Page 23 - Uk

A living fossil, on TV today

No doubt the coronation of King Charles III has enduring cultural heritage, but when state rituals are divorced from private beliefs, can they retain their public character for long?

UK PM Rishi Sunak admits disappointing' first electoral test outcome

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday admitted it was a disappointing run for the governing Conservative Party, with the Opposition Labour and Liberal Democrat parties making significant gains in the local elections. Voters went to the polls on Thursday to elect local representatives in 230 of England's 317 councils in what marked Sunak's first electoral test at the ballot box since he took charge at 10 Downing Street in October 2022. Even as the results continue to be counted, Labour gained control of some of its top target councils including Medway in south-east England which has been under Tory control for 20 years. Pollsters had forecast that a loss of fewer than 1,000 seats for the governing Tories would be seen as a good result for Sunak, given that the government usually faces a drubbing in local polls close to a general election which is expected towards the second half of next year. However, that threshold seems set to be crossed and will add immense pressure on th

King Charles III Coronation: When and where to watch live in India

More than 2,000 guests are expected to attend the ceremony in person at Westminster Abbey

Dabbawala, architect, actors: Indians invited to King Charles' coronation

The ceremony will take place in front of a large congregation assembled at Westminster Abbey in London

UK antitrust watchdog launches initial review of generative AI models

The UK's competition watchdog launched an initial review of AI foundational models like ChatGPT, Bing and Bard, saying the move will help create an early understanding of the market

Harjinder Kang to lead UK-S Asia trade; named dy envoy for western India

Harjinder Kang has been appointed UK's Trade Commissioner to South Asia and Deputy High Commissioner for Western India to lead the country's overseas effort to promote trade, investment, trade policy

What to know about King Charles III''s coronation in Great Britain

Great Britain's royal family turns the page on a new chapter Saturday with the coronation of King Charles III a spectacle that echoes medieval times but featuring modern flourishes. The pomp, pageantry and symbolism dates back more than 1,000 years, but the crowning of this king will feature new twists on the tradition and changes from the coronation of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, 70 years ago. Plans for the ceremony at Westminster Abbey call for a more toned-down affair than the last one, even though royals from other nations, heads of state and most of Charles' family will be there, and the monarch plans to wear the same vestments as Elizabeth did. Here are some things to know about the coronation: WHY HAVE THE CORONATION IF CHARLES IS ALREADY KING? Charles automatically ascended to the throne when Elizabeth died Sept. 8, and he was officially proclaimed Britain's monarch two days later in an ascension ceremony broadcast for the first time on television. Charles said he wa

Man arrested for throwing shotgun cartridges into Buckingham Palace's yard

A man was arrested at the gates of Buckingham Palace in London on Tuesday evening as he threw suspected shotgun cartridges into the palace grounds, Scotland Yard said. The incident, just four days before the Coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, involved Metropolitan Police specialist officers conducting a controlled explosion "as a precaution". The suspect at the scene remains under arrest on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and cordons were put in place after the man was also found to be in possession of a suspicious bag. "Officers worked immediately to detain the man and he has been taken into police custody," said Joseph McDonald, Chief Superintendent of the Met Police. "There have been no reports of any shots fired, or any injuries to officers or members of the public. Officers remain at the scene and further enquiries are ongoing," he said. The force said roads that were closed in the wake of the incident have largely reopened and the major

3 Indian community workers to attend King's Coronation at Westminster Abbey

Three India-born community workers, who have been associated with King Charles' charity initiatives, will be a part of the congregation attending the coronation service

UK hit by fresh round of strikes by health workers over pay and conditions

In mid-March, the UK government offered health workers a 5 per cent pay rise for 2023-24, and a one-off bonus to top up last year's salary

Royalty burden? King's coronation may tip UK economy into contraction in Q2

Forecasters warned that the additional day off on May 8 will help trigger a 0.7% slide in GDP in May and could tip the economy into a minor contraction in the second quarter

UK's Royal Mail to issue stamp featuring Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs

A stamp depicting Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims and their places of worship feature on one of the four stamps issued by the Royal Mail to mark the coronation of King Charles III on May 6

BBC chairman quits amid furore over role in Boris Johnson loan in 2021

The chairman of the BBC quit Friday after a report found he breached government rules governing public appointments. The publicly funded national broadcaster has been under pressure after it was revealed that Sharp, a Conservative Party donor, helped arrange a loan for then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2021, weeks before he was appointed to the BBC post on the government's recommendation. Sharp said he was quitting to prioritize the interests of the BBC after making an inadvertent breach of the rules. A report on the incident by senior lawyer Adam Heppinstall is due to be published on Friday.

Long-term sickness costing UK economy GBP 43 bn a year, finds study

"UK economy faces a series of overlapping crises: low productivity, low growth, widening inequality and an historic fall in living standards."

Where the next targets lie after UK blocks Microsoft's Activision takeover

The regulator typically choses to take about a dozen big mergers a year for an in-depth investigation. Here follows a list of the major deals on the watchdog's plate

India-UK to sign pact to cut red tape for greater science, tech tie-ups

Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh arrived here on Wednesday for a five-day trip to the UK to enhance the scale of bilateral collaboration in the field of scientific research and development and will kick-start the visit by signing a memorandum of understanding with his British counterpart. The programmes covered by the new MoU, to be agreed at a ministerial-level Science and Innovation Council meeting, will include the establishment of a new UK-India Net Zero Innovation Virtual Centre focusing on industrial decarbonisation and launching the first ever UK-India scientific deep sea voyage. "The visit seeks to enhance scale of bilateral collaboration in diverse fields ranging from scientific R&D, Startups, Industry and Academia," Dr Singh tweeted. Following his meeting with UK Science Minister George Freeman within the UK Parliament complex in London, he is scheduled to sign the joint MoU on research between the two countries which the UK government said .

Inflation and its discontents

Central banks are incapable of dealing with the political and economic outcomes of inflation, and the sooner this is recognised, the less dangerous the consequences will be going forward

Google, Meta, other Big Tech cos face UK crackdown as govt unveils new law

A new Digital Markets Unit in the nation's antitrust regulator will have powers imposing additional obligations on some of Silicon Valley's biggest companies

PM Rishi Sunak goes live on LinkedIn to promote UK's growth plans

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday joined a live question and answer session with a range of UK businesses as part of a new Business Connect programme, which he says will promote his economic growth priority and optimise the conditions for businesses in the country to thrive. Over 200 of the UK's highest-profile CEOs and business leaders, representing key growth sectors, including tech, life sciences and advanced manufacturing, gathered in London for the first Business Connect event to hear directly from Sunak. It came as Downing Street released the latest figures to show that 1,800 jobs a month have been created since October 2022 the month Sunak took charge in the wake of a disastrous mini-Budget which resulted in predecessor Liz Truss being deposed as Prime Minister. Since taking office, I've spoken to over 1,000 business people because they are the innovators and change-makers at the heart of our economy, supporting jobs, attracting investment and driving growth, sai

Burberry chief challenges Sunak over 'spectacular own goal' UK tourist tax

Sunak replied that he would listen to Murphy's concerns, while declining to comment on possible tax changes out of deference to Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt