World News
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ASEAN and UK collaborate on £25 million Economic Integration ProgrammeIn a joint effort to bolster economic growth in the ASEAN region, the UK Mission to ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat unveiled the ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme (EIP) in Jakarta.Read More...
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Foreign Office issues fresh warning for Brits traveling to popular destinationAs British tourists gear up for trips to Indonesia, the Foreign Office has issued a timely update to its travel advice, emphasizing the importance of passport validity. With over 335,209 UKRead More...
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High global food prices expected to stabilize in 2024, predicts Oxford EconomicsOxford Economics forecasts a decline in global food prices this year, signaling potential relief for consumers worldwide who have been grappling with rising food costs.Read More...
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Brits maintain interest in luxury property in PortugalThe United Kingdom continues to lead the pack in searches for luxury homes in Portugal, comprising 11.9% of total international demand at the start of 2024. Following closely behind are theRead More...
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PM Sunak reaffirms UK support for regional stability in call with King Abdullah II of JordanPrime Minister Rishi Sunak engaged in a conversation with King Abdullah II of Jordan earlier today, emphasizing the United Kingdom's unwavering commitment to bolstering Jordanian andRead More...
Culture
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Gustav Klimt portrait sells for £25.7 million at Vienna auctionA long-lost portrait by Gustav Klimt, depicting a young woman, fetched a staggering 30 million euros (£25.7 million) at an auction held in Vienna on Wednesday.Read More...
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Rishi Sunak: remembering those lost in terror attackIn his Passover message to the Jewish community, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak acknowledges the somber reality that "for too many families, there will be empty seats" at the Seder table thisRead More...
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Co-op Live: Manchester's new arena opens with high capacity and ambitionsA monumental addition to Manchester's entertainment landscape, the new £365m Co-op Live arena is poised to claim the title of the largest indoor arena in the UK. Nestled beside ManchesterRead More...
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Brontë birthplace unveils open day prior to renovationThe birthplace of the renowned Brontë sisters is set to welcome visitors for a special glimpse inside before embarking on a significant refurbishment.Read More...
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Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' smashes Spotify recordTaylor Swift's latest album, "The Tortured Poets Department," has shattered Spotify's record for the most-streamed album in a single day, the platform has announced. Not only did Swift'sRead More...
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Historic London pub, linked to Royalty, ravaged by fire: a heartbreaking lossA renowned London pub, steeped in history dating back possibly to the 16th century, has suffered extensive damage in a devastating fire. The Burn Bullock, a grade II-listed establishmentRead More...
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Salvator Rosa painting stolen from Oxford, recovered in Romania, and returned to UKA painting valued at EUR 2 million, stolen from an art gallery at Oxford University approximately four years ago, has been recovered in Romania and returned to UK judicial authorities,Read More...
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Plans to demolish former Museum of London site put on pauseA last-minute intervention from Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove has halted plans to demolish the former Museum of London site.Read More...
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June’s London Fashion Week returns with fresh conceptThe British Fashion Council has unveiled an innovative approach for the upcoming London Fashion Week in June, aiming to spark a cultural phenomenon. Set to take place fromRead More...
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London's inaugural Taiwanese culture festival explores island's identity and historyLondon's vibrant Notting Hill district is about to experience a taste of Taiwanese culture with the launch of the 16-day Taiwan Festival on Friday, April 12.Read More...
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Soho showcase: The Art of Banksy unveils London's largest collectionThe largest collection of original Banksy artworks is set to make its debut in London's Soho, featuring over 150 pieces from the enigmatic Bristol-based artist. Opening at 100 CharingRead More...
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Taylor Swift joins billionaire elite: a look at the wealthiest of 2024Taylor Swift has ascended to the ranks of the world's wealthiest individuals, marking her debut on the billionaire list alongside luminaries such as Elon Musk. This revelation comes courtesy of aRead More...
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JK Rowling challenges police to "arrest her" amid Twitter controversy surrounding Scotland's Hate Crime ActThe Hate Crime and Public Order Act has officially taken effect in Scotland, sparking a fiery debate over free speech and expression. At the center of this controversy is renowned authorRead More...
British Queen celebrates
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Media
Many young people underestimate how much alcohol they drink even if they have some knowledge of the Government's guidelines on sensible consumption, a study says.
Researchers said their results suggest that young people do not have the knowledge or skills to keep their drinking within the set guidelines.
The University of Sussex-led study, which is published in Drug and Alcohol Review, surveyed 18- to 25-year-olds about their knowledge and beliefs on safe drinking.
People who took part in the study were asked to pour their usual measure of wine, beer or vodka followed by what unit they believed it to be.
Nearly two-thirds underestimated the unit content of the drinks they poured, researchers said. The Government's daily unit guidelines are up to two to three units for a woman and up to three to four units for a man.
Lloyds Banking Group is to claw back bonuses worth around £2 million in the wake of the scandal over payment protection insurance (PPI), it has been reported.
Former chief executive Eric Daniels will lose up to £700,000 of his £1.45 million bonus for 2010, while three other current and former directors will each have to forgo up to £250,000.
A further six executives, below board level, will be stripped of around £100,000 each, the BBC added.
Amid pressure from politicians and the Financial Services Authority, it will be the first time a bank has used a claw-back option on executive pay packages since the financial crisis.
Prince William arrived in the Falkland Islands on Thursday for a six-week deployment with the Royal Air Force (RAF), British officials said, a move Argentina has condemned as a "provocation".
The 29-year-old, who is second in line to the throne, has been deployed to the disputed South Atlantic archipelago as a routine part of his work as an RAF search and rescue pilot, the Ministry of Defence said.
However the timing of the deployment, just ahead of the 30th anniversary of the start of the war between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands which Buenos Aires claims as its own, has stoked tensions.
"The Ministry of Defence can confirm Flight Lieutenant Wales, as part of a four-man search and rescue (SAR) crew, has arrived in the Falkland Islands on a routine operational deployment and will shortly take up SAR duties post a period of briefings and a familiarisation flight," a ministry spokesman said.
When William's deployment was announced in November, Argentina said it was a "provocative act", and this week the foreign ministry in Buenos Aires said the prince would be arriving in a "conqueror's uniform".
Germany is proposing that Greece should temporarily cede sovereignty over tax and spending decisions to a powerful eurozone budget commissioner before it can secure further bailouts, an official in Berlin has said.
The initiative is being discussed among the 17-nation currency bloc's finance ministers because Greece has repeatedly failed to fulfil its commitments under its current multi-billion pound lifeline, the official said.
The proposal foresees a commissioner holding a veto right against any budgetary measures and having broad surveillance ability to ensure that Greece will set its priorities on repaying its debt as scheduled, the official said.
Greece's international creditors - the so-called troika of the International Monetary Fund, the European Union and the European Central Bank - are currently negotiating another 130 billion euro rescue package for the heavily indebted country.
But German news magazine Der Spiegel cited an unnamed troika official as saying that Greece might need a total of 145 billion euros in its second bailout package amid the country's prolonged and sharp recession.
London Underground workers are to stage four strikes, including one on Boxing Day, in a row over bank holiday pay.
Aslef said its Tube members will walk out for 24 hours on December 26, January 16 and February 3 and 13 after failing to agree payments for working on Boxing Day.
Around 2,200 Aslef members were balloted, with 92% of those who voted backing a campaign of industrial action.
The owner of the Daily Mail says a resilient performance at its national newspapers helped offset a challenging year for its regional titles.
Daily Mail & General Trust (DMGT) said the nationals arm benefited from a record year for the Metro free newspaper while the Mail on Sunday became the biggest selling Sunday newspaper following the demise of the News of the World.
Revenues at the division were 2% lower at £862 million in the year to October 2, which DMGT said represented a resilient performance. The division's operating profits fell 15% to £76 million after it absorbed rising printing costs and it was impacted by greater promotional activity as newspapers competed to win News of the World readers.
A strong performance from its business-to-business division, which includes publications such as Euromoney Institutional Investor and marketing arm DMG Events, also helped offset "challenging" conditions at its regional newspapers.
Group underlying profits rose 3% to £237 million on revenues up 1% to £2 billion. Bottom-line profits declined 14% to £125 million.
Its Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers both saw their circulation revenues fall although they grew their market share. Free newspaper Metro had its strongest year yet, with record profits and revenues up 14%.
The "forest boy" of Berlin is refusing to have his photograph released despite investigators being flooded with calls from all over the world from people saying they are related to him.
Ray, 17, who speaks fluent English, arrived in the city on September 5 claiming to have walked for two weeks.
He told officials he had lived in the woods with his father for the previous five years - but set off alone after his father died in a fall and he buried him.
The mystery resulted in Berlin police sending Ray's fingerprints and photograph to foreign police forces in a bid to identify him. Detectives also called upon Interpol, the world's largest police organisation, to help.
But so far there have been no significant leads, police said today. And Ray, who is being looked after by a legally-appointed guardian, is refusing to have his photograph released publicly.
"There are of course many questions," said Berlin police spokeswoman Miriam Tauchmann. "At the moment he doesn't want us to put a picture of him in the public because he wants to live like a normal teenager and we have to respect that."
Photo bu Southern Driver
The number of job losses threatened at local authorities because of Government spending cuts has topped the 140,000 mark, according to a study.
The GMB union said 203 councils had now issued official warnings of redundancies after having their budgets slashed by central Government.
The Local Government Association warned last year that 140,000 jobs could be lost, but the GMB said this figure had already been passed.
Most of the local authorities in the study had issued a 90-day statutory consultation warning of job cuts, said the union.
Councils have given notice that they plan to delete vacant posts and seek volunteers for early retirements and redundancy, according to GMB officials.
Paul Kenny, GMB general secretary, said: "The Government is deliberately creating unemployment on a scale that we have not seen before.
"As a direct consequence of the Government spending plans, the cumulative number of job losses is 140,456 for 203 authorities in Britain. To that total has to be added the job losses in the rest of the public sector.
Any suggestion that frontline services for the most vulnerable people in our society are not being affected by cuts of this scale is simply nonsense.The impact for those who depend on these services will be devastating. Some services like meals on wheels in some authorities are now only available to those at death's door.
"In the current circumstances it is hard to see the private sector creating enough new jobs to make up for these job losses. The money that people in work have to spend is being badly affected by the hike in VAT, high fuel prices and other inflationary pressures on the economy as pay is not keeping up with inflation.
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"Pay freezes in the public sector and the threatened increase in pension contributions will make matters worse."
Northcliffe Media plans to cut up to 95 jobs and close or merge a number of the weekly papers it publishes across Essex, Kent and Surrey, as part of proposals to amalgamate subediting in a single centre.