As he lived in a tent and battled to provide for his family, Hussam al-Masri, a Reuters journalist killed by Israeli fire on Monday while running a live video feed at Gaza's Nasser Hospital, covered the suffering of civilians during the conflict. According to journalist colleagues, Masri, 49, was a seasoned cameraman who was well-liked by Gaza's close-knit community of reporters because of his upbeat demeanor in the most perilous circumstances. In the months before his death, he would say, "Tomorrow will be better," despite the fact that the Palestinian enclave was becoming increasingly desolate and hungry. That was the conclusion of his final discussion with Mohamed Salem, a senior Reuters visuals journalist who had collaborated with Masri in Rafah, in southern Gaza, last year and had known him since 2003. Salem, who left Gaza later in 2024 but stayed in daily contact with Masri until Monday morning, said he was a pleasure to work with because of his smiles and o...
The United Kingdom and India have signed a trade agreement aimed at reducing tariffs on goods ranging from textiles to whisky, cars, and spices, and to provide businesses with increased market access.
Terming the agreement a "landmark moment" for both countries, Starmer hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for talks at Chequers, the country estate northwest of London, where UK and Indian trade ministers Jonathan Reynolds and Piyush Goyal formally signed the trade agreement.
In May, Starmer and Modi announced that they had reached a free trade agreement after three years of stop-start negotiations, with both sides rushing to seal an agreement in the wake of the tariff turmoil unleashed by United States President Donald Trump. The deal now has to be ratified by the UK Parliament.
"This is not the extent or the limit of our collaboration with India," Starmer said. "We have unique bonds of history, of family, and of culture, and we want to strengthen our relationship further, so that it is even more ambitious, modern, and focused on the long term."
Starmer also said that it is the biggest and most economically significant trade deal that the UK has made since its disengagement from the European Union in 2020. The OBR has made a forecast of exports and imports for the UK to be roughly 15 percent lower in the long run than if Brexit had not happened.
Standing together with Starmer for a media photo, Prime Minister Modi described the deal as a "blueprint for our shared prosperity".
For India, the deal stands as its biggest strategic partnership with an advanced economy and one that could serve as a pattern for a long-sought deal with the EU as well as talks with other regions.
The two countries simultaneously announced nearly 6 billion pounds ($8nm) worth of trade and investment agreements in AI, aerospace, dairy products, and pledged to collaborate closely on defence, migration, climate, and health.
The UK and India expect this pact to increase trade between both countries by 25.5 billion pounds ($34.4bn) and, eventually, 4.8 billion pounds ($6.5bn) annually in revenues for the UK.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in May that 99% of Indian exports will bear no import duty under the agreement, which applies to products like clothes, shoes, and food.
Britain and India stand as the sixth- and fifth-largest economies of the world, respectively, with trade amounting to about GBP 41 bn ($55.3 bn) and investments providing sustenance for more than 600,000 jobs spread across both countries.
Starmer was also expected to discuss with the Indian prime minister the Air India tragedy of last month, which claimed 241 lives, while a London-bound flight crashed soon after its takeoff from Ahmedabad, in Western India.
Privately, 169 Indian passengers and 52 British nationals lost their deaths in the crash of June 12, one of the deadliest in terms of British deaths on record.
They have met a couple of times recently, last month at the G7 summit in Canada and in Brazil last year for the G20 meeting.
It was also planned that Modi would meet King Charles III during his short visit to the UK, his fourth visit since he assumed leadership of India in 2014.
SOURCE : NEWS AGENCIES