Toast, Trees and a Wassailing Queen: An Ancient English Ritual Is Back

Rachel Reeves plans to kickstart the economy and save Labour's housing plan by training up to 60,000 workers in construction to fill 35,000 job vacancies. The £600m initiative aims to address the shortage of workers highlighted by The Independent, as the chancellor faces criticism for expected deep cuts in the spring statement. With a £20bn deficit in public finances, Reeves emphasizes the need for a sustainable approach beyond taxing and spending, as the government looks...

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation forecasts that average living standards in the UK could fall by 2030, with low-income families being hit twice as hard as middle and high earners. The charity warns that upcoming spending cuts could further worsen the financial situation for ordinary families, potentially causing a 3% decrease in disposable income after housing costs for the average family and a 6% decrease for the lowest income families. The Labour government may struggle to...

In Turnhout, Belgium, a 62-year-old man attacked a 54-year-old man with a knife in a supermarket, resulting in the suspect being charged with attempted murder by a judge. The owner and his brother intervened to stop the attack, with the suspect being arrested and awaiting further court proceedings. The motive behind the attack is still unknown, as authorities investigate whether the two men knew each other or if the incident was random. Full Article

Ministers have ordered an urgent probe into the substation fire that caused Heathrow airport to close for 15 hours, affecting up to 300,000 passengers and grounding over 1,300 flights. Despite the airport being declared "fully operational" with additional staff, more than 100 flights were still cancelled. Criticism has been mounting, with experts calling the incident an embarrassment for Britain and highlighting planning failures by Heathrow. Full Article

In a historic moment for Britain, the country was placed into lockdown five years ago due to the novel Covid-19 virus, with businesses and public spaces closed and citizens ordered to stay home to slow the spread of the deadly illness. While the lockdown was successful in achieving its goal, it had unforeseen consequences on society, affecting mental health, education, work habits, and even pet ownership. The impact of the pandemic on everyday life was...

The federal government in Belgium plans to establish specialized consumer courts to handle legal claims, particularly in the construction industry, as revealed by Vooruit Minister of Consumer Protection Rob Beenders in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws. These courts aim to simplify legal processes and provide quicker resolutions for consumer disputes, updating the Breyne Law to enhance consumer protection in developer-contractor conflicts. The initiative comes in response to a history of consumer complaints in the...