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☆ Suella Braverman, UK interior minister, to raise 'unsustainable' migration pressures during U.S. visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Home Secretary Suella Braverman walks on Downing Street on the day of a cabinet meeting, in London, Britain September 5, 2023 REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 24 (Reuters) - British interior minister Suella Braverman will raise the "the unsustainable pressures" created by illegal migration when she makes a three-day visit to the U.S. this week, her office said on Sunday. "Illegal migration and the unprecedented mass movement of people across the globe is placing unsustainable pressures on America, the UK and Europe," Braverman said in the statement. Braverman, who will travel to Washington on Monday, will seek closer collaboration with the U.S. on addressing illegal migration and organised immigration crime. "I'm going to Washington to discuss this (illegal migration) crisis with our American counterparts. If we fail to meet these challenges, then our political institutions risk losing their democratic legitimacy," Braverman said.

Persons: Suella Braverman, Peter Nicholls, Braverman, Rishi Sunak, Biden, Alejandro Mayorkas, Muvija, Mike Harrison Organizations: REUTERS, Home Office, U.S, Homeland, American, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, America, Europe, Rwanda, U.S, Mexico, Washington

☆ Green energy’s tailwinds blow the other way
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Peter Thal Larsen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Falling costs, cheap capital and supportive politicians helped propel a headlong rush into renewable power. As relations with China deteriorate, the United States and Europe are increasingly concerned about the country’s grip on parts of the green energy supply chain. In recent roundtable discussions moderated by Breakingviews on both sides of the Atlantic, participants expressed optimism about the momentum of investment in green energy. The IRA has unleashed a green energy boom. The world can ill afford to relax its embrace of green power.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, –, Joe Biden’s, Jared Cohen, Goldman Sachs, Breakingviews, carmaker Ford, Rishi Sunak’s, Pennsylvania’s Penn, George Hay, Sharon Lam, Aditya Sriwatsav Organizations: Britain's, Downing, Reuters, Global, International Energy Agency, International Renewable Energy Agency, Energy, Commission, Applied Innovation, Goldman, Amperex Technology, Companies, British, MIT’s Center for Energy, Environmental, Research, University, Pennsylvania’s, Thomson Locations: London, Ukraine, U.S, China, United States, Europe, People’s Republic, Vietnam, Mexico

☆ Sunak may ban cigarettes in UK for future generations, the Guardian reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A cigarette stub is seen in an ashtray on a street in Liverpool , northern England October 17 , 2016. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 22 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is considering introducing measures that would ban the next generation from ever being able to buy cigarettes, The Guardian reported on Friday, citing government sources. Sunak is looking at anti-smoking measures similar to laws New Zealand announced last year, which include a ban on selling tobacco to anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2009, the report said. Those measures include free vape kits, a voucher scheme to incentivise pregnant women to quit, and consulting on mandatory cigarette pack inserts, the spokesperson added. The spokesperson declined to comment further on The Guardian report.

Persons: Phil Noble, Rishi Sunak, Anirudh, Devika Nair, Leslie Adler, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, British, Guardian, New Zealand, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Liverpool, England, New, British, Britain, Wales, Bengaluru

☆ Oil prices rise as supply concerns outweigh demand fears
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Oil prices rose on Friday as concerns that a Russian ban on fuel exports could tighten global oil supply outweighed fears that further possible U.S. interest rate hikes could dent fuel demand, but they were still headed for a weekly loss in four. Brent futures for climbed 21 cents, or 0.2%, to $93.51 a barrel by 0103 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude, or WTI, futures gained 23 cents, or 0.3%, to $89.86. The shortfall, which will force Russia's fuel buyers to shop elsewhere, caused heating oil futures to rise by nearly 5% on Thursday. The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday maintained interest rates, but stiffened its hawkish stance, projecting a quarter-percentage-point increase to 5.50 to 5.75% by year-end. The Bank of England mirrored the Fed and held interest rates on Thursday after a long run of hikes, but said it was not taking a recent fall in inflation for granted.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Brent, Toshitaka Tazawa Organizations: U.S, West Texas, of, Petroleum, Fujitomi Securities Co Ltd, U.S . Federal Reserve, Bank of England Locations: OPEC, United States, Europe, Russia

His remarks at the assembly's annual meeting of world leaders previewed an AI safety summit that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is convening in November. Dowden's speech also came as other countries and multinational groups — including the European Union, the bloc that Britain left in 2020 — are making moves on artificial intelligence. The U.N., meanwhile, is pulling together an advisory board to make recommendations on structuring international rules for artificial intelligence. Political Cartoons View All 1176 ImagesMajor U.S. tech companies have acknowledged a need for AI regulations, though their ideas on the particulars vary. Inexorable,” Dowden said, and the technology will test the international community “to show that it can work together on a question that will help to define the fate of humanity.”

Persons: Oliver Dowden, Rishi Sunak, António Guterres, Dowden, “, ”, ” Dowden Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, General Assembly, United, British, European Union, Britain, EU, General, Airbus, Heineken Locations: British, Europe

☆ Unfortunate timing on UK's climate U-turn, Spain's vice president says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | 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 EmailUnfortunate timing on UK's climate U-turn, Spain's vice president saysTeresa Ribera, Spain's vice president and minister for ecological transition, speaks to CNBC's Charlotte Reed and discusses U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's decision to take a new approach to meeting the U.K.'s emissions targets

Persons: Teresa Ribera, CNBC's Charlotte Reed, Rishi Sunak's Locations: Spain's

☆ EU considering whether to attend Britain's AI summit, spokesperson says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Martin Coulter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - The European Union is considering whether to send officials to Britain's upcoming artificial intelligence safety summit, a spokesperson told Reuters, as the bloc nears completion of wide-ranging AI legislation that is the first of its kind globally. European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova has received a formal invitation to the summit, the spokesperson said, adding: "We are now reflecting on potential EU participation." However, the Financial Times reported that British government officials favour a less "draconian" approach to AI regulation than the EU. Last month, Clifford told Reuters he hoped the summit would set the tone for future international debates on AI regulation. While a number of world leaders, including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, are expected to attend the summit, it largely remains unknown who else has been invited -- or who has accepted an invitation.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Rishi Sunak, Vera Jourova, Sunak, Matt Clifford, Jonathan Black, Clifford, Kamala Harris, Jeremy Hunt, Martin Coulter, Hugh Lawson Organizations: REUTERS, European, British, Financial Times, EU, Tech, Reuters, U.S, Politico, Thomson Locations: European Union, Britain, China

LONDON (AP) — Before he hit America, Rupert Murdoch ripped through Britain’s media like a tornado. But politicians from both right and left courted and feared Murdoch, who added The Times and Sunday Times to his stable in 1981. Like other politicians, Blair denied giving Murdoch anything in return for his support — though plenty of skeptics doubted that. For now, Rupert Murdoch remains a magnet for the powerful, and those who seek power, in Britain. The guest list for his summer party in June included Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, many members of his Cabinet and opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer.

Persons: Rupert Murdoch, Lachlan, Murdoch, Boris Johnson, “, Nathan Sparkes, Murdoch “, Jeremy Corbyn, Jeremy Hunt, Britain’s, couldn’t, ”, Jacques Delors, Margaret Thatcher, Thatcher’s, John Major, Sun wot, Tony Blair’s, Blair, ” Blair, Andy Coulson, Prince Harry, Lachlan Murdoch, Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, James, Kathryn Murdoch Organizations: Fox, News Corp, Times, ”, Labour Party, Treasury, LBC, BBC, European, Argentine, Liverpool, Sunday Times, Thatcher’s Conservative, Sun, Blair’s Labour Party, Murdoch’s News Corp, The Sun, Sky Television, Premier League soccer, Sports, BSkyB, Comcast, AP Locations: London, Australian, Britain, British, Hillsborough, ___

But none have stepped up to condemn India for its alleged involvement in the June slaying on Canadian soil of a Sikh separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. All that makes it hard for Canada's main allies — which are also some of India's main partners — to loudly speak out. The government’s allegations are particularly awkward now for the U.K., which is seeking a free trade deal with India. In 2018, for example, China-Canada relations nosedived after China detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian entrepreneur Michael Spavor. Now the stakes are higher, and it's unclear — at least publicly — who Canada can count on for full-throated support.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, —, They’ve, Hardeep Singh, Janice Stein, Sushant Singh, ”, Trudeau, India ramped, — Trudeau, Rishi Sunak’s, Max Blain, ” Trudeau, Sunak, Joe Biden, Mélanie Joly, John Kirby, “, Kirby, Biden, Robert Bothwell, Narendra Modi's, Putin, Vladimir Putin, Nijjar, Michael Kovrig, Michael Spavor, Meng Wanzhou, Meng, Donald Trump, Trump, Bothwell Organizations: TORONTO, Canadian, Munk School of Global Affairs, Policy Research, Canada, Canada’s The Globe, Mail, British, Canadian Foreign, White House, University of Toronto, Indian, Nijjar, White, Huawei, U.S, “ Locations: India, U.S, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, Germany, Toronto, New Delhi, West, Vancouver, Canada, Indian, Canadian, Canada’s The, South Asia, Pacific, Ottawa, Washington, Russia, Surrey, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, “, British

☆ King Charles makes historic speech at French senate
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Lauren Said-Moorhouse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

When his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, visited in 2004, she made her speech from the adjoining Salle des Conferences. Queen Camilla plays table tennis during a visit to France's national stadium and venue for next year's Olympic Games. Hannah McKay/Pool/AFP/Getty ImagesQueen Camilla delivers a speech next to French President's wife Brigitte Macron at the national library in Paris. Queen Camilla and King Charles III are welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron to a state dinner in Versailles on September 20, 2023. Christian Liewig/Corbis/Getty ImagesBritain's King Charles with the French first lady Brigitte Macron at the Palace of Versailles, west of Paris, on Wednesday.

Persons: Paris CNN — King Charles III, ” Charles, Queen Camilla, Emmanuel Macron’s, Queen Elizabeth II, Charles, King ”, King –, “, ”, Russia’s, France's, Emmanuel Dunand, Brigitte Macron, Camilla, l’Entente, Denis, Hannah McKay, Bertrand Guay, Macron, Hugh Grant, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Emma Mackey, Mick Jagger, Arsene Wenger, French King Louis XIV, King Charles III, Emmanuel Macron, Christian Liewig, King Charles, Daniel Leal, Rishi Sunak’s Organizations: Paris CNN, Palais du, Rugby, National Assembly, Getty, Senate, Bibliotheque Nationale de, Notre Dame, Twitter, Mirrors Locations: France’s, France, Paris, Bordeaux, Salle, Ukraine, Europe, Palais du Luxembourg, United Kingdom, Bibliotheque Nationale de France, French, Franco, British, Saint, Paris ’, Notre, of Versailles, Versailles

A day after Britain's fast pace of price growth unexpectedly slowed, the BoE's Monetary Policy Committee voted by the narrowest margin of 5-4 to keep Bank Rate at 5.25%. But rate futures suggested they still saw a 50% chance of Bank Rate rising to 5.5% by the end of this year. Britain's economy, hit hard by Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and the surge in gas prices triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has been struggling with the highest inflation rate in the Group of Seven. But growth remains fragile, heightening the risk that the BoE's 14 back-to-back rate hikes will push the economy into a recession. Last week, the European Central Bank raised rates but suggested its move might be the last for now.

Persons: Andrew Bailey, Jon Cunliffe, Megan Greene, Jonathan Haskel, Catherine Mann, BoE, Reuters Graphics Sterling, Bailey, Rishi Sunak, Peter Nicholls, Frances Haque, Reuters Graphics Bailey, Yael Selfin, Hugh Gimber, William Schomberg, Catherine Evans Organizations: Bank of England, Reuters Graphics, U.S ., MPC, REUTERS, Santander UK, IF, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, KPMG, Investors, Bank of, Morgan Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, London, Britain

MIDDLETOWN, N.J. (AP) — Governments, organizations and businesses have set ambitious goals to combat climate change. Shawn LaTourette, New Jersey's environmental protection commissioner, hesitates to use the word “mandate” in describing the state's plans. Many of the world's countries signed the Paris climate accords, obligating them to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to certain levels. Anjuli Ramos, New Jersey director of the Sierra Club, agreed that meeting climate goals requires urgent action. A document released Tuesday said that by 2050, at least 90% of the state's residential and commercial buildings must be electrified to meet New Jersey's clean energy and climate goals.

Persons: Shawn LaTourette, ”, —, John Burzichelli, ” Ray Cantor, Rishi Sunak, Anjuli Ramos, “ It's, “, ‘ We’re, Wayne Parry Organizations: —, Democrat, New, New Jersey Business, Industry Association, British, Sierra Club, San Francisco and New, Twitter Locations: MIDDLETOWN, N.J, New Jersey, Shawn LaTourette ,, Jersey, California, Paris, China, India, U.S, Vermont, Rhode Island , Massachusetts , Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Anjuli Ramos , New Jersey, San Francisco and, San Francisco and New York City, www.twitter.com

☆ Bank of England on brink of rate hike pause after inflation surprise
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( William Schomberg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Investors piled into bets on the BoE keeping Bank Rate at 5.25% on Wednesday as soon as official data showed a surprise fall in the pace of price growth. Other analysts said they still thought a final BoE rate hike was the most likely outcome after a recent jump in global oil prices, but they stressed it could go either way. "We stick with our call for a hike, but now see this as a coin toss," JP Morgan economist Allan Monks said. British inflation is almost double the rate in the United States, where the Federal Reserve on Wednesday kept borrowing costs on hold. Last week, the European Central Bank raised rates to a record high but signalled that it was likely to pause.

Persons: BoE, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Allan Monks, BoE Governor Andrew Bailey, Rishi Sunak, Bailey, Dominic Bunning, William Schomberg, Alex Richardson Organizations: Bank of England, Monetary, British, ECB, FX Research, HSBC, Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Thomson Locations: United States

☆ UN chief warns ‘humanity has opened the gates to hell’ as he convenes world leaders for climate summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —United Nations Secretary General António Guterres issued a stark warning as he gathered world leaders for a high-level summit on the climate crisis: “Humanity has opened the gates to hell.”“Horrendous heat is having horrendous effects. Sweltering temperatures spawning disease,” he said in a speech to open the Climate Ambition Summit, happening alongside the UN General Assembly in New York. The aim of the summit is to increase ambitions on climate action, Guterres said. Selwin Hart, a special adviser to the UN Secretary-General on climate action and just transition, said there has been “massive backsliding” on commitments. “We must make up time lost to foot-dragging, arm-twisting and the naked greed of entrenched interests raking in billions from fossil fuels.”

Persons: General António Guterres, ”, –, John Kerry, Rishi Sunak, Guterres, Selwin Hart, ” Guterres, “ Organizations: CNN — United Nations, Ambition, UN, Assembly, General Assembly, CNN Locations: New York, Dubai, Wednesday’s, China, India, United States, Paris

☆ Sunak Poised to Weaken U.K. Climate Targets as Election Approaches
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Stephen Castle | More About Stephen Castle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of Britain was preparing on Wednesday to weaken key targets in the country’s efforts to slow climate change in what could be a critical policy shift for a nation that has claimed to lead the world in the fight against global warming. His statement did not deny speculation that he was planning seven new measures for Britain, including delaying a ban on the sale of new gas- and diesel-only cars to 2035 rather than 2030, and weakening targets to phase out gas boilers. He promised to more fully address the matter in a speech later this week, which was later brought forward to Wednesday afternoon. Mr. Sunak must call a general election by January 2025, and his Conservative Party is trailing the opposition Labour Party in opinion polls at a time of sluggish economic growth and high inflation. But in July, the Conservatives won a surprise victory in a parliamentary election in northwest London when they campaigned against moves by the city’s Labour mayor to expand an air-quality initiative that charges drivers of older, more polluting vehicles.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak Organizations: BBC News, Conservative Party, Labour Party, Conservatives, city’s Labour Locations: Britain, London

Investors put a nearly 50-50 chance on the BoE keeping rates on hold on Thursday after 14 back-to-back increases stretching back to December 2021. Investors had been overwhelmingly expecting the BoE to raise interest rates for the 15th time in a row on Thursday, taking Bank Rate to 5.5% from 5.25%. "The inflation figures may not sway the Bank of England away from raising interest rates tomorrow," Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG UK, said. Britain's inflation rate remains high - topped only by Austria and Iceland among Western European countries in August. But core inflation - which strips out volatile food and energy prices - fell by more than the headline rate to 6.2% from 6.9% in July.

Persons: Hunt, BoE, Yael Selfin, Price, Rishi Sunak, Jeremy Hunt, William James, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Reuters, Bank of England, Sterling, U.S, Investors, National Statistics, KPMG, Labour Party, Thomson Locations: July's, British, Austria, Iceland, Western, Britain

Paris CNN —Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla will finally arrive in France for a state visit Wednesday, six months later than initially planned. The packed royal itinerary for the rescheduled three-day visit to Paris and Bordeaux, ending Friday, is largely unchanged save for a few additions. One new engagement will see Charles and Camilla rub shoulders with top athletes at an event highlighting the advantages of sports for young people. France's President Emmanuel Macron was forced to postpone the original royal state visit back in March. Ronny Hartmann/AFP/Getty ImagesFurssedonn-Wood agreed that the public can expect “a bit of substance” from the royal visit in France.

Persons: Paris CNN — Britain’s King Charles, Queen Camilla, Emmanuel Macron, Charles, Camilla, Brigitte Macron, Macron, ”, Queen Elizabeth II, French King Louis XIV, Ludovic Marin, reigniting, Christine Ockrent, Charles ’, ” Charles, Camilla’s, French –, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, ” Sunak, Nathan Laine, Chris Fitzgerald, Elizabeth II, Christian Poncelet, Eric Fefeberg, Scott Furssedonn, Wood, Craig Prescott, Prescott, Frank, Walter Steinmeier, Elke Budenbender, Ronny Hartmann, it’s, they’re, “, They’ll Organizations: Paris CNN, Rugby, Bibliotheque Nationale de, Mirrors, France, Getty, CNN, UK, ’, European Union, Bloomberg, French, Getty Images, British, Royal Holloway, University of London, “, CNN’s Royal Locations: France, British, Germany, Paris, Bordeaux, Franco, Bibliotheque Nationale de France, Ukraine, Sahel, Elysee, of Versailles, Versailles, “, AFP, French, New Delhi, Berlin, Salle, United Kingdom, Barbados, Eastern Caribbean, Europe, Royal

☆ Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar and what just happened between Canada and India?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Blair Gable/ReutersIndia responded hours later by rejecting Trudeau’s allegations, accusing Canada of harboring terrorists and claiming its inaction against extremists had been a “long-standing” concern. Nijjar’s death in June shocked the Sikh community in Canada, one of the largest outside India with more than 770,000 members. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun told CNN that Nijjar was asked to be careful and avoid giving “big talks” or he would be targeted. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with the youngest son of Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau while attending a ceremonial reception at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi on February 23, 2018. When Trudeau visited India in 2018, his calendar, which was light on diplomatic meetings, was seen by many as a “snub” from New Delhi.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, Canada wasn’t, ”, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, cratering, Nijjar, Melanie Joly, Blair Gable, –, “, Hardeep Singh, India’s UAPA, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Pannun, Harsh Pant, Modi, Narendra Modi, Canada's, PRAKASH SINGH, ” Pant, Michael Kugelman, Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak, Australia’s Anthony Albanese, Adrienne Watson, Penny Wong, I’m, ” Kugelman, would’ve “, Kugelman, Canada would’ve Organizations: CNN, Canadian, Canada, Reuters, Canada –, British Columbia Gurdwaras, India’s, Indian National Investigation Agency, Khalistan, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Justice, Observer Research Foundation, India's, AFP, Getty, Indian Army, South Asia Institute, Wilson Center, British, National Security, Australian Foreign Locations: India, New Delhi, United States, Canada, Ottawa, Indian, Reuters India, Canadian, British, Ontario, India’s Punjab, New York, AFP, Toronto, China, Australia, Britain, New Zealand

☆ Opinion: Amid no-shows from other world leaders, Biden grasps his G20 moment
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Opinion Michael Bociurkiw | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The president’s speech was also a reminder that time is not on the side of the civilized world. “We all need to do more,” Biden said of the SDGs due to be met by 2030 but which are seriously off track. We have to stand up to this naked aggression today and deter other would-be aggressors tomorrow,” Biden said. As the president was speaking, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky could be seen listening intently and applauded at the pledge of support. Leveraging the absence of other world leaders to his advantage seems to be working for Biden.

Persons: Michael Bociurkiw, Joe Biden, Michael Bociurkiw Chrystia, Biden’s, ’ —, Donald Trump, Biden, ” Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, Volodymyr Zelenskiy applauds, John Kerry, Antony Blinken, Kevin Lamarque, Dimitry Polyanskiy, ”, CNN’s Wolf, Zelensky, Trump, he’s, Russia –, Rishi Sunak, Emmanuel Macron, General Antonio Guterres, Europe – Organizations: Atlantic Council, Organization for Security, Cooperation, CNN, CNN . New, CNN . New York CNN, United Nations General, Assembly, Sustainable, Ukrainian, US, United States, UN, CBS News, UN Security Council, British, White, Central, Uzbekistan –, Kremlin, Biden Locations: Odesa, Europe, CNN . New York, Russia, Ukraine, United States, New York, Moscow, Crimea, France, China, India, Soviet, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, “

Ford UK Chair Lisa Brankin was scathing: "Our business needs three things from the UK government: ambition, commitment and consistency. Britain was the first major economy to create a legally binding 2050 net zero target and emissions have fallen almost 50% since 1990 as coal power plants closed and offshore wind power took off. The government's own independent adviser on climate action said in June that Britain was not doing enough to hit its mid-century target. Ford said it had spent 430 million pounds ($532 million) on its UK development and manufacturing facilities, with "further funding planned for the 2030 timeframe". His party has trailed the opposition Labour Party in polls for over a year.

Persons: Suella Braverman, Andy Bailey, Handout, Rishi Sunak, Lisa Brankin, Sunak, We're, Ford, Chris Skidmore, Kate Holton, Elizabeth Piper, William James, Susanna Twidale, Muvija, Nick Carey, Sachin Ravikumar, Gareth Jones, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Economic, REUTERS, Sunak's Conservative Party, Ford, Conservative, BET, Times Radio, European Union, BMW, Volkswagen, Labour Party, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Sunak

LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is preparing to water down some of Britain's environmental commitments on Wednesday, saying the country must fight climate change without penalizing workers and consumers. “For too many years, politicians in governments of all stripes have not been honest about costs and trade-offs," Sunak said. U.K. greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by 46% from 1990 levels, mainly because of the almost complete removal of coal from electricity generation. The government had pledged to reduce emissions by 68% of 1990 levels by 2030 and to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Automakers, who have invested heavily in the switch to electric vehicles, expressed frustration at the government's apparent change of plan.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, backtrack, Prince William —, Doug Parr, ”, Parr, Mike Hawes, Lisa Brankin, Tara, Hargreaves Lansdown, ” Copp, Sadiq Khan, “ We’re, Suella Braverman, Alok Sharma Organizations: —, Conservative Party, United Nations General Assembly, Greenpeace, Society of Motor Manufacturers, Traders, Ford, ” Britain's, Labour, London’s Labour, BBC Locations: Britain, New York, London Uxbridge, Glasgow

☆ U.K. Inflation Rate Slips Lower for Third Straight Month
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Eshe Nelson | More About Eshe Nelson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Deeper Into the Numbers: Core inflation slowed faster than expected. A key gauge of domestic price pressures is core inflation, which strips out energy and food costs. Last month, the annual rate of core inflation fell to 6.2 percent, from 6.9 percent in July, a faster decline than economists predicted. Rising energy prices pushed up inflation in the United States last month and added to inflation pressures in other European countries. Wednesday’s inflation data was lower than the central bank forecast last month, a positive surprise, that is likely to increase expectations that the bank will pause this week.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Jeremy Hunt Organizations: Government, Bank of England Locations: Britain, United States

☆ Rishi Sunak’s plans to delay climate targets attacked, as UK government pushes anti-green drive
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

In an attack on his own Conservative predecessors as prime minister, Sunak said: “You don’t reach net zero simply by wishing it. The Climate Change Committee, the government’s independent adviser on climate change, published a report in June that criticized the UK’s net zero plans and said there was not enough urgency to reach the country’s goals. Britain is legally required to have reached net zero – meaning the country would remove from the atmosphere at least as much planet-warming pollution as it emits – by 2050. Johnson’s comments led a chorus of concerns from within Sunak’s Conservative party at the plans, which were apparently hurriedly brought forward after Tuesday’s leaks to the media. British businesses also criticized Sunak’s plans on Wednesday.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, ” Boris Johnson, ” Johnson, ”, Dan Kitwood, pushback Sunak, “ We’ve, ” Sunak, “, … I’ve, Alok Sharma, ” Sharma, Chris Skidmore, Rob Picheta, Mike Childs, Sunak’s, Lisa Brankin, Ed Matthew, ” “ Organizations: London CNN, United, Conservative, Labour, “, Sunak’s Conservative, BBC, PA Media, London's Labour, CNN, Ambition, UN, Ford, European Union Locations: Britain, United Kingdom, Glasgow, Sunak’s, London, Uxbridge, South Ruislip, New York, United States, China

☆ The UK is delaying the switch to electric cars. Automakers are furious
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

A relaxation of 2030 would undermine all three,” Ford (F) UK chair Lisa Brankin said in a statement. “We and the whole automotive industry [need] clarity on the [EV] topic,” the German carmaker said in a statement shared with CNN. ‘Confusion’ will delay switch to EVsThe UK auto industry has been clawing its way back from rock bottom after car manufacturing hit a 66-year low in 2022. Reducing emissions from road transport “is the only way that you will achieve net zero,” Hawes told the BBC. The government’s own independent adviser on climate policy, the Climate Change Committee shares that view.

Persons: carmakers, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, “, ”, Sunak’s, ” Ford, Lisa Brankin, Brankin, carmaker, Mike Hawes, ” Hawes, Jobs, Sadiq Khan, ” Sunak, “ We’re, Alok Sharma, Simon Clarke, EVs, — Gemma Blundell, Doyle, Anna Cooban, Laura Paddison, Rob Picheta Organizations: London CNN, BMW, Oxford, Swindon, CNN, Fiat, Peugeot, Fiat Chrysler, France’s, India’s Tata Group, Society of Motor Manufacturers, Traders, BBC, Conservative Party, Labour Party’s London, Conservative Locations: Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Canada, Sweden, Ellesmere Port, Liverpool, Britain, London, Glasgow

Tens of thousands of so-called junior doctors walked off the job for the sixth time since last December in an escalation of their increasingly bitter pay dispute with the British government. Consultants are to return to work on Thursday, while junior doctors are to stay out until Saturday. Political Cartoons View All 1169 ImagesIt is the first time in the 75-year history of the NHS that both consultants and junior doctors have walked off at the same time. The British Medical Association, which represents the approximately 75,000 junior doctors, has been asking for a 35% pay increase to return to 2008 levels after inflation is taken into account. The government is offering junior doctors an average increase of 8.8% and consultants 6% plus improvements in their pensions.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Damian Tolan, ” Organizations: —, National Health Service, British Medical Association, stoke Locations: — Britain's, England, Britain, Leeds, Europe, United Kingdom

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