Tag Archives: UK

BRITAIN: No Royal Treatment For Trump’s Visit

The London Evening Standard reports: Donald Trump is set to visit Britain early in 2018 – but for a stripped-down trip that will not include staying with the Queen. Diplomats are discussing plans for a “working visit” by the US president that will be shorn of the pomp and flummery of a full-blown State Visit. And instead of a red …

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London Cops Slam Trump’s “Unhelpful” Terror Tweets

Buzzfeed News reports: The Metropolitan police has called Donald Trump’s comments on the Parsons Green explosion “pure speculation” and “unhelpful” after the US president posted a series of tweets following the terror incident in west London. “Anyone with information relating to the investigation should contact the counter-terrorism hotline,” the spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. Trump had tweeted to say the attack …

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NORTHERN IRELAND: Court Upholds Marriage Ban

The Belfast Telegraph reports: A high court judge in Belfast has ruled the ban on same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland is lawful. Mr Justice O’Hara ruled on two separate cases that were heard together due to the similarities of the arguments. Both cases were rejected by the Judge, insisting the ban did not violate the rights of LGBT couples in …

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Trump’s State Visit To UK Faces Delay Until 2019

From Britain’s Evening Standard: Donald Trump’s State visit to Britain could be delayed until 2019, it emerged today. The trip, with full Royal pomp and circumstance, is almost certainly not going to take place this year. The Palace is understood to have plans for another visit in the first half of 2018, practically ruling out a visit from Mr Trump. …

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REPORT: Britain Invites Trump For “Dummy Run” Visit

TOO easy. Politico reports: The U.K. government invited U.S. President Donald Trump for talks with Prime Minister Theresa May in a “dummy run” ahead of an official visit, the Daily Mail reported. Trump will be offered a state visit next year, but only if his low-profile trip is a success, the newspaper said. The dummy visit is in response to …

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BELFAST: Thousands March For Marriage [VIDEO]

The Belfast Telegraph reports: Thousands of people have joined a major parade through Belfast city centre demanding same-sex marriage rights. The demonstration on Saturday afternoon concluded with a rally in front of City Hall. The ban on equal marriage in Northern Ireland is one of several sticking points delaying the formation of a new powersharing government at Stormont. It is …

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British Exit Polls: Theresa May Loses Majority

Politico reports: Britain is heading for a hung parliament and days of political chaos as a shock exit poll predicted that Prime Minister Theresa May has fallen short of an overall majority. The exit poll, published as polling stations closed at 10 p.m. local time, predicts the Conservatives will win 314 seats, with Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour on 266. With smaller …

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Sweden Drops Rape Investigation Against Assange

The Guardian reports: Swedish prosecutors are to drop their preliminary investigation into an allegation of rape against the WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, bringing an end to a seven-year legal standoff. The decision was taken after prosecutors concluded that “at this point, all possibilities to conduct the investigation are exhausted”, Sweden’s director of public prosecutions, Marianne Ny, said on Friday. “In …

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NORTHERN IRELAND: Game Of Thrones Star Kristian Nairn May Enter Politics To Fight For Marriage Equality

The Belfast Telegraph reports: Game of Thrones star Kristian Nairn could swap the stage for the political arena after becoming frustrated with the lack of progress on equality issues such as same-sex marriage. The 6ft 10in actor, DJ and entrepreneur from Lisburn, who is gay, has been nominated for MTV’s Tearjerker award after his character Hodor’s iconic death scene in …

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CNN’s Jake Tapper Blasts Trump’s “Fevered Effort” To Defend “Wild Accusations” Of Wiretapping [VIDEO]

“In a fevered effort to try and force this outlandish claim into something remotely resembling––passably, perhaps, maybe––the truth, the White House appears willing to actually repeat another wild accusation that potentially could alienate our nation’s most important ally. Does smearing British intelligence make your family more safe? No? So why is the White House doing it? What is the White …

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SCOTLAND: First Minister Nicola Sturgeon Calls For Second Independence Referendum Over “Hard Brexit”

The Guardian reports: Nicola Sturgeon has said the Scottish people will be given a choice whether to follow the UK into a “hard Brexit” or become an independent country between autumn 2018 and spring 2019. The Scottish first minister said she was firing the starting gun on a second independence referendum because the British government had failed to move “even …

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SCOTLAND: State Tourism Agency Delists Five-Star Hotel After Trump Pal Owner Uses Anti-Gay Slur

The BBC reports: Tourism agency VisitScotland has suspended the five-star status of an Aberdeen hotel following the owner’s homophobic comments. Stewart Spence used a derogatory term about homosexuals at The Marcliffe Hotel during a Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland event last week. Mr Spence later said he wanted to “sincerely apologise”. VisitScotland said the Marcliffe had been removed it from …

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UNITED KINGDOM: Guernsey Approves Marriage, Northern Ireland Now Last Holdout Of British Isles

Patrick Strudwick reports at Buzzfeed: Campaigners, politicians, and members of the public are celebrating a historic vote in the States of Guernsey, which on Wednesday finally approved the introduction of same-sex marriage by 33 votes to five. It makes Northern Ireland now the only part of the British Isles without marriage equality, following similar successful campaigns in Jersey and the …

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BRITAIN: Theresa May Becomes Prime Minster After Queen Formally Accepts Resignation Of David Cameron

The Telegraph reports: Mr Cameron has left 10 Downing Street for the last time as Prime Minister, as he set off on the short trip to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to the Queen and hand over the reins of power to Theresa May. Flanked by wife Samantha and children Nancy, Elwen and Florence outside the famous black door, …

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Brexit Fallout: Sinn Fein Calls For United Ireland Vote

The Irish Journal reports: The UK’s decision to leave the EU means Sinn Féin will press for a border vote in the North. Both Northern Ireland and Scotland voted to remain in the EU, but the leave campaign was able to convince Wales and England to leave the union. “We have a situation where the north is going to be …

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BARBADOS: Government Nixes Same-Sex Marriage

Via Barbados Today: The Barbados Government “will not change the law” to allow for same-sex marriages, an adamant Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite has declared. However, Brathwaite warned the island had no room for discrimination on the basis of sexuality. “As a lawmaker, if Jane decides she wants to live with Janice, that is their business as far I am concerned. …

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Trump Challenges London Mayor To IQ Test [VIDEO]

Donald Trump today blasted British Prime Minister David Cameron and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, challenging the latter to an IQ test. Seriously. CNN reports: Asked about Cameron’s remarks, Trump said he didn’t care, but then added, “It looks like we’re not going to have a very good relationship. Who knows, I hope to have a good relationship with him but …

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EUROPE: Scotland Tops List Of Gay-Friendly Nations

From the Herald Scotland: Scotland would be rated as the most gay-friendly and tolerant nation in Europe if it was separate from the rest of the UK, new research has found. A survey measuring equality and human rights found that Scotland would top a European league table after meeting 90 per cent of the criteria laid down by campaigning group …

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NORTHERN IRELAND: Anti-Gay Bakers Begin Appeal

The Irish Times reports: Christian bakers found guilty of discrimination for refusing to make a cake with a pro-gay marriage slogan could not commit a sin by going against their deeply held consciences, their lawyer has told an appeal hearing. The McArthur family, who run Ashers Baking Company in Belfast, are seeking to overturn a judgment which found they acted …

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TRAILER: Absolutely Fabulous

The Guardian recaps: The first full trailer for Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie has Edina and Patsy on the run in France after possibly killing Kate Moss. Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley reprise their roles as the champagne-drinking fashionistas for the first time in four years, while the film brings back the sitcom’s other co-stars Julia Sawalha and Jane Horrocks. The …

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