The United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned “far-right thuggery” in his televised address as riots continue across the country following the deadly knife attack in Southport.

“I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder, either directly or those whipping up this disorder online,” Starmer said on Sunday.

Three children died, and multiple others were injured after the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop in Southport last Monday, reports Xinhua news agency.

A 17-year-old boy named Axel Rudakubana, born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents has been charged with murder.

However, disinformation spreading online about the nationality of the boy and his religious affiliation has fueled hatred towards Muslims and the immigrant population in general, leading to violent clashes between far-right protesters and police officers across the UK. The protests reached a climax during the weekend.

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for public order, BJ Harrington, said on Sunday that since Saturday night, there have been 147 arrests connected to violence. He said he expected that the number would rise in the coming days.

“Disinformation is a huge driver of this appalling violence, and we know a lot of those attending these so-called protests are doing so in direct response to what they’ve read online,” Harrington said.

Following violent protests in major cities including London, Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, Leeds, Nottingham, Sunderland and Belfast on Saturday, riots were seen in places such as Middlesbrough, where burning wheelie bins were thrown at police, and Rotherham, where at least one police officer was injured as rioters hurled missiles and stormed a Holiday Inn Express thought to have housed migrants. In Bolton, police have been given extra powers to calm violence after bottles and missiles were thrown at them.

Referring to the violent attack on the Rotherham hotel, Starmer said: “There is no justification for taking this action.”

The Prime Minister said he would not “shy away from calling it what it is” and called the violence “far-right thuggery.”

In a press conference on Friday, Starmer urged big social media companies to take responsibility for combatting misinformation and disinformation.

Former UK Prime Minister and leader of the opposition Conservative Party, Rishi Sunak said the unrest across the country is “violent, criminal behaviour that has no place in our society.”

“The shocking scenes we’re seeing on the streets of Britain have nothing to do with the tragedy in Southport,” Sunak said on X, adding that the police have “our full support to deal with these criminals swiftly.”

Humza Yousaf, former first minister of Scotland, said on X that the police “clearly do not have a handle on this situation” and called for military intervention. AGENCIES

A US armored unit is conducting a routine exercise to quickly deploy soldiers from the US mainland to South Korea as part of efforts to maintain rapid response capabilities, the US Army stationed in the South said Monday.

Last month, a battalion under the 1st Armored Division in Texas was mobilised to a US military base near Daegu, 233 kilometers southeast of Seoul, to take part in the Pacific Fortitude exercise, according to the 8th Army, Yonhap news agency reported.

The troops were notified of the drills on July 17, and just six days later, they began drawing out combat equipment at Camp Carroll, alongside the 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, it said. The exercise also tests the use of equipment already in South Korea.

Photos released by the 8th Army showed troops transporting M1 Abrams tanks and M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles at the base to a training area.

“Having this critical equipment already in place allows us to project this power at the right time and at the right speed,” Brigadier General Jin Pak, commander of the 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, said in a release.

“This deployment readiness exercise proves to our allies that the United States is committed to the defence of the ROK-US alliance,” he said, using the acronym for the South’s official name — Republic of Korea. AGENCIES

The Yemeni government issued a formal warning regarding an impending healthcare crisis, as a severe reduction in international funding threatens the closure of key medical facilities nationwide.

The imminent closure of more than 1,000 key health facilities due to declining international funding could potentially endanger the lives of 500,000 women in the war-ravaged Arab country, according to an official statement released by the state-run Saba news agency.

Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak on Sunday convened a high-level government meeting in Aden, the country’s southern port city, to address the crisis, Xinhua news agency reported.

During the meeting, he called for the formation of a government committee to develop a strategic plan for assessing the health sector’s needs and identifying necessary international interventions.

He also urged international and regional partners to renew their “vital and continuous support” for health services to avert a potential humanitarian disaster.

According to a report presented by Yemeni Minister of Public Health and Population, Qasim Buhaibeh, during the meeting, the funding shortfall threatens to deprive 600,000 children of essential vaccination and healthcare services, weakening the country’s ability to combat epidemic outbreaks.

Across Yemen, 46 per cent of health facilities are only partially functioning or completely out of service due to shortages of staff, funds, electricity, medicines and equipment, according to the World Health Organization. AGENCIES

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that long-awaited F-16 fighter jets have arrived in Ukraine.

“F-16s in Ukraine. We ensured this,” Zelensky said on Sunday in a post on Telegram.

The Ukrainian pilots have already started using the F-16 aircraft, he added, not specifying how many jets were supplied to Ukraine, Xinhua news agency reported.

Zelensky thanked Denmark, the Netherlands, the US and Ukraine’s other partners for accepting Kiev’s request for F-16s.

Western media reported that Ukraine received the first 10 F-16 fighter jets on the last day of July. AGENCIES

The Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) on Monday said it has filed a comprehensive complaint with the Competition Commission of India (CCI), bringing to light Google’s alleged anti-competitive practices in the online advertising sphere.

In the complaint, the ADIF outlined Google’s dominant position and “purportedly abusive behaviour” in both the online search advertising and online display advertising markets.

The apex body representing homegrown startups alleged that Google’s control over major online platforms, coupled with the fact that it derives 97 per cent of its revenue from advertising, “has led to practices that stifle competition and adversely affect Indian businesses.”

Prateek Jain, Associate Director-Startup and Alliances, Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF), said the digital advertising landscape is critical for the growth and sustainability of India’s startup ecosystem.

“Our complaint to the CCI is a crucial step towards ensuring that this vital market operates on principles of fairness, transparency, and equitable competition. We believe that addressing these issues will not only benefit advertisers and publishers but will also foster innovation and create a more vibrant digital economy in India,” Jain added.

The complaint highlighted how Google imposes unfair conditions on advertisers in the realm of online search advertising, through its Ad Policies.

According to the ADIF, these included restrictions on call assets and prohibitions on third-party technical support. The foundation also raised concerns about the opacity of Google’s ad ranking system, describing it as a “black-box approach” that leaves advertisers in the dark about the services they are paying for.

Furthermore, ADIF argued that Google’s practices regarding trademark usage in keyword bidding create an artificial inflation of advertisement prices. Google allows competitors to bid on trademarked keywords, leading to a bidding war that ultimately benefits Google at the expense of advertisers and trademark owners.

The foundation also highlights inconsistencies in Google’s ad policy enforcement and the lack of transparency in its ad review and redressal processes. These practices often result in unfair denial of access to Google’s online search advertising platform for many advertisers.

In the display advertising market, ADIF’s complaint exposes how Google leverages its dominance across the entire value chain of the ad tech stack. Google engages in self-preferencing by tying its products together, such as DoubleClick for Publishers with AdX, and Display & Video 360 with AdX.

ADIF emphasised that as digital advertising spend continues to grow rapidly in India, it is imperative to address these market imbalances promptly. AGENCIES

A disappointing job scenario in the US coupled with the fear of a reverse Yen carry trade, following an interest rate hike in Japan, led Asian markets to crash on Monday.

However, the Indian benchmark indices showed resilience compared to its peers, down around 2.5 per cent.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index nosedived nearly 13 per cent amid worries over the state of the US economy.

South Korean stocks tumbled by the most on record to a near nine-month low amid intensifying fears over a US economic slowdown. The Korean won fell against the US dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) plummeted a record 234.64 points, or 8.77 per cent, to close at 2,441.55, after dipping to as low as 2,273.97 at one point, following a 3.65 per cent loss the previous session, according to Yonhap news agency.

Heavy selling pressure was seen in all major Asian markets. Taipei fell by 4.43 per cent, Jakarta was down nearly 2 per cent, Hong Kong and Shanghai were down 1.43 per cent and 0.83 per cent), respectively.

The financial markets reacted to a report which showed that hiring by US employers slowed last month.

According to market analysts, equity markets are reacting to economic weakness, highlighted by disappointing earnings from a few US consumer-focused companies.

“It’s crucial to monitor these developments closely in the coming months,” said Trideep Bhattacharya, President and CIO-Equities, Edelweiss MF.

The VIX, an index that measures how worried investors are, fell about 20 per cent. The world’s largest cryptocurrency Bitcoin went down almost 14 per cent to $54,155.

Yeap Jun Rong of IG said that investors will be watching for data on the services sector from the US Institute for Supply Management.

Abhishek Banerjee, smallcase Manager and Founder at Lotusdew, said that bad job reports and impending conflict in the Middle East are all contributing to risk off today.

“However, indicators like oil price volatility, US yields and unfilled positions indicate the opposite. I think today is one of the buy-on-dip days for a long-term investor,” he added.

Santosh Meena, Head of Research, Swastika Investmart said that the global market is reeling as bears enter with a cocktail of bad news.

“The fear of a reverse Yen carry trade, following an interest rate hike in Japan, was the initial catalyst. This was compounded by fears of a recession in the USA after extremely poor job data, which spooked market sentiment,” he added.

The rally in the global stock markets has been driven mainly by consensus expectations of a soft landing for the US economy.

This expectation is now under threat with the fall in the US job creation in July and the sharp rise in the US unemployment rate to 4.3 per cent, said experts. AGENCIES

Global markets were in the deep red on Monday as the US economic slowdown weighed heavily on the financial markets.

Heavy selling pressure was seen in all major Asian markets. Japan crashed by 10 per cent, Seoul tumbled over 8 per cent, Taipei fell by 4.43 per cent, Jakarta was down nearly 2 per cent, Hong Kong and Shanghai were down 1.43 per cent and 0.83 per cent) respectively.

South Korea’s news agency Yonhap reported that due to a crash trading in the local benchmark index KOSPI 200 index held for five minutes.

The US stocks fell for the second consecutive session on Friday last week, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average sliding 1.51 per cent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite sinking 2.43 per cent.

A disappointing jobs report spurred investor fears that the world’s largest economy is headed toward a recession, the report said

Indian stock markets also opened in the deep red on Monday. At 11 a.m., the Sensex was at 78,798, down 2,183 points or 2.70 per cent, and the Nifty was at 24,061, down 657 points or 2.66 per cent.

Santosh Meena, Head of Research, Swastika Investmart said, “The global market is reeling as bears enter with a cocktail of bad news. The fear of a reverse Yen carry trade, following an interest rate hike in Japan, was the initial catalyst. This was compounded by fears of a recession in the USA after extremely poor job data, which spooked market sentiment.”

“The rally in the global stock markets has been driven mainly by consensus expectations of a soft landing for the US economy. This expectation is now under threat with the fall in the US job creation in July and the sharp rise in the US unemployment rate to 4.3 per cent. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East also are a contributing factor,” other experts said. AGENCIES

Employment in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) robotics industry is expected to grow 10.8 per cent by 2032, according to a report on Monday.

The report by fintech platform Prodigy Finance showed that the robotics industry is undergoing a transformative revolution, and qualified professionals are in high demand.

Robotics is a dynamic field that combines engineering, computer science, mathematics, and design technology. Robotics graduates have diverse career options such as robotics engineer, design engineer, data scientist, machine learning engineer, algorithm engineer, and more. The average salary for these roles is around $93,000 annually.

“According to recent projections, STEM occupations are expected to grow 10.8 per cent by 2032. This projects a growing demand for skilled professionals in related fields,” said Sonal Kapoor, Chief Financial Officer at Prodigy Finance.

“Prodigy Finance has expanded its offerings to include more STEM programmes, including robotics. A master’s degree in robotics positions you at the forefront of this dynamic field, equipping you with the skills and knowledge to thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape,” Kapoor added.

Some popular programmes in Robotics are Master of Science (MS) and Master of Engineering (M Eng). The duration may range between 1 and 2 years, depending on the university and specialisation.

Studying a Master’s in Robotics abroad can be a transformative experience. Prodigy Finance is also providing loans to students wishing to pursue their master’s in the robotics field.

The company offers international student loans to study for Master’s in Robotics in countries like the US, the UK, Germany and Canada, among others. One does not require any collateral or co-signer to get an education loan from the company. The company also offers a simplified online loan application process, making it more accessible. AGENCIES

India, the world’s third-largest importer of crude oil, stands to gain as oil prices have fallen to an eitht-month low at $75.8 a barrel in the international market, with a more than $4 a barrel decline since Friday as the slowdown in the US and Chinese economies have raised fears of dampening demand.

With US job data showing an increase in the unemployment rate and a sharp fall in Chinese consumption of fuel amid a slowing economy, concerns of a dip in demand outweigh the supply-side fears caused by geopolitical tensions, according to market analysts.

The benchmark Brent crude fell by more than $1.04 to $75.8 a barrel on Monday after an over three per cent decline, while US West Texas Intermediate crude has come down to $72.43 a barrel.

The decline in oil prices augurs well for the Indian economy as the country imports around 85 per cent of its crude requirement and any decline in oil prices leads to a reduction in the country’s import bill. This in turn leads to a lowering of the current account deficit (CAD) and strengthening of the Rupee.

Apart from strengthening the external balance, a decline in oil prices also leads to lower prices of petrol, diesel and LPG in the domestic market, which in turn eases inflation in the country.

The government has also helped reduce the country’s oil import bill by allowing the oil companies to buy Russian crude at discounted prices despite Western pressures in the wake of the war with Ukraine. The Narendra Modi government has stood firm in maintaining its ties with Russia despite the sanctions against Moscow imposed by the US and Europe.

Russia has emerged as the largest supplier of crude oil to India replacing Iraq and Saudi Arabia which occupied the top slot earlier. India has in fact become the largest purchaser of Russia’s seaborne oil which accounted for close to 38 per cent of India’s total oil imports.

According to an ICRA report, the price of oil imports from Russia was 16.4 per cent and 15.6 per cent lower than the corresponding levels from the Gulf countries in FY2023 and 11 months of FY2024, respectively.

India’s strategy of continuing to buy cheap oil from Russia has resulted in the saving of around $7.9 billion in the country’s oil import bill during the first 11 months of the fiscal year 2022-23 and also helped the country to lower its CAD.

These large purchases of Russian oil have also helped keep prices in the world market at more reasonable levels which have benefited other countries as well.

Data compiled by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry shows that in terms of volume, the share of crude petroleum imported from Russia jumped to 36 per cent in 11 months of FY2024 from two per cent in FY2022, while that from West Asian countries (Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait) fell to 23 per cent from 34 per cent. The discounts on Russian oil generated huge savings in the oil import bill. AGENCIES

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India’s prowess in electronics is powered by innovative youth, as the electronics exports, driven by Apple iPhones, reached the third spot in the top 10 exports in the April-June quarter (Q1 FY25).

According to data by the Department of Commerce, electronics exports are now in the third position, with engineering products at the top, followed by petroleum.

“This is indeed a matter of immense joy. India’s prowess in electronics is powered by our innovative ‘Yuva Shakti’. It is also a testament to our emphasis on reforms and boosting Make in India,” the Prime Minister said in a post on X social media platform.

“India remains committed to continuing this momentum in the times to come,” PM Modi added.

According to Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, India’s “electronics export now is among the top 3”.

“Making in India, shipping worldwide,” the minister posted on X.

Apple is all set to cross $9.5 billion in revenue this year in the country, garnering more than 7 per cent market share. The Cupertino-based tech giant clocked nearly $8 billion in revenue in India in the last fiscal year.

Driven by the friendly production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, the tech giant achieved record export numbers around $3.8 billion in the April-June period (Q1 FY25) in the country.

Experts said the long-term growth outlook remains positive with Apple being well-positioned to capitalise on India’s growth trajectory over the next decade.

During the company’s quarterly earnings call last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company has once again set a quarterly revenue record (April-June period) in India, riding on robust local manufacturing amid the government’s push and growing export figures.

According to Luca Maestri, CFO of Apple, the company saw strong performance in emerging markets, with June quarter records for Mac in Latin America, India and South Asia.

The company has sufficient headroom for growth in the country over the upcoming quarters, with the new iPhone series and the festive season sales. AGENCIES