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☆ Elon Musk's X is now letting Blue subscribers hide their once coveted 'blue checks' as users continue to mock them
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

X— formerly known as Twitter — is now letting Blue subscribers hide once coveted "blue checks." X, the site formerly known as Twitter, is now letting its Blue subscribers hide the once coveted verification "blue check" — the status symbol they pay $8 a month for — on their account. But perhaps most importantly, subscribing to X Blue gives users a "blue check" mark, verifying their account. Now, X Blue is letting subscribers hide that mark. In November, he announced the Blue subscription plan, saying Twitter's previous "lords & peasants system for who has or doesn't have a blue checkmark is bullshit."

Persons: Elon Musk, X, Elon, he's, Lili Reinhart, Stephen King Organizations: Twitter, —, Blue Locations: Elon Musk's

☆ Mexican president refutes DEA estimates of cartel strength
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The comments come in response to testimony from U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Chief Anne Milgram on Mexican cartels as part of a hearing in the U.S. Congress. Speaking at a press conference, Lopez Obrador questioned her figures and urged the DEA to share more details. The pushback from Lopez Obrador is the latest in ongoing tensions between the Mexican government and the DEA. His government dropped the case against Mexico's former Defense Minister Salvador Cienfuegos, who the DEA alleged colluded with drug lords. Lopez Obrador accused the DEA of fabricating the case.

Persons: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Anne Milgram, Milgram, Lopez Obrador, Salvador Cienfuegos, Sarah Kinosian, Alistair Bell, Richard Chang Organizations: Mexico Presidency, REUTERS, REUTERS MEXICO CITY, U.S, . Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S . Congress, Jalisco New Generation, U.S ., DEA, Mexico's, Defense, Thomson Locations: Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico, REUTERS MEXICO, United, Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco, Sinaloa, CJNG

☆ Congress hands the crypto industry two wins and a loss before August recess
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The House Financial Services Committee advanced a measure Thursday to establish a clear regulatory framework for the issuance of payment stablecoins. The bills' approvals, after a roughly 14-month debate between committee Republicans and Democrats, can be viewed as wins for the crypto industry, whose reputation on Capitol Hill was battered by the failure of crypto giant FTX last fall. Late Thursday night, the Senate passed a massive defense funding bill that included several measures from different bills the digital-assets industry has opposed. Warren also highlighted the National Defense Authorization Act rider this week by reintroducing her bill, the Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act. The House crypto bills would likely garner enough support to pass in the Republican-controlled House, but struggle to gain traction in the Democratic-controlled Senate

Persons: Elizabeth Warren, Patrick McHenry, Jim Himes, Josh Gottheimer, Crypto, Sen, Warren, Democratic Sen, Joe Manchin, Roger Marshall of, Lindsey Graham of Organizations: Banking, Housing, Urban Affairs Committee, WASHINGTON — Lawmakers, Capitol, Financial Services Committee, Financial Services, Connecticut, Republicans, Democrats, Treasury Department, Treasury, Defense, Money, Democratic, Senate, Republican Locations: Massachusetts, Washington , DC, R, New Jersey, crypto's, Roger Marshall of Kansas, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina

Bimbo cut its annual sales forecast to low-to-mid single-digit growth, Chief Financial Officer Diego Gaxiola said in a call with analysts, down from a previous projection of mid-to-high single-digit growth. "Compared to our initial sales guidance, we have an impact of more than six percentage points" due to the strength of the peso, Gaxiola said. Earlier on Tuesday the firm, which sells buns, cakes, cookies, bagels and tortillas across 34 countries, reported that revenues increased 4% to a second-quarter record of 100.37 billion pesos ($5.86 billion) following price hikes, which were also offset by the peso's strength. The strong peso also partially contributed to a nearly 30% drop in quarterly net profit, falling to 4.30 billion pesos, Bimbo said. Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for the quarter rose 7.8% to 14.00 billion pesos.

Persons: Bimbo, Diego Gaxiola, Gaxiola, Kylie Madry, Aida Pelaez, Fernandez, Brendan O'Boyle, Sonali Paul Organizations: MEXICO CITY, U.S, Thomson Locations: Canada, MEXICO, U.S, Mexico

☆ Australia digests 'hollow' Ashes retention in Manchester rain
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"Rarely could the Ashes have been secured in more hollow circumstances, with almost two days of rain saving Australia from what appeared certain defeat," wrote Malcolm Conn in the Sydney Morning Herald. "Despite being robbed of victory by the weather, England have only themselves to blame for being on the wrong side of history," Conn added. "England were in charge of the first test at Edgbaston before the cult of Bazball resulted in an over-optimistic declaration and reckless batting." Gideon Haigh, writing in the Australian, was kinder to the English but equally wary of any sort of celebrations over the retention of the Ashes. Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: John Sibley SYDNEY, Malcolm Conn, Conn, Gideon Haigh, Haigh, Nick Mulvenney, Jamie Freed Organizations: England, Old, Old Trafford Cricket, Australia, Manchester, Sydney Morning Herald, Edgbaston, Thomson Locations: Australia, Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain, England, Edgbaston

MEXICO CITY, July 20 (Reuters) - Mexico's Grupo Financiero Banorte (GFNORTEO.MX) reported on Thursday a 14% increase in second-quarter net profit, hitting 13.09 billion pesos ($764.68 million) on better results in its insurance and annuities and trading units. Revenue for the group, which owns one of the country's largest banks and pension funds, totaled 33.06 billion pesos in the quarter, up 19% from a year earlier. The bank's performing loan book saw a 12% bump from the year-ago period, with double-digit growth in nearly all divisions. Loan-loss previsions, however, also jumped 66% from the year-ago period to 4.04 billion pesos, with cost of risk shooting up to 1.66% from 1.13%. Banorte will also grow by some 1,300 account managers in the next few months in its business and corporate sectors, Ramirez said.

Persons: Banorte, Marcos Ramirez, Ramirez, Carolina Pulice, Kylie Madry, Stephen Coates Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Financiero, Thomson Locations: MEXICO

MEXICO CITY, July 18 (Reuters) - Precursor chemicals used by Mexican cartels to make the deadly opioid fentanyl do not come from China, its embassy in Mexico said on Tuesday, rejecting U.S. officials' accusations. China had denied the illegal trafficking of fentanyl to Mexico in an April statement, though it did not address precursor chemicals. The embassy on Tuesday said China was "actively coordinating and strengthening" supervision of drug-making substances with Mexico. The U.S. embassy in Mexico and Mexico's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Last week, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned 10 people with suspected ties to the Sinaloa Cartel's fentanyl network, as well as a company accused of importing chemicals from China.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Mexico Ken Salazar, Salazar, Kylie Madry, Isabel Woodford, Robert Birsel Organizations: MEXICO CITY, U.S . Drug, Administration, U.S . Treasury, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, China, Mexico, U.S, United States, Canada, The U.S, Sinaloa

☆ Fact Check-Photos of sleeping officials show UK House of Lords, not US senate
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Photographs showing sleeping officials from the UK government’s House of Lords is being miscaptioned by users who are claiming it shows politicians in the U.S. senate. Examples can be seen (here) and (here). According to the U.S. Senate, senators receive a salary of $174,000 per year in 2023 (here), making the hourly rate around $83.65 for a 40-hour week (here). The images are from UK House of Lords, not the U.S. senate. This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team.

Persons: Read Organizations: government’s House, senate, U.S . Senate, of, Reuters Locations: U.S, America

☆ UK government's contested immigration plan to become law
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERSLONDON, July 18 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's highly contested plan to make it easier to send asylum seekers to Rwanda is set to become law after the government defeated attempts by parliament's upper house to make changes to the legislation. It can now go for Royal Assent, where it is formally approved by the king and becomes law. The legislation will help with the government's plan to send tens of thousands of asylum seekers who arrive on its shores a distance of more than 4,000 miles (6,400 km) to Rwanda. The government is appealing a Court of Appeal ruling last month that the plan was unlawful. It has been criticised by some opposition politicians and civil rights groups as inhumane, cruel and ineffective.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Leon Neal, Rishi Sunak's, Bill, Kylie MacLellan, Kate Holton Organizations: British, REUTERS LONDON, Royal, East, European, of Human Rights, Thomson Locations: Downing, London, United Kingdom, Rwanda, parliament's, Britain

She also accused Lopez Obrador of using "the full apparatus of the state" against her. Lopez Obrador cannot run again because Mexican law restricts presidents to a single six-year term. It is not the first time Lopez Obrador has published financial information about a political adversary. Last year, Lopez Obrador released the purported earnings of journalist Carlos Loret de Mola, a prominent critic of the president. Lopez Obrador touted the amount of business Galvez had supposedly won during a regular press conference earlier on Friday, prompting Galvez to challenge him to back up his claims.

Persons: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Lopez Obrador, Xochitl Galvez, Galvez, Lopez, MORENA, Carlos Loret de Mola, Kylie Madry, Dave Graham, Will Dunham Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Twitter, Regeneration, Thomson Locations: MEXICO

☆ Opinion | Twitter Shows, Again, the Failure of the New Right’s Theory of Power
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( David French | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

To understand what Musk did to Twitter, we shouldn’t exaggerate the virtue of Twitter before Musk any more than we should exaggerate the health of our body politic before Trump. Even before Musk, Twitter had become a toxic force in American culture, so toxic that I wrote last year it might be beyond repair. It was also the best app for seeing the thoughts of journalists, politicians and scholars in real time, sometimes to our detriment. He restored several banned accounts while stripping thousands of journalists, politicians and others of the blue verification badges that confirmed their identities. Instead, he allowed anyone to buy a blue check mark by subscribing to a premium service, Twitter Blue, that also boosted the visibility of some subscribers’ posts.

Persons: Musk, “ Catturd Organizations: Twitter, Trump

☆ UK government offers concessions over contested immigration plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Andrew Macaskill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government offered concessions on Monday to members of parliament's upper house after they inflicted a series of defeats on highly contested legislation to make it easier to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. There has already been a protracted legal fight over the plan, which has been criticised by some opposition politicians as inhumane and cruel. The House of Lords, Britain's unelected upper chamber in parliament, approved 20 amendments last week to water down the government's legislation. One government amendment will limit the detention of unaccompanied children to eight days rather than the previously proposed 28 days. The government is appealing a Court of Appeal ruling last month that the plan was unlawful.

Persons: Rishi Sunak's, Sunak, Andrew MacAskill Organizations: British, European, of Human, Conservative Party, Thomson Locations: Rwanda, Britain, East, France

MEXICO CITY, July 5 (Reuters) - Mexican airline Viva Aerobus has signed a memorandum of understanding to purchase 90 Airbus A321neo aircraft, the carrier said on Wednesday, in a deal likely worth several billion dollars. The companies did not name a price for the aircraft, and Airbus no longer publishes catalog prices. The agreement brings Viva's order book up to 170 Airbus aircraft, the carrier said in a statement, all part of the A320 family. In April, Viva signed an agreement with SAF producer Neste (NESTE.HE) to purchase 1 million liters of the fuel. Viva said the aircraft order would drive both domestic and international growth plans, taking into account that Mexico is expected to recover a U.S. air safety rating in coming months.

Persons: Pratt, Whitney, Viva, Neste, Aeromexico, Volaris, Kylie Madry, Raul Cortes, Tim Hepher, Bill Berkrot Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Viva Aerobus, Airbus, Paris Airshow, Whitney, Pratt, SAF, U.S . Federal Aviation Administration, U.S, Allegiant, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Mexico, U.S

☆ Twitter is taking 'extreme measures' to tackle its bot problem. It should verify everyone instead.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

It's a problem that might go away if Twitter verified all of its users. Remember when Elon Musk handed out free blue checks to some Twitter users after taking them away? "To ensure the authenticity of our user base we must take extreme measures to remove spam and bots from our platform," Twitter said in a blogpost. Bloomberg reported in April that around 4% of people who went to the Twitter Blue sales site ended up subscribing to the service. When announcing that ambition to Twitter employees last month, Yaccarino said "that's not an empty promise."

Persons: Elon Musk, LeBron James, Stephen King, Ian McKellen, Twitter, Linda Yaccarino, Yaccarino, that's Organizations: Elon, Twitter, Bloomberg

LONDON, July 4 (Reuters) - British banks should have to serve a customer even if they disagree with his or her lawful political views, and should apply anti-money laundering checks proportionately, financial services minister Andrew Griffith said on Tuesday. Griffith was asked about his views on recent issues around banking services for politicians and other 'politically exposed persons' by the House of Lords' Economic Affairs Committee, which did not name Farage directly. Griffith said Britain's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) now had powers under a new financial services law approved last week to revisit these rules. "The second thing that we've asked is that the FCA look at creating a domestic politically exposed persons (category) to reflect the lower category of risk associated with those whose affairs are wholly domestic," Griffith said. Reporting by David Milliken, Editing by Huw Jones and Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Andrew Griffith, Nigel Farage, Coutts, Griffith, it's, David Milliken, Huw Jones, Mark Potter Organizations: Brexit Party, NatWest, Economic Affairs Committee, Authority, FCA, Thomson

☆ UK financial services minister urges caution over central bank digital currency
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 4 (Reuters) - Britain should be cautious about whether to issue a digital version of the pound given privacy and other issues involved, financial services minister Andrew Griffith said on Tuesday. The finance ministry and Bank of England have launched a public consultation on whether to issue a so-called central bank digital currency or CBDC, mirroring moves by many central banks across the world. "My thinking about CBDC is that we should proceed cautiously, which is precisely what we are doing in the joint consultation with the Bank of England," Griffith told the House of Lords' Economic Affairs Committee. "It's right to engage and have the very widest - and, to a degree, the most thorough - public policy debate which we have started with the process of consultation," he added. Reporting by Huw Jones, editing by David MillikenOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Andrew Griffith, Griffith, Huw Jones, David Milliken Organizations: Bank of England, Economic Affairs Committee, Thomson Locations: Britain

MEXICO CITY, July 3 (Reuters) - Mexico brought in close to $5.7 billion in remittances in May, central bank data showed on Monday, breaking a monthly record that analysts cautioned was softened by the recent strength of the peso versus the dollar. While Mexico records remittances in dollars, as most of the funds come from the United States, "a strong peso hurts remittances," said Goldman Sachs analyst Alberto Ramos. Given the peso's appreciation against the dollar, when measured in local currency, remittances actually declined 2.2% year-on-year, Ramos said. Last year, remittances to Mexico from abroad hit a record high of $58.5 billion, making Mexico the No. Despite the blow from the "super peso," the dollar amount of remittances sent in May rose almost 11% year-on-year.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Alberto Ramos, Mexico's, Ramos, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Monex, Kylie Madry, Brendan O'Boyle, Christina Fincher, Hugh Lawson Organizations: MEXICO CITY, U.S, Monex, BBVA, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Mexico, United States, Mexican, India

☆ Post-Ashes beers off as England coach McCullum incensed by Bairstow stumping
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( Hugh Lawson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The dismissal triggered long and loud booing from the Lord's crowd and saw Australian players verbally abused by MCC members in the stadium's usually staid Long Room. With England eventually losing by 43 runs to trail 2-0 in the five-test series, McCullum made it clear the stumping had strained relations. 'NO SNEAKINESS'Disgruntled MCC members verbally abused Australia players as they walked through the pavilion at the lunch interval, prompting opener Usman Khawaja to remonstrate with several of them. You see Jonny (Bairstow) do it all the time, he did it on day one to David Warner, he did it in 2019 to Steve (Smith)," Cummins told reporters. England captain Ben Stokes was keen to move on from the incident but added he would not want to win in such a fashion at the end of an over.

Persons: Alex Carey, Jonny Bairstow, Matthew Childs LONDON, Brendon McCullum, Jonny, Alex Carey underarmed, Bairstow, McCullum, you've, might've, Muttiah Muralitharan, Sri Lankan, Kumar Sangakkara, Paul Collingwood, Daniel Vettori, Usman Khawaja, Khawaja, Pat Cummins, David Warner, Steve, Smith, Cummins, Carey, Ben Stokes, Hugh Lawson, Ian Ransom, Toby Davis, Peter Rutherford Organizations: England, Australia, MCC, BBC, New Zealand, Collingwood, Thomson Locations: Australia, London, Britain, Christchurch, Sri, New, England, Melbourne

☆ Fired-up Stokes gives England hope of unlikely victory
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( Ed Osmond | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Bairstow and Stokes looked bemused but Australia refused to withdraw the appeal and the right-hander trudged off to loud boos around the ground. Stokes, clearly fired up to play another match-winning innings as he did in the 2019 Ashes, went on the attack. Duckett and Stokes had batted cautiously after England resumed on 121-4, milking singles from the predominantly short-pitched bowling they faced. Stokes, on 39, was given out lbw to Mitchell Starc but the batsman reviewed immediately and replays showed the ball had hit the bat before striking his pad. Reporting by Ed Osmond; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ben Stokes, Australia's Cameron, Peter Cziborra LONDON, Jonny Bairstow, Stokes, Bairstow, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Ben Duckett, Pat Cummins, Green, Duckett, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Carey, Stuart Broad, Ed Osmond, Hugh Lawson Organizations: England, Australia, Green, Headingley, Thomson Locations: Australia, London, Britain, England, Lord's

MEXICO CITY, June 28 (Reuters) - Mexico may repurchase about $4.2 billion in outstanding bonds issued to finance a partly built Mexico City airport that was later canceled, a senior official said on Wednesday. His government bought back $1.8 billion of $6 billion in bonds issued to pay for the airport. The project was meant to alleviate pressure on the capital's hub, Mexico City International Airport (AICM). Lopez Obrador now wants the Mexican Navy to take charge of AICM. To repay the outstanding bonds, the government has pulled revenue from the AICM usage tax.

Persons: Rogelio Jimenez Pons, Andres Manuel Lopez, Lopez Obrador, Felipe, Jimenez, Kylie Madry, Gerry Doyle Organizations: MEXICO CITY, International, Felipe Angeles International Airport, Mexican Navy, Navy, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Mexico, Mexico City, AICM

☆ Britain tightens planned tech law to stop children viewing porn
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, June 30 (Reuters) - Britain said on Friday it had tightened protections in its Online Safety Bill that will prevent children from viewing pornography in an update to long-delayed legislation that is being closely watched by the tech industry. Britain, like the European Union and other countries, has been grappling over how to protect social media users, and in particular children, from harmful content without damaging free speech. "To prevent any further tragedy and build a better future for our children, we are acting robustly and with urgency to make the Online Safety Bill the global standard for protecting our children." The tech industry including firms like Apple (AAPL.O) have criticised sections of the Online Safety Bill, particularly provisions that could be used to make messaging services break end-to-end encryption in order scan for child abuse material. Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; Editing by Alison Williams;Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Paul Scully, Sachin Ravikumar, Alison Williams Organizations: European Union, Apple, Thomson Locations: Britain

The Mexico City International Airport (AICM) currently sits under the transportation ministry, though the navy has already taken over security operations, including customs. "There's more security, more certainty, the rules are followed better, there's more discipline," with the navy in charge of the airport, Velazquez told reporters on Tuesday. The money currently goes to a fund to pay off bondholders who financed the construction of an airport canceled by Lopez Obrador in favor of building the Felipe Angeles airport on the outskirts of the capital. The little-used, one-year-old Felipe Angeles airport, one of the president's largest public works projects, is also on an active military base. In May, the AICM moved nearly 4 million passengers, according to data from the national aviation authority, while Felipe Angeles airport's passenger numbers were almost 95% lower.

Persons: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Carlos Velazquez, Velazquez, Benito Juarez, Lopez Obrador, Felipe, Kylie Madry, Jamie Freed Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Mexico City International, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Mexico, Felipe Angeles

June 19 (Reuters) - Costs of the first phase of construction at American Lithium's (LI.V) Falchani lithium mine in Peru likely have risen some 20% from an original estimate to $700 million, the chief executive of the firm said in an interview. "If you think about the post-COVID world and inflationary pressures, that bill (of $580 million) is probably more like $700 million today," CEO Simon Clarke said. Peru, the world's second-largest copper producer, is vying for a piece of the pie in the booming lithium market. Nearby Chile, Argentina and Bolivia form a so-called "lithium triangle," with massive deposits, but the Canadian-owned Falchani project is currently the only one under way in Peru, where deposits are estimated to be much smaller. If all goes according to plan, construction could begin at Falchani by late 2024 or late 2025, Clarke said, to begin production in late 2026 or early 2027.

Persons: Simon Clarke, Clarke, Kylie Madry, Marco Aquino, Sandra Maler Organizations: Peruvian, Thomson Locations: Peru, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Canadian, Falchani

☆ Britain's Covid inquiry has become a political farce
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

London CNN —Britain’s Covid inquiry was supposed to give closure to people who lost loved ones in the pandemic. It’s instead become a political circus that could hurt both Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. Johnson undercut Sunak by directly handing his own information to the inquiry. This is the committee’s investigation into the infamous Partygate scandal, which led to Johnson being fined by police for breaking Covid rules. Johnson had initially told parliament that all rules were followed at all times.

Persons: Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, Johnson, Sunak, Deborah Doyle, ” Boris Johnson, Dan Kitwood, Sunak’s, ” Jack Rodgers, Christina Pagel, Pagel, “, Peter Summers, Lorelei King, ”, Baroness Hallett, ” King Organizations: London CNN, Justice, CNN, University College London’s, Research Unit, Conservative, “ Locations: Sunak, Britain, Covid

☆ Boris Johnson’s Effort to Honor Allies Puts Glare on House of Lords
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Stephen Castle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Famous for its gilded furnishings, ceremonial gowns and archaic procedures, Britain’s House of Lords holds the dubious distinction of being the world’s largest legislature outside China. Now, the unelected second chamber of the British Parliament has found itself at the center of an acrimonious rift over efforts by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson to add his friends and allies to its already swollen ranks. Like all departing prime ministers, Mr. Johnson was entitled to nominate candidates for “resignation honors,” which also include knighthoods. But when three people on his nominees list did not make the final cut, he accused the current prime minister, Rishi Sunak, of blocking them. And when Mr. Sunak said in public that Mr. Johnson had lobbied him to overturn the way nominees were vetted and approved, Mr. Johnson retorted that this was “rubbish.”

Persons: Lords, Boris Johnson, Johnson, Rishi Sunak, — Nadine Dorries, —, Sunak Organizations: Mr Locations: China

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