The UK tech sector raised £13.5 billion in the first six months of 2021, triple the amount for the same period last year. Photo: Yuichiro Chino
The UK tech sector raised £13.5 billion in the first six months of 2021, triple the amount for the same period last year. Photo: Yuichiro Chino
The UK tech sector raised £13.5 billion in the first six months of 2021, triple the amount for the same period last year. Photo: Yuichiro Chino
The UK tech sector raised £13.5 billion in the first six months of 2021, triple the amount for the same period last year. Photo: Yuichiro Chino

UK aims to tear down digital trade barriers as London Tech Week gets under way


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The UK must break down "digital barriers" to open up new opportunities for businesses and consumers, the new International Trade Secretary will say on Monday.

In her first speech since her Cabinet appointment in Boris Johnson's reshuffle last week, Anne-Marie Trevelyan will address industry leaders at the start of London Tech Week.

Digital trade – digitally-enabled transactions in goods and services – is vital for the UK, contributing £150 billion to the economy in 2019 and employing about 5 per cent of the workforce.

Smoothing international commerce in digital products has been built into trade talks since Britain voted to leave the European Union in 2016.

The UK agreed on details of digital free trade as part of a pact with Japan in October 2020 and is in talks with Singapore on another agreement.

Ms Trevelyan's department will publish a five-point plan aimed at establishing a "free and fair digital trade landscape" to help UK businesses and consumers.

The plan, the Department for International Trade said, would "reduce costs for British businesses, cut red tape and shore up data protection".

'Setting a new gold standard for digital trade'

"All of us depend on digital trade, yet British businesses face digital barriers in countries who take a protectionist approach," Ms Trevelyan said.

"I want the UK to break down these barriers and open up new, exciting opportunities for businesses and consumers so we can see improved productivity, jobs and growth.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan is making her first speech since being appointed to the role of International Trade Secretary. PA
Anne-Marie Trevelyan is making her first speech since being appointed to the role of International Trade Secretary. PA

"Our five-point plan is the first step in shaping international digital trade policy for decades to come. Through our network of international agreements, we are breaking new ground, pushing forward innovative ideas and setting a new gold standard for digital trade."

Businesses, the DIT said, faced barriers reducing their ability to benefit from digital technology, including paperless trading, and making digital trade easier would enable businesses to trade efficiently and cost-effectively.

The plan comprises proposals for more open digital markets, free and trusted cross-border data flow, the support of consumer and business safeguards, promotion of the development and adoption of innovative digital trading systems and establishing global co-operation on digital trade.

The UK tech sector raised £13.5bn in the first six months of 2021, three times the amount for the same period last year. In an additional fillip, it outstripped regional rival Germany, which raised £6.2bn, said the UK’s Digital Economy Council, a body aimed at creating jobs and growth in the sector.

Britain ranks third in the world, after the US and China, for tech investment and the number of tech unicorns – privately held companies worth more than $1bn. Twenty unicorns were created in the past six months in the UK, taking the total to 105, the council said.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
War 2

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.

“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”

Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”

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Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

The specs: 2019 BMW i8 Roadster

Price, base: Dh708,750

Engine: 1.5L three-cylinder petrol, plus 11.6 kWh lithium-ion battery

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

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The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Dunki
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Fixtures
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Al Ain

5pm: Bolereau
5.30pm: Rich And Famous
6pm: Duc De Faust
6.30pm: Al Thoura​​​​​​​
7pm: AF Arrab​​​​​​​
7.30pm: Al Jazi​​​​​​​
8pm: Futoon

Jebel Ali

1.45pm: AF Kal Noor​​​​​​​
2.15pm: Galaxy Road
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3.15pm: Inverleigh​​​​​​​
3.45pm: Bawaasil​​​​​​​
4.15pm: Initial
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The biog

Birthday: February 22, 1956

Born: Madahha near Chittagong, Bangladesh

Arrived in UAE: 1978

Exercise: At least one hour a day on the Corniche, from 5.30-6am and 7pm to 8pm.

Favourite place in Abu Dhabi? “Everywhere. Wherever you go, you can relax.”

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Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

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4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
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The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)

The First Monday in May
Director:
Andrew Rossi
Starring: Anna Wintour, Karl Lagerfeld, John Paul Gaultier, Rihanna
Three stars

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

The specs: 2018 BMW X2 and X3

Price, as tested: Dh255,150 (X2); Dh383,250 (X3)

Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder (X2); 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder (X3)

Power 192hp @ 5,000rpm (X2); 355hp @ 5,500rpm (X3)

Torque: 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (X2); 500Nm @ 1,520rpm (X3)

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (X2); Eight-speed automatic (X3)

Fuel consumption, combined: 5.7L / 100km (X2); 8.3L / 100km (X3)

While you're here
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Welterweight
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Ibrahem Bilal bt Emad Arafa
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Ahmed Abdolaziz bt Imad Essassi
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Ilham Bourakkadi bt Milena Martinou
Welterweight
Mohamed Mardi bt Noureddine El Agouti
Middleweight
Nabil Ouach bt Ymad Atrous
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COMPANY PROFILE

Founders: Sebastian Stefan, Sebastian Morar and Claudia Pacurar

Based: Dubai, UAE

Founded: 2014

Number of employees: 36

Sector: Logistics

Raised: $2.5 million

Investors: DP World, Prime Venture Partners and family offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE

Updated: September 20, 2021, 10:06 AM`