Page 13 - Uk Govt

Accounting company PwC plans to cut around 600 jobs in UK: Report

The job cuts will be directed mainly at PwC's advisory business and a small number in the tax department, the report said

Amazon, Meta settle UK probe with pledges to refrain from unfair practices

Amazon and Meta settled separate UK antitrust investigations by agreeing to stop practices that give them an unfair advantage over merchants and customers using their platforms, the watchdog said Friday. The Competition and Markets Authority said it accepted the commitments from the US tech companies to close the investigations into their online marketplaces. The watchdog had been investigating whether Amazon was harming competition and hurting consumers by giving preference to merchants paying for extras like storage, packaging and delivery. It also looked into how Amazon chooses suppliers for the so-called buy box, which shows customers one-click buy now or add to basket options and the collection and use of data. The CMA said Amazon will no longer be able to use data from third-party sellers to give itself an edge. Sellers can negotiate their own delivery rates with independent delivery services and they'll get a fair shot at the buy box, it said. Amazon welcomed the deal, sayi

UK pledges £80 million for AI projects globally, including in Africa

According to a statement it will, "help bring down the barriers to entry for African AI innovators with the private sector"

Dubious agents running illicit UK visa trade in South Asia: Report

Dubious agents are operating an illicit visa appointments trade in South Asia, charging unsuspecting students and workers in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal exorbitant rates for a service that should be free, a UK media investigation has found. According to The Observer' newspaper on Sunday, brokers in some parts of South Asia are charging up to GBP 800 for biometric appointments being advertised on social media messaging services in these countries. The problem is believed to be the worst in Pakistan where the investigation found that the abuse of the visa appointment system by agents is feared to have increased significantly over the last year. "It is a massive issue. It all adds to the debt people pay to come to the UK," Rakesh Ranjan, South Asia coordinator for the migrant workers' programme at the UK-based Institute for Human Rights and Business, told the newspaper. When applying for a visa from New Delhi recently, Ranjan was quoted the equivalent of GBP 500 by an agent

Antisemitic, Islamophobic hate crimes rise in UK amid Israel-Hamas conflict

Antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crimes have continued to rise dramatically in London since the Israel-Hamas conflict intensified earlier this month, with Scotland Yard gearing up for another set of protests on the streets of London on Saturday. The Metropolitan Police said it had recorded 408 antisemitic offences against Britain's Jewish communities this month, compared to 28 in the same period last year, and Islamophobic hate crime was up from 65 offences in October 2022 to 174 so far this month. The police force has made 75 arrests linked to the Israel-Gaza conflict and its counterterrorism officers are investigating 10 potential breaches of terrorism laws. "We've been clear over the last week that wherever possible we will police up to the line of the law, said Met Police Commander Kyle Gordon, with reference to protests and marches planned in London this weekend. Our most experienced and knowledgeable officers are working on the policing of these events, making sure we are ..

FTSE 100 closes 0.9% lower, logs weekly loss as lacklustre results weigh

The banks index shed 2.3% and ended the week 5.4% lower.

World's first AI Safety Institute to be set up in UK: Rishi Sunak

The UK is to be the headquarters of the world's first AI Safety Institute as the country takes the lead in examining and testing new types of artificial intelligence, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced in a speech in London on Thursday. Ahead of hosting the first Global AI Safety Summit next week, the British Indian leader who completed one year in office this week said that he genuinely believes that technologies like AI (Artificial Intelligence) will bring a transformation as far-reaching as the industrial revolution, the coming of electricity, or the birth of the internet. But like those waves of advancements and the many positives that they offer, there are also "new dangers and new fears" that need to be tackled head on. Get this wrong, and AI could make it easier to build chemical or biological weapons. Terrorist groups could use AI to spread fear and destruction on an even greater scale. Criminals could exploit AI for cyber-attacks, disinformation, fraud, or even child sexua

AI backlash may anger thousands of employees in UK, says Infosys Partner

The remarks ahead of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's AI Summit next week underscore the stakes for policymakers facing a rapid shift in the nature of work

UK-India FTA: Electric vehicles market access sparks differences

The UK government has asked India to allow exporting a limited number of fully assembled EVs to India with no customs duty

Ex-Barclays Bank chief Staley banned from senior UK finance roles

Britain's financial regulator said on Thursday that it fined Barclay's former chief executive Jes Staley 1.8 million pounds (USD 2.2 million) and banned him from holding senior financial roles for misleading it over the nature of his relationship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Financial Conduct Authority said in a statement that Staley, a US citizen, had recklessly approved a letter sent by Barclays to the FCA, which claimed the bank's former boss did not have a close relationship with Epstein. But in email messages, Staley described Epstein as one of his deepest and most cherished friends, according to the regulator. A CEO needs to exercise sound judgement and set an example to staff at their firm," said Therese Chambers, joint executive director of enforcement and market oversight at the FCA. Staley failed to do this. We consider that he misled both the FCA and the Barclays board about the nature of his relationship with Epstein. As a result, Chambers said it is

India, UK looking at possible visit of PM Sunak to New Delhi soon

India and the UK are looking at a possible visit to New Delhi by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak soon but it may finally depend on whether the two sides could resolve the remaining differences to firm up the much-awaited free trade agreement (FTA), people familiar with the matter said on Monday. The two sides were exploring the possibility of having the visit around October 28 but nothing has been finalised yet, they said, suggesting that the visit is linked to the finalisation of the ambitious FTA. The two sides are learnt to have finalised around 24 of the 26 chapters in the FTA and are now looking at sealing it by bridging differences on certain contentious issues, including mobility of people and import duty concessions on certain items, they said. It is learnt that both sides were even looking at the possibility of Sunak watching the India-England World Cup one-day international cricket match in Lucknow on October 29. There is no finality on the visit, the people cited abov

British delegation to commence next round of India-UK FTA talks on Oct 9

A 30-member official delegation from the UK will start the next round of negotiations for a free trade agreement with the Indian team here from Monday to close remaining issues so that the two countries conclude the talks soon, an official has said. Both countries have recently concluded the 13th round of negotiations. A team led by Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal was in London last week to give an impetus to the talks. The UK team dealing with investment-related matters is already here, and the talks for the proposed bilateral investment treaty (BIT) with finance ministry officials are progressing at a faster pace. "The 30-member team will be here tomorrow, and both sides are attempting to close the remaining issues, such as rules of origin. Everything is at the closure level," the official said. The 'rules of origin' provision prescribes that minimal processing should happen in the FTA country so that the final manufactured product may be referred to as goods originating in tha

Have taken up concerns about security of diplomats with UK authorities: MEA

India has taken up its concerns regarding the security of diplomats and premises there with the UK authorities, said Ministry of External Affairs Official Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday

UK PM Sunak proposes raising legal age to buy cigarettes in England

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday proposed raising the legal age that people in England can buy cigarettes by one year, every year until it is eventually illegal for the whole population and smoking will hopefully be phased out among young people. Setting out his plan at the annual Conservative Party conference, Sunak said he wanted to stop teenagers taking up cigarettes in the first place." It is currently illegal for anyone to sell cigarettes or tobacco products to people under 18 years old throughout the UK. Sunak's office said the incremental changes would stop children who turn 14 this year and those younger than that now from ever legally being sold cigarettes in England. If Parliament approves the proposal, the legal change would only apply in England not in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. People take up cigarettes when they're young. Four in five smokers have started by the time they're 20," he said. Later, the vast majority try to quit ... if we could bre

UK high commissioner condemns heckling of Indian envoy at Glasgow gurdwara

Alex Ellis, the UK's High Commissioner to India, on Wednesday said the incident in Glasgow last week where his Indian counterpart was blocked from entering a gurdwara by pro-Khalistan extremists was something that "absolutely should not have happened." Arrests were made after protesters gathered outside the High Commission of India in London on Monday, waving anti-India placards and chanting slogans, and similar action had been taken in March too, he said. "There are other ways in which the British authorities can act where they see extremism of any form. For example closing down TV stations, charities and schools, none of which are what they say they are," the UK envoy said at the India Today Conclave here. Security "around people and the buildings of India" too was enhanced, he added. "Something happened (in Glasgow) which absolutely should not have happened," Ellis further said. As per a statement issued by the High Commission of India in London, three people from outside ...

Suella Braverman orders review into UK police firearms regulations

UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman has launched a review into the legal protections for officers on firearms duties after a revolt within Scotland Yard ranks following a murder charge against a Metropolitan Police officer who had discharged his gun while on duty. The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) is said to have offered soldiers as backup support for armed police in London after several officers turned in their weapon-carrying permits since their colleague was charged last week. The UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had authorised charges against the officer, granted legal anonymity, in connection with a shooting in September last year. "We depend on our brave firearms officers to protect us from the most dangerous and violent in society. In the interest of public safety, they have to make split-second decisions under extraordinary pressures," Braverman said in a post on X on Sunday. "They mustn't fear ending up in the dock for carrying out their duties. Officers risking their

UK might ban smoking: Here's what the Indian law says about smoking

In 2004, Bhutan became the first country in the world to completely ban the cultivation, harvesting, production, and sale of tobacco products

UK PM Rishi Sunak defends shift in climate policy as realistic approach

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday defended his shift in climate action policy as a pragmatic and realistic approach towards delivering the country's Net Zero target, amid criticism over proposed delays in certain measures. A day after his speech set out a pushback of petrol and diesel car ban and other cost-intensive measures to reduce the country's carbon emissions, Sunak fought back suggestions that he was filtering down the UK's climate commitments. Amid criticism from within his own party and also from Opposition and industry, he stressed that his updated approach was designed to protect "hard-pressed British families" from "unacceptable costs". We're very confident being in government, with all the information at our disposal that we are on track to hit all our targets, Sunak told the BBC in an interview. We're absolutely not slowing down efforts to combat climate change. I'm very proud of our country's leadership. We've decarbonised faster than any other major

France rolls out red carpet for King Charles III's 3-day state visit

King Charles III of the United Kingdom starts a three-day state visit to France on Wednesday meant to highlight with great pomp both nations' friendship, after the trip was postponed in March amid widespread demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron's pension changes. Charles and Queen Camilla will be greeted by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne at Paris-Orly airport, before heading to the city centre for a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in the presence of Macron and his wife, Brigitte. The visit shows the deep historical ties that unite our two countries. It is also an opportunity to showcase France's cultural, artistic and gastronomic excellence, the French presidency said. At the Arc de Triomphe, both nations' hymns will be played before a review of French troops and a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to mark the shared sacrifices of the past and an enduring legacy of cooperation, according to Buckingham Palace. The jet fighters of the Patrouille de France a

Truly a turning point in resetting competitiveness: Tata Steel ED & CFO

Tata Steel ED & CFO, Koushik Chatterjee, discusses how the structural issues of the plant are going to be fixed and impact of carbon border adjustment mechanism