- https://www.quora.com/What-do-the-names-England-Scotland-Wales-Ireland-and-Britain-mean
Devolution
- http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21620243-scotlands-independence-referendum-has-opened-cracks-united-kingdom-let-england-shake
Honours system
- The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for gallantry "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces. It may be awarded posthumously. It was previously awarded to Commonwealth countries, most of which have established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any military rank in any service and to civilians under military command although no civilian has received the award since 1879. Since the first awards were presented by Queen Victoria in 1857, two thirds of all awards have been personally presented by the British monarch. These investitures are usually held at Buckingham Palace. The VC was introduced on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to honour acts of valour during the Crimean War.
- hkej 9jan19 shum article
- hkej 9jan19 shum article
- The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry and the third most prestigious honour (inferior only to the Victoria Cross and George Cross) in England and the United Kingdom. It is dedicated to the image and arms of Saint George, England's patron saint. It is awarded at the Sovereign's pleasure as a personal gift on recipients from the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms. Membership of the Order is limited to the Sovereign, the Prince of Wales, and no more than 24 members, or Companions. The order also includes supernumerary knights and ladies (e.g. members of the British Royal Family and foreign monarchs). New appointments to the Order of the Garter are always announced on St George's Day (23 April), as Saint George is the order's patron saint. The order's emblem is a garter with the motto Honi soit qui mal y pense (Middle French: "shame on him who thinks evil of it") in gold lettering. Members of the order wear it on ceremonial occasions.
- heads/royals of foreign country - denmark, sweden, norway, spain, netherlands, japan (both akihito and hirohito)
- Brigadier (Brig) is a senior rank in the British Army and the Royal Marines. Brigadier is the superior rank to colonel, but subordinate to major-general. While the corresponding rank of brigadier general in many other nations is a general officer rank, the British Army considers it a field officer rank. The rank has a NATO rank code of OF-6, placing it equivalent to the Royal Navy commodore and the Royal Air Force air commodore ranks and the brigadier general (1-star general) rank of the United States military and numerous other NATO nations.The rank insignia for a brigadier is a St Edward's Crown over three "pips" ("Bath" stars). The rank insignia for a brigadier-general was crossed sword and baton.Brigadier was originally an appointment conferred on colonels (as commodore was an appointment conferred on naval captains) rather than a substantive rank.[1] However, from 1 November 1947 it became a substantive rank in the British Army. The Royal Marines, however, retained it as an acting rank only until 1997, when both commodore and brigadier became substantive ranks.
- The Prime Minister's Resignation Honours in the United Kingdom are honours granted at the behest of an outgoing Prime Minister following his or her resignation. In such a list, a prime minister may ask the monarch to bestow peerages, or lesser honours, on any number of people of his or her choosing. For example, in the 1997 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours, an additional 47 working peers were created at the behest of the three main parties. Since May 2007, the House of Lords Appointments Commission has had to approve proposed peerages, while oversight by the Honours Committee within the Cabinet Office ensures that other honours are appropriate.[1][2] Some previous lists had attracted criticism. For example, the 1976 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours of Harold Wilson — which became known as the "Lavender List" — had caused controversy as a number of recipients were wealthy businessmen whose principles were considered antithetic to those held by the Labour Party at the time. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair did not issue a list, apparently because of the "Cash for Honours" scandal.[3] Gordon Brown did not publish a resignation honours list either,[4][5] but a dissolution list was issued on his advice (to similar effect). David Cameron revived the practice in his 2016 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours published on 4 August, following his July resignation.[7] Some names on the list were leaked to the press several days in advance.[8] A number of proposed recipients were reportedly blocked on ethical grounds.
- http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/howson-to-hand-back-obe-in-protest-at-referendum-and-airstrikes-by-allies.25445224, http://en.ria.ru/world/20140928/193390187/Renowned-Scottish-Painter-to-Return-Queens-Honor-Over-Britains.html
- http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20170522/00180_005.html英國首相文翠珊前日受訪時質疑，現時褫奪爵士勳銜的機制不夠透明，令民眾失去信心。她表示，如果在大選中連任，就會授命內閣改善制度。她形容，如果有人德行不配有爵士勳銜，就應褫奪。
Diplomatic service
- http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21678822-britain-must-start-thinking-its-diplomats-part-its-defencesand-fund-them-accordingly
Magna carta
- http://www.bl.uk/magna-carta
Lord Mayor of London
- 倫敦金融城市長下周訪華http://paper.takungpao.com/resfile/PDF/20141003/PDF/a24_screen.pdf
Basingstoke is an old market town expanded in the mid 1960s as a result of an agreement between London County Council and Hampshire County Council. It was developed rapidly after World War II, along with various other towns in the United Kingdom, in order to accommodate part of the London 'overspill' as perceived under the Greater London Plan in 1944.[2] Basingstoke market was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, and it remained a small market town until the early 1960s. Basingstoke has become an important economic centre during the second half of the 20th century, and houses the locations of the UK headquarters of De La Rue, Sun Life Financial, The Automobile Association, ST Ericsson, GAME, Motorola, Barracuda Networks, Eli Lilly and Company, FCB Halesway part of FCB, BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, the leasing arm of BNP Paribas in the UK, and SonyProfessional Solutions. It is also the location of the European headquarters of the TaylorMade-Adidas Golf Company. Other industries include publishing (Palgrave Macmillan, etc.), IT, telecommunications, insurance and electronics.The name Basingstoke (A.D 990; Embasinga stocæ,[4] Domesday; Basingestoches) is believed to have been derived from the town's position as the outlying, western settlement of Basa's people.[5][b] The ending -stoke means outlying settlement or possibly refers to a stockade that surrounded the settlement in early medieval times (of which there is now no trace). Basing, now Old Basing, a village 2 miles (3 km) to the east, is thought to have the same etymology, and was the original Anglo-Saxon settlement of the people led by a tribal chief called "Basa". It remained the main settlement until changes in the local church moved the religious base from St Marys Church, Basing, to the church in Basingstoke.
- !! Monty Python's Flying Circus – Series 4, Episode 3 – includes a sketch[21] that discusses a questionable map showing a Basingstoke in Westphalia (as opposed to the better-known Basingstoke in south-central England).
Birmingham
- http://www.scmp.com/property/international/article/1614086/hong-kong-investors-turn-cadburys-birmingham-hq-flats
- Walsall (/ˈwɔːlsɔːl/ (
listen) or /ˈwɒlsɔːl/) is an industrial town in the West Midlands of England.The name Walsall is thought to have derived from the words "Walh halh", meaning "valley of the Welsh speakers" (referring to the Brythons). Walsall is first referenced as 'Walesho' in a document dated 1002.The Industrial Revolution changed Walsall from a village of 2,000 people in the 16th century to a town of over 86,000 in approximately 200 years. Cheddar is a large village and civil parish in the Sedgemoor district of the English county of Somerset. The name Cheddar comes from the Old English word ceodor, meaning deep dark cavity or pouch. There is evidence of occupation from the Neolithic period in Cheddar. Britain's oldest complete human skeleton, Cheddar Man, estimated to be 9,000 years old, was found in Cheddar Gorge in 1903.[7] Older remains from the Upper Late Palaeolithic era (12,000–13,000 years ago) have been found.[8] There is some evidence of a Bronze Age field system at the Batts Combe quarry site. There is also evidence of Bronze Age barrows at the mound in the Longwood valley, which if man-made it is likely to be a field system.[9] The remains of a Roman villa have been excavated in the grounds of the current vicarage.The village of Cheddar had been important during the Roman and Saxon eras.[4] There was a royal palace at Cheddar during the Saxon period, which was used on three occasions in the 10th century to host the Witenagemot.[11] The ruins of the palace were excavated in the 1960s.[12] They are located on the grounds of The Kings of Wessex Academy, together with a 14th century chapel dedicated to St. Columbanus. Roman remains have also been uncovered at the site. Cheddar was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Ceder, meaning "Shear Water", from the Old English scear and Celtic dwr. An alternate spelling in earlier documents, common through the 1850s is Chedder. As early as 1130 AD, the Cheddar Gorge was recognised as one of the "Four wonders of England". Historically, Cheddar's source of wealth was farming and cheese making for which it was famous as early as 1170 AD.
- Cheddar cheese is a relatively hard, off-white (or orange if spices such as annatto are added), sometimes sharp-tasting (i.e., bitter), natural cheese. The term "Cheddar cheese" is widely used, but has no protected designation of origin within the European Union. However, in 2007, a Protected Designation of Origin, "West Country Farmhouse Cheddar", was created and only Cheddar produced from local milk within Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall and manufactured using traditional methods may use the name. Outside Europe, the style and quality of cheeses labelled as cheddar may vary greatly; furthermore, cheeses that are more similar in taste and appearance to Red Leicester are sometimes popularly marketed as "Red Cheddar".Cheddar has been produced since at least the 12th century. A pipe roll of King Henry II from 1170 records the purchase of 10,240 lb (4,640 kg) at a farthing per pound (totalling £10.13s.4d).[9] Charles I (1600–1649) also bought cheese from the village. Romans may have brought the recipe to Britain from the Cantal region of France.
- according to michael chugani's programme, china allow imports of soft cheese like brie, blue cheese but not cheddar
Godalming /ˈɡɒdəlmɪŋ/ is a historic market town, civil parish and administrative centre of the Borough of Waverley in Surrey, England, 4 miles (6 kilometres) SSW of Guildford. The town traverses the banks of the River Wey in the Greensand Ridge – a hilly, heavily wooded part of the outer London commuter belt and Green Belt. In 1881, it became the first place in the world to have a public electricity supply and electric street lighting.
- James Oglethorpe of Godalming was the founder of the colony of Georgia.
- The town has existed since Saxon times (see also Godalming (hundred)), and probably earlier. It is mentioned in the will of King Alfred the Great in 899 (where it and Guildford are gifted to Alfred's nephew, Æthelwold) and the name itself has Saxon origins, 'Godhelms Ingus' roughly translated as "the family of Godhelm", and probably referring to one of the first lords of the manor. Godalming grew in size because its location is roughly halfway between Portsmouth and London, which encouraged traders to set up stalls and inns for travellers to buy from and rest in.[citation needed]
Godalming Parish Church has an early Saxon chancel and a Norman tower. Godalming appears in Domesday Book of 1086 as Godelminge. It was held by William the Conqueror.
- nicholls frances mary louise (scmp obit 30apr18) seems to be from the town as there is a service to be held at church in godalming, she would have a private cremation.
isle of man
- The island was cut off from the surrounding islands around 8000 BC and colonisation took place by sea some time before 6500 BC. The first residents were hunter gatherers and fishermen. Examples of their tools are kept at the Manx Museum.The Neolithic Period marked the beginning of farming, and megalithic monuments began to appear such as Cashtal yn Ard near Maughold, King Orry's Grave at Laxey, Meayll Circle near Cregneash, and Ballaharra Stones at St John's. There were also the local Ronaldsway and Bann cultures. During the Bronze Age, burial mounds became smaller. Bodies were put in stone-lined graves with ornamental containers. The Bronze Age burial mounds created long-lasting markers around the countryside. The ancient Romans knew of the island and called it Insula Manavia although it is uncertain whether they conquered the island. Around the fifth century, large-scale migration from Ireland precipitated a process of Gaelicisation evidenced by Ogham inscriptions, giving rise to the Manx language, which is a Goidelic language closely related to Irish and Scottish Gaelic. Vikings arrived at the end of the 8th century. They established Tynwald and introduced many land divisions that still exist. In 1266 King Magnus VI of Norway ceded the islands to Scotland in the Treaty of Perth; but Scotland's rule over Mann did not become firmly established until 1275, when the Manx were defeated in the Battle of Ronaldsway, near Castletown. In 1290 King Edward I of England sent Walter de Huntercombe to take possession of Mann. It remained in English hands until 1313, when Robert Brucetook it after besieging Castle Rushen for five weeks. A confused period followed when Mann was sometimes under English rule and sometimes Scottish, until 1346, when the Battle of Neville's Cross decided the long struggle between England and Scotland in England's favour. English rule was delegated to a series of lords and magnates. The Tynwald passed laws concerning the government of the island in all respects and had control over its finances, but was subject to the approval of the Lord of Mann. In 1866, the Isle of Man obtained limited Home Rule, with partly democratic elections to the House of Keys, but an appointed Legislative Council. Since then, democratic government has been gradually extended.
- coat of arms include eagle, crow, triskelion (with stars)
- national flower is Jacobaea vulgaris, syn. Senecio jacobaea 新疆千里光
- association
- The International Island Games Association (IIGA) is an organisation the sole purpose of which is to organise the Island Games, a friendly biennial multi-sport competition between teams from several European islands and other small territories. The IIGA liaises with the member island associations and with sponsors of the games. It investigates whether islands wanting to join fit the membership criteria. Any further additions since Minorca joined in 2005 will now require changes to the constitution.
- gvc
- https://www.ft.com/content/82b7b380-bfa2-11e7-b8a3-38a6e068f464 Online gambling group GVC has sold its Turkish business in a deal worth up to €150m — a move that could help pave the way for a multibillion pound takeover of a large retail bookmaker such as Ladbrokes Coral or William Hill. On Thursday, the Isle of Man-based group said it had disposed of Headlong Limited and a number of associated businesses, which make up its Turkish operations, to Ropso Malta Limited, a Maltese group that provides IT services for GVC's Turkish business.
- birthplace of Maurice, Robin and Barry Gibb, of the Bee Gees.
- china
- http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2017-08/04/content_30346596.htm Earlier this year the government of the island, located off the northwest coast of England, announced that it was planning to award a new round of petroleum exploration licences. Steven Beevers, head of special projects in the department of economic development of the Isle of Man, said his administration was open to having partners in energy and other sectors from China. "We will be licensing for gas exploration in August," Beevers said. "We already have some Chinese companies interested in that."
lancashire
- Lancashire (/ˈlæŋkəʃər/, /ˈlæŋkəʃɪər/ or, locally, [ˈɫaŋkɪʃə(ɻ)]; archaically the County Palatine of Lancaster; abbreviated Lancs.) is a non-metropolitan ceremonial county in north west England. The county town is Lancaster although the county's administrative centre is Preston. The county has a population of 1,449,300 and an area of 1,189 square miles (3,080 km2). People from Lancashire are known as Lancastrians. The history of Lancashire begins with its founding in the 12th century. In the Domesday Book of 1086, some of its lands were treated as part of Yorkshire. The land that lay between the Ribble and Mersey, Inter Ripam et Mersam, was included in the returns for Cheshire. When its boundaries were established, it bordered Cumberland, Westmorland, Yorkshire, and Cheshire. Lancashire emerged as a major commercial and industrial region during the Industrial Revolution. Liverpool and Manchester grew into its largest cities, dominating global trade and the birth of modern industrial capitalism. The county contained several mill towns and the collieries of the Lancashire Coalfield. By the 1830s, approximately 85% of all cotton manufactured worldwide was processed in Lancashire. Accrington, Blackburn, Bolton, Burnley, Bury, Chorley, Colne, Darwen, Manchester, Nelson, Oldham, Preston, Rochdale and Wigan were major cotton mill towns during this time. Blackpool was a centre for tourism for the inhabitants of Lancashire's mill towns, particularly during wakes week. The county was subject to significant boundary reform in 1974 that removed Liverpool and Manchester and most of their surrounding conurbations to form the metropolitan counties of Merseyside and Greater Manchester. The detached northern part of Lancashire in the Lake District, including the Furness Peninsula and Cartmel, was merged with Cumberland and Westmorland to form Cumbria. Lancashire lost 709 square miles of land to other counties, about two fifths of its original area, although it did gain some land from the West Riding of Yorkshire. Today the county borders Cumbria to the north, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south and North and West Yorkshire to the east; with a coastline on the Irish Sea to the west. The county palatine boundaries remain the same[clarification needed] with the Duke of Lancaster exercising sovereignty rights, including the appointment of lords lieutenant in Greater Manchester and Merseyside.
- The Red Rose of Lancaster is the county flower of Lancashire, and a common symbol for the county.
Liverpool
- http://www.chinadailyasia.com/chinafocus/2016-03/02/content_15392939.html At Pier Head in the port of Liverpool in the United Kingdom stands a black marble plaque that looks out over the Atlantic Ocean. Unveiled a decade ago, the plaque, in English and Chinese, is dedicated to the memory of Chinese mariners who served in the British merchant fleet during both world wars. Placed directly between the Chinese and English verses is heping, the Chinese character for "peace", written in larger script. During World War II, Liverpool was the headquarters of the forces that guarded the Western Approaches, an area of the Atlantic that lies to the west of the British Isles, and protected the Atlantic convoys, a crucial ocean lifeline that carried desperately needed supplies to wartime Britain.
After the loss of many ships and men, the British Merchant Navy began recruiting sailors from Allied countries around the world. More than 20,000 trained mariners came from China, mainly from Shanghai, Ningbo in Zhejiang province, Hong Kong and Shandong province. Thousands of them died as a result of attacks by U-boats, the German submarine fleet, yet their history is largely unknown - not just to the British, but also to the Chinese. Research conducted by Luo Xiaojian, the Chinese consul in Liverpool during WWII, showed that more than 2,000 Chinese seamen lost their lives, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the death toll among Allied sailors, both combatants and merchant mariners. The average age of the dead Chinese was 35. Merchant sailors from China first appeared in Liverpool in 1850, when the first route was established between Shanghai and Liverpool, making the city's Chinatown the oldest in Europe. In addition to working for the British merchant fleet, many Chinese mariners also served and died in the navies of other European countries. In 1940, a Norwegian merchant vessel was attacked and sunk by a Japanese warship during a voyage from Thailand to Singapore. Only six of the 44 Chinese sailors on board survived. Between 1940 and 1945, about 2,000 Chinese seamen worked on Norwegian merchant ships, with 252 of them dying in the course of their duties.
Loughborough (/ˈlʌfbərə/ (
listen) LUF-bər-ə) is a town in the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England, seat of Charnwood Borough Council, and home to Loughborough University. The town has the world's largest bell foundry – John Taylor Bellfounders, which made the bells for the Carillon war memorial, a landmark in the Queens Park in the town, Great Paul for St Paul's Cathedral, and York Minster. The first mention of Loughborough is in the 1086 Domesday Book. Loughborough's earliest historical reference was to "Lucteburne" in the 1086 Domesday Book. It appeared in a charter from the reign of Henry II as Lucteburga, and in the Pipe Rollsof 1186 as Luchteburc. The name means "Luhhede's burgh or fortified place".- https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-44520759 Three men have died after being struck by a train near a south London station.Supt Matt Allingham told the BBC: "When graffiti artists do get on to the tracks, there is massive risk."
oxford
- oxford university
- St Hugh's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford. It is located on a 14.5-acre (5.9-hectare) site on St Margaret's Road, to the north of the city centre.[2] It was founded in 1886 by Elizabeth Wordsworth as a women's college, and accepted its first male students in its centenary year in 1986. It enjoys a reputation as one of the most attractive colleges because of its extensive, pleasant gardens. In its 125th anniversary year, the college became a registered charity under the name 'The Principal and Fellows of St Hugh's College in the University of Oxford'.St Hugh's was founded in 1886 by Elizabeth Wordsworth (great-niece of the famous poet William Wordsworth) to help the growing number of women "who find the charges of the present Halls at Oxford and Cambridge (even the most moderate) beyond their means".[7] Using money left to her by her father, who had been Bishop of Lincoln, she established the college at 25 Norham Road in North Oxford. She named the college after one of her father's 13th-century predecessors, Hugh of Avalon, who was canonised in 1220, and in whose diocese Oxford had been.
- St Hugh's students are present in all spheres of public life. In politics, Theresa May, incumbent Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; Nicky Morgan, former Secretary of State for Education; Barbara Castle, former Secretary of State; Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and State Counsellor of Myanmar, studied at the college.
- The Oxford college where Aung San Suu Kyi studied as an undergraduate has removed her portrait from public display and placed it in storage, in a move that follows international criticism over her role in Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis. The governing body of St Hugh’s college decided to remove the painting of the Nobel laureate from its main entrance on Thursday, days before the start of the university term and the arrival of new students. In 2012 Aung San Suu Kyi was celebrated with an honorary doctorate from Oxford University, and held her 67th birthday party at the college where she studied politics, philosophy and economics between 1964 and 1967. The portrait, painted by the artist Chen Yanning 陳衍寧 in 1997, belonged to Aung San Suu Kyi’s husband, the Oxford academic Michael Aris. After Aris’s death in 1999 the portrait was bequeathed to St Hugh’s, and hung near the college’s main entrance on St Margaret’s Road in north Oxford. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/29/oxford-college-removes-painting-of-aung-san-suu-kyi-from-display, http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20171001/00180_007.html
- 英國牛津大學聖休書院，繼上月底撤下展示於書院主入口的昂山畫像後，本周四再決定將以昂山命名的低年級生公共休息室除名，以示不滿她漠視緬甸若開邦羅興亞人的人道危機。http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20171021/00180_021.html
Sheffield
- http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20160123/00178_004.html 英國體育之都謝菲爾德據報耗資六千五百萬英鎊（約七億二千萬港元），打造一座可容納七百間學生宿舍的中國城，旨在吸引更多華人企業到當地投資，同時創造約四百個就業職位，為中英經濟發展帶來新契機。英國傳媒報道，該座名為「新時代廣場」的中國城，位於謝菲爾德中心的聖瑪麗之門（St Mary's Gate）、巴拉摩徑球場（Bramall Lane）及謝爾頓街（Sheldon Street）之間，廣場四周將設有多間餐館及零售商店，樓上則為辦公室及七百間高規格的學生宿舍。「新時代廣場」將提供約一萬平方米的商業空間，預計創建四百個就業職位。當地企業合作機構所支援的中國創業培育中心，亦將提供一站式服務，幫助外國投資者與當地企業聯繫。據開發商張姓負責人表示，該中國城並非一般的開發項目，希望這地方成為一座地標，一個吃飯、喝茶，並能在午餐時談生意的地方。「新時代廣場」將有異於其他中國城，當中不僅有華人商舖，還富有大都市氣息，更趨國際化，將吸引更多中國遊客到當地旅遊。據了解，「新時代廣場」的建造意念始於二○○五年，發展商希望廣場的第一期工程可在二○一七年八月竣工，而第二期工程則有望能於二○一九年八月建成。
- https://www.facebook.com/singtaodailyeu/photos/pcb.464528600413582/464528533746922/?type=3&theater在雪埠（Sheffield），一個總值達6500萬鎊的唐人街建築工程已經啟動，當中包括大約700個學生宿舍，旨在吸引更多中國商企前往雪埠投資，以及創造數以百計就業機會。這個新建築名為「新紀元廣場」，位於雪埠St Mary's Gate、Bramall Lane和Sheldon Street的交匯點，包括一個由餐廳、零售中心和辦公室圍繞的廣場，上層為學生宿舍。新時代發展有限公司的鄭先生（Jerry Cheung)說，「這不是一般的發展，他們希望這個地方是一個標誌性的地點，是可以飲食和在午膳時間談生意的地點。」「在倫敦、曼城、伯明翰和紐卡素的唐人街都很成功。它們成為了很多中國商人來這裏的中心。但我們的唐人街街是不同的，因為它是建基於包容性。它不單只有中國店舖，還更都市化和國際化。」這個發展構想始於2005年。在完成後將提供約10,000平方米的商業空間，供店鋪和餐館使用。新紀元小組估計可創造400個工作崗位。而主要的國際吸引力在於中國商業孵化器，它得到了本地企業夥伴的支持，提供一站式服務，協助外國投資者與本地商界取得聯繫。在1975年移居雪埠的鄭先生說，「公眾對此有很大興趣。我們發展的地區已經空置了近30年，這是在環城路的旁邊，這樣的地點非常浪漫。」該公司希望該多用途建築能發展為社區聚集地點，舉行文化活動。新紀元有限公司是在2014年9月申請該計劃的批准許可。在得到批准後，於去年12月1日進行第一期工程。新紀元計劃第一期工程在2017年完成，第二期工程在2019年9月完成。
- http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20160211/00180_004.html 英國謝菲爾德（Sheffield）早前以保養道路為由，未有諮詢居民就斬去逾三千棵大樹。計劃激起居民不滿，更擔心在市議會的計劃下，會有多達七成半樹木被斬，不惜與市議會對簿公堂。市議會表示仍會繼續與居民在法庭周旋。- 過去十年，7個中資項目為謝菲爾德帶來2億3350萬英鎊投資額，創造1247個職位。自2015年以來，該地區出口到中國的貨物總額達到9600萬英鎊，在英國出口中國的城市排名，謝菲爾德排第十。
最近，謝菲爾德市政府舉辦投資洽談會，希望吸引更多中國商企投資雪市。
舉辦方表示，本次互動是一系列商貿活動的第一波，以後還會繼續辦。
發展公司New Era Developments正在謝菲爾德打造7000萬鎊新華埠。執行總裁Jerry Cheung表示，「自己已經從一個由六個人組成的財團集得4200萬英鎊，只需借多2800萬英鎊就足夠了。」他在投資洽談會上說，毋庸置疑的一點是，中國正以前所未有的高速度在進步。如果你不喜歡這個國家，就不用談合作了⋯⋯在中國，做事方法同西方不一樣。英國的法律框架，稅務系統，經過數百年的發展，漏洞很少。中國則仍有許多漏洞。」去年，謝菲爾德市政府公佈了與四川國棟建設集團的合作，一系列項目投資額達到2億2200萬鎊。除了寫字樓，四川國棟會把謝菲爾德的老中央圖書館改建成五星級飯店。該合作計畫一直低調進行。政府發言人指，約三週後會對公眾公佈。到了11月，謝菲爾德市政府會帶計畫訪問四個中國城市。singtao daily eu edition 13sep17
*******St. Mary's Island is a small sandstone island near the seaside resort of Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, England. It is a Local Nature Reserve. St. Mary's Island was originally called Bates Island, Hartley Bates or Bates Hill as it was originally owned by the Bates family who were prominent locally. It is sometimes known as Bait Island, probably due to a misunderstanding of the meaning of the name. The island is opposite Curry's Point on the mainland and is connected to the coast at low tide by a rocky causeway for about 16 hours a day.[3] The main feature of the island is St. Mary's Lighthouse which was built in 1898. In medieval times there was a chapel on the island dedicated to St Helen.[5] Within the chapel was the Lady Light, also known as St. Katherine's Light. The light was later, wrongly, ascribed to St. Mary and, as a result, the island became known as St. Mary's Island. It is debatable whether the light was used as a warning to shipping or was purely religious. Next to the chapel was a burial ground where monks and local people were interred. Traces of St. Helen's Chapel were destroyed when the lighthouse was built in 1898. During the 19th century there was an inn, known as the 'Square and Compass', on the island, run by a Mr. George Ewen. In 1895, after complaints about rowdy customers trespassing on nearby land, the landlord, Lord Hastings, had Mr. Ewen and his family evicted from the island. The lighthouse continued to function until 1984, when it was taken out of service.[4] The lighthouse is now open to visitors who can climb the steps to the lantern room, if they wish, or see the Visitors' Centre.
stoke on trent
- Since the 17th century, the area has been almost exclusively known for its industrial-scale pottery manufacturing. Companies such as Royal Doulton, Dudson Ltd, Spode (founded by Josiah Spode), Wedgwood (founded by Josiah Wedgwood), Minton (founded by Thomas Minton) and Baker & Co. (founded by William Baker) were established and based there. The local abundance of coal and clay suitable for earthenware production led to the early (initially limited) development of the local pottery industry. The construction of the Trent and Mersey Canal (completed in 1777) enabled the import of china clay from Cornwall together with other materials and facilitated the production of creamware and bone china.
- royal doulton
- Michael Doulton is a direct descendant of John Doulton, who established the world famous china maker, Royal Doulton, in Britain close to 200 years ago. He is also the fifth generation Doulton to be involved in the business. Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2005/11/28/michael-doulton-is-a-globetrotter-with-a-love-for-flyfishing/
- obit scmp 14aug18
Tring /trɪŋ/ is a small market town and civil parish in the Borough of Dacorum, Hertfordshire, England. The name Tring is believed to derive from the Anglo-Saxons Tredunga or Trehangr. Tre', meaning 'tree' and with the suffix 'ing' implying 'a slope where trees grow'.
- The mansion of Tring Park was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and was built in 1682 for the owner Henry Guy, Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Charles II.[9] John Washington, the son of the Reverend Lawrence Washington and Amphyllis Twigden, was born and brought up in Tring. In 1656 he left Tring to go on a trading voyage to Virginia, but after a shipwreck on the Potomac River he remained in Virginia, married and started a family which resulted in the life of his great grandson, George Washington, the first President of the United States.The town's prosperity was greatly improved at the start of the 19th century by the construction nearby of the Grand Junction Canal and soon after in 1835 by the building of the London and Birmingham Railway. Industries which benefitted included flour milling, brewing, silk weaving, lace-makingand straw plaiting. In 1835, the medieval Pendley Manor was destroyed by fire. A local landowner, Joseph Grout Williams, commissioned a new manor house to be built in a Jacobean Revival style, and this building still stands today on Station Road.
british overseas territory
- hkej 18may17 shum article
- The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom situated in the Indian Ocean halfway between Tanzania and Indonesia, and directly south of the Maldives. The territory comprises the seven atolls of the Chagos Archipelago with over 1,000 individual islands – many very small – amounting to a total land area of 60 square kilometres (23 sq mi).[6] The largest and most southerly island is Diego Garcia, 27 km2 (10 sq mi), the site of a joint military facility of the United Kingdom and the United States.Since the 1980s the government of Mauritius has sought to regain control over the Chagos Archipelago, which was separated from the British Colony of Mauritius by the UK in 1965 to form the British Indian Ocean Territory. On 23 June 2017, the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) voted in favour of referring the territorial dispute between Mauritius and the UK to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in order to clarify the legal status of the Chagos Islands archipelago in the Indian Ocean. The motion was approved by a majority vote with 94 voting for and 15 against.
- hkej 16jan19 shum article
- falklands
- 南美洲英國屬地福克蘭群島的第三大島佩布爾島（Pebble Island）島主，近日在網上公開賣盤。想成為島主，除要有錢還要有心，因為島主明言接手者須好好照顧島上「住客」，包括五個企鵝族群、四十二種海鳥、海獅，六千頭羊及一百二十五頭牛。哈里斯的祖先在一八六九年買入小島經營養魚業，但小島自一九五○年起無人居住。經過一九八二年福克蘭戰爭的洗禮，這個長三十二公里、寬十點四公里的島上只有動物、荒廢軍營及一座小旅館，也有風能和太陽能發電設施，有旅遊發展潛力。http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20181216/00180_038.html
- Saint Helena (/ˌseɪnt həˈliːnə/ SAYNT-hə-LEE-nə) is a volcanic tropical island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.It is one of the most remote islands in the world, and was uninhabited when discovered by the Portuguese in 1502. It was an important stopover for ships sailing to Europe from Asia and South Africa for centuries. Napoleon was imprisoned there in exile by the British, as were Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo (for leading a Zulu army against British rule) and more than 5,000 Boers taken prisoner during the Second Boer War, including Piet Cronjé. Between 1791 and 1833, Saint Helena became the site of a series of experiments in conservation, reforestation and attempts to boost rainfall artificially. This environmental intervention was closely linked to the conceptualisation of the processes of environmental change and helped establish the roots of environmentalism. Saint Helena is Britain's second-oldest remaining overseas territory after Bermuda.
- https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/africa/st-helena-flights-how-to-get-there-airport-wind-shear-airlink-ticket-price-is-it-dangerous-a8130011.html In 1999, local authorities suggested they needed an airport. In 2005, the UK government agreed to pay for it, partly in the hope that establishing tourism would enable the island to stand on its own two feet (it’s currently propped up by the Department for International Development). They scheduled a 2010 opening, but that was before companies bidding for tender had withdrawn their offers, as well as a global financial crash and taking into account the need to level off mountainous landscape – filling in a chasm with eight million cubic metres of rock to construct a single flat surface on this most voluptuous of islands. Five years and £285m of UK taxpayer funding later, the airport was complete, only to find there were “operational difficulties” that rendered it non-functional. Building an airport on a cliffside wasn’t conducive to landing airplanes, it turned out. Winds gather speed across the open seas, slamming straight into St Helena’s sheer cliffs – and the runway built on top of them. They change direction and speed at a split second’s notice. They are dangerous. So the opening of the airport was delayed as they tested the wind shear. Trial charter flights didn’t go well (one former acrobatics pilot apparently called the landing “hair-raising”). When the first passenger jet – a Boeing 737-800 (in British Airways livery, operated by BA subsidiary Comair) – arrived for a trial run in April 2016, it took three attempts to land: the passengers inside, locals love to tell you, were screaming; the pilot had to sit in a room by himself with coffee and cigarettes for an hour after landing. And so the airport opening was put on hold indefinitely, and the RMS St Helena ship, which was due to be retired, was given a stay of execution. St Helena International Airport was infamously dubbed “the world’s most useless airport”. And then, in July 2017, it was suddenly announced that flights would start.
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) is a British Overseas Territory in the southern Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote and inhospitable collection of islands, consisting of South Georgia and a chain of smaller islands known as the South Sandwich Islands.There is no permanent population on the islands.[5] The present inhabitants are the British Government Officer, Deputy Postmaster, scientists, and support staff from the British Antarctic Survey who maintain scientific bases at Bird Island and at the capital, King Edward Point, as well as museum staff at nearby Grytviken. The United Kingdom claimed sovereigntyover South Georgia in 1775 and the South Sandwich Islands in 1908. The territory of "South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands" was formed in 1985; previously it had been governed as part of the Falkland Islands Dependencies. Argentina claimed South Georgia in 1927 and claimed the South Sandwich Islands in 1938. Argentina maintained a naval station, Corbeta Uruguay, on Thule Island in the South Sandwich Islands from 1976 until 1982 when it was closed by the Royal Navy. The Argentine claim over South Georgia contributed to the 1982 Falklands War, during which Argentine forces briefly occupied the island. Argentina continues to claim sovereignty over South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
- The Turks and Caicos Islands (/tɜːrks/ and /ˈkeɪkəs,
- 當地總理剛訪問加國，那裏媒體乘機探討群島能否成為「加拿大第11省」的可能。表面上，加國和加勒比海風馬牛不相及，但前者兼併後者小島的念頭，卻有歷史背景和「理論基礎」。https://simonshen.blog/2014/05/29/加拿大的夏威夷：兼併加勒比海群島大辯論/
Rural britain
- http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21699482-britains-rural-areas-are-struggling-cyclical-and-structural-factors-explain-why-countryside
- rationalisation
- http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21692884-chancellor-promised-rationalise-tax-code-he-has-done-opposite-spaghetti
- taxing non doms
- http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/9545f01c-be78-11e4-8036-00144feab7de.html The “non-domicile” regime was originally introduced in 1799 to shelter those with foreign property from the UK’s newfangled wartime taxes. More than two centuries later, it still allows those who live in Britain to cite another country as their real domicile. Unlike other residents, they are only obliged to pay British tax on their overseas earnings if they remit that money to the UK. In bygone days, when many subjects resided in colonies overseas, this may have had some slender justification. In modern Britain, it has none. The rule is exploited by jet-setters and wealthy business executives to pick and choose the least fiscally burdensome domicile while continuing to enjoy the right to reside and work in Britain. Their numbers have been rising: from 83,000 in 1997 to 116,000 in 2013. Some, such as foreigners temporarily resident in Britain for work, may have a case for doing so. Far more dubious are cases where the individual is a long-term UK resident, or a British citizen who has elected — either through inheritance or from choice — to domicile themselves in a low-tax country. This anomaly has been highlighted in recent days by the case of HSBC’s chief executive, Stuart Gulliver. While a British citizen born and raised in the UK, Mr Gulliver badged himself as domiciled in the low-tax haven of Hong Kong. Yet not only has Mr Gulliver worked in Britain for the past 12 years, he has also retained links with the UK, for instance sending his children to school there. Whether or not the arcane rules have been obeyed, this hardly counts as severing all ties.
- http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1761626/wealthy-british-expats-hong-kong-face-end-non-dom-tax-loophole-under A new pledge by the Labour Party in the UK could mean major tax changes for some of Hong Kong’s wealthiest British expatriates if the party is voted into power in elections next month. Labour leader Ed Miliband yesterday vowed to abolish the country’s “non-dom” tax rules, which would mean expats returning to Britain permanently would no longer be able to claim domicile in Hong Kong for tax purposes. The current situation is best illustrated by the case of HSBC chief executive Stuart Gulliver, who – although born in the UK and resident there for the past 12 years – claims domicile in Hong Kong, where he lived previously, for legal and tax purposes.
- http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/financeestate/art/20150717/19222390 上周的財政預算案亦表明，會立法將在過去20年來，有15年在英國居住的人士由「非本土居住者（non-domicile）」被當（deem）為domicile。換句話說，這類現時只需就在英國產生的收入及遺產付英國稅的移民人士，兩年後要就他們全球的收入及遺產付稅。
這類受影響的人士除香港移民外，亦包括所有持其他國籍在英國定居15年以上的人士，包括近年大量以投資移民身份往英國定居的俄羅斯、中東及中國富戶。看來，他們有可能會雞飛狗走，撤人撤資。可是，去哪裏呢！以上兩個情況會給很多與香港有聯繫的英國人，或與英國有聯繫的香港人帶來很多切身的麻煩。如常，魔鬼在細節裏，事情推行的時間表在上周的財政預算公佈後，將於今年內先進行諮詢，及後在明年（2016年）立法，然後在2017年生效。看來很多在香港搵真銀或已搵夠真銀回英享受人生的人士，會考慮留在香港或回流香港，學好中文，及在港置業！福地乃是福地！ - http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1842526/new-non-dom-clampdown-hit-british-expats That said, it is clear that these changes are intended to encourage non-doms to "de-envelope" residential property from corporate structures and move into simpler more straightforward structures outside the scope of future ATED charges, ATED reporting or ATED-related capital gains tax. If the property is mortgaged or has increased in value since 2013 there may, however, be significant costs of "de-enveloping". If a positive can be taken from this announcement, it is recognition that some owners of residential property may be trapped in inefficient structures due to the costs of restructuring. The government has promised to consult on these costs and it may be possible that a limited exemption or deferral may be introduced for "de-enveloping".
- http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/b482fc4e-c4f4-11e5-b3b1-7b2481276e45.htmlWealthy beneficiaries say they will leave the country if Britain revamps a special tax status
- http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/ec63a3d0-2615-11e5-9c4e-a775d2b173ca.html When George Osborne last Wednesday announced a shake-up of tax rules for foreigners living in Britain, the chancellor was careful not to damage his country’s underlying appeal. The “non-dom” tax status “plays an important role in allowing those from abroad to contribute to our economy”, he said. The Tax Justice Network, a campaign group, is not so sure. It fears that residency rights are being sold to people who want to circumvent new transparency rules. Banks are starting to report tax information to their clients’ country of residence which — if it is a tax haven — will ignore it. John Christensen, a director, said tax evaders had a big incentive to adopt a tax haven as their country of residence. “Selling residency and special tax treatment is contagious. It is creating a new tax loophole that will spread geographically,” he said.
- diverted profits tax
- https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/385741/Diverted_Profits_Tax.pdf
- Kenneth Leung kai cheong's article hkej 25feb15 a16
- google tax
- http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/127010ea-7af9-11e4-b630-00144feabdc0.html The UK announced plans to raise over £1bn over the next five years from a new “diverted profits” tax on multinationals but details were scanty and advisers said it was unclear how the levy would work. The measure was unveiled by George Osborne on Wednesday as part of his Autumn Statement of tax and spending measures to “make sure that big multinational businesses pay their fair share”. The move – widely dubbed the “Google tax” – was described by Mr Osborne as a crackdown on “some of the largest companies in the world, including those in the tech sector, [that] use elaborate structures to avoid paying taxes”.
- http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1655776/stanchart-and-hsbc-escape-british-tax-move
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-tax-year-changes-coming-into-effect-in-2016 Savers will now be able to take money out of an ISA and put it back in later in the year without losing ISA tax benefits ISAs are being reformed so that savers can withdraw money from their ISA and replace it later in the year without it counting towards the £15,240 annual ISA limit.
Money laundering
- http://www.scmp.com/property/international/article/1846341/uk-agents-mixed-cameron-pledge-get-tough-dirty-property-money British property agents have mixed views over Prime Minister David Cameron's pledge of stricter rules on possible money laundering in the country's property market.
Some agents said the move may be unwelcome but was a positive step for the country's property market, while others said it is wrong to suggest the market is awash in dodgy deals and illegitimate money. But they agree the impact on the market will not be great. Speaking in Singapore, Cameron has said the government would expose the use of "anonymous shell companies" to buy luxury British properties - often in London. Corruption was "a cancer which is at the heart of so many of the world's problems" and must be tackled, Cameron said during a four-day visit to Singapore. Cameron has said that foreigners must not be able to buy British homes with "plundered or laundered cash". Alex Newall, the managing director and founder of Hanover Private Office, said: "Whilst the details are yet to be fixed, David Cameron is seeming to suggest a register of all properties owned by offshore entities, which will be forced to disclose the ultimate beneficial owner."
counter terrorism- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/police-use-terror-powers-to-seize-bbc-newsnight-journalists-laptop-a6712636.html Police have used powers under the Terrorism Act to seize the laptop of a young Newsnight journalist in a case that has shocked BBC colleagues and alarmed freedom of speech campaigners, The Independent can disclose. Officers obtained an order from a judge that was served on the BBC and Secunder Kermani, who joined the flagship BBC2 news show early last year and has produced a series of reports on British-born jihadis. The development has caused alarm among BBC journalists. The editor of Newsnight, Ian Katz said: “While we would not seek to obstruct any police investigation we are concerned that the use of the Terrorism Act to obtain communication between journalists and sources will make it very difficult for reporters to cover this issue of critical public interest.”
infrastructure
- third runway
- https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-44357580
The cabinet signed off the plans after they were approved by the government's economic sub-committee, which is chaired by Prime Minister Theresa May. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling announced £2.6bn in compensation for residents and noise abatement measures.
Environmental groups oppose the plan, which Mr Grayling says will only happen if air quality commitments are met.
Chemical haze
- The mystery over a noxious chemical haze that drifted ashore along the Sussex coast and put scores in hospital has deepened as police have said it is unlikely to have come from France. Around 150 people needed hospital treatment for burning eyes, vomiting and sore throats after the mystery gas came ashore near Beachy Head on Sunday afternoon. A senior officer said on Sunday there had been previous incidents when "stuff has come across from industrial units in France." But officers on Monday said wind patterns suggested the cloud had not come from the Continent. Scientists suggested the haze had instead come from shipping in The Channel or had blown from further along the English coast.
The haze had dispersed by Monday morning and police lifted an order for residents around the Eastbourne area to stay inside and close their windows.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/27/birling-gap-beauty-spot-evacuated-chlorine-gas-leak-causes-breathing/
population policy
- http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21635041-britain-imports-young-sprightly-migrants-and-exports-creaky-old-ones-balance-ailments
Immigration policy
- http://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1620737/ec-head-warns-cameron-against-historic-mistake-immigration, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/77e9795e-5775-11e4-8493-00144feab7de.html
- http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/dd631702-8922-11e4-9b7f-00144feabdc0.html Leading universities have criticised plans being promoted by the UK home secretary that would force students from outside the EU to leave the country at the end of their courses. Higher education chiefs spoke out on Sunday after aides to Theresa May said she wanted to make non-EU students leave Britain and apply for a visa from abroad if they wanted to work in the UK after finishing their studies. Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, said: “Clamping down on genuine international students will not only damage our universities, but will also damage our economy. “If the UK is to remain internationally competitive, it should be looking to broaden, not limit, the opportunities for qualified international graduates to stay in the UK to work for a period and contribute to the economy.” Allies of Ms May told the Sunday Times that the home secretary wanted the proposals to be included in the Conservative manifesto for next year’s election. They have no chance of being enacted by this government as the Liberal Democrats are opposed. singtao 22dec14 a20
- white paper feb2017
- http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-38836906 The government has published an official policy document setting out its Brexit plans. The White Paper lays out the government's 12 "principles" including migration control and "taking control of our own laws".
- uk shortage occupations list
- The UK Shortage Occupations List details the professions that are in high demand in the UK. Employers for the occupations listed below are not required to advertise the posts they wish to fill.
- sharp increase in investment immigation application by chinese hket 7nov14 a22
- http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1678964/chinese-account-biggest-share-british-investor-visas Chinese now account for the biggest share of British investor visas, with the number of British Tier 1 Investor Visas granted to Chinese doubling in the year to September 30.
The number of this class of investor visas issued to Chinese doubled to 357 in the period compared with the same period the previous year, according to British government data. The minimum investment in Britain required to qualify for this visa was £1 million during the period. To qualify, foreign applicants are required to have no more than 25 per cent of their investments in property, while the remainder must be in British government bonds or the debt or equity of companies registered in Britain. The minimum investment threshold was doubled to £2 million in October. But that has not dampened Chinese enthusiasm for the visas, said Paul Haswell, a Hong Kong-based partner of British law firm Pinsent Masons.
- work visa
- http://www.educationuk.org/global/articles/working-after-your-studies-guide-to-uk-visas/ 英國內政大臣文翠珊據報將於本周提出議案，禁止非歐盟留學生於就學期間打工，並要求所有留學生必須在畢業後離開英國，方可申請工作簽證，簽證有效期亦會縮短至兩年，法案同時建議禁止海外研究生的家屬在英國工作。文翠珊表示，有關做法是要避免高等學府「淪為申請工作簽證的後門」。不過教育界及商界領袖皆抨擊此舉令英國失去重要人才，打擊教育系統、經濟及對全球的影響力。http://pdf.wenweipo.com/2015/07/14/a24-0714.pdf
- http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2016-08/02/content_26318138.htm The British government has issued a new visa policy that allows foreign students to stay six months more after their course ends. They will not have to submit proof of funds or education background certification. A spokesman of UK Home Office said that the new plan, which was officially launched on July 25, will attract more students and at the same time allow buffer time for them to apply for work visa (Tier 2 visa). The new rules apply only to students of some elite universities. The government will monitor the situation in real-time to assess the changes. The new plan is aimed at overseas student visa (Tier 4 visa). According to the new policy, students will have a six-month extended visa period on the course duration basis, two months longer than earlier. However, this plan only applies to graduate students admitted to Cambridge University, Oxford University, Imperial College and University of Bath. Also the course duration shouldn't last for more than 13 months (pre-sessional language courses excluded).
- student visa
- http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201712/27/WS5a42e18ba31008cf16da39e4.html Britain's interior ministry, the Home Office, said on Dec 18 it plans to extend a streamlined visa processing program for international master's students. It follows a pilot project, now in its second year, at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Bath and Imperial College London. The pilot program for international students looked at students wanting to study on a master's course of up to 13 months or less in the United Kingdom. It also provides greater support for students who wish to switch to a work visa and take up a graduate role, by allowing them to remain in the UK for six months after they have finished their course.
- https://www.ft.com/content/2ae9b7d2-4d0c-11e8-8a8e-22951a2d8493
The Home Office may have falsely accused as many as 7,000 foreign students of faking their proficiency in English and ordered them to leave the country, with some of them saying they were detained and made homeless as a result. A large majority of the students who were accused of cheating have not been allowed to appeal against the Home Office decision, obtain the evidence against them, or meet officials face-to-face so the quality of their English can be assessed. The harsh treatment of the foreign students, who were in the UK legally, showed the extent to which the “hostile environment” policy, introduced by Theresa May, the prime minister, during her time as home secretary had taken root at the department, according to Patrick Lewis, an immigration barrister. - British universities lobbying their officials to reinstate a two-year visa for international students to stay on and work after graduation there have made a strong case likely to win backing, a former UK government adviser has said. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2167291/uk-universities-push-two-year-visa-international-students
- http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20151102/00180_014.html 英國移民局日前發布最新的移民政策調整草案。新政策規定，在二○一四年十一月六日之前申請投資移民者，如果是聯名購買房產，必須是申請人及配偶的聯名房產，而不能是申請人與他人聯名購買。由收購公司所作的投資亦不可用作計分。調整草案本月內將在議會進行審核。
- ethnic minorities
- http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21644155-britain-bangladeshis-have-overtaken-pakistanis-credit-poor-job-market-when-they-arrived In many people’s minds, and often in official statistics, the 447,201 people who called themselves Bangladeshi in the 2011 census and the 1,124,511 who identified themselves as Pakistani are lumped together. And the two groups have much in common. Mass immigration for both began in the 1950s. Both are largely working-class and Muslim. Both tend to vote Labour (see Bagehot). Both are concentrated in one business—restaurants in the case of Bangladeshis, taxi-driving among Pakistanis. But their fortunes are now diverging. And that says something about what it takes to succeed as an immigrant in Britain.
- http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21644161-conservatives-have-tried-woo-ethnic-minority-voters-and-failed-david-camerons-many THE VVIP picture gallery at the Neasden mandir, one of the biggest outside India, provides a record of British general elections. Shortly before the 1997 one, John Major and Tony Blair both visited the north London temple, seeking darshan and the votes of Britain’s 500,000 Hindus. Gordon Brown, Mr Blair’s successor as Labour prime minister, sent his wife, Sarah Brown, a few weeks before the 2010 poll; the right-wing press made rude comments about her naked feet. David Cameron appears twice in the gallery, once alongside his sari-clad wife, Samantha, and both times, to his credit, mid-term. Like the red Hindu tilak the Tory prime minister wears smeared on his forehead in one photograph, this marks his enthusiasm for a conservative, industrious and furiously upwardly mobile community which should vote Tory, his party strategists often note, but mostly does not.
- http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21689606-mainly-caribbean-community-has-become-mainly-african-oneand-poised-become-more
Housing
- http://www.bbc.com/news/health-35687296 Clinicians, designers and technology experts will work together to create the "healthy new towns". Plans include homes with virtual access to GP services, safe green spaces to play and fast-food-free zones around schools. The money to build the developments will come from council budgets and private partners rather than the NHS. The places earmarked to test the ideas include existing villages in the South West, London and the North West and two new developments in Cambridgeshire and Darlington. Some of the developments are already being built, but others will not be completed until 2030. Simon Stevens, the head of NHS England, said a much-needed push to kick-start affordable housing across England had created a "golden opportunity" for the NHS to help town planners promote health and keep people living independently.
Social welfare
- www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2014-12/08/content_19039892.htm focus e15 hostel for homeless people
- death http://paper.takungpao.com/resfile/PDF/20140721/PDF/b4_screen.pdf
- Tories target professionals with ‘rent to buy’ scheme
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/politics/article4218447.ece
- http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/adaf9342-763e-11e4-a777-00144feabdc0.html David Cameron has set out plans to exclude EU migrant workers from much of Britain’s welfare state in what he described as “radical” but reasonable reforms.
But the UK prime minister stepped back from imposing a cap or quotas on numbers of immigrants.
- Hundreds of teachers are being forced into begging a charity for cash handouts because they can no longer afford to pay housing and transport costs, The Independent can reveal. Many are falling into rent arrears and are simply unable to afford to get to work, with the number of teachers applying for help from the UK’s main education support charity rising by 40 per cent in the past year, figures show. Labour described the figures as “devastating”, while the Liberal Democrats said they showed teachers were being “abandoned” by the Government.http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/number-of-teachers-asking-for-financial-support-from-charity-up-40-in-a-year-figures-show-a8158391.html
- abuse
- http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20151222/00180_017.html 英國德文郡一對癡肥夫婦，因聲稱太胖不能工作，每月領取約二萬三千港元福利金過活，去年更花去當中一大筆錢搞結婚典禮。兩人雖曾矢言減肥，但近日有英國媒體發現，二人趁結婚一周年之際，大擦炸雞慶祝，炮轟他們繼續厚顏做大食懶。
- http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20160712/00180_025.html英國媒體揭露，至少三百名海外旅客獲安排於英國本土優先接受白內障手術，當中不少人未有支付手術費直接返國，有關支出被轉嫁到英國納稅人身上，本地人輪候手術時間也增加。報道指，有關情況反映英國醫療系統被濫用。連同翻譯服務收費在內，英國國家醫療保健服務要為每宗手術支付高達二千五百英鎊（約二萬五千港元）。
Pension
- http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21690060-pensioners-incomes-are-now-higher-those-working-households-some-are-doing-much bRITAIN has a long and undistinguished history of treating its elderly badly. In the 1960s about 40% of pensioners were living in poverty, compared with less than 10% of working-age folk. In an influential study published in 1979 Peter Townsend, a sociologist, argued that pensioners were systematically ignored by politicians and the public, with “barbarous effects” on their standard of living. These days, the elderly are living it up. In 2000-14 spending by the over-75s on dining in restaurants rose twice as fast as similar spending by the under-30s; on cinema and theatre tickets, it rose five times as fast. Over-65s currently account for less than one-fifth of overall consumer spending; this will rise to one-quarter within two decades, says Vicky Redwood of Capital Economics, a consultancy. Businesspeople smell opportunities. A complex billed as London’s first luxury retirement community will open in the spring, with a swimming pool and views over Battersea park from penthouses that are on the market for up to £3m ($4.3m).
- http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20160306/00180_028.html 英國政府早前計劃改革退休金制度。當地就業及退休保障部表示，到了二○三○年後，退休人士的退休金會逐年遞減，到二○五○年便只有一半退休人士能享受到改革後的好處。退休保障專家促請政府，盡早警告那些受影響的人，讓他們早作準備，以免退休後無法應付生活開支。
- http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20170730/00180_029.html英國政府宣布由二○四四年起，將法定退休年齡延遲一年至六十八歲，新政策將影響大約七百萬名現時年齡介乎三十九歲至四十七歲的人，令他們平均損失九千八百英鎊（約九萬八千港元）退休福利。本報記者就此訪問了英國民眾，有人認為政策不公，因為延遲退休意味着受影響的人少領了退休金，卻要多供國民保金。
- https://www.ft.com/content/fc3fcf42-d1bb-11e6-9341-7393bb2e1b51 A record number of UK companies are expected to hand their pension liabilities to insurers this year, according to new forecasts from Willis Towers Watson.
Church of England
- The Bishop of Winchester is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Winchester in the Church of England. The bishop's seat (cathedra) is at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.
The Bishop of Winchester is appointed by the Crown, and is one of five Church of England bishops who sit ex officio among the 26 Lords Spiritual in the House of Lords, regardless of their length of service. The Diocese of Winchester is one of the oldest and most important in England. Originally it was the see of the kingdom of Wessex, with the cathedra at Dorchester Cathedral under Saints Birinus and Agilbert. It was transferred to Winchester in AD 660. During the Middle Ages, it was one of the wealthiest English sees and its bishops have included a number of politically prominent Englishmen, notably the 9th century Saint Swithun and medieval magnates including William of Wykeham and Henry of Blois. A cathedral at Dorchester was founded in 634 by the Roman missionary Saint Birinus. It was the seat of a Bishop of the West Saxons; the episcopal see for that kingdom was moved to Winchester in 660 and so the Wessex Bishops of Dorchester were succeeded by the Bishops of Winchester.Winchester was divided in AD 909, with Wiltshire and Berkshire transferring to the new See of Ramsbury. Nevertheless, the domains of the Bishop of Winchester ran from the south coast to the south bank of the River Thames at Southwark, where the bishop had one of his palaces, making it one of the largest as well as one of the richest sees in the land. In more modern times, the former extent of the Diocese of Winchester was reduced by the formation of a new diocese of Southwark in south London, a new diocese of Guildford in Surrey and a new diocese of Portsmouth in Hampshire. The most recent loss of territory was in 2014 when the Channel Islands were removed from the diocese of Winchester after a dispute with Bishop Tim Dakin led to a breakdown in relations. However, this arrangement is expressed to be an interim one and will not necessarily become permanent. The Channel Islands remain part of the Diocese of Winchester effectively under a scheme of episcopal delegation. The Bishop of Winchester delegated his episcopal authority in relation to the Channel Islands to the Archbishop of Canterbury who in turn placed the Channel Islands under the pastoral supervision of the Bishop of Dover. The Channel Islands have not been transferred to and incorporated within another diocese.
- Traditionally, in the general order of precedence before 1533, the Bishop of Winchester was given precedence over all other diocesan bishops - that is, the first English bishop in rank behind the archbishops of Canterbury and York. But in 1533, Henry VIII of England raised the rank of the Bishop of London and the Bishop of Durham, relegating Winchester to third (but still above other remaining diocesan bishops). The Bishop of Winchester has almost always (that is, except during the period of the Commonwealth until the Restoration of the Monarchy) held the office of Prelate of the Order of the Garter since its foundation in 1348.[2]
- The official residence of the Bishop of Winchester is Wolvesey Palace in Winchester. Other historic homes of the bishops included Farnham Castle, Bishop’s Waltham Palace and a town residence at Winchester Palace in Southwark, Surrey (now London).
- Highclere Castle /ˈhaɪklɪər/ is a country house in the Jacobethan style by the architect Charles Barry, with a park designed by Capability Brown. The 5,000-acre (2,000 ha) estate is in Hampshire, England, about 5 miles (8 km) south of Newbury, Berkshire. It is the country seat of the Earl of Carnarvon, a branch of the Anglo-Welsh Herbert family. The castle stands on the site of an earlier house, which was built on the foundations of the medieval palace of the Bishops of Winchester, who owned this estate from the 9th century.Since 1679 Highclere has been home to the Earls of Carnarvon and their forebears.
- Highclere Castle was a filming location for the British comedy series Jeeves and Wooster, which starred comedians Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry. It was also used as the main filming location for the award-winning period drama Downton Abbey.
- http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/dec/08/tories-avert-rift-church-food-bank-report?CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2
RMB
- Renminbi clearing bank to open in London http://www.china.org.cn/business/2014-06/02/content_32549222.htm
Tech
- http://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1602080/invisibility-cloak-real-and-you-can-make-one-under-u100-home, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtKBzwKfP8E
Arts
- https://news.artnet.com/art-world/art-uk-public-accessible-online-434489
Yesterday, February 24, the UK launched an ambitious platform to catalog the country's entire publicly-owned art collection online. The innovative initiative known as Art UK seeks to promote public accessibility to over 3,000 of the nation's public collections as well as selected privately owned collections.
Although the website is still very much a work in progress, the database already includes every publicly-owned oil painting across the UK; over 200,000 artworks in total. In the summer watercolors, drawings, and other media will be progressively added to the database, and in 2017, the nation's sculptural holdings will follow—aided by a £2.8 million pledge from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Museum
- http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/mar/30/export-block-on-ancient-egyptian-statue-sold-by-northampton-council A 4,000-year-old Egyptian statue, controversially sold by a local council for £15.76m, has been blocked from export by the government in the hope it can be kept in the UK. The statue of Sekhemka, a limestone figure which is just 75cm high, was given to Northampton Museum by the Marquess of Northampton in the late 19th century. There was outrage when Northampton borough council sold it at auction through Christie’s in London last year to an unidentified overseas buyer. It went for almost £10m more than the guide price, breaking the record for ancient Egyptian art at auction. The culture minister, Ed Vaizey, has now announced a four-month temporary export bar on the figure, which dates from c2400BC and is considered to be the finest example of its kind anywhere in the world and of “outstanding aesthetic importance”. Arts Council England said the ban would be extended for a year until March 2016 “if a serious intention to raise funds to purchase the statue is made”, with any eligible institution able to reclaim any VAT on the sale.
restaurants
- https://www.heathrowexpress.com/news/2015/06/17/londons-top-5-iconic-british-dining-rooms?tid=WEXT12383&cmp=EML114&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=June-2015&description=london-top-5-dining-cta
Media
- Trade
- Global Trade Review (by Exporta) http://www.gtreview.com/
Education
- http://goo.gl/BkkNF4 Guide to UK qualifications in Hong Kong
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2836240/Minister-tells-schools-copy-China-ditch-trendy-teaching-chalk-talk-Teachers-speaking-class-effective-independent-learning.html
- http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/international/art/20150519/19152629 香港家長想送子女到英國讀中學，但每年至少25,000英鎊（30萬港元）的公學（即私立學校）學費並非人人負擔得起。近年不少家長將目光轉向收費較便宜的政府預科書院，當地公立學校都覷準這個極具潛力的市場，磨拳擦掌要分一杯羹。英國公學早已有不少外國學生，每20名學生就有1個來自外國，香港和中國學生各佔1/5。至於公立學校，由於當局不准小學和中學收學費，一直沒有取錄外籍學生，但預科或大專院校則無限制。薩默特塞郡（Somerset）的Richard Huish College在全英政府預科書院排名18，1990年代率先取錄了首名港人學生，之後沒有多少學校跟隨，直至近年才有明顯轉變。Richard Huish College校長阿博特（John Abbott）說：「過去12個月，有多間學校接觸我，詢問如何開始招收外國學生。」他指，中國和香港學生是不俗的招攬對象，因為當地經濟有增長、中產人口增加，而且有崇尚教育的文化。相比英國政府每年只資助英國學生4,500英鎊（逾54,000港元），外國學生每年支付15,000英鎊（逾18萬港元）費用，大大增加學校的收入，用於學生課外活動上；而且他們較勤力，成績亦較好。但公立學校沒有提供宿舍，外國學生都要寄住在當地人家庭中。跟很多公學不同，校方沒有為外國留學生專設校舍，40名外國學生會融入2,000名英國學生的學習環境中。
- http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20151005/00180_021.html 英國政府為了每年減少逾二萬五千名留學生，計劃採納比美澳等英語國家更艱深的英語測試，資料顯示來自中國的留學生較難在新測試中合格。計劃引來不少大學反對，擔憂會嚴重影響學費收入，亦有官員憂慮此舉會對英國經濟帶來影響。
- new point scoring admission system
- kindergarten
language
- https://www.quora.com/Why-and-how-did-the-English-stop-using-French-as-a-living-language-in-England-towards-the-end-of-the-Middle-Age
social media
- mumsnet
Inward FDI
- http://money.cnn.com/gallery/news/2014/11/16/london-landmarks-real-estate/index.html
Jews
- In 1290, King Edward I issued an edict expelling all Jews from England. The expulsion edict remained in force for the rest of the Middle Ages. The edict was not an isolated incident, but the culmination of over 200 years of increased persecution. Oliver Cromwell permitted Jews to return to England in 1657, over 360 years after their banishment by Edward I.
- by 1657, jews had acquired a cemetery and built a synagogue
- following the restoration, charles II gave them a written promise of protection in 1664 (further commitments in 1674 and 1685)
- in 1690s, when the population of jews was around 400, new immigrants from germany established an ashkenazi synagogue and cemetery.
- https://www.ft.com/content/d213a5e4-85c0-11e8-a29d-73e3d454535d Anti-Semitism claims have left the community polarised and wounded There are the conspiracy theories that circulate online about the Rothschild family. There was the banner hung by Labour-supporting activists in Bristol featuring Theresa May, the British prime minister, wearing star of David earrings. And there are the local party meetings where, for some members, censuring Israel appears to have overtaken affordable housing or defending the National Health Service as their priority. “I don’t think for a moment he wakes up in the morning and hates Jews,” Mr Langleben said of Mr Corbyn. More likely, he speculated, the Labour leader and his inner circle were “blind to when extreme reactions to what’s happening in the Middle East crosses over into anti-Semitism. They don’t really see it”. Other Jews believe it is Mr Langleben who is blind or worse. They view the young man, who was until recently a local Labour councillor in Barnet, a heavily Jewish neighbourhood in north London, as a traitor for supporting a party that has turned against them. While campaigning ahead of local elections in May, several constituents berated him. One called him a kapo — a reference to those concentration camp inmates who assisted their Nazi oppressors — leaving him stunned.
USA
- The Nassau Agreement, concluded on 21 December 1962, was an agreement negotiated between U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Harold Macmillan, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, as a result of a series of meetings by the two leaders over three days in the Bahamas following Kennedy's announcement of his intended cancellation of the Skybolt. The agreement ended the Skybolt crisis and enabled the UK Polaris programme. Under an earlier agreement, the US had agreed to supply Skybolt, an American air-launched ballistic missile, in return for the UK allowing the Americans to establish a ballistic missile submarine base in the Holy Loch near Glasgow. The British government had then cancelled the development of its medium-range ballistic missile, known as Blue Streak, leaving Skybolt as the basis of the UK's nuclear deterrent in the 1960s. Without Skybolt, the V-bombers of the Royal Air Force (RAF) would likely become obsolete through being unable to penetrate the improved air defences that the Soviet Union was expected to deploy by the 1970s. At Nassau, Macmillan rejected Kennedy's other offers, and pressed him to supply nuclear-capable Polaris submarine-launched ballistic missiles. These represented more advanced technology than Skybolt, and the US not inclined to provide them except as part of a Multilateral Force within the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). The Nassau Agreement became the basis of the Polaris Sales Agreement, a treaty which was signed on 6 April 1963. Under this agreement, British nuclear warheads were fitted to Polaris missiles. As a result, responsibility for Britain's nuclear deterrent passed from the RAF to the Royal Navy. The President of France, Charles de Gaulle, cited the Nassau Agreement as one of the main reasons for his veto of Britain's application for admission to the European Economic Community (EEC) on 14 January 1963.
- Forex 'Cartel' traders strike deal over US rigging charge ft 14jun17
- national defence
- financial
canada
- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/justin-trudeau-theresa-may-canada-brexit-trade-deal-ceta-ottawa-a7954366.html In 2013, the UK Government estimated that the Ceta deal would increase UK exports to Canada by 29 per cent.
EU
- city uk said that anti-EU policy hurts uk's financial industry wenwei 6nov14 a22
- http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f6928492-7e4a-11e5-98fb-5a6d4728f74e.html Britain is pressing for an “emergency brake” to safeguard the economic interests of non-euro countries, according to European ministers and officials privately sounded out about London’s EU reform wishlist. The brake-clause is one of some half-a-dozen principles that Prime Minister David Cameron and George Osborne, chancellor, want in a protocol that enables the EU single market to coexist more easily with an integrated eurozone. While still to be fleshed out in detail, these skeleton proposals are the first insight into how Mr Osborne will seek guarantees for “euro-outs” and protect the City of London from discrimination. He sees the issue as the biggest priority in Britain’s pre-referendum renegotiation.
Norway
- http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/302232fc-7d88-11e5-a1fe-567b37f80b64.html
France
- http://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1597483/london-pay-hk190-million-help-stem-flow-migrants-through-calais
Russia
- soviet union
- http://rbth.com/society/2015/09/16/russian_educational_center_opens_in_the_uk_49297.html a non-profit Russian center dedicated to the study of Russian language and culture has been launched in Slough, west of London. The Tsarskoye Selo Educational Center is named after the imperial Russian lyceum near St. Petersburg where poet Alexander Pushkin studied. According to the UK's Office for National Statistics, based on a recent census, 42,000 Russian citizens are resident in Great Britain. The number of those born in Russia and living in Britain is between 150,000-300,000, according to available sources. Evgeniya Gribova, center head, said that despite such a large native diaspora, the UK still lacked a Russian cultural centre. Most Russian children living in the country tend to use English as their first language, she said. "The center will specialize not only in helping children of different ages study the Russian language, but will also have a cultural-educational role," Gribova added. The center will also teach history, Russian culture, regional geography and mathematics. Starting in October it will also offer courses in choreography, painting, voice and acting.
- https://www.rbth.com/arts/2013/10/09/14_british_songs_about_russia_30653.html
netherlands
- after assassination of william of orange in 1584, the rebellious provinces initially hoped that henry III would take up the mantle of his brother, but when he declined, the rebels turned to queen elizabeth of england to ensure their survival. By the treaty of nonsuch (20aug1585), england would provide both military and financial assistance, and elizabeth's trusted advisor, robert dudley, earl of leicester, was appointed governor-general and charged with the direction of the war effort and the coordination of its government.
poland
- http://www.ucl.ac.uk/atlas/polish/community.html
- http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-37270519 Three Polish ministers are set to make an urgent visit to the UK following attacks on Polish men. Two Poles were attacked on Sunday, just hours after a march and vigil to honour Arek Jozwik, who died after an attack in the same town of Harlow, Essex. Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Rafal Sobczak said the country's foreign, justice and interior ministers would be flying into London. A specific date for the visit, however, has not yet been set. Police said the attack on the two Poles was a "potential hate crime" and one victim suffered a broken nose, the other a cut to his head.
- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/uk-student-stabbed-in-neck-for-speaking-polish-brutal-post-brexit-assault-telford-donnington-park-a7319181.html
greece
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/09/prince-charles-heads-greece-heal-old-royal-wounds Prince Charles will make a historic visit to Greece as the UK deploys one of its strongest “strategic resources” to improve bilateral relations against a backdrop of increasingly complex Brexit negotiations.Greece is among the few nations – and the only EU member state – not to have been officially visited by the Queen. The Duke of Edinburgh, born a Greek prince on the island of Corfu, was forced to flee after the Asia Minor disaster in 1923, with his own father, Prince Andrew, only narrowly avoiding being sentenced to death and shot. Relations soured further when the Greeks voted to oust the monarchy, unceremoniously toppling King Constantine in a controversial referendum in 1974.
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukef-supports-airbus-uk-as-it-delivers-two-satellites-to-turksat-turkey International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has today (25 April) announced that UK Export Finance (UKEF) will support an Airbus Defence and Space Ltd UK contract with Turksat, the Turkish communications satellite operator. Airbus will manufacture and deliver, in orbit, two telecom satellites and a ground station, which will be essential for the continued provision of TV and data services in Turkey and the wider region. UKEF is supporting Airbus UK’s contract to manufacture the two satellites, their launch into space and in orbit deliveries. This is a significant development in satellite financing, covering the provision of both space systems and related launch services under a single contract. UKEF is providing a guarantee to support a loan of $325 million to the Turkish Ministry of Treasury and Finance to enable the purchase.
Saudi arabia
- http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/05/ban-ki-moon-yemen-war-uk-arms-sales-saudi-arabia Britain has come under renewed pressure to stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia after the UN secretary general accused the Saudis of indiscriminate bombing in Yemen and said countries such as the UK had a duty to stop the flow of weapons to Riyadh-led forces. Speaking in London, Ban Ki-moon said: “Yemen is in flames and coalition airstrikes in particular continue to strike schools, hospitals, mosques and civilian infrastructure.” He claimed that Yemen “was awash with weapons”, adding: “We need states that are party to [the] arms trade treaty to set an example in fulfilling one of the treaty’s main purposes – controlling arms flows to actors that may use them in ways that breach international humanitarian law”.
egypt
- Cleopatra's Needle in London is one of three similarly named Egyptian obelisks and is located in the City of Westminster, on the Victoria Embankment near the Golden Jubilee Bridges. It is close to the Embankment underground station. It was presented to the United Kingdom in 1819 by the ruler of Egypt and Sudan Muhammad Ali, in commemoration of the victories of Lord Nelson at the Battle of the Nile and Sir Ralph Abercromby at the Battle of Alexandria in 1801. Although the British government welcomed the gesture, it declined to fund the expense of transporting it to London. Made of red granite, the obelisk stands about 21 metres (69 ft) high, weighs about 224 short tons (203,000 kg)[1] and is inscribed with Egyptian hieroglyphs. The obelisk was originally erected in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis on the orders of Thutmose III, around 1450 BC. The material of which it was cut is granite, brought from the quarries of Aswan, near the first cataract of the Nile. Thutmose III had a single column of text carved on each face, these were translated by E.A.Wallis Budge.[2] Other inscriptions were added about 200 years later by Ramesses II to commemorate his military victories, these are in two columns on each face and these flank the original inscriptions. The obelisks were moved to Alexandria and set up in the Caesareum – a temple built by Cleopatra in honor of Mark Antony or Julius Caesar – by the Romans in 12 BC, during the reign of Augustus, but were toppled some time later. This had the fortuitous effect of burying their faces and so preserving most of the hieroglyphs from the effects of weathering.The obelisk remained in Alexandria until 1877 when Sir William James Erasmus Wilson, a distinguished anatomist and dermatologist, sponsored its transportation to London from Alexandria at a cost of some £10,000 (a very considerable sum in those days). It was dug out of the sand in which it had been buried for nearly 2,000 years and was encased in a great iron cylinder, 92 feet (28 m) long and 16 feet (4.9 m) in diameter, designed by the engineer John Dixon and dubbed Cleopatra, to be commanded by Captain Carter. It had a vertical stem and stern, a rudder, two bilge keels, a mast for balancing sails, and a deck house. This acted as a floating pontoon which was to be towed to London by the ship Olga, commanded by Captain Booth.The effort almost met with disaster on 14 October 1877, in a storm in the Bay of Biscay, when the Cleopatra began wildly rolling, and became uncontrollable. The Olga sent out a rescue boat with six volunteers, but the boat capsized and all six crew were lost – they are named on a bronze plaque attached to the foot of the needle's mounting stone. Captain Booth on the Olga eventually managed to get his ship next to the Cleopatra and rescued Captain Carter and the five crew members aboard Cleopatra. Captain Booth reported the Cleopatra "abandoned and sinking", but she stayed afloat, drifting in the Bay, until found four days later by Spanish trawler boats, and then rescued by the Glasgow steamer Fitzmaurice and taken to Ferrol in Spain for repairs. The Master of the Fitzmaurice lodged a salvage claim of £5,000 which had to be settled before departure from Ferrol, but it was negotiated down and settled for £2,000.[3] The William Watkins Ltd paddle tug Anglia, under the command of Captain David Glue, was then commissioned to tow the Cleopatra back to the Thames. On their arrival in the estuary on 21 January 1878, the school children of Gravesend were given the day off.[4] A wooden model of the obelisk had previously been placed outside the Houses of Parliament, but the location had been rejected, so the London needle was finally erected on the Victoria Embankment on 12 September 1878.On erection of the obelisk in 1878, a time capsule was concealed in the front part of the pedestal containing: a set of 12 photographs of the best-looking English women of the day, a box of hairpins, a box of cigars, several tobacco pipes, a set of imperial weights, a baby's bottle, some children's toys, a shilling razor, a hydraulic jack and some samples of the cable used in the erection, a 3 foot (0.91 m) bronze model of the monument, a complete set of contemporary British coins, a rupee, a portrait of Queen Victoria, a written history of the transport of the monument, plans on vellum, a translation of the inscriptions, copies of the Bible in several languages, a copy of John 3:16 in 215 languages,[7] a copy of Whitaker's Almanack, a Bradshaw Railway Guide, a map of London and copies of 10 daily newspapers. Cleopatra's Needle is flanked by two faux-Egyptian sphinxes, designed by the English architect George John Vulliamy. The sphinxes are cast in bronze and bear hieroglyphic inscriptions that say netjer nefer men-kheper-re di ankh, which translates as "the good god, Thuthmosis III given life". These sphinxes appear to be looking at the Needle rather than guarding it, due to the sphinxes' improper or backwards installation. The Embankment has other Egyptian flourishes, such as buxom winged sphinxes on the armrests of benches. On 4 September 1917, during World War I, a bomb from a German air raid landed near the needle. In commemoration of this event, the damage remains unrepaired to this day and is clearly visible in the form of shrapnel holes and gouges on the right-hand sphinx. Restoration work was carried out in 2005. The original master stone mason who worked on the granite foundation was Lambeth-born William Henry Gould (1822–1891).
blacks
- cutlure
india
- culture
pakistan
- A balti, or bāltī gosht (Urdu: بالٹی گوشت, Hindi: बाल्टी गोश्त) is a type of curry served in a thin, pressed-steel wok called a "balti bowl". It is served in restaurants throughout the United Kingdom. The name may have come from the metal dish in which the curry is cooked, rather than from any specific ingredient or cooking technique. Balti curries are cooked quickly using vegetable oil rather than ghee, over high heat in the manner of a stir-fry, and any meat is used off the bone. This combination differs sharply from a traditional one-pot Indian curry which is simmered slowly all day. Balti sauce is based on garlic and onions, with turmeric and garam masala among other spices.
Balti gosht is eaten in Pakistan and northwestern India, as well as other parts of the world, such as Great Britain. The food seems to have arrived in England in Birmingham in 1971; sources suggest it originates from Perry Barr in Central Birmingham England. バルチ(英語: Balti、ウルドゥー語: بلتی) は、パキスタンが発祥のイギリス式のカレー料理で、鉄製の中華鍋に似た鉄鍋で調理し、給仕される。イギリスでは数多くのレストランがバルチ料理を提供している。バルチ料理の起源は正確には判っていないが、バーミンガムで発明されたと信じているものもいれば、パキスタン領カシミールのバルティスターンに起源があると信じているものもいる。
australia and new zealand
- Australia and New Zealand are important trading partners for Britain, with trade worth £16bn a year. Its no coincidence that two of the earliest announcements the new Department for International Trade made in 2016 were to establish new trade dialogues with both countries. So trade discussions with both countries are already well underway; our trade dialogues with Australia and New Zealandmet as recently as last month when UK officials travelled to Wellington and Canberra. It is correct to say that we cannot formally negotiate any future trade agreements until we have left the EU, but as we have agreed with the EU itself; we can begin formal negotiations once we leave next year. https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-eu-uk-trade-australia-new-zealand-business-free-trade-greg-hands-a8366031.html
japan
- fta
- culture
Korea
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/10/exclusive-churches-warned-deceptive-cult-linked-south-korea/
Thailand
- 英國外交部周三宣布，由於財政預算不足，將會以四億二千萬英鎊（約四十六億港元）出售駐泰國首都曼谷大使館，以支援其他英國大使館的現代化工程，交易將成為泰國、以及英國外交部最大額的地產交易。消息指，買家為香港置地控股及泰國尚泰合組的財團。orientaldaily 2feb18
- Wat Buddhapadipa eller Buddhapadipatempelet, er et Thai-buddhistisk tempel i bydelen Wimbledon i London. Tempelet tilhører retningen theravāda. Det var det første buddhistiske tempel som ble bygd i Storbritannia, og det eneste thai-buddhistiske tempel som er bygd i Europa. Tempelet huser munker og nonner, men besøkende av andre trosretninger er velkommen til å besøke tempelet så lenge som de behandler stedet og tempelet med respekt.Tempelet ble oppført av London Buddhist Temple Foundation i 1965, under beskyttelse av kong Rama IX av Thailand, og har siden vært under beskyttelse av det thailandske kongehuset. Tempelet var opprinnelig lokalisert i Christ Church Road i Richmond upon Thames i det sørlige London. Det ble flyttet til sin nåværende beliggenhet i Calonne Road, Wimbledon Parkside, i 1976.
malaysia
- The British Malaysian Society (BMS) emerged as a response to the Buy British Last policy proclaimed by Dr Mahathir in October 1981 in response to perceived grievances.Initiated in Kuala Lumpur by Neville Green then running Standard Chartered Bank’s Malaysian operations and in London by Sir Donald Hawley, Britain’s immediate past High Commissioner in Malaysia, a group of senior businessmen in both countries moved to repair the longstanding - but now frayed - ties between the two countries. With Dr Mahathir’s encouragement to do so obtained in Kuala Lumpur by Neville Green, the group began discussions in December 1982 with a view to creating bilateral alliances dedicated to a more modern relationship, hence the creation of the BMS. An inaugural lunch took place in London in November 1983. Whilst the Buy British Last policy became history after two years, coming to an end in October 1983, it had the effect of creating a new, more positive mood.Following formation of the BMS, The Malaysian British Society (MBS) was formed thereafter, in September 1984, at a dinner in Kuala Lumpur at which Dr Mahathir was the Guest of Honour. The first joint meeting of the two Societies was held in London in 1985, in No.10 Downing Street.http://www.thebritishmalaysiansociety.org/history.html
singapore
- 遲3周申請英簽證被拒 獅城實習醫生或被驅逐 逾5萬人聲援 要求內政部改決定 https://www.facebook.com/singtaodailyeu/photos/a.224486677751110.1073741827.224484584417986/845671138965991/?type=3
Newswatch
- http://goo.gl/BkkNF4 Guide to UK qualifications in Hong Kong
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2836240/Minister-tells-schools-copy-China-ditch-trendy-teaching-chalk-talk-Teachers-speaking-class-effective-independent-learning.html
- http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/international/art/20150519/19152629 香港家長想送子女到英國讀中學，但每年至少25,000英鎊（30萬港元）的公學（即私立學校）學費並非人人負擔得起。近年不少家長將目光轉向收費較便宜的政府預科書院，當地公立學校都覷準這個極具潛力的市場，磨拳擦掌要分一杯羹。英國公學早已有不少外國學生，每20名學生就有1個來自外國，香港和中國學生各佔1/5。至於公立學校，由於當局不准小學和中學收學費，一直沒有取錄外籍學生，但預科或大專院校則無限制。薩默特塞郡（Somerset）的Richard Huish College在全英政府預科書院排名18，1990年代率先取錄了首名港人學生，之後沒有多少學校跟隨，直至近年才有明顯轉變。Richard Huish College校長阿博特（John Abbott）說：「過去12個月，有多間學校接觸我，詢問如何開始招收外國學生。」他指，中國和香港學生是不俗的招攬對象，因為當地經濟有增長、中產人口增加，而且有崇尚教育的文化。相比英國政府每年只資助英國學生4,500英鎊（逾54,000港元），外國學生每年支付15,000英鎊（逾18萬港元）費用，大大增加學校的收入，用於學生課外活動上；而且他們較勤力，成績亦較好。但公立學校沒有提供宿舍，外國學生都要寄住在當地人家庭中。跟很多公學不同，校方沒有為外國留學生專設校舍，40名外國學生會融入2,000名英國學生的學習環境中。
- http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20151005/00180_021.html 英國政府為了每年減少逾二萬五千名留學生，計劃採納比美澳等英語國家更艱深的英語測試，資料顯示來自中國的留學生較難在新測試中合格。計劃引來不少大學反對，擔憂會嚴重影響學費收入，亦有官員憂慮此舉會對英國經濟帶來影響。
- new point scoring admission system
- http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1975806/new-point-scoring-admission-system-uk A new point-scoring admission system in UK universities may remove the advantage now enjoyed by students who take Hong Kong’s Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) examination.
- kindergarten
- http://pdf.wenweipo.com/2015/11/03/a22-1103.pdf 近年歐美興起一股中文熱，中文學校如雨後春筍般出現，英國最近 更出現了首家普通話及英語雙語幼兒園，讓小朋友從嬰兒期就開始接 觸中國語言及文化。當地不少家長均認為，中國將成為世界第一大經 濟體，希望子女能掌握這種強勢語言，在未來的激烈競爭中脫穎而出。這所位於倫敦的幼兒園名叫「望子成 龍」(Hatching Dragons)，今年 5月 開辦，創辦人莊可為(Cennydd John)曾於復 旦及清華大學留學，並於中國擔任政治及教 育顧問。他希望透過「沉浸式」教育，讓兒 童從小開始吸收東方文化及語言。 幼兒園聘有英國人及華人教師，所有 活動均以中英文同時進行，例如學唱普 通話及英語童謠；玩數字遊戲時既用中 文數目字，亦用羅馬數字；吃午餐時除 三文治，還會吃春卷及炒飯。
language
- https://www.quora.com/Why-and-how-did-the-English-stop-using-French-as-a-living-language-in-England-towards-the-end-of-the-Middle-Age
social media
- mumsnet
Inward FDI
- http://money.cnn.com/gallery/news/2014/11/16/london-landmarks-real-estate/index.html
Jews
- In 1290, King Edward I issued an edict expelling all Jews from England. The expulsion edict remained in force for the rest of the Middle Ages. The edict was not an isolated incident, but the culmination of over 200 years of increased persecution. Oliver Cromwell permitted Jews to return to England in 1657, over 360 years after their banishment by Edward I.
- by 1657, jews had acquired a cemetery and built a synagogue
- following the restoration, charles II gave them a written promise of protection in 1664 (further commitments in 1674 and 1685)
- in 1690s, when the population of jews was around 400, new immigrants from germany established an ashkenazi synagogue and cemetery.
- https://www.ft.com/content/d213a5e4-85c0-11e8-a29d-73e3d454535d Anti-Semitism claims have left the community polarised and wounded There are the conspiracy theories that circulate online about the Rothschild family. There was the banner hung by Labour-supporting activists in Bristol featuring Theresa May, the British prime minister, wearing star of David earrings. And there are the local party meetings where, for some members, censuring Israel appears to have overtaken affordable housing or defending the National Health Service as their priority. “I don’t think for a moment he wakes up in the morning and hates Jews,” Mr Langleben said of Mr Corbyn. More likely, he speculated, the Labour leader and his inner circle were “blind to when extreme reactions to what’s happening in the Middle East crosses over into anti-Semitism. They don’t really see it”. Other Jews believe it is Mr Langleben who is blind or worse. They view the young man, who was until recently a local Labour councillor in Barnet, a heavily Jewish neighbourhood in north London, as a traitor for supporting a party that has turned against them. While campaigning ahead of local elections in May, several constituents berated him. One called him a kapo — a reference to those concentration camp inmates who assisted their Nazi oppressors — leaving him stunned.
USA
- The Nassau Agreement, concluded on 21 December 1962, was an agreement negotiated between U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Harold Macmillan, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, as a result of a series of meetings by the two leaders over three days in the Bahamas following Kennedy's announcement of his intended cancellation of the Skybolt. The agreement ended the Skybolt crisis and enabled the UK Polaris programme. Under an earlier agreement, the US had agreed to supply Skybolt, an American air-launched ballistic missile, in return for the UK allowing the Americans to establish a ballistic missile submarine base in the Holy Loch near Glasgow. The British government had then cancelled the development of its medium-range ballistic missile, known as Blue Streak, leaving Skybolt as the basis of the UK's nuclear deterrent in the 1960s. Without Skybolt, the V-bombers of the Royal Air Force (RAF) would likely become obsolete through being unable to penetrate the improved air defences that the Soviet Union was expected to deploy by the 1970s. At Nassau, Macmillan rejected Kennedy's other offers, and pressed him to supply nuclear-capable Polaris submarine-launched ballistic missiles. These represented more advanced technology than Skybolt, and the US not inclined to provide them except as part of a Multilateral Force within the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). The Nassau Agreement became the basis of the Polaris Sales Agreement, a treaty which was signed on 6 April 1963. Under this agreement, British nuclear warheads were fitted to Polaris missiles. As a result, responsibility for Britain's nuclear deterrent passed from the RAF to the Royal Navy. The President of France, Charles de Gaulle, cited the Nassau Agreement as one of the main reasons for his veto of Britain's application for admission to the European Economic Community (EEC) on 14 January 1963.
- Forex 'Cartel' traders strike deal over US rigging charge ft 14jun17
- national defence
- GCHQ has a long established history of collaboration with the USA, dating back to WWII. One of the enduring legacies of WWII is the Signals Intelligence relationship between the UK and the US. This partnership continues to deliver enormous benefits to both nations. We combat threats to the UK from terrorism, cyber-attack and serious crime - to name but a few - by working closely with our US counterparts who share our interests and face similar challenges, benefiting from their expertise, unique intelligence and capabilities. Last week Jeremy Fleming, Director GCHQ, General Sir Christopher Deverell, Commander of the UK's Joint Forces Command, and Admiral Mike Rogers, Commander of US Cyber Command and Director of the National Security Agency, held a strategic review meeting in the United States to discuss the ongoing partnership between the agencies.https://www.gchq.gov.uk/news-article/joint-statement
- MUSCULAR (DS-200B), located in the United Kingdom, is the name of a surveillance programme jointly operated by Britain's Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) that was revealed by documents which were released by Edward Snowden and interviews with knowledgeable officials. GCHQ is the primary operator of the program. GCHQ and the National Security Agency have secretly broken into the main communications links that connect the data centers of Yahoo! and Google. Substantive information about the program was made public at the end of October 2013.
- financial
- U.S. and UK participants held the inaugural meeting of the U.S.-UK Financial Regulatory Working Group (Working Group) on September 12, 2018 in London. The Working Group was formed to deepen our bilateral regulatory cooperation with a view to the further promotion of financial stability; investor protection; fair, orderly, and efficient markets; and capital formation in both jurisdictions. This cooperation is especially important given transition in the UK’s regulatory relationships as it withdraws from the European Union. Participants included officials and senior staff from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and HM Treasury, and from the U.S. and UK independent regulatory agencies, including the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Comptroller of the Currency, Securities and Exchange Commission, the Bank of England, and the Financial Conduct Authority. U.S. and UK participants shared views on issues in their respective areas of responsibility. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/joint-statement-inaugural-meeting-of-us-uk-financial-regulatory-working-group/joint-statement-inaugural-meeting-of-us-uk-financial-regulatory-working-group
canada
- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/justin-trudeau-theresa-may-canada-brexit-trade-deal-ceta-ottawa-a7954366.html In 2013, the UK Government estimated that the Ceta deal would increase UK exports to Canada by 29 per cent.
- https://business.financialpost.com/opinion/the-u-k-will-join-canada-in-leading-a-new-free-trade-alliance
EU
- city uk said that anti-EU policy hurts uk's financial industry wenwei 6nov14 a22
- http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f6928492-7e4a-11e5-98fb-5a6d4728f74e.html Britain is pressing for an “emergency brake” to safeguard the economic interests of non-euro countries, according to European ministers and officials privately sounded out about London’s EU reform wishlist. The brake-clause is one of some half-a-dozen principles that Prime Minister David Cameron and George Osborne, chancellor, want in a protocol that enables the EU single market to coexist more easily with an integrated eurozone. While still to be fleshed out in detail, these skeleton proposals are the first insight into how Mr Osborne will seek guarantees for “euro-outs” and protect the City of London from discrimination. He sees the issue as the biggest priority in Britain’s pre-referendum renegotiation.
- http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-34705363 George Osborne has said there is a "deal to be done" as he set out UK demands for its future EU membership in a speech to German business leaders. The chancellor said countries which do not use the euro should not be discriminated against and not required to bail out single currency members.
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/25/home-office-urging-eu-nationals-not-apply-permanent-residence/ EU nationals are being discouraged by the Home Office from applying for permanent residence in the UK after more than 90,000 applications were received in 2016. The Government’s decision not to guarantee the rights of EU citizens living in the UK until reciprocal arrangements are agreed for Britons living in Europe has sparked fears that there could be a surge in applications as people look to secure their futures.- The next phase of the roll-out of the EU Settlement Scheme, which allows resident EU citizens and their family members to obtain their UK immigration status, has been confirmed in the Immigration Rules. This follows the successful first private pilot, involving 12 NHS Trusts and 3 universities in the North West of England, which had very positive feedback from customers on the ease of the application process. The second phase will run from 1 November to 21 December 2018 and will test the full online application process. The number of participating organisations will increase significantly, with staff in the higher education, health and social care sectors across the UK included in this phase. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/immigration-rules-next-phase-of-eu-settlement-scheme-confirmed
Norway
- http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/302232fc-7d88-11e5-a1fe-567b37f80b64.html
avid Cameron has said he would “guide very strongly against” the UK aspiring to a “Norway-style” deal outside the EU as he stepped up his campaign to renegotiate the terms of Britain’s membership of the bloc. Speaking ahead of a two-day summit in Iceland with Nordic and Baltic leaders, the prime minister criticised Norway’s arms-length relationship with the EU. Mr Cameron’s intervention comes as he prepares next month to lay out his specific objectives for a new deal in advance of a referendum he has promised to hold before the end of 2017. The prime minister said it was “very important in this debate that we are clear about the consequences” of being, like Norway, a member of the European Economic Area but not a part of the EU. “Norway pays as much per head to the EU as we do. They actually take twice as many migrants per head as we do in this country. But of course they have no seat at the table. No ability to negotiate,” said the prime minister. But Lord Lawson, the former chancellor and president of the Conservatives for Britain campaign group, accused the prime minister of “talking down Britain’s chances of getting a good deal outside the EU”.
He said: “The government is clearly worried because their EU negotiations do not seem to be going very well.” Several Eurosceptics have said that Britain should look at aspects of Norway’s deal with the EU if it were to vote to leave the bloc.
In July, Nigel Farage, leader of Ukip, said: “European countries outside the EU like Norway, Iceland and Switzerland are currently thriving because they are not encumbered by euro bailout costs and extortionate EU membership fees.”
- http://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1597483/london-pay-hk190-million-help-stem-flow-migrants-through-calais
Russia
- soviet union
- troops to Russian ports in the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War, which was designed to limit Soviet aid to the German war effort. Following the withdrawal of British troops from Russia, negotiations for trade began, and on March 16, 1921, the Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement was concluded between the two countries.[25] Lenin's New Economic Policydownplayed socialism and emphasised business dealings with capitalist countries, in an effort to restart the sluggish Russian economy. Britain was the first country to accept Lenin's offer of a trade agreement. It ended the British blockade, and Russian ports were opened to British ships. Both sides agreed to refrain from hostile propaganda. It amounted to de facto diplomatic recognition and opened a period of extensive trade. Great Britain recognised the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR or Soviet Union, 1922–1991) on February 1, 1924. Relations were tense until 1941, when Germany was at war with both. The worst episode was the Zinoviev letter incident in 1924, a forgery that badly hurt the Labour Party. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were severed in May 1927 after an Mi5 raid on the All Russian Co-operative Society, but restored in 1929.
- http://rbth.com/society/2015/09/16/russian_educational_center_opens_in_the_uk_49297.html a non-profit Russian center dedicated to the study of Russian language and culture has been launched in Slough, west of London. The Tsarskoye Selo Educational Center is named after the imperial Russian lyceum near St. Petersburg where poet Alexander Pushkin studied. According to the UK's Office for National Statistics, based on a recent census, 42,000 Russian citizens are resident in Great Britain. The number of those born in Russia and living in Britain is between 150,000-300,000, according to available sources. Evgeniya Gribova, center head, said that despite such a large native diaspora, the UK still lacked a Russian cultural centre. Most Russian children living in the country tend to use English as their first language, she said. "The center will specialize not only in helping children of different ages study the Russian language, but will also have a cultural-educational role," Gribova added. The center will also teach history, Russian culture, regional geography and mathematics. Starting in October it will also offer courses in choreography, painting, voice and acting.
- https://www.rbth.com/arts/2013/10/09/14_british_songs_about_russia_30653.html
netherlands
- after assassination of william of orange in 1584, the rebellious provinces initially hoped that henry III would take up the mantle of his brother, but when he declined, the rebels turned to queen elizabeth of england to ensure their survival. By the treaty of nonsuch (20aug1585), england would provide both military and financial assistance, and elizabeth's trusted advisor, robert dudley, earl of leicester, was appointed governor-general and charged with the direction of the war effort and the coordination of its government.
- as it happened, Philip II, having reconquered the southern provinces and reestablished the supremacy of catholic church, began to focus resources on a massive invasion of england. But leicester's attempt to create a more centralised govt in the united provinces served more clearly to divide the netherlands rebels than to unite them. By the time the spanish armada had been defeated in summer of 1588, the leadership of leicester had been discredited in the netherlands, and he was recalled to england.
poland
- http://www.ucl.ac.uk/atlas/polish/community.html
- http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-37270519 Three Polish ministers are set to make an urgent visit to the UK following attacks on Polish men. Two Poles were attacked on Sunday, just hours after a march and vigil to honour Arek Jozwik, who died after an attack in the same town of Harlow, Essex. Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Rafal Sobczak said the country's foreign, justice and interior ministers would be flying into London. A specific date for the visit, however, has not yet been set. Police said the attack on the two Poles was a "potential hate crime" and one victim suffered a broken nose, the other a cut to his head.
- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/uk-student-stabbed-in-neck-for-speaking-polish-brutal-post-brexit-assault-telford-donnington-park-a7319181.html
greece
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/09/prince-charles-heads-greece-heal-old-royal-wounds Prince Charles will make a historic visit to Greece as the UK deploys one of its strongest “strategic resources” to improve bilateral relations against a backdrop of increasingly complex Brexit negotiations.Greece is among the few nations – and the only EU member state – not to have been officially visited by the Queen. The Duke of Edinburgh, born a Greek prince on the island of Corfu, was forced to flee after the Asia Minor disaster in 1923, with his own father, Prince Andrew, only narrowly avoiding being sentenced to death and shot. Relations soured further when the Greeks voted to oust the monarchy, unceremoniously toppling King Constantine in a controversial referendum in 1974.
The fraught history has long been attributed to the royal family’s official frostiness towards Greece.The prince’s paternal grandmother, Aliki (Alice), was an Orthodox nun for most of her life.“This visit marks a new era in Anglo-Greek relations, its symbolic and very positive and I say that as a fanatical republican,” said Nikos Xydakis, the ruling Syriza party’s parliamentary spokesman. “Our ties go back to the creation of the modern Greek state, it is only right that after so many years this is happening.”The niceties dictate that even Athens’ crown jewel, the fifth century BC Acropolis, will be avoided to avert the possibility of the Parthenon marbles dominating the visit.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/09/prince-charles-heads-greece-heal-old-royal-wounds
turkey- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukef-supports-airbus-uk-as-it-delivers-two-satellites-to-turksat-turkey International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has today (25 April) announced that UK Export Finance (UKEF) will support an Airbus Defence and Space Ltd UK contract with Turksat, the Turkish communications satellite operator. Airbus will manufacture and deliver, in orbit, two telecom satellites and a ground station, which will be essential for the continued provision of TV and data services in Turkey and the wider region. UKEF is supporting Airbus UK’s contract to manufacture the two satellites, their launch into space and in orbit deliveries. This is a significant development in satellite financing, covering the provision of both space systems and related launch services under a single contract. UKEF is providing a guarantee to support a loan of $325 million to the Turkish Ministry of Treasury and Finance to enable the purchase.
Saudi arabia
- http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/05/ban-ki-moon-yemen-war-uk-arms-sales-saudi-arabia Britain has come under renewed pressure to stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia after the UN secretary general accused the Saudis of indiscriminate bombing in Yemen and said countries such as the UK had a duty to stop the flow of weapons to Riyadh-led forces. Speaking in London, Ban Ki-moon said: “Yemen is in flames and coalition airstrikes in particular continue to strike schools, hospitals, mosques and civilian infrastructure.” He claimed that Yemen “was awash with weapons”, adding: “We need states that are party to [the] arms trade treaty to set an example in fulfilling one of the treaty’s main purposes – controlling arms flows to actors that may use them in ways that breach international humanitarian law”.
egypt
- Cleopatra's Needle in London is one of three similarly named Egyptian obelisks and is located in the City of Westminster, on the Victoria Embankment near the Golden Jubilee Bridges. It is close to the Embankment underground station. It was presented to the United Kingdom in 1819 by the ruler of Egypt and Sudan Muhammad Ali, in commemoration of the victories of Lord Nelson at the Battle of the Nile and Sir Ralph Abercromby at the Battle of Alexandria in 1801. Although the British government welcomed the gesture, it declined to fund the expense of transporting it to London. Made of red granite, the obelisk stands about 21 metres (69 ft) high, weighs about 224 short tons (203,000 kg)[1] and is inscribed with Egyptian hieroglyphs. The obelisk was originally erected in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis on the orders of Thutmose III, around 1450 BC. The material of which it was cut is granite, brought from the quarries of Aswan, near the first cataract of the Nile. Thutmose III had a single column of text carved on each face, these were translated by E.A.Wallis Budge.[2] Other inscriptions were added about 200 years later by Ramesses II to commemorate his military victories, these are in two columns on each face and these flank the original inscriptions. The obelisks were moved to Alexandria and set up in the Caesareum – a temple built by Cleopatra in honor of Mark Antony or Julius Caesar – by the Romans in 12 BC, during the reign of Augustus, but were toppled some time later. This had the fortuitous effect of burying their faces and so preserving most of the hieroglyphs from the effects of weathering.The obelisk remained in Alexandria until 1877 when Sir William James Erasmus Wilson, a distinguished anatomist and dermatologist, sponsored its transportation to London from Alexandria at a cost of some £10,000 (a very considerable sum in those days). It was dug out of the sand in which it had been buried for nearly 2,000 years and was encased in a great iron cylinder, 92 feet (28 m) long and 16 feet (4.9 m) in diameter, designed by the engineer John Dixon and dubbed Cleopatra, to be commanded by Captain Carter. It had a vertical stem and stern, a rudder, two bilge keels, a mast for balancing sails, and a deck house. This acted as a floating pontoon which was to be towed to London by the ship Olga, commanded by Captain Booth.The effort almost met with disaster on 14 October 1877, in a storm in the Bay of Biscay, when the Cleopatra began wildly rolling, and became uncontrollable. The Olga sent out a rescue boat with six volunteers, but the boat capsized and all six crew were lost – they are named on a bronze plaque attached to the foot of the needle's mounting stone. Captain Booth on the Olga eventually managed to get his ship next to the Cleopatra and rescued Captain Carter and the five crew members aboard Cleopatra. Captain Booth reported the Cleopatra "abandoned and sinking", but she stayed afloat, drifting in the Bay, until found four days later by Spanish trawler boats, and then rescued by the Glasgow steamer Fitzmaurice and taken to Ferrol in Spain for repairs. The Master of the Fitzmaurice lodged a salvage claim of £5,000 which had to be settled before departure from Ferrol, but it was negotiated down and settled for £2,000.[3] The William Watkins Ltd paddle tug Anglia, under the command of Captain David Glue, was then commissioned to tow the Cleopatra back to the Thames. On their arrival in the estuary on 21 January 1878, the school children of Gravesend were given the day off.[4] A wooden model of the obelisk had previously been placed outside the Houses of Parliament, but the location had been rejected, so the London needle was finally erected on the Victoria Embankment on 12 September 1878.On erection of the obelisk in 1878, a time capsule was concealed in the front part of the pedestal containing: a set of 12 photographs of the best-looking English women of the day, a box of hairpins, a box of cigars, several tobacco pipes, a set of imperial weights, a baby's bottle, some children's toys, a shilling razor, a hydraulic jack and some samples of the cable used in the erection, a 3 foot (0.91 m) bronze model of the monument, a complete set of contemporary British coins, a rupee, a portrait of Queen Victoria, a written history of the transport of the monument, plans on vellum, a translation of the inscriptions, copies of the Bible in several languages, a copy of John 3:16 in 215 languages,[7] a copy of Whitaker's Almanack, a Bradshaw Railway Guide, a map of London and copies of 10 daily newspapers. Cleopatra's Needle is flanked by two faux-Egyptian sphinxes, designed by the English architect George John Vulliamy. The sphinxes are cast in bronze and bear hieroglyphic inscriptions that say netjer nefer men-kheper-re di ankh, which translates as "the good god, Thuthmosis III given life". These sphinxes appear to be looking at the Needle rather than guarding it, due to the sphinxes' improper or backwards installation. The Embankment has other Egyptian flourishes, such as buxom winged sphinxes on the armrests of benches. On 4 September 1917, during World War I, a bomb from a German air raid landed near the needle. In commemoration of this event, the damage remains unrepaired to this day and is clearly visible in the form of shrapnel holes and gouges on the right-hand sphinx. Restoration work was carried out in 2005. The original master stone mason who worked on the granite foundation was Lambeth-born William Henry Gould (1822–1891).
- economist 6oct18 "obloquy for an obelisk"
blacks
- cutlure
- theatre company nitro established in 1979 under its original name, the black theatre cooperative
india
- culture
- wah! wah! girls (2012) is a bollywood theme musical in east end london
pakistan
- A balti, or bāltī gosht (Urdu: بالٹی گوشت, Hindi: बाल्टी गोश्त) is a type of curry served in a thin, pressed-steel wok called a "balti bowl". It is served in restaurants throughout the United Kingdom. The name may have come from the metal dish in which the curry is cooked, rather than from any specific ingredient or cooking technique. Balti curries are cooked quickly using vegetable oil rather than ghee, over high heat in the manner of a stir-fry, and any meat is used off the bone. This combination differs sharply from a traditional one-pot Indian curry which is simmered slowly all day. Balti sauce is based on garlic and onions, with turmeric and garam masala among other spices.
Balti gosht is eaten in Pakistan and northwestern India, as well as other parts of the world, such as Great Britain. The food seems to have arrived in England in Birmingham in 1971; sources suggest it originates from Perry Barr in Central Birmingham England. バルチ(英語: Balti、ウルドゥー語: بلتی) は、パキスタンが発祥のイギリス式のカレー料理で、鉄製の中華鍋に似た鉄鍋で調理し、給仕される。イギリスでは数多くのレストランがバルチ料理を提供している。バルチ料理の起源は正確には判っていないが、バーミンガムで発明されたと信じているものもいれば、パキスタン領カシミールのバルティスターンに起源があると信じているものもいる。
australia and new zealand
- Australia and New Zealand are important trading partners for Britain, with trade worth £16bn a year. Its no coincidence that two of the earliest announcements the new Department for International Trade made in 2016 were to establish new trade dialogues with both countries. So trade discussions with both countries are already well underway; our trade dialogues with Australia and New Zealandmet as recently as last month when UK officials travelled to Wellington and Canberra. It is correct to say that we cannot formally negotiate any future trade agreements until we have left the EU, but as we have agreed with the EU itself; we can begin formal negotiations once we leave next year. https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-eu-uk-trade-australia-new-zealand-business-free-trade-greg-hands-a8366031.html
japan
- fta
- https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/feb/08/japan-seeking-big-concessions-from-britain-in-trade-talks-eu-brexit Japan is seeking tougher concessions from Britain in trade talks than it secured from the EU, while negotiations between London and Tokyo are also being slowed by the looming risk of no-deal Brexit. Japanese trade negotiators are confident they can extract better terms, the Financial Times reported, in a sign of the mounting difficulties facing UK officials as they attempt to line up post-Brexit trade deals around the world. Japan and the EU began trading under a new free trade agreement this month, an arrangement that will be unavailable to the UK after Brexit. While officials from the UK and Japan are seeking to agree a bilateral deal, it will not be in place before 29 March when Britain is scheduled to leave the EU. The UK’s trade with Japan will also revert to World Trade Organization tariffs in the case of a no-deal Brexit.
- culture
- The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu 『ミカド』 (The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu ) is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations. It opened on 14 March 1885.Setting the opera in Japan, an exotic locale far away from Britain, allowed Gilbert to satirise British politics and institutions more freely by disguising them as Japanese. 当時、ロンドンのナイツブリッジで日本展が人気を博し、イギリスでは空前の日本ブームが起きていた。『ミカド』はこのブームに乗じた一種のジャポニスムまたはオリエンタリズムである。登場人物の名には日本語と無関係な、あたかも中国や東南アジアの固有名詞を想起させる英語の幼児語を用いている。秩父説の根拠としては、初演の前年に秩父事件が英国の新聞でも報道されていたこと、また、事件の前後にも秩父の名は絹製品の輸出で西ヨーロッパに知られていたことが挙げられる。今日秩父のローマ字表記はヘボン式のChichibuが一般的であるが、19世紀の日本では日本式ローマ字を用いたTitibuの綴りが一般的だった。これが転じてTitipuとなったとも見ることが出来る。秩父説の伝播には、日本では1987年（昭和62年）に刊行された猪瀬直樹の著書『ミカドの肖像』と永六輔のラジオ番組が一役買ったようである。ちなみに、第二次世界大戦前の日本最大の豪華客船「秩父丸」（日本郵船、17,498gt）は、1930年の竣工当初 Chichibu Maru と称し、1938年にTitibu Maruにローマ字表記を改めたが[21]、titがアメリカのスラングで乳首を表す言葉だということでこれを忌避し、翌1939年に鎌倉丸に改名した経緯を持つ。
- https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-wiltshire-44368853 A Wiltshire bed and breakfast has become a hit with Japanese tourists after it became the inspiration for a popular TV cartoon. Fosse Farmhouse near Castle Combe is the setting for the Japanese animated series Kinmoza, which attracts more than five million viewers. Owner Caron Cooper said the show has led to more than half of her guests coming from Japan every year. Ms Cooper said it began after a chance meeting with a Japanese couple in 1989.
Korea
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/10/exclusive-churches-warned-deceptive-cult-linked-south-korea/
Thailand
- 英國外交部周三宣布，由於財政預算不足，將會以四億二千萬英鎊（約四十六億港元）出售駐泰國首都曼谷大使館，以支援其他英國大使館的現代化工程，交易將成為泰國、以及英國外交部最大額的地產交易。消息指，買家為香港置地控股及泰國尚泰合組的財團。orientaldaily 2feb18
- Wat Buddhapadipa eller Buddhapadipatempelet, er et Thai-buddhistisk tempel i bydelen Wimbledon i London. Tempelet tilhører retningen theravāda. Det var det første buddhistiske tempel som ble bygd i Storbritannia, og det eneste thai-buddhistiske tempel som er bygd i Europa. Tempelet huser munker og nonner, men besøkende av andre trosretninger er velkommen til å besøke tempelet så lenge som de behandler stedet og tempelet med respekt.Tempelet ble oppført av London Buddhist Temple Foundation i 1965, under beskyttelse av kong Rama IX av Thailand, og har siden vært under beskyttelse av det thailandske kongehuset. Tempelet var opprinnelig lokalisert i Christ Church Road i Richmond upon Thames i det sørlige London. Det ble flyttet til sin nåværende beliggenhet i Calonne Road, Wimbledon Parkside, i 1976.
malaysia
- The British Malaysian Society (BMS) emerged as a response to the Buy British Last policy proclaimed by Dr Mahathir in October 1981 in response to perceived grievances.Initiated in Kuala Lumpur by Neville Green then running Standard Chartered Bank’s Malaysian operations and in London by Sir Donald Hawley, Britain’s immediate past High Commissioner in Malaysia, a group of senior businessmen in both countries moved to repair the longstanding - but now frayed - ties between the two countries. With Dr Mahathir’s encouragement to do so obtained in Kuala Lumpur by Neville Green, the group began discussions in December 1982 with a view to creating bilateral alliances dedicated to a more modern relationship, hence the creation of the BMS. An inaugural lunch took place in London in November 1983. Whilst the Buy British Last policy became history after two years, coming to an end in October 1983, it had the effect of creating a new, more positive mood.Following formation of the BMS, The Malaysian British Society (MBS) was formed thereafter, in September 1984, at a dinner in Kuala Lumpur at which Dr Mahathir was the Guest of Honour. The first joint meeting of the two Societies was held in London in 1985, in No.10 Downing Street.http://www.thebritishmalaysiansociety.org/history.html
singapore
- 遲3周申請英簽證被拒 獅城實習醫生或被驅逐 逾5萬人聲援 要求內政部改決定 https://www.facebook.com/singtaodailyeu/photos/a.224486677751110.1073741827.224484584417986/845671138965991/?type=3
Newswatch
- https://ukgovernmentwatch.wordpress.com/
country website/info
- https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/blog/about/
country website/info
- https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/blog/about/
- https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/blog/2018/06/britains-largest-islands/#more-24218
No comments:
Post a Comment