Latest news with #Cyprus
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Britain's national decline has just reached a new low
It's probably for the best that the Cypriot government has shown no interest in getting its hands on Akrotiri and Dhekelia, the United Kingdom's two 'sovereign base areas' from which the RAF flies for operations in the Middle East. For judging by the conduct of this Government, it is currently open season on our overseas possessions. Fresh from bending over backwards to hand the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius – with a dowry – the Government is now preparing to hand Spain a 'special role' in Gibraltar. This will reportedly include 'new powers over the issuance of residency permits, visas and asylum', according to the Independent, as part of 'an accord to settle the post-Brexit border arrangements for the British overseas territory.' How far we have fallen. When General Franco closed the border with Gibraltar in 1969 as part of his effort to besiege the Rock into submission, both it and we stood firm. The blockade was eventually lifted in 1982, after Spain's return to democracy. Today, faced with a far less menacing prospect, we have simply folded. This is not merely a collection of objectionable new procedures, either. If this deal is passed, Madrid will now control who is and is not allowed to settle in Gibraltar, whilst Spaniards – because it is part of the Schengen area – have freedom of movement. It isn't difficult to imagine how this could erode the Rock's British character over time, especially if a future Spanish government was playing an active role in the process. Because we should not forget that Spain absolutely wants its hands on the territory and is not shy about flexing its muscles; Spanish ships not infrequently violate Gibraltar's sovereign waters. As over Northern Ireland, we have once again allowed the EU to insist that the interests of its common market trump the political and territorial integrity of the British state and its dependencies. It is very difficult to imagine many European countries doing the same. Consider Madrid's steely refusal to compromise on its own Gibraltars, the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla on the Moroccan coast; or France, which proudly staged parts of the French Olympics in that most lovely part of their country – Tahiti. Indeed, watching Britain get bullied from pillar to post over our overseas territories it is sometimes difficult to remember that Paris has quietly got away with holding on to French Guiana; France's longest land border is with Brazil. Gibraltar's British status would be vastly more secure had we taken the French approach. But when the Integration With Britain Party won the 1969 Gibraltarian elections – held in the shadow of Franco's belligerence – Westminster said no. Perhaps what we're seeing today, then, is simply the final triumph of the Foreign Office mindset which refused Gibraltar then, and Malta in the 1950s; a mindset which views overseas possessions not as assets but as expensive and vaguely embarrassing entanglements. What a pity we can't muster the same national self-belief as the French. Or, indeed, the Spanish.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Pro-Palestinian activists say they damaged planes on a U.K. air force base
LONDON — British police are searching for suspects after pro-Palestinian activists claimed to have broken into a Royal Air Force Base and damaged two planes with red paint, officials said Friday. The group Palestine Action said two members entered RAF Brize Norton on Wednesday and used electric scooters to approach the Voyager jets, which are used for air-to-air refueling. The duo sprayed red paint into the planes' turbine engines with repurposed fire extinguishers and caused further damage with crowbars, according to the group, which released video footage appearing to show an individual approach a jet and spray paint into the engine. The activists left the base without being detained, Palestine Action said. The group said in a statement that 'despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets.' It called the U.K. 'an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East.' Britain's Ministry of Defense confirmed the incident, saying: 'We strongly condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Force assets.' Planes from Brize Norton, 70 miles (112 kilometers) northwest of London, regularly fly to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, Britain's main air base for operations in the Middle East. The U.K. has sent more Typhoon fighter jets and Voyager tankers to Cyprus since the Israel-Iran war started a week ago for what Prime Minister Keir Starmer called 'contingency support.' Iran has threatened to attack U.S., French and British bases in the region if those countries help Israel fend off Iranian strikes. Thames Valley Police said in a statement that it had 'received a report of people gaining access to RAF Brize Norton and causing criminal damage.' Officers were working with staff at the base and the Ministry of Defense Police to arrest the perpetrators, the department said. The Associated Press
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
How ‘Minority Report' Gave Birth To DISPL, An AI-Led In-Store Retail Media Platform
Retail media has become a growing force as brands and retailers pursue all sorts of ways of communicating with, and finding out more about, their customers. Emarketer puts the value of the U.S. market this year at $62.35 billion with a forecast CAGR of over 17% to 2028. Pushing the boundaries in this sector through AI-powered audience analytics and smart digital signage is Cyprus-based startup DISPL. After just 2.5 years, the company has raised more than $2 million and hired a team that includes former executives from companies like New Jersey-based cloud tech company Avaya and omnichannel communication platform Jivo. Last year, DISPL also represented Cyprus at the final of the Startup World Cup 2024 in San Francisco. Co-founder and CEO Serge Gale, a serial entrepreneur, is the driving force behind the DISPL. He has taken the best part of a decade and five pivots to bring the company to where it is today. DISPL's path began with mobile apps, inspired by the future-set 2002 Steven Spielberg-directed Minority Report. One scene featured a holographic salesperson and this made Gale think about creating all kinds of AI-driven solutions for retail that could redefine how businesses interact with customers. Gale, met the other co-founder Alex Rekish in 2012, and now DISPL's CTO, when they worked together at an outsourcing development studio that Gale founded. In 2016, Lina Fleitman, who had worked at Avaya, was brought into the fold as chief revenue officer. After some iterations, DISPL has become a platform for implementing retail media in-store. 'We help retailers, brands, and distributors unlock new revenue streams by monetizing physical spaces—making offline marketing measurable and seamlessly connected to digital,' said Gale. What does this mean? The platform collects real-time customer demographics and behavior data, allowing retailers to understand foot traffic, optimize staff performance, and deliver personalized marketing experiences directly in-store. This can enhance customer engagement to drive sales and position retailers to capture more market share. In providing these services, DISPL stressed that it is fully committed to ethical AI usage, prioritizing privacy and regulatory compliance. 'Our solutions comply with global data protection standards, ensuring no personal data storage or facial recognition,' emphasized Gale. DISPL's expansion model has been to establish strategic partnerships in different parts of the world to get the word out faster and show the platform's effectiveness. One of them is with Brazil's GlobalTera, with a view to reshaping Brazilian retailing through AI. The company, part of GT Holding, specializes in technology solutions targeting gas stations, supermarkets, and other stores. Bruno Lyra, the founder of GlobalTera, said: 'The ability to track visitor traffic was a game-changer. This type of technology is rare in Brazil, and when we show it to clients, they're immediately intrigued. DISPL's mix of digital signage and analytics was exactly what we needed.' The Brazilian company is using DISPL to expand in the country's retail market, which remains quite traditional and in need of a tech boost. Precisely understanding the audience that is in a store is becoming essential, but something retailers often neglect. Lyra said: 'It was love at first sight with DISPL, based on what we already knew from the market. The platform can control digital screens and analyze the audience. We decided it was the technology we needed to eliminate barriers and drive our expansion.' Rio de Janeiro state's supermarket chain Rede Economia, with just under 40 stores, was one of the first adopters in Brazil. Other South American markets are also a target for DISPL. Gale said: 'We are aggressively scaling across Latin America and also setting the foundation for major expansion in North America. Our platform is already powering in-store marketing across top-tier retail chains like PriceSmart, the membership warehouse club operator in Latin America, USA, and the Caribbean, as well as some brand zones in Mexico's Chedraui, and Walmart. It is changing how offline businesses run their marketing and analyze its impact.' In the latter two cases, DISPL has been implemented, through a partner, to help optimize brand spaces and fridge displays with AI-powered audience insights. 'Achieving these results is a strategic leap for us, and we're just getting started,' said Gale. 'You can also find our solutions integrated in leading car dealerships, electronics retailers, and high-traffic hospitality zones,' he added. 'While many of our flagship deployments are under strict non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), what we can share is this: global leaders choose DISPL when they want to combine measurable results, stable and efficient operations, and world-class tech.' Gale is now eager to get a slice of the U.S. retail media ad spend market, expected to be worth $98 billion by 2028. The tech company is currently active across the Americas, Europe, and Southeast Asia, helping retailers generate new revenue streams. The startup chose Cyprus to launch for the country's favorable business environment: a 15% corporate tax rate; European Union membership offering easy routes-to-market; and strong IP incentives. 'Additionally, our investor ASBIS Corporate VC has a hi-tech cluster here, providing office space, tax services, and support for relocating top talent, making it an ideal location for scaling up,' said Gale. However, the CEO is considering relocating the company's headquarters to Los Angeles, to tap into the much larger U.S. market and gain closer access to key partners, investors, and tech hubs. Gale said: 'The U.S. offers a dynamic ecosystem for tech growth, particularly in California, which has a strong base in media, retail, and AI—industries critical to our product. Establishing a presence here would enhance our visibility and facilitate fundraising with global VCs. Additionally, L.A. provides access to top talent in AI and marketing, which would support our scaling efforts.' DISPL says it is currently powering over 3,500 touchpoints globally with brands such as Greek electrical retailer Kotsovolos; Domino's Pizza and Indomaret in Asia (implemented by partner XION1); and Bang & Olufsen in Europe, in collaboration with ASBIS. From using digital signage to provide omni-channel experiences—where customers can, for example, scan a product with their mobile devices to access product reviews, videos, and special offers; to price checkers that also enable collection of anonymous analytics about visitors and show targeted content—the company has multiple solutions available to retailers. These interactive scenarios increase customer engagement, and the extra information provided can raise the chances of a purchase by up to 25%, also drive average transaction values, according to the company. 'Our mission is to help businesses operate smarter and more efficiently with AI technology,' explained Gale. Now DISPL is building an AI-powered analytics agent that simplifies and boosts marketing at the point-of-sale, helping retailers analyze and understand foot traffic insights, staff performance, and retail media monetization. This, the company believes, will transform physical retail spaces into data-rich marketing platforms. 'Each point-of-sale functions like an individual website, where manual marketing experiments are costly and complex,' said Gale. 'Our AI agent automates these processes, providing a programmatic approach to in-store marketing and, this year, we will launch this agent at scale. It is a major milestone that will enable our clients to manage networks of hundreds, or thousands, of stores across multiple countries by one marketing team.' Gale's ultimate aim is to make DISPL the equivalent of 'Google Ads for physical spaces.' By continuously adding useful new features, the CEO hopes to set the platform apart from competitors in the AI-powered retail media market so that retailers see it as a comprehensive go-to solution for all their offline marketing.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Where does your stolen car end up? The parts of the world criminal gangs typically transport them to
Your stolen car could be halfway around the world in the blink of an eye as well-funded gangs have established a seamless supply network to ship pinched motors from the UK to various locations across the globe. And we can reveal the major routes organised criminal operations are typically taking to export stolen cars to different countries - with many of these vehicles ending up as far away as Africa. A new joint investigation by Thatcham Research and the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) has laid bare for the first time the international scale of UK vehicle crime operations. It found that a motor stolen in the UK is most likely to end up in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 38.5 per cent of robbed cars exported there. With geography a key factor, Congo's central positioning on the African continent, deep seaport, and borders with nine countries make it an ideal distribution hub for stolen vehicles. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the second most common destination (20.1 per cent), followed some way behind by Cyprus (6.7 per cent). Despite the UK having the highest levels of in-vehicle security - such as trackers and immobilisers - in the world, a vehicle is stolen every five minutes, based on 2024 data. Earlier this week This is Money revealed Britain's most targeted cars, with Lexus and Abarth the brands proportionally most likely to be pinched based on the volume of thefts against the number of available cars in the UK. The investigation found that Jamaica and Georgia were the fourth and fifth most popular export markets for car theft gangs between the years 2021 and 2024. Respectively, 5.7 per cent and 5.1 per cent of stolen UK cars ended up in these countries. The huge spike in motor crime and illegal exports is being driven by a number of wide-ranging factors, including the scarcity of vehicle parts, desirability of certain markets and models, geopolitical events, and even natural disasters. Geography might play a key role in Congo, but flooding in the UAE last April is believed to be behind the surge in thefts of SUVs, with criminal enterprises exploiting the shortage of official replacement vehicles and spare parts by using stolen motors to fill the void. Thatcham gives the example that dealerships of targeted brands were quoted three months for the delivery of a replacement vehicle whereas it can take a ship just 25 days to travel from London Gateway to Jevel Ali, south-west of Dubai. Cyprus, like Congo, has a geographical pull; it's a gateway country to other destinations for parts and vehicles which border the Mediterranean. Jamaica, on the other hand, has seen a rise in part due to the imposition of an imported car tariff, making criminal trade more profitable. And because both Cyprus and Jamaica drive on the left, the high standard specification of UK vehicles and the steering wheel position are key factors in these markets appearing third and fifth respectively. The investigation reveals the typical routes taken by criminal organisations shipping stolen cars around the world Georgia is one of the countries that's seen geopolitical factors have an impact on the illegal vehicle market. Heavy sanctions and withdrawal of an official presence by manufacturers in neighbouring Russia has seen an increase in demand for vehicles and parts, with Georgia a key destination for stolen cars. The conflict in the region has also altered the types of vehicles being stolen, with pickup trucks rising to 16.8 per cent of vehicles intercepted in 2024, up from 4.7 per cent the year before. Chief research and operations officer at Thatcham, Richard Billyeald commented: 'Parts scarcity, vehicle desirability, natural disasters and geopolitical events is driving an illegal market in a wide variety of luxury cars, SUVs and pickups, with insurers settling claims worth £640m in 2024. 'We will continue to work with vehicle makers to improve vehicle security and establish how to remotely disable stolen vehicles in a safe manner, as well as making stolen parts more difficult to reuse.' Investigators open up a shipping container at Felixstowe amid suspicions stolen cars are inside Dispatches: Britain's Car Theft Gangs Exposed is on Channel 4 On Thursday, a Channel 4 Dispatches documentary showed the NaVCIS action attempting to tackle illegal exports of stolen UK cars. This included the dramatic opening of a shipping container at a UK port, revealing three pick-up trucks inside which were intended to be smuggled to Africa. As Thatcham's research highlights, the Middle East and Africa have a huge market for second-hand car parts, driving the demand for stolen cars in the UK which is also linked to illegal drugs market. Adam Gibson, an officer of NaVCIS, a privately funded force working with the UK police, carried out the sting along with his team, where the stolen cars were found stacked on top of each other with falsified paperwork. Mr Gibson said: 'They've got £40,000 plus per car. That's not how you load them in a container. This box is headed to Africa, which the roads out in Africa are obviously suited to this kind of thing.' A white pick-up truck Mr Gibson found had a 2022 number plate - but he determined that it was actually made in 2023 and had been reported stolen from Kent in January. He continued: 'Whereas we were finding Range Rovers worth £150,000, we're getting pickup trucks and SUVs worth £40,000 now. Stolen cars are stacked in the containers, sometimes with five models inside Casual theft has disappeared but criminal gangs have taken over Thatcham said the rise in vehicle crime is the direct result of organised gangs operating criminal businesses for huge financial gain, which now far overshadows the volume of 'casual thefts' seen in Britain previously. Billyeald said: 'Casual thefts and joy riding of the 1980s and '90s has all but disappeared, with vehicle manufacturers having succeeded in making it very difficult for amateurs to steal modern vehicles. 'However, the organised criminal gangs who have replaced them are well-funded and sophisticated in their approach, combining specialist electronic equipment with an international logistics network.' He said that a collaborative approach needs to be established in order to take down these criminal operations. 'Raising vehicle security alone will not prevent thefts, we believe that beating these criminals requires cooperation between government agencies, vehicle manufacturers and ourselves to reduce the value of stolen assets and therefore the incentive to steal them,' he told us.
LBCI
3 hours ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Pro-Palestinian activists say they damaged planes at UK military base
Pro-Palestinian activists in Britain said they had broken into a Royal Air Force base in central England on Friday and damaged two military aircraft. The campaign group Palestine Action said that its activists had entered the Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire and escaped undetected. "Flights depart daily from the base to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus," the group said on X accompanied by video footage. "From Cyprus, British planes collect intelligence, refuel fighter jets and transport weapons to commit genocide in Gaza." There was no immediate response from Britain's Ministry of Defense. Reuters
