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☆ Calling Ukraine talks at Jeddah 'peace negotiations' is a little misleading, analyst says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailCalling Ukraine talks at Jeddah 'peace negotiations' is a little misleading, analyst saysKeir Giles, senior consulting fellow at Chatham House, says "they're not negotiations with the country that is actually waging this war … instead, as Russia quite reasonably points out, it's an attempt to build a coalition of support behind Ukraine."

Persons: Keir Giles, they're, it's Organizations: Chatham House, Ukraine Locations: Jeddah, Russia

☆ Russia's war is coming home as drone strikes hit Moscow. What does it mean for the conflict?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

London CNN —Ukrainian drone strikes taking place inside Russia once seemed an unthinkable prospect. A string of drone strikes have peppered Russian cities including Moscow throughout the summer. A damaged building in Moscow following last weekend's drone strikes. But anecdotal accounts at least speak to the impact of drone strikes on those in the vicinity of the attacks. But after almost eighteen months of disorganization and discord, the reality that Russia’s military plans are flailing has been increasingly hard to deny.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, “, ”, Evgenia Novozhenina, ” Douglas Barrie, Mykhailo Fedorov, ” Keir Giles, we’ve, ” Giles, Barrie, ” Barrie, Stringer, Yurii, “ There’s, Vladimir Putin’s, Yuri Kochetkov, Shutterstock, June’s Wagner, Russia –, Karine Jean, Pierre Organizations: London CNN, Kyiv, Kremlin, Reuters, Military Aerospace, International Institute for Strategic Studies, CNN, Transformation Ministry, “ Army, Drones, Chatham House, “, West, NATO, Getty, Russia Kyiv, Ukraine’s Air Force, Institute for Locations: Ukrainian, Russia, Moscow, Reuters Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine, AFP, Kremlin, Russian, United States

☆ The UK once vowed to be a global climate leader. Now Rishi Sunak is stoking a culture war on green policies
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Since becoming prime minister, critics say he has diminished the UK's standing as a leader on the climate. A Just Stop Oil protester disrupts a match at July's Wimbledon Championships. Foreign Office minister Zac Goldsmith resigned in June, lambasting Sunak’s climate policies. A North Sea oil rig off the coast of Scotland. Sunak's decision to expand drilling in the North Sea was criticized by climate experts.

Persons: Boris Johnson, Queen Elizabeth II, Rishi Sunak’s, Sunak, DANIEL LEAL, ” Luke Murphy, they’ve, Murphy, ”, “, We’ve, ” Murphy, Steve Tuckwell, Tuckwell, Hannah Mckay, Grant Shapps, Keir Starmer, ” Tim Bale, “ Uxbridge, ” Bale, Sadiq Khan, Khan nodded, Rishi Sunak, Zac Goldsmith, Chris Skidmore, ” Skidmore, – Organizations: London CNN, Telegraph, Getty, CNN, Conservative Party, Conservatives, Labour Party, July's Wimbledon, Reuters, Energy, Queen Mary University in, “, Office, National Statistics, London’s, Foreign, Conservative, Uxbridge Locations: Britain, Glasgow, North, Sunak, Uxbridge, London, Queen Mary University in London, Europe, lambasting, Scotland

☆ Expansion to London clean-air zone to go ahead after court rejects challenge
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Five affected Conservative-led local authorities argued the decision to expand ULEZ was unlawful, but their legal challenge was rejected on Friday. "This landmark decision is good news as it means we can proceed with cleaning up the air in outer London," Khan said in a statement following the ruling. Britain's green agenda has been in focus over the past week after the governing Conservative Party won an election in former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's old seat just outside central London, in part by attacking the ULEZ expansion. Judge Jonathan Swift rejected all three grounds of challenge to the expansion of ULEZ, including that the public consultation on the proposed expansion was unlawful. ($1 = 0.7809 pounds)Reporting by Sam Tobin, Editing by Kylie MacLellan and Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sadiq Khan, Khan, Boris Johnson's, Keir Starmer, Conservative – Johnson, Jonathan Swift, Sam Tobin, Kylie MacLellan, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: London's Labour, Conservative, Transport, Conservative Party, Labour Party's, London, Thomson Locations: British, Greater London, leafier, London

☆ Rishi Sunak suffers two election losses as British voters reject ailing Conservative government
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The Conservative Party lost to the resurgent Labour Party in Selby and Ainsty, a region in the north of England where the Sunak’s party had enjoyed a commanding majority. But the results indicate that the opposition Labour Party, which under the leadership of Keir Starmer is on course to clinch power when Sunak calls a general election. But in Selby, in the north of England, Labour overturned a huge deficit to win the seat with 46% of the votes, according to PA. The results amount to a significant rejection of Sunak’s Conservative Party, which has been in power for 13 years and has seen its opinion poll ratings nosedive towards the end of Johnson’s tenure, and since. Sunak will now look to steady his leadership and fight off any growing murmurs of a challenge within his party.

Persons: London CNN — Britain’s, Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson, Sunak, Keir Starmer, Liz Truss’s shambolic, Steve Tuckwell, Johnson, “, Nigel Adams, Johnson’s, ” Organizations: London CNN, Conservative Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, Labour, Conservative, Britain’s Press Association, Sunak’s Conservative Party Locations: Selby, Ainsty, England, Somerton, Frome, Uxbridge, South Ruislip

☆ Uxbridge by-election: In Boris Johnson's back yard, Britons are desperate for a change
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

A mid-term by-election to replace Johnson is taking place on Thursday, alongside two other by-elections to replace MPs elsewhere in the country. Boris Johnson is seen on a walkabout in Uxbridge in 2020, during his time as prime minister. Inside, the owner told CNN: "They're all the same ... Johnson’s company ran the first major opinion poll ahead of the Uxbridge by-election, which found a solid but assailable eight-point lead for Labour. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer (far right) and Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves (right) on a campaign visit with Danny Beales, the local Labour candidate (back center).

Persons: Mike Okoli, ”, Okoli, Boris Johnson –, Johnson, “, ” Okoli, Rob Picheta, CNN Johnson, Manoj Supeda, I’ve, hasn’t, ‘, ’ He’s, Supeda, Johnson’s, ” Supeda, “ It’s, ” Manoj Supeda, Tony Blair, Labour's, Brexit, CNN Okoli, he’s, “ I’ve, Sonia Caetano, Boris Johnson, Stefan Rousseau, there’s, ” Caetano, Danny Beales, We've, Caetano, Keir Starmer, Steve Reed, Piers Corbyn, Jeremy Corbyn, Steve Tuckwell, ” Tuckwell, Reed, ” Reed, They’re, Mick, Starmer, “ We’re, we’re, ” James Johnson, Theresa May’s, Sir Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, ” Tracy Peabody Organizations: United Kingdom CNN, European Union, CNN, Labour Party –, Tories, Labour, Conservatives, Britain, Uxbridge, Beales, London’s Labour, Conservative, Hillingdon Hospital, CNN ‘ Labour, “, Press Association Locations: Uxbridge, United Kingdom, Nigeria, Caribbean, London, South Ruislip, Britain, “, Okoli, Portuguese, Yiewsley, Portugal, Covid, Ukraine, Hillingdon, Ruislip Manor

☆ UK Labour leader defends plan to stick with two-child welfare cap
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Andrew Macaskill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 18 (Reuters) - Britain's opposition Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer on Tuesday defended his pledge to keep a controversial limit on welfare support payments for children if his party wins a general election expected next year. Starmer, whose party enjoys a double-digit lead over the Conservatives in opinion polls, is trying to convince voters that Labour would not be reckless with government money. The Conservatives have accused Labour of being reckless with public money and Starmer's comments are seen as an attempt to avoid that criticism. Starmer, at the event in London organised by former prime minister Tony Blair, said the economic turmoil during last year's brief premiership of Liz Truss underlined the need for careful spending. Truss was forced to resigned after six weeks as prime minister after announcing a series of unfunded tax cuts that shattered Britain's reputation for financial stability.

Persons: Keir Starmer, Starmer, Tony Blair, Liz Truss, Truss, Andrew MacAskill, William James Our Organizations: Labour Party, Labour, Conservative Party, Poverty, Thomson Locations: London

Kin Cheung | Pool | Getty ImagesLONDON — Two countries are jockeying for position as Europe's capital for artificial intelligence. So, who is leading the race to take Europe's AI crown? The European Union has its AI Act, which is set to be the first comprehensive set of laws focusing on artificial intelligence in the West. In contrast the EU's AI Act could make France "less attractive" for investment in artificial intelligence given that it lays down "a burdensome regulatory regime" for AI, Tanna said. Alexandre Lebrun, CEO of Nabla, an AI "copilot" for doctors, said the U.K. and France are "probably even" when it comes to attractiveness for starting an AI company.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Emmanuel Macron, Kin Cheung, Macron, Karen Tso, Sunak, it's, Sajid Javid, Boris Johnson's, Simmons, Tanna, Anton Dahbura, Alexandre Lebrun, Lebrun, who've, Keir Starmer Organizations: British, Viva Tech, London Tech, Microsoft, U.S, CNBC, supercomputing, European Union, Johns Hopkins Institute, Autonomy, Google, Facebook, EU, Labour Locations: Europe, China, VivaTech, Paris, France, U.S, West, Germany, London

☆ EU has to come clean on costs of green transition
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Pierre Briancon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

European Union governments have agreed on the strategy, but they tend to paper over the short-term economic costs of the green transition. French economist Jean Pisani-Ferry has compared the impact of the green transition to an economic shock equivalent to the sharp spikes in oil prices in the 1970s. But unlike previous shocks triggered by geopolitical instability or trade wars, the green transition has been initiated and managed by governments, and largely financed by them. Germany looks like the country most able to afford the green transition, but its over-emphasis on regulation on environmental matters is running into fierce opposition. On Sunday Paolo Gentiloni, the EU economy commissioner, told the Financial Times that Europe will have to fund its own industrial green transition.

Persons: Jean Pisani, won’t, Pisani, Selma Mahfouz, Paolo Gentiloni, Bruno Le Maire, Christian Lindner, Keir Starmer, –, Francesco Guerrera, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, Union, Reuters Graphics Reuters, International Energy Agency, Ferry, Social Democrats, Greens, Opposition, Financial Times, French Finance, German, Labour Party, Twitter, Southern, European Commission, Deal, Zero, Thomson Locations: Europe, France, Italy, Germany, EU, Paris, Southern Europe, Spain, Greece

☆ UK opposition leader: Too soon to look at changes to BoE inflation target
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON, July 16 (Reuters) - Britain's opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer on Sunday said it was too soon to set out whether the Bank of England's 2% inflation target would be revised if his party wins the next election. Britain has the highest inflation of any of its international developed-economy peers, measured at 8.7% in May. That is well above the 2% target set by the government for the independent BoE to deliver. Asked in a BBC interview about the prospect of changing that target if his party won an election due to be held by next year, Starmer said:"That's something for us to address closer to the election. Reporting by William James; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Keir Starmer, BoE, Starmer, We've, William James, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Labour Party, Bank of England's, Thomson Locations: Britain

☆ NAFO: The pro-Ukraine internet 'fellas' using Shiba Inu memes to fight Russian propaganda
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Jill Dougherty | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“NAFO” stands for the North Atlantic Fellas Organization and is a decentralized online volunteer organization that is waging its own social media war against Russia and its invasion of Ukraine. Over the weekend, the group held its own summit in Lithuania’s capital, which was opened by the country’s foreign minister. A cartoon Shiba Inu, wearing the blue and yellow colors of Ukraine's flag, pops up behind Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas in a video she shared on Twitter. Some fellas are Ukrainian soldiers, who are fighting on the front lines and provide pictures from the battlefield, mocking the incompetence of the Russian military or praising Ukrainian bravery. After identifying Russian propaganda or pro-Russian sympathizers, fellas pile on their posts with memes, humor, wry logic, and dismissive comments.

Persons: Kaja Kallas, Kallas, Petras Malulas, NAFO, Kamil Dyszewski, Gabrielius Landsbergis, Keir Giles, Matt Moores, you’ve, Maria Zakharova, ’ ”, Defense Oleksii Reznikov, ”, Shiba, Shiba Inu, Ben Wallace, Adam Kinzinger Organizations: CNN, Estonian, Atlantic Fellas Organization, Twitter, Getty, Georgian Legion, Center for Strategic, International, Russian Foreign, Union, Ukraine’s, Defense, United Kingdom’s, Ukraine Locations: Vilnius, Lithuania, Estonian, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania’s, AFP, Russian, Egypt

☆ Opinion: Supreme Court drops the H-bomb and D-bomb
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. Graduates of Harvard and other Ivy League schools earn significantly more than most college graduates –— the credential opens doors. Maybe the best confirmation of that is that eight out of the nine Supreme Court justices went to law school at either Harvard or its Ivy rival, Yale. “The court’s decision Thursday is consistent with its view that race-based preferences should and would have a limited shelf life. And the Supreme Court has just guaranteed that this will be the case for many years to come.”“The court made the right decision,” wrote Ilya Somin, a law professor at George Mason University.

Persons: Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana, ”, Harvard isn’t, –, Michael Gerhardt, Roe, Wade, Donald, Trump, Bill Bramhall, Tan, ” Ana Fernandez, Richard Kahlenberg, Harvard …, Lanhee Chen, Peniel, Joseph, Joe Biden’s, Rachel Clark, “, Ilya Somin, Biden, ” Clay Jones, Somin, Leah Litman, isn’t, aren’t, Timothy Holbrook, Nicole Hemmer, Drew Sheneman, Phil Hands, Julian Zelizer, Yorkers, Walt Handelsman, Jill Filipovic, ’, Patrick T, Brown, DeSantis, Duncan Hosie, Ken Ballen, Trump Jack Ohman, Jennifer Martin, ” Martin, Vladimir Putin’s, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Prigozhin, David A, Putin, Jade McGlynn, CNN’s Chris Good, it’s, Frida Ghitis, Keir Giles, Victory, Don’t, Agency Dean Obeidallah, Keith Magee, France Kara Alaimo, Vicki Shabo, Leroy Chiao, Abdullah, Billy Lezra, MonaLisa Leung Beckford, Timothy Naftali, David Horsey, It’s, Blake Moore, Marc Veasey, Hershel “ Woody ” Williams, Moore, Veasey, “ Williams, Williams, Hershel ‘ Woody ’, Abraham Lincoln, ” Moore, Lincoln Organizations: CNN, Harvard, Harvard College, Wall Street Journal, of Harvard, Ivy League, Yale, Supreme Court, University of North, University of North Carolina —, Wellesley College, Blacks, …, George Mason University, “, University of Michigan, Democratic, Agency, Trump, New Yorker, American Academy of Sleep, Soviet Union —, RFK, Republican, Utah Republican, Texas Democrat, Marines Locations: Boston, University of North Carolina, California, “, Chicago, Detroit, Great, Bedminster, New Jersey, New, Iran, Ukraine, Russia, Soviet Union, Moscow, France, Hong Kong, China, America, Utah, Texas, Iwo Jima, Lincoln

☆ Opinion: The Wagner mutiny shows Ukraine can win
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Opinion Keir Giles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

What the Wagner showdown demonstrates is that, instead, now is the time to redouble support to Ukraine. It also means lifting all of the artificial constraints of what Ukraine can do with the weapons they are provided. Above all, the fear in some Western capitals of Ukrainian victory, and Russian defeat, must be overcome. Our unanimous conclusion is that the only way to make Europe safer from Russia lies through urgently increasing assistance to allow Kyiv to win. Arms supplies to Ukraine, and full backing for Kyiv to defeat and evict Russia’s invading army, are an investment in peace.

Persons: Keir Giles, “, Yevgeny Prigozhin’s, Wagner, Keir Giles Munira Mustaffa, they’re, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Prigozhin, ‘, hasn’t, –, Ukraine hasn’t, Russia’s Organizations: Chatham House, CNN, Kremlin, Ukraine, Western, Twitter, Kyiv Locations: Russia, Eurasia, Moscow, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Germany, Europe

☆ Analysis: From 'brain death' to innovator, the Ukraine war has transformed NATO
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Even before the invasion, NATO officials noted a rise in non-conventional warfare aimed at Ukraine and other Western targets. “Russia claims that NATO promised never to expand to the east after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (left) and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 20, 2023. Without engaging Russia, NATO has enabled Ukraine to try some of the things NATO would like to do but politically cannot do. But the alliance’s unity has been one of the least expected and most welcome aspects of the West’s response to the war in Ukraine.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel Macron, ”, hasn’t, ” David van Weel, ” van Weel, Anatolii Stepanov, van Weel, Keir Giles, ” Giles, Peter Caddick, Adams, Jens Stoltenberg, Volodymyr Zelensky, DIANA, Emmanuel Dunand, Giles, “, ” Caddick, Macron Organizations: CNN, NATO, Kremlin, Emerging, Mechanized Brigade, Getty, NATO’s Brussels, Chatham, Presidential Press Service, Reuters, NATO Innovation Fund, Limited Partners, GPS, France's, White House Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Soviet Union, Bakhmut, Donetsk, AFP, London, China, Kyiv, Sweden, Paris, Macron, Europe

☆ UK lawmakers set to back report that Boris Johnson misled them over 'partygate'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, June 19 (Reuters) - British lawmakers are expected to back a report on Monday that said former Prime Minister Boris Johnson deliberately misled parliament over rule-breaking parties at the heart of government during coronavirus lockdowns. "Obviously, this is a matter for the House (of Commons), not for the government," Sunak told ITV when asked how he would vote. "This committee was established under the former prime minister ... Labour leader Keir Starmer challenged Sunak to show up for the vote, saying he has to "show leadership". "What his predecessor got up to was unacceptable," Starmer told the BBC.

Persons: Boris Johnson, coronavirus, Johnson, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Keir Starmer, Starmer, Sachin Ravikumar, Kylie MacLellan, Ed Osmond Organizations: Conservative Party, Times, ITV, Labour, BBC, Thomson Locations: London

☆ UK's Labour vows to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, June 18 (Reuters) - Britain's main opposition Labour Party will pledge on Monday to turn the country into a clean energy superpower by 2030, with a promise to cut bills, create jobs and to overturn a ban on new onshore wind farms. However on Monday, Labour leader Keir Starmer will set out pledges for 100% clean and affordable power by 2030; to establish a publicly-owned energy company, GB Energy; to create a National Wealth Fund to invest in green technologies; and to upgrade poorly insulated homes. The party would also overturn the ban on new onshore wind farms which Labour says has added 5.1 billion pounds to energy bills, or 182 pounds per household, because Britain has been forced to turn to more expensive power. "We can cut bills, create jobs and provide energy security for Britain – that's what a Labour Government will deliver," Starmer will say in a speech according to remarks released by Labour. "We're going to throw everything at this: planning reform, procurement, long-term finance, R&D, a strategic plan for skills and supply chains."

Persons: Britain's, Keir Starmer, Michael Holden, David Evans Organizations: Labour Party, Labour, GB Energy, Wealth Fund, Britain –, Labour Government, Thomson Locations: United States, Britain

But Mr. Sunak is not expected to press for a free-trade agreement between the two nations. Earlier this year, with Mr. Biden’s urging, Mr. Sunak resolved a trade dispute with Northern Ireland, a move seen as positive by Mr. Biden’s administration. But British officials stressed ahead of Thursday’s meeting that Mr. Sunak intends to focus on expanding the economic connections between the two countries. Asked whether this was now a broken promise, Mr. Sunak rejected that assertion, telling Sky News that it reflected a changed macro economic situation after 2019. In reality, any prospect of a comprehensive deal faded some time ago, but political opponents seized on Mr. Sunak’s words on Thursday.

Persons: Biden, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, “, ”, Karine Jean, Pierre, Biden’s, ” Mr, we’ve, We’ve, Keir Starmer Organizations: British, White House, Trade, Union, Washington, Airbus, Boeing, Thursday, Sunak’s Conservative Party, Sky, United, Mr, Labour Party Locations: Britain, United States, Northern Ireland, “, Ukraine

☆ UK PM Sunak speaks to ethics adviser over minister's speeding offence
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman meet with the local community and police leaders in Rochdale, Britain April 3, 2023. REUTERS/Phil Nobel/PoolLONDON, May 22 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to his ethics adviser regarding the handling of a speeding offence by his interior minister, his spokesperson said on Monday, after calls for an investigation into whether she broke ministerial rules. Opposition parties have called on the prime minister to investigate whether Braverman breached the ministerial code over her handling of the speeding incident. "The prime minister believes in proper process so that's why he's availing himself of the information whilst he has had a conversation with the independent adviser," Sunak's spokesperson told reporters. Sunak reappointed her less than a week later in one of his first acts as prime minister.

☆ Ukraine has 'conflicting priorities,' says analyst
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailUkraine has 'conflicting priorities,' says analystKeir Giles, senior consulting fellow for the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House, discusses tensions as Russia holds a military parade, while simultaneously launching attacks on Kyiv and Odessa.

☆ Eurovision: The coronation may have passed off peacefully. But song contest could be a bigger headache
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

London CNN —Britain’s security services are quietly relieved that the coronation of King Charles III passed without major incident – save for some accusations of heavy-handed policing. On the face of it, the stakes associated with the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest would not appear to be particularly high. For that reason, British security officials are more exercised than they might otherwise have been about a kitschy musical competition. “On one hand you have thousands of people enjoying the nightlife, which means potential of physical targets and organized crime. This year’s event is, at its heart, a partnership between the UK and Ukraine, two major thorns in the Kremlin’s side.

☆ UK Conservatives suffering 'terrible' night with local election losses
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Andrew Macaskill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Peter CziborraLONDON, May 5 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservatives were facing a bleak set of local election results with voters punishing his party over political scandals, sluggish economic growth and high inflation, early results showed on Friday. The Conservative Party suffered a net loss of 144 seats on local councils that were up for re-election, the early results showed. Johnny Mercer, a member of parliament for the area, said it had been a "terrible" night for the Conservatives. The Labour leader Keir Starmer visited Plymouth and Stoke-on-Trent during local election campaigning as the party threw resources into winning back control of the councils. The last time most of these local election seats were contested was in 2019 when the Conservatives lost more 1,300 seats, shortly before the then prime minister Theresa May was forced to resign, which had been expected to help limit the losses in these elections.

[1/2] A view of a polling station sign at Barley Town House, which is acting as a polling station for local elections in Royston, Britain, May 4, 2023. REUTERS/Peter CziborraLONDON, May 4 (Reuters) - Voters in England will cast their ballots in local elections on Thursday in the first major electoral test for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak following a year when the governing Conservatives have suffered a cascade of scandals, strikes and economic chaos. But his party is still forecast to suffer heavy losses when the results are announced on Friday. "But if (Labour) want to be on course to win the next election, they should be hoping to get a lead in national vote share of 10 points or so." This will be the first set of elections in England where voters will be required to show a form of photographic identification to vote.

☆ BP shares slide as first-quarter profit dips
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Shares of BP fell more than 5% Tuesday after the energy giant said it would return less cash to investors following a drop in first-quarter profit. BP (BP) reported underlying profit of $5 billion for the first three months of the year. BP (BP), Chevron (CVX), ExxonMobil, Shell and TotalEnergies (TOT) handed more than $100 billion to their investors in 2022 via share buybacks and dividend payments. Looking ahead, BP said it expects oil prices to “remain elevated,” following supply cuts by OPEC+ and strengthening demand from China. Gas prices in Europe and Asia would be supported by recovering Chinese demand, restocking of European storage capacity and coal-to-gas switching, it added.

☆ UK PM Sunak faces first test of comeback credentials in local polls
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Alistair Smout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

With voters going through a cost-of-living crisis and inflation stubbornly high at about 10%, local council votes in much of England on May 4 give Labour an opportunity to prove their electoral credentials. Swindon has returned lawmakers representing the winning party at every national election since 1983, making it a bellwether and a key target for Labour, who chose the town for the launch of their local election campaign. "Whilst Sunak's personal poll ratings aren't great, they're not toxic in the way that his predecessors have been," he said. David Renard, the Conservative leader of Swindon Borough Council, said the national picture might hinder his attempts to focus the campaign on more local issues. In its town centre, many voters expressed unhappiness with the Conservatives but some had a degree of sympathy for Sunak personally.

☆ Factbox: What is embattled British business group the CBI?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Below is some information about the CBI and its role:WHAT IS THE CBI? Founded in 1965, the CBI is Britain's top business lobby group. A not-for-profit organisation, the CBI says it represents 190,000 businesses employing nearly 7 million people, including many of Britain's biggest companies. In his speech, Sunak called the CBI "a valued institution in this country and a powerful voice for business". A spokesperson for NatWest said the bank had no confidence in the CBI's capacity to be a strong representative voice for British business at present.

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