The Bank of England has voted narrowly to hold interest rates at 4%, pausing further cuts amid stubborn inflation and growing uncertainty ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ pivotal Budget later this month. In a closely split decision, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted 5–4 to maintain the current rate, with Governor Andrew Bailey casting the deciding vote. Bailey said he would “prefer to wait” before supporting any further loosening of monetary policy, citing ongoing concerns...
The UN Climate Change Conference, COP30, starts Nov. 6 with a world leader summit and runs to Nov. 21. It will emphasize ‘the urgency of the climate crisis and the need for accelerated and collective climate actions.’ However, Microsoft founder Bill Gates just issued a memo aimed at COP30 attendees proposing a fundamental shift in priorities: focus on poverty reduction rather than climate modification. Gates, who previously gave primary importance to measures to reduce near-term...
Germany is emerging as Europe’s most compelling growth story heading into 2026, with analysts forecasting a return to steady expansion and international firms eyeing new opportunities across the continent’s largest economy. Global employment specialist Agility EOR is urging international companies to take a fresh look at Germany, as forecasts point to 1.3% GDP growth next year, underpinned by €500 billion in government infrastructure investment and more than €630 billion in private-sector funding. The scale of...
Wealthy Britons are moving unprecedented sums into offshore bonds as they brace for higher taxes and seek more flexible ways to manage their wealth. According to data reviewed by the Financial Times, around £10.5 billion was invested in offshore bonds in the 12 months to June, more than double the £5.1 billion recorded the previous year — marking a record-breaking surge in demand for overseas investment wrappers. Financial advisers say the trend reflects the growing...
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has signalled that her 26 November Budget will ask more Britons to shoulder the burden of repairing the nation’s public finances — even if that means breaking Labour’s manifesto pledge not to raise income tax. In a speech this week, Reeves warned that “hard choices” were unavoidable if Britain was to protect the NHS, reduce national debt and keep inflation under control. Her language marked a shift from earlier assurances that only...
More than a third of the UK’s fastest-growing technology scale-ups have no women on their boards, according to new research that highlights a striking gap between rhetoric and reality on diversity in Britain’s tech sector. The report from global growth consultancy Think & Grow found that women occupy just 18% of board positions across the UK’s leading tech scale-ups, while 36% of these companies have no female board members at all. This is despite an...
President Donald Trump appeared to take a swipe at Republican candidates who lost on Tuesday while addressing the America Business Forum in Miami, Fla., on Wednesday. After listing a series of his accomplishments, Trump said it’s ‘so easy to win elections when you talk about the facts.’ ‘Almost 2 million American-born workers are employed today, more than when I took office. That’s nine months ago. Can you imagine?’ Trump said. ‘And I tell Republicans, if...
A House Democrat representing a district that President Donald Trump won in 2024 is not seeking re-election next year. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, announced his plans in an op-ed for the Bangor Daily News on Wednesday, a day after Democrats’ sweeping electoral victories in Virginia, New Jersey, California and New York City. ‘I have never loved politics. But I find purpose and meaning in service, and the Marine in me has been able to slog...
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., took over Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s post-election news conference Wednesday, knocking the Democratic Party for their lack of support in political races in New York and Maine. ‘Well, the party leadership did not support [mayoral candidate Zohran] Mamdani in New York,’ Sanders said in front of the Senate podium. ‘Party leadership is not supporting [Senate hopeful Graham] Platner in Maine. And I think he’s going to win… I think there...
Imagine you need to build a team of 150 professionals from scratch, in a country where critical infrastructure isn’t finished, while the entire world prepares to watch. You have officials from every continent speaking dozens of languages, three separate organizational bodies with competing priorities, and a construction site that should already be a world-class tennis venue. Welcome to Olympic officiating. When Soeren Friemel arrived in Rio de Janeiro in December 2015 for his pre-Olympic site...
