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Official data showed economic output expanded by 0.2% in August from July, matching the median forecast in a Reuters poll of economists. "The UK economy is holding up but remains in a precarious state," said David Bharier, head of research at the British Chambers of Commerce. The data showed Britain's huge services sector grew by a slightly stronger than expected 0.4% in August from July while manufacturing and construction shrank by 0.8% and 0.5%. Investors are putting a chance of less than one in four on the BoE resuming its rate hikes after its next scheduled meeting in November. Britain's economy stood 2.1% bigger than in February 2020, just before the coronavirus pandemic hit, the ONS said.

Persons: Matthew Childs, Sterling, Elizabeth's, BoE, David Bharier, William Schomberg, Andy Bruce, Kate Holton Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of England, Monetary Fund, Chambers of Commerce, European Union, ONS, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Miral

☆ Britain to return asylum seekers to barge after bacteria scare
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Britain said on Tuesday it would once again house a group of asylum seekers on a barge on its southern coast, two months after removing them due to the presence of contaminated water on the vessel. Following safety tests, the government has now started sending letters to asylum seekers confirming they will be moved to the barge, an interior ministry spokesperson said. "The letters confirm the next steps for asylum seekers and reiterate that all asylum accommodation continues to be offered on a no-choice basis," the spokesperson added. A separate plan to deport such migrants to Rwanda is being tested in Britain's Supreme Court this week. ($1 = 0.8158 pounds)Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; Editing by Kate HoltonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bibby, Sachin Ravikumar, Kate Holton Organizations: Thomson Locations: Britain, Bibby Stockholm, France, Rwanda

☆ London Luton Airport suspends flights after car park inferno
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Britain's London Luton Airport suspended all flights until 1400 GMT on Wednesday after a car fire triggered a wider blaze that led to a partial collapse of one of its multi-storey car parks. There were no known fatalities in the fire, which was first reported to emergency services late on Tuesday evening. "Our priority remains supporting the emergency services and the safety of our passengers and staff. [1/5]Flames are seen as emergency services respond to a fire in Terminal Car Park 2 at London Luton airport in Luton, Britain, October 10, 2023. Britain's easyJet (EZJ.L), whose flights operate from Luton airport, said "airlines are currently experiencing some disruption to their flying programmes."

Persons: Peter Cziborra, Britain's, Baranjot Kaur, William James, Mrinmay Dey, Chris Reese, Sonali Paul, Kate Holton, Paul Sandle Organizations: Luton Airport, London, REUTERS, Civil Aviation Authority, Ryanair, Wizz, Thomson Locations: London Luton, Luton, Britain, Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester, Bengaluru, London

☆ Belief in humanity gives son hope for mother missing after kibbutz raid
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Kate Holton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"She's the most loving, caring, peace-seeking, justice-seeking human being," he told Reuters of the grandmother of six. "She became an Arabic teacher and Hebrew teacher. Sitting in his kitchen in north London, Noam Sagi, 53, said his one hope was that when the militants come face-to-face with those they have taken they will see them not as a Jew or an Israeli, but as humans. I just hope that they will realise that you can't prioritise yours over anyone else," he said. Hamas has vowed to execute a captive for each home hit without warning.

Persons: Noam Sagi, Ada, Toby Melville, Ada Sagi, Noam, Nir Oz, Kate Holton, Howard Goller Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Reuters, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Israel

Germany and Austria earlier on Monday said they were suspending bilateral development aid to Palestinians, while others such as Italy had said suspending aid was not up for discussion. It is unclear whether the suspensions in development aid will also apply to such assistance. Varhelyi said all new budget proposals for Palestinian aid were also postponed until further notice. The Israeli flag has been hoisted above the chancellor's office and the Foreign Ministry after the shock Hamas assault. Asked if Italy would follow Germany and Austria in suspending development aid, the foreign ministry spokesperson said this was not under discussion.

Persons: Amir Cohen, Oliver Varhelyi, Varhelyi, Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah, Alexander Schallenberg, Svenja Schulze, Rishi Sunak, Andrew Gray, Francois Murphy, Sarah Marsh, Markus Wacket, Angela Amante, Kate Holton, Mark Heinrich, Alison Williams, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, BRUSSELS, European, United Nations, Union, EU, EU Commission, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, Austrian, European Union, Foreign Ministry, Social Democrats, Greens, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Ashkelon, Israel, Germany, Austria, Italy, BERLIN, Europe, West, Berlin, Palestinian, Berlin's, Brandenburg, United Nations, Britain, Brussels, Vienna, Rome, London

☆ Amazon UK to spend 170 mln stg on staff pay rises
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

People take part in a rally in support of Amazon workers' on strike, outside the Amazon warehouse, in Coventry, Britain, January 25, 2023. Pay rates will further increase to between 12.30 pounds and 13 pounds an hour from April next year. The increases mean Amazon’s minimum starting pay will have risen by 20% in two years, and 50% since 2018, it said. Amazon UK also said it has started recruiting for more than 15,000 seasonal roles across the UK for the festive period. Last week, supermarket groups Morrisons and Aldi said they were hiring 3,500 and 3,000 extra staff for the Christmas season.

Persons: Henry Nicholls, BoE, James Davey, Kate Holton Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of, Amazon, Aldi, Thomson Locations: Coventry, Britain, Bank of England

REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 5 (Reuters) - The British government will try next week to persuade judges at the country's top court to overturn a ruling which declared unlawful its divisive plan to deport to Rwanda asylum seekers who arrive in small boats across the Channel. The stakes for Sunak are high, as he has made dealing with immigration one of his five priorities. This year, more than 25,000 people have arrived in Britain on small boats, while a record 45,755 were detected in 2022. Housing some of those migrants in hotels costs about 6 million pounds a day. Polls show high immigration remains a major concern to voters, although conversely also suggest there is support for migrants filling labour shortages.

Persons: Suella Braverman, Paul Rwigamba, Flora Uwayezu, Stringer, Rishi Sunak's, Brendan Clarke, Smith, Sunak, Boris Johnson, of Canterbury, King Charles, Robert Reed, Clarke, Michael Holden, Kate Holton, Angus MacSwan Organizations: British, Property Management, REUTERS, Conservative, Reuters, Conservative Party, European Union, Thomson Locations: Kigali Rwanda, British, Rwanda, London's, East Africa, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Vietnam, Sudan, Europe, Britain, East, Africa, Afghanistan, Angus

And if you do, you should stand with me," Sunak said, referring to what he described as 30 years of political short-termism. "It may be helpful, but it won't be sufficient" to help them win the next election. Chris Hopkins, political research director at the polling firm Savanta, said he could not see how Sunak could win. Cabinet ministers have given speeches to sparsely populated rooms and some party members have openly talked what they may do in opposition. Writing by Elizabeth Piper; editing by Kate Holton and Philippa FletcherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Goldman Sachs, Andy Street, Suella Braverman, pollsters, John Curtice, Chris Hopkins, Savanta, Liz Truss, Nigel Farage, Steve Tuckwell, Elizabeth Piper, Kate Holton, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Conservative, Conservatives, Labour, University of Strathclyde, European Union, Republican Party, London's Labour, Thomson Locations: MANCHESTER, England, Manchester, British, Birmingham, West Midlands, United States

For his manager, Barrie Chapman, the overtime he now gets is a huge boost once unheard of in the hospitality sector. At its "Alcampo Lounge" venue in Brighton, staff can get a free meal per shift, flexible hours, bonuses, and overtime for salaried employees. "There's been a trend in hospitality to work staff hard, to not treat them very well, because there was always another person that would come in," said head chef Chris Lloyd-Rogers. "That's why people leave work, and it's what brings people back," Wilson said. Recruitment website Indeed said its regular survey of job seekers showed that the most highly valued benefits were flexible working and sick pay.

Persons: Josh Hughes, Davies, Barrie Chapman, Jen Eaton, Nick Collins, Eaton, Chapman, Hughes, Spencer, Britain's, Loungers, There's, Chris Lloyd, Rogers, Tony Wilson, Wilson, Sarah Findlater, Fiona Walters, Amit Puntambekar, Puntambekar, James Davey, Kate Holton, David Milliken, David Clarke 私 Organizations: Reuters, Amazon, Tesco, Global, Office, National Statistics, Britain, EU, Institute for Employment Studies, Organisation for Economic Co, IES Locations: BRIGHTON, England, Brighton, Britain, Cambridge, London

Energy Security Minister Claire Coutinho said that Rosebank would be less emissions-intensive compared with older oil and gas developments because they were designed with mitigations in place. Environmental campaigners had urged the government to halt development of Rosebank, saying it contravened the plan for a net-zero economy. Uplift, a campaign group opposed to Rosebank, said Britain would struggle to benefit from Rosebank as most of the oil would be processed abroad. "By approving Rosebank, Rishi Sunak has confirmed he couldn't care less about climate change," Uplift executive director Tessa Khan said. The North Sea Transition Authority, the UK regulator, said it had taken Rosebank's emissions into account in relation to Britain's climate plan.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Claire Coutinho, Sunak, Caroline Lucas, Rosebank, Tessa Khan, Sarah Young, William James, Ron Bousso, Kate Holton, Jane Merriman Organizations: Energy, Environmental, Green Party, Labour Party, Ithaca Energy, Ithaca Energy's, Transition, Thomson Locations: Ithaca, Britain, Oslo, Rosebank, Equinor

Ford UK Chair Lisa Brankin was scathing: "Our business needs three things from the UK government: ambition, commitment and consistency. Britain was the first major economy to create a legally binding 2050 net zero target and emissions have fallen almost 50% since 1990 as coal power plants closed and offshore wind power took off. The government's own independent adviser on climate action said in June that Britain was not doing enough to hit its mid-century target. Ford said it had spent 430 million pounds ($532 million) on its UK development and manufacturing facilities, with "further funding planned for the 2030 timeframe". His party has trailed the opposition Labour Party in polls for over a year.

Persons: Suella Braverman, Andy Bailey, Handout, Rishi Sunak, Lisa Brankin, Sunak, We're, Ford, Chris Skidmore, Kate Holton, Elizabeth Piper, William James, Susanna Twidale, Muvija, Nick Carey, Sachin Ravikumar, Gareth Jones, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Economic, REUTERS, Sunak's Conservative Party, Ford, Conservative, BET, Times Radio, European Union, BMW, Volkswagen, Labour Party, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Sunak

☆ UK in close touch with Canada over 'serious allegations' against India
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A sign outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara temple is seen after the killing on its grounds in June 2023 of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada September 18, 2023. REUTERS/Chris Helgren Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Britain said on Tuesday it was in close touch with its Canadian partners about "serious allegations" from Ottawa that the Indian government was involved in the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada. "We are in close touch with our Canadian partners about these serious allegations," a government spokesperson said. Canada said on Monday it was "actively pursuing credible allegations" that linked Indian government agents to Hardeep Singh Nijjar's murder in British Columbia in June. India dismissed the accusation as "absurd and motivated" and urged Canada instead to take legal action against anti-Indian elements operating from its soil.

Persons: Nanak, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Chris Helgren, Hardeep Singh, Sachin Ravikumar, Kate Holton Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, Britain, Ottawa, India, New Delhi, Canadian

☆ UK police receive sex assault allegation following Russell Brand reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Michael Holden | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Sept 18 (Reuters) - London police said on Monday they had received an allegation of a sexual assault dating back 20 years following media reports about comedian and actor Russell Brand. "Officers are in contact with the woman and will be providing her with support," the Metropolitan Police statement said. The Times and Dispatches said one woman had made an allegation of rape, while another said Brand assaulted her when she was 16 and still at school. The reports of the allegations about Brand, once one of the country's most high-profile comedians and broadcasters, has dominated British media since they appeared. Reporting by Michael Holden and Muvija M; Editing by Kate Holton and Andrew HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Russell Brand, Brand, Katy Perry, Rishi Sunak, Michael Holden, Muvija, Kate Holton, Andrew Heavens Organizations: London, Sunday Times, Police, Metropolitan Police, Theatre Royal Windsor, BBC, Met Police, British, Thomson Locations: Soho, London, Los Angeles, British

☆ Global companies to hike security spending as threats rise - survey
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Kate Holton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The survey, by the American security and staffing company Allied Universal, found companies were losing high-end goods and intellectual property both internally to staff and externally, with North America badly affected. The World Security Report survey, the first time Allied has collated and published the thinking of so many large companies, questioned executives overseeing a combined $660 billion in security budgets in 2022, or 3.3% of their global revenue. That would add to the growing cost that companies around the world have been grappling with, on everything from wages to energy. It listed economic unrest stemming from high inflation and deteriorating living standards, along with climate change and social unrest as issues that can lead to security breaches. Asked about future spending, 42% of respondents said they intended to invest in artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-powered surveillance to spot threats more quickly.

Persons: Henry Nicholls, Steve Jones, Kate Holton, Andrew Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Allied Universal, North, Allied, Reuters, Thomson Locations: City, London, Britain, North America

☆ Wallace confirms resignation as UK defence minister in letter to PM Sunak
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

British Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace walks on Downing Street on the day of the last cabinet meeting before the summer recess, in London, Britain, July 18, 2023. REUTERS/Anna Gordon/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Ben Wallace confirmed his resignation as defence minister on Thursday in a letter to Rishi Sunak, offering the government his continued support while warning the British prime minister not to see defence as a "discretionary spend". In his official resignation letter, Wallace renewed his appeal for the government not to turn to defence to make spending cuts. Sunak praised Wallace for his work, saying in a letter in response: "You have served our country in three of the most demanding posts in government: defence secretary, security minister and Northern Ireland minister." A former captain in the British army, Wallace, 53, was appointed as defence minister in 2019 by his friend and ally, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson after holding junior ministerial roles in earlier governments.

Persons: Defence Ben Wallace, Anna Gordon, Ben Wallace, Rishi Sunak, Wallace, Jens Stoltenberg, hollowing, Sunak, Boris Johnson, Johnson, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Muvija M, Elizabeth Piper, Kate Holton, Alex Richardson Organizations: State, Defence, REUTERS, NATO, Conservative Party, Ministry of Defence, Northern, Twitter, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Ukraine, Norwegian, Northern Ireland, Russia, Kyiv

[1/2] British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng attend a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China August 30, 2023. "We are clear-eyed about the areas where we have fundamental disagreements with China and we raise those issues when we meet," he told broadcasters. China Vice President Han Zheng told Cleverly at their meeting that he hoped the two countries could make new advances in their relations. Cleverly's visit to China comes as other countries in the West also try to improve their relations with the country. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is on a four-day visit in China but warned that U.S. companies have complained to her that China has become "uninvestible".

Persons: James, Han Zheng, Florence Lo, Wang Yi, Liz Truss, Conservative Alicia Kearns, Gina Raimondo, Han, Sarah Young, Laurie Chen, Kate Holton, Elizabeth Piper, Conor Humphries Organizations: of, People, REUTERS, Rights, Conservative Party, China, British, Conservative, . Commerce, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, London, British, CHINA, Taiwan, Taipei, West

More than 1,500 flights were cancelled on Monday - a public holiday in parts of Britain, and one of the busiest travel days as the school holidays draw to close - when air traffic controllers were forced to switch to manual systems due to a technical problem. Ryanair, Europe's biggest airline, would be operating a normal schedule by Wednesday, said boss Michael O'Leary, as he criticised how Britain's National Air Traffic Services (NATS) had handled the situation. Harper chaired a meeting on Tuesday with NATS, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), airlines, airports, trade bodies and Border Force. EasyJet (EZJ.L) said that the knock-on impact meant some flights were cancelled on Tuesday morning. Heathrow Airport, Britain's busiest hub, told passengers to contact their airline before travelling to the airport on Tuesday.

Persons: Maria Ball, Charles De Gaulle, Mark Harper, Michael O'Leary, haven't, O'Leary, Raphael Satter, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Harper, NATS, Cirium, Sarah Young, Padraic Halpin, Farouq Suleiman, Kate Holton, Alistair Smout, Alison Williams, Mike Harrison Organizations: British, Ryanair, Europe's, Air Traffic Services, REUTERS, Civil Aviation Authority, CAA, Border Force, Aviation, British Airways, Heathrow, Thomson Locations: Europe, Britain, Liverpool, England, Paris, Edinburgh, London, Stansted, NATS

☆ NFL roundup: Aaron Rodgers makes Jets debut in win vs. Giants
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

John Kelly Jr. later rushed 2 yards for a score as Cleveland (1-2-1) led 22-3 after the first quarter. Kansas City finished the preseason 2-1. Daniel Carlson connected on all three field-goal attempts -- including a 62-yarder -- for the Raiders, who finish their preseason 2-1. Broncos 41, Rams 0Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci combined for 353 passing yards and two touchdowns as Denver throttled visiting Los Angeles. While the Broncos' offense totaled 494 yards, the defense limited the Rams (0-3) to just 88 passing yards and 159 total yards while notching a pair of interceptions and two sacks.

Persons: Aaron Rodgers, Robert Saleh, Ed Mulholland, Rodgers, Garrett Wilson, Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle, Alex Erickson, Brandin Echols, Tommy DeVito, Harrison Butker's, Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, David Njoku, John Kelly Jr, Chris Oladokun, Matt Bushman, Cleveland's Cade York, Josh Allen, Kyle Allen, Darrynton Evans, Justin Fields, PJ Walker, Tyson Bagent, Nate McCrary, Benny Sapp, Jordan Love, Alex McGough, Green Bay's Emanuel Wilson, McCrary, Drew Lock, Seattle QB Holton Ahlers, Sapp, David Blough, Clayton Tune, Arizona's Matt Prater, Jaren Hall, Greg Joseph, Jake Fromm, Jacoby Brissett, Trevor Siemian, Reid Sinnett, Shedrick Jackson, Kyle Trask, Chase McLaughlin, Trask, Josh Johnson, Laquan Treadwell, Owen Wright, McLaughlin, Travis Etienne Jr, D'Ernest Johnson, JaMychal Hasty, Beathard, Trevor Lawrence, Miami's Skylar Thompson, Tua Tagovailoa, Chris Brooks, Will Grier, Grier, Trey Lance, Daniel Carlson, Damien Williams, Jarrett Stidham, Ben DiNucci, Jaleel McLaughlin, Tony Jones Jr, Tyler Badie, Albert Okwuegbunam Organizations: New York Jets, New York Giants, MetLife, Jets, Giants, Chiefs, Browns, Kansas City, Cleveland, Bills, Bears, Buffalo, Chicago, Packers, Seahawks, Green, Seattle, Cardinals, Vikings, Minnesota, Bengals, Cincinnati, Buccaneers, Ravens, Tampa Bay, Bay, Jaguars, Dolphins, Jacksonville, Miami, Cowboys, Raiders, Dallas, Las Vegas, Las Vegas TD, Broncos, Rams, Denver, The Broncos, Thomson Locations: East Rutherford , New Jersey, USA, East Rutherford, N.J, Kansas, Seattle, Arizona, Minneapolis, Washington, Landover, Md, Baltimore, Arlington , Texas, Los Angeles

☆ 'Highly likely' Wagner boss Prigozhin dead but no definitive proof yet -UK
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Aug 25 (Reuters) - There is not yet definitive proof that Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin was onboard a plane that crashed with no survivors earlier this week but it is "highly likely" he is dead, Britain's Ministry of Defence said on Friday. "There is not yet definitive proof that Prigozhin was onboard and he is known to exercise exceptional security measures. However, it is highly likely that he is indeed dead," the British ministry said in a defence intelligence update posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. "The demise of Prigozhin would almost certainly have a deeply destabilising effect on the Wagner Group. His personal attributes of hyper-activity, exceptional audacity, a drive for results and extreme brutality permeated Wagner and are unlikely to be matched by any successor."

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Dimitry Utkin, Valery Chekalov, Kylie MacLellan, Farouq Suleiman, Kate Holton Organizations: Britain's Ministry of Defence, Wagner Group, Thomson Locations: Moscow

Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. The carve-out is designed to not upset a deal with Brussels for Microsoft to license content to rival cloud services. The CMA's block in April drew fury from the merging parties, with Microsoft saying that Britain was closed for business. It said on Tuesday that it had not felt any political pressure over its handling of the deal. The CMA will also avoid having to defend its original block in court, and Microsoft finally looks set to secure its deal.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Ronan Scanlan, Arthur Cox, Gustaf Duhs, Scanlan, Antony O'Loughlin, Setfords, Tom Smith, there's, Smith, Kate Holton, Paul Sandle, Martin Coulter, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, REUTERS, Markets Authority, U.S, Ubisoft Entertainment, European Union, U.S ., CMA, Reuters, Stevens & Bolton, Ubisoft, European, Geradin Partners, Big Tech, Thomson Locations: Britain, U.S, Brussels, Dublin, United States, European Union, China, London

☆ MLB roundup: M's down White Sox for 8th straight win
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Yoan Moncada and Vaughn each had two hits as the White Sox lost for the eighth time in 10 games. Brian Anderson's two-run single capped the uprising. Willy Adames hit a two-run homer for the Brewers, who got two innings of scoreless relief from Bryse Wilson (5-0). The Red Sox started 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position before Justin Turner stroked a two-run single in the ninth off Astros reliever Rafael Montero. Will Smith hit a two-run homer for Los Angeles, which lost for just the third time in 20 games this month.

Persons: Josh Rojas, Matt Marton, Mike Ford, Teoscar Hernandez, Justin Topa, Andres Munoz, Andrew Vaughn's, J.P, Crawford, Rojas, Yoan Moncada, Vaughn, CJ Abrams, Abrams, Tommy Kahnle, Carter Kieboom, Mason Thompson, Kyle Finnegan, Ben Rortvedt, Bailey Ober, Dylan Floro, Brian Anderson's, Willy Adames, Bryse Wilson, Christian Vazquez, Kyle Farmer, Eddie Rosario, Bryce Elder, Rosario, Marcell Ozuna, Atlanta's, Elder, Tylor, Justin Verlander, Kyle Tucker, Jon Singleton's, Justin Turner, Rafael Montero, Boston's Adam Duvall, Brandon Belt, Bo Bichette, Mike Baumann, Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Varsho, Adley Rutschman, Jordan Westburg, Ryan Mountcastle, Cleveland, Bobby Miller, Caleb Ferguson, Will Brennan, Andres Gimenez, Myles Straw, Oscar Gonzalez, Cleveland's Sam Hentges, Trevor Stephan, Emmanuel Clase, Noah Syndergaard, Will Smith, Andy Ibanez, Kerry Carpenter, Parker Meadows, Tyler Holton, Alex Lange, Dansby Swanson, Jeimer Candelario, Reese Olson, Drew Smyly, Trea Turner, Taijuan Walker, Turner, Craig Kimbrel, Kyle Harrison, Camilo Doval, Yandy Diaz, Osleivis Basabe slugged, Diaz, Randy Arozarena, Andrew Kittredge, Michael Toglia slugged, Elias Diaz, Brent Suter, Andrew McCutchen, Bryan Reynolds, Louis, Connor Joe, Johan Oviedo, David Bednar, Richie Palacios, Willson Conteras, Alec Burleson, Adam Wainwright Organizations: Seattle Mariners, Chicago White Sox, Seattle, Chicago, Mariners, Ford, White Sox, Nationals, Yankees, Washington, Brewers, Twins, Milwaukee bunched, Milwaukee, Braves, Mets, Atlanta, New, Astros, Red Sox, Houston, Boston, Jays, Orioles, Toronto, Baltimore, Dodgers, Los Angeles, Los, Tigers, Cubs, Detroit, Phillies, Giants, Philadelphia, Francisco, Rays, Rockies, League, Colorado, Pirates, Cardinals, Pittsburgh, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, USA, Seattle, New York, Minnesota, York, Baltimore, Cleveland, Los, Los Angeles, Parker, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Tampa, St . Petersburg, Fla, St

Microsoft announced the biggest gaming deal in history in early 2022, but the acquisition was blocked by Britain's competition regulator, which was concerned the U.S. computing giant would gain too much control of the nascent cloud gaming market. Under the restructured deal, Microsoft will not be able to release Activision games like "Overwatch" and "Diablo" exclusively on its own cloud streaming service — Xbox Cloud Gaming – or to exclusively control the licensing terms for rival services. Instead, French gaming rival Ubisoft will acquire the cloud streaming rights for Activision's existing PC and console games, and any new games released by Activision in the next 15 years. A view shows a Microsoft logo at Microsoft offices in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France, January 25, 2023. Microsoft said Ubisoft would acquire the rights through a one-off payment and a market-based wholesale pricing mechanism, including an option that supports pricing based on usage.

Persons: Tom Smith, there's, Gonzalo Fuentes, Alex Haffner, Fladgate, Sarah Cardell, Yadarisa, Kate Holton, Foo Yun Chee, Barbara Lewis, Sharon Singleton, Mark Potter Organizations: CMA, Microsoft, Activision, Ubisoft Deal, Ubisoft Entertainment, Ubisoft, Markets Authority, European Commission, Geradin Partners, Big Tech, Reuters, REUTERS, European Union . Competition, Federal Trade Commission, European, European Union, Sony, U.S, Thomson Locations: New York, Paris, U.S, Europe, Brussels, EU, Issy, France, British, United States, Bengaluru, London

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

That professionalisation has underpinned the success of the ninth Women's World Cup, which ended on Sunday with Spain beating England by a single goal in a final that pitted the two European countries with the strongest domestic leagues against each other. Attracting record crowds and television audiences, the tournament buoyed hopes that the women's game can start to bridge the yawning financial gap that exists with the men. TV BLACKOUTIn broadcast rights, the women's game has struggled to compete. The FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, threatened Europe's "Big 5" nations with a TV World Cup blackout unless their broadcasters upped their offers. But both Chadwick and Carlota Planas, a Spain-based women's' football agent representing several World Cup players, argued that the women's game now offers the values of tenacity, resilience and togetherness, which can appeal to advertisers.

Persons: Stoke City's, Molly Holder, Spain's, Olga Carmona, Sunday's, Gianni Infantino, Jill Ellis, Lisa Parfitt, Jill Scott, Chloe Kelly, Ella Toone, Kieran Maguire, Simon Chadwick, Chadwick, Carlota Planas, Planas, let's, Holder, Kate Holton, Nick Mulveney, Helen Reid, Suban Abdulla, Matt Scuffham Organizations: Stoke City women's, Reuters, Stoke City FC, REUTERS Acquire, Stoke, Spain, England, Deloitte, Real Madrid, Real Madrid men's, FIFA, Women, Football, Germany, University of Liverpool, Wembley, Super League, men's Premier League, Manchester City, Arsenal, School, Thomson Locations: Stoke, Trent, Britain, Handout, STOKE, England, MADRID, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, United States, Manchester, Chelsea, Liverpool, Sydney, London

Official data showed sales volumes last month were 1.2% lower than in June. Food stores sales volumes fell by a monthly 2.6% while non-food stores sales volumes fell by 1.7%. However, July's data represented only the second time that sales volumes fell on a month-to-month basis so far in 2023, suggesting resilience in consumer demand. Market research firm GfK reported last month that consumer confidence fell in July for the first time since January. Retail sales volumes were 3.2% lower than a year earlier, the ONS said, compared with economists' forecasts for a 2.1% decline.

Persons: Sterling, Heather Bovill, Ruth Gregory, GfK, Samuel Tombs, BoE, Tombs, Spencer, James Davey, Kate Holton, Susan Fenton Organizations: Reuters, Office, National Statistics, Department, Bank of England, Capital Economics, Macroeconomics, Thomson

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