Israel"s ambassador sorry over "take down" Sir Alan Duncan comment

Image copyright AFP/Getty Images Israel"s ambassador to the UK has apologised after a senior member of his staff was secretly filmed saying he wanted to “take down” Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan.
Israeli Embassy senior political officer Shai Masot made the comment in footage filmed in a London restaurant and obtained by the Mail on Sunday.
He told a reporter that Sir Alan was creating “a lot of problems”.
Ambassador Mark Regev said this was not the embassy or government"s view.
Secret recordingThe conversation involved Mr Masot and Maria Strizzolo, an aide to education minister Robert Halfon, the former political director of Conservative Friends of Israel, as well as an undercover reporter.
It was recorded in October 2016 as part of an investigation by Al Jazeera.
Mr Masot asked her: “Can I give you some names of MPs that I would suggest you take down?”
Ms Strizzolo replied that all MPs have “something they"re trying to hide” and Mr Masot responded by saying “..

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Sir Tim Barrow: UK"s new ambassador to EU "tough negotiator"

Image copyright Foreign Office Image caption Downing Street said Sir Tim would “bring his trademark energy and creativity” to the job Senior diplomat Sir Tim Barrow has been appointed the UK"s new ambassador to the EU, replacing Sir Ivan Rogers.
Downing Street described the former ambassador to Moscow, who will now play a key role in the UK"s Brexit talks, as a “seasoned and tough negotiator”.
Sir Ivan"s exit, which came earlier than planned, sparked a row after his resignation note criticised “muddled thinking” from ministers.
Some MPs had accused him of being “half-hearted” towards Brexit.
Pienaar: A sign of Whitehall strain The key bits of Sir Ivan"s resignation note Critics of the outgoing ambassador were accused of trying to “politicise” the civil service, with a trade union saying there was a “deafening silence” from ministers in defending officials" independence.
Sir Tim was the UK"s ambassador to Moscow from 2011 to 2015. He has also advised a s..

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Sir Tim Barrow appointed as UK"s new ambassador to EU

Image caption Sir Tim Barrow (right) has advised successive foreign secretaries Senior diplomat Sir Tim Barrow has been appointed the UK"s new ambassador to the EU, replacing Sir Ivan Rogers.
Downing Street described the former ambassador to Moscow, who will now play a key role in the UK"s Brexit talks, as a “seasoned and tough negotiator”.
Sir Ivan"s exit, which came earlier than planned, sparked a row with his resignation note criticising “muddled thinking” from ministers.
Some MPs had accused him of being “half-hearted” towards Brexit.
Pienaar: A sign of Whitehall strain The key bits of Sir Ivan"s resignation note Critics of the outgoing ambassador were accused of trying to “politicise” the civil service, with a trade union saying there was a “deafening silence” from ministers in defending officials" independence.
Sir Tim was the UK"s ambassador to Moscow from 2011 to 2015. He has also advised a succession of foreign secretaries as well as holding ot..

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Sir Tim Barrow named as UK"s new ambassador to EU

Image caption Sir Tim Barrow (right) has advised successive foreign secretaries Senior diplomat Sir Tim Barrow will be appointed the UK"s new ambassador to EU to replace Sir Ivan Rogers.
Foreign Office sources confirmed the appointment of the former ambassador to Moscow, who will now play a key role in the UK"s Brexit negotiations.
Sir Ivan"s exit, which came earlier than planned, sparked a row with his resignation note criticising “muddled thinking” from ministers.
Some MPs had accused him of being “half-hearted” towards Brexit.

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Ministers "silent" over criticism of EU ambassador

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Sir Ivan said negotiating experience was “in short supply in Whitehall” Ministers have been urged to stand up for civil servants following criticism of the UK"s outgoing EU ambassador.
The union leader who represents Whitehall staff said there had been a “deafening silence” from senior government figures since the resignation of Sir Ivan Rogers.
In a note to staff, Sir Ivan attacked “muddled thinking” about Brexit.
Some politicians welcomed his resignation and said someone “committed to Brexit” should be appointed.
The European Commission said it regretted Sir Ivan"s departure, describing him as “a very professional, very knowledgeable, while not always easy interlocutor and diplomat who always loyally defended the interests of his government”.
"Sour grapes"But former cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith said Sir Ivan, whose warning that Brexit talks could take a decade was revealed by the BBC last month, was “not irreplaceable”…

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UK"s EU ambassador tells colleagues to challenge "muddled thinking"

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Sir Ivan said negotiating experience was “in short supply in Whitehall” Britain"s outgoing ambassador to the EU has urged his UK colleagues in Brussels to keep challenging “ill-founded arguments” and “muddled thinking”.
In his resignation note, obtained by the BBC, Sir Ivan Rogers said ministers needed to hear “unvarnished” and “uncomfortable” views from Europe.
Earlier it was revealed Sir Ivan would be leaving his post early.
The government said he had quit so a successor could be in place before Brexit negotiations started.
BBC diplomatic correspondent James Landale said the clear implication of Sir Ivan"s resignation note to his staff in Brussels was that he resigned because some of his advice was being ignored by his political masters in London.
Sir Ivan, who had sparked criticism from some MPs by warning ministers a UK-EU trade agreement might take 10 years to finalise, was due to leave his post in November.
His early departure was ..

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UK"s ambassador to the EU Sir Ivan Rogers resigns

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Sir Ivan Rogers (right) was appointed by former Prime Minister David Cameron The UK"s ambassador to the EU, Sir Ivan Rogers, has resigned.
Sir Ivan, who was appointed to the role of permanent representative by David Cameron in 2013, had been expected to play a key role in Brexit talks expected to start within months.
The Foreign Office has not given reasons for his departure.
Last month the BBC revealed he had privately told ministers a UK-EU trade deal might take 10 years to finalise, sparking criticism from some MPs.
He told them this was also the view of the EU"s other 27 member states.
Post-Brexit deals "to create 400,000 jobs" Brexit: All you need to know Ministers have said a deal can be done within two years, and BBC Brussels correspondent Kevin Connolly said it appeared there had been “some failure of synchronisation” between Sir Ivan and the UK government.
Sir Ivan had been due to leave his post in November 2017.
Forme..

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Putin pays respects to murdered ambassador

Image Caption: Vladimir Putin beside the coffin of ambassador Andrei Karlov Russia"s ambassador to Turkey, who was murdered by a man shouting “Allahu Akbar” and “Don"t forget Aleppo”, has been laid to rest at a ceremony in Moscow attended by President Vladimir Putin.
Diplomats and family members gathered at the Foreign Ministry building in the cen..

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Putin to attend funeral of murdered ambassador

Image Caption: Mr Karlov has been posthumously awarded with the Hero of Russia award Vladimir Putin will attend the funeral of murdered ambassador Andrey Karlov this morning, as investigators continue to probe whether his killer acted alone.
The Russian President has cancelled a major annual press conference to attend the service for Mr Karlov, 62, who was ..

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Russia: Ambassador"s killing harms Turkey"s prestige

Image Caption: Andrey Karlov (L) and his killer, Mevlut Mert Altintas Russia has said the killing of its ambassador to Turkey is a blow to Ankara"s prestige.
But a spokesman for President Vladimir Putin is refusing to speculate whether the man who shot dead Andrey Karlov, 62, was operating as a lone wolf or as part of a bigger operation.
“We shouldn&#0..

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