Hostage-taking by Iran has become ‘industrialised’, senior MP tells Nazanin Zachari-Ratcliffe December 28, 2022 Hostage-taking by states has become “industrialised”, according to the chairwoman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee. Conservative MP Alicia Kearns made the claim as she appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme as it was guest-edited by Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was imprisoned in Iran for six years until her release earlier this year. Zaghari-Ratcliffe also [...]
HUNDREDS left waiting for trains after rail strike ending causes even more delays December 27, 2022 Crowds of people were left waiting at major train stations across London and beyond amid ongoing disruption despite the end of a rail strike on Tuesday. Photos showed hundreds of passengers packed inside King’s Cross and Paddington, with some journeys delayed due to the late handover of engineering works. South Western Railway also apologised to [...]
Oil prices hit three week high as traders bet on the end of Chinese zero-Covid rules December 27, 2022 Oil prices hit a three-week high on Tuesday as China’s latest easing of COVID-19 restrictions spurred hopes of a fuel demand recovery, with further support coming from cuts to U.S. energy production caused by winter storms. China will stop requiring inbound travellers to go into quarantine, starting from Jan. 8, the National Health Commission said on Monday [...]
Govt launches £18m TV ads encouraging Brits to save energy December 27, 2022 A new TV advert will encourage people to save energy as the Government steps up its public information campaign. The ad comes as part of the Government’s £18 million It All Adds Up initiative, which was launched earlier this month to raise awareness of “straightforward” measures people can take to cut their bills over the [...]
Bus and train strikes continue to frustrate retailers looking to cash in on Bank Holiday December 27, 2022 Holiday shopping may have to be put on hold once more as bus and train strikes continue to stall the London transport network. The national Network Rail strike ended this morning at 6am with services set to be disrupted throughout the day, in part due to the ban on overtime working. British businesses have urged [...]
Number of takeovers and mergers halved in 2022 but ‘bargain basement prices’ to turn tide in 2023 December 27, 2022 The number of big takeovers and mergers involving UK-listed companies nearly halved this year as investors were deterred by market volatility, political instability and recession fears. But the tide is set to turn in 2023, with buyers eyeing up quality British companies trading at “bargain prices”, experts said. There were 49 bids for London-listed firms [...]
Beefy Brexit row: Deal with Australia is ‘success’ says envoy Lord Botham, after ex minister’s criticism December 27, 2022 Lord Ian Botham, the government’s trade envoy to Australia, is at loggerheads with a former minister over the success of the post-Brexit deal. The ex cricket star, affectionately known as ‘Beefy’, hit out at George Eustice who branded the agreement signed in 2021, who said he “no longer has to put such a positive gloss [...]
4 Reasons You Should Look For A New Job In 2023 December 26, 2022 It’s safe to say the job for life model of yore that your parents probably aspired to is about as relevant today as ping-pong and pool tables in an office where most of the workforce are doing their daily duties remotely. Redundant perks aside, there are lots of reasons why the start of the new [...]
Show of strength? China sends dozens of aircraft into Taiwanese airspace December 26, 2022 Seventy-one Chinese air force aircraft including fighter jets and drones entered Taiwan’s air defence identification zone in the past 24 hours, the island’s government said on Monday, the largest reported incursion to date. Of the aircraft, 43 also crossed the Taiwan Strait’s median line, an unofficial buffer between the two sides that lies within the [...]
End of the exodus? Number leaving London begins to fall December 26, 2022 Moves away from London appear to have passed a peak, with estimates suggesting around 20,000 fewer properties being bought outside the capital this year than in 2021. In a year which has seen strong house price growth outside London, just over a quarter (26%) of “London leavers” in 2022 bought properties with at least four bedrooms, down from 30% [...]