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☆ 3 men were just given life sentences over the downing of passenger jet MH17 and the murder of 298 people, but they may never be caught
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Dutch court sentenced three men to life in prison over the downing of passenger jet MH17 in 2014. The plane was shot down over eastern Ukraine by a Russian-made missile, and nearly 300 people were killed. Two Russians and a pro-Moscow Ukrainian separatist were convicted, but they're fugitives. Given that the convicted are currently fugitives, the three men may never be apprehended and serve their time in prison, the report said. The missile was provided by Russia's military to pro-Moscow separatist forces, the Dutch court confirmed.

☆ Rugby league-Samoa one step away from ultimate sporting fairytale
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Peter Hall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

But the Samoans, who did not win a single match at the 2017 World Cup, tore up the script. No Pacific Island team had previously made the Rugby League World Cup final and no nation have made their debut in the final since 1998. "Samoa making the Grand Final is a massive achievement, it's really reuniting Samoans, not just here in Samoa but all around the world," Tagaloa Faafouina Su'a, Samoa rugby league federation president and chairman, told Reuters. The Kangaroos have a 100% record against Samoa in rugby league tests, with the aggregate scoreline from their two World Cup clashes 112-10. Reporting by Peter Hall; additional reporting by Ian Ransom, editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Dutch court convicts 2 Russians, 1 Ukrainian of murder in 2014 Malaysian jet downing over Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

President of the court Steenhuis (2ndL) talks prior to verdict in the trial of four men prosecuted for their involvement in the MH17 downing case, in Badhoevedorp on November 17, 2022. A Dutch court on Thursday convicted two Russians and a pro-Moscow Ukrainian separatist in absentia of the murders of 298 people who died in the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine and sentenced them to life imprisonment. Outside the court, planes could be heard taking off and landing nearby on a cold, gray day. Oleg Pulatovis the only one of the suspects who was acquited represented by defense lawyers at the trial. They accused prosecutors of "tunnel vision" in basing their case on the findings of an international investigation into the downing while ignoring other possible causes.

☆ Dutch court convicts three men for MH17 downing and acquits one
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

AMSTERDAM, Nov 17 (Reuters) - A Dutch court on Thursday convicted three suspects of murder for their role in shooting down Malaysia Airlines passenger flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014 and acquitted one. The convicted men, two Russian former intelligence officers and a Ukrainian separatist leader, were found guilty of downing the plane and killing all 298 people on board. The fourth suspect on trial was acquitted. Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Ukraine's over-the-top response to a fatal missile explosion in Poland could hurt its credibility at a crucial moment in the war
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Ukraine rushed to claim the incident was a deliberate Russian attack, while the US and others urged caution. On Tuesday, Zelenskky called the strike in Poland a Russian "attack on collective security." And in a Wednesday morning speech, he called the incident a Russian "missile attack" and said separately that Polish citizens were killed because of "Russian missile terror." "Ukrainian forces, countering a massive Russian attack, launched their missiles yesterday to shoot down Russian missiles. Kyiv's forces have executed successful counteroffensives in the northeast and south, and they recently captured Kherson — an early Russian war win which had been under Russian occupation for most of the war.

☆ UK to turn page on 'Trussonomics' with budget plan
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( William Schomberg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

He and Sunak say they must now go further. Critics say a return to austerity is unnecessary, will hurt millions of households and will deepen the expected recession. How soon spending cuts and tax rises come will be key for the short-term economic outlook. Hunt risks reviving tensions within the ruling Conservative Party, many of whose members were already upset at the scale of tax increases he announced when finance minister. The budget statement will be accompanied by forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility which are likely to echo the BoE's message that Britain is heading for a long recession.

☆ UK says Sunak, China's Xi cancel G20 meeting due to scheduling issues
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 16 (Reuters) - A planned G20 meeting between British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and President Xi Jinping of China has been cancelled due to "scheduling issues", a Downing Street spokesperson said on Wednesday. Sunak and Xi had been due to hold the first meeting between British and Chinese leaders for almost five years, with Sunak's office saying beforehand that the prime minister would seek to establish a "frank and constructive relationship". In a statement released before the planned meeting, Downing Street said the challenges posed by China were "systemic" and "long-term". Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said she had no information to offer on the cancellation of the meeting between Xi and Sunak. Reporting by Sarah Young and Kate Holton; editing by John StonestreetOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Key takeaways from the G20 summit in Bali
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Here are key takeaways from the meeting:CONDEMNING RUSSIAN AGGRESSIONMeetings of G20 ministers earlier this year ended without joint declarations because of Russian opposition to references to the war in Ukraine. With the Ukraine war, as well as massive pandemic-era spending packages blamed for fuelling red-hot inflation, the G20 countries said further fiscal stimulus measures should be "temporary and targeted". Besides the meeting with Biden, Xi held talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron. A meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was cancelled due to scheduling issues, Downing Street said. Xi is set to meet Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida later this week.

☆ UK 'urgently' looking into reports of missile strike in Poland
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Britain is "urgently" looking into reports of missiles landing in Poland, the government said on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promising to remain in close contact on a call with Polish President Andrzej Duda as he expressed solidarity. "I reiterated the UK's solidarity with Poland and expressed condolences for the victims," Sunak said on Twitter. The Associated Press earlier cited a senior U.S. intelligence official as saying the blast was caused by Russian missiles crossing into Poland. Foreign minister James Cleverly had said earlier that the UK was urgently looking into the reports, adding they were in contact with Poland and NATO allies. Some hit Lviv, which is less than 80 km (50 miles) from the border with Poland.

☆ British government to usher in new era of austerity in effort to restore market confidence
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

We're going to see spending cuts," Hunt told the BBC on Sunday, while also promising the government would deliver a new and more focused plan to help with household energy bills beyond April. First, an increase in council tax with local authorities allowed to raise the level of council tax above 3% without a referendum," Raja said. "And second, an increase in both the duration and scale of the windfall tax on oil and gas 'excess profits'." Spending cuts, again executed via "stealth," could take the form of "nominal cash freezes to departmental budgets," Raja said, with spending budgets topped up minimally going forward. "If he wants to reassure the markets, he will have to announce early action in the form of a big fiscal tightening.

[1/2] U.S. President Joe Biden watches a cultural performance as he arrives at the Ngurah Rai International Airport ahead of the G20 leaders' summit, near Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, November 13, 2022. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will represent the Russian president at the G20 summit - the first since Russia invaded Ukraine in February - after the Kremlin said Putin was too busy to attend. Biden and Xi, who have held five phone or video calls since Biden became president in January 2021, last met in person during the Obama administration when Biden was vice president. Both leaders will attend the opening of the G20 summit on Bali on Tuesday. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is due to join Indonesian President Joko Widodo to address a parallel B20 business forum taking place on Monday ahead of the G20 summit.

☆ Factbox: G20 summit: Which leaders will attend Bali summit?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

It will also mark the first face-to-face meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping since Biden became president. CHINA'S PRESIDENT XI JINPINGXi's visit to Southeast Asia will be only his second foreign trip since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. UKRAINE'S PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY (VIRTUAL)Indonesia invited Zelenskiy to attend the summit as an obsever, although the Indonesian foreign ministry has said he will appear at the summit virtually. INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODIModi is due to symbolically take over the G20 presidency from current chair Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Bali. He also committed to work closely with the Indonesian president to help deliver a successful summit.

☆ A Guide to Skiing in Japan: 5 Getaways for Powderheads of Every Stripe
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Janet O Grady | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

CHERRY-BLOSSOM season in Japan has its devotees, but, as countless ski snobs are bound to tell you, the country’s other prime time is the dead of winter. According to the website SnowJapan, the tiny, mountainous archipelago is packed with some 450 ski areas—almost the same number you’ll find throughout the U.S. The northern island of Hokkaido and the central Nagano prefecture—both former hosts of the Winter Olympics—harbor the majority of ski destinations, which range from small family-owned hills to splashy multi-mountain resorts. What many of these spots have in common is “Japow,” the nickname (abbreviated from “Japan Powder”) for the abundant, feather-light snow that rolls in from Siberia via storms over the Sea of Japan. But their off-slope offerings are also a big draw: soaking in a hot spring, downing a flight of sake, slurping up ramen or a shabu-shabu hot pot.

☆ Japanese Ski Getaways for Powderheads of Every Stripe
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Janet O Grady | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ NATO's Stoltenberg hails 'encouraging' liberation of more Ukrainian territory
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday it was "encouraging" to see Ukrainian forces being able to liberate more of the country's territory, after Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered his troops to withdraw from Kherson. Speaking in London where he was meeting British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Stoltenberg said: "It is encouraging to see how the brave Ukrainian forces are able to liberate more Ukrainian territory. Following the meeting with Sunak, a Downing Street spokesperson said the pair had emphasised the importance of continuing to support Ukrainian sovereignty. "(Stoltenberg) thanked the prime minister for the UK’s support for Ukraine, which the prime minister confirmed would continue under his leadership for as long as needed," the spokesperson said in a statement. Earlier, Stoltenberg joined British defence minister Ben Wallace to observe the training of Ukrainian troops in southeast England, as Britain announced the delivery of a further 12,000 extreme cold-weather sleeping kits for Ukraine.

☆ Britain wants to do more with United States on gas supplies
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Britain is looking to work more closely with countries such as the United States over gas supplies to help manage volatility in energy prices, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesman said on Tuesday. Asked if Downing Street would like to see a deal with the United States over gas supplies, the spokesman said that the government was open about its desire to work with a number of countries. "The U.S. (is one country) where we do feel that there is more we can do to work together to help tackle some of these energy price spikes," the spokesman told reporters. Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; writing by Alistair Smout. Editing by Andrew MacAskillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ UK boosts support for Ukrainian troops through winter
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Alistair Smout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/8] NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg observes Operation Interflex a UK led training programme for the Armed Forces of Ukraine during a visit to Lydd Camp in Kent, Britain. REUTERS/Chris RadburnSummary UK to send more cold-weather sleeping kits to UkraineAlso announces dispatch of more military equipmentNATO chief watches Ukrainian troops training in BritainLYDD, England, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Britain is stepping up its support for Ukrainian soldiers through the winter, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told Reuters on Wednesday, following weeks of Ukrainian advances towards the southern city of Kherson. Wallace joined NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to observe the training of Ukrainian troops in the southeast English town of Lydd, as Britain announced the delivery of a further 12,000 extreme cold-weather sleeping kits for Ukraine. "So we're determined ... to give Ukrainian soldiers the best basic skills because we already know that the Russian military aren't doing that." Stoltenberg, who said other NATO allies were also providing support to Ukrainian troops through the winter months, also met Britain's new prime minister, Rishi Sunak, on Wednesday in London, where they discussed the Atlantic alliance's continued support for Ukrainian sovereignty.

☆ UK's Sunak stands by minister accused of sending bullying texts
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is standing by a government minister who has been accused of bullying a colleague, cabinet office minister Oliver Dowden said on Sunday, saying the phone messages in question were sent "in the heat of the moment". I think he now accepts that he shouldn't have done it and he regrets doing so," Dowden told Sky News. "He shouldn't have sent those messages ... But of course the prime minister continues to have confidence in Gavin Williamson." Since being appointed as Britain's third prime minister in two months almost two weeks ago, Sunak has come under pressure for his government appointments, particularly Braverman's reappointment as interior minister.

☆ Iran says it shipped drones to Russia before Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"The drone part is true and we provided Russia a small number of drones months before the Ukraine war," he said. Russia denies its forces have used Iranian drones to attack Ukraine. In a video address, Zelenskyy dismissed talk of limited Iranian supplies to Russia, saying Ukraine had downed 11 drones on Friday alone. Separately, U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley tweeted it was untrue that Iran had sent a few drones. Amirabdollahian repeated Tehran would "not remain indifferent" if it were proven Russia had used Iranian drones against Ukraine.

☆ The company that pays Akshata Murthy, wife of British PM Rishi Sunak, £11.5 million a year is still operating in Russia, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Infosys, founded by Rishi Sunak's father-in-law, is still operating in Russia, The Guardian reported. The IT firm still has staff in Moscow and is paying two subcontractors, per the report. Infosys, which pays the PM's wife £11.5 million in dividends, said it would leave Russia in March. A spokesperson told The Guardian that it was seeking to end the arrangement and had taken measures to "suspend its operations in Russia". A Downing Street spokesperson told The Guardian: "Neither Akshata Murty nor any members of her family have any involvement in the operational decisions of the company."

☆ Bank of England trying to curb inflation without too much pain-Pill
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

On Thursday, the BoE raised its benchmark rate by three quarters of a percentage point to 3.0% as it sought to combat risks from an inflation rate running above 10%. "I think we've had a clearly quite disturbed period in the UK markets, in the UK political economy, in the UK economy over the last few months," he told CNBC. "(We're) trying to re-anchor our own thinking in the more fundamental drivers ... I think we're trying to re-anchor our communication." The task of getting inflation under control was likely to be a painful one, Pill said.

☆ Matt Hancock 'I'm a Celebrity' appearance sparks new U.K. anger at politicians
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Hyder Abbasi | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

After the news broke Tuesday that he would be participating in the show, Hancock was swiftly suspended from the ruling Conservative Party and subjected to a mix of public anger and ridicule. In West Suffolk, the area in East England that Hancock represents, the local Conservative Party association said it was “disappointed" by his bid for prime-time TV stardom. Hancock will not be the first lawmaker to appear on "I'm a Celebrity...Get me out of Here!" She was also suspended from the Conservative Party for appearing on the program but was later readmitted and served as a minister in Johnson's government. But Street also said he could see how Hancock appearing on the program could help him with voters.

☆ UK to extend windfall taxes on energy firms - The Times
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 2 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and finance minister Jeremy Hunt are planning to extend windfall taxes on oil and gas companies to raise nearly 40 billion pounds ($45.55 billion) over the five years, The Times reported on Wednesday. Sunak and Hunt want to maximise revenues from the windfall tax, by increasing the rate from 25% to 30% and extending it until 2028, the newspaper said, adding the scheme will be expanded to cover electricity generators. In May, Sunak under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government, introduced the 25% windfall tax on oil and gas producers' profits, which helped to fund a package of support for households. The decision back then was met with critiques from oil and gas companies that it would shrink investment and domestic production. The president of the COP26 climate summit Alok Sharma said earlier this week that Sunak's government should explore extending a windfall tax on oil and gas firms.

☆ NBA roundup: Clippers end skid, win on late Paul George shot
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

George had 35 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and six steals for the Clippers, who scored the game's final seven points to break a four-game losing streak. Ivica Zubac recorded 16 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots while Marcus Morris Sr. added 11 points for Los Angeles. The star forward also contributed nine rebounds and seven assists. Cade Cunningham's 27 points, seven assists and six rebounds led the Pistons, who were playing the tail end of a back-to-back. Scottie Barnes added 21 points, seven rebounds and eight assists and Gary Trent Jr. scored 21 points for the Raptors, who were playing without Fred VanVleet (back).

☆ Britain's new PM is a fan of crypto. There are hopes he'll give the industry a boost
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Dan Kitwood | Getty ImagesU.K. cryptocurrency firms and investors have high hopes that new prime minister Rishi Sunak could turn around Britain's fading crypto aspirations. Crypto isn't exactly high up on his priority list, but industry insiders say there's reason to be optimistic. Before Sunak's appointment as PM, confidence in the U.K.'s position in the global crypto market had been waning. In a survey of 300 British fintech founders, only 9% believe it's leading the way on crypto. Yet the U.K. is home to a fairly active crypto market.

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