Olympics’ governing body urges Ukraine to drop Paris 2024 boycott threat February 9, 2023 The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has today urged Ukraine to stop making boycott threats in relation to next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. The war-torn country have said on multiple occasions that they would ditch plans to go to the Olympics if the IOC lifts a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes from [...]
Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey ‘very uncertain’ about inflation decline February 9, 2023 The Bank of England’s governor, Andrew Bailey, has today admitted he is “very uncertain” about whether inflation will decline, forcing him to back another steep interest rate increase last week. Responding to a grilling by MPs on the commons treasury select committee, Bailey, 63, said he wants to see “more evidence” of the rate of [...]
CBI: Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak must use budget to prevent recession and bolster UK economy February 9, 2023 Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak need to use the spring budget to stimulate growth to prevent the UK tipping into a recession this year, the country’s biggest business group has urged today. The chancellor and prime minister should at the 15 March statement soothe the impact of a sharp rise in the UK’s profit tax [...]
Sunak says ‘nothing is off the table’ as Zelensky asks UK for fighter jets February 8, 2023 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said “nothing is off the table” after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky asked the UK to supply him with fighter jets to battle Putin’s army. The two leaders spoke at a joint press conference at an army base today after the Ukrainian wartime president flew to the UK and implored the [...]
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky meets King Charles at Buckingham Palace February 8, 2023 Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has held an audience with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. The Ukrainian leader was driven through the front gates of the royal residence and into the quadrangle. It is the first time the monarch has met Zelensky and comes after Zelensky made a historic address to MPs and peers in [...]
SocGen takes bad loan hit but claims 2023 is a ‘transitional year’ with ‘key deals’ ahead February 8, 2023 Societe Generale, France’s third biggest bank, favoured financial prudence over quick returns to shareholders as it prepared for the arrival of a new chief executive in May tasked with reviving its valuation in an uncertain economic climate. SocGen said it had hiked provisions for bad loans fivefold in the fourth quarter, cutting its net income [...]
‘World needs Britain’s leadership’: Ukrainian president Zelensky says during historic Westminster Hall speech February 8, 2023 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the “world needs Britain’s leadership” during a historic address to the Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall. The wartime leader used his address to urge the UK and the west to provide fighter jets, telling MPs: “Combat aircraft for Ukraine, wings for freedom.” Zelensky also directly thanked former prime minister [...]
PMQs sketch: Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the benefactor Sunak’s broken Britain headache February 8, 2023 Ukraine’s prime minister Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise visit to Britain as Rishi Sunak dodges questions of his cabinet reshuffle in Prime Minister’s Questions, writes Sascha O’Sullivan Britain’s infrastructure is falling apart, the country is plagued by strikes and Rishi Sunak’s government can’t shake off a hangover from Boris Johnson. If Volodymyr Zelenskyyy was struggling [...]
Zelensky’s visit: UK sanctions six Russian weapons makers and eight members of country’s ‘elite’ February 8, 2023 The UK government has sanctioned six Russian weapons makers and a further eight members of the country’s “elite” following Volodymyr Zelensky’s first visit to Britain since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Foreign secretary James Cleverly said the new sanctions work to undermine Putin’s “war machine” as he vowed to block Russia from accessing the frozen assets [...]
Price of a litre of diesel falls below 170p for first time since March last year February 8, 2023 The average price of a litre of diesel has fallen below 170p for the first time in 11 months, according to data from Experian.