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☆ Meghan visited Nigeria as a duchess and left an African princess
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Stephanie Busari | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Lagos, Nigeria CNN —The Duke and Duchess of Sussex embarked on what was officially dubbed a 3-day private visit to Nigeria, yet it unfolded with all the grandeur and attention typically reserved for royal tours. The pair had been invited to the West African nation by the country’s highest-ranking military official, Christopher Musa. Meanwhile, for Prince Harry and Meghan, this marked their first major trip to Africa since relinquishing their official royal duties. Meghan, in particular, embraced exploring her Nigerian ancestry after discovering several years ago that she is 43% Nigerian through a genealogy test. As they bid farewell to Nigeria, Meghan declared: “I can’t wait to come back!”

Persons: Duke, Duchess of, Christopher Musa, Meghan, Harry, Duchess of Sussex, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Kola Sulaimon, Prince Harry, aplomb, Ngozi, Mo Abudu, selfies, Obi, Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe, Meghan “ Ada Mazi, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, Princess Diana, Uba Sani, Sani, “, Princess Meghan, ” Harry, Boko Haram, Corporal Yusef, Polo Organizations: Nigeria CNN, Lightway Academy, Foundation, GEANCO Foundation, Nigerian Defence Headquarters, Nigeria Unconquered, Getty, World Trade, Invictus Games, Lagos Polo Club Locations: Lagos, Nigeria, Duchess of Sussex, Abuja, West, AFP, Texas, Africa, Nigerian, American, Kaduna

☆ Russia's increasingly turning to fast ATVs and motorbikes to find Ukrainian targets, but they're very vulnerable
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewRussian forces are increasingly relying on light and fast vehicles like ATVs and motorbikes to move troops to the front lines, conduct reconnaissance of Ukrainian positions, and execute assaults. Ukraine's forces were operating quad bikes as early as April 2022, just weeks after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, to ambush Russian forces. AdvertisementWhile Russia's lighter vehicles are more vulnerable to Ukrainian attacks than its heavy armor, Moscow has still lost scores of tanks and armored vehicles on the battlefield, including to Kyiv's exploding FPV drones. AdvertisementRussia hasn't completely turned its back on its armored vehicles, though. Last week, for instance, Moscow launched a new assault in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region and tried using armored vehicles to break through defensive lines.

Persons: —, Chasiv Yar, ROMAN PILIPEY, Rob Lee, WX4nTcfqEO, — Rob Lee, Diego Herrera Carcedo, Pavlo Fedosenko, Ukraine's, Russia hasn't, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Organizations: Service, Business, Russia, Getty, Foreign Policy Research Institute, 177th Naval Infantry Regiment Locations: Russia, Russian, Chasiv, Donetsk, AFP, Ukrainian, Moscow, Kreminna, Donetsk Oblast, Anadolu, Ukraine's, Kharkiv

☆ Kenton Cool/Kami Rita Sherpa: Nepali and British climbers break their own records with successful Everest ascents
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A British climber and a Nepali guide have broken their own records for most climbs of Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, hiking officials said on Sunday. Rakesh Gurung, director of Nepal’s Department of Tourism, said Britain’s Kenton Cool, 50, and Nepali guide Kami Rita Sherpa, 54, climbed the 8,849-meter (29,032 foot) peak for the 18th and 29th time, respectively. Madison had teamed up with Kami Rita to climb the summits of Everest, Lhotse, and K2 in 2014. Kenton Cool is an institution,” Furtenbach, who is leading an expedition from the Chinese side of Everest, told Reuters. Kami Rita first climbed Everest in 1994 and has done so almost every year since, except for three years when authorities closed the mountain for various reasons.

Persons: CNN —, Rakesh Gurung, Britain’s Kenton Cool, Rita Sherpa, ” Garrett Madison, Madison, Kami Rita, Lukas Furtenbach, Kenton Cool, ” Furtenbach, New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary, Tenzing, Rita Organizations: CNN, Nepal’s Department of Tourism, Madison Mountaineering, Austrian, Kenton, Reuters, Tenzing Norgay, Everest, Nepal Locations: British, Everest, U.S, Pakistan, Nepal, New Zealander, Nepal

☆ SoftBank seen returning to loss in fourth quarter despite strength in tech stocks
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Japanese technology investor SoftBank Group is expected to slip back into the red when it reports earnings on Monday despite technology stocks including Arm Holdings its core asset, performing well over the quarter. Analysts and investors are also eagerly awaiting clues about new growth investments as SoftBank has ample liquidity and can monetize its huge holding in Arm. The initial public offering (IPO) market remained subdued, leaving analysts uncertain of the monetization prospects for SoftBank's portfolio of unlisted tech startups. But while the Arm stake may make possible an investment on this scale, its dominance within SoftBank's portfolio poses a risk should market sentiment turn, hitting SoftBank's value and fundraising capacity. Morningstar analyst Javier Correonero estimates a fair value for Arm of $57 per share, compared to its recent trading range around $100 per share.

Persons: SoftBank, Arm's, DiDi, Shogo Tono, Javier Correonero Organizations: SoftBank, Arm Holdings, Grab Holdings, LSEG, Nomura Securities, Nvidia, Morningstar Locations: Britain, Coupang

☆ Former US Marine pilot arrested in Australia worked with Chinese hacker unknowingly, lawyer says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A former US Marine pilot fighting extradition from Australia on US charges of training Chinese military pilots to land on aircraft carriers, unknowingly worked with a Chinese hacker, his lawyer said. The lawyer’s filing supports Reuters reporting linking Duggan to convicted Chinese defense hacker Su Bin. The case will be heard in a Sydney court this month, two years after his arrest in rural Australia at a time when Britain was warning its former military pilots not to work for China. Su Bin, arrested in Canada in 2014, pleaded guilty in 2016 to theft of US military aircraft designs by hacking major US defense contractors. Duggan asked Su Bin to help source Chinese aircraft parts for his Top Gun tourist flight business in Australia, Collaery wrote.

Persons: CNN —, Daniel Duggan, Duggan, Su Bin, Bernard Collaery, Mark Dreyfus, Collaery, Su Bin “, ”, AVIC, “, Mr Duggan Organizations: CNN, US Marine, Reuters, Gun, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, US, AVIC, ASIO, US Navy Criminal Investigation Service, United Locations: Australia, Australian, Beijing, Sydney, Britain, China, Canada, United States, Australia’s Tasmania, backdated

☆ A bodybuilder ditched his low-carb diet and started eating potatoes 6 times a day. He got in the best shape of his life.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Rachel Hosie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewAs a competitive bodybuilder, Mark Taylor spent decades training hard and eating a strict low-carb diet, only to miss out on the top prizes in his native Scotland. That was until he made a drastic change: Taylor started eating carbs, and lots of them, mostly in the form of potatoes. Over the previous 10 years, he has been crowned Mr. England, Mr. United Kingdom, Mr. Britain, and Mr. World. When we exercise, we deplete these glycogen stores, so eating carbs after working out replenishes them. Eating more carbs helped Taylor have more energy for his five weekly workouts, and it made his muscles feel more "full," he said.

Persons: —, Mark Taylor, Taylor, Mark Taylor Carbs, Vicky McCann who'd, McCann, Vicky, carbs, Taylor isn't, I've Organizations: Service, Business, Mr, Scottish Locations: Scotland, England, United Kingdom, Britain

☆ Why predicted gains for right-wing populists could make Europe vulnerable to attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Right-wing populists are set to make unprecedented gains in the elections to the European Parliament taking place next month. Polling data suggests that far-right Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) could have enough seats to, together, block the passage of European Union legislation, creating a massive headache for the union as a whole. “For some countries, that is a six-month process, in others it can take two years,” a senior European Parliament source told CNN. Britain's Nigel Farage used his seat in the European Parliament to promote Brexit. It only becomes an issue if they are working with foreign powers to advance their agenda,” an EU security source told CNN.

Persons: Ursula von der Leyen, Yiannis Kourtoglou, Reuters “, ”, James Shires, you’ll, don’t, Britain's Nigel Farage, SEBASTIEN BOZON, it’s, — Organizations: CNN, Parliament, European, Reuters, “, Brexit, Getty, British, EU, Brussels Locations: Brussels, China, Russia, Strasbourg, AFP, Britain, Ukraine, EU, Europe

☆ British Colleges Are Handling Protests Differently. Will It Pay Off?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Stephen Castle | Mary Turner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Palestinian flags fluttered in the breeze above two neat rows of orange and green tents on Thursday at Cambridge University, where students read, talked and played chess at a small encampment to protest the Gaza war. There were no police officers in sight and not a lot for them to do if they did turn up, unless they felt like joining a wellness circle or a workshop on kite-making. Pro-Palestinian encampments have spread to 15 universities across Britain in recent days, but there were few signs yet of the violent confrontations that have shaken American campuses.

Organizations: Cambridge University Locations: Gaza, Britain

☆ Japan aging: Women’s participation in ‘naked festival’ a sign of how aging is forcing changes to male-centric traditions
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Himari Semans | Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Tokyo/Hong Kong CNN —With a history spanning more than 1,200 years, “hadaka matsuri,” or the naked festival, is Japanese masculinity on full display. Some women in Japan still battle deep-rooted cultural expectations that require them to take the role of “shufu,” or housewife, experts say. But in the naked festival, women have recently found hope. Men strip naked — except for a delicate piece of crotch-covering white loincloth — to take part in the naked festival at Konomiya Shrine on February 22, 2024. Women — donning happi, a traditional festive coat — are responsible for carrying a bamboo offering during the naked festival at Konomiya Shrine on February 22, 2024.

Persons: —, Saudi Arabia —, “, Christopher Gallagher, ”, we’ve, ” Haruhiko, Atsuko Tamakoshi, Chris Gallagher, Enyukai, Ayaka Suzuki, Mitsuko Tottori, Yoko Kamikawa, Fumio, Kaori Katada, Hiyori Kon, Sumo, won’t Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Economic, Japan, Reuters, Mikiko, Hosei University, pre, CNN, ”, Ministry of Health, ” Eto, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development, Japan Airlines, Netflix, Little Locations: Tokyo, Hong Kong, Japan, jostle, Germany, Britain, United States, India, Saudi Arabia, Konomiya Shrine, Konomiya

☆ A Solar Storm Lights Up the Night Sky
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

People in Britain marveled at the unusual and spectacular sight of the northern lights on Friday night, the consequence of a severe solar storm that was brewing and was expected to continue over the coming days. The northern lights — also known as aurora borealis — usually don’t reach this far south. People in other European countries, including Denmark and Germany, also reported seeing the lights. As one user wrote: “Aurora Borealis? Localized entirely over Edinburgh?”Another onlooker posted, “It really is gorgeous though.”The northern lights also made appearances in North America, with some people reporting sightings in Maine on Friday night.

Locations: Britain, Denmark, Germany, Edinburgh, North America, Maine

☆ 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

Abuja, Nigeria CNN —The Duke and Duchess of Sussex landed in Nigeria on Friday, launching a three-day private visit to the West African nation, where they will meet with wounded soldiers and visit local charities, officials said. My husband was excited to jump up!” Meghan told cheering students in the school’s hall. Kola Sulaimon/AFP/Getty ImagesPrince Harry and Meghan were invited to Nigeria by the chief of defense staff, Christopher Musa, the country’s highest-ranking military official. The couple’s hosts, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters, are keen to be involved further in the Invictus Games and to be part of the wider Invictus community. Effiom Antigha, captain of Team Nigeria, told CNN last year that the games gave him a new lease on life.

Persons: Duke, Duchess of Sussex, Marshal Abidemi Marquis, “ We’re, ” Meghan, Harry, ”, Kola Sulaimon, Prince Harry, Meghan, Christopher Musa, Marquis, Oyeyemi Aderibigbe, “, Ife, Etti, ’, Ngozi, Bola Tinubu, Richard Montgomery, ” Cpl, Effiom Antigha Organizations: CNN’s Royal, Nigeria CNN, Invictus, Air, Nigerian Defence Headquarters, Lightway Academy, GEANCO Foundation, Getty, CNN, Invictus Games, World Trade Organization, Israel, Team Nigeria, Foundation Locations: Abuja, Nigeria, West African, Kola, AFP, Lagos, Nigerian, London, Los Angeles, Kaduna State, Germany, Colombia

☆ Britain Shakes Off Recession as Economy Grows Faster Than Expected
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Eshe Nelson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the first three months of the year, economic growth was driven by the services sector, which expanded for the first time in a year, statistics agency said. Transport services, legal services and scientific research all grew strongly, but services that include hotels and restaurants fell slightly, and the construction sector contracted sharply. per person grew 0.4 percent in the first quarter, following seven consecutive quarters of decline. Some sectors like professional services and technology have been doing well, but others like hospitality have struggled, she said. Household spending, adjusted for inflation, grew 0.2 percent, following two quarters of declines, the statistics agency said.

Persons: ”, Tera Allas, Ms, Allas Organizations: Transport Locations: McKinsey’s Britain, Ireland

☆ 'It's our duty': Bank of England chief says cutting rates just before a UK election wouldn't be an issue
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Matt Clinch | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey addresses the media during the central bank's Monetary Policy Report press conference at the Bank of England, in London, Britain, on February 1, 2024. LONDON — Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey on Thursday played down any political pressure received by his institution, confirming that a rate cut immediately before a General Election wouldn't be out of the question. This is especially true in election cycles if citizens are dealing with an economic downturn or a cost-of-living squeeze. The Bank of England, which became officially independent in 1998, is no stranger to this pressure with elections expected before the end of this year. The Bank is nearing its first rate cut since 2020, despite holding steady on Thursday.

Persons: Andrew Bailey, wouldn't, Bailey, CNBC's Steve Sedgwick, it's Organizations: England, Bank of England, LONDON — Bank of England Locations: London, Britain

☆ Britain’s Conservative Party Is Being Held Captive by Bad People - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Geoffrey Wheatcroft | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

At 3 a.m. one day last December, a 78-year-old volunteer for the British Conservative Party was reportedly woken by a call from Mark Menzies, the Conservative lawmaker she worked for. The volunteer, a former campaign manager for Mr. Menzies, paid the sum out of her own savings. Mr. Menzies, who was suspended from the party last month, denies that allegation and others, which include using £14,000 from party funds for personal medical bills. Yet the affair epitomizes a Conservative Party in crisis. Lord Salisbury, Stanley Baldwin, Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher led the Conservative Party for more or less 15 years.

Persons: Mark Menzies, ”, Menzies, Rishi Sunak, Mr, Sunak, Lord Salisbury, Stanley Baldwin, Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, — Organizations: British Conservative Party, Conservative, Conservative Party, Tories, Conservatives, Labour Party, Tory Locations: England, Wales

☆ For Bulgarian Voters, It’s Groundhog Day, Again
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Andrew Higgins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For citizens of the United States, Britain, India and dozens of other countries around the world, 2024 is a big, high-stakes election year. For Dimitar Naydenov, a Bulgarian member of Parliament and restaurant owner, it offers only yet another Groundhog Day: Bulgaria in June holds its sixth general election in three years with a vote for a new Parliament. The total number of elections in those years is even higher — eight — if those for president and European Parliament are included. “I’ve done this so many times people have started to feel pity for me,” he said. But pity Bulgarian voters, too.

Persons: Dimitar Naydenov, “, Mr, Naydenov, shuddering, ” Locations: United States, Britain, India, Bulgarian, Bulgaria, Burgas

☆ Prince Harry won’t see King Charles during UK trip for Invictus celebrations
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Lauren Said-Moorhouse | Max Foster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Harry is back in the UK for the 10th anniversary of his Invictus Games. Chris Jackson/Getty Images for The Invictus Games FoundationBuckingham Palace has not commented on the duke’s visit. The inaugural Invictus Games, an international sporting competition for wounded veterans and members of the military, was held in London in 2014. Following the Invictus celebrations in London, Harry and Meghan will head to Nigeria at the invitation of the Nigerian Defence Headquarters. The next Invictus Games will be held in Vancouver and Whistler in Canada in February 2025.

Persons: Duke, Sussex, King Charles III, Prince Harry, Harry, Chris Jackson, Meghan, Prince William, Duchess, Prince Archie, Charles, ”, Catherine , Princess of Wales, Damian Lewis Organizations: London CNN, Invictus, Invictus Games, Getty, Buckingham, CNN’s Royal, Nigerian Defence Headquarters Locations: United Kingdom, United States, London’s St, Paul’s, London, Nigeria, Vancouver, Whistler, Canada, Birmingham, Washington, DC

☆ 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

☆ AstraZeneca Is Withdrawing Its Covid Vaccine Worldwide, Citing Low Demand
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Rebecca Robbins | More About Rebecca Robbins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

AstraZeneca has started to pull its Covid-19 vaccine from global markets because of low demand, the pharmaceutical giant said. The move was not related to any concerns about the shot’s side effects, the company said. Since the vaccine was approved in Britain in December 2020, over three billion doses have been supplied globally. The company said that it had decided to voluntarily withdraw all licenses to market its Covid vaccine. In March, AstraZeneca requested that the vaccine be withdrawn from most European countries.

Organizations: AstraZeneca, Oxford University, European Commission Locations: Britain

☆ London's elite Garrick Club votes to allow women for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON — Members of Britain's exclusive all-male Garrick Club has reportedly voted to permit women to join the institution for the first time in its 193-year history. The historic vote comes after the club has been under immense scrutiny over recent weeks following the publication by the U.K.'s Guardian newspaper of some of the elite club's most influential members. The closely-guarded membership list showed the club to be an emblem of Britain's patriarchal establishment, with the majority of members white and aged over 50. Notable public figures from the arts, including actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Brian Cox, were also named. The Garrick Club, named after the 18th-century actor David Garrick, was founded in 1831 as a place where "actors and men of refinement and education might meet on equal terms," according to a statement on the club's website.

Persons: Garrick, King Charles III, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brian Cox, David Garrick Organizations: U.K, Secret Intelligence Service, Garrick Locations: London

☆ This popular cat breed has a much shorter lifespan than others, new research shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Before you head to the shelter, take heed – not all cat breeds are in it for the long haul. While domestic cats regularly live to 18 years old, the hairless Sphynx breed has an average life expectancy of just 6.8 years, the lowest of any domestic breed of cat, according to new research. Sphynx cats are a hairless breed that originated in Ontario, Canada, where a hairless male kitten named Prune was born in 1966, according to the Sphynx Cat Association. The average life expectancy for domestic cats in Britain was 11.7 years. They found that the average life expectancy for cats in the UK was 11.7 years, and female cats could expect to live 1.33 years longer than males.

Persons: –, Kendy Teng, we’re Organizations: CNN, Royal Veterinary College, Chung Hsing University, of Feline Medicine, Cat Association, Animal Welfare Locations: United Kingdom, Taiwan, Ontario, Canada, Britain

☆ Sunak to Urge University Leaders to Protect Jewish Students on Campus
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Stephen Castle | Isabella Kwai | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of Britain will tell university leaders on Thursday to do more to combat antisemitism on college campuses, in a sign of rising dissatisfaction within government about the recent growth of encampments set up by students protesting the war in Gaza. Vice chancellors from some of Britain’s prominent universities have been invited to Downing Street to discuss “escalating antisemitic abuse toward Jewish students in the U.K.,” Mr. Sunak’s office said in a statement issued in advance of the meeting. But small-scale, largely peaceful protest encampments have sprung up recently around several universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Newcastle, Leeds and Manchester. “Universities should be places of rigorous debate but also bastions of tolerance and respect for every member of their community,” Mr. Sunak said the statement released by his office ahead of the meeting. “A vocal minority on our campuses are disrupting the lives and studies of their fellow students and, in some cases, propagating outright harassment and antisemitic abuse.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, ” Mr, Sunak, “, ” Organizations: “ Locations: Britain, Gaza, Oxford, Cambridge, Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester

☆ 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

☆ Outage Causes Delays at U.K. Airports’ Immigration Checkpoints
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Orlando Mayorquín | More About Orlando Mayorquín | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

International airline passengers arriving at Heathrow Airport near London and at other airports in Britain were facing long lines at immigration checkpoints on Tuesday evening after the nation’s Border Force reported a nationwide computer outage, officials said. “Border Force is currently experiencing a nationwide issue which is impacting passengers being processed through the border,” Heathrow, the country’s largest airport, said on social media at 9:15 p.m. The problem was also affecting Manchester Airport, Gatwick Airport near London and Belfast International Airport in Northern Ireland. The overall number of affected airports wasn’t clear. Officials said that the problem originated with the Border Force’s “eGates,” immigration checkpoints that process arriving passengers through the border.

Organizations: Airport, nation’s Border Force, Force, Manchester Airport, Gatwick Airport, Belfast International Airport Locations: London, Britain, Heathrow, Northern Ireland

☆ U.K. Armed Forces’ Data Stolen by State-Linked Hackers, Lawmakers Say
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Stephen Castle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The personal information of British military personnel has been hacked in a significant new data breach likely to have been orchestrated by a state, senior British politicians said on Tuesday. The cyberattack, which targeted a third-party payroll system used by Britain’s Ministry of Defense, yielded the names and bank details of some serving members of the armed forces and some veterans, they said, as well as a small number of addresses. The payroll system, which is not connected to the defense ministry’s own internal network, has been taken offline and the government has not publicly blamed anyone for the data breach, or confirmed British media reports pointing a finger at China. In March Britain accused China of cyberattacks that compromised the voting records of tens of millions of people, and said that the Chinese had attempted unsuccessfully to hack email accounts belonging to several members of Parliament. The deputy prime minister, Oliver Dowden, also announced sanctions against two individuals and one company linked to a state-affiliated group implicated in those attacks.

Persons: Oliver Dowden Organizations: Britain’s Ministry of Defense Locations: British, China, Britain

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