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Uk Government

All articles tagged with #uk government

cyber-security4 days ago•3 min saved

UK to empower blocking high-risk suppliers to shield critical sectors from cyber threats

The UK government proposes amendments to the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill to let authorities block purchases from high-risk suppliers and require regulated firms (in energy, healthcare, telecoms, etc.) to report significant cyber incidents to the National Cyber Security Centre within 24 hours and deliver incident reports within 72 hours, with penalties for non-compliance. The measures come after Iran-linked hackers shut down a small gas plant and aim to harden supply chains, though they could raise costs for energy companies dependent on Chinese-made tech and materials.

via Financial Times|

#cyber-security #energy-sector #iran

world14 days ago•11 min saved

UK weighs relaxing EV rules as oil shocks and heatwaves intensify policy debate

Britain is weighing a relaxation of its EV rules even as oil prices surge from geopolitical tensions, heatwaves rage, and EV sales accelerate toward targets. An August 14 consultation signals a potential watering down of the 2030 goal (to around 50–70%) and even talks of more North Sea drilling, despite BEV sales rising (July up ~44% YoY) and plug-ins nearing 40% of new car sales. Critics warn that weakening targets would hurt climate and energy security, while supporters argue rules should adapt to current conditions.

via Electrek|

#climate-change #energy-security #ev-targets

business23 days ago•16 min saved

UK Clears Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger With Editorial Safeguards

Britain’s CMA approved Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. after Paramount pledged to keep UK programming distinct, preserve Channel 5 News’ editorial independence, and maintain separate editorial identities for its UK channels, including Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, while ensuring Channel 5’s public-service obligations and continued access to CNN/CBS News archives; the decision relied on assurances rather than competition concerns.

via Variety|

#business #channel-5 #cma

entertainment1 month ago•16 min saved

Celebrities Press UK to Block Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger

Benedict Cumberbatch, Alan Cumming and Benedict Wong urge UK culture secretary Lisa Nandy to intervene and block the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, warning it would harm UK film/TV, cause redundancies and fewer productions, and threaten public access to cultural archives; Nandy is reportedly minded to intervene as the CMA reviews the deal, while the European Commission approved it with conditions and US antitrust scrutiny continues.

via Variety|

#alan-cumming #benedict-cumberbatch #benedict-wong

technology1 month ago•9 min saved

AI Chief Joins Cabinet as UK Dismantles Tech Dept

UK appoints Kanishka Narayan as AI minister with a seat in the cabinet even as the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is scrapped and its responsibilities are spread across other ministries. The move elevates AI policy while removing a dedicated tech secretary after Liz Kendall’s dismissal, prompting scrutiny from industry figures who stress maintaining tech foundations, energy for data centers, and managing AI’s impact on jobs while accelerating public-sector AI adoption.

via BBC|

#artificial-intelligence #cabinet #dsit

world1 month ago•13 min saved

Burnham Poised to Lead Britain as Prime Minister in Royal Ceremony

Labour leader Andy Burnham is poised to become Britain’s next prime minister after meeting King Charles III to formally replace Keir Starmer; Burnham will take on a royal-backed government in a ceremony known as the ‘kissing of hands,’ deliver his first remarks from No. 10, and name his initial Cabinet, marking a midterm leadership change that does not require a general election until 2029 unless called sooner.

via AP News|

#andy-burnham #buckingham-palace #downing-street

business1 month ago•4 min saved

Jingye presses for payout as UK nationalises British Steel

China's Jingye Group is demanding compensation and threatening international arbitration over the UK's nationalisation of British Steel, accusing the government of extortion and promising to seek redress for taxpayers' losses; London says the commercial value is nil but will run a compensation scheme with an independent valuer, while the Scunthorpe plant's future and thousands of jobs hang in the balance.

via Financial Times|

#british-steel-ltd #business #international-arbitration

politics1 month ago•3 min saved

UK eyes salary transparency in job ads to curb pay discrimination

The UK government proposes new anti-discrimination legislation requiring salary details in job adverts, with choices on whether to publish exact pay, a range, or a benchmark rate, and possibly other terms; if there’s no ad, employers must provide salary information in writing before interviews. The plan, aimed at reducing pay gaps and helping candidates compare offers, mirrors EU rules and would apply in England, Wales and Scotland, while Northern Ireland’s stance remains uncertain.

via BBC|

#job-adverts #pay-discrimination #pay-ranges

world1 month ago•20 min saved

BBC Faces Funding Crunch as Licence Payers Fall Ahead of Charter Talks

The BBC’s annual report shows a sharp drop in license-fee payers (about 539,000 fewer to roughly 23.3 million) even as licence income rose to £3.9B due to inflation. The broadcaster is pressing for a revamped funding model in its charter renewal negotiations, including options to charge streaming viewers, while implementing £500M in cost cuts and around 2,000 layoffs as it trims TV, radio and content spend in response to declining licenced usage.

via Deadline|

#bbc #charter-renewal #funding-model

world1 month ago•3 min saved

UK targets Iran’s IRGC as a national-security threat under new laws

Britain is submitting draft regulations to Parliament to criminalize support for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and designate it as a national-security threat under new powers aimed at foreign state proxies. The move, which could carry life imprisonment for acts of support or sponsorship, follows a wave of anti-Semitic attacks in the UK and accompanies listings of Iran-backed IMCR and Russia’s GRU, signaling a tougher stance on foreign interference and proxy groups amid UK–Iran tensions.

via Al Jazeera|

#foreign-proxies #irgc #national-security

politics1 month ago•3 min saved

UK Apologizes for State-Driven Forced Adoptions of 185,000 Babies

Prime Minister Keir Starmer formally apologizes for the state- and church-backed forced adoptions carried out between 1949 and 1976, affecting about 185,000 children; the government pledges funding to help adoptees access records, reconnect families, and study long-term impacts, following Church of England admissions of responsibility and earlier recommendations.

via Al Jazeera|

#child-rights #church-of-england #forced-adoptions

politics1 month ago•5 min saved

Britain's Defence Investment Plan pivots to drones and deterrence with £298bn

Britain's long-awaited Defence Investment Plan pledges £298bn over the next four years—£15bn more than previously and the biggest uplift since the Cold War—yet critics say it underfunds defence at about 2.7% of GDP by 2030 (NATO target 3%). The plan pivots toward cheaper, autonomous systems and drones, with £63bn for the nuclear deterrent, £8bn for a UK-led next-generation RAF stealth aircraft, and a push to hybrid crews. It also funds replenishing Ukraine aid (£11bn), air/missile defence (£790m), and protection of undersea cables (£330m). The Army grows to ~76,000; some programmes are cut (e.g., Type 83 destroyers, Storm Shadow replacement), and expansion of Cadets is delayed.

via BBC|

#air-force #defence-spending #nuclear-deterrent

business1 month ago•15 min saved

Britain Signals Intervention in Paramount-Skydance-Warner Merger

Britain is poised to intervene in Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery after Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy indicated she is minded to intervene, citing concerns about media plurality and on-demand consolidation; parties have until July 6 to respond, and a formal action could follow. The merged group would own Channel 5, TNT Sports, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, CNN International, Paramount+, and HBO Max. Paramount has U.K./EU approvals pending, the U.S. DOJ has cleared the deal, and while some U.S. state governments may sue to block it, Paramount expects to close by early fall with a ticking fee if not.

via The Hollywood Reporter|

#business #media-plurality #paramount-skydance

world2 months ago•42 min saved

UK Online ID push could bar teens; privacy groups warn

Britain is considering a law to require online age verification, effectively banning under-16s from social media and forcing adults to show ID for many online services. Privacy advocates, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), warn the plan would create a centralized data-tracking system and may be ineffective, noting teens can bypass it with fake IDs or VPNs and that it could restrict access to educational and community content online.

via Hackaday|

#age-verification #digital-identity #eff

technology2 months ago•11 min saved

UK's Planned Under-16s Social Media Ban: Five Big Unknowns

The piece outlines five major questions about the UK’s forthcoming under-16s social‑media ban: which apps will be restricted beyond the government’s listed sites (Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X) and how gaming platforms like Roblox will be treated; whether YouTube Kids will be exempt; why messaging apps like WhatsApp are unlikely to be banned; how age-check enforcement and potential VPN use could shape compliance; and whether the policy can come into force by early 2027 amid parliamentary process and potential legal challenges.

via BBC|

#roblox #social-media-ban #technology