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Job listings fall for second month as budget and employment law worries curb hiring

New job adverts fell for the second month in a row in November, adding to signs that demand for workers is cooling as businesses grapple with budget uncertainty and proposed changes to employment law. According to the latest survey from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), new job postings dropped by 14.4 per cent between October and November, while the total number of active job adverts fell by 11.2 per cent over the same period....

Thousands set to benefit from free digital training under new £11.7m government fund

Thousands of people across the UK are set to benefit from free digital training as the government launches a major new initiative aimed at helping more people shop around for cheaper deals online and fully participate in the digital economy. Unveiled today by the Minister for Digital Inclusion, Liz Lloyd, the £11.7 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund will back 80 local schemes across the country, supporting people who are at risk of being left behind...

NatWest Group opens applications for 2026 fintech programme focused on AI-led customer experience

NatWest Group has opened applications for the second year of its Fintech Programme, calling on UK-based fintechs that are using artificial intelligence to reshape the future of customer experience in financial services. The 2026 programme will run for 12 weeks and is aimed at pre-Series A and Series A fintechs with proven product-market fit and commercial traction. Successful applicants will receive hands-on support from NatWest’s Innovation team, alongside access to senior decision-makers, mentorship, and opportunities...

Erika Kirk agrees to ‘private discussion’ with Candace Owens amid rising tensions

Erika Kirk has announced that she is to meet privately with commentator Candace Owens marking the first direct conversation between the two after a period of public discussion and differing perspectives that emerged after her late husband’s death. Kirk shared the update in a brief statement on X on Sunday, saying both women had agreed to pause all public commentary until after the meeting. ‘Candace Owens and I are meeting for a private, in-person discussion...

‘Reeves’ Christmas tax’ creates big winners and losers as 2026 business rates shake-up hits retail

Some of Britain’s most recognisable retailers and visitor attractions are bracing for dramatic swings in their business rates bills from next April, as the 2026 revaluation lands with what has already been dubbed across the sector as “Reeves’ Christmas tax”. Fresh analysis from global tax firm Ryan reveals a retail landscape increasingly defined by extremes, with destination-led and seasonal attractions facing some of the steepest increases, while several high-profile high street names enjoy substantial reductions....

Non-dom tax revenues branded ‘fantasy economics’ by former government economist

Expected tax revenues from the abolition of non-dom status have been dismissed as “fantasy economics” by a former government economist, amid warnings that the Chancellor is relying on deeply flawed assumptions to plug future gaps in the public finances. Fresh post-Budget analysis published today by economic consultancy ChamberlainWalker suggests that forecasts underpinning the non-dom reforms are increasingly detached from reality. Drawing on the Office for Budget Responsibility’s latest Budget report alongside earlier forecasts, the study...

MIKE DAVIS: Clinton-appointed judge once again sabotages DOJ’s Comey case

After more than eight years of Democrat lawfare against President Trump, his aides and his allies, the Justice Department under Attorney General Pam Bondi is bringing much-needed accountability — which is what American voters demanded in our last presidential election. But Democrat activist judges are doing what they do best: weaponization and sabotage. In South Carolina, Clinton-appointed Judge Cameron Currie — handpicked by a Biden-appointed judge — wrongly disqualified Eastern District of Virginia U.S. Attorney...

China’s missile surge puts every US base in the Pacific at risk — and the window to respond is closing

China has spent decades building a land-based missile force designed to keep the United States out of a fight over Taiwan — and U.S. officials say it now threatens every major airfield, port and military installation across the Western Pacific. As Washington races to build its own long-range fires, analysts warn that the land domain has become the most overlooked — and potentially decisive — part of the U.S.–China matchup. Interviews with military experts show...

Northern Ireland faces new car shortages as Brexit rules bite under Windsor framework

Northern Ireland is facing the prospect of new car shortages and higher motoring taxes as post-Brexit provisions under the Windsor Framework come into force at the start of 2026, triggering concern across the automotive sector. From January 1, all new cars sold and registered in Northern Ireland will have to comply with European Union vehicle standards rather than those applied in Great Britain. Dealers warn that many British-specification models currently sold in Northern Ireland will...

Hello Vet raises £15m to expand transparent-pricing clinics across the UK

A London-based veterinary start-up aiming to bring greater price transparency to pet care has raised £15 million to accelerate its expansion across the UK. Hello Vet, which allows owners to stay with their pets as they go under and wake up from anaesthesia, plans to open at least 20 to 25 new clinics and hire around 200 vets and veterinary nurses over the next two years. The business says its growth will be paced carefully...