United Kingdom

Sheikh Mohammed ordered phones of ex-wife and lawyers to be hacked: UK court

LONDON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum ordered the phones of his ex-wife and her lawyers to be hacked as part of a "sustained campaign of intimidation and threat" during the custody battle over their children, England's High Court has ruled.

Mohammed used the sophisticated "Pegasus" software, developed by Israeli firm NSO for states to counter national security risks, to hack the phones of Princess Haya bint al-Hussein, half-sister of Jordan's King Abdullah, and some of those closely connected to her, according to the rulings.

Boris Johnson brushes off UK’s woes, vows high-skill economy

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — This is an autumn of inconvenience in Britain, marked by empty gas pumps, worker shortages and gaps on store shelves.

None of that got a mention from Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday, as he brushed off the economic bumps and said the U.K. would emerge from Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic as a more productive and dynamic nation.

Johnson told the Conservative Party’s annual conference that he’d end “decades of drift and dither” and tackle “long-term structural weaknesses,” especially a reliance on low-cost labor from abroad.

AstraZeneca asks FDA to authorise COVID antibody treatment

London, Oct 5 (AP-PTI) AstraZeneca, the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker that developed one of the first COVID-19 vaccines, has asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to authorise the emergency use of an antibody treatment to prevent the disease.

The company said Tuesday that the treatment, known as AZD7442, would be the first long-acting antibody combination to receive an emergency use authorization for COVID-19 prevention. The treatment may help protect people whose immune systems don't respond adequately to vaccination, AstraZeneca said.

UK: AstraZeneca asks FDA to authorize COVID antibody treatment

LONDON (AP) — AstraZeneca, the drugmaker that developed one of the first COVID-19 vaccines, has asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to authorize the emergency use of a first-of-a-kind antibody treatment to prevent the disease.

The Anglo-Swedish company said Tuesday that the treatment, known as AZD7442, would be the first long-acting antibody combination to receive an emergency authorization for COVID-19 prevention. If authorized, the drug would likely be limited to people with compromised immune systems who don’t get sufficient protection from vaccination.

UK urged to tackle ‘dirty money’ after leaked Pandora papers

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Conservative government is facing calls to tighten the country’s defenses against “dirty money” after a massive leak of offshore data showed how London, in particular, is the destination of choice for some of the world’s richest and most powerful people to conceal their cash.

The cache of almost 12 million files, which has been dubbed the “Pandora Papers,” was published Sunday by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and its media partners, including Britain’s Guardian newspaper and the BBC.

Post-BREXIT crisis: UK rejects ‘uncontrolled immigration’ despite labour shortages

LONDON, Oct 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United Kingdom will not return to “uncontrolled immigration” to solve fuel, gas and food crises, officials have said, suggesting such strains were part of a period of post-Brexit adjustment.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended his country’s choice to leave the European Union on Sunday, after shortages of foreign workers have sown disarray in some sectors of the economy.

UK military begins fuel delivery amid driver shortage

LONDON (AP) — British military personnel have begun delivering fuel to gas stations after a shortage of truck drivers disrupted supplies for more than a week, leading to long lines at the pumps as anxious drivers scrambled to fill their tanks.

About 200 service personnel were deployed Monday to boost deliveries after undergoing training at commercial fuel depots last week, the government said.

No more uncontrolled immigration: PM says Britain in period of adjustment

MANCHESTER, England, Oct 3 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday he would not return to "uncontrolled immigration" to solve fuel, gas and Christmas food crises, suggesting such strains were part of a period of post-Brexit adjustment.

At the start of his Conservative Party's conference, Johnson was again forced to defend his government against complaints from those unable to get petrol for their cars, retailers warning of Christmas shortages, and gas companies struggling with a spike in wholesale prices.

UK: Eyes of the world will be on Scotland for climate summit, queen says

LONDON, Oct 2 (Reuters) - The world's attention will be focused on Scotland for next month's climate summit, Queen Elizabeth told Scottish lawmakers on Saturday, adding that they would have an important role making a better, healthier world.

The queen opened the Scottish parliament on Saturday with fond remarks, four months after an election that returned a pro-independence majority pledging to hold a new referendum on whether to leave the United Kingdom.

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