Briton, found guilty of murdering Indian student Anuj Bidve last year, was today sentenced for life with a minimum term of 30 years before he can be considered for parole. The Manchester Crown Court on Thursday found 21-year-old Kiaran Stapleton guilty of killing Bidve.

Twenty three-year-old Bidve, who was studying Micro-electronics at Lancaster University, was walking to the Boxing Day sales with eight friends when he was shot dead on December 26 last year, without warning at Salford. Stapleton, who once called himself 'Psycho' Stapleton in a court hearing, had earlier admitted manslaughter but not murder.

Union Minister for Commerce, Industry and Textiles, Anand Sharma left for London on Wednesday to attend the Global Investment Conference. Mr. Sharma will speak during a session on the Global Trade Partnerships along with the British Minister of Business, Innovation and Skills, Dr. Vince Cable and Dr. Olusegun Aganga, Nigerian Minister of Trade and Investment. During the conference, Mr. Sharma is likely to touch upon the global economic architecture and challenges being faced by the world trade. He may also highlight the new partnerships that India has formed during the recent time in new markets.

In the bilateral meetings with British Ministers, he will discuss the issues of mutual interest and review the growth of economic ties between India and the United Kingdom. The bilateral trade between India and UK in 2011, stood at over 16 billion US Dollars which was around 12 billion US Dollars in the previous year.

The British Museum has assisted in the return of 843 artefacts to Afghanistan, almost 20 years after they were stolen or smuggled abroad.

The items include examples of the Begram Ivories, seen at the British Museum's Afghanistan 2011 exhibition, and an important sculpture of Buddha. 

Both were stolen from the National Museum of Afghanistan during its civil war and ended up on the black market. The artefacts were passed to the museum for safekeeping, ahead of their return. 

The items were seized by customs officials and the Art and Antiques Unit of the Metropolitan Police as they passed through Britain, presumably for sale on the black market.

All the artefacts were identified by experts at the museum. Other objects - some of which were saved by private individuals - include Bronze Age carvings and medieval Islamic coins.

Britain, Afghanistan and Pakistan have emphasized the need to advance regional peace and stability in Afghanistan and its neighborhood. A joint statement issued in Kabul today at the end of tri-lateral meeting of the British Prime Minister David Cameron, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and the Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf says the three leaders discussed the current situation in the region and reaffirmed their common vision to promote regional peace and stability.

Recognizing that terrorism poses the gravest threat to regional and international security, the leaders reiterated their strong commitment to working together to eliminate this scourge. The three leaders also agreed that success in this endevour will depend on the active support of the region and the international community.

They emphasized the importance of peace in Afghanistan for the peace and security of Pakistan. The three leaders expressed satisfaction at security transition process in Afghanistan, and reiterated that an independent, peaceful, self-reliant and democratic Afghanistan was necessary for to the stability and prosperity of the wider region.

Reiterating the importance of a political solution to end the violence in Afghanistan President Karzai said Afghan people are determed to realize their aspirations for lasting peace through an inclusive and dignified reconciliation process involving all opposition groups.

Prime Ministers Ashraf and Cameron reaffirmed their support for such a process that is led and owned by Afghans, facilitated by Pakistan and other regional countries, and supported by the UK and the wider international community.

Visiting British Prime Minister David Cameron met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul today. The two leaders signed an agreement to build a defence officers' academy in Afghanistan on the lines of Sandharst academy. Prime Minister Cameron has said that the agreement was a part of Britain's continuing commitment to development aid to Afghanistan beyond 2014, when all combat troops of the international forces leave the country.

British Prime Minister arrived on an unscheduled visit to Afghanistan yesterday. He flew to Camp Bastion, the UK’s largest Afghan base in southern Helmand province and met with the British soldiers posted there. Mr Cameron also visited frontline troops at the Shawqat base in Nad-e-Ali district and saw a provincial reconstruction team in Lashkar Gah. Provincial reconstruction team is a unit consisting of military officers, diplomats, and experts, working to support reconstruction efforts in the area. 

During a meeting with British and Afghan officials Mr. Cameron said Britain will reduce its troop numbers further next year as the Afghan troops take a bigger role. Britain has around 9,500 troops in Afghanistan, making it the second-largest contributor to the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force after the United States.

Meanwhile Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has also arrived in Kabul. He is likely to meet the British Prime Minister and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

The British economy has returned to recession against the expectations of many economists. It is the first time since the 1970s that the British economy has returned to recession after a very brief recovery.The UK economy has returned to recession, after shrinking by 0.2% in the first three months of 2012.
The main source of the latest weakness was in the construction industry which declined by 3%.