Newsletter Jun 16, 2023

Boris Johnson lied to MPs over Covid parties: committee

Boris Johnson deliberately lied to MPs about lockdown-breaking parties during the Covid pandemic that would have seen him face a 90-day suspension had he not quit as a lawmaker, a parliament committee ruled Thursday.

UK's Truss admits to 'mistakes' -- but blames enemies

British former prime minister Liz Truss on Thursday conceded to "mistakes" over her disastrous short-lived tenure last year -- but blamed the economic "establishment" for torpedoing her policies.

Latest labour market data spells more trouble for UK mortgage holders

A reported 1.3 million UK households with mortgages were already expecting increased costs at the start of the year. The latest data means there is more pain yet to come.

UK hospitality sector not against recycling but fears red-tapism from Scotland's Deposit Return Scheme

As per the scheme, customers will have to pay 20p as a deposit when they purchase things in containers like bottles of wine and jars.

HSBC launches £15 billion SME Fund to power UK business growth and market access

HSBC has unveiled a groundbreaking initiative with a £15 billion financing fund to improve market access and foster the growth of SMEs.

Euro jumps after ECB raises rates but stocks diverge

The euro got a boost after the European Central Bank raised interest rates to a 22-year high on Thursday, while stocks diverged a day after the Federal Reserve sent mixed messages on interest rates.

US trafficking report highlights forced labor, exploited boys

The United States on Thursday denounced the scourge of human trafficking, calling out forced labor and the little-known but growing problem of boys and young men caught up the trade.

Samsung to revamp its Galaxy XR headset to compete with Apple Vision Pro

Apple Vision Pro headset is an impressive piece of technology that has reportedly forced Samsung to redesign some components of its upcoming Galaxy XR headset.

Microsoft ignored OpenAI's warning about launching unfinished Bing Chat service: report

Due to the AI's erratic behaviour, Microsoft took measures that included limiting Bing Chat's responses to prevent further awkward interactions.

UK Geospatial Strategy 2030 aims to revolutionise location data

UK Government's Geospatial Strategy (up to 2030) aims to advance location data and technologies, benefiting the economy and consumers.

AI part of UK government's plan to secure Britain's place as global tech leader

The government must provide "support and direction" for Britain's technology sector to reach its full economic potential according to techUK.

Australia's visa overhaul leaves Chinese millionaires in limbo

In 2018 Paul Wang left his home in Beijing to start a new life in Australia, investing A$1 million ($680,000) in a food processing business in the hopes of qualifying for permanent residency under the country's investment visa scheme.

Outrage in UK as woman gets sentenced to prison over an abortion

A court in the UK sentenced a woman to 28 months in prison for terminating her pregnancy after the permissible legal ten-week window had passed.

Real Madrid transfer makes Jude Bellingham most expensive English player ever

Bellingham joins the new Galacticos era under Florentino Perez.