The Conservative Party is at odds over a proposed smoking ban, with Boris Johnson calling Rishi Sunak’s plan “absolutely nuts”.
Former prime minister Mr Johnson hit out at his successor, who has put forward legislation with the aim of ending the pastime with an incremental increase in the age of tobacco use. more
The UK has begun talks with four countries - Armenia, Botswana, Costa Rica and Côte d'Ivoire - to strike a deal with them similar to the one with Rwanda to send illegal immigrants there, 'The Times' reported yesterday.more
The government has been accused of "betraying renters" on the fifth anniversary of a "failed" promise to ban no-fault evictions - as figures suggest that over 80,000 households have been put at risk of homelessness since then.more
The number of homeless refugees seeking urgent housing from English councils has increased by 239 per cent in the past two years, analysis shows, prompting charities to slam the “dysfunctional system” that leaves people living on the streets in tents.more
Hundreds of the Manchester Arena bombing survivors, along with relatives of the victims, have launched legal action against MI5, claiming it failed to take action that could have stopped the attack.
More than 250 people have joined the group action against MI5 and have submitted their claim to the investigatory powers tribunal, which hears complaints against the intelligence services.more
The government is investing more than £55m in expanding facial recognition systems – including vans that will scan crowded high streets – as part of a renewed crackdown on shoplifting.more
An unprecedented decision was made in a divorce case by a court in Vigo, Spain. He resolved a couple's dispute over a dog, granting custody to the woman and ordering the man to pay EUR 40 a month in maintenance for the animal, local media reported.more
The German Bundestag voted in favour of the Self-Determination Act by a majority yesterday. For transgender and intersex people, as well as people who identify as neither male nor female, changing their gender registration will now be a simple administrative act.more
Poland will be the second largest bail system country in Europe from 2025. 'We are creating a huge circular economy project for packaging,' stated Marcel Rakowski, president of PolKa - Polska Kaucja, one of the system operators in Poland. The deposit system will force a change in consumer habits, he pointed out.more
The prime minister has said there should be "extreme caution" about gender treatments as a new report said children are being failed by gender services.more
China is flooding the UK with hundreds of thousands of fake postage stamps, the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail reported. Experts and MPs quoted by them describe this as an "act of economic warfare" similar to counterfeiting money.more
From today (11 April), higher minimum earnings levels apply in the UK to apply for a work visa and to bring family members into the country. This also applies to citizens of European Union countries.more
Almost £54 million from the UK benefits system was defrauded by five Bulgarian nationals over four and a half years. According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), this is the biggest case of its kind ever to come to court in the UK.more
The price of a UK passport will rise on Thursday, for the second time in just over 14 months. The cost of applying online to get a new or renewed adult passport will go up from £82.50 to £88.50 from midnight.
This 7% rise follows a 9% rise in February 2023. Consumer group Which? said travellers due to renew would "likely be shocked" by the hike.more
More than half of the UK Home Office's asylum refusals are later overturned by judges, and most of those who fail to successfully appeal remain in the UK anyway, but the authorities do almost nothing to deport them, Sky News revealed.more
Aleksandra Bielakowska, an advocacy worker with the international organisation Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in Taipei, was detained at Hong Kong airport and deported six hours later without specific reasons.more
El Salvador is offering citizenship to 5,000 highly skilled foreigners, the president of this small and poor Central American country, Nayib Bukele, known for his successful campaign against organised crime, announced on Saturday.more
Assaulting a shop worker will be made a separate criminal offence in England and Wales as part of a government response to a wave of retail crime. more
The French government wants the patient to have to pay a fine of five euros for medical visits that were not due to the patient's fault. The penalty for failing to see a doctor when the appointment was not canceled at least 24 hours in advance would go to the doctor's pocket. The regulations may come into force in 2025.more
Spain is scrapping its ‘golden visa scheme’ that gives residency to foreign property buyers in a blow to wealthy UK expats. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told reporters on Monday that ending the scheme would help make access to affordable housing "a right instead of a speculative business".more
Strawberries were found to be the worst when it came to presenting residues of PFAs, long-lasting toxins which have been linked to serious health issues.more
From June 17, every driver employed to transport people in Poland will have to have a Polish driving license. The TOR Economic Advisory Team estimates that, as a result, course prices may increase by up to 50%. - reports "Dziennik Gazeta Prawna".more
Staff at Milan's Bicocca University can take their pets to work with them from Monday. Professors, lecturers, researchers and technical and administrative staff as well as librarians are being allowed to bring their dogs, cats and other pets to work with them.more
