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☆ UK reviews AI models as rapid growth fuels safety concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Governments around the world are now trying to find a balance whereby they can assess and rein in some of the potential negative consequences of AI without stifling innovation. Britain in March opted to split regulatory responsibility for AI between those bodies that oversee human rights, health and safety, and competition, rather than creating a new body dedicated to the technology. CMA CEO Sarah Cardell said in a statement that AI had burst into the public consciousness and was developing at speed. The review in Britain echoes investigations taking place around the world, from Beijing to Brussels and Washington. Italy, a G7 member, took ChatGPT offline last month to investigate its potential breach of personal data rules.

☆ Factbox: What to expect from King Charles' coronation on May 6
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Michael Holden | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

TIMINGSThe coronation ceremony will begin at 1000 GMT following a procession from Buckingham Palace. The king and queen will travel in the gold state coach which was commissioned in 1760. Charles will wear robes of crimson and purple silk velvet at his May 6 coronation which were once worn by his grandfather King George VI at his own coronation in 1937. She will be crowned using the crown of Queen Mary, commissioned and worn by the consort of King George V for the 1911 coronation. GUESTSThere will be 2,200 guests inside Westminster Abbey, far fewer than the 8,000 in attendance for Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953.

☆ Britain's Cleverly expects to meet Chinese vice president this week
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Sachin Ravikumar | Thomson Reuters | Sachin Ravikumar Is A Correspondent For Reuters In London Covering General News Across The Uk. Over Nine Years At Reuters | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, May 2 (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly expects to meet China's Vice President Han Zheng when foreign leaders visit London for King Charles's coronation, a rare meeting between senior government officials during a low point in UK-China relations. "I suspect that I will," Cleverly told BBC Radio on Tuesday when asked if he would be meeting Han. He said he would discuss a range of subjects including areas where Britain has "points of criticism". Cleverly, who hopes to visit China this year, suggested he would speak to Han about some of those concerns. That approach faces opposition from some within Britain's governing Conservative Party who have argued for an even tougher stance against China, including by reclassifying the country as a "threat" instead of a "systemic competitor".

☆ King Charles' coronation is a great fit for London's Savile Row tailors
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Kate Holton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/5] Handmade suits are seen at Anderson & Sheppard tailor on Savile Row, ahead of the Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla, in London, Britain, April 27, 2023. REUTERS/Dylan MartinezLONDON, May 2 (Reuters) - On Savile Row, the London street long celebrated for turning out sharp suits, tailors have been racing to prepare the red and gold uniforms that will feature in Britain's first coronation for 70 years, adorned with the new insignia of King Charles. Savile Row tailors have dressed kings, queens and their offspring for more than 150 years, and their craft gets a particular boost from long-time customer Charles - a lover of the countryside who also champions the farmers, weavers and mills producing much of the fabric. 'SLOWEST FASHION'Henry Poole, credited with creating the dinner jacket, or tuxedo, has held a British royal warrant since the 1860s when it supplied Queen Victoria. "The sustainability side of that is a major part of what Savile Row has always had," he said.

☆ Donald Trump arrives in Scotland for short golfing trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures after arriving at Aberdeen International Airport in Aberdeen, Scotland, Britain May 1, 2023. REUTERS/Russell CheyneABERDEEN, Scotland, May 1 (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Scotland on Monday for a short trip to visit his golf courses in the country and in Ireland. Trump, who has family roots in Lewis, an island off the northwestern tip of Scotland, owns two golf courses in Scotland - one north of Aberdeen and the Turnberry resort south of Glasgow - as well as the Doonbeg golf resort in Ireland. "It’s great to be home," Trump told reporters after disembarking from his plane at Aberdeen airport. Accounts released in February showed that the two Scottish golf courses lost 4.4 million pounds ($5.5 million) in 2021.

☆ UK inflation expectations ease as BoE considers next rate hike
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, May 1 (Reuters) - Inflation expectations in Britain eased in April, bank Citi said on Monday, offering some relief to the Bank of England which is expected to announce a 12th straight interest rate hike next week with investors betting on further increases after that. "However, today’s data still suggest UK inflation expectations overall remain anchored at target-consistent levels," Nabarro said. "With acute shortages and food inflation primarily responsible for recent volatility, we think risks around these data are more likely to ease in the months ahead than intensify further." The BoE is widely expected to raise borrowing costs again on May 11 after its monthly monetary policy meeting, with inflation running at five times its 2% target. Investors are putting a 92% probability on a 25 basis-point increase in Bank Rate to 4.5% and roughly 50 chance of hitting 5% by August.

☆ UK blocks Microsoft's $69 bln Activision deal over cloud gaming concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The country's antitrust regulator said on Wednesday that Microsoft's commitment to offer access to Activision's multi-billion dollar "Call of Duty" franchise to leading cloud gaming platforms would not effectively remedy its concerns. The gaming company also reported quarterly results on Wednesday, a day earlier than scheduled, beating quarterly bookings estimates although that seemed to do little to allay investor concerns about Britain's move. Europe will decide on the Activision deal by May 22. The CMA said the cloud gaming market was forecast to be worth 11 billion pounds ($13.7 billion) globally by 2026. The CMA said Microsoft had an estimated 60%-70% of global cloud gaming services as well as competitive advantages including owning Xbox, PC operating system Windows and cloud provider Azure.

☆ UK blocks Microsoft $69 bln Activision deal over cloud gaming concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The country's antitrust regulator said on Wednesday that Microsoft's commitment to offer access to Activision's multi-billion dollar "Call of Duty" franchise to leading cloud gaming platforms would not effectively remedy its concerns. Microsoft announced its Activision bid in January 2022 to boost its firepower in a video gaming market led by Tencent (0700.HK) and Sony (6758.T). Europe will decide on the Activision deal by May 22. The CMA said the cloud gaming market was forecast to be worth 11 billion pounds ($13.7 billion) globally by 2026. The CMA said Microsoft had an estimated 60%-70% of global cloud gaming services as well as competitive advantages including owning Xbox, PC operating system Windows and cloud provider Azure.

☆ UK blocks Microsoft $69 billion Activision deal over cloud gaming concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON, April 26 (Reuters) - Britain said it would block Microsoft's (MSFT.O) $69 billion acquisition of "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) over its concerns it would hinder competition in cloud gaming. The country's antitrust regulator said Microsoft's commitment to offer access to Activision's multi-billion dollar "Call of Duty" franchise to leading cloud gaming platforms would not effectively remedy its concerns. Microsoft said in a statement it remained fully committed to this acquisition and would appeal. Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Kate HoltonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Vast military procession to mark King Charles' coronation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, April 16 (Reuters) - Around 5,000 members of the British armed forces will participate in the coronation of King Charles next month, joined by soldiers from more than 30 Commonwealth countries to form one of the largest ceremonial military operations in decades. Charles will be crowned at London's Westminster Abbey on May 6 in a ceremony resplendent with pomp and pageantry, with traditions dating back 1,000 years. Gun salutes will sound out across the country to mark the moment the king is crowned, before military personnel later conduct a flypast of more than 60 aircraft. Buckingham Palace said Charles had also been involved in the commissioning process and details of the music programme, with film composer Patrick Doyle writing a coronation march and Andrew Lloyd Webber a coronation anthem. Reporting by Kate Holton; Editing by David HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Protesters delay UK's Grand National horse race, 118 arrested
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, April 15 (Reuters) - The start of the annual Grand National horse race was briefly delayed on Saturday after a large group of animal rights protesters forced their way into the Aintree grounds to disrupt one of the highest-profile sporting events in Britain. Police said they had arrested 118 people on suspicion of offences including criminal damage and causing public nuisance after protesters sought to scale the perimeter fence and access the track to prevent the 40 horses from starting the race. Officers were seen pinning some protesters in pink tops to the ground while others were pulled from ladders. "Just after 5pm a large number of protesters attempted to gain entry to the course," Assistant Chief Constable Paul White said. Animal rights protesters say the Grand National exploits animals for entertainment and can lead to the death of horses.

☆ Darktrace says tough market for new customers hitting growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON, April 13 (Reuters) - Cyber-security company Darktrace (DARK.L) said the tough global economy had hit new customer additions and as a result it expected its full-year annual recurring revenue (ARR) to grow by around 29%, towards the bottom of its previous guidance. The British company said on Thursday it added net constant currency ARR of $27.0 million in its third quarter to end-March, a decline of 6.3% compared to the same quarter a year ago. ARR stood at $583.6 million at the end of March, it said, representing year-over-year growth of 33.7%. Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Kate HoltonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Intel leaks: Biden says US 'getting close' on investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The number of documents leaked is likely to be over 100. Biden, on a three-day tour of Ireland, said he was not overly concerned about the leak. "There's a full blown investigation going on, as you know, with the intelligence community and the Justice Department, and they're getting close but I don't have an answer," Biden told reporters. "I'm not concerned about the leak, I'm concerned that it happened but there is nothing contemporaneous that I'm aware of." A South Korean presidential official said on Sunday the country was aware of reports about the leaked documents and planned to discuss "issues raised" with Washington.

☆ Prince Harry to attend Charles' coronation, Meghan to stay in California
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Michael Holden | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, April 12 (Reuters) - Britain's Prince Harry will attend the Coronation next month of his father King Charles but his wife Meghan will remain in California with the couple's young children. "Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th," the palace spokesperson said. "The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet." Asked in one interview in January whether he would attend the coronation if given an invitation, Harry said: "There's a lot that can happen between now and then. Spokespeople for King Charles and Prince William have declined to comment.

☆ UK's scandal-hit CBI fires director-general after complaints
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"The allegations that have been made over recent weeks about the CBI have been devastating," it said in a statement. Danker stepped aside in March while the CBI conducted a review into his behaviour. The CBI said three employees were suspended pending further investigation into a number of ongoing allegations. "The CBI is liaising with the police and has made clear its intention to cooperate fully with any police investigations," it said. After he was suspended, Danker expressed regret over his behaviour.

☆ Britain names first female director of GCHQ intelligence agency
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, April 11 (Reuters) - Britain named Anne Keast-Butler as the first female director of its GCHQ intelligence agency on Tuesday. She currently serves as deputy director general at Britain's MI5 intelligence agency. "She is the ideal candidate to lead GCHQ, and Anne will use her vast experience to help keep the British public safe." Keast-Butler will take over the role in May, according to a GCHQ statement, succeeding Jeremy Fleming who in January announced his planned departure after six years in the role. Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar, writing by William James; Editing by Kate HoltonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Britain braces for 'unparalleled' disruption from doctors' strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Junior doctors hold placards during a strike, amid a dispute with the government over pay, outside St Thomas' Hospital, in London, Britain April 11, 2023. REUTERS/Maja SmiejkowskaLONDON, April 11 (Reuters) - Junior doctors in Britain began a four-day strike on Tuesday over pay that is likely to cause unprecedented disruption to the health service, prompting the government to warn of a risk to patient safety. Tuesday's walkout followed a three-day doctors' strike last month. The BMA has said the strikes by junior doctors, some of whom are very experienced, could be stopped if health minister Steve Barclay put a credible pay offer forward. He says the BMA's demands are unreasonable and would mean an increase of more then 20,000 pounds ($24,840) for some doctors.

☆ UK house prices rise for 3rd month in a row, Halifax says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, April 6 (Reuters) - British house prices rose for a third month in a row in March, representing a further calming of the market after the turmoil sparked by former Prime Minister Liz Truss's "mini-budget" last September, data from mortgage lender Halifax showed. House prices rose by 0.8% in month-on-month terms, Halifax said on Thursday, the second-strongest gain since June last year after February's 1.2% increase. A Reuters poll of economists had pointed to a 0.3% drop on the month. House prices were 1.6% higher than a year ago. But other indicators, such as the BoE's mortgage approvals data and a measure of asking prices compiled by property company Rightmove, have suggested the market has become more stable in recent months.

☆ UK antitrust regulator looks at Amazon's takeover of vacuum maker iRobot
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON, April 6 (Reuters) - Britain is to investigate Amazon.com's anticipated takeover of robot vacuum maker iRobot Corp (IRBT.O), the country's competition regulator said on Thursday. The e-commerce giant's planned $1.7 billion acquisition of iRobot, aimed at expanding its stable of smart home devices, is already being reviewed by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Britain's Competition and Markets Authority said it is also now considering whether the deal could reduce competition in the connected device market. Invitations to comment on the combination are now open, said the CMA. Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Kate HoltonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ UK telecoms firm Virgin Media suffers widespread outages
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, April 4 (Reuters) - British telecoms firm Virgin Media said on Tuesday there was an issue impacting its broadband services, after thousands of customers reported widespread problems with internet access and the group's website also appeared to be down. There were more than 28,000 reports of Virgin Media outages on the Downdetector website as of Tuesday morning, beginning in the early hours, with most users reporting that their internet was not working. "We're aware of an issue that is affecting broadband services for Virgin Media customers as well as our contact centres," Virgin Media said on Twitter. Virgin Media O2 is owned by Liberty Global (LBTYA.O) and Spain's Telefonica (TEF.MC). Reporting by Kylie MacLellan, Andy Bruce and Sachin Ravikumar; Editing by Kate HoltonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/3] Prime Minister Tony Blair (R) embraces Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern after all parties reached a historic peace agreement April 10, 1998. The peace has utterly transformed the region, largely ending three decades of bitter violence that killed 3,600. "Nothing's ever irresolvable" said Blair, summing up the stubborn optimism many developed working in Northern Ireland at the turn of the millennium. Nationalists, who are mostly Catholic, say Northern Ireland was wrenched from the EU in a UK-wide vote even though its smallest region voted 56% to 44% to remain. "There is an exhaustion and frustration," at the DUP's repeated objections, said Ahern, Irish prime minister from 1997-2008.

☆ Teachers in England reject pay offer, announce further strikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, April 3 (Reuters) - Teachers in England have overwhelmingly rejected a pay offer from the British government aimed at ending a series of disruptive strikes, their trade union said on Monday, announcing two further days of walkouts. The National Education Union, Britain's largest education union, said 98% of teachers who voted in the ballot followed its advice to reject the offer of a one-off payment this year of 1,000 pounds and an average pay rise of 4.5% in the next financial year. The union said teachers would take two further days of strike action, on April 27 and May 2. Teachers in Wales have ended their strike action after voting to accept a pay offer comprising an additional 3% pay award for 2022/23 alongside a 1.5% one-off payment, and a government-funded 5% rise for the following year. Scotland's largest teaching union has also accepted a pay deal to end long-running strikes, which it said would amount to a 14.6% increase in pay for most teachers by January 2024.

☆ Suspended software firm WANdisco's CEO and CFO step down
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, April 3 (Reuters) - WANdisco (WAND.L), the British software company whose shares are suspended while it investigates possible fraud, said its co-founder and chief executive David Richards and CFO Erik Miller had stepped down on Monday with immediate effect. The company found "potential fraudulent irregularities" in its accounts last month linked to a senior sales employee, prompting significant going concerns issues. The ongoing investigation supported the view that one employee was responsible, the company said. Ken Lever, appointed interim chair last month, would run the company until a new chief executive was appointed, the company said. It also appointed Ijoma Maluza, previously CFO of Blue Prism, as interim CFO from April 11.

☆ UK house price slide accelerates in March: Nationwide
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, March 31 (Reuters) - British house prices slid in March at the fastest annual rate since the financial crisis, mortgage lender Nationwide said on Friday. House prices fell 3.1% year-on-year, the biggest such drop since July 2009, Nationwide said. Economists polled by Reuters had expected prices to fall by 2.2% from a year earlier and by 0.3% in monthly terms. Nationwide said the market was still feeling the effects of a "turning point" last year - the September economic agenda of former prime minister Liz Truss, which prompted a confidence crisis in British assets and hammered the mortgage market. Reporting by Andy Bruce; editing by Kate HoltonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Cost-of-living hit compounds UK gambling problems, charity warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, March 29 (Reuters) - Some Britons with gambling problems have used betting shops as a way to keep warm and have wagered their state benefits in an attempt to cover their bills as the cost-of-living crisis escalates, a charity warned on Wednesday. A new report from GamCare, which provides support to people with gambling problems, showed this group was far more likely than the general population to struggle paying for groceries or stay warm at home. The YouGov poll showed 20% of people experiencing gambling harms had struggled to pay for groceries, compared with 11% of the wider population. At the William Hill companies, multiple failures were found by the Gambling Commission, it said on Monday. GamCare said it had launched a new Money Guidance Service to help people with gambling problems to put their finances back on track.

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