UK academic charged with spying in UAE temporarily released, wife says

Diplomatic correspondent,Dubai(wp/Reuters):

A British academic charged with espionage in the United Arab Emirates has been temporarily released until his next hearing on Nov. 21, his wife said on Tuesday.

Matthew Hedges, a 31-year-old doctoral student at Durham University, has been held since May 5, when he was arrested at the Dubai airport after a two-week research visit. He was formally charged this month with spying on the Gulf state, where he has been held in solitary confinement.

Hedges was released on Monday and will be subject to constant monitoring until the November hearing, said his wife, Daniela Tejada, adding that they were not notified in advance that he would be released.

“I of course welcome this development. However, I cannot allow myself to get too excited by this information as Matt is not fully free yet,” she said in a written statement.

Reuters earlier reported, citing sources, Hedges had been released on bail.

The BBC reported Hedges has been released without his passport, told to remain in the UAE until the next hearing, and must wear an ankle monitor.

A UAE government spokesperson could immediately be reached for comment outside working hours.

A spokeswoman for Britain’s foreign office in London said: “We are monitoring developments closely and have made the Emirati authorities aware of all our concerns. We continue to do everything we can for Matthew and his family.”

The UAE’s Federal Court of Appeal last week postponed hearing his case until Nov. 21 to re-examine the evidence.

The country’s attorney general has said Hedges was charged with spying for a foreign state, without naming it, and jeopardizing the military, economic and political security of the country.

More than 120 academics from around the world have issued a petition urging UAE authorities to release him.

According to Durham University’s website, Hedges is a doctoral student in the School of Government and International Affairs whose research interests include civil-military relations, political economy and tribalism.

Last year, he co-wrote an article in an academic journal on the Muslim Brotherhood and the Gulf Cooperation Council, of which the UAE is a member.

The UAE is a tourism and trade hub for the Middle East, but tolerates little public criticism of its ruling families or policies and staunchly opposes the Islamist ideology of the Brotherhood.

UK airlines hit out at higher levy on long-haul flights

Staff reporter(wp/reuters):

Britain’s aviation industry hit out at the government on Monday over its decision to increase a tax on long-haul flights, saying it made a mockery of the government’s ambition for a ‘Global Britain’ after it leaves the European Union.

British finance minister Philip Hammond said in his annual budget that Air Passenger Duty (APD) would be frozen for short-haul flights but would rise in line with inflation for long-haul.

The owner of British Airways, IAG (ICAG.L), said the tax hindered its efforts to fly to new trading markets.

“It’s ironic that this Brexit budget has undermined Britain’s global competitiveness by upping Air Passenger Duty, the world’s highest aviation tax, again,” IAG said.

“We want to offer more flights to key trading markets, like our European competitors, but APD stifles route development to new emerging markets. If Britain wants to compete on the global stage post Brexit, it should be scrapped now.”

IAG said British Airways passengers paid 682 million pounds in APD last year.

A spokeswoman for Virgin Atlantic said customers were already paying a levy that was twice that of any other EU nation, to leave the UK. “APD now accounts for more than a quarter of our lowest fare,” she said.

Hammond said short-haul APD rates for 2020-21 would not rise, remaining at the same level as they have been since 2012. For long-haul they will increase by 2 pounds, while the rates for those travelling in premium economy, business and first class will increase by 4 pounds.

Tim Alderslade, the head of industry body Airlines UK, said the planned tax increase sent the wrong signal. “APD is nothing but a tax on Global Britain,” he said in a statement.

Uber goes to court to defend business model over UK worker rights

Staff reporter,London(wp/reuters):
Uber heads to a British court on Tuesday to defend its business model of treating drivers as self-employed, entitling them to few rights in law, in the latest stage of a long-running battle at the taxi app.

The Silicon Valley-based company, which could be valued at $120 billion in a forthcoming flotation, has faced legal action, protests, regulator crackdowns and license losses around the world as it challenges existing competitors and rapidly expands.

In 2016, two British drivers successfully argued at a tribunal that Uber exerted significant control over them to provide an on-demand taxi service and that they should be given workers’ rights, which include receiving the minimum wage.

An employment appeal tribunal upheld that decision last year prompting Uber to go to the Court of Appeal, with a two-day hearing due to begin on Tuesday.

Unions argue that the gig economy - where people often work for various employers at the same time without fixed contracts - is exploitative, whilst Uber says its drivers enjoy the terms of their work and on average earn much more than the minimum wage.

“We will do everything that we can to preserve that flexibility and preserve that power for our driver partners because every single one that I’ve talked to says that they absolutely treasure it,” CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said last week in London.

In Britain, the self-employed are entitled to only basic protections such as health and safety but workers receive benefits such as the minimum wage, paid holidays and rest breaks. Uber has introduced a number of benefits for drivers.

Co-claimant in the case and chair of the drivers’ branch of The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain James Farrar criticized the taxi app for continuing to oppose the original tribunal decision.

“It’s two years since we beat Uber at the Employment Tribunal, yet minicab drivers all over the UK are still waiting for justice, while Uber exhausts endless appeals,” he said.

Rights at firms such as Uber, fellow taxi service Addison Lee and food courier Deliveroo have risen up the political agenda in Britain as more people work for companies without fixed hours or a guaranteed income.

A march backed by several trade unions and involving cleaners, receptionists and security officers is due to take place on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Theresa May launched a review into working practices but her administration has yet to provide a response after a consultation closed over the summer.

The government will reply in “due course,” a business ministry spokeswoman said.

UK Budget 2018:: What will Philip Hammond's measures mean for Londoners?

Political reporter(wp/es):

Mr Hammond told MPs that “austerity is finally coming to an end” with the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) expecting "resilient" growth over the coming years.

He announced an extra £500 million for preparations for Brexit and hinted that there would be an emergency budget in Spring.

He also announced cash injections for defence and schools, cuts to business rates, a freeze on beer and cider duty and spirit duty for the next year and a rise in the National Living Wage.

But what will the measures really mean for Londoners?

Business owner

Howard Wong, 33, is co-founder of desserts manufacturer Little Moons.

The family-run gourmet dessert brand provides a range of treats handmade in the UK, made by wrapping bite-sized balls of artisan gelato ice cream in a layer of soft, chewy mochi.

Boxes are supplied to Waitrose and Ocado. £4.99 per box of six mochi.

What were you looking for in the Budget? 

Mr Wong told the Standard: “At this point, I don't think the budget will have much impact on our business but welcome moves to support small shops on the high street.

“I think more needs to be done to help small manufacturing businesses meet rising costs of energy, higher raw material import prices and increasing labour costs.

“The biggest issue we are currently facing is uncertainty over Brexit and the chance of a hard Brexit putting off European customers from starting business with us.”

What will the announcements in the Budget actually mean for you?

“With Brexit one of the big struggles for us is labour, workers have been going home and restaurants and retailers have been feeling the impact.

“The apprenticeships scheme is good for that. Also it’s good to see support for small businesses and the change in entrepreneur relief from 12 months to two years might change things for us.”

Mr Hammond said for smaller firms taking on apprentices, the Government will half the amount they have to contribute from 10 per cent to 5 per cent. He said a support for apprenticeships was worth £695 million.

Business rate bills have been cut by one-third for the next two years for all retailers in England with a rateable value of £51,000 or less, delivering an annual saving of up to £8,000 for up to 90 per cent of all independent shops, pubs, restaurants and cafes.

Start-Up Loans funding will be extended to 2021, helping 10,000 entrepreneurs.

First-time buyer

Adam Bradford, 26, wants to buy his first home but is struggling to get on to the property ladder due to the high cost of living in London.

The young marketing entrepreneur from south-east London said he moved his agency to London from Sheffield because income in the capital is higher, but said he is now priced out of buying his own home.

Annual salary: £30,000 to 35,000

Lives: a rented flat in south-east London for £1,000 a month

What were you looking for in the Budget? 

"There was some speculation around things to help younger people who were looking to buy property. Thinktanks were talking about some kind of scheme or tax benefit when you put down your deposit. 

"[I was hoping] for schemes to help people invest in property. 

"The cost of living is very high. Young people are getting stuck in a trap where you end up renting but because of that you can't buy. 

"Unless you are fortunate to have parents who are able to help you out it's very hard."

Mr Bradford suggested ideas including a part subsidised deposit scheme to help people get on the property ladder and a reprieve for the first two years of mortgages for first time buyers. 

He added: "I think the Government could have backed a scheme to get access for support for a deposit."

What will the announcements in the Budget actually mean for you?

"Absolutely nothing. I haven't heard anything that's going to make the situation easier, for people like me who are looking climb the ladder but we are trapped. We are all priced out.

"But nothing has been mentioned. There was lots about businesses. It seems as though the Chancellor is throwing a lot of money around but it's not hitting the people who want to progress in society. 

"There's thousands of people like me who are working but in some degreee you could say our social mobility is trapped."

Mr Bradford said he is ideally looking to buy a house with his partner, but there doesn't seem to be an affordable way to do it.

Business owner

Ed Hauck, 41, from Surrey, is the co-founder of start-up The Curators, a Covent Garden-based start-up which has been making “full of flavour” snacks for sale in the UK, predominantly in Sainsbury’s.

Founder of the business with Max Rees, 34, the entrepreneur wanted to see more support for manufacturing and innovation and said there still remains a “massive amount of uncertainty”.

What were you looking for in the Budget? 

Mr Hauck told the Standard: “I wanted to see whether there would be any support for encouraging us to employ more people.

“I was also curious to see what was in there to support small businesses, in particular in terms of support for innovation and possible some sort of financial support for those going into the Brexit unknown.”

What will the announcements in the Budget actually mean for you?

“It was disappointing there was hardly anything for manufacturing and innovation. I didn’t see a lot around really supporting both of those. That aspect is a really big thing for us because it’s quite hard to generate more product ideas, it can be quite a gamble for small businesses.

“I think there’s some reasons to be optimistic but there still remains a massive amount of uncertainty which is holding a lot of small businesses back. I don’t think it went far enough to address those fears.

“Also, while I think it’s great they’re looking at business rates I don’t think it’s going far enough to address the scale of the problem for the high streets.”

New hunt for estate agent's body in Sutton Coldfield more than 30 years after murder

Pic:Suzy Lamplugh vanished in 1986 and was declared dead in 1994 (file pic/wp)
Crime reporter(wp/es):

Police investigating the murder of Suzy Lamplugh more than 30 years ago have confirmed they are searching a home in the West Midlands.

The estate agent disappeared after going to meet a client in Fulham, south-west London, in July 1986.

Miss Lamplugh, 25, was presumed murdered and declared dead in 1994, but her body has never been found.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Monday night that an address in Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham, is being searched.

Nobody has ever been charged in connection with Miss Lamplugh's disappearance, but officers named convicted killer John Cannan as their prime suspect in 2002.

Scotland Yard said it would not comment on “speculation surrounding the search” after the Sun reported police were digging in the back garden of a home that once belonged to Cannan’s mother.

A spokesman for the force said: “Officers from the Met are currently carrying out a search at a premises in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham. 

“The search follows information received in relation to a historical unsolved investigation being led by the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command. Colleagues from West Midlands Police are supporting.

“We will not be commenting on speculation surrounding the search, or providing any further information at this time.”