In brief: While an orangutan casually making its way around the streets of London might sound like the start of a Planet of the Apes-style doomsday scenario, it’s actually an animatronic commissioned by a UK supermarket chain that’s meant to highlight the impact of palm oil production. The story began last week when UK retailer Iceland had its Christmas TV ad banned for breaching rules related to political advertising. The animated short, originally developed by Greenpeace, raised awareness of the damage caused by demand for palm oil. It's estimated that about 6,000 orangutans are wiped out each year with 80 percent of their natural habitat disappearing in the past two decades. A rainforest area the size of 300 football fields is cleared every hour to make way for palm oil production. The ban led to a Change.org petition along with more than 12 million people viewing the ad on YouTube. Celebrities such as James Cordon have also offered their support. To raise more … [Read more...] about UK company puts animatronic orangutan on streets of London
London
Intel claims its Mobileye driver assistance system cut bus accidents by 29% in London trial
Mobileye, the autonomous vehicle research startup acquired by Intel in 2017 for $15.3 billion, today announced the preliminary results of a trial involving its advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) with U.K. bus operator Abellio London. According to Mobileye, its technology has reduced avoidable collisions and injuries by 29 percent and 60 percent, respectively. That’s encouraging progress at a time when bus-related accidents are on the rise. In the U.S. in 2016, of the 123,559 large truck and bus crashes studied by the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 119,000 resulted in injuries and 4,440 caused fatalities. That’s up from 20,000 injury-causing bus crashes and 250 fatal crashes in 2009. “All over the world, bus companies are investing in Mobileye technology to improve safety standards, ensuring that drivers can take prompt action when danger is detected,” said Gil Ayalon, … [Read more...] about Intel claims its Mobileye driver assistance system cut bus accidents by 29% in London trial
Facing UK Regulation, Big Tech Sends a Lobbyist to London
The tech industry already spends tens of millions of dollars every year lobbying in Washington for federal regulations that will benefit their businesses—or, better yet, for no regulations at all. But while lawmakers on Capitol Hill have spent the last two years handwaving and making empty threats against Big Tech, regulators in the UK have been getting to work, strengthening their data privacy laws and taking steps toward more restrictions around content online. Now, the Internet Association, the lobbying firm that represents the likes of Facebook, Google, Twitter, and Amazon, is opening an office in London. According to Daniel Dyball, executive director of the UK office, the goal is to "constructively engage with the internet public policy debate in the UK." "We believe the internet creates benefits for people and enriches their lives in the UK. We believe it has the power to innovate to transform society for the better and be a positive impact on economic growth," says Dyball, … [Read more...] about Facing UK Regulation, Big Tech Sends a Lobbyist to London
Foxtons closes six London branches amid tough market conditions
Foxtons closes six London branches amid tough market conditions BelfastTelegraph.co.uk Estate agency Foxtons has closed six London branches amid tough market conditions in the capital’s housing sector as its posted flat third-quarter revenue. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/uk-world/foxtons-closes-six-london-branches-amid-tough-market-conditions-37523633.html https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/uk-world/article37523632.ece/d2a8d/AUTOCROP/h342/bpanews_ab89b148-d112-44f8-9626-3835e3873050_1 Email Estate agency Foxtons has closed six London branches amid tough market conditions in the capital’s housing sector as its posted flat third-quarter revenue. The company said it does not have any plans for further closures and will continue to operate from 61 branches, covering 85% of London. Foxtons shuttered branches in Beckenham, Enfield, Loughton, Ruislip, Park Lane and Barnes as part of its cost-cutting initiative. It said it will continue focusing … [Read more...] about Foxtons closes six London branches amid tough market conditions
Peer-to-peer lending on the rise in Northern Ireland, says London-based firm
Peer-to-peer lending on the rise in Northern Ireland, says London-based firm BelfastTelegraph.co.uk A growing number of property developments in Northern Ireland are being funded by a new peer-to-peer based system, a London-based firm has claimed. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/northern-ireland/peertopeer-lending-on-the-rise-in-northern-ireland-says-londonbased-firm-37507922.html https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/northern-ireland/article37507921.ece/d2889/AUTOCROP/h342/2018-11-09_bus_45590022_I1.JPG Email A growing number of property developments in Northern Ireland are being funded by a new peer-to-peer based system, a London-based firm has claimed. The emerging financing trend, which involves a varying number of investors pooling their cash for interest on their return, has becoming increasingly popular here during the post-recession recovery. One London-based loan company has just announced its largest Northern Irish property loan to date, injecting … [Read more...] about Peer-to-peer lending on the rise in Northern Ireland, says London-based firm