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Showing posts from December, 2023

Household energy price rise of 5% comes into force

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A higher cap for the next three months adds £94 to the typical annual domestic energy bill.

US Navy helicopters destroy Houthi boats in Red Sea after attempted hijack

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The US military says it was responding to a second attack on the same vessel near Yemen in 24 hours.

Venice to ban large tourist groups and loudspeakers

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The new rules will come into effect in June and are part of an effort to ease the impact of tourism.

How will the UK economy compare to other countries in 2024?

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After a tough 2023, will things improve for the UK and other economies in the new year?

Eurostar services to resume after major disruption

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Many passengers are still stranded in London and Paris after flooding cancelled all Eurostar trains.

Tim Martin: Wetherspoon boss knighted in New Year Honours

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The pub chain founder and Brexit campaigner is recognised for services to hospitality and culture.

House prices end the year 1.8% lower, says Nationwide

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The housing market is set to be subdued in 2024 despite hopes of an interest rate cut.

Françoise Bettencourt Meyer: L'Oréal heiress first woman to amass $100bn fortune

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The French beauty empire is on track for its best stock market performance in decades.

Boeing urges 737 Max inspections for possible loose bolt

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The airplane maker is urging airlines to inspect rudder control systems on the planes.

Google settles $5bn lawsuit for 'private mode' tracking

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Large technology firms have faced increased scrutiny of their practices in the US and beyond.

Tata Steel: Port Talbot staff fear year of uncertainty

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Welder says Tata's Port Talbot plant is gripped by fears of job losses.

UK vinyl sales at highest level since 1990

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Sales of vinyl LPs rose for a 16th consecutive year in 2023, hitting 5.9 million units.

Gaston Glock: Inventor of popular handgun dies aged 94

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The Glock has been the weapon of choice for armed forces, gun owners and criminals around the world.

Architect of modern EU Jacques Delors dies aged 98

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Delors helped create the single market, but his dreams of integration faced stiff UK opposition.

Wolfgang Schäuble: Merkel's no-nonsense finance minister dies aged 81

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Although never chancellor, Wolfgang Schäuble was one of Germany's most influential politicians.

Firm develops jet fuel made entirely from human poo

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Scientists have found a way to make jet fuel from human sewage and cut carbon emissions.

Apple seeks appeal after US allows smart watch import ban

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Imports and sales of Apple's Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches in the US have halted over a patent dispute.

Daihatsu pauses production over safety scandal

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The Japanese carmaker admitted it had falsified safety tests for many of its vehicles.

Maersk preparing to resume shipping through Red Sea

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The announcement follows the deployment of an international military operation to prevent attacks on ships.

Tanker hit off India coast by drone from Iran, says US

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Saturday's attack caused a fire on board the chemical tanker in the Indian Ocean, the US military says.

House prices to fall and rents to rise in 2024, forecasts suggest

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While first-time buyers would welcome price falls, the other costs they face are likely to be higher.

Jim Ratcliffe: Who is the man buying Man Utd stake?

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One of the UK's richest men, Sir Jim has built a multi-billion pound business by snapping up unloved assets.

Manchester United: Sir Jim Ratcliffe agrees deal to buy 25% stake for about £1.25bn

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British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe agrees a deal to buy a 25% stake in Manchester United from the Glazer family.

High winds likely to add to Christmas Eve travel disruption

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Weather warnings cover parts of the UK, with rail disruption expected from engineering works and staff shortages.

Hundreds turn out for pre-Christmas meat auction

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The Smithfield Market's traditional event returned on Saturday for the first time since before the Covid pandemic.

UK travel: Millions take to roads and rail ahead of Christmas

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The AA warns of "lengthy jams" on the roads, while many rail services are starting to wind down.

What went wrong at Smile Direct Club?

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Customer demand diminished as questions dogged the company about its care.

Tech Trends 2024: AI and electric vehicle deals

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From an AI slowdown to humanoid robots doing real work - tech trends to watch out for in 2024.

Vet prices need to be made clearer, says Which?

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The consumer body says it has found evidence of unclear fees and potential overtreatment by vets.

UK economy at risk of recession after growth slows

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Revised figures show the economy shrank between July and September this year.

US Steel sale to Nippon must be probed on 'national security' grounds - Biden

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Japanese steel giant Nippon this week announced plans to buy US Steel in a deal worth nearly $15bn.

First protests in Argentina against Milei's austerity plan

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President Javier Millei announces radical measures, including spending cuts and a drastic currency devaluation.

Temu shoppers risk buying items made by forced labour, MP warns

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The Chinese online retailer with the slogan 'shop like a billionaire' faces questions over its ultra low prices.

Energy bills predicted to fall in April to £1,660

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Analysts at Cornwall Insight say lower wholesale energy prices will reduce bills by £268.

Inflation falls to lowest level in over two years

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Latest figures show the prices rose 3.9% in the year to November, down from 4.6% the month before.

End of an era for electronics giant Toshiba

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Scandal, near-bankruptcy and uncertainty have plagued the 148-year-old company for almost a decade.

Christmas dinner: How much will it cost this year?

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The rising price of turkey has slowed, while the cost of mince pies are up by 25%.

Nikola: Trevor Milton sentenced to prison after fraud conviction

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His claims had helped pump up the company, which saw its shares soar during the pandemic.

Amazon to make Warhammer 40,000 shows and movies

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The streaming platform will have exclusive rights to make content based on Game Workshop's popular brand.

Wasted wind power adds £40 to household energy bills, says think tank

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When it is very windy the grid cannot handle the extra power generated, says Carbon Tracker.

Green shipping corridors gaining momentum

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Ports around the world are investing in green fuels to allow cargo ships to sail carbon-free.

Minimum wage rise 'painful', says Hollywood Bowl

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The 10-pin bowling operator says the increase in the National Living Wage was an "unexpected hit".

Nasdaq on the hunt for more UK firms to list in US

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The US stock exchange wants to lure more companies from London to raise investor cash in New York instead.

The secret sauce for Taiwan's chip superstardom

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How an island that exported t-shirts and sugar turned into the world's largest silicon chip factory.

Network Rail manager for stranded passenger line quits

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Passengers were stuck in cold and dark carriages for hours recently after overhead electric cables were damaged.

Netflix: What the viewing figures actually tell us about viewing habits

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The Night Agent and The Mother were among the streamer's biggest hits in the first half of 2023.

Homebuyers' stress over impact of CTS cyber-attack

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Property completions were affected after the IT services provider was hit more than three weeks ago.

More big shipping firms stop Red Sea routes after attacks

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MSC, the world's largest shipping group, becomes the fourth company to divert ships following attacks.

Petrol prices fall to lowest level in two years

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The RAC motoring group says its data shows the average price of a litre of unleaded is £1.43.

Tata Steel: Unions infighting grows ahead of jobs meeting

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Community and the GMB are at loggerheads with Unite over a battle to save up to 3,000 jobs at Tata.