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☆ Britain cancels $1.7 billion of computing projects in setback for global AI ambitions
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

(Photo by Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu via Getty Images)The U.K. government has canceled £1.3 billion ($1.7 billion) worth of computing infrastructure projects, in a big setback to the country's ambitions to become a world leader in artificial intelligence. A government spokesperson confirmed to CNBC that two major taxpayer-funded spending commitments, worth £500 million and £800 million, respectively, were being dropped in order to prioritize other fiscal plans. Earlier this week, British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves announced a raft of spending cuts after revealing Labour had inherited a projected £22 billion ($28 billion) of unfunded pledges from the center-right Conservatives. The Labour government was widely expected to announce the introduction of the first-ever U.K. AI Bill in a speech delivered by King Charles III last month. A DSIT spokesperson instead told CNBC the government would consult on plans to regulate AI in due course.

Persons: Rasid Necati, Rishi Sunak's, Rachel Reeves, unfunded, codebreakers, Keir Starmer's, King Charles III Organizations: Artificial Intelligence, Getty, CNBC, Research, University of Edinburgh, Labour, Department for Science, Innovation, Technology, British Locations: London, United Kingdom, Anadolu, Bletchley, Nazi Germany

☆ The U.K. Riots Were Fomented Online. Will Social Media Companies Act?
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Adam Satariano | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Standing in front of a lectern on Thursday, his voice at times taut with anger, Britain’s prime minister announced a crackdown on what he called the “gangs of thugs” who instigated violent unrest in several towns this week. But the question of how to confront one of the key accelerants — a flood of online misinformation about a deadly stabbing attack — remained largely unanswered. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called out online companies directly, after false information about the identity of the 17-year-old suspected in the attack spread rapidly on their platforms, no matter how many times police and government officials pushed back against the claims. Three girls died after the attacker rampaged through a dance class in Southport, northwest England, on Monday. Of the eight children injured, five remain in the hospital, along with their teacher, who had tried to protect them.

Persons: ”, —, Keir Starmer Locations: Southport, England

☆ Southport stabbings: Far-right disinformation fuels riots across UK
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Kara Fox | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Far-right demonstrators chanted anti-migrant, anti-Muslim slogans at the London rally that turned violent on Wednesday. He added that, while the algorithm played a part, there was also a “huge amount of organizing happening” in a variety of different places that are not algorithmically oriented – for example in far-right groups on the instant-messaging platform Telegram. Like what was being shared on X and other platforms, the Telegram group “Southport Wake Up,” also posted false information about the alleged suspect. Hours after the attack, the group’s creator sent out the details for the first protest: Meet near a Southport mosque on Tuesday. The “Southport Wake Up” group is still active, and on Thursday, posted calls for similar disruptions at Muslim centers in other cities across England.

Persons: Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, Keir Starmer, Benjamin Cremel, Neil Holyoak, Axel Rudakubana, Tim Squirrell, “, who’s, ”, Squirrell, ’, ” Squirrell, Starmer, Downing, ” CNN’s Jessie Gretener, Duarte Mendonça, Ivana Kottasová, Radina Gigova Organizations: CNN, England, ”, city’s Metropolitan Police, London, Getty Images Met, Southport stabbings, Institute for Strategic, Communications, Intelligence Service, Telegram, Southport, Southport Wake Locations: Southport, London , Manchester, Hartlepool, Downing, Manchester, London, AFP, Banks , Lancashire, Cardiff , Wales, England

☆ Southport stabbings: Boy, 17, charged with murder of three young girls
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A teenage boy has been charged with murder after three young girls were killed in a stabbing attack at a dance class in northwest England on Monday, British police said. Eight other children suffered stab wounds in the attack and five of them are in critical condition, police said. Two adults also remain in critical condition after being injured in the attack. Police said five people have been arrested so far in connection with the violence in Southport, in which more than 50 police officers were injured. “Our work to identify all those responsible for the despicable violence and aggression seen on the streets of Southport on Tuesday continues,” Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss said in a statement.

Persons: Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, Taylor Swift, Constable Serena Kennedy, Cheshire Sarah Hammond, ” Hammond, “, Constable Alex Goss, Keir Starmer, ” Organizations: CNN, Merseyside Police, ” Police, Liverpool Magistrates ’, “, Lancashire Police, North, ” Merseyside Police, CPS Mersey, Southport, Police Locations: England, Southport, Banks, Cheshire, British

☆ Southport stabbing: Riot police, protesters clash during vigil for three girls killed
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Helen Regan | Niamh Kennedy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Riot police armed with shields and batons attempt to restore order in Southport, England on July 30, 2024. The North West Ambulance Service said it treated 39 police officers injured in the violence, 27 of whom were taken to hospital. Christopher Furlong/Getty ImagesPolice have said the suspect is from the village of Banks, near Southport, and was originally from Cardiff, Wales. More must be done to tackle Islamophobia and offer reassurance at this time.”On Tuesday, police named the three girls killed in the stabbing as Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9. Taylor Swift, whose music was the theme of the dance class targeted in the attack, said Tuesday she was “completely in shock.”

Persons: Keir Starmer, thuggery, “, ”, ” Starmer, Taylor Swift, Constable Alex Goss, ” Goss, Christopher Furlong, Goss, Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, King, Bebe, Starmer Organizations: CNN, British, Protesters, English Defence League, Merseyside Police, Police, Riot, Getty, ” Merseyside Police, North West Ambulance Service, Muslim, of Britain, MCB, ” Locations: Southport, Southport , England, Banks, Cardiff, Wales

☆ Banks get bullish on the British pound despite the possibility of an imminent snapback
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( George Bextor | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

In a recent research note, experts at Goldman Sachs were upbeat on the pound, commenting that sterling "tops the list" in the G-10 basket of major currency crosses. The analysts are sticking with their bet that sterling will rise against the dollar , with a target of 1.31. "Combined with still-high rates [this] could attract capital flows into GBP after many years of being a structural sell," the UBS analysts added. She added, "The tone of many of the policies announced by the new Labour government in recent days are market friendly ... The appearance of order in the U.K. government coupled with an expectation of a warmer relationship with the EU should provide for some optimism."

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Keir Starmer's, Jane Foley Organizations: Bank of, UBS, Labour Party, FX, Labour Locations: Bank of England

☆ Southport stabbing attack: What we know about one of the UK’s worst knife attacks on children
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The United Kingdom was left shaken after three children were stabbed to death and eight others were injured in a knife attack in Southport, in one of the worst assaults against children in the country in decades. The attack took place at a Taylor Swift themed event at a dance school in the seaside town in northwest England, sparking disbelief over why would anyone target children having fun during the summer holiday. Worst mass stabbing attack against kidsThe incident on Monday is the worst mass stabbing attack targeting children in the UK in decades – and possibly ever. And 16 children aged between 5 and 6 were murdered in a school shooting in the Scottish town of Dunblane in 1996. Police officers near the scene of a knife attack in Hart Street, Southport on Tuesday, July 30, 2024.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Keir Starmer, ”, King Charles III, “, Taylor, Yvette Cooper, James Speakman, –, Constable Serena Kennedy, Ariana Grande, Colin Parry, ” Parry, ” Swift Organizations: CNN, Merseyside Police, Southport, Merseyside Police’s, Office, National Statistics, Police, PA Media Locations: United Kingdom, Southport, England, Merseyside, Banks, Lancashire, Cardiff, Wales, London, Manchester, Scottish, Dunblane, Britain, Hart Street, America, Instagram

☆ Southport stabbing: Taylor Swift ‘in shock’ after rampage at dance class
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Rob Picheta | Jessie Gretener | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Taylor Swift has said she is “completely in shock” after a stabbing attack at a dance class celebrating the US singer’s music in Southport, England left two children dead and others injured. “I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families,” Swift wrote in her Instagram post. Merseyside Police’s Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said six of the injured children are in critical condition and the attack also left two adults in critical condition. Kennedy added that police understand the attacker walked into the premises armed with a knife and started to attack the children. King Charles III and his wife, Queen Camilla also they were “profoundly shocked” by the incident on Monday.

Persons: CNN — Taylor Swift, “, ” Swift, Constable Serena Kennedy, Kennedy, ”, King Charles III, Queen Camilla, ” King Charles, Keir Starmer Organizations: CNN, Merseyside Police’s Locations: Southport, England, Britain, Merseyside, ”

☆ Boeing and Airbus go head-to-head at a giant industry airshow every 2 years. This time, neither won.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Pete Syme | Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThe usual orders battle between Airbus and Boeing played second fiddle to supply-chain issues at last week's Farnborough Airshow. AdvertisementLast month, Airbus reduced its delivery targets, citing supply chain issues, which saw its stock drop as much as 11%. The day before the show, Guillaume Faury, the Airbus CEO, told the media the planemaker was having "important discussions" with some key suppliers as it was facing "a bit of an unexpected challenge." Frustrations with the supply chain were evident among airline bosses speaking at a summit on the first day of the airshow. AdvertisementWith gray skies for much of the week, the weather seemed to reflect the downturn for Airbus and Boeing.

Persons: —, Joshua Ng, Guillaume Faury, Luis Gallego, Ng, Dave Calhoun, Stephanie Pope, Kelly Ortberg, Rockwell Collins, Sir Keir Starmer Organizations: Service, Airbus, Boeing, Farnborough, November's Dubai, Alton Aviation Consultancy, Business, International Airlines Group, British Airways, Aer Lingus, Alaska Airlines, Current, Defense, NATO Locations: Paris, Farnborough, Ukraine, Gaza

☆ Is 100 Days Enough Time to Pick a Leader? Around the World, Yes.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Josh Holder | Keith Collins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

Is 100 Days Enough Time to Pick a Leader? But in many other democracies, an official election period sets out when candidates can debate, make speeches and run political ads (often with strict spending limits). “We know from other countries that 100 days is plenty of time for a healthy campaign,” said Mr. Tama. “Most campaigns in different countries are in the range of a few weeks to several months.”Even in India, the largest democracy in the world, the official campaign only starts a little over a month before voting begins. And in India in 2014, Narendra Modi had six months after his party chose him as leader to wage his successful campaign for prime minister.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum, Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Justin Trudeau, Italy Giorgia Meloni, Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Anthony Albanese, France Emmanuel Macron, Indonesia Joko, Keir Starmer, India Narendra Modi, Korea Yoon Suk Yeol, Japan Fumio Kishida, Donald J, Trump, Jordan Tama, “, ”, Tama, Biden’s, Lyndon B, Johnson, Harris, Narendra Modi Organizations: Voters, American University, American, United, Electoral College, Labour, Conservative Locations: Mexico, Philippines, Italy, France, Indonesia, India, Korea, Japan, Canada, United States

☆ UK: Assisted dying bill introduced in House of Lords
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

London CNN —An emotional, accelerating campaign to allow assisted dying for terminally ill adults in Britain has reached parliament, with activists hoping the country will become one of few to legalize the process. Opponents of legalization have argued that those small figures represent a limited appetite for assisted dying in the UK, but there are other pressures at play too. But some among the country’s lawmakers, who will ultimately decide the fate of the assisted dying law, say there is more to consider. For Starmer, the assisted dying bill has the potential to disrupt those intentions. But legalizing assisted dying wasn’t in Labour’s manifesto or in its King’s Speech, limiting the opportunities for it to ever reach MPs.

Persons: Bill, “ I’ve, ” Charlie Falconer, ”, Ellie Ball, Alistair Thompson, Falconer, Esther Rantzen, Wiktor, Rantzen, ” Rantzen, Paola Marra, “, Rachael Maskell, ” Maskell, Marieke Vervoort, CNN “ I’ve, Keir Starmer, –, wouldn’t, wasn’t, ” Falconer Organizations: London CNN, Labour, CNN, Publishing, BBC, Health, Social Care, Labour Party Locations: Britain, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom, Oregon, England, Wales, Westminster, Dignitas

☆ UK drops plan to challenge ICC arrest warrant request for Netanyahu
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Caitlin Danaher | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan announced in May he was seeking arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders – including Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar – over charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The court has no means of enforcement, however ICC members have an obligation to cooperate fully with its decisions. If the warrants are granted, Netanyahu and others could risk arrest when traveling to the 124 countries that are ICC members – including Germany and the United Kingdom. The international court still must assess submissions from other powers before making a decision on whether to grant the request for arrest warrants. The UK’s governing Labour party and its leader, former human rights lawyer Keir Starmer, have faced pressure from supporters to take a tougher stance on the Gaza war.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Rishi Sunak, Karim Khan, Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, –, Yahya Sinwar –, Israel, Keir Starmer, Kamala Harris, “, Gallant, ” Khan, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Isaac Herzog Organizations: CNN, Israeli, PA Media, Labour, Conservative, ICC, Ministry of Health, West Bank Locations: Gaza, Germany, United Kingdom, Washington, Israel, United States, East Jerusalem

☆ UK Finance Minister Rachel Reeves pledges most 'pro-growth, pro-business' government the country has seen
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"I will work with business to make sure we're doing all we can to bring wealth creation, to bring business investment to the U.K. economy," she added. "This is going to be the most pro-growth, pro-business Treasury that this country has ever seen," Reeves told CNBC's Steve Sedgwick via remote interview. LONDON — U.K. Finance Minister Rachel Reeves said Friday that the new Labour government would be the most pro-growth and pro-business the country has seen. We need to attract business investment to be able to do that." However, the chancellor has a fine balance to tread given pledges from her party to also boost national investment and public sector pay.

Persons: Reeves, CNBC's Steve Sedgwick, Rachel Reeves, I'm, Keir Starmer, Starmer Organizations: Treasury, CNBC, LONDON, Finance, Labour, Conservative Locations: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Britain

☆ U.K.’s Policy on Israel, Long Aligned With America’s, Veers Away
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Mark Landler | Stephen Castle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For 10 months, Britain’s Conservative government had moved almost in lock step with the United States in its response to Israel’s war in Gaza. Now, under its new Labour government, Britain is edging away from its closest ally on the conflict. By the end of this week, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to drop the previous government’s objections to the International Criminal Court prosecutor’s pursuit of an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, two people briefed on the government’s deliberations said. Taken together, these steps show a government that is willing to pile more pressure on Mr. Netanyahu for Israel’s harsh military response in Gaza. It also shows that Mr. Starmer, a former human rights lawyer, is paying more heed to international legal institutions than the United States.

Persons: Keir Starmer, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Netanyahu, Starmer Organizations: Conservative, Labour, International, United Nations ’, UNRWA Locations: United States, Gaza, Britain, Israel

☆ Britain will soon lay out new plans to regulate 'buy now, pay later' firms like Klarna after delays
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Buy now, pay later firms like Klarna and Block's Afterpay could be about to face tougher rules in the U.K.Britain's new Labour government will soon set out updated plans to regulate the "buy now, pay later" industry, a government spokesperson told CNBC. "Regulating Buy Now Pay Later products is crucial to protect people and deliver certainty for the sector," the Treasury spokesperson told CNBC via email Thursday. The government first set out plans to regulate the sector in 2021. BNPL plans are flexible credit arrangements that enable a consumer to purchase an item and then pay off their debt at a later date. Most plans charge customers a third of the purchase value up front, then take the remaining payments the following two months.

Persons: Block's, Tulip Siddiq, Siddiq, Keir Starmer's, Christopher Woolard, BNPL, — Organizations: Labour, CNBC, Treasury, . Treasury, Keir Starmer's Labour Party, Financial Locations: Britain

☆ World leaders react to Biden’s exit from the 2024 US presidential race
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Lex Harvey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau arrives for a meeting at the 2024 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit in Washington, DC on July 11, 2024. “Many strong decisions have been made in recent years and they will be remembered as bold steps taken by President Biden in response to challenging times,” Zelensky said on X. “We will always be thankful for President Biden’s leadership.”President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky during a press conference on July 15, 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine. But he has increasingly clashed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over humanitarian aid and the mounting civilian death toll of the conflict. Israeli President Isaac Herzog speaks to the media following a meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House on July 18, 2023.

Persons: Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Biden, Canada Justin Trudeau, Kent Nishimura, Keir Starmer, ” Starmer, Justin Trudeau, ”, He’s, Anthony Albanese, “, Volodymyr Zelensky, ” Zelensky, Biden’s, Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Vitalii, Isaac Herzog, Yoav Gallant, X, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Simon Harris, Kevin Dietsch, Nicolas Maduro, Donald Tusk, ” Tusk, Xi Jinping, “ Biden, China’s, Trump Organizations: CNN, US, Democratic, Republican, Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, Getty, British, Canadian, Australian, Russia, Israeli, White, Trump Locations: Canada, Atlantic, Washington , DC, Washington, United States of America, Ukraine, Kyiv, Israel, Gaza, Irish, Venezuelan, Polish, Poland, America, Weibo

☆ UK planned to spend 10 billion pounds on Rwanda asylum scheme, minister says
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Britain's previous government had planned to spend 10 billion pounds ($12.9 billion) on a now-scrapped plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda and it has already cost taxpayers 700 million pounds, new Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Monday. Cooper said the costs include money for chartering flights that never took off, paying for the work of government officials and 290 million pounds in payment to the Rwanda government. Cooper also said tens of thousands of asylum seekers left in limbo as they were threatened with deportation to Rwanda will now have their asylum claims processed. Instead, the government promised to process their claims, end the costly use of hotels to accommodate asylum seekers and clear a backlog of claims. The shift in policy would save taxpayers an estimated 7 billion pounds over the next 10 years, Cooper said.

Persons: Yvette Cooper, Keir Starmer's, Cooper Organizations: Labour, Conservative Locations: Kigali, Europe, Rwanda, Britain's, Britain, East, California

☆ Global leaders react to 'true friend' Biden dropping out of U.S. presidential race
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | In Ying-Shan-Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Biden "a true friend" and a "partner to Canadians." "I've known President Biden for years. To President Biden and the First Lady: thank you," Trudeau wrote in an Instagram post. Biden's "difficult" decision was acknowledged by Polish President Donald Tusk and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala as driven by the larger interest of the U.S."Dear President @JoeBiden. "We will always be thankful for President Biden's leadership.

Persons: Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Biden, Donald Trump, Justin Trudeau, He's, —, Trudeau, Keir Starmer, Biden's, Donald Tusk, Petr Fiala, @JoeBiden, You've, Tusk, Anthony Albanese, Yoav Gallant, Gallant, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, Barack Obama, Obama Organizations: College of Southern, Sunday, Democratic Party, Canadian, Czech, Israeli, Kremlin Locations: College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas , Nevada, Poland, America, U.S, Israel, Gaza, Moscow, Ukraine, Russian

☆ Zelensky Becomes First Foreign Leader to Visit U.K. Cabinet Since Clinton
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-19 | by ( Stephen Castle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky became the first foreign leader to attend Britain’s cabinet meeting in person since former U.S. president Bill Clinton in 1997, in a public display of Britain’s staunch support for Ukraine as doubts grow about future U.S. military aid if Donald J. Trump wins a second presidential term. Mr. Zelensky briefed the British government’s top ministers on Friday on his country’s military conflict with Russia, while discussing moves to prevent oil tankers from breaching international sanctions against Moscow. The Ukrainian president, who was greeted with a standing ovation, was the first foreign leader to be invited into Downing Street by Keir Starmer, the new British prime minister, following his general election victory earlier this month. The two leaders also discussed a new defense export support treaty designed to boost production of military hardware and weaponry in both countries. Mr. Zelensky’s visit to Downing Street followed his attendance on Thursday at a summit of more than 45 European leaders at Blenheim Palace, near Oxford, where Ukraine was high on the agenda, and where he won renewed pledges of support for his battle against the forces of Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Bill Clinton, Donald J, Zelensky, Keir Starmer, Zelensky’s, Vladimir V, Putin Organizations: Trump, British, Moscow, Downing Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Blenheim, Oxford

☆ Britain's Labour faces an uphill battle as it looks to rein in AI's key players
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-19 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

By taking aim at the most powerful AI models, Labour would impose tighter restrictions on companies such as OpenAI, Microsoft , Google , Amazon , and AI startups including Anthropic, Cohere and Mistral. Matthew Houlihan, senior director of government affairs at Cisco, said any AI rules would need to be "centered on a thoughtful, risk-based approach." Even so, a U.K. AI law would be a step above the U.S., which currently doesn't have federal AI legislation of any kind. Sirion's Liu said one thing he's hoping the government doesn't do, is restrict open-source AI models. Herman Narula, CEO of metaverse venture builder Improbable, agreed that restricting open-source AI innovation would be a bad idea.

Persons: Keir Starmer's, King Charles III, doesn't, Starmer's, Matt Calkins, Appian, Lewis Liu, Liu, Rishi Sunak, Peter Kyle, Kyle, Zahra Bahrololoumi, Matthew Houlihan, Bill, Chris Holmes, Holmes, Matthew Holman, Cripps, Holman, Sirion's Liu, Herman Narula, Narula Organizations: Future Publishing, Labour, European Union, Microsoft, Google, CNBC, Conservative, BBC, AI Safety Institute, Cisco, Authority, EU, AI Safety, Tech, London Tech Week Locations: Jiangsu province, China, Ireland, Salesforce, U.S

☆ As Clouds Gather Over Europe, Leaders Seek Unity in Churchill’s Birthplace
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Stephen Castle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The venue is a glittering 18th-century palace and the birthplace of Winston Churchill. The guests include more than 40 of Europe’s leaders. And, King Charles III will be on hand to host a V.I.P. Yet despite the serene grandeur of the surroundings at Blenheim Palace, near Oxford, the continent’s top politicians will meet on Thursday in a mood of heightened anxiety and with a growing urgency to find common cause in an unsettled world. The meeting is the fourth of the European Political Community, the brainchild of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, in 2022, who wanted countries across the continent to work together to confront collective challenges.

Persons: Winston Churchill, King Charles III, Keir Starmer, Donald J, Trump, Emmanuel Macron Organizations: White House, Political Locations: Blenheim, Oxford

☆ UK's Starmer aims to overhaul EU relations as Trump specter looms
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"We cannot let the challenges of the recent past define our relationships of the future," Starmer said in a Wednesday statement from Downing Street. It comes as the specter of a second presidency from Republican candidate Donald Trump looms heavy over Europe after an assassination attempt over the weekend buoyed support for the former president. Both Trump and his newly announced running mate JD Vance have indicated that continued support for Europe — and in particular Ukraine — are not guaranteed under a second Trump administration. The Republican presidential nominee has repeatedly lambasted the continent's lack of defense spending, and has threatened to pull out of NATO, while Vance has shown ambivalence over U.S. intervention in foreign affairs. In anticipation, European NATO members have been upping their defense spending, including a new commitment from Starmer to spend 2.5% of U.K. gross domestic product (GDP) on defense.

Persons: Keir Starmer, John Healey, George Robertson, Winston Churchill's, Starmer, Donald Trump, Trump, JD Vance, Vance Organizations: British, Defence, Downing, Labour, European Political, Republican, Europe —, NATO Locations: London, England, OXFORD, Europe, Winston, Blenheim, Oxfordshire, Ukraine

☆ Europe faces a hostile Russia and the prospect of an isolationist US. Unity is more crucial than ever
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Clare Sebastian | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“Together we will make our allies share in the burden of securing world peace,” he said at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. “I think whoever wins the US race… it will be more America first,” Belgium’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told CNN. Europe needs to take care of its defense more.”Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen argues Europe stepping up its commitment to its own security has nothing to do with the US. “We have to be more capable of defending ourselves, with a more and more aggressive Russia, not only when it comes to Ukraine,” she told CNN. Preserving European unity is critical to a long-lasting peace, he said.

Persons: JD Vance, ”, Vance, Donald Trump, Alexander De Croo, ” Finland’s, Alexander Stubb, “, Sen, Will Lanzoni, Mette Frederiksen, Keir Starmer, Viktor Orban, Vladimir Putin, ” Orban, Ursula von der Leyen, Volodymyr Zelensky, … Organizations: CNN, Republican, Republican National Convention, Munich, NATO, Trump, European Commission, EU, Ukraine Locations: Blenheim, Milwaukee, Ohio, Ukraine, Oxfordshire, Europe, States, Danish, Russia, Hungarian, Moscow, Ukrainian

☆ King’s Speech: Charles unveils Keir Starmer’s plans for Britain, in state opening of parliament
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The speech sets out the agenda of Keir Starmer, who defeated Rishi Sunak's Conservatives in this month's election. Starmer also formalized plans to renationalize Britain’s rail network in the coming years, and to create a publicly-owned renewable energy company. At home, a number of institutions were targeted for modernization – most awkwardly, the very room in which Charles gave his speech. “The party opposite has successfully tapped into the public’s desire for change, but they must now deliver change,” Sunak said. Those arguments will intensify in the coming weeks, as Labour introduces its first bills to Parliament – beginning with three priority measures from the speech later this week.

Persons: CNN — Keir Starmer, ”, King Charles III, ” Starmer, Starmer, Keir Starmer, Rishi Sunak's, Dan Kitwood, Camilla, Black Rod –, Rishi Sunak, Kirsty Wigglesworth, Charles, Bill, –, Theresa May, ” Sunak, Sunak Organizations: CNN, Commons, Labour, Tory, Conservative, Reform UK, Getty, Border Security Command, National Health Service, NATO, – Locations: nationalize, Britain, Europe, Buckingham Palace, Westminster, Rwanda

☆ Britain Needs to Move Faster on Climate, Monitoring Group Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( Stanley Reed | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

An influential government body gave what amounts to strong support Thursday to one of the main planks of the new British government’s plans to revitalize the economy: a crash program to accelerate efforts for dealing with climate change. Britain is legally required to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. “The new government will have to act fast to hit the country’s commitments,” the committee said. Speeding up the building of wind farms and solar farms is precisely what the new government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer wants to do. Mr. Starmer is betting that tackling climate change will not only help protect the environment but stimulate what has been a stagnant British economy.

Persons: Keir Starmer, Starmer Locations: Britain

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