Tag: United Kingdom

• Tuesday, October 16th 2018 - 08:45 UTC

  Critical hours for Brexit and Theresa May ahead of Wednesday EU summit

  

  Theresa May will try to rally ministers behind her this morning at the start of a critical 48 hours for Brexit. On Monday, the PM told MPs an agreement with the EU was “still achievable” despite differences over the Irish border if “cool heads” prevailed. EU officials, though, have warned no-deal is “more likely than ever before”.

• Monday, October 15th 2018 - 08:24 UTC

  Preparing Antarctica's Rothera to accommodate the RSS Sir David Attenborough

  

  An international team of builders is preparing to ship an entire kit of parts from the UK to create a new wharf in the Antarctic. The work is part of the £100m upgrade of the Rothera research station to accommodate its new vessel, the RSS Sir David Attenborough. Almost 4,000 tons of equipment and materials will be shipped 11,000km next month.

• Monday, October 15th 2018 - 08:04 UTC

  UK economic low growth anticipated for next three years, with or without a Brexit no deal

  

  United Kingdom can expect low economic growth for the next three years, while a no-deal Brexit could dent growth even further, says a forecasting body. The EY Item Club predicted GDP growth of 1.3% this year and 1.5% in 2019, down from 1.4% and 1.6% respectively in its previous outlook three months ago.

• Monday, October 15th 2018 - 08:00 UTC

  The £50 note will survive in a plastic redesign, announced the Bank of England

  

  The £50 note will not be scrapped and will instead get a plastic redesign, the Bank of England has said. Fears that the largest denomination was widely used by criminals and rarely for ordinary purchases had prompted a proposal to abolish it. But ministers said the new version, to be printed in the UK, would be more durable, secure and harder to forge.

• Saturday, October 13th 2018 - 20:49 UTC

  UK assumes Chairmanship of the Community of Democracies

  

  As of 15 September 2018, the United Kingdom has taken up the rotating 6-month chairmanship of the Executive Committee of the Community of Democracies, CoD, which is described as a global inter-governmental coalition that aims to promote democratic values.

• Friday, October 12th 2018 - 08:38 UTC

  A no-deal Brexit a “disaster” for Spain's tourism industry

  

  A no-deal Brexit would be “a disaster” for Spain, the country’s UK tourism chief has warned. Javier Pinanes, director of Spain’s tourist office in London, acknowledged that travel disruption caused by the UK and the European Union failing to negotiate an agreement would be “a really big problem”.

• Friday, October 12th 2018 - 08:29 UTC

  UK cabinet ministers concerned about potential compromises with EU over Brexit

  

  UK government cabinet ministers raised concerns about potential compromises with the EU over Brexit at a No 10 meeting on Thursday. According to London media reports Liam Fox, Michael Gove and Dominic Raab expressed concern the whole of the UK could remain in the customs union for an open-ended period.

• Thursday, October 11th 2018 - 08:54 UTC

  International tourism industry remains robust with 6% increase in first six months of 2018

  

  According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)’s latest barometer, international tourist arrivals grew 6% in the first six months of 2018 after a record year of growth in 2017. All world regions enjoyed robust growth in tourist arrivals in January-June 2018. The increase was fueled by strong demand from major source markets, supported by an upswing in the global economy. It comes after record year-round growth of 7% in 2017.

• Wednesday, October 10th 2018 - 07:36 UTC

  Challenging agenda for Mrs. May and Chequers plan: Commons and EU leaders again next week

  

  UK Prime Minister Theresa May will face the Commons for the first time since the EU rejected her Brexit plan, amid mounting pressure from some Tory MPs to change course. A week before a crucial meeting of EU leaders, the prime minister shows no sign of abandoning her proposals.

• Tuesday, October 9th 2018 - 09:02 UTC

  Japan would welcome UK to the TPP with open arms, says PM Shinzo Abe

  

  Britain would be welcomed into the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact “with open arms” by Japan, the country’s prime minister has said. Shinzo Abe also urged the use of “wisdom” during Brexit talks in order to avoid a no-deal withdrawal from the EU.