People who get ‘poor’ bank rates should ‘shop around’, DWP sec Mel Stride says May 31, 2023 People who feel they are getting “very poor” interest on their savings should “shop around” and find a bank that will pay “a better rate”, the Work and Pensions Secretary has said. Mel Stride said some of the “stickiness” comes because there is “often inertia” and that it is “relatively easy to change and switch [...]
The west forgot about Crimea. It cannot forget about the rest of Ukraine May 31, 2023 It is perhaps easy to become fatigued by news of the war in Ukraine. It is now fifteen months since Vladimir Putin’s tanks rolled over the frontier for what they thought would be a straightforward victory, an imperial conquest more akin to 1940 or the Napoleonic era than the 21st century. Through sheer bloody-mindedness as [...]
Government sends Fever-Tree mixers and a cricket shirt down under to celebrate post-Brexit trade deal May 31, 2023 The UK’s trade deals with Australia and New Zealand came into force at midnight, with special shipments of British goods such as signed Beano comics among the first to be sent under the new arrangements. The agreements are the first trade deals negotiated post-Brexit to enter into force and come after the UK, Australia and [...]
We’ve all made mistakes: Seoul government accidentally sends evacuation order to entire populace May 31, 2023 Rare wailing air raid sirens and mobile phone alerts calling for evacuations rattled residents of the South Korean capital, Seoul, early on Wednesday after North Korea tried to launch what it said was a satellite. Nuclear-armed North Korea’s sixth satellite launch ended in failure, with the booster and payload plunging into the sea, but not before prompting emergency alerts and evacuation warnings in [...]
The “shy capitalists” want more of their own money, not toxic culture wars May 30, 2023 Forget Mondeo Man or Basildon Barry, there’s a new electoral figure on the scene: the ‘shy capitalist’ millennial. That, at least, is the conclusion of the latest bit of research by Onward, the newly revved-up Tory think-tank. In short, millennials – those between the ages of 25 and 40 – appear to be the first [...]
Sunak to crack down on ‘unacceptable’ targeting of young people by vape market May 30, 2023 A new Government crackdown on vape marketing will prevent the “unacceptable” targeting of children and young people, Rishi Sunak has said. Ministers have pledged to close a loophole allowing retailers to give free samples of vapes to children in England, amid concerns over the proportion of children trying e-cigarettes. The move comes days after the [...]
Covid inquiry legal battle looms for ministers over Boris Johnson WhatsApp requests May 30, 2023 Ministers could be set for a legal battle with the Covid-19 inquiry over the requested release of unredacted WhatsApp messages and diaries belonging to Boris Johnson. The Cabinet Office has until 4pm on Tuesday to respond to the request from Lady Hallett’s official inquiry. There has so far been little sign that ministers are set [...]
Ukraine launches biggest ever drone raid on Moscow in Kyiv retaliation May 30, 2023 Ukraine launched one of its biggest drone attacks on Moscow on Tuesday, according to Russia, whose defence ministry said all were destroyed approaching the city. There were no reports of deaths. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said two people were injured, one of whom was hospitalised, in the early morning attack. The residents of several parts [...]
Biden and McCarthy hope to sell Congress on vital debt ceiling deal May 30, 2023 US President Joe Biden and senior Republican Kevin McCarthy will spend this week attempting to convince Capitol Hill legislators to pass a deal to raise the US debt ceiling, which was agreed by the two men over the weekend. One investor hailed the deal as “great news,” minimising the chance of the US government defaulting, but Congress [...]
Spain: Local elections rout sees PM call snap election for July May 29, 2023 A LOCAL elections rout over the weekend has forced the socialist Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to declare a snap election. A host of regional governments fell from Sanchez’s party’s control into the hand of the main conservative opposition, the People’s Party, with the PM saying he must “take personal responsibility for the results.” The [...]