President Donald Trump announced on Monday night his administration’s plans to continue the engagement of the United States military in Afghanistan, a strategy meant to combat the influence of the Taliban and the ISIS affiliate in the country that will for go a formal timetable and instead rely upon conditions on the ground to guide U.S. activities.
The Big Ben has fallen silent for major repair work expected to last until 2021. The Monday midday bongs were the last regular chimes from the famous bell until the repairs to its tower are complete. It will still be used for special occasions, including New Year's Eve and Remembrance Sunday.
The Falkland Islands Education Department has congratulated all A Level students on their results, since they have achieved the required points to continue their studies if they wish to.
Lord Peter Hain has called on the government to soften its approach to ”taking the UK out of the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice (ECJ).” The former secretary of state claimed that such a move could result in Northern Ireland losing millions of pounds of peace funding. The ECJ oversees reconciliation grants to North Ireland in the region of £240 million.
United States has formally launched an investigation into China's policies regarding intellectual property. The top US trade official, Robert Lighthizer, said his office had determined that these critical issues merit a thorough investigation.
Removing all trade tariffs and barriers would help generate an annual £135bn uplift to the UK economy, according to a group of pro-Brexit economists. A hard Brexit is economically much superior to soft argues Prof Patrick Minford, lead author of a report from Economists for Free Trade, which insists that eliminating tariffs, either within free trade deals or unilaterally, would deliver huge gains.
The twelve strong terror cell that carried out two attacks in Spain this week had collected 120 gas canisters and was planning to use them in vehicle attacks, Spanish police say. Canisters were found at a house, said to be used by the cell, that blew up in the town of Alcanar on Wednesday night.
JBS SA will proceed with plans to list a U.S.-based unit when market conditions allow, as the world's No. 1 meatpacker wrestles with a shareholder revolt over the role of the controlling Batista family in a massive graft scandal. In a conference call to discuss second-quarter results, CEO Wesley Batista said JBS Foods International Inc could be listed by the end of next year, once parent JBS finalizes 6 billion Reais (US$1.9 billion) in asset sales to cut debt and restore investor confidence.
Argentina has agreed to allow imports of U.S. pork products for the first time since 1992, the White House said in a statement on Thursday. “Today’s announcement is a big win for American pork producers and proves that President Trump is getting real results for America’s farmers and ranchers,” said Vice President Pence.
The Commonwealth Games Queens Baton visits all 71 Commonwealth countries and territories on its journey from Buckingham Palace to the host city. In 2018 that is Gold Coast in Australia; one territory is missing from the relay, because it has not been possible to schedule St Helena this year. However several Saints saw and carried the baton in the Falkland Islands, so we have helped a little bit.