UK News
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Record £14.5 billion in export financing supports 70,000 UK jobs
UK Export Finance (UKEF) delivered a record £14.5 billion in new support last year, backing over 667 UK businesses and helping to sustain up to 70,000 jobs, accordingRead More... -
Reckitt sells majority stake in Cillit Bang and Calgon Unit for up to £3.6 billion
Reckitt Benckiser has struck a deal valued at up to $4.8 billion (£3.6 billion) to sell a majority share of its household cleaning division, which includes brands like Cillit Bang and Calgon.Read More... -
Foreign investors rediscover London’s stock market
After years of lagging behind its European peers, Britain’s stock market is starting to shine again—drawing renewed interest from foreign investors enticed by undervalued stocks, lighterRead More... -
UK proposes lowering national voting age to 16 in landmark reform
The United Kingdom is set to become one of the first European nations to lower the national voting age to 16, under a proposal introduced by the government on Thursday. If passed byRead More... -
Mayor to host inaugural London-Africa Business Summit
London will host its first-ever London-Africa Business Summit next year, Mayor Sadiq Khan announced during a trade mission across the African continent.Read More...
Culture
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French town pulls Rock-en-Seine festival funding over Kneecap booking
The municipality of Saint-Cloud, a suburb of Paris, has withdrawn its €40,000 subsidy for the Rock-en-Seine music festival following the announcement that Irish rap group Kneecap is part ofRead More... -
Man arrested in connection with theft of £150,000 violin
A man has been arrested as part of an investigation into the theft of a valuable 18th-century violin, worth over £150,000, stolen from a north London pub.Read More... -
Ai-Da robot unveils AI-painted portrait of King Charles III at Geneva reception
The UK Mission to the WTO and United Nations in Geneva hosted a distinctive reception this week, featuring Ai-Da — the world’s first ultra-realistic humanoid robot artist.Read More... -
Anglican communion considers scaling back Archbishop of Canterbury’s global role to prevent schism
The Anglican Communion is weighing reforms that would reduce the Archbishop of Canterbury’s central leadership role in a bid to hold together its 85 million members amid deepeningRead More... -
Black Sabbath farewell gig raises £140 million for charity, says director
Black Sabbath's final concert has raised a staggering £140 million for charity, according to Tom Morello, the event’s musical director and guitarist for Rage Against The Machine.Read More... -
Bayeux Tapestry to return to the UK for the first time in nearly 1,000 years
The Bayeux Tapestry, one of the most iconic pieces of medieval art, is set to be displayed in the UK for the first time since its creation over 900 years ago, the Department for Culture, MediaRead More... -
Hundreds of new homes proposed for Blenheim Palace estate
Plans to build 500 new homes on the Blenheim Palace estate have been submitted to Cherwell District Council. The development would be located east of Park View in Woodstock, Oxfordshire,Read More... -
The best moments from Oasis’ triumphant return in Cardiff
Oasis made a thunderous comeback in Cardiff, opening their reunion show with Hello and a heartfelt “it’s good to be back,” marking their first performance together in 16 years.Read More... -
Royal Academy of Music to launch new campus in East London
The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) has unveiled plans to open a new campus at London City Island in east London, promising "endless possibilities" for students and staff.Read More... -
Anna Wintour steps down as US Vogue editor-in-chief after 37 years
Dame Anna Wintour is stepping down as editor-in-chief of American Vogue, a position she has held for an unprecedented 37 years.Read More... -
£35m George Street revamp gets council backing despite funding doubts
Plans to transform Edinburgh’s George Street have been approved by city councillors, with construction expected to begin in August 2027—if the money can be secured.Read More... -
Police seek help after £150,000 violin stolen from North London pub
Police are appealing for information after a rare 18th-century violin, valued at over £150,000, was stolen from a pub in north London.Read More...
British Queen celebrates
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World News
US President Donald Trump's controversial travel ban could make it impossible for his country to host the 2026 World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino warned on Thursday.
The United States is the favourite to stage the expanded 48-team tournament in 2026, either on its own or as part of a joint-bid with neighbours Mexico and Canada.
But with Trump seeking to ban nationals from several Muslim-majority countries, Infantino says the US may not even be in a position to submit a bid.
"Mr Trump is the president of the United States of America and as such of course (I have) huge respect for what he does," Infantino told reporters at London's Heathrow airport.
"He's in charge, together with his government, to take decisions that are best for his country. That's why he has been elected.
"We are now in the process of defining the bid requirements. In the world there are many countries who have bans, travel bans, visa requirements and so on and so forth.
"It's obvious when it comes to FIFA competitions, any team, including the supporters and officials of that team, who qualify for a World Cup need to have access to the country, otherwise there is no World Cup.
"That is obvious. The requirements will be clear. And then each country can make up their decision, whether they want to bid or not based on the requirements."
Playing an increasingly important role in the market economy environment, legal PR is an important and promising trend in public relations. Legal PR experts deal with framing the positions of parties in judicial disputes and with developing of litigation strategies. Attracting of public attention to whatever aspect of the case helps strongly to advocate one’s point and prove its fairness. Currently there are few companies in the European Union that would focus on this area at the intersection of legal profession and PR. We have picked top five companies that specialize in legal PR, operate in Europe and feature a many-year track record.
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British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is to travel to Russia in the coming weeks for high-level political talks, his office said Saturday.
It will be the first time a British minister has been to Moscow for an official visit in more than five years and could signal a potential thaw in Anglo-Russian relations after years of antagonism.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman stressed that the visit was not a return to "business as usual", saying Britain's approach to Russia was "engage, but beware".
Relations with Russia soured after Britain sought to prosecute suspects in the killing of Kremlin critic and former spy Alexander Litvinenko, murdered by radiation poisoning in London in 2006.
Britain has also been one a fervent supporter of Western sanctions against Moscow over Russia's role in the Ukraine crisis.
British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday said a decision by Russia to decriminalise some forms of domestic violence was a step backwards.
"We see this as a retrograde step by the Russian government. Repealing existing legislation sends out absolutely the wrong message on what is a global problem," May told parliament.
On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a controversial bill reducing the penalty for violence against family members when it is the first such offence and does not cause serious injury.
Donald Trump's US election victory heralds the "building of a new world", France's far-right leader Marine Le Pen said Sunday in a BBC television interview that sparked immediate criticism in Britain.
Le Pen, who leads the National Front (FN) party, described the Republican's win as a "victory of the people against the elite" and said she hoped a similar outcome could be achieved in French presidential elections in May.
"Clearly, Donald Trump's victory is an additional stone in the building of a new world, destined to replace the old one," she told the BBC's flagship Sunday politics programme, the Andrew Marr Show.
Trump "made possible what had previously been presented as impossible," she said, predicting that the "global revolution" that resulted in his election, as well as in the vote for Brexit, will also see her elected as president.
Amnesty International on Wednesday urged US president-elect Donald Trump to commit to upholding human rights, criticising his "poisonous rhetoric" following the Republican candidate's election victory.
Trump has "raised serious concerns about the strength of commitment we can expect to see from the United States towards human rights in the future," said Salil Shetty, secretary general of the London-based group.
"He must now put this behind him and both reaffirm and abide by the United States? obligations on human rights, at home and abroad," Shetty said.
Margaret Huang, executive director of Amnesty International USA, criticised "disturbing and, at times, poisonous rhetoric" from Trump in the campaign.
Divisive, chaotic and with implications for almost every aspect of national life, Brexit has been a godsend for political satirists -- giving them a wealth of material -- and audiences desperate for a laugh.
"There's a voracious appetite in the UK for anything to do with Brexit, and there's a huge appetite for satire," said Neil Rafferty, editor in chief of the popular satirical website The Daily Mash.
He told AFP: "It's a massive subject. There's also a massive number of colourful characters involved. There are some very extreme views, which are great for satirists."
Britons have a long tradition of turning to humour in troubled times, and the June referendum vote to leave the European Union has inspired comedians across the country -- even if most of them opposed the decision.
"When it comes to writing jokes, this referendum outcome is a better one," comedian Al Murray, who adopts the persona of a xenophobic pub owner, told The Guardian newspaper.
Men and boys from Iraqi villages recaptured from the Islamic State group in the operation to retake Mosul have been unlawfully detained, tortured and ill-treated by tribal militia, Amnesty International said Thursday.
The Hashed al-Ashaeri (Tribal Mobilisation), made up of Sunni tribal militiamen, have been carrying out revenge attacks in villages south-east of Mosul against those residents suspected of having ties to IS, the London-based rights group said.
Some were beaten with metal rods and given electric shocks, and some were tied to the bonnets of vehicles and paraded through the streets or placed in cages, it said, citing interviews with local officials and village witnesses.
"There is strong evidence that Sabawi tribal militia members have committed crimes under international law by torturing and otherwise ill-treating residents in Qata al-Sabaween (Sabaween sector) in revenge for crimes committed by IS," said Lynn Maalouf, Amnesty's deputy director for research in Beirut.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, winner of this year's Nobel Peace Prize, will visit Northern Ireland in November to learn about its peace process, the Colombian embassy said on Thursday.
Santos, who is struggling to implement his peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) after it was rejected by voters, will visit the British-ruled region on November 2.
The embassy said in a statement that the Colombian leader's visit was due to Northern Ireland's "importance as a model of peace and reconciliation".
Santos will meet officials and visit the Girdwood community centre in north Belfast on November 3 to discuss peace and reconciliation with local residents.
His state visit to Britain at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II will begin on November 1.
Saudi Arabia raised $17.5 billion in its first international bond offering, HSBC said Thursday, reflecting strong interest as the kingdom seeks to diversify its oil-dependent economy.
The bond issue -- the first time Saudi Arabia has turned to international markets for financing -- was hailed as historic by investors and according to official media was nearly four times oversubscribed.
"It was the biggest syndicated issue ever by any country," said Jean-Marc Mercier, co-director of the debt capital markets division at HSBC, which took part in the transaction and confirmed the figure.
The world's largest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia is seeking financing as it moves to diversify its economy following the global collapse in crude prices.
The kingdom is projecting a budget deficit of $87 billion this year after a fall in oil revenues, which still account for most of its income.
It has taken a series of austerity measures, including subsidy cuts and reductions in cabinet ministers' salaries, and earlier this year announced an ambitious plan to diversify its economy.