Chaos as suspected terrorist attack brings Arian Grande gig to an abrupt end

Chaos as suspected terrorist attack brings Arian Grande gig to an abrupt end

World Unknown   10:35

Wailing and mourning in Manchester after a suspect terrorist attack left 19 persons dead, while 50 persons have sustained different degree of injuries’

The police in Greater Manchester has announced that the tragedy would be handled as an alleged terror attack.

According to eye witnesses a "huge bang" was heard at the 21,000-capacity venue at the end of a sell-out Ariana Grande gig.

The US singer, who was unharmed, tweeted to say she is "broken".

"From the bottom of my heart, I am so, so sorry," she said. "I don't have words."

Her manager Scooter Braun said they mourned "the lives of children and loved ones taken by this cowardly act".

Accordingly, the city’s Victoria station has been closed after evacuating everyone and cancelling train services.

Residents in the city have been offering shelter to all those who went to the concert, even as taxi drivers offered to render free rides, while one of the hotel close to the venue has provided shelter for several children.

Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham in his tweet handle said: "My heart goes out to families who have lost loved ones, my admiration to our brave emergency services. A terrible night for our great city."

Theresa May in her message said her thoughts were with the victims and families of those affected and has condemned "what is being treated by the police as an appalling terrorist attack".

Home Secretary Amber Rudd also condemned the "barbaric act" and said: "The full details of exactly what happened are still emerging, but I am proud of the police and first responders who reacted to this tragic incident so swiftly."

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected and especially the families who lost their loved ones tonight - utterly heart-breaking," they said.

If it at the end is confirmed that the attack was an act of terrorism, the explosion will become the worst atrocity in the UK since the deaths of the 56 people killed in the 7/7 London bombings in 2005.

Battle line drawn, as Theresa May perfects plans to give Brussels Britain’s Brexit divorce bill

Battle line drawn, as Theresa May perfects plans to give Brussels Britain’s Brexit divorce bill

World Unknown   06:07

In a response to the huge Brexit divorce bill levelled against the United Kingdom, Theresa May’s led government has also concluded plan to hit Brussels with a huge Brexit bill.

According to the PM, Brussels is also owing Britain several billions of pounds as a result of its share of the European Investment Bank and other joint projects.

Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph the PM mentioned that “money paid in the past” by the UK must be taken into account in any final financial settlement.

The Prime Minister also acknowledged that the UK had financial “rights” which must be respected during Brexit negotiations about payments as well as “obligations” to the EU as it leaves.

The PM’s intervention is a clear refusal of hardline EU countries who have contended that the UK should not get back its proportion of EU assets.

According to the PM: “There is much debate about what the UK’s obligations might be or indeed what our rights might be in terms of money being paid in in the past. We make it clear that we would look at those both rights and obligations.”

“There’s the investment bank, there’s the investment fund, and there are various areas. This will be, as you know, an important part of the negotiations.”

The comment is the first time the Prime Minister has indicated publicly she wants to keep a share of the European Investment Bank.

It was also reported by Government sources that the UK’s share of the bank has been estimated at 16 per cent - which equals to around £8.5 billion.

British Foreign Secretary confirms that Britain has no plan to hinder EU defence co-operation

British Foreign Secretary confirms that Britain has no plan to hinder EU defence co-operation

World Unknown   13:37

In a swift reaction to the allegation levelled against him, the UK’s Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has come out to clear the air saying the UK is not seeking to block closer European Union military co-operation. Mr Johnson instead made affirmed that Britain is "not going to stand in their way".

Though he affirmed the UK’s concerns over "some of the language" he insisted that the UK would not look to reject efforts being made to forge deeper defence ties.

This report comes as a it was told the UK was making some efforts to put the brakes on the planned command centre as a result of objections to it being mentioned as an" operational headquarters".

Upon his arrival for the summit in Brussels, Mr Johnson stressed that: "We understand the vital importance to us all as European countries working together to strengthen our defences.

"We all want to see our European friends and partners spending more on defence. If they can get up to 2%, that is terrific. We really want to encourage that as fast as possible.

"If they want to come together with other arrangements, we are not going to stand in their way.

"We are just working on some of the language to make sure that we get it totally right."

A lady who living disability benefit confronts Mrs May in the open, telling her £100 a month is not enough for her

A lady who living disability benefit confronts Mrs May in the open, telling her £100 a month is not enough for her

World Unknown   10:59

British Prime Minister confronted publicly by a furious lady living on disability benefit in Abingdon, Oxfordshire as she points out to Mrs May that: "I can't live on £100 a month."

She stopped Mrs May in the town's market, telling her the "fat cats get the money and us lot get nothing".

She added: "I'm talking about everybody. Everybody who's got mental health - and everybody who's got learning disabilities - I want them not to have their money taken away from them and being crippled."

Because so many people complain that the move from disability allowances to PIPs (Personal Independence Payment) has left them struggling to get by.

"I want my disability living allowance to come back, not have PIPs and get nothing. I can't live on £100 a month," Ms Mohan said.

"Who's going to help me?" she pleaded.

The exchange happened as the PM was walking through a market with the constituency's Tory candidate, Nicola Blackwood.

Mrs May made some efforts to reassure Ms Mohan, telling her: "Nicola can help you specifically. What I can do is ensure we're giving more help to people with mental health and learning disabilities.

"And that's exactly what we've done, we made an announcement the other day... When we look at the help we give to people with any disability, it's particularly we focus on those who are most in need."

PIPs payments currently vary from around £22 a week to £141.10, and depends on the severity of a person's disability.

When they were being introduced, the Institute for Fiscal Studies predicted 370,000 people would be affected, leaving them each an average of £3,500 worse off.

David Davis insists the UK will not need the ECJ after Brexit

David Davis insists the UK will not need the ECJ after Brexit

World Unknown   08:05

ITV host asserts even after the Britain finally leaves the EU, the European courts would still be necessary.

This was said as reaction to the Brexit Secretary David Davis, after he stated that the UK would no longer need the services of the European Courts, as he attacks those saying British courts were good enough to sort out the effect Brexit.

The Brexit was also resolute about a rational deal over the rights of all EU nationals living in the UK, and British nationals living in other EU nations.

 Mr Davis also confirmed how he will "have an argument" with Michel Barnier on how to deal with EU citizens after Brexit.

On his part, Mr Barnier has also said that the European Court of Justice "must absolutely" oversee the rights of EU citizens in the UK after the country leaves the bloc.

Conversely, Mr Davis ripped into this red line and said Britain will not stand for it ahead of his planned meeting with Mr Barnier at the end of June.

He told Peston: "There will be arguments over fine detail such as whether the European Court of Justice oversees these rights after we've left."

When pressed by Peston on the "need for the ECJ", Mr Davis hit back: "We are not prepared to accept that. We'll have an argument about that.

"The simple truth is that we are leaving, we are going to be outside the reach of the European court. We do not want the ECJ getting involved in our affairs.

"I take slight offence to the idea that the Supreme Court couldn't oversee this. We have very good courts in this country."

 Britain's Secretary for leaving the EU stressed that the British public voted for a future without the single market, the customs union, the European Court of Justice, and returned control over immigration.

Mr Davis added: "Both sides knew that if we leave, we leave it all!

"We are seeking a comprehensive free trade agreement covering all products and alls services, and a customs agreement to go along that.

"We want the most beneficial economic outcome while respecting the referendum."

Later in the interview, Mr Davis mocked those who claimed a bad deal with the EU was better than no deal.

He told Peston: "Nobody wants no deal, but you need the option. We have to the option to walk away, or else we will be blackmailed.

"When you go buy a house and say I will buy this house no matter what, you'll be charged a fortune!"

Theresa May still determined to cut net migration to the tens of thousand despite her party's failure on the issue

Theresa May still determined to cut net migration to the tens of thousand despite her party's failure on the issue

World Unknown   06:51

Despite their inability to meet their net immigration target to date, former Home Secretary and now British Prime Minister Theresa May has once again reassured the British people that her party is still on course in trying to reduce net migration to the “tens of thousands”.

It was very obvious that the issue of immigration was the major factor that made the British people to vote in favour of Brexit, thus several leave voters have welcomed the Tories promise regarding the issue.

During an interview with the Home Secretary, she was asked if the “tens of thousands” figure that appeared in the 2015 manifesto would be repeated in the 2017 document, she said: “It’s not going to be identical to the last one. We’re setting it out for hopefully a five year term, we’ve got a lot to think through to work out what’s the best way to deliver on our priorities.

"My personal view is we need to continue to bring immigration down.

"I want to make sure that we do it in a way that supports businesses - you know we're ending freedom of movement when we leaving the European Union.

"So the situation from that time the [2015] manifesto... has changed because we're leaving the European Union, so it's right that we look at it again."

Though some fears were raised by various businesses that such a measure is likely to bring about labour shortage in certain key sectors of the British economy, but Ms Rudd said firms should “do more” to try to hire workers from the UK.

Earlier this year it emerged that just one in 50 of the applications received by sandwich chain Pret a Manger were from applicants from the UK.

Moreover, in March, the company told a committee of MPs that they could face a labour shortage after Brexit but last month, the firm’s chief executive Clive Schlee said a new drive to hire British workers had shown “very encouraging” results.

Ms Rudd said: "I did hear that Pret a Manger had come out and said it's absolutely essential for us to have European workers because if we don't we're going to have to make more of an effort to recruit in the UK.

"Well, good I'd quite like them to make more of an effort to recruit in the UK. So we will be trying to push them as well to do more in the UK. Them and all business so that we make sure we look after people who are otherwise unemployed in the UK better.”