed that "Jordan's hosting of refugees and providing them with humanitarian support is a model to be emulated, and the international community must support Jordan's efforts in hosting these refugees, in addition to its efforts to end the ongoing humanitarian suffering in Gaza." MP Alex Sobel praised the "historic and important" role Jordan plays in supporting the Palestinian cause, stressing that the Kingdom hosts the largest number of Palestinian refugees since the conflict began. Sobel added that Jordan and the UK are working together to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, emphasizing the need to continue this cooperation to ensure support reaches Palestinians. He affirmed that the final solution to the conflict must include the establishment of a Palestinian state on the June 4th lines, encompassing all occupied Palestinian territories. MP Bambos Charalambous stated that Jordan represents a cornerstone of stability in the Middle East, asserting that Jordan is "the most qualified country to play a leading role in delivering aid to Gaza due to its regional and international standing and reputation." Charalambous confirmed that Jordanian-British coordination in aid delivery is ongoing and continuously strengthening, calling for its support within a broad international framework. He noted that "the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza cannot be dealt with by individual efforts or through a single country alone, but through broad international partnerships." He concluded by emphasizing that "Jordan is not only a partner in humanitarian efforts but a strategic ally relied upon for achieving security and prosperity in the region in the long term."
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Brit Awards 2025: 9 Biggest Snubs And Surprises From This Year's Nominations
It's almost time for the biggest night in British music. Yes, on Saturday night, the 2025 Brit Awards are taking place at The O2 Arena in London, with Charli XCX's looking poised to sweep the board off the back of her hit album Brat, with five nominations in total. However, it's fair to say that there were a few curveballs when the full list of nominations was unveiled last month. Whether it's unexpected inclusions or shock omissions, this year's shortlist has given us plenty to talk about. Here are nine of the biggest surprises and snubs from this year's list... International Artist Of The Year Yes, the Brit Awards are all about homegrown talent, but we have to admit that the most glaring omission from this year's list of nominees originally hails from across the pond. Of course, the International Artist category is especially stacked in 2025, given how many incredible US artists dominated in the last year, but we're still surprised to see the Brits not giving any love to Ariana Grande off the back of her chart-topping Eternal Sunshine. Then again, the same weekend as the Brits, she is in the running for her first Oscar off the back of her performance in Wicked, so we're sure it's not something she's paying all that much mind to... Best New Artist It's been an incredible year for Ezra Collective, who are one of the most-recognised acts at the 2025 Brits with a hefty four nominations. For those not aware, Ezra Collective is a British five-piece best known for putting a unique, contemporary spin on jazz music. But considering how well-established the group already is – they even won the Mercury Prize back in 2023 – they weren't an act we were especially expecting to see on the Best New Artist shortlist. Artist Of The Year We should specify that this is a very good surprise, but a surprise all the same. Rachel Chinouriri is an act we've been banging on about to anyone who'd listen for ages now, with her debut release What A Devastating Turn Of Events being one of our must-listen albums of the past year. When she was overlooked at last year's Mercury Prize, we were pretty gutted, so imagine our glee when she secured not just a Best New Artist nod, but also a mention in the Artist Of The Year category, joining more established names like Dua Lipa, Charli XCX, Fred again.. and Sam Fender. British Group Of The Year We're going to be honest, there was so much hype around Blossoms' chart-topping release Gary towards the end of last year, we were quietly convinced that they would end up on the Album Of The Year shortlist, if not just British Group. Instead, the indie five-piece failed to pick up a single nomination for Gary, which was named after an eight-foot fiberglass gorilla that was stolen from a garden centre in Lancashire a year before the album's release. After entering the charts at number one, Gary was one of last year's highest-selling albums when it came to physical sales, so Blossoms' absence from the Brits list this year is a curious one. Artist Of The Year Laura Marling has been a Brits darling in the past, famously beating stiff competition from Cheryl, Ellie Goulding and Paloma Faith in the now-defunct Best British Female category over a decade ago. Her latest album, Patters In Repeat, was once again massively well-received from critics and praised for Laura's signature songwriting and storytelling, so we were a little perplexed at her not landing a single nomination in 2025. Artist Of The Year Four years after the release of her breakout single Go (and two years after it took on a new life and climbed its way to the top of the charts), Cat Burns released her debut album Early Twenties over the summer. Early Twenties was largely praised thanks to Cat's frank and confessional songwriting, and even scored her a Mercury Prize nomination. Still, apparently this wasn't enough to translate to a Brit nomination – either in the 10-strong Artist Of The Year category or any of the more genre-specific awards. Cat was previously nominated for three Brits back in 2023, including in the inaugural Best Pop/R&B Act category, which was later split into two separate awards. International Artist Of The Year Absolutely no offence to Adrianne Lenker – we mean you no disrespect. But last year was a huge one for international stars, with US talent largely dominating the UK singles chart in 2024. So, Adrianne making the cut over some more obvious choices was definitely unexpected – great as it is to see different types of artists getting recognition at major events like the Brits. British Group Little Mix kicked off a fabulous trend with their seminal Best British Group win in 2022, and the two subsequent awards in this category have also both going to the female-led bands Wet Leg and Wolf Alice. This year, The Last Dinner Party look poised to continue the trend, and that's great, but we'd love former Rising Star winners Flo to have continued the torch for more traditional girl bands off the back of their debut album last year. It's not all bad news for Flo, though, as they are still in the running for the fan-voted Best R&B Act prize. Song Of The Year You're Christmas To Me might seem like an unlikely pick to sit alongside hits by Charli XCX, Dua Lipa and, indeed, The Beatles in the Brits' Song Of The Year category, but this is one surprise nomination we actually can explain. Unlike the other categories, Best British Song is determined by sales. So, given the push that Sam Ryder's Christmas song was given by Amazon Music (where the festive track is an exclusive, meaning you've perhaps heard it when you've asked Alexa to play Christmas music and literally nowhere else) on its release towards the end of 2023 – putting it just within the eligibility period for the Brits – that would explain how it's sneaked its way onto the shortlist. Here's The Full List Of Stars Who Are Up For Awards At This Year's Brits 27 Legendary Brit Awards Performances That Really Got Everyone Talking We Can't Believe It's Been 10 Years Since All Of These Brit Awards Moments
