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☆ ‘Backtracking:’ A year of climate failures ahead of a crucial summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

And yet, even as the climate crisis inserts itself viscerally into people’s lives, experts say the year has seen alarming backsliding on climate action. Green policies have been watered down, huge new oil and gas projects have been greenlit and coal has had something of a resurgence. As countries gather in Dubai for the UN’s COP28 climate summit, there are “high expectations,” said Harjeet Singh, the head of global political strategy at nonprofit Climate Action Network International. It sent worrying signals about climate backtracking, said Elisa Giannelli, a senior policy advisor at climate think tank E3G. Around 50% of its total capital spending needs to go toward clean energy projects by 2030, according to the report.

Persons: ”, Harjeet Singh, Kaveh Guilanpour, Singh, Biden, “, Erik Grafe, Joe Biden, Countess, Norway —, Elisa Giannelli, “ It’s, Rishi Sunak, Joeri Rogelj, Flora Champenois, It’s, Bernd Lauter, ” Rogelj, Darren Woods, Bernard Looney, Fatih Birol, Guilanpour, Claire Fyson, ” Fyson, “ we’re, ” CNN’s Ella Nilsen, Ivana Kottasová, Gan Organizations: CNN, United Nations, Action, “, Climate, Energy Solutions, US Department of Interior, Imperial College London, Global Energy Monitor, GEM, Getty, BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, Exxon, IEA, Climate Analytics Locations: Canada, Libyan, Dubai, Alaska, Washington ,, Australia, Norway, Europe, Germany, China, Asia, Ukraine, Eschweiler, COP28

John set up his AIDS Foundation in 1992 and has helped raise millions of dollars to prevent HIV infections and reduce stigma. "This evening I was privileged to welcome Sir Elton John and acknowledge his exceptional contribution to the global fight against HIV and AIDS — personally and through the Elton John AIDS Foundation,” Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle said on X, formerly Twitter. The Parliament reception for John came ahead of World AIDS Day, which takes place on Friday. “Sir Elton has been a powerful voice for change in the U.K. and the world,” Sunak told lawmakers. “Through the brilliant work of the AIDS Foundation he has raised awareness of the issue, reduced stigma and saved lives.”

Persons: — Elton John, ” John, John, Sir Elton John, AIDS —, Elton John, Lindsay Hoyle, Rishi Sunak, “ Sir Elton, ” Sunak, ” Organizations: AIDS Foundation, AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Twitter, NHS, Health, World Health Organization, John's AIDS, “ Locations: London, England

[1/2] Former UK finance minister (Chancellor of the Exchequer), Alistair Darling, poses for a photograph in Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain, Aug 31, 2018. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Former British finance minister Alistair Darling, who steered the country's economy and banking system through the shock of the global financial crisis in 2007-08, has died aged 70 after undergoing treatment for cancer, his family said on Thursday. Darling was named chancellor of the exchequer by former prime minister Gordon Brown in June 2007, just as the crisis was brewing at leading financial institutions. "I never met anyone who didn't like him," Brown's predecessor as prime minister, Tony Blair, said. "Darling's passing is a huge loss to us all," said Britain's present prime minister Rishi Sunak, from the centre-right Conservative party.

Persons: Alistair Darling, Russell Cheyne, Darling, Gordon Brown, Brown, Margaret, Calum, Anna, Tony Blair, Lehman, Rishi Sunak, Muvija, Kate Holton, Andrew Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds TSB, Labour Party, Treasury, Western General Hospital, Loretto School, Aberdeen University, The Guardian, Lehman Brothers, Conservative, Thomson Locations: Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain, British, United Kingdom

☆ Britain's King Charles in UAE to urge action on climate at COP28
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Alexander Cornwell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Britain's King Charles began a visit to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, during which he will advocate for greater global action and accountability on climate change at the COP28 summit. It will be his first major speech on climate change since he became monarch in September 2022. After a year of record temperatures, the pressure is on for this year's summit to accelerate action to limit climate change. Countries, however, are divided over the future of fossil fuel - the burning of which is the main cause of climate change. [1/6]Britain’s King Charles arrives to meet the students at Heriot-Watt University Dubai, during the COP28 summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, November 30, 2023.

Persons: Britain's King Charles, Narendra Modi, Rishi Sunak, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, King Charles, Alexander Cornwell, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Nahyan, Simon Stiell, Bola Tinubu, Irfaan Ali, Watt, Barbara Lewis Organizations: United Arab Emirates, India's, Britain's, U.S, United Arab, Organization of, Petroleum, Heriot, Watt University Dubai, REUTERS, UAE Prime Minister, First Nations, Scottish, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Gulf, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, United Arab, United Nations, British, UAE

☆ Scholz, Zelenskiy Discuss Military Support, Push for Peace -Berlin
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reiterated Berlin's unwavering support for Ukraine in a telephone call with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday, a government spokesperson in Berlin said. The two leaders agreed to continue their exchange, "also with a view towards the global support for a peaceful solution" to the conflict, the spokesperson said in a statement. Zelenskiy, in his nightly video address, said he expressed thanks for assistance in telephone calls with Scholz, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov. Our agreements...are all being implemented," Zelenskiy said. (Writing by Rachel More, editing by Thomas Escritt and Ron Popeski)

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Scholz, Rishi Sunak, Nikolai Denkov, Rachel More, Thomas Escritt, Ron Popeski Organizations: BERLIN, Ukraine, British, Bulgarian Locations: Berlin

☆ Microsoft's $3.2 bln UK investment to drive AI growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Microsoft President Brad Smith attend the AI Safety Summit in Bletchley Park, near Milton Keynes, Britain, November 2, 2023. Britain, where the economy is forecast to be sluggish in the coming years, is pushing for private investment to help fund new infrastructure, particularly in growth industries like AI. "Today's announcement is a turning point for the future of AI infrastructure and development in the UK," Sunak said in a statement on Thursday. Since then, the UK regulator waved through a restructured version of Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard , putting Britain back in Microsoft's favour. The investment includes a training plan to help ensure Britons have the skills they need to build and work with AI, it added.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Brad Smith, Toby Melville, Sunak, Microsoft's, Smith, Jeremy Hunt, Sarah Young, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: Britain's, Microsoft, REUTERS, U.S ., Activision Blizzard, Thomson Locations: Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes, Britain, Microsoft's, London

☆ Tech companies to sign agreement with UK government to tackle online fraud
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Eleven of the world's biggest tech companies, including Amazon.com (AMZN.O), Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google and Microsoft (MSFT.O), will sign an agreement with the British government on Thursday to step up their efforts to tackle online fraud, the interior ministry said. Under the "Online Fraud Charter," due to be signed at a meeting chaired by Interior Minister James Cleverly in London, the companies pledge to take further action to block and remove fraudulent content from their sites, the government said. "Fraud is now the most common crime in the UK, with online scammers targeting the most vulnerable in society," British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement. "By joining forces with these tech giants we will continue to crack down on fraudsters, making sure they have nowhere to hide online." The British government says fraud accounts for around 40% of all crime in England and Wales, with data from industry body UK Finance showing almost 80% of all authorised push payment fraud originates online.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, James, ByteDance's, Rishi Sunak, Kylie MacLellan, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Google, Microsoft, Interior, eBay, Facebook, YouTube, Finance, Thomson Locations: London, England, Wales

☆ Britain's King Charles to Push for Global Action on Climate in COP28 Speech
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Countries, however, are divided over the future of fossil fuel - the burning of which is the main cause of climate change. The monarchy has been under pressure to reduce its carbon footprint, though emissions have decreased under King Charles. King Charles will be among world leaders attending the climate talks, known as COP28, in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. King Charles is attending on behalf of the British government and following an invitation from the host nation, the UAE. On Thursday, King Charles met with Gulf state's president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, at the COP28 summit site.

Persons: Britain's King Charles, King Charles, Rishi Sunak, Narendra Modi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Charles, Alexander Cornwell, Josie Kao Organizations: Reuters, Carbon, United Arab, Organization of, Petroleum, United, United Arab Emirates, Britain's, India's, Gulf state's Locations: DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Dubai, United Arab, UAE, United Kingdom, France

LONDON (AP) — Elton John is to address Britain's Parliament on Wednesday on his work fighting HIV at an event to mark World AIDS Day. The British star's AIDS Foundation has led campaigns to extend a pilot government program to test people visiting hospitals' emergency rooms for HIV. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak paid tribute to John's AIDS Foundation, saying he was pleased its work was being celebrated in Parliament. Political Cartoons View All 1270 Images“Sir Elton has been a powerful voice for change in the U.K. and the world,” Sunak told lawmakers. World AIDS Day takes place on Friday.

Persons: — Elton John, Rishi Sunak, Sir Elton, ” Sunak, ” John’s Organizations: AIDS, John's AIDS, “, AIDS Foundation, World Health Organization Locations: London, Manchester, England

☆ Elon Musk claims advertisers are trying to 'blackmail' him, says 'Go f--- yourself'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Lora Kolodny | In Lorakolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla and SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk reacts during an in-conversation event with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London, Britain, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. Speaking at the 2023 DealBook Summit in New York on Wednesday, Elon Musk, the owner of social media site X (formerly Twitter), scoffed at advertisers leaving the platform because of antisemitic posts he amplified there. "The whole world will know that those advertisers killed the company and we will document it in great detail," Musk threatened. Musk told Sorkin on stage that his visit to Israel was planned before his tweets, and were not part of an "apology tour." Previously, Musk had said he wanted to bring SpaceX satellite communications service, Starlink, to the region and specifically to humanitarian organizations in Gaza.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk, Rishi Sunak, somebody's, Musk, Bob Iger, Bob, Andrew Ross Sorkin, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Sorkin Organizations: British, Disney, Apple, Paris Mayor, SpaceX Locations: London, Britain, New York, Israel, Gaza

☆ Elon Musk says he won't vote for Biden over Trump, calls Haley 'pro-censorship'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., during a fireside discussion on artificial intelligence risks with Rishi Sunak, UK prime minister, not pictured, in London, UK, on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. Photographer: Tolga Akmen/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesElon Musk said Wednesday that he won't vote for President Joe Biden in the 2024 election, even if former president Donald Trump is the Republican nominee. "I would not vote for Biden," Musk said during a wide-ranging interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin at the DealBook Summit in New York. When asked what he'd do if those were the two nominees, Musk said, "This is definitely a difficult choice here." When asked if he could support Nikki Haley among the Republicans, Musk said no and described the former South Carolina governor as a "pro-censorship candidate."

Persons: Elon Musk, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Tolga, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, Musk, Andrew Ross Sorkin, I'm, Barack Obama's, hasn't, Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Sorkin, Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley Organizations: Tesla Inc, Bloomberg, Getty, Republican, Trump, Democratic Party, Florida, Republicans, South Locations: London, New York, South Carolina

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak escalated his war of words with the leader of Greece on Wednesday, accusing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of trying to “grandstand” over the disputed Parthenon Marbles and breaking a promise to the U.K. government. Athens wants them returned so they can be displayed alongside the rest of the Parthenon sculptures at a purpose-built museum in Athens. Sunak said Mitsotakis had reneged on a promise not to talk publicly about the marbles during his visit. The leader of the U.K. opposition Labour Party, Keir Starmer, met with Mitsotakis in London on Monday. It’s not that difficult, prime minister.”___Associated Press writers Nicholas Paphitis and Derek Gatopoulos in Athens contributed to this report.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Mitsotakis, Lord Elgin, Sunak, Leonardo da Vinci’s, Mona Lisa ”, ” Sunak, “, Critics, Keir Starmer, Starmer, ”, ” Starmer, It’s, Nicholas Paphitis, Derek Gatopoulos Organizations: British, British Museum, ”, “, European Union, Conservative, National Health Service, Labour Party, Mitsotakis, Associated Press Locations: Greece, Athens, loggerheads, United Kingdom, ” Greece, Brexit, London

☆ US Vice President Harris to attend COP28 climate summit in Dubai -Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris arrives before a tribute service for former U.S. first lady Rosalynn Carter at Glenn Memorial Church at Emory University in Atlanta, U.S., November 28, 2023. Brynn Anderson/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsNov 28 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will attend the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak are among the leaders expected to attend the event that begins on Thursday. Reuters reported earlier this week that U.S. President Joe Biden would not attend the gathering. Reporting by Gnaneshwar Rajan in Bengaluru; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Rosalynn Carter, Brynn Anderson, Antony Blinken, Narendra Modi, Rishi Sunak, Joe Biden, Gnaneshwar Rajan, Jacqueline Wong, Tom Hogue Organizations: U.S, Glenn Memorial Church, Emory University, REUTERS Acquire, Bloomberg, United Nations, Conference, United Arab, Indian, UK, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Atlanta , U.S, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Bengaluru

☆ New Zealand’s new government scraps world-leading smoking ban to fund tax cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

A year after passing a world-leading smoking ban designed to save thousands of lives and prevent new generations of young adults from smoking, New Zealand has announced a u-turn to help pay for tax cuts, infuriating public health officials and anti-tobacco groups. Marty Melville/AFP/Getty ImagesNew Zealand’s initial smoking ban was hailed by public health officials around the world. Months after New Zealand’s announcement, Britain also unveiled plans to phase out smoking for new generations. A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that the British government remained committed to phasing out smoking, even after New Zealand’s reversal. The anti-smoking group Health Coalition Aotearoa (HCA) expressed disappointment at the new coalition’s plans to repeal the smoking ban.

Persons: Chris Luxon, Luxon, Christopher Luxon, Marty Melville, Rishi Sunak, ”, Nicola Willis, Saturday, Mario Tama, Ayeshea Verrall, “ What’s, ” Verrall Organizations: CNN, National Party, New Zealand First, ACT New, Radio New Zealand, Government House, Getty, British, World Health, Radio New, Health Coalition Aotearoa, New Zealanders Locations: New Zealand, ACT New Zealand, Wellington, AFP, Britain, Los Angeles , California, Radio New Zealand, New

☆ The cost of climate policies: Hard-pressed consumers are pushing back
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

In a 2022 Pew survey covering 19 countries in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, climate change was named the top global threat. Aira UK“There is no trade-off between (installing a heat pump), saving the planet and at the same time saving the pockets of consumers,” CEO Martin Lewerth told CNN. “If you’re living outside Scandinavia and you want a heat pump, it’s not a hassle-free experience,” Lewerth acknowledged. “There is no scenario in which delay is the cheaper option with climate change,” said Bob Ward, policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the LSE. “If we’d invested more in renewable energy… energy bills wouldn’t have gone up so much, which disproportionately impacted on poor households,” Valero at the LSE told CNN.

Persons: ”, ” Brett Meyer, Tone, Tony Blair, ” Langengen, Meyer, Anna Valero, Keith Mayhew, Oliver Blume, doesn’t, Rishi Sunak, Kelley, Martin Lewerth, Sunak, ” Lewerth, “, Bob Ward, we’d, ” Valero, Tim Jackson Organizations: London CNN, Times Radio, Tony, Tony Blair Institute for Global, Pew, London School of Economics, Political Science, CNN, HSBC, carmakers, Volkswagen, Grantham Research, LSE, ”, Swiss, Confederation of British Industry, Centre, Prosperity, University of Surrey Locations: London, Europe, North America, Asia, Pacific, Greece, United Kingdom, United States, Germany, “, Norway, Sweden, Aira, Essex, Swedish, Britain, Scandinavia, Grantham, Ukraine

☆ Elon Musk’s quest in foreign affairs plagued by his own online behavior
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Washington CNN —Elon Musk is an increasingly important player in global affairs and has been touring the world to meet with political leaders in recent months. “We can observe Elon Musk’s Twitter/X activity that he regularly consumes right-wing content and this increased during COVID-19,” Facciani said in an email. More recently, however, Musk’s ambitions have come a bit closer to earth and become far more concrete. There are many world leaders who hold extreme or far-right views, of course. Musk’s outbursts that contradict widely held international norms and values are meant for a specific internet audience that Musk mistakes for being representative of the wider world.

Persons: Washington CNN — Elon Musk, White supremacists, Musk, Benjamin Netanyahu, It’s, George Soros, Netanyahu, Matthew Facciani, “, Elon, ” Facciani, Vladimir Putin, Rishi Sunak, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he’s, Ron DeSantis ’, Robert Kennedy Jr, ’, ” Musk, ”, reactionism Organizations: Washington CNN, Defamation League, Whites, White, The University of Notre Dame, Twitter, UK, Florida Republican Gov, United States Locations: Israel, Gaza, COVID, Ukraine, Crimea, Washington, United, Russia

Now even the British Museum goes by the preferred Greek form — Parthenon Sculptures. For many, Parthenon Sculptures are its most striking example. They were shipped to Britain and eventually joined the British Museum's collection in 1816 — five years before the uprising that created an independent Greece. The British Museum says the sculptures were acquired legally and form an integral part of its display of the world's cultural history. That would add pressure on the British Museum, while U.K. public opinion is seen as increasingly backing the Greek demand.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Kyriakos, Mitsotakis, Athena, —, Leonardo da Vincis, Elgin, Melina Mercouri, Mona Lisa, he's, George Osborne, Pope Francis Organizations: British Museum, Acropolis Museum, Elgin Marbles, British, Mitsotakis, Vatican Museums Locations: ATHENS, Greece, Britain, London, Athens, Scottish, Ottoman, British, Vatican, Sicily

☆ Parthenon Sculptures spat: Britain’s Rishi Sunak cancels meeting with Greek prime minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Reuters —Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis accused his British counterpart, Rishi Sunak, of canceling a scheduled meeting in London on Tuesday in a diplomatic spat over the status of the Parthenon Sculptures. “I express my annoyance that the British Prime Minister cancelled our planned meeting just hours before it was due to take place,” Mitsotakis said in a statement. “Greece’s positions on the issue of the Parthenon Sculptures are well known. Deputy British Prime Minister Oliver Dowden was available to meet Mitsotakis to discuss these issues instead, Sunak’s office said. A law prevents the British Museum from removing objects from the collection apart from in certain circumstances, but the legislation does not prohibit a loan.

Persons: Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Rishi Sunak, Lord Elgin, ” Mitsotakis, “, ”, George Osborne, Mitsotakis, Mona Lisa, Daniel Leal, Sunak, Oliver Dowden, Keir Starmer, Starmer Organizations: Reuters, Greek, British Museum, British, BBC, Elgin, Getty, Financial, Labour Party Locations: London, Greece, Athens, Ottoman Empire, Mitsotakis

☆ UK's Sunak snubs Greek PM at last minute amid ancient sculpture dispute
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 23: Visitors to the British Museum walk around a selection of items from the collection of ancient Greek sculptures known as The Elgin Marbles on August 23, 2023 in London, England. LONDON — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak canceled a scheduled meeting with Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday amid a diplomatic dispute about the Parthenon Sculptures. Greece has long maintained that the 2,500-year-old sculptures, removed by British diplomat Lord Elgin in the early 19th century and currently held in the British Museum, should be returned. The statues, also known as the Elgin Marbles, have been a source of disagreement between the two nations for centuries. Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden was available to meet Mitsotakis in Sunak's place.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Lord Elgin, Mitsotakis, Mona Lisa, Sunak, Oliver Dowden Organizations: British, Elgin Marbles, LONDON, British Museum, BBC, NATO, Downing Locations: ENGLAND, London, England, Greece, British, Athens, Ukraine, Sunak's

[1/4] An employee views examples of the Parthenon sculptures, sometimes referred to in the UK as the Elgin Marbles, on display at the British Museum in London, Britain, January 25, 2023. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsATHENS/LONDON Nov 28 (Reuters) - Greece's government on Tuesday accused Britain of showing "a lack of respect" by abruptly cancelling a meeting between their leaders at short notice in a dispute over ancient Greek sculptures brought to Britain in the early 19th century. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cancelled a planned wide-ranging meeting with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis after the latter raised the decades-old demand for the return of the Parthenon sculptures from the British Museum. "It shows a lack of respect to the prime minister but also to the country he represents." "I don't think the prime minister needed really to intervene in this way and it hasn't particularly helped our relationships with Greece."

Persons: Toby Melville, Rishi Sunak, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Pavlos Marinakis, Lord Elgin, Mitsotakis, Mona Lisa, Marinakis, Ed Vaizey, Vaizey, Alistair Smout, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Elgin, British Museum, REUTERS, British, BBC, Conservative, Sky News, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Greece, Ottoman, Athens, Gaza, Ukraine, British

☆ FACTBOX-The Parthenon Sculptures at Centre of Row Between Britain, Greece
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

Greece has repeatedly asked for their permanent return to Athens, while Britain and the museum have refused to do so. They were transported to Britain and bought by the British Museum in 1816, and are exhibited as a prized part of its collection in London. The sculptures at the British Museum make up about half of a 160-metre frieze which adorned the Parthenon temple on the rocky Acropolis hill in Athens. The trustees have said they would consider a loan to Greece if Greece acknowledges the British Museum's ownership of the sculptures, which Greek governments have refused in the past. The British Museum in January 2023 called for a new Parthenon Partnership with Greece and said discussions were ongoing.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Kyriakos, Thomas Bruce, Earl of Elgin, Athena, Elgin, Oscar, Melina Mercouri, Mitsotakis, Fagan, Artemis, Pope Francis, Renee Maltezou, Alison Williams, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Britain's, British Museum, Elgin Marbles, British, Elgin, Athens Locations: ATHENS, Greece, Athens, Britain, British, London, Ottoman Empire, BRITISH, Italy, Vatican

☆ UN Committee Criticizes Denmark on Third Country Plans for Asylum Seekers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Johannes BirkebaekCOPENHAGEN (Reuters) - The United Nations Committee against Torture has expressed concerns about Denmark's ambitions to transfer asylum seekers to third countries like Rwanda while their applications are being considered, citing worries about the safety of migrants. The committee criticised Denmark two weeks after the UK Supreme Court said Rwanda could not be considered a safe third country, blocking Britain's similar plans for transferring asylum seekers to Rwanda. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he would pass an emergency law to declare Rwanda a safe destination for migrants. In a bid to bypass the European Union's fragmented migration and asylum system, Denmark last year agreed with Rwanda to explore setting up a program in which asylum seekers arriving in Denmark could be transferred to the African country. The UN committee said in a report it was concerned about the Danish legislation and recommended it was revisited, taking international standards into account.

Persons: Johannes Birkebaek COPENHAGEN, Rishi Sunak, Dybvad Bek, Olaf Scholz, Johannes Birkebaek, Grant McCool Organizations: United Nations, Torture, British, European, EU, Immigration, Integration, Reuters, UN Locations: Rwanda, Denmark, Danish, Italy, Albania

☆ UK reaches deal with unions which could end senior doctor strikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Kylie Maclellan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Susannah Ireland/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 27 (Reuters) - The British government and medical trade unions said on Monday they had reached a deal which could see an end to months of disruptive strike action by senior doctors in England. This would see a clearer link between pay progression and evidence of skills, competencies and experience, it added. Under the offer, consultants will reach the top of the pay scale five years sooner than now, it added. Sunak has made cutting NHS patient waiting lists one of his top priorities ahead of an election expected next year. More than 7.8 million people in England are on a waiting list for hospital treatment and more than a million appointments have been rescheduled by strike action.

Persons: Susannah Ireland, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Vishal Sharma, Kylie MacLellan, William James, Christina Fincher Organizations: St Thomas’s Hospital, REUTERS, British, of Health, Social Care, British Medical Association, BMA, Hospital Consultants, Specialists Association, Thomson Locations: England, St Thomas’s, London, Britain

☆ Elon Musk to Israel: 'propaganda' that begets murder must be stopped
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Tesla and SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk pauses during an in-conversation event with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London, Britain, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. Kirsty Wigglesworth/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJERUSALEM, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk voiced support on Monday for Israel after it came under attack by Palestinian Hamas militants, saying one challenge was "ultimately stopping the propaganda that is convincing people to engage in, you know, murder". After hearing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying Hamas must be destroyed in a live online chat, Musk said: "There's no choice." Musk, visiting Israel during its war on Hamas in Gaza, added: "I'd like to help as well." Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Howard GollerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk, Rishi Sunak, Kirsty Wigglesworth, Benjamin Netanyahu, Musk, Dan Williams, Howard Goller Organizations: British, Rights, Tech, Israel, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Palestinian, Israel, Gaza

For the past two years, Greece’s government has conducted delicate negotiations with the British Museum over the future of the Parthenon marbles, the ancient Greek antiquities brought to Britain in the early 19th century by Lord Elgin. Now, Britain’s prime minister, Rishi Sunak, appears to be throwing cold water on those discussions. On Monday evening, Mr. Sunak abruptly canceled a planned wide-ranging meeting with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Greece, which had been scheduled for Tuesday. Mr. Mitsotakis said on the BBC television program that sculptures had been stolen and needed to be reunified in Athens. Mr. Mitsotakis has made similar comments throughout his terms in office, and Mr. Sunak has also repeatedly stated he would not change British law to allow the sculptures, sometimes known as the Elgin Marbles, to leave the British Museum permanently.

Persons: Lord Elgin, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Mitsotakis, ”, Mona Lisa Organizations: British Museum, BBC, Acropolis Museum, Elgin Marbles Locations: Britain, Greece, Athens, “, London

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