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☆ Historic day in Northern Ireland as Michelle O’Neill becomes first nationalist leader
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Amy Cassidy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —In a historic moment, a nationalist politician has become First Minister of Northern Ireland as power-sharing resumed after a two-year break. But the symbolism of a Sinn Féin representative becoming first minister is still obvious and in Northern Ireland symbols matter a lot – perhaps too much. “The whole point of creating Northern Ireland a century ago was that it would always have a Protestant majority committed to staying within the United Kingdom. “It doesn’t mean that a United Ireland is an immediate prospect but it does mean that the whole future of Northern Ireland is very much an open question. The task now is to make that openness promising and full of opportunity rather than threatening and full of fear.”The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature for Northern Ireland.

Persons: Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Féin, ”, “, ” O’Neill, Emma Little, –, “ Michelle, Protestants –, ’, Fintan O’Toole, Michelle O’Neill’s Organizations: CNN, Irish Republican Army, IRA, Unionist, Democratic Unionist Party, DUP, Northern Ireland Assembly, Irish Republican, Protestants, Northern, Westminster Locations: Northern Ireland, Ireland, Irish, United Kingdom, United Ireland, London

☆ Companies are hopeful about the economy again — even if they’re nervous
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —Earnings season is in full swing, and that means investors get a chance to hear from multinational companies about the state of the global economy. Some of the United States’ biggest companies are in the hot seat to answer questions about the economy, and where it could be headed. Like the rest of the US, companies are watching whether the economy could still tip into a recession as interest rates hover around a 23-year high. Achieving a soft landing, or a situation in which inflation comes down without an economic downturn, looks likely, some companies said. According to the UK government’s own estimates, the checks — including physical inspections from April — will cost British businesses about £330 million ($419 million) annually and increase food inflation by about 0.2 percentage points over three years.

Persons: it’s, ”, Michael Hsu, Kimberly, Clark, Blackstone, Stephen Schwarzman, Christophe Le Caillec, Jim Vondruska, We’re, Robert Isom, Lorenzo Simonelli, Baker Hughes, Alan Schnitzer, Elisabeth Buchwald, “, Christopher Waller, Waller, Hanna Ziady, Read Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, United States ’, American, O'Hare Airport, Travelers Companies, ”, European Union Locations: New York, Chicago , Illinois, United Kingdom, Britain

☆ Brexit is finally coming for UK food imports, and prices could rise
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —New border controls on some of Britain’s food imports from the European Union came into force Wednesday for the first time since Brexit, increasing red tape for businesses and threatening to drive up prices for consumers. Industry groups have warned, however, that the new measures could ultimately hike prices of some staples and disrupt supplies when physical border checks are introduced at the end of April. Rising food prices have been a key driver of the nation’s cost-of-living crisis, and adding cost and friction to supply chains won’t help matters. A group of 30 trade organizations representing the UK food supply chain said last week that the new border measures would “impact the flow of critical food ingredients” from the EU to the UK. Europe is the UK’s leading foreign supplier of food, accounting for more than a quarter of food consumed in Britain by value.

Persons: Steve Barclay Organizations: London CNN, European Union, Industry, Meat Processors Association, EU Locations: United Kingdom, Britain, British, Europe

☆ State Dept Says US Actively Pursuing the Creation of a Palestinian State
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Simon Lewis and Humeyra PamukWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is actively pursuing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel and exploring options with partners in the region, the State Department spokesperson said on Wednesday. "We are actively pursuing the establishment as an independent Palestinian state, with real security guarantees for Israel, because we do believe that is the best way to bring about lasting peace and security for Israel, for Palestinians and for the region," Miller said. War in Israel and Gaza View All 194 ImagesAxios reported earlier on Wednesday that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had asked the State Department to conduct a review and present policy options on possible U.S. and international recognition of a Palestinian state after the war in Gaza. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron also told a group of UK lawmakers that the UK government and its allies "will look at the issue of recognizing a Palestinian state, including at the United Nations," the BBC reported on Tuesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is at odds with the Biden administration over the creation of an independent Palestinian state, saying at the weekend that he would not compromise on "full Israeli security control of all territory west of the Jordan River".

Persons: Simon Lewis, Humeyra Pamuk, Matthew Miller, Joe Biden's, Miller, Antony Blinken, David Cameron, . Washington, Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Israel, State Department, United, United Nations, BBC, U.S Locations: Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON, United States, Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, Gaza . British, ., Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Davos, Israeli

☆ Northern Ireland power-sharing could resume within days, after two-year hiatus
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Eve Brennan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Sinn Féin won the most seats in the elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly last year. Post-Brexit trade rules imposed customs checks on goods moving to Northern Ireland from the UK’s mainland. A deal known as the Northern Ireland Protocol was agreed to allow Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, to remain within the EU market so that it could trade goods freely across its land border with the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state. Unionists in Northern Ireland, like the DUP, are in favor of remaining in the United Kingdom, whereas nationalists, like Sinn Féin, are in favor of the unification of Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland. “The people of Northern Ireland are best served by a power-sharing government in Stormont as outlined in the Good Friday Agreement.

Persons: Jeffrey Donaldson, Sinn Féin, Brexit, Sinn, Donaldson, “, ”, ” What’s, Northern Ireland Chris Heaton, Harris, Heaton, ” “, Sinn Féin’s, Michelle O’Neill, Tánaiste, Micheál Martin –, Martin, Claire Cronin, Biden Organizations: CNN, Democratic Unionist Party, DUP, Sinn, Northern Ireland Assembly, Northern, Protocol, Irish, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Union, BBC Radio, Stormont, State, Government, Northern Ireland Executive, Assembly, Foreign Affairs, Defence, Executive Locations: Northern Ireland, Ireland, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Belfast, Republic of, Westminster, Northern, Stormont –, Stormont

☆ UK Government to Ban Disposable Vapes to Prevent Use by Children
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will announce plans on Monday to ban the sale of disposable vapes to prevent their use by children, and reiterate the government's intention to introduce a law preventing younger generations from buying tobacco. Under the new powers, there would be restrictions on vape flavours, a requirement for plain packaging, and changes to how vapes, or e-cigarettes, are displayed to make them less attractive to children. The World Health Organization (WHO) said in December all vape flavours should be banned. "That is why I am taking bold action to ban disposable vapes – which have driven the rise in youth vaping – and bring forward new powers to restrict vape flavours, introduce plain packaging and change how vapes are displayed in shops." The government says that along with the health benefits, the ban on disposable vapes would help the environment, with five million thrown away each week.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, vaping, Michael Holden, Bernadette Baum Organizations: British, World Health Organization, WHO, Vaping Industry Association

☆ UK-Canada trade deal: UK pulls out of post-Brexit negotiations
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Britain is finding out just how hard it can be to negotiate free trade deals, even with close allies and friends. Goods and services have continued flowing between the two countries under the terms of the EU-Canada free trade deal. But Britain had sought to negotiate a new trade deal with Canada that would improve upon the terms of the existing agreement. A key sticking point in the negotiations has been Britain’s refusal to relax a ban on hormone-treated beef, which at the moment effectively bars Canadian farmers from selling to British consumers. We remain open to restarting talks with Canada in the future,” a UK government spokesperson said in a statement.

Persons: King Charles, Britain, ”, Mary Ng, “, David Henig, we’ll Organizations: London CNN, European Union, NATO, —, Britain, EU . Goods, EU, Canada, Centre for International Political, CNN, Reuters, National Farmers ’ Union, BBC, “ Locations: Canada, United Kingdom, Britain, Brussels, “, England, Wales, “ Canada

☆ Royal Mail is on the brink. Cutting letter deliveries to 3 days a week could save it
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Royal Mail could ditch its near-daily deliveries of letters as the centuries-old British institution attempts to modernize its service and plug a growing hole in its finances. Ofcom, the UK regulator overseeing the postal service, published proposals to rescue the beleaguered company Wednesday. It said Royal Mail could save as much as £650 million ($828 million) a year if it cut letter deliveries to three days a week from the current six. The number of letters sent via the Royal Mail network had halved since 2011, and financial losses have ballooned. Among its other proposals, Ofcom suggested that Royal Mail could save up to £200 million ($255 million) a year by cutting its letter deliveries down to five days a week, or by extending the time it takes to get mail to customers.

Persons: “ Something’s, ” Melanie Dawes, Kevin Hollinrake, Martin Seidenberg Organizations: London CNN — Royal, Ofcom, Royal Mail, BBC, United, Services, CNN, Royal, International Distribution Services Locations: ”

☆ United Nations report heavily critical of UK’s ‘increasingly severe crackdowns’ on environmental protesters
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A United Nations envoy said he was “alarmed,” “distressed” and “seriously concerned” by the treatment of climate activists in the United Kingdom, in a damning report published Tuesday that criticized “increasingly severe crackdowns” on peaceful protesters in the country. Last year, the the country introduced new legislation giving police more power to stop protests. “It had been almost unheard of since the 1930s for members of the public to be imprisoned for peaceful protest in the UK,” Forst wrote. Climate protesters are increasingly undertaking high-profile and disruptive actions. But the fact they cause disruption does not mean they are not peaceful, Forst said.

Persons: ” “, ”, “, Michel Forst, ” Forst, Forst Organizations: CNN, United Nations, Environmental, Wimbledon, ” CNN Locations: United Kingdom, England

☆ Fujitsu role in Britain's Post Office scandal could have severe reputational consequences, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

(Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP) (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images) Tolga Akmen | Afp | Getty ImagesLONDON — Fujitsu 's role in the U.K. Post Office scandal, dubbed the "most widespread miscarriage of justice" in British history, has analysts wary of what the fallout could look like for the Japanese IT giant. Between 1999 and 2015, a fault with the company's Horizon computer software used by the Post Office, a state-owned private company employing thousands of people across the country, resulted in more than 700 sub-postmasters being subjected to false prosecutions. watch nowIn a statement Thursday, Fujitsu said it regards the matter with the "utmost seriousness and offers its deepest apologies to the sub-postmasters and their families." "Based on the findings of the Inquiry, we will also be working with the UK government on the appropriate actions, including contribution to compensation." A spokesperson for Fujitsu wasn't immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.

Persons: Tolga Akmen, TOLGA AKMEN, Akmen, postmasters, Paul Patterson, Patterson, Fujitsu Tim Morse, —, CNBC's, Mio Kato Organizations: subpostmasters, of Justice, Appeal, Getty, Afp, Fujitsu, Post Office, Post, Business, Trade, Asymmetric Advisors, CNBC, Fujitsu wasn't, Treasury, Fujitsu —, ICL, Tokyo Stock Exchange, LightStream Locations: London, AFP, U.K, Japan

☆ Replacing Fujitsu in UK government contracts could be 'very expensive,' says equity advisory firm
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | 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 EmailReplacing Fujitsu in UK government contracts could be 'very expensive,' says equity advisory firmTimothy Morse, founding partner of Asymmetric Advisors, discusses Fujitsu's involvement in Britain's Post Office scandal, and says replacing the company may be very expensive as it's "very well embedded in U.K. government IT contracts."

Persons: Timothy Morse Organizations: Fujitsu, Asymmetric Advisors Locations: Britain's

☆ Fujitsu admits it should compensate postal workers whose lives were ruined by its faulty software
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Japanese technology company Fujitsu has a “moral obligation” to compensate the victims of Britain’s Post Office scandal, the boss of its European arm said Tuesday. “We did have bugs and errors in the system and we did help the Post Office in their prosecutions of the sub-postmasters,” Peter Patterson, Fujitsu’s director for Europe, said Tuesday. “I think there is a moral obligation for the company to contribute,” Patterson told UK lawmakers during a public hearing. Nick Read, CEO of the Post Office, who also addressed lawmakers Tuesday, said he was “committed” to abandoning Horizon. The corporation still uses the IT system, but in a newer iteration than the one involved in the scandal.

Persons: —, “, ” Peter Patterson, ” Patterson, Patterson, ”, Rishi Sunak, Nick Read, ” Read Organizations: London CNN, Fujitsu, Britain’s Post, Office, Post, CNN, Post Office, British Locations: Britain’s, Europe, ”

☆ Drax project for controversial ‘carbon negative’ power plant gets UK government green light
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The UK government approved a £2 billion (around $2.5 billion) project on Tuesday to create a “carbon negative” wood-burning power plant. Energy secretary Claire Coutinho’s decision greenlights a plan to bolt carbon capture units onto two generators at a power station in Yorkshire, northern England, run by Drax. Once the most polluting power station in western Europe, Drax switched from burning coal to burning biomass — mostly wood pellets — in 2019. The power station in Yorkshire, which produces around 4% of the UK’s power, mostly burns wood imported from North America. Some scientists have cast doubt on the climate credentials of burning biomass.

Persons: Claire Coutinho’s, Drax, “, ”, Tomos Harrison, Ofgem, ” Drax, Laith Whitwham, Ember, BECCS “, ” Will Gardiner, Gardiner Organizations: CNN, Energy, European Academies Science Advisory, Drax Group Locations: Yorkshire, England, Europe, North America, Canada

☆ Davos: A mountain of debt and a wave of elections. World leaders are hamstrung
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

London CNN —World leaders are flocking to Davos this week to pontificate on the planet’s most pressing problems. Even in the absence of a new crisis, soaring debt servicing costs will constrain efforts to tackle climate change and care for aging populations. Mortgage rates and other borrowing costs soared as investors demanded much higher premiums for owning UK debt. Mounting debt and political brinksmanship have already taken their toll on America’s credit rating, which typically affects borrowing costs for the government, businesses and households. And that would increase the government’s borrowing costs.

Persons: worryingly, Michael Saunders, ”, Saunders, that’s, Liz Truss, Dave Ramsden, Fitch, Moody’s, Raghuram Rajan, “ It’s, ” Rajan, Anna Cooban Organizations: London CNN —, Bank, CNN, Oxford Economics, Bank of England, AAA, States ’, Reserve Bank of India, Labour Party, Treasury Department, Federal, University of Chicago Booth School of Business Locations: Davos, Kingdom, Argentina, States, United States, Switzerland

☆ US Says It Shot Down Anti-Ship Cruise Missile From Houthi-Controlled Areas
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. fighter aircraft shot down an anti-ship cruise missile fired from Houthi militant areas of Yemen toward a U.S. destroyer operating in the Southern Red Sea, the U.S. military said on Sunday. The midair interception is the latest incident in the Red Sea where the Houthis have been attacking international shipping in what they say is a campaign to support Palestinians under seige from Israeli forces in Gaza. It follows a series of American and British airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen that have drawn threats of a "strong" response from the Iranian-backed militia. Earlier on Sunday, the Houthis complained that U.S. aircraft were observed flying close to Yemeni airspace and coastal areas. Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam described the activity by "enemy" aircraft as a blatant violation of national sovereignty.

Persons: CENTCOM, Mohammed Abdulsalam, Natalia Olivia, Chandni Shah, Raphael Satter, Kim Coghill, Neil Fullick Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S, British, U.S . Central Command, Reuters, Hamas Locations: Yemen, U.S, Gaza, Yemen's, Hodeidah, Yemeni, Israel, Tehran, Akrotiri, Cyprus, Palestine, Bengaluru

☆ UK postal scandal: How a software glitch and a centuries-old British company ruined peoples lives
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The government — which owns the Post Office — has described the scandal as one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British history. The software regularly showed that money — often many thousands of pounds — had gone missing from Post Office accounts. The Post Office has so far paid more than £138 million ($176 million) in compensation, a company spokesperson told CNN. “The Horizon system was a piece of machinery and software that wasn’t working correctly,” she said. “If the Post Office can do this to you, then God knows what any other brand is capable of,” she said.

Persons: —, Jo Hamilton, Hamilton, ”, Mr Bates, ’, Alan Bates, Rishi Sunak, ‘, Jonathan Wells, Wendy Buffrey’s Horizon, “, I’d, Buffrey, “ I’ve, Neil Hudgell, Martin Griffith, they’ve, Leon Neal, James Hartley, Siema Kamran, Kamran Ashraf, Ashraf, Kamran, ” Siema Kamran Organizations: London CNN, UK Post, Fujitsu, CNN, Post, ITV, Horizon, of Justice, Office, Cheltenham, Metropolitan Police, Getty, Post Office Locations: Britain, England, Hamilton, British, London, Buffrey, Bracknell , England, Freeths, Cheltenham

☆ Denise Coates: Bet365 gambling executive’s $281 million salary deemed not ‘sensible and proportionate’
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The founder and boss of gambling company Bet365 earned a salary of around $281 million (£221 million) in the last financial year – ending March 26, 2023. Denise Coates, the joint-chief executive and majority shareholder of Bet365, also earned at least 50% of the company’s $127 million (£100 million) in dividends on top of her $281 million salary, company accounts published on Sunday show. Her base salary is an increase of about $10 million compared to last year, even as Bet365 made pre-tax losses of around $77 million (£60.2 million). The Coates family was also estimated by the Sunday Times to be the UK’s second-highest tax payer in 2023, contributing around $585 million (£460 million). Last year, the club incurred pre-tax losses of $15.8 million (£12.4 million).

Persons: Bet365, Denise Coates, Coates, BBC –, Luke Hildyard, “, Nathan Stirk Organizations: CNN, BBC, Pay, Trent, Denise Coates Foundation, Sunday Times, Forbes, Bet365, Stoke City Football Club, Commission Locations: Bet365, English, Stoke, Trent

☆ Governments take action to keep offshore wind projects on track
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Susanna Twidale | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/2] Scroby Sands offshore wind farm can be seen off of the coast at Great Yarmouth, Britain, October 24, 2018. Investors told Reuters governments have since shown willingness to pay higher prices, helping to restore confidence in the future of the industry. Britain's last auction in September failed to attract any offshore wind projects, with developers saying the guaranteed price on offer was too low. Britain's Octopus launched a dedicated fund with Japan's Tokyo Gas (9531.T) to invest 3 billion pounds ($3.7 billion) in offshore wind projects by 2030. Soeren Lassen, head of offshore wind Research at WoodMac said more than 50 GW of offshore wind tenders globally are planned for 2024.

Persons: Chris Radburn, ”, Jonathan Cole, Corio's Cole, Keith Anderson, Anderson, Marc Hedin, Nathalie Gerl, Germany's RWE, Soeren Lassen, WoodMac, Susanna Twidale, Nichola Groom, Scott DiSavino, Simon Webb, Jane Merriman Organizations: REUTERS, Governments, Investors, Corio Generation, Power, New York, Energy, New York State Energy Research, Development Authority, Aurora Energy Research, Research, Ireland, Aurora, Gas, Thomson Locations: Great Yarmouth, Britain, U.S, New York State, China

☆ Finance workers in London are most exposed to the threat of AI, and it should put Wall Street on notice – study shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The finance and insurance sector is the most exposed to the adoption of AI. The report found jobs in finance, law, and business management were likely to be impacted by AI. AdvertisementA new report that measures AI's effect on London city workers may raise alarm bells on Wall Street. "The finance & insurance sector is more exposed to AI than any other sector," the report said. Here are the top ten UK sectors with the highest exposure to AI:Advertisement

Persons: — Organizations: UK government's Department for Education, Service, UK government's Department, Education's Unit Locations: London

☆ Bank of England drags Bagehot into the shadows
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Liam Proud | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

That is no longer tenable, in part because of reforms to bank regulation that shifted activity from traditional lenders to financial market players. These days, the institutions in need of urgent liquidity are just as likely to be pension funds, insurers or hedge funds. The British central bank’s initial ideas make sense, but only solve part of the problem. The central bank can short-circuit the panic by opening the credit taps. Central banks are only just starting to grapple with what it means to be a lender of last resort in that context.

Persons: Walter Bagehot’s, Andrew Hauser, BoE, WALTER, Gurney, Peter Thal Larsen, Streisand Neto, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Bank of England, Reuters Graphics Reuters, U.S, Treasury, Federal Reserve, Pensions, . Treasury, Citadel, Millennium Management, City of, U.S . Federal, Gurney & Company, Victorian, Thomson Locations: British, City, City of London, Basel, Overend, Lombard

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ 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 in UAE to Urge Action on Climate at COP28
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Alexander CornwellDUBAI (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. Other world leaders including India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak are also expected to attend the talks. 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.

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

☆ Second-hand shopping a $1-bln-plus business for Amazon in Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( James Davey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Customers visit the Second Chance Store, a new shop selling returned and refurbished products from Amazon's Second Chance programmes in-person in central London, Britain November 28, 2023. Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Consumer demand for refurbished and pre-owned goods in Britain and across Europe has created a billion pound ($1.3 billion) business for Amazon (AMZN.O), its UK boss said. "Customers are telling us that they’re shopping second hand items to save money in the ongoing cost of living crisis and because they want to shop more sustainably," Boumphrey told reporters. He was speaking at the launch of Amazon UK's "Second Chance Store" - a Christmas pop-up shop in London selling returned and refurbished items. Amazon has invested 56 billion pounds in Britain since 2010, including 12 billion in 2022 alone, Boumphrey said.

Persons: John Nguyen, Handout, John Boumphrey, Boumphrey, James Davey, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Acquire, Amazon, Reuters, Digital Markets, Competition, Consumers, European Union, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Europe

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