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☆ In the struggle against pollution, the humble mushroom could prove to be a valuable tool
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-31 | by ( Vicky Mckeever | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

With that in mind, the researchers decided to test out how effective the leftover mushroom substrate could be in removing contaminating substances from water. A 2023 report by the European Union's lending arm, the European Investment Bank (EIB), highlighted that conventional wastewater treatment methods do not fully remove micropollutants. In April, EU lawmakers approved new measures for urban wastewater treatment. In New Zealand, researchers have used fungi to treat soil contaminated by the pesticide PCP. "For example, integrating an extra treatment step into an existing wastewater treatment system requires an upfront investment to change the existing infrastructure," she said.

Persons: van Brenk, hadn't, Van Brenk, Diane Purchase, Micaela Mafla Endara, Endara Organizations: Getty, Research, Utrecht University, CNBC, Brunel University London, University of Portsmouth, European Investment Bank, Middlesex University, Lund University Locations: Netherlands, Germany, England, Sonoma County , California, New Zealand, Cleveland , Ohio, Sweden

☆ France is aiming to become a global AI superpower — but not without help from U.S. Big Tech
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-31 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

AI everywhere at Viva TechAt Viva Tech, AI was everywhere. France boasts a strong AI research and development ecosystem, home to key facilities like the Facebook AI Research center from Meta and Google's AI research hub in Paris, as well as leading universities. He referred to H's mammoth funding round as an example of the momentum surrounding French AI right now. watch nowLevy said roughly 40% of the tech demos at Viva Tech were AI. He said that Google's recently introduced Gemma AI, a lightweight, open-source model, was developed heavily at the U.S. internet giant's Paris AI hub.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Yoan Valat, Eric Schmidt, Porte, Bruno Le Maire, CNBC's Arjun Kharpal, Le Maire, Etienne Grass, Capgemini, Imran Ghory, Ghory, CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin, Macron, Mistral, Yann LeCun, James Manyika, Google's, Maurice Levy, Karen Tso, Levy, Google's Manyika, Gemma AI Organizations: Afp, Getty, PARIS —, Viva Technology, Microsoft, Viva Tech, L'Oreal, Porte de, Facebook, CNBC, Blossom, Meta, Google, Paris, Groupe, U.S, Innovation Locations: Elysee, Paris, France, PARIS — France, China, Europe, Meta, French, U.S, Israel, Dealroom

☆ Luxury homebuyers can now get an art collection as part of the deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-31 | by ( Lucy Handley | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Los Angeles real estate company The Agency is selling homes complete with artwork and furniture. Lester, a partner at real estate firm The Agency, is currently selling several new-build luxury homes in Beverly Hills designed by architecture firm Olson Kundig, and has a put together a "full collection" of art in a handful of them. Seen here is the interior of a home that is part of a collection known as The Houses at 8899 Beverly. Rather than simply being "staging" pieces brought in temporarily, the art and furniture is also available to purchase, Lester said. Artelier commissioned a collection of artwork for the public areas at One at Palm Jumeirah, Dorchester Collection, a residential building in Dubai.

Persons: Shaina McCoy, Nils Timm, Paul Lester, Lester, Olson Kundig, Beverly —, Michelle Mary Lee, Irvin Pascal, David Knowles, Knowles, Artelier, Fenton Whelan, Renzo Piano, they've, Kristy Kun Organizations: Agency, CNBC, Los, Beverly, Lazaros, The Agency, Creative Art Partners, London Locations: Angeles, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, British, Eaton Place, London, Hyde, Dubai, Miami, Jumeirah, Dorchester

☆ This global fund’s stock could rally by 35% if buyback limits are removed, fund manager says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Caledonia Investments could see its stock price soar by more than 35% if restrictions on share buybacks are lifted, according to fund manager Brian McCormick. McCormick, who runs the Jupiter Global Value fund at Jupiter Asset Management, said Caledonia's share buybacks are limited due to restrictions in share ownership as set out in the U.K.'s Takeover Code. In addition, when the fund performs a share buyback while its stock trades below its NAV, it is buying its own assets at a 37% discount. Caledonia's buyback limits When a company buys back shares, those shares are canceled, which can increase the percentage ownership of remaining shareholders. Analysts also agree that Caledonia's limits on share buybacks right now are holding back the share price.

Persons: Brian McCormick, Philip Morris, McCormick, Robert Memmott, Iain Scouller Organizations: Microsoft, Oracle, British American Tobacco, London Stock Exchange, Jupiter Asset, CNBC Pro, London Value Investor Conference Locations: Caledonia, United States

☆ PwC agrees deal to become OpenAI's first reseller and largest enterprise user
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

PwC said the deal will see its U.S. and U.K. employees and clients gain access to the latest tools from OpenAI. PwC landed a deal Wednesday with OpenAI to become the artificial intelligence company's first resale partner and largest enterprise user. PwC will hand ChatGPT Enterprise licenses to over 100,000 employees — 75,000 in the U.S. and 26,000 in the U.K. — according to Wall Street Journal, which earlier reported on the deal. PwC did not specify the number of workers that would use ChatGPT Enterprise. PwC didn't disclose the financial terms of the deal.

Persons: PwC, OpenAI, PwC didn't Organizations: Microsoft, ChatGPT Enterprise, Enterprise, —, Wall Street Locations: U.S

☆ More than 100 business leaders including Wikipedia's Jimmy Wales sign open letter backing Britain's center-left opposition
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Labour's Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves gives a speech on the British economy ahead of the Bank of England monetary policy release on May 07, 2024 in London, England. LONDON — More than 100 business leaders on Tuesday voiced their support for the U.K.'s center-left opposition Labour Party, nearly five weeks before the country heads to the polls. The group, which includes Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and former vice-chairman of JP Morgan Cazenove Charles Harman, said in an open letter to The Times newspaper: "We, as leaders and investors in British business, believe it is time for a change." The writers of the letter claim that the U.K. economy has suffered from a decade of stagnation amid a lack of both political stability and a long-term, consistent economic strategy. The Labour Party has "shown it has changed and wants to work with business to achieve the UK's full economic potential," they said.

Persons: Rachel Reeves, Jimmy Wales, JP Morgan, Charles Harman, Karen Blackett, Andrew Higginson Organizations: Bank of, Labour Party, The Times, WPP, JD Sports, British Retail, Tesco Bank, Heathrow Airport Locations: Bank of England, London, England

☆ European markets set to open mixed as UK's FTSE reopens
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The U.K.'s FTSE 100 was seen opening lower after markets were closed for the late May bank holiday, while other major European bourses were seen moving higher. European markets are poised to open mixed on Tuesday after a quiet start to the trading week in which several key global markets were closed. Tuesday's session is light on the corporate earnings front, while wholesale price data is due out of Germany. Investors are continuing to weigh the prospects of a June rate cut by the European Central Bank after two key policymakers threw their weight behind the prospect on Monday. Meanwhile, the ECB's Chief Economist Philip Lane said in an interview with the Financial Times, "Barring major surprises, at this point in time there is enough in what we see to remove the top level of restriction."

Persons: Olli Rehn, Philip Lane Organizations: Investors, European Central Bank, ECB, Financial Times Locations: Germany

☆ 'The wearables market will feed AI,' Oura CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via Email'The wearables market will feed AI,' Oura CEO saysTom Hale, CEO of Oura, discusses the wearable technology market and the firm's first U.K. retail partnership with John Lewis.

Persons: Tom Hale, John Lewis

☆ Spying Arrests Send Chill Through Britain’s Thriving Hong Kong Community
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Megan Specia | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In 2019, Mr. Cheng, a pro-democracy activist from Hong Kong and a former employee of Britain’s Consulate there, was arrested after a business trip to mainland China. When he was finally released, he no longer felt safe in Hong Kong, and in early 2020, he fled to Britain and claimed asylum. “It’s not hard to adapt to a new life in the U.K. in some ways,” said Mr. Cheng, 33. Last year, the Hong Kong authorities put a bounty on Mr. Cheng and other activists, offering $128,000 for information leading to their arrest. Still, like many Hong Kong activists living in self-imposed exile in Britain, he hoped his newfound distance from the Chinese authorities put him far from their reach.

Persons: Simon Cheng, Cheng, “ It’s, ”, — Organizations: Hong Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Britain, London

☆ European stocks close higher; UK and U.S. markets closed
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Katrina Bishop | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

European markets closed slightly higher on Monday as traders searched for direction on a quiet day for markets. U.K. markets are closed for the late May bank holiday, while stateside, U.S. markets are shut for Memorial Day. It comes as speculation over when interest rates might start to come down dominates the news flow once again. On Monday, two key European Central Bank figures threw their weight behind the prospect of a June interest rate cut. It indicates that the European Central Bank is going to act in June — sooner than the U.S. Federal Reserve, which usually leads the way in monetary policy decisions.

Persons: Germany's Dax, Olli Rehn, Philip Lane, Goldman Sachs Organizations: CAC, European Central Bank, ECB, Financial Times, U.S . Federal Reserve, Federal Locations: U.S

☆ How to move your career abroad, says digital nomad who’s been to 13 countries
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Jennifer Liu | In Jljenniferliu | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

They're primarily moving to Portugal, Spain and the U.K., where many expats say they're highly satisfied with their personal, financial, social and work lives abroad. She started working at Deel in 2022 as a digital nomad in Portugal and "living in the clouds traveling the world," she says. Mourao currently has a digital nomad visa in Portugal and continues to travel around the world. For example, while in Portugal, she's in a central time zone that makes it easy to communicate with colleagues in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Prove why you're suited to work abroad

Persons: Kamylle, Mourao, Masha Sutherlin, Sutherlin, She's, she's, who've, they've Organizations: United Arab Locations: Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Deel, France, Egypt, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Japan, she's, Latin America, Europe, East, Africa, Asia

☆ UK election is looking 'difficult' for Conservative party, analyst says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailUK election is looking 'difficult' for Conservative party, analyst saysLaurent Balt, U.K. and Europe analyst at Verisk Maplecroft says the current outcome of the upcoming general election, according to current polling, suggests an "unprecedented" low number of seats for the Conservatives in parliament.

Persons: Laurent Balt, Verisk Maplecroft Organizations: Conservative, Conservatives Locations: Europe

☆ Sometimes U.S. and U.K. Politics Seem in Lock Step. Not This Year.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-25 | by ( Mark Landler | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A Conservative British prime minister sets the date for a long-awaited vote in the early summer and the United States follows with a momentous presidential election a few months later. It happened in 2016, when Britons voted for Brexit and Americans elected Donald J. Trump, and now it’s happening again. Political soothsayers might be tempted to study the results of Britain’s July 4 general election for clues about how the United States might vote on Nov. 5. “We’re just in a very different place politically than the U.S. right now,” said Robert Ford, a professor of politics at the University of Manchester. The Conservatives have been in power for 14 years, he noted, Brexit has faded as a political issue, and there is no British equivalent of Mr. Trump.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Trump’s, Joseph R, Biden, “ We’re, ”, Robert Ford, Brexit Organizations: Conservative, Brexit, European Union, Labour Party, Conservatives, Democratic, Republican, University of Manchester Locations: Conservative British, United States, U.S

☆ British retail sales plunge 2.3% in April, missing estimates
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

People walk in the rain over the London Bridge in central London on March 12, 2024. Lucy North - Pa Images | Pa Images | Getty ImagesLONDON — U.K. retail sales volumes dropped 2.3% in April as wet weather deterred shoppers, the Office for National Statistics said Friday. "Sales volumes fell across most sectors, with clothing retailers, sports equipment, games and toys stores, and furniture stores doing badly as poor weather reduced footfall," the ONS said. Sales were up 0.7% across the three months to April compared to the previous three months following a weak December and holiday season, but were down 0.8% year on year. watch nowKris Hamer, director of insight at the British Retail Consortium, pointed to bright spots in the data in cosmetics and computer sales.

Persons: Lucy North, Kris Hamer, Hamer, GfK Organizations: National Statistics, Reuters, British Retail Consortium, Bank of England's Locations: London

☆ U.K. 2024 General Election: What to Know
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Esther Bintliff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

How does Britain vote? The United Kingdom — which consists of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales — is divided into 650 constituencies. Voters in each constituency select a candidate to represent them as a member of Parliament, and the political party that wins the most seats usually forms the next government. That party’s leader also becomes prime minister.

Organizations: Wales, Voters Locations: Britain, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland

☆ Shock summer election in Britain predicted to deliver 'historic' result
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes a statement in the rain outside 10 Downing Street, announcing the UK general election will take place on 4 July in London, United Kingdom on May 22, 2024. News of the vote came as a surprise to the public, the media and much of Sunak's own party. 'As good as it gets'Bronwen Maddox, director of Chatham House think tank, said the election date had shocked many Conservatives who thought it would be held nearer to the U.S. election in November. Market bets on an interest rate cut in the summer fell as a result, and it now looks unlikely the central bank will cut on June 20, its last meeting before the election. So if that translates to a general election as well, then that Labour landslide is looking much less certain."

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Price, Bronwen Maddox, I'm, Maddox, Rachel Reeves, Sir Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner, Leon Neal, James, Hannah Bunting, CNBC's, Tony Blair, John Major, Bunting, we've Organizations: British, Anadolu, Getty, Conservative Party, Conservatives, Labour Party, Downing, Bank of England, Chatham House, CNBC, Bank of England's, Labour, Centre, University of Exeter Locations: London, United Kingdom, U.K, Europe, Gaza, Rwanda, Purfleet

☆ UK election result will be 'historic,' political lecturer says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailUK election result will be 'historic,' political lecturer saysHannah Bunting, lecturer in quantitative British politics at the University of Exeter and co-director of its Elections Centre, discusses the newly declared U.K. election on July 4.

Persons: Hannah Bunting Organizations: University of Exeter

☆ European stocks head for slightly higher open as investors follow UK election news and euro zone data
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

European markets are heading for a slightly higher open Thursday as traders digest the minutes of the last U.S. Federal Reserve meeting, which revealed Fed officials have concerns over sticky inflation and remain cautious on possible interest rate cuts. U.K. markets will be closely watched Thursday after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that a general election will be held on July 4, ending months of speculation over the date of a national vote. As polls stand, the ruling Conservative Party is expected to lose to the opposition center-left Labour Party.

Persons: Rishi Sunak Organizations: Federal Reserve, Conservative Party, Labour Party Locations: U.S

☆ Nigel Farage to Skip U.K. Election So He Can Focus on Helping Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Mark Landler | More About Mark Landler | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Nigel Farage, the broadcaster and populist politician who championed Brexit, said on Thursday that he would not run for a seat in the British Parliament in a general election on July 4, preferring to focus on helping former President Donald J. Trump recapture the White House in November. Mr. Farage’s announcement is likely to be a modest relief for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Conservative Party, since Mr. Farage’s current party, Reform UK, is viewed as a significant threat to the Conservatives from the right. But Mr. Farage said he would “do my bit” to help Reform, which plans to field a slate of candidates in the election, running on an anti-immigration message. “Important though the general election is,” Mr. Farage posted on social media, “the contest in the United States of America on Nov. 5 has huge global significance. Mr. Trump once suggested that the British government appoint Mr. Farage as ambassador to Washington.

Persons: Nigel Farage, Brexit, Donald J, Trump, Rishi Sunak, Farage, ” Mr, Mr Organizations: House, Mr, Conservative Party, Reform, Conservatives Locations: United States, America, U.S.A, British, Palm Beach, Mar, Washington

☆ Sunak Says U.K. Won’t Send Asylum Seekers to Rwanda Before Election
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Mark Landler | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In calling a general election, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of Britain cast himself this week as a leader with a clear plan. That did not include carrying an umbrella during his remarks in front of 10 Downing Street, where Mr. Sunak was drenched in a spring shower that yielded a flood of snarky headlines. “Drowning Street,” said the tabloid City A.M. “Drown & out,” cried The Daily Mirror. Mr. Sunak signaled that his government’s signature political project — putting asylum seekers on one-way flights to Rwanda — would not be set in motion before voters went to the polls on July 4. Speaking to the BBC, Mr. Sunak cited the Rwanda policy to draw a sharp contrast with the opposition Labour Party, which he accused of having no plan to stop asylum seekers who make hazardous crossings of the English Channel in small boats.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, ”, “, Rwanda — Organizations: Downing, Daily Telegraph, BBC, Labour Party Locations: Rwanda

☆ European markets head for higher open ahead of UK inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

European stocks are heading for a higher open Wednesday as regional markets continue to see-saw over the inflation outlook and trajectory of interest rates. Investors in the U.K. will be keeping a close eye on the latest U.K. inflation figures out Wednesday. Economists are forecasting a sharp fall in the April print, driven by lower household energy costs, that could take the headline rate close to, or even below, the Bank of England's 2% target.

Organizations: Bank of England's

☆ Sunak Announces U.K. Elections for July 4, Months Earlier Than Expected
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Mark Landler | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of Britain on Wednesday called a snap general election for July 4, throwing the fate of his embattled Conservative Party to a restless British public that appears eager for change after 14 years of Conservative government. But the Tories have discarded four prime ministers in eight years, lurching through the serial chaos of Brexit, the coronavirus pandemic and a cost-of-living crisis. With the opposition Labour Party ahead in most polls by double digits for the last 18 months, a Conservative defeat has come to assume an air of inevitability. “Now is the moment for Britain to choose its future,” Mr. Sunak said as pelting rain drenched his suit jacket. The choice for voters, he said, was to “build on the future you’ve made or risk going back to square one.”

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak’s, Barack Obama, ” Mr, Sunak, ” Organizations: Conservative Party, Conservative, Downing, Labour Party Locations: British, Britain

☆ A British retail firm is revealing interview questions in advance to help make its hiring process fairer
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Would you feel more prepared for job interviews if you knew which questions were going to be asked? John Lewis, a 160-year-old retail giant based in the U.K. with 80,000 employees, has revealed interview questions for job candidates on its website in advance to make the hiring process more equitable. Bullett explained that it will give candidates the opportunity to prepare and "confidently demonstrate what they can do." People are divided on whether this development is beneficial because there isn't a standardized process for interviews, Khyati Sundaram, CEO of recruitment platform Applied, told CNBC Make It. But she warned that revealing job interview questions in advance isn't a "silver bullet" and there are some caveats.

Persons: John Lewis, you've, Lorna Bullett, Bullett, Khyati Sundaram, Sundaram Organizations: John, CNBC

☆ Local energy production is key to keeping the UK's energy prices down, SSE CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailLocal energy production is key to keeping the UK's energy prices down, SSE CEO saysAlistair Phillips-Davies, CEO of SSE, discusses the firm's full-year results and explains the company's continued efforts to reduce reliance on Europe for energy in the U.K.

Persons: Alistair Phillips, Davies Locations: Europe

☆ Miner Anglo American rejects third takeover offer from rival BHP Group as talks deadline extended
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

(Photo by William WEST / AFP) (Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)LONDON — Anglo American rejected a third takeover proposal from rival BHP Group on Wednesday, as the companies agreed to extend talks deadline by one week. The British miner confirmed the third proposal from BHP offered about £29.34 per Anglo American share, based on undisturbed share prices as of market close on April 23. Shares of Anglo American were up 0.35% shortly after the announcement, while BHP shares fell over 3.4%. The combined companies would form a behemoth in copper mining and the world's largest player in the space, supplying 10% of global output, according to a Reuters analysis. Anglo rejected both previous offers, however, saying that they "significantly undervalue the company and its future prospects."

Persons: Stuart Chambers, Chambers, Duncan Wanblad Organizations: BHP, William WEST, WILLIAM WEST, Getty, BHP Group, London Stock Exchange, Limited, Iron Ore Limited, Rio Tinto Locations: Melbourne, Australian, AFP, American, London, Australia

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