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☆ London's India Club to serve its last curry after more than 70 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Sachin Ravikumar | Thomson Reuters | Sachin Ravikumar Is A Correspondent For Reuters In London Covering General News Across The Uk. Over Nine Years At Reuters | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The India Club, a historic London curry house with links to India's freedom struggle, will close its doors for the last time on Sunday after failing to stop a hotel redevelopment plan. For decades, the India Club has drawn regulars craving a masala dosa or bhuna lamb with a pint of Cobra or Kingfisher beer, but also many Londoners of Indian descent. Retired civil servant Ian Angell, who has been an India Club regular for nearly a decade, said its closure was very sad news. "It's such a great shame," he added, sitting below portraits of Indian independence heroes Gandhi and Nehru. Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; Editing by Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Shashi Tharoor, Chandran, Phiroza Marker, Ian Angell, Gandhi, Sachin Ravikumar, Alexander Smith Organizations: India, India League, Reuters, India Club, Nehru, Thomson Locations: London, India

☆ Debate needed on impact of a digital pound, says BoE official
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[1/2] A woman holds an umbrella outside the Bank of England in the City of London, Britain, July 30, 2023. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 12 (Reuters) - A "national conversation" is needed on whether to press ahead with a digital version of the pound, given concerns over privacy and other "anxieties", Bank of England deputy governor designate Sarah Breeden said on Tuesday. Breeden, currently an executive director at the Bank, told parliament's Treasury Committee that the impact on financial stability is also a concern regarding a digital pound. Reporting by Huw Jones and Muvija M, editing by Sachin RavikumarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Hollie Adams, Sarah Breeden, Breeden, Huw Jones, Muvija, Sachin Ravikumar Organizations: Bank of England, City of, REUTERS, Bank of, Bank, Treasury, Thomson Locations: City, City of London, Britain

Workers walk through the Canary Wharf financial district, ahead of a Bank of England decision on interest rate changes, in London, Britain, August 3, 2023. The unemployment rate rose, the number of people in work fell sharply and vacancies dipped below 1 million for the first time in two years, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Tuesday. Yet if incoming data doesn't turn definitively, another hike to a terminal rate of 5.75% is absolutely on the table." The unemployment rate rose to 4.3% in the three months to July from 4.2% a month earlier, its highest since the three months to the end of September 2021, the ONS said. Including bonuses, pay rose by 8.5% compared with the 8.2% consensus, boosted in part by backdated pay for healthcare workers.

Persons: Toby Melville, BoE, Hugh Gimber, they've, Andrew Bailey, Jeremy Hunt, Andy Bruce, David Milliken, Sachin Ravikumar, David Holmes Organizations: Bank of, REUTERS, Bank of England, National Statistics, Morgan Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Bank of England, London, Britain

☆ UK, Japanese, Italian Partners Agree Next Steps for Fighter Jet
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's BAE Systems, Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Italy's Leonardo have agreed the next steps to deliver the concept phase of a next-generation combat aircraft, BAE Systems said on Tuesday. The three nations agreed in December 2022 to collaborate to build an advanced front-line fighter to enter service around the middle of the next decade. The new Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) agreement will support discussions to set out working arrangements and capability requirements for the aircraft, BAE said. The three nations will update on the project's progress at London's DSEI international arms fair this week, BAE said. Britain's defence ministry had committed 2 billion pounds to the project, formerly known as Tempest, before Japan and Italy joined.

Persons: Italy's Leonardo, Herman Claesen, BAE's, GCAP, Sachin Ravikumar, Paul Sandle, Sarah Young Organizations: BAE Systems, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Global Combat Air, BAE, London's Locations: Italy, Japan

☆ UK man, accused of spying for China in parliament, says he's innocent
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] An Uber riverboat sails on the River Thames, with the Houses of Parliament seen behind in London, Britain, May 17, 2023. Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden and the parliamentary speaker were due to raise the case, after several lawmakers called for not only an explanation but also tighter vetting procedures for those working in the House of Commons. The Sunday Times reported one of those arrested was a researcher in the British parliament. His alleged spying in parliament was raised by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the G20 summit in India on Sunday. "I think that's the central question that needs to be answered by the prime minister today."

Persons: Toby Melville, Oliver Dowden, Rishi Sunak, Premier Li Qiang, Birnberg Peirce, James, Sunak, Keir Starmer, Elizabeth Piper, Alistair Smout, Kylie MacLellan, Sachin Ravikumar, Christina Fincher, Peter Graff Organizations: REUTERS, London's Metropolitan Police, Sunday Times, Times, British, Premier, Chinese Communist Party, Labour, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, China, London's, India, Beijing

☆ All of UK retailer Wilko's stores to shut, with over 9,000 job losses
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A branch of the discount retail homeware store Wilko is seen in Altrincham, Britain, September 11, 2023. PwC confirmed that 124 Wilko stores were set to close by Sept. 21, while the timing for the closure of the remaining 222 stores has yet to be announced. Some job losses in addition to those set out on Monday had been announced in recent weeks. Earlier this month London-listed retailer B&M (BMEB.L) struck a deal to buy 51 Wilko stores for up to 13 million pounds ($16.26 million). "Wilko should have thrived in a bargain retail sector that is otherwise strong, but it was run into the ground by the business owners."

Persons: Molly Darlington, PwC, Wilko, Doug Putman, Nadine Houghton, James Davey, Muvija, Sachin Ravikumar, Paul Sandle, Susan Fenton Organizations: REUTERS, HMV, Thomson Locations: Altrincham, Britain, Leicester, England, Wilko, London

☆ UK could lose global climate leadership, says former energy minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Chris Skidmore is seen outside Downing Street, as uncertainty over Brexit continues, in London, Britain May 21, 2019. "We are in this global net zero race, we have been climate leaders in the past, we're about to lose that leadership," he said. There is no free rider opportunities in net zero. Asked if Sunak should attend the COP28 climate summit in person to help Britain hold onto its net zero leadership, Skidmore said it was policy outcomes which were the most important thing. "Yes, it's nice if we can have a prime minister turn up, but I don't think it's essential," he said.

Persons: Chris Skidmore, Brexit, Hannah Mckay, decarbonisation, Jobs, Rishi Sunak's, Sunak, Skidmore, William James, Sachin Ravikumar, Muvija, Sarah Young Organizations: REUTERS, Rights Companies Edf Energy Nuclear Generation, Reuters IMPACT, Thomson Locations: Downing, London, Britain

An easyJet Airbus A320neo aircraft is parked on the tarmac of Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport, in Madrid, Spain, June 22 2022. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Easyjet PLC FollowLONDON, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Decarbonisation efforts in the aviation sector will cost more money, but that cost should not fall to the consumer, easyJet Chief Executive Johan Lundgren said on Wednesday. He added that options to decarbonise, like creating sustainable aviation fuels, are not yet at scale and cost three to five times more than typical jet fuel. Lundgren also said a wide range of stakeholders including governments needed to chip in to ensure decarbonisation costs remain low. A lot of the cost will depend on the speed of innovation, which Lundgren is hopeful can mitigate price hikes.

Persons: Adolfo Suarez, Isabel Infantes, Johan Lundgren, Lundgren, Sarah Young, Joanna Plucinska, Sachin Ravikumar, William James, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Airbus, Adolfo Suarez Madrid, Barajas Airport, REUTERS, Reuters IMPACT, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Madrid, Spain, London

☆ Hundreds more UK school buildings could be crumbling, says minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Sachin Ravikumar | Thomson Reuters | Sachin Ravikumar Is A Correspondent For Reuters In London Covering General News Across The Uk. Over Nine Years At Reuters | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Hundreds more school buildings in England might be crumbling and unsafe, Britain's Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said on Monday after authorities ordered 104 schools to shut buildings with old and weak concrete. The revelations of crumbling school buildings only days before the start of a new term has sparked anger among parents and teachers, representing a new political headache for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of an election expected next year. Keegan told BBC Radio that schools suspected to have RAAC would be inspected in the next two weeks, adding that "most of them won't have RAAC". When asked if there could be hundreds more schools, she acknowledged that "it could be hundreds". Sunak, meanwhile, said that 95% of the roughly 22,000 schools in England would not be affected.

Persons: Gillian Keegan, Rishi Sunak, Keegan, Sunak, Jonathan Slater, Sachin Ravikumar, Kylie MacLellan, Peter Graff, David Goodman Organizations: BBC Radio, Thomson Locations: England, Britain

☆ British defence firm BAE sets up Ukrainian base
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Trade visitors walk past an advertisement for BAE Systems at Farnborough International Airshow in Farnborough, Britain, July 17, 2018. As the UK's biggest defence contractor, BAE has manufactured much of the equipment that Britain and other governments have provided to Ukraine as it fends off Russia's invasion. Britain is a key defence supplier for Ukraine and in May became the first country to start supplying Kyiv with long-range cruise missiles. BAE, which has benefited from increased defence spending as a result of the conflict, is already providing training and repair services to Ukraine's armed forces. Western defence companies have been weighing opportunities to make weapons in Ukraine against the possible security risks, Reuters reported in June.

Persons: Toby Melville, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Charles Woodburn, Zelenskiy, BAE's Woodburn, Muvija, Sarah Young, Sachin Ravikumar, Frances Kerry Organizations: BAE Systems, REUTERS, BAE, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Farnborough, Britain, Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Sweden, Swedish

☆ HMV owner finalising deal to buy most of collapsed UK retailer Wilko -Sky News
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A branch of the discount retail homeware store Wilko is seen in London, Britain, August 3, 2023. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Canadian businessman Doug Putman is finalising a deal to buy the majority of collapsed British homeware retailer Wilko from its administrators in a deal which could save up to 9,000 jobs, Sky News reported on Thursday. The administrators are consulting Wilko's biggest creditors about the deal, Sky News said, adding that there was still some uncertainty around whether it would go ahead. Poundland's parent company and B&M European Value Retail (BMEB.L) have also shown interest in acquiring a smaller portion of Wilko stores. Wilko's administrators PwC said earlier on Thursday that there were parties interested in buying the retailer but none of them wanted the whole group.

Persons: Toby Melville, Doug Putman, Putman, PwC, Sarah Young, Muvija, Elizabeth Piper, Sachin Ravikumar Organizations: REUTERS, Sky News, HMV, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Canadian, British, Wilko

☆ London's contentious clean air zone ULEZ extends to entire city
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Sachin Ravikumar | Thomson Reuters | Sachin Ravikumar Is A Correspondent For Reuters In London Covering General News Across The Uk. Over Nine Years At Reuters | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Signage is seen along the existing boundary of London's Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) zone ahead of proposed upcoming expansion, in London, Britain, August 22, 2023. The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) was introduced in 2019 in a small part of central London and was further expanded in 2021. London Mayor Sadiq Khan says the expansion will reduce deaths from illnesses linked to air pollution and help to curb climate change. Khan told the BBC on Tuesday that introducing the expanded zone was difficult but necessary. Protesters have taken out their ire on ULEZ enforcement cameras, with London's Metropolitan Police recording 164 stolen and 185 damaged cameras as of Aug. 1.

Persons: Toby Melville, Sadiq Khan, Khan, ULEZ, Sachin Ravikumar, Kylie MacLellan, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, London, BBC, Reuters, London's Metropolitan Police, Labour Party, Labour, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Europe, Brussels

☆ British Museum director quits over stolen items
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A sign for the British Museum which houses the Parthenon sculptures is seen in London, Britain, January 25, 2023. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Aug 25 (Reuters) - The director of the British Museum said on Friday he was stepping down with immediate effect after admitting to failings in the museum's investigation into the theft of items from its collection. "Over the last few days I have been reviewing in detail the events around the thefts from the British Museum and the investigation into them," he said in a statement. "It is evident that the British Museum did not respond as comprehensively as it should have." The museum's board of trustees, chaired by former British finance minister George Osborne, accepted Fischer's resignation.

Persons: Toby Melville, Hartwig Fischer, George Osborne, Osborne, Andrew MacAskill, Sachin Ravikumar Organizations: British, REUTERS, British Museum, Thomson Locations: London, Britain

☆ British Museum director quits over stolen treasures
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Andrew Macaskill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A sign for the British Museum which houses the Parthenon sculptures is seen in London, Britain, January 25, 2023. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Aug 25 (Reuters) - The director of the British Museum said on Friday he would step down after admitting to failings in its investigation into the theft of items from its collection. "It is evident that the British Museum did not respond as comprehensively as it should have," he said in a statement. Fischer said that he withdrew remarks made about the art dealer who first alerted museum bosses to the stolen items. Earlier this week, Fischer said Ittai Gradel, an antiquities dealer, withheld information about the scale of the stolen items when he contacted the museum.

Persons: Toby Melville, Hartwig Fischer, Fischer, Ittai Gradel, George Osborne, Osborne, Andrew MacAskill, Sachin Ravikumar, Angus MacSwan, Andrew Heavens Organizations: British, REUTERS, British Museum, Police, Thomson Locations: London, Britain

Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is the only regulator to block Microsoft's $69 billion Activision deal, in a test of its post-Brexit clout. The CMA in a statement said the revised transaction would "allow Ubisoft to commercialise these rights to other cloud gaming services providers (including to Microsoft itself)". Under the new terms, Microsoft will not be able to release Activision Blizzard games exclusively on its own cloud streaming service — Xbox Cloud Gaming – or to exclusively control the licensing terms of Activision Blizzard games for rival services. The new transaction deals with streaming rights outside the European Economic Area, reflecting the fact that Brussels had already approved the deal. Ubisoft will, however, receive a non-exclusive licence for Activision's European gaming rights too, enabling the French group to also stream the rights in the EU.

Persons: Yadarisa, Kate Holton, Rashmi Aich, Sachin Ravikumar, Barbara Lewis Organizations: CMA, Activision, Ubisoft Deal, Microsoft, Ubisoft Entertainment, Britain's, Markets Authority, Ubisoft, European Union, Sony, U.S, Activision Blizzard, Economic, Activision's, Thomson Locations: Paris, British, Brussels, Bengaluru, London

Net borrowing, excluding state-owned banks, stood at 4.3 billion pounds ($5.49 billion) last month, less than the median forecast of 5.0 billion pounds in a Reuters poll of economists. In the first four months of the financial year, borrowing stood at 56.6 billion pounds. "As inflation slows, it's vital that we don’t alter our course and continue to act responsibly with the public finances," Hunt said in a statement after the data. Interest costs rose by 1.5 billion pounds compared with July last year to 7.7 billion pounds, the highest for July since records began in April 1997. The public finances were boosted by inflows of self-assessed income tax receipts which are typically strong in July, which stood at 11.8 billion pounds, 2.5 billion pounds more than in July last year.

Persons: Jeremy Hunt, Jessica Taylor, Handout, Hunt, Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss's, Ruth Gregory, Gregory, Gabriella Dickens, William Schomberg, Sachin Ravikumar, Andrew Heavens, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Reuters, Bank of England, Conservative Party, Treasury, Capital Economics, Senior, National Statistics, Britain's, Thomson Locations: London, Britain

☆ 'I am evil': British nurse guilty of murdering seven newborn babies
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - A British nurse, who penned a note stating "I am evil", was found guilty on Friday of murdering seven newborn babies and trying to kill another six in the neonatal unit of a hospital in northwest England where she worked. She tried to kill one baby girl three times before finally succeeding on the fourth attempt. "Lucy Letby was entrusted to protect some of the most vulnerable babies. "She did her utmost to conceal her crimes, by varying the ways in which she repeatedly harmed babies in her care." Reporting by William James, writing by Sachin Ravikumar; editing by Michael HoldenOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lucy Letby, Countess, Chester, Little, Pascale Jones, William James, Sachin Ravikumar, Michael Holden Organizations: Crown Prosecution Service, Thomson Locations: England

☆ London's clean-air zone expansion hit by camera vandalism
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Signage indicates the boundary of London's Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) beside the South Circular road ahead of proposed upcoming expansion, in London, Britain, August 4, 2023. REUTERS/Susannah Ireland/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Hundreds of cameras installed on London's roads to enforce a clean-air zone that imposes a daily charge on some motorists have been vandalised amid fierce opposition to its upcoming expansion, police said on Friday. The Aug. 29 expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has been championed by London Mayor Sadiq Khan as essential to bring down deaths linked to air pollution and combat climate change. London's Metropolitan Police said it had recorded hundreds of crimes relating to ULEZ cameras, with 164 being stolen and 185 reports of cables being damaged as of Aug. 1. ($1 = 0.7871 pounds)Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar, Editing by Kylie MacLellanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Susannah Ireland, Sadiq Khan, Owain Richards, ULEZ, Khan, Sachin Ravikumar, Kylie MacLellan Organizations: REUTERS, London, London's Metropolitan Police, . Police, Transport, Labour Party, Labour, Thomson Locations: London, Britain

Annual pay growth including bonuses also accelerated, hitting 8.2%, the fastest outside the coronavirus pandemic period when government job subsidies distorted the data. Two-year British government bond yields, which are sensitive to speculation about BoE rate changes, hit their highest level in a month. Samuel Tombs, an economist with Pantheon Macroeconomics, said wage increases were set to slow in the second half of 2023. "The momentum in wage growth still is too strong for the Committee to take a break just yet," Tombs said. However, inactivity due to long-term sickness rose to a new record high, adding to the problems for employers seeking to fill job vacancies and adding to the pressure on pay growth.

Persons: BoE, Sterling, Samuel Tombs, Tombs, Andrew Bailey, Bailey, it's, Sharon Graham, Sachin Ravikumar, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Reuters, Sterling, Bank of England, Pantheon, Public, Unite, Union, Thomson Locations: Britain

☆ Three suspected Russian spies arrested in Britain - BBC
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The individuals are Bulgarian nationals, who were alleged to be working for Russian security services, the BBC said in its report, saying they had been held as part of a major national security investigation. The police declined to comment on whether they were suspected of being Russian spies. Britain has been sharpening its focus on external security threats and last month it passed a new national security law, aiming to deter espionage and foreign interference with updated tools and criminal provisions. Last year, Britain's domestic spy chief said more than 400 suspected Russian spies had been expelled from Europe. Britain has also been one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine since the Russian invasion last year and has imposed a range of sanctions on Russian officials and oligarchs.

Persons: Roussev, Biser Dzambazov, Katrin Ivanova, Sergei Skripal, Novichok, Sachin Ravikumar, Michael Holden, William James, Sharon Singleton Organizations: British, BBC, London's Metropolitan Police, Bailey Court, Police, Thomson Locations: Russia, Bailey, Britain, Europe, Ukraine

☆ Global conservation mission sets sail from UK in Darwin's wake
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Ben Makori | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A general view of the ship 'Oosterschelde', launched by the planetary conservation mission DARWIN200, which is to set sail on August 15, in Plymouth, Britain August 11, 2023. The group will set sail on board a 105-year-old schooner on Tuesday from the southern English port of Plymouth, from where British naturalist Darwin's own expedition began in 1831, leading him to develop the theory of evolution by natural selection. The 40,000 nautical mile "Darwin200" expedition hopes to anchor in 32 ports, including all the major ports visited by Darwin's HMS Beagle. Throughout the journey, 200 selected young environmentalists will temporarily join the ship to be trained on conservation efforts. Patrons of the project include Darwin's great-great-granddaughter - the botanist Sarah Darwin - and British primatologist Jane Goodall.

Persons: Charles Darwin's, Darwin's, Stewart McPherson, McPherson, Sarah Darwin, Jane Goodall, Goodall, Sachin Ravikumar, William James, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Plymouth, Britain, Handout

☆ Britain says it intercepted two Russian bomber aircraft north of Scotland
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Britain said its Typhoon fighter jets intercepted two Russian maritime patrol bomber aircraft in international airspace north of Scotland on Monday, within NATO's northern air policing area. Britain said its Typhoon jets are routinely scrambled during such incidents to secure and safeguard its skies. British pilots also recently led NATO's air policing mission in Estonia, where more than 50 similar air intercepts were carried out, it added. Earlier on Monday, Russia said its strategic bombers had carried out routine flights over international waters in the Arctic. Reporting by Kylie MacLellan, writing by Sachin Ravikumar; editing by William JamesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: James Heappey, Kylie MacLellan, Sachin Ravikumar, William James Our Organizations: Pilots, Thomson Locations: Britain, Scotland, Shetland, British, Estonia, Russia

☆ UK retailer John Lewis boosts AI capability with Google deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 9 (Reuters) - British retailer John Lewis Partnership has agreed a five-year deal with Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google Cloud, enabling it to harness the latest artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technology. The employee-owned partnership, which runs John Lewis department stores and the Waitrose supermarket chain, said on Wednesday the new agreement, which builds on a decade-long relationship with Google Cloud, was worth 100 million pounds ($127 million). Under the expanded agreement, more of the partnership's technology will migrate to Google Cloud. Google Cloud agreed a similar deal with European home improvement retailer Kingfisher(KGF.L) last November. Zak Mian, the John Lewis Partnership's chief transformation and technology officer, said an example was customers using an image scanning feature in their John Lewis App to show its home design stylists a room they're looking to furnish.

Persons: John Lewis, Zak Mian, John Lewis Partnership's, Prerna Bedi, James Davey, Nivedita Bhattacharjee, Sachin Ravikumar Organizations: John, John Lewis Partnership, Google, Waitrose, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru, London

☆ UK Electoral Commission says it was hacked by 'hostile actors'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Britain's Electoral Commission said on Tuesday it had been targeted in a complex cyber incident first identified last October, which involved its systems being accessed by "hostile actors." The Electoral Commission is the independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in Britain. "Hostile actors were active in our systems and had access to servers which held our email, control systems, and copies of the electoral registers," it said in a series of posts on social media platform X. The commission has worked with Britain's National Cyber Security Centre and external experts to investigate the incident and had since made improvements to the security of its IT systems, it said. Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; editing by William JamesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sachin Ravikumar, William James Our Organizations: Cyber Security, Thomson Locations: Britain's, Britain

☆ UK moves some asylum seekers to barge on southern coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Some officials are aboard the Bibby Stockholm barge at Portland, near Poole, Britain, August 7, 2023. REUTERS/Toby MelvillePORTLAND, England, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Britain began moving some migrants on to a large residential barge on its southern coast on Monday, as part of plans to use cheaper alternatives to hotels as temporary accommodation while asylum claims are processed. The government says it wants to limit the "pull" factors attracting asylum seekers to Britain, where more than 50,000 are currently living in hotels after they made the final part of their journey in small dinghies across the Channel. The government has said the Bibby Stockholm barge will only house single men and provide "basic and functional" accommodation, along with healthcare provision, catering facilities and onboard security. "The welfare of asylum seekers in our care is of the upmost importance," a spokesperson for the interior ministry said.

Persons: Toby Melville, Sarah Dines, Bibby, Sachin Ravikumar, Suban Abdulla, Kate Holton Organizations: REUTERS, Sky, Thomson Locations: Bibby Stockholm, Portland, Poole, Britain, Toby Melville PORTLAND, England, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Albania

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