• Sunday, April 20, 2025

Barclays logs lower profit as mortgage lending weakens

Barclays on Thursday said net profit slid 13 per cent in the first quarter, as warning lights flashed over weaker mortgage lending and sliding customer deposits. Profit after tax dropped to £1.6 billion in the first three months of 2024, compared with £1.8 billion in the same period one year…

Labour plans to renationalise railways in 5 years

Labour has announced its intention to nationalise the country’s rail network within five years without compensating private operators, as part of its strategy to address issues within the railway system. Since the privatisation of Britain’s train services in the 1990s, several operators have been brought back under public ownership due…

Priyanka Chopra’s production ‘Women of My Billion’ to debut on…

Women of My Billion, an upcoming documentary from actress-producer Priyanka Chopra Jonas, will premiere on Prime Video on May 3, the streaming service announced on Thursday. Directed by Ajitesh Sharma, the documentary narrates the true story of Srishti Bakshi, who embarked on a walking pilgrimage from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, spanning…

Divisive speeches: Indian poll panel seeks response from BJP, Congress

India’s Election Commission said on Thursday it has sought responses from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress on alleged violations of poll rules by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi. India is holding the world’s largest election over seven phases, with votes due…

UK leads in child alcohol consumption worldwide: report

A recent report has unveiled that the United Kingdom (UK) holds the unenviable position of having the highest rate of child alcohol consumption globally. According to the findings, more than half of British children have tried alcohol by the age of 13. Conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), the…

Free food, taxi rides to woo voters in India’s Bengaluru

India’s Silicon Valley Bengaluru, which houses many software giants and startups, has been notorious for low voter turnout during elections. As the city goes to polls on Friday (26), many companies and business establishments are offering a host of incentives – from free food to taxi rides – to encourage…

Sigma Pharmaceuticals helps raise £52k for ‘Team George’ at London…

Sigma Pharmaceuticals plc played a key part in raising over £52,000 for ‘Team George’ during the London Marathon Charity run. The money raised will support Great Ormond Street Hospital’s care for young George Bracey, who has been fighting rhabdomyosarcoma since 3 August 2023. Sigma’s financial director, Bhavin Shah, completed the…

Malala supports Palestinians amid Pakistan backlash

NOBEL laureate Malala Yousafzai on Thursday (25) condemned Israel and reaffirmed her support for Palestinians in Gaza, after a backlash in her native Pakistan over a Broadway musical she co-produced with former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton. Yousafzai, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, has been…

Muslim leaders stress unity as Gaza war exposes faultlines among…

WITH overseas conflicts causing divisions between communities, Muslim leaders have urged people to remember Britain’s rich history of allowing the “freedom to practise faith and the appreciation of diversity”. At an event hosted by The Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL), panellist Taher Jiwanji, a civil engineer…

Next Labour government to be the most pro-business: Rachel Reeves

RACHAEL Reeves has said that a future Labour government will tilt even more towards business interests than the Tony Blair era as she plans to raise £22 billion of private sector investment in green energy projects. Reeves, the shadow chancellor, talked about the importance of involving business groups in key…