15 h. ago Raise taxes or this government will fail, Rachel Reeves’s former top adviser warns

Exclusive: Ex-Treasury minister Jim O’Neill has warned Reeves will have to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT to fill the £5bn black hole left by the welfare climbdown

Events

8 d. ago Reeves expected to freeze income tax thresholds to raise funds after welfare U

Government’s concessions over welfare cuts leave chancellor with a growing hole in her budgetRachel Reeves is expected to extend a freeze on income tax thresholds to raise fresh funds after the government’s U-turn on welfare cuts left her with a growing budget hole.The chancellor was already facing pressure to backtrack on pledges not to increase taxes further as she attempted to fix public services and grow the economy while meeting her fiscal rules. Continue reading...

Economics

8 d. ago Starmer ‘must hike taxes’ to plug £4.5bn black hole after welfare U

Sir Keir Starmer’s U-turn now leaves the government with a choice between raising taxes or cutting spending elsewhere

Economics

8 d. ago Reeves expected to freeze income tax thresholds to raise fresh funds

Government’s U-turn on welfare cuts leaves chancellor with a growing hole in her budgetBusiness live – latest updatesRachel Reeves is expected to extend a freeze on income tax thresholds to raise fresh funds after the government’s U-turn on welfare cuts left her with a growing budget hole.The chancellor was already facing pressure to backtrack on pledges not to increase taxes further as she attempted to fix public services and grow the economy while meeting her fiscal rules. Continue reading...

Economics

8 d. ago Driving expert issues warning over road sign 'people often get wrong'

Annie, a registered driving instructor and viral advisor, has issued a warning to motorists about the road sign that people 'get mixed up with' and explained the true meaning

Events

1 week ago The US’s June heatwave is a dangerous start to summer and about to get hotter

Extreme heat is bringing a stifling, dangerous, start to summer across much of the eastern US this weekA rare June heatwave is bringing a stifling, dangerous, start to summer across much of the eastern US this week, with forecasts for temperatures to get even hotter on Tuesday.On Monday, just the second day of summer, the National Weather Service placed extreme heat warnings in effect from the Carolinas to Maine, advising against any outdoor activities under the conditions.Eric Holthaus is a meteorologist and climate journalist based in Minnesota Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Tens of millions swelter as heatwave blankets the central and eastern US

Several cities are under extreme heat warnings as high temperatures and humidity grip parts of the countryThe National Weather Service (NWS) has issued several extreme heat warnings and advisories as a dangerous and prolonged wave of high temperatures and humidity blankets much of the central and eastern US, with the worst conditions expected to persist into the middle of this week.Several locations recorded their hottest temperatures of the year over the weekend: Salt Lake City, Utah, hit 104F (40C) on Thursday, its first triple-digit reading of 2025, and on Saturday the city of Mitchell in South Dakota also reached 104F, surpassing its previous daily record of 101F (38.3C). Daily high records were broken in parts of Minnesota, Wyoming and Michigan. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago US issues latest India travel advisory with warnings about solo women travellers, conflict and crime

Updated advisory from State Department has an increased emphasis on regional unrest and potential terrorist attacks

Events

2 w. ago Hong Kong teachers allegedly told to avoid US Independence Day events

Messages advise staff to also warn students off celebrations to avoid violating national security lawTeachers in Hong Kong have been warned to keep themselves and students away from any US Independence Day celebrations as they may breach national security laws, educators have alleged.A text message purportedly sent by the principal of a Hong Kong school to staff said the education bureau’s regional education office had reminded them “to be careful about Independence Day activities organised by the US consulate in Hong Kong, and not to participate to avoid violating the national security law and Hong Kong laws”. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Warning over Tiktok videos advising people to become landlords... by defrauding their mortgage lender

Home buyers are being warned to not be taken in by social media influencers giving 'dangerous' mortgage advice.

Events

2 w. ago Dog owners urged to avoid walking pets during two times of the day this week

The Met Office has issued a warning to dog owners, advising them to avoid walking their pets during certain hours of the day this week to avoid dangerous weather conditions

Politics

3 w. ago Museum slaps trigger warning on book advising staff about trigger warnings

‘Trigger Toolkit’ was released by history buffs to help educate Museum Development North staff about the best way to use the warnings

Events

3 w. ago RFK Jr’s ‘clean sweep’ of CDC vaccine panel experts will erode public trust

Health officials, scientists and vaccine researchers sound alarm after health secretary fires 17 advisory membersRobert F Kennedy’s “clean sweep” of a critical vaccine advisory panel spread shock and dismay among health experts, as many warned the health secretary’s decision would erode trust in the US vaccine approval system.The secretary fired all 17 members of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) advisory committee for immunization practices (ACIP) – a group of scientific experts who recommend how vaccines should be administered and distributed. Continue reading...

Science

4 w. ago Russia is already at war with Britain and we can no longer rely on Trump, defence adviser warns

‘Russia is at war with us’, one of the authors of Sir Keir Starmer’s flagship strategic defence review has warned

Events

4 w. ago Ministers accused of being ‘asleep at the wheel’ over UK’s soft power around the world

Government’s own advisers warn of funding crisis for BBC World Service, British Council and universitiesAs US retreats, is there a ‘soft power’ opportunity for UK?Ministers have been accused of being “asleep at the wheel” over threats to the UK’s soft power around the world, as some of their own advisers warned a funding crisis is undermining key institutions promoting British influence.Members of the government’s new soft power council, set up by ministers earlier this year, warned the BBC World Service, the British Council and universities – regarded as the bodies at the forefront of the UK’s soft power efforts – all face major financial pressures. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Anyone who buys supermarket salad in UK given urgent health alert

People have been issued a warning over bagged salad from a supermarket, as experts advise an extra step before eating

Economics