2019年5月30日
Philip Hammond warns he could bring down the UK government if the new prime minister attempts a no-deal Brexit
Chancellor Philip Hammond has warned those competing to replace Theresa May that he could bring down the next leader of the UK government if they attempt to pursue a no-deal Brexit.
“I have been in parliament for 22 years and I have never once voted against the Conservative whip so it’s not something I would do lightly or enthusiastically, but I am very clear that the national interest trumps the party interest, and if I am presented with a difficult choice I will act in what I believe is the best interest of the country,” Hammond told Sky News on Thursday.
The chancellor’s comments echo those of Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who warned this week that a no-deal Brexit would be “political suicide” for the Tories because it would prompt a vote of no confidence in the government, which could ultimately install Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street.
The early stages of the leadership contest – in which 11 MPs have already put their name forward – have been dominated by each candidate’s plan to resolve the Brexit gridlock. The former deputy prime minister, who advocates a second EU referendum, said the party risked being caputured by the “narrow nationalism, phobia-filled and poisonous politics of Nigel Farage.”
Uber says it will soon ban passengers with low ratings
Drivers have long been expected to meet minimum ratings to continue working on the platform, Kate Parker, Uber’s head of safety brand and initiatives, said in a blog post. Now, passengers will be expected to uphold their side as well.
“Riders may lose access to Uber if they develop a significantly below-average rating,” Parker said in the post. “Riders will receive tips on how to improve their ratings, such as encouraging polite behaviour, avoiding leaving trash in the vehicle, and avoiding requests for drivers to exceed the speed limit. Riders will have several opportunities to improve their rating prior to losing access to the Uber apps.”
“From in-app messages and email to signs in Greenlight Hubs, we’ll get the word out to customers and partners,” Parker said. “By educating customers and partners about the Community Guidelines, asking them to confirm they understand, and holding everyone accountable, we can help Uber be welcoming and safe for all.”
The new announcement comes on the heels of a new offering for Uber’s premium service, Uber Black, in which passengers can request a quiet ride if they’re willing to pay for the convenience. Uber is expected to disclose its first quarterly earnings as a public company on Thursday after markets close.
Cloud startup MapR says it may cut 122 jobs and close its Silicon Valley headquarters
MapR, a cloud-based data management startup that has raised nearly $US300 million in funding, appears to be struggling to survive. The Santa Clara, California based company said Wednesday that it is “pursuing a strategic transaction” that would allow it to “avoid closing its Santa Clara site.”
MapR is planning to eliminate 122 jobs. On the report, MapR’s planned reduction was classified as “closure permanent.”
Founded in 2009, MapR emerged as a leading cloud platform that enables businesses to store and manage huge data workloads using AI and big data analytics tools, such as Hadoop. MapR has been moving aggressively toward a more efficient business model, that effort resulted in the elimination of many direct sales and sales supporting positions this year.
MapR said it has “received more than one letter of intent from interested parties, and today is engaging in the due diligence process in a transaction which, if consummated, may eliminate the need to close the Santa Clara site.” For that reason, MapR concluded that the most prudent course of action was to provide Santa Clara employees with the notice required under applicable law (WARN) while it continues to pursue a transaction that if successful may permit it to keep the Santa Clara site open and retain many of the employees that might have otherwise been affected
