By , LONDON (Reuters) - The Bank of England slashed interest rates by half a percentage point on Wednesday and announced support for bank lending just hours before the unveiling of a budget splurge designed to stave off a recession triggered by the coronavirus outbreak.In what amounts to a choreographed double-barrelled stimulus programme, the BoE announced its unanimous emergency rate cut as London markets were opening and before Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government sets out its spending plans after midday.Mark Carney’s parting shot as governor, which returns the main interest rate to...…By , LONDON (Reuters) - The Bank of England slashed interest rates by half a percentage point on Wednesday and announced support for bank lending just hours before the unveiling of a budget splurge designed to stave off a recession triggered by the coronavirus outbreak.In what amounts to a choreographed double-barrelled stimulus programme, the BoE announced its unanimous emergency rate cut as London markets were opening and before Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government sets out its spending plans after midday.Mark Carney’s parting shot as governor, which returns the main interest rate to...WW…

By , LONDON (Reuters) - Britain called on the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday to show proof that Sheikha Latifa, one of the daughters of the ruler of Dubai, was still alive after she said in a video message from a bathroom that she was being held captive in a barricaded villa.The fate of Latifa, 35, and her tempestuous relationship with her father, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, has cast a new spotlight on his family affairs and on an international campaign to free his daughter.Dubai is now under growing international pressure to allow Latifa, who tried to flee in 2018 in a dinghy...…By , LONDON (Reuters) - Britain called on the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday to show proof that Sheikha Latifa, one of the daughters of the ruler of Dubai, was still alive after she said in a video message from a bathroom that she was being held captive in a barricaded villa.The fate of Latifa, 35, and her tempestuous relationship with her father, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, has cast a new spotlight on his family affairs and on an international campaign to free his daughter.Dubai is now under growing international pressure to allow Latifa, who tried to flee in 2018 in a dinghy...WW…

By , LONDON (Reuters) - Britain on Wednesday became the first country to approve the coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, hoping that rapid action will help it stem a record surge of infections driven by a highly contagious form of the virus.Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government, which has ordered 100 million doses, had already fast-tracked approval of a vaccine developed by Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech, and administered hundreds of thousands of shots weeks ahead of European Union countries and the United States.Though cheaper and easier to distribute...…By , LONDON (Reuters) - Britain on Wednesday became the first country to approve the coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, hoping that rapid action will help it stem a record surge of infections driven by a highly contagious form of the virus.Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government, which has ordered 100 million doses, had already fast-tracked approval of a vaccine developed by Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech, and administered hundreds of thousands of shots weeks ahead of European Union countries and the United States.Though cheaper and easier to distribute...WW…

The logo of technology company Nvidia is seen at its headquarters in Santa Clara, California February 11, 2015. . REUTERS/Robert Galbraith/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comLONDON, April 19 (Reuters) - The UK government will look into the national security implications of U.S. group Nvidia's purchase of British chip designer ARM Holdings, it said on Monday, raising a question mark over the $40 billion deal.Digital minister Oliver Dowden said he had issued a so-called intervention notice over the sale of ARM by Japan's SoftBank to Nvidia."As a next step and to...…The logo of technology company Nvidia is seen at its headquarters in Santa Clara, California February 11, 2015. . REUTERS/Robert Galbraith/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comLONDON, April 19 (Reuters) - The UK government will look into the national security implications of U.S. group Nvidia's purchase of British chip designer ARM Holdings, it said on Monday, raising a question mark over the $40 billion deal.Digital minister Oliver Dowden said he had issued a so-called intervention notice over the sale of ARM by Japan's SoftBank to Nvidia."As a next step and to...WW…

By , LONDON (Reuters) - Britain on Wednesday became the first country to approve the coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, hoping that rapid action will help it stem a record surge of infections driven by a highly contagious form of the virus.Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government, which has ordered 100 million doses, had already fast-tracked approval of a vaccine developed by Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech, and administered hundreds of thousands of shots weeks ahead of European Union countries and the United States.Though cheaper and easier to distribute...…By , LONDON (Reuters) - Britain on Wednesday became the first country to approve the coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, hoping that rapid action will help it stem a record surge of infections driven by a highly contagious form of the virus.Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government, which has ordered 100 million doses, had already fast-tracked approval of a vaccine developed by Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech, and administered hundreds of thousands of shots weeks ahead of European Union countries and the United States.Though cheaper and easier to distribute...WW…

By LONDON (Reuters) - More than 400 lawmakers from 34 countries have signed a letter to Amazon.com Inc boss Jeff Bezos backing a campaign that claims the tech giant has “dodged and dismissed … debts to workers, societies, and the planet,” organisers said.Slideshow The “Make Amazon Pay” campaign was launched on Nov. 27 - the annual Black Friday shopping bonanza - by a coalition of over 50 organisations, with demands including improvements to working conditions and full tax transparency.The letter’s signatories include U.S. Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, former UK Labour Party...…By LONDON (Reuters) - More than 400 lawmakers from 34 countries have signed a letter to Amazon.com Inc boss Jeff Bezos backing a campaign that claims the tech giant has “dodged and dismissed … debts to workers, societies, and the planet,” organisers said.Slideshow The “Make Amazon Pay” campaign was launched on Nov. 27 - the annual Black Friday shopping bonanza - by a coalition of over 50 organisations, with demands including improvements to working conditions and full tax transparency.The letter’s signatories include U.S. Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, former UK Labour Party...WW…

By , LONDON (Reuters) - Britain approved Pfizer Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, jumping ahead of the rest of the world in the race to begin the most crucial mass inoculation programme in history.Prime Minister Boris Johnson touted the green light from Britain’s medicine authority as a global win and a ray of hope for the end of the pandemic, though he recognised the logistical challenges of vaccinating an entire country of 67 million.Britain’s move raised hopes that the tide could soon turn against a virus that has killed nearly 1.5 million people globally, hammered the world economy...…By , LONDON (Reuters) - Britain approved Pfizer Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, jumping ahead of the rest of the world in the race to begin the most crucial mass inoculation programme in history.Prime Minister Boris Johnson touted the green light from Britain’s medicine authority as a global win and a ray of hope for the end of the pandemic, though he recognised the logistical challenges of vaccinating an entire country of 67 million.Britain’s move raised hopes that the tide could soon turn against a virus that has killed nearly 1.5 million people globally, hammered the world economy...WW…

By LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s competition regulator said on Monday it was assessing whether a complaint about Google related to digital advertising warranted a formal competition law investigation.The complaint from Marketers for an Open Web (MOW), a coalition of technology and publishing companies, said it wanted the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to delay the launch of Google’s Privacy Sandbox technology.MOW said the technology would remove features such as login and advertising from the open web and put them under Google’s control.“We take the matters raised in the complaint...…By LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s competition regulator said on Monday it was assessing whether a complaint about Google related to digital advertising warranted a formal competition law investigation.The complaint from Marketers for an Open Web (MOW), a coalition of technology and publishing companies, said it wanted the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to delay the launch of Google’s Privacy Sandbox technology.MOW said the technology would remove features such as login and advertising from the open web and put them under Google’s control.“We take the matters raised in the complaint...WW…

By , LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered Huawei equipment to be purged completely from Britain’s 5G network by the end of 2027, risking the ire of China by signalling that the world’s biggest telecoms equipment maker is not welcome in the West.As Britain prepares to cast off from the European Union, fears over the security of Huawei have forced Johnson to choose between global rivals the United States and China.He had been under intense pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, while Beijing had warned London, which has sought to court China in recent years, that...…By , LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered Huawei equipment to be purged completely from Britain’s 5G network by the end of 2027, risking the ire of China by signalling that the world’s biggest telecoms equipment maker is not welcome in the West.As Britain prepares to cast off from the European Union, fears over the security of Huawei have forced Johnson to choose between global rivals the United States and China.He had been under intense pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, while Beijing had warned London, which has sought to court China in recent years, that...WW…

By LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is urging businesses and individuals to prepare for the Dec. 31 end of the Brexit transition period with an information campaign titled: “The UK’s new start: let’s get going.”Slideshow Britain left the European Union on Jan. 31, three and a half years after a referendum, but a transition period has delayed any major change in the relationship.The two sides have been working to agree a trade deal ahead of that period expiring at the end of the year.Cabinet Minister Michael Gove said on Sunday progress was being made in talks but there were still divisions.“At...…By LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is urging businesses and individuals to prepare for the Dec. 31 end of the Brexit transition period with an information campaign titled: “The UK’s new start: let’s get going.”Slideshow Britain left the European Union on Jan. 31, three and a half years after a referendum, but a transition period has delayed any major change in the relationship.The two sides have been working to agree a trade deal ahead of that period expiring at the end of the year.Cabinet Minister Michael Gove said on Sunday progress was being made in talks but there were still divisions.“At...WW…