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☆ Britain expands AI safety institute to San Francisco amid scrutiny over regulatory shortcomings
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The government on Monday announced it would open a U.S. counterpart to its AI safety summit, a state-backed body focused on testing advanced AI systems to ensure they're safe, in San Francisco this summer. The U.S. iteration of the AI Safety Institute will aim to recruit a team of technical staff headed up by a research director. In a statement, U.K. Technology Minister Michelle Donelan said the AI Safety Summit's U.S. rollout "represents British leadership in AI in action." The AI Safety Institute was established in November 2023 during the AI Safety Summit, a global event held in England's Bletchley Park, the home of World War II code breakers, that sought to boost cross-border cooperation on AI safety. The government said that, since the AI Safety Institute was established in November, it's made progress in evaluating frontier AI models from some of the industry's leading players.

Persons: Ian Hogarth, Michelle Donelan, it's, Anthropic Organizations: LONDON, Monday, AI, Technology, Safety, U.S, Microsoft, AI Safety, Institute, Seoul, European Union Locations: San Francisco, California, United States, U.S, London, British, Bay, OpenAI, England's Bletchley, South Korea, Bletchley Park, Seoul, Britain, European

☆ AI 'godfather' Geoffrey Hinton says he's 'very worried' about AI taking jobs and has advised the British government to adopt a universal basic income
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewSome say AI will be a great equalizer. And he believes a universal basic income might be the solution. "I advised them that universal basic income was a good idea." AdvertisementOpenAI CEO Sam Altman — who's been racing to develop artificial general intelligence — is running his own experiment around a universal basic income, the results of which he expects to release soon. He also recently floated the idea of a "universal basic compute."

Persons: —, Geoffrey Hinton, It's, Hinton, Sam Altman — who's, Altman Organizations: Service, BBC, Business Locations: Downing, South Africa, Kenya, India, United States

☆ Russia Expels British Diplomat After U.K. Booted His Counterpart
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Neil Macfarquhar | More About Neil Macfarquhar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday that it was expelling Britain’s defense attaché from the country, reciprocating against the British government after it threw out his Russian counterpart last week. The Russian ministry announced that further, unspecified retaliatory steps would be forthcoming because of the “unfriendly” measures taken by London. The ministry summoned a British diplomat to inform him that the attaché had been declared “persona non grata,” according to a statement. Britain had announced on May 8 that it was ordering the Russian defense attaché to leave, describing him as an “undeclared” military intelligence officer.

Persons: attaché Organizations: Russian Foreign Ministry, Russian Locations: British, London

☆ Royal Mail owner IDS set to agree $4.4 bln Kretinsky takeover bid
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

IDS owns UK's Royal Mail, which is loss making, and international parcels network GLS. Royal Mail was privatised in 2013 in one of Britain's biggest state sell-offs in decades. It is expected the commitment to offer these contractual undertakings to the British government would be reflected in the cooperation agreement between the parties if a firm offer is made, it added. EP Group now has until May 29 to make a formal offer or walk away. EP is a 100% shareholder in VESA Equity investment which owns Kretinsky's IDS stake of nearly 28%.

Persons: Daniel Kretinsky, Keith Williams Organizations: International, Services, IDS, Royal Mail, UK's, Royal, National Security and Investment, Reuters, Equity Locations: Czech, London, Britain, British

The day after U.K. police charged three men with assisting Hong Kong’s intelligence service, China’s ambassador to Britain was summoned for an official reprimand by the British foreign ministry in the latest sign of growing tension between London and Beijing. The British government said that it had called the ambassador, Zheng Zeguang, to its Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office after the three men appeared in court on Monday. The Foreign Office said in a statement that it had been “unequivocal in setting out that the recent pattern of behavior directed by China against the U.K.” was not acceptable. It cited cyberattacks, alleged espionage and the issuing of bounties for information leading to the prosecution of dissidents who fled Hong Kong after its crackdown on the pro-democracy movement and resettled in Britain. The three men who appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday have been charged with gathering intelligence for Hong Kong, a former British colony which is a special administrative region of China, and of forcing entry into a U.K. residential address.

Persons: Hong, Zheng Zeguang, ”, cyberattacks Organizations: Foreign, Commonwealth, Development, U.K, ’ Locations: Britain, British, London, Beijing, China, Hong Kong, Westminster

Hong Kong CNN —Hong Kong’s leader responded on Tuesday after three people were charged by British police for allegedly spying on behalf of the city’s intelligence services. Relations between Hong Kong and its former colonial ruler Britain have soured in recent years following mass pro-democracy protests in the Chinese city in 2019 and 2020. The British government has criticized Hong Kong’s Beijing-backed crackdown on almost all opposition in the years following the protests, while Hong Kong authorities have bristled at Britain providing a safe haven for pro-democracy leaders sought by the Hong Kong police. Hong Kong leader Lee noted in his Tuesday news conference that one of the men charged was the office manager of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London but did not directly address a question over whether it was involved in surveillance of Hong Kong dissidents in the UK. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee is speaking at a press conference on April 30, 2024.

Persons: Hong, Chi Leung, Peter, Wai, Matthew Trickett, Chung Biu Yuen, Hong Kong’s, John Lee, ” Lee, Chi Leung Wai, Yui Mok, Jonathan Brady, Yuen, Louisa Cieciora, Lee, Vernon Yuen, ”, Dominic Murphy Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, British, Hong, city’s Metropolitan Police, Hong Kong, Embassy, Westminster Magistrates, Administrative, Police, Hong Kong Economic, Trade Office, . Hong, Economic, Trade, Metropolitan Police, UK National Security, Crown Prosecution Service, Command, Met Police Locations: Hong Kong, Westminster, London, city’s, Britain, Hong Kong’s Beijing, . Hong Kong, England

☆ A wargame simulated a 2nd Trump presidency. It concluded NATO would collapse.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

If Donald Trump wins a second term in the White House in November, NATO may fall apart, a recent wargame found. "What Donald Trump can do is just really hollow out what NATO does," Grimble told Business Insider. The UK has traditionally backed a transatlantic, America-Europe alliance rather than a purely European defense bloc. Yet in the game, it could neither persuade Trump to ease his demands, nor the European NATO members to spend more on defense. "Many NATO members — except for France mainly — thought post-Trump it could be salvageable," Grimble said.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Finley Grimble, Grimble, John Bolton, —, SACEUR, Jens Stoltenberg, NICHOLAS KAMM, hadn't, I'm, Florian Gaertner, Russia doesn't, God's, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, House, NATO, EU, US, Business, US National Security, Allied, Europe, Washington, Nato, Getty, European Union, Joint Expeditionary Force, Northern, —, European NATO, Trump, Defense, Foreign Policy, Rutgers Univ, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Europe, Russia, NATO, Ukraine, China, American, United States, Finland, Romania, Poland, Baltic, France, Germany, French, America, Italy, Estonia, British, Turkey, Baltic States, Ukraine stalemated, Moscow, Russian, Kyiv . Europe, Beijing, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, European, Forbes

☆ Just Stop Oil supporters, including 82-year-old priest, smash glass surrounding Britain’s historic Magna Carta
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Catherine Nicholls | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Two supporters of the climate activism group Just Stop Oil have smashed the glass protecting the Magna Carta, an iconic British manuscript from the 13th century, on Friday. The protesters targeted the protective enclosure around the historic Magna Carta document with a hammer and chisel. Just Stop OilThe British Library announced on X that its Treasures Gallery, where the Magna Carta is displayed, was temporarily closed on Friday morning. “Instead of acting, our dysfunctional government is like the three monkeys: ‘see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing,’” protester Judy Bruce said. “We must get off our addiction to oil and gas by 2030 – starting now.”

Persons: Dr, Sue Parfitt, Judy Bruce, “, ”, ” Parfitt, ’, – Organizations: London CNN —, Magna Carta, British Library, British, Library’s Security, London’s Metropolitan Police, CNN, United Kingdom’s Locations: London, London’s

☆ Britain to Expel Russian Defense Attaché and Close Some Diplomatic Sites
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Mark Landler | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Britain’s diplomatic feud with Russia escalated on Wednesday after the British government announced it would expel a senior Russian diplomat who officials claim is an “undeclared” military intelligence officer, and also shut down several Russian diplomatic facilities in the country. The government accused Russia’s foreign intelligence service, the Federal Security Service, or F.S.B., of a pattern of “malign activity” in Britain and Europe, including hacking and leaking trade documents relating to the United States, and targeting of British lawmakers through malicious email campaigns. James Cleverly, the British home secretary, told Parliament that the government was announcing the retaliatory measures “to make clear to Russia that we will not tolerate such apparent escalations.”Britain’s action came two days after the Russian Foreign Ministry said it had summoned the British ambassador to Moscow to lodge a “strong protest” over remarks the British foreign secretary, David Cameron, had made about Ukraine’s using weapons supplied by Britain to strike Russian territory.

Persons: James, ”, David Cameron Organizations: Federal Security Service, Russian Foreign Ministry Locations: Russia, British, Russian, Britain, Europe, United States, Moscow

☆ Britain summons Russian ambassador, targets Moscow-owned homes and charges five alleged spies
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Russia has faced waves of sanctions from the UK and other Western nations since launching its full invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, though President Vladimir Putin has sought to downplay their significance. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron described the new measures as an “unequivocal message to the Russian state” that “their actions will not go unanswered.”“Since the illegal invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s attempts to undermine UK and European security have become increasingly brazen,” Cameron said. Moscow has in the past sought to sanction Western individuals in tit-for-tat moves, barring dozens of British figures from entering the country after a previous wave of measures from London last year. “In the coming days, we should expect accusations of Russophobia, conspiracy theories and hysteria from the Russian government,” Cleverly said as he detailed the measures in Parliament on Wednesday. “This is not new, and the British people and the British government will not fall for it and will not be taken for fools by Putin’s bots, trolls and lackeys.”

Persons: James, attaché, “, Seacox Heath, ”, Vladimir Putin, Putin, David Cameron, Russia’s, ” Cameron Organizations: London CNN, Moscow, Russian, Foreign Office, National Security, British, “ Locations: United Kingdom, Russian, Highgate, London, Sussex, England, Ukraine, Russia, Moscow, British

☆ The new Swiss Army Knife will be missing a key feature
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The maker of the Swiss Army Knife is working on a new version of the classic multi-tool, which won’t have a blade. “We are in the early stages of developing pocket tools without blades,” a spokesperson for Swiss firm Victorinox told CNN in a statement Tuesday, adding that they will compliment the existing range of multi-tools rather than replacing them. Adrian Moser/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesCNN contacted Victorinox after company CEO Carl Elsener Jr. told Swiss media outlet Blick that he is concerned about increasingly stringent regulations on knives in many markets. For example, increasing concern over the prevalence of knife crime means that the British government is considering new legislation on bladed articles, and Elsener himself referenced the country’s rules. “In England or certain Asian countries, you are sometimes only allowed to carry a knife if you need to have it to do your job or operate outdoors,” said Elsener.

Persons: Victorinox, ”, Adrian Moser, Carl Elsener Jr, Elsener, Karl Elsener, Arnd Wiegmann, Elsener Jr, CNN’s Richard Quest Organizations: CNN, Swiss Army, Bloomberg, Getty Images CNN, “, “ Cyclists, Reuters Locations: Ibach, Switzerland, Swiss, England, “

☆ Citi just added these global stocks with over 30% upside to its ‘highest conviction ideas’ list
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Amala Balakrishner | In Amala-Balakrishner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. bank Citi refreshed its list of "highest conviction ideas" for Europe and recommended a specific trading strategy that investors can adopt right now. "The focus is on bottom-up ideas," Citi's analysts wrote in an Apr. The list also "highlights liquid names in which investors can build positions," the Citi analysts added. Citi's focus list delivered returns of 3.4% over the last 12 months and 5.4% in the past three months. Citi has a target price of £200 on the LSE-listed stock, giving it 34% potential upside.

Persons: —, Leonardo Citi, Leonardo, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Citi, U.K . Ministry of Defence, Revenue, London Stock Exchange, New York Stock Exchange, LSE Locations: Europe, U.S, Ireland, Australia, Italy

☆ Opinion | The Cruel Spectacle of British Asylum Policy
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Daniel Trilling | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Rwanda, the court said, might send them back to countries where their lives could be at risk. The law that passed last week aims to override that court ruling by declaring that Rwanda is safe. Legality aside, it has never been clear that the policy is even capable of working. So what is the point of the Rwanda policy? But Mr. Sunak — under pressure from his party’s right to accede to their demands on immigration — needs an emphatic win, or at least something that looks like one.

Persons: —, Rishi Sunak, Priti Patel, ” It’s, Sunak’s, Sunak, Liz Truss, Mr, He’s Organizations: United Nations ’, Rwanda —, Conservative Party, Labour, Mr, Conservative Locations: Rwanda, Kigali

☆ Asylum Seekers Already in U.K. Say Rwanda Law Creates New Anxiety
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-28 | by ( Megan Specia | Emma Bubola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On a cold spring day last month, Mohsen, a 36-year-old from Iran, woke before dawn and was hurried by smugglers onto a rubber boat on the coast of France. The water was calm and the sky clear, but he knew the risks of the journey he was about to make, he said. Since 2018, at least 72 people have drowned in the Channel while attempting crossings, according to the International Organization for Migration. He fled Iran, he said, because police officers came to his home last year threatening to arrest him after he took part in anti-government protests. And he boarded the boat even though he knew about the British government’s plan to deport some asylum seekers to the central African country of Rwanda, which was first announced in 2022.

Persons: Mohsen Organizations: Channel, International Organization for Migration Locations: Iran, France, Britain, Rwanda

☆ Julian Assange’s mission was to change the world - but at what cost?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Lauren Said-Moorhouse | Claudia Rebaza | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Julian Assange leaves a Melbourne court after facing charges of computer hacking in 1995. WikiLeaks/ReutersUnder a global spotlightAs WikiLeaks continued its disclosures, Assange found himself the latest cause célèbre – his every movement intensely scrutinized. … He liked the fuss that (the disclosures) caused but he was oddly incurious actually about the documents.”Others offer alternative explanations for Assange’s eccentricities. There were mounting calls for Assange to leave WikiLeaks and, when he didn’t, many cut ties with it. Outside the confines of his diplomatic shelter, the world questioned whether Assange was trying to circumvent justice.

Persons: London CNN — Julian Assange, ”, He’s, Chelsea Manning, Joe Biden, Assange’s, Anthony Albanese, Assange, “, ” –, Julian Assange, Ian Kenins, Sarah Palin’s, Atika Shubert, Shubert, ” Shubert, célèbre, Fidel Narvaez, “ Assange, ” Narvaez, James Ball, Joe Raedle, ” Ball, Ball, …, Narvaez, Hans Crescent, Lenin Moreno, Moreno, Abu Hamza al, Masri, Stella Assange, Daniel Leal, Stella, “ I’m, Nick Vamos, It’s, Alice Jill Edwards, Agnès Callamard, El País, Der Spiegel, Jameel Jaffer, Xiaofei Xu, Alex Stambaugh Organizations: London CNN, WikiLeaks, Court, Ecuadorian, Army, Australian, Pentagon, NASA, University of Melbourne, Fairfax Media, of Scientology, Republican, CNN, Chelsea, Apache, Reuters, Guardian, Ellingham, Hans, London’s Metropolitan Police, US Justice Department, of Justice, Britain's, Getty, Peters & Peters, Prosecution Service, Human Rights, UN, Amnesty, The New York Times, Columbia University Locations: United States, Australian, London’s, Australia, Townsville, Queensland, cybercrime, Melbourne, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Iraq, London, Afghanistan, ”, Sweden, Ecuador, UK’s, Belmarsh

Whispering in the ears of the billionaires and celebrities doing the buying, however, are investment bankers. Like other sports bankers BI interviewed for our list of top sports bankers, he exemplified a good-humored, approachable attitude, including joking about his many sports allegiances. Related stories"Earlier in my career, I made the mistake of telling Bob Kraft that I was a New York Jets fan," Carey told BI recently. They're obsessive Jets fans, and they're just fans because I'm a Jets fan," Neville told BI. So that's why we'll be Jets fans forever."

Persons: it's, Goldman Sachs, Greg Carey, everyone's, Carey, Colin Neville's, he's, David Beckham, Steve Ballmer, Joe Tsai, Ballmer, Tsai, Neville, Andrew Kline, Kline, Bob Kraft, I'm, Robert Tilliss, There's, Abramovich, Vladimir Putin, Todd Boehly, Joe Lenehan, Michael Arougheti, David Rubenstein's, doesn't, there's Organizations: NBA, JPMorgan, Business, The, PJT Partners, Chelsea FC, Baltimore Orioles, Sports, Goldman, Endeavor, WWE, Microsoft, Beckham's, Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets, Barclays Center, St, Louis Rams, Los Angeles Rams, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Harvard, US Rugby National, Cal, New York Jets, BI, Patriots, Giants, Rays, Chelsea, Circle, Atlanta Hawks NBA, New York Mets, NFL, soccer's Premier League, Russian, Chelsea football, LA Dodgers, Yankees, Manchester United Games, Jets, we'll Locations: European, Los Angeles, Berkeley, Barcelona, Ukraine, New York

☆ Two horses in a ‘serious condition’ after running loose in central London, minister says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Two Household Cavalry horses which broke free and ran through the streets of London on Wednesday are in a “serious condition,” a British government minister has said. The army said in an update on X on Thursday that five horses tried to bolt and four broke loose. The two horses are said to be in a "serious condition." Footage emerged on social media on Wednesday of the horses running through central London. Jordan Pettitt/PAStartling footage emerged on social media on Wednesday showing the two horses – one apparently covered with blood – running through Aldwych in central London.

Persons: ”, we’ll, James Cartlidge, Nick Ferrari, Cartlidge, ” Cartlidge, Jordan, Jordan Pettitt Organizations: CNN, Cavalry, British Army, LBC, Sky News, Britain’s, Media, Mercedes, Household Cavalry Locations: London, Vida, Aldwych, Clermont, Buckingham, Hyde, Buckingham Palace

☆ Trump meets with foreign leaders looking to boost their relationships with GOP leader ahead of election
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Alayna Treene | Steve Contorno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

In recent weeks, Trump, seizing the role of both an erstwhile diplomat and ascending opposition party leader, has extended welcomes to a series of foreign leaders at his homes in Florida and New York. It’s not unusual for foreign leaders to meet with the leader of the party that doesn’t control the White House – especially one with a serious chance of becoming commander in chief. Biden and his top envoys have also met and spoken with opposition leaders, something that has been a longstanding practice for US officials. Last week, Trump met with Poland’s Duda at Trump Tower, where the two discussed NATO spending over dinner. Trump, both while president and during his 2024 campaign, has called on NATO countries to spend more on defense.

Persons: Donald Trump, hasn’t, Trump, Andrzej Duda, David Cameron, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Taro Aso, It’s, Sen, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Biden, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Antony Blinken, Keir Starmer, Joe Biden, “ They’re, he’s, “, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, ” Biden, ”, Kim Jong Un, ” Trump, Brian Hughes, Viktor Orban, Putin, Javier Milei, Orban, Viktor Orbán, Orbán, Aso, Fumio Kishida, Kishida, Lindsey Graham, Salman, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Poland’s Duda, Duda, meanwhile, Cameron, Karen Pierce, Cameron’s, Pierce didn’t, Queen Elizabeth II Organizations: CNN, Air Force, British, Saudi Crown, Middle East, Republican, UK Labour Party, US State Department, Biden, Trump, NATO, Conservative Political, Japanese, White, Liberal Democratic Party, Saudi, New York Times, South Carolina Republican, Hamas, The New York Times, Trump Tower, Republicans, Democrats, UK Locations: House, huddling, Florida, New York, Lago, Manhattan, Japan, China, North Korea, Berlin, United Kingdom, Israel, Poland, Belarus, Munich, Europe, America, Ukraine, Korean, United States, Palm, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, American, Russia, British, Washington

☆ ‘Heart-breaking’: Refugees once detained offshore by Australia warn the UK government not to push through its Rwanda policy
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Antoinette Radford | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

The policy enjoys bipartisan political support in Australia, with both the coalition and Labor governments backing offshore detention. And on face value, the UK’s proposed offshore detention policy follows a similar model to that of Australia. Australia’s own offshore detention policy has been heavily criticized and fraught with controversy – but still seems to exert considerable appeal for some UK politicians. Another difference between two nations stems from the fact Australia does not have a human rights charter, Tubakovic said. She notes that the UK is still bound by human rights obligations, particularly as a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights.

Persons: CNN — “, Behrouz Boochani, “, ”, Boochani, Mostafa Azimitabar –, –, ” Azimitabar, Rwanda Bill, Dan Kitwood, Rishi Sunak, Tony Abbott, Jonas Gratzer, Alexander Downer, Downer, Tamara Tubakovic, “ It’s, Tubakovic, David Gray, ” Tubakovic Organizations: CNN, Kurd, European, of Human, Australia’s Department of Home Affairs, Labor, Refugee Council of Australia, ‘, Conservative, English Channel, UK Border Force, University of Melbourne, University of Oxford, Human Rights, of Human Rights, UN, Reuters Locations: New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Iran, Indonesia, Australia, Nauru, Manus, Melbourne, United Kingdom, Rwanda, England, Britain, British, France, Sydney

☆ Rwanda bill: UK passes controversial bill to send asylum seekers to East Africa after two years of challenges
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The UK parliament has finally passed a contentious bill that will allow the government to send asylum seekers to Rwanda for their claims to be considered by the East African nation. In theory, the legislation will see some landing in the UK sent to Rwanda where their asylum claim will be considered. And it makes clear that the UK Parliament is sovereign, giving the government the power to reject interim blocking measures imposed by European courts,” he added. The European court has previously barred it from sending asylum seekers to Rwanda. To date, the Rwanda policy has cost the British government £220m ($274m), and that figure could rise to £600m after the first 300 people have been sent to East Africa.

Persons: Rishi Sunak’s, Sunak, ” Refoulement, Bill, James, Rwanda Bill, –, Rishi Sunak, Toby Melville, Nigel Farage – Organizations: CNN, East, of Human, European Convention of Human Rights, Commons, Sunak, University of Oxford, Conservative Party, Reform UK, Labour Party Locations: Rwanda, United Kingdom, France, ”, East Africa

☆ A plane used to fly VIPs like King Charles made an emergency landing after windowpanes fell off
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Airbus plane had previously been used by King Charles, Queen Camilla, and other UK officials. AdvertisementA plane used by VIPs like King Charles and Queen Camilla had to make an emergency landing after three windowpanes fell out mid-flight. The lights, used to convey a sunrise, had been aimed at the windows for several hours at a time, the report said. A hole burned through one of the windows while five other windows were deformed after 2,000W lights were used, the report said. If high-intensity lights were used, it suggested keeping use to a minimum and away from windows.

Persons: King Charles , Queen Camilla, —, King Charles, Queen Camilla, Charles, Camilla, Charles III, Tim Rooke, Rishi Sunak, James Organizations: Titan Airways, Airbus, Service, Air, Investigation, Telegraph, Airport, British, Business, Investigation Branch, Boeing Locations: London, Orlando, British, France, Paris, Buckingham

☆ Families of Manchester Bombing Victims File Lawsuit Against MI5
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Johnny Diaz | Ali Watkins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Hundreds of survivors of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing attack have filed a lawsuit against the British government intelligence agency MI5, their lawyers said. Three lead firms — Hudgell Solicitors, Slater & Gordon and Broudie Jackson Canter — said in a statement on Sunday that they were representing more than 250 victims of the bombing and family members of those killed, and have submitted a group claim to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, an independent judicial body that hears complaints against Britain’s intelligence services. “As it is an ongoing legal matter, we are unable or provide any further details, or comment further, at this stage,” the group statement said. The lawsuit comes a year after an independent public inquiry found that MI5, the domestic security service, failed to act on two pieces of critical intelligence about the bomber that could have prevented the atrocity.

Persons: —, Slater, Gordon, Broudie Jackson Canter — Organizations: Arena, — Hudgell Solicitors

☆ European diplomats in DC scramble to gain access to Trump allies for insights
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Kylie Atwood | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

“We are not that nervous because we know that with Trump it is all about relationships,” said one veteran European diplomat who has been in DC since the Trump administration. “The logic of doing it at Heritage was not lost on us,” said Victoria Coates, a deputy national security advisor to former President Trump who is now a vice president at the think tank. The comments sent European diplomats into over-drive, eager to understand exactly what Trump meant. “If they are worried about how President Trump is going to react to them, they hold it in their hands to do something about it,” Coates said. But European diplomats are not only worried about NATO.

Persons: Donald Trump, jostle, Trump, of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, Mike Pompeo, Robert O’Brien, Keith Kellogg, Mike Pence’s, Hillary Clinton, they’ve, ”, –, David Cameron, Antony Blinken, Cameron, Jens Stoltenberg, Jim Lo Scalzo, Stoltenberg’s, Victoria Coates, Stoltenberg, ” Coates, nodded, James Carafano, “, it’s, “ He’s, Mike Johnson, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky Organizations: CNN, White, NATO, Ukraine, Trump, of National Intelligence, National, European Union, Republican, Russian Central Bank, EU, British, Heritage Foundation, Heritage, GOP, Putin Locations: Washington, Russia, European, Europe, Ukraine, Brussels, West, Russian, South Florida, Brexit, ”, Washington ,, “

☆ Scotland’s new hate crime law was meant to protect against prejudice. It ended up sowing further division
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Amy Cassidy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Scotland’s Hate Crime and Public Order Act came into force last week, a contentious law that expands existing legislation to include transgender identity as a protected characteristic from hate crimes. In the first week of the law’s enactment, a feminist group, “Let Women Speak,” organized a rally against the legislation in Scotland’s capital on Saturday. Another major concern for those who oppose the Hate Crime Act is the supposed lack of clarity on what type of behavior could constitute an offense under the new law. But 25-year-old Scottish trans student Lucy (who asked not to be identified by her real name due to concerns about continued online abuse), said the new law does not reassure her. Scotland’s proposed reforms would have allowed transgender people to self-identify, without the need for a medical diagnosis or certificate.

Persons: –, – Humza Yousaf, ”, JK Rowling, Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, Jane Barlow, ’, Susan Smith, “, ’ ” Smith, Siobhan Brown, Rowling, Harry Potter, Yousaf, J, Rowling waded, Angela Weiss, ” Vic Valentine, Lucy, Scotland’s, hadn’t, Musk, Ian Miles Cheong Organizations: CNN, ” Scottish, Reuters, Scottish, Women Scotland, Community Safety, Police Scotland, BBC, Getty, Scottish Trans, Public Affairs, Equality Network, Scottish Police Federation, ” Police, Courier, PA Media, Police Locations: Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom, British, Scottish, Malaysian

☆ Cameron, on U.S. Trip, Takes a Risk and Meets With Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Mark Landler | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When Britain’s foreign secretary, David Cameron, went to Washington on Tuesday, he made all the usual stops, from the State Department to Capitol Hill. But it was his pilgrimage to Palm Beach, Fla., where he met former President Donald J. Trump for dinner on Monday evening at Mar-a-Lago, that grabbed most of the attention. Mr. Cameron is the first top British government official to meet with Mr. Trump since he left the White House. His visit — ostensibly to cajole Mr. Trump into backing additional American military aid to Ukraine — attests to Mr. Trump’s influence over a far-right faction of House Republicans who have been holding up a vote. Mr. Cameron, a onetime prime minister, has emerged as almost a shadow British leader abroad, standing in for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is busy with a looming general election at home.

Persons: David Cameron, Donald J, Trump, Cameron, —, Ukraine —, Rishi Sunak Organizations: State Department, Capitol, British, Mr, White, House Republicans Locations: Washington, Palm Beach, Fla, Ukraine

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