Personal Finance

Three banking giants slash mortgage rates

Mortgages are falling amid hopes central interest rates could be cut as early as the start of summer. Barclays has announced it is lowering fixed-rate mortgage deals by up to 0.45 percentage points from Friday, while HSBC and TSB have also announced smaller rate reductions. Brokers expect a string of lenders to make similar reductions in borrowing ...

Rishi Sunak confronted on why he ‘hates pensioners’ in live TV grilling

Rishi Sunak confronted on why he ‘hates pensioners’ in live TV grilling -

‘That’s a lie’: Trump attorney screams at Michael Cohen over critical phone call on Stormy Daniels payment

‘That’s a lie’: Trump attorney screams at Michael Cohen over critical phone call on Stormy Daniels payment - Todd Blanche repeatedly paints the former ‘fixer’ as a serial liar in dramatic courtroom testimony

Swiss Re posts better-than-expected Q1 profit, to withdraw from iptiQ business

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Reinsurance company Swiss Re said on Thursday that net profit for the first quarter was a better-than-expected $1.1 billion and that it would exit its digital white-label business after a strategic review. The net profit of $1.1 billion in the period was not comparable with the year earlier figure because of a change in accounting standards, but analysts had expected a

Mike Tyson and Jake Paul face off at first press conference in New York

Mike Tyson and Jake Paul spoke at a press conference in New York on May 13 for their upcoming July 20 match at the Apollo Theater. Iron Mike and the YouTuber say they have been looking forward to the fight for some time.

British Airways flight from London to Oslo makes emergency landing after smoke billows into cockpit

British Airways flight from London to Oslo makes emergency landing after smoke billows into cockpit - The aircraft was grounded in Amsterdam over safety fears

Australian PM defends evicting reluctant tenant from his Sydney home

Australian PM defends evicting reluctant tenant from his Sydney home - Tenant asks Anthony Albanese to be considerate during cost of living crisis

Martin Lewis slams X for failing to act on antisemitic 'Martin Jewish' post

Martin Lewis slams X for failing to act on antisemitic 'Martin Jewish' post - Martin Lewis hit out at X following a message posted on Thursday morning

Families of victims want Letby inquiry live streamed to stop conspiracy theories

The inquiry into how nurse Lucy Letby was able to murder babies at a hospital in Chester will begin to hear evidence in September.

'Some people might be a little bit shocked': David Walliams gives update on Little Britain reboot

'Some people might be a little bit shocked': David Walliams gives update on Little Britain reboot - The cult sketch show has faced criticism for its offensive humour, including blackface, fat-shaming and racial stereotyping

Four charged and six officers injured at pro-Palestine demonstration

Four charged and six officers injured at pro-Palestine demonstration - Three men aged 18, 28 and 29, and a 21-year-old woman were arrested and charged during the demonstration.

Alan Bates rejects second offer of compensation following Post Office Horizon scandal

Alan Bates has rejected a second offer of compensation for the Post Office Horizon scandal, as the former sub-postmaster said he was readying himself for an “ongoing uphill struggle” with his claim. The campaigner, whose fight for justice inspired the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, turned down a “derisory” offer from the Government in Janua...

"Russia has fallen into madness!"

To understand how Russia could fall into madness, how their country of origin, where their families were born, became a true evil empire. This is the ambition of Ksenia Bolchakova and Veronika Dorman, two French journalists of Russian descent (also best friends), through the documentary released last April, "Russia, a people that keeps in step". On Feb. 24, 2022, at the time of the first bombs dropped in Ukraine, the two young women explained...

Cannes chronicles: The 77th edition opens amid a #MeToo reckoning

This 2024 Cannes Film Festival comes at a moment when the French movie business faces a belated reckoning over sexual abuse. Eve Jackson reports from the Croisette on opening day.

Amazon Says Adam Selipsky to Step Down as AWS CEO

Amazon's cloud-computing division chief Adam Selipsky is stepping down, making way for Matt Garman, the unit's top sales and marketing executive. Ed Ludlow reports.

‘Death cleaning’ isn’t morbid, it’s the healthiest thing you can do

‘Death cleaning’ isn’t morbid, it’s the healthiest thing you can do - IN FOCUS: None of us knows when our time will come, but we all have the power to ensure we don’t leave our loved ones with an almighty mess to clear up. Helen Coffey explores the Swedish practice of getting your affairs in order before you die

UK calls for China to push Russia to end war in Ukraine as Xi and Putin meet

UK calls for China to push Russia to end war in Ukraine as Xi and Putin meet - Downing Street said Beijing should encourage Moscow to ‘cease its illegal war’ as the two leaders put on a strong show of unity at a summit.

Four dead in New Caledonia riots, France declares state of emergency

By Kirsty Needham, Juliette Jabkhiro and Augustin Turpin SYDNEY/PARIS (Reuters) -France declared a state of emergency on the Pacific island of New Caledonia on Wednesday after three young indigenous Kanak and a police official were killed in riots over electoral reform. The state of emergency, which entered into force at 5 a.m. local time (1800 GMT), gives authorities additional powers to ban

Ron Dennis opens up on ‘significant disagreements’ as shock McLaren exit explained

Ron Dennis was at McLaren for over three decades before leaving in 2017.

A week after Microsoft closed 4 game studios, Microsoft-owned Activision announces a new game studio

Warsaw-based Elsewhere Entertainment is working on something brand new (and no, it's not Call of Duty).

AI voiceover company stole voices of actors, New York lawsuit claims

By Blake Brittain (Reuters) - Two voice actors sued artificial-intelligence startup Lovo in Manhattan federal court on Thursday, accusing the company of illegally copying their voices and using them without permission in its AI voiceover technology. Paul Lehrman and Linnea Sage said in the proposed class-action lawsuit that San Francisco-based Lovo is selling AI versions of their voices without

Liverpool hit with reality as Premier League table without VAR emerges

Referees have been criticised for the on-field decisions in the Premier League this season

Urgent warning to iPhone users to update software to end ‘Bluetooth stalking’

Kevin De Bruyne gives injury update ahead of Man City title decider

De Bruyne hobbled off during City's win over Spurs.

Police clear university protesters

The university contacted the police for help when protesters occupied a lecture hall.

Boeing 747 engine bursts into flames during takeoff

The plane took off from Makassar, Indonesia, bound for Medina in Saudi Arabia but had to turn back after flames were spotted leaping from the engine during takeoff.

VAR league table: Which club has been wronged most – and who has benefited

“That’s wrong that, Daz” could be the words engraved on the tombstone of VAR, offering a reminder that football technology needed competent humans running the system and that every decision had a winner and a loser. ‌Liverpool were the unlucky ones in the case of Daz, aka Darren England, the video-assistant referee who checked the footage after Sim...

Trump 'heading for a conviction'

Sky News US Political Commentator and Trump biographer Michael Wolff has told Sky News that Donald Trump is "headed for a conviction".

Baltimore bridge debris blown up in controlled demolition

The largest remaining piece of debris from Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed on March 26, was demolished on Monday. The controlled demolition proceeded as planned after a weather-related delay. The wrecked freighter 'Dali', which has been stuck since the collapse, will now be freed so plans to reopen the Port of Baltimore can proceed.

How Britain's shopkeepers are fighting back against flower pot stealth tax

'All this is doing is just costing us money - I cannot see any rewards.'

On this day in 2022: Teen champion Laura Robson announces retirement from tennis

On this day in 2022: Teen champion Laura Robson announces retirement from tennis - The former teenage star officially hung up her racket on May 16, 2022.

Entire US town in California goes on sale for $6,600,000

Fancy playing The Sims in real life?

Chris Pratt’s stunt double Tony McFarr dies aged 47

Chris Pratt’s stunt double Tony McFarr dies aged 47 - McFarr worked with Pratt on ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2’ and two of the Jurassic World films

Android 15 — 5 ways it just put iOS 18 on notice

Google I/O 2024 was a launchpad for many new AI features that will be coming to Android sooner than later, which means there's more pressure for Apple to respond with iOS 18.

Jailed Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan appears in top court by video link

By Asif Shahzad ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan appeared before the Supreme Court by video link from prison on Thursday to plead his petition against changes in Pakistan's anti-graft laws. His video appearance was expected to be streamed live on the court's website and YouTube, making it the first publicly seen visuals of the jailed leader since his arrest in

Danielle Collins one win away from remarkable rankings breakthrough at Italian Open

In-form Danielle Collins is about to re-join the game's elite list.

Queen reveals King is ‘getting better’ during Rye garden party

The Queen has revealed that the King is “getting better” during a garden party in East Sussex, before joking: “Well, he would be if he behaved himself.” Her comments came during a conversation with guests at Lamb House in Rye, where she was treated to a performance by the actors Timothy West, 89, and Hayley Mills, 78, while sat alongside Prunella S...

Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff identifies most active frontlines

There were 58 combat engagements in the frontline over the last day. Intense fighting continues along the entire frontline, with the most active areas in the Donetsk region, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the greatest activity of the Russian occupiers is r...

Post Office stripped of reporting agency role by Lord Advocate

Post Office stripped of reporting agency role by Lord Advocate - Dorothy Bain KC also sought to defend the Crown Office from suggestions it should have been more suspicious of Horizon evidence.

Oil up after US economic data strengthens rate cut expectations

By Laila Kearney NEW YORK (Reuters) -Crude prices edged up on Thursday after data showed a stabilizing U.S. job market, fueling expectations that the Federal Reserve could begin to cut interest rates in autumn, which should stimulate the economy and boost oil demand. Brent crude futures settled 52 cents, or 0.6%, higher at $83.27 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) ended at

Kellogg's factory at Trafford Park to close with 360 jobs lost

The factory, which dates back tot he 1930s, is not suitable for modern production practices, the company said

Astros trade righty reliever to Athletics

The Astros traded right-hander Brandon Bielak to the Athletics in exchange for cash.

Shelling of Kharkiv: High-rise buiding damaged, casualties reported

Today, May 15, the Russian army targeted a residential high-rise building in Kharkiv. The first injuries have already been reported, according to Oleh Syniehubov, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration. "As a result of the shelling of the Shevchenkivskyi district of Kharkiv, a 5-story building was damaged," Syniehubov reported. He...

Ange Postecoglou left fuming after Tottenham coach told him to 'play the kids'

The Aussie coach was seething after his side's defeat to Manchester City.

'I blocked her number': Ex-head of IT says Paula Vennells 'hoped to avoid' Post Office inquiry

A former Post Office executive has said she was forced to block ex-boss Paula Vennells' phone number after the ex-CEO called multiple times asking for help to avoid an independent inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal.

Covid cases continue to rise as FLiRT variants increase dominance

The latest data indicates that infection rates have risen for the fourth week in a row, following a sustained period of low case numbers

Leon Edwards and Tom Aspinall opponents confirmed for UFC 304 in Manchester

Leon Edwards and Tom Aspinall opponents confirmed for UFC 304 in Manchester - Aspinall will fight Curtis Blaydes again, following their fight in London in 2022, with the latter suffering an injury just 15 seconds into the bout

Leaseholders hit by 9,000% rise in ground rent with bills of £17,000

Leaseholders in Hitchin forced to pay due to a clause which ties ground rent with the value of land. Michael Gove wants to ban such leases, but his bill remains delayed

Slovak PM Fico no longer in life-threatening condition after being shot, minister says

By Radovan Stoklasa and Boldizsar Gyori BANSKA BYSTRICA, Slovakia (Reuters) -Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is no longer in a life-threatening condition after he was shot in an assassination attempt when leaving a government meeting on Wednesday, a government minister said. The gunman shot Fico, 59, five times, initially leaving the prime minister in critical condition and undergoing surgery

‘Fewer than 10 migrants’ on first Rwanda flight

Home Office officials fear the number of migrants deported on the first Rwanda flight could be in single figures because of legal challenges. The concerns are believed to be behind moves to expand the flagship scheme to include all failed asylum seekers on top of the initial cohort of 5,700 migrants so far earmarked for deportation. Hundreds of mig...