Joint

UK telecoms group’s 50/50 venture ends more than 18-month search for a buyer of its international operationsBusiness live – latest updatesBT and the US mobile company Verizon are to combine their international businesses, ending the British telecom group’s more than 18-month search for a buyer.Verizon will pay a $625m (£473m) “equalisation” fee to BT to guarantee equal voting rights in the new 50/50 joint venture, the companies announced on Monday. The deal is expected to create a company with more than 3,000 customers across about 180 countries and $4bn in combined annual revenue. Continue reading...

It follows a similar move at the G7 earlier this week, where leaders calling on Russia to engage with the peace processNot many other leaders showed up to offer doorstep comments this morning – and can you really blame them, after they had just a few hours of sleep?But Ireland’s Micheál Martin popped in to tell reporters that “it’s imperative that we continue to make progress” on this budget.“There’s some distance to go yet before, before we get there [to negotiations], but opening up channels, in my view, given our own experience in conflict resolution, is not something that we would criticise or be negative about.” Continue reading...

• The U.S. government issued a joint statement reaffirming its commitment to protecting public health through sound science, transparency, and independent review. • The statement specifically addresses concerns raised by scientists and policymakers regarding the consistency and real-world applicability of cancer hazard assessments conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). • This move matters as it asserts the preeminence of U.S. regulatory bodies over international assessments when determining health risks for the American population.

New South Wales police commissioner Mal Lanyon is among the witnesses expected to appear at the six-week trial in July next yearTwenty five people who were charged after they protested against the visit of the Israeli president will face a six-week joint trial next July.The protesters had their matters heard before Downing centre local court on Thursday after their lawyers made a successful application for the joint hearing after arguing there were common legal issues across the cases. Continue reading...

• France and Germany have agreed to abandon the joint development of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), a next-generation fighter project valued at €100 billion. • The decision follows reports from Reuters and the Financial Times, signaling a significant breakdown in the strategic military cooperation between the two European powers. • Separately, Denmark’s National Audit Office revealed that F-35 fighter jet deliveries will cost $2.2 billion more than originally projected, accusing the government of attempting to conceal the price increase.

Paris and Berlin conclude firms involved unable to agree on way forward in blow to Europe’s common defence pushFrance and Germany have concluded that the companies involved in building a joint fighter jet will not be able to reach an agreement and have abandoned the project, officials in Berlin have said in a blow to Europe’s common defence efforts.The French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the Germany chancellor, Friedrich Merz, had “reached the shared assessment that the companies will not be able to come together”, an official told Agence France-Presse. “They acknowledge this reality.” Continue reading...

• The 6th Joint Technical Advisory Group (TAG) meeting recently took place in Taipei to focus on the importance of connection in population management. • The event highlighted a new framework developed over 18 months by the WAZA Committee for Population Management (CPM). • This initiative aims to strengthen the governance, management, and long-term sustainability of international studbooks.