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Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
European leaders shift focus to defending Ukraine without US support, the Telegraph reports
European officials drafting proposals for a Ukraine peacekeeping force acknowledged that Europe must "get real" about the possibility of U.S. President Donald Trump abandoning support for Kyiv, the Telegraph reported on May 31 citing undisclosed sources. According to the Telegraph, senior European diplomats meeting in The Hague agreed to shift their focus from deploying troops to enforce a ceasefire to preparing long-term strategies for supporting Ukraine without American backing. Previously, the United Kingdom and France led efforts to form a so-called "coalition of the willing," a deterrence force that would be deployed in the event of a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Leaders of 31 nations met in Paris on March 27 at a summit for the coalition. While over 30 countries have expressed interest in the coalition, only a few have publicly committed to deploying troops. "Let's get real and admit the U.S. will never be on board," the Telegraph quoted a Western official. The comments reflect growing unease in European capitals about Trump's continued opposition to Ukraine's accession to NATO and his criticism of Kyiv's war effort. On May 19, Trump reiterated he would abandon efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine if progress is not made. One European diplomat said the discussions centered on how to maintain support "when we assume that the U.S. would only continue providing some specific assets, such as intelligence." The discussions also touched on increasing economic pressure on Russia and inviting President Volodymyr Zelensky to the June NATO summit in The Hague, despite concerns about Trump's resistance to Ukraine joining the alliance. Italy's ANSA news agency reported earlier this month that the United States opposed Zelensky's participation, citing unnamed diplomatic sources. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied the claims. Trump has repeatedly echoed Moscow's narrative that Ukraine's efforts to join NATO have been one of the root causes of the full-scale invasion. In March, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha firmly opposed any limitations on Ukraine's right to join international organizations, specifically NATO and the European Union, as a condition for reaching a potential peace agreement. Read also: All territory will revert to Ukraine, predicts US diplomat We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Londoners are being 'priced out' of the Cotswolds housing market
Londoners are being priced out of properties in the Cotswolds according to new figures. Residents from the UK capital accounted for just nine per cent of those looking to purchase a home in the Cotswolds last year. This research by Hamptons shows a decline from a peak of 14 per cent back in 2021 showing the exodus from London to have shrunk in recent years. The Telegraph argues this is because they are being priced out with average house prices in the Cotswolds rising 56 per cent since 2014. READ MORE: Cosy Cotswolds country hotel named among best in the area Less Londoners are desiring a move to the Cotswolds. (Image: Unsplash) This is twice the growth recorded in London over the last decade, which stands at 28 per cent. 'Londoners haven't had the housing market on their side for the best part of a decade,' says David Fell, of Hamptons. This coincides with an influx of Americans in the area with many making the trip over the pond to live in the Cotswolds. "It's terribly beautiful. The scenery is glorious," said local store owner and Boston native Jesse D'Ambrosi, who moved to the area five years ago, while talking with Mail Online. READ MORE: Bridgerton heartthrob Jonathan Bailey spotted sipping Martini in Italy Flash Sale Alert! 🌟 Dive deeper into the stories that shape Oxfordshire with Oxford Mail. Unlimited local news, an ad-free app, and a digital replica of our print edition—all with 80 per cent fewer ads on our site. 🗞️ 👇#StayInformed — Oxford Mail (@TheOxfordMail) May 26, 2025 "The Cotswolds is the Hamptons of England - without the sea of course. "It's also comparable to going upstate, though it's a bit more rural and bucolic." This notion of exclusivity has been bolstered by the presence of several private member clubs in the area. Cotswolds Council leader Joe Harris added that US nationals are "all over" the Cotswolds.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Former cabinet minister Zahawi pulls out of ‘British bid' for The Telegraph
The former Conservative cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi has pulled out of the 'British bid' for The Telegraph led by the publisher Dovid Efune. The decision on Saturday leaves Mr Efune with an even steeper challenge as he attempts to gatecrash the planned takeover by the US private equity firm RedBird Capital. Mr Zahawi, his family and friends accounted for £60m of the £170m of equity it is understood had been committed to the bid. Even before losing the support, the consortium may have needed to raise a further £200m from shareholders to deliver the £550m bid he made alongside Mr Zahawi and the hedge fund manager Jeremy Hosking. Mr Efune has planned to complete the offer with borrowing against The Telegraph's profits. The approach has been rejected by IMI, the United Arab Emirates state media company. It is selling The Telegraph after its own attempt to take control was blocked last year following an outcry over press freedom. That bid was made by a joint venture, RedBird IMI, in which RedBird was the junior partner having provided 25pc of the funding. Now the US private equity firm led by its founder Gerry Cardinale is in line to become the controlling shareholder in The Telegraph in a £500m deal. He has signalled ambitious growth and investment plans to deliver a 'global counterpunch to The New York Times' from the centre-Right of the political spectrum. Mr Cardinale is also in talks with at least three potential British minority co-investors, who include the owner of The Daily Mail, Lord Rothermere. After a proposed easing of the outright ban on foreign state shareholdings in newspapers, IMI is expected to retain a passive stake of up to 15pc. With longstanding business and political links to the UAE, it is understood that Mr Zahawi pulled out after becoming concerned at Mr Efune's handling of the bid. In recent days the publisher of the New York Sun website has sought to cast his approach as more British than RedBird's and sought to cast doubt on its sources of funding and ability to run The Telegraph successfully. IMI has come out in public support of Mr Cardinale's bid, however, and it has been unclear how Mr Efune expects to disrupt their agreement in principle. Mr Cardinale has said none of RedBird's funding for the deal is drawn from sovereign wealth. Mr Zahawi, who was Covid vaccines minister and briefly Chancellor, has played a significant role in the two-year saga over the ownership of The Telegraph. A friend of both the Barclay family, the previous owners, and senior figures in the UAE, he was part of setting up a complex debt repayment deal that was intended to deliver the company into the hands of RedBird IMI. It included a £600m linked to the Barclay family's online shopping business Very, which saw Mr Zahawi become chairman. Despite the failure of RedBird IMI's takeover of The Telegraph, he has persistently sought a role in its future. In recent months he has sought to put together a new bid that would help the UAE recoup its outlay. It is understood Mr Cardinale does not intend to involve Mr Zahawi. Mr Efune was unavailable for comment. In his most recent statements on the bid he said was confident he would be able to announce more investors soon. Mr Zahawi declined to comment. Errore nel recupero dei dati Effettua l'accesso per consultare il tuo portafoglio Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati Errore nel recupero dei dati
Daily Mirror
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
James Martin mocked over four times a week habit sparked by personal struggle
James Martin is one of Britain's best loved chefs and has presented TV cooking shows for over 20 years, however, he's candidly admitted that he frequently gets ridiculed over his weekly routine Celebrity chef James Martin, known for his culinary prowess and hosting ITV's Saturday Morning, has been dealing with dyslexia, a form of neurodivergence. Despite the challenges, at 52, James has recently become more vocal about living with the condition and how he manages daily life. In a candid chat with the Telegraph last year, James disclosed his unique way of unwinding – by mowing his lawn four times a week. He shared with the newspaper in November: "I've got a John Deere sit-down lawn-mower with headlights and people take the mick out of me because I might mow the lawn four times a week." He continued, expressing his frustration when bad weather interferes with his routine: "If we've had non-stop rain and I can't cut the grass, I get p***** off. "But I also think mowing helps me switch off. I can have a crazy day at work, but I'll come home and happily get on my mower at midnight." James further explained the therapeutic nature of gardening, especially for someone with OCD tendencies, which he suggests many chefs may have: "The thing is a garden keeps you busy, which is great if you have OCD – as most chefs probably do." He concluded by highlighting the benefits of multitasking for his thought process: "You complete a task and it's an achievement. Equally, being out there gives me time to think and, being dyslexic, I find it easier to think when I'm doing other things." James has previously opened up about his struggles with dyslexia. During a chat with Kaye Adams on his BBC Radio Scotland show, he admitted that despite his years of cooking and presenting, he still finds it challenging at times. He shared: "Weirdly, I can cook and talk at the same time, but presenting I still find really difficult. I'm severely dyslexic, so reading anything off an autocue is really hard work, so if I'm allowed to cook and chat, that's where I feel at home." James isn't alone in his battle with dyslexia; former The One Show host Matt Baker also lives with the condition. In a conversation with OK!, Matt revealed that his dyslexia leads him to enjoy more hands-on tasks. He said: "I'm very practical because I'm dyslexic. Reading isn't really my thing. I prefer making things and painting. I don't know what it's like to not have dyslexia. When I was younger, I've never been more terrified than I was asked to read aloud. Despite this, 47-year-old Matt wouldn't change his neurodivergent status: "I wouldn't change a thing. Being neurodivergent means you think differently. "You keep telling yourself, 'I'm ready for this. And you can. Dyslexia has taught me you can achieve anything." Fans can catch James Martin once again on James Martin's Saturday Morning from 9.30am on ITV.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
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Revealed: the council that spends more on pensions than it collects in tax
Cash-strapped local authorities are spending more than half of their council tax revenue on staff pensions, a Telegraph investigation has found. The Shetland Islands council puts the equivalent of 111pc of its council tax haul into staff pensions, while councils in Hackney, South Oxfordshire, Newcastle-under-Lyme and the Orkney Islands all shell out more than half. Another 19 fork out the equivalent of at least a third of what they take in. Together, the 24 councils have stuffed almost £3bn into staff pensions over the past five years – but still hiked their tax rates by an average of over 7pc for 2025-26. As rates soar to record levels and second home owners are hit with double premiums, Telegraph Money can reveal: 12 Scottish, nine English and three Welsh local authorities now shell out more than a third of their council tax on staff pension contributions – with the total bill exceeding £730m a year. 60 councils spend at least 20pc of what they collect. The Local Government Pension Scheme already pays 2.3 million retirees and another five million current and former workers are building up generous, inflation-linked pensions. It comes after nine in 10 areas across England endured the maximum 4.99pc council tax rise last month, with parts of Scotland and Wales slapped with even higher increases. Local authority funding comes from multiple sources, including government grants, but tax receipts represented more than half of English councils' core spending power last year, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. The Local Government Pension Scheme for England and Wales is one of the world's largest funded schemes, with 6.7 million members and £390bn in assets. Scotland's scheme has another 639,000 and assets of £60bn. Together, they pay retirees £15bn a year in inflation-linked, guaranteed pensions for life. Employers pay an average contribution of 19.8pc of salaries for staff pension in England and Wales and 17.5pc in Scotland. Now, following a series of Freedom of Information requests, The Telegraph can reveal the true cost of the generous schemes – and how much of your council tax is used to fund them. Nigel Farage, Reform leader, said: 'For all the talk of debt, for all the talk of interest rates, for all the talk of local, county and national budgets, the real elephant in the room is public sector pensions. 'What is happening is a microcosm of an even bigger national problem. These will present big challenges for Reform in the councils we're in control of.' The Shetland Islands council reported the highest percentage of contributions paid compared to council tax collected with 111pc. Its pension costs of £74.9m over the past five years dwarfed the £67.7m it collected from ratepayers. In March, council officials said the council's major spending commitments and millions in borrowing repayments would lead to cuts to everyday services. Orkney Islands council was also near the top of the list after spending the equivalent of 58pc of council tax. The highest in England was Hackney council, which collected £415.2m in council tax between 2020 and 2024 and paid £243.3m, or 59pc, into staff pensions. It has yet to release its 2024-25 figures, but confirmed in November it would need to make savings of £67m by 2028. South Oxfordshire district council received £43.8m over the past five years, but spent £25.2m, or 58pc. Blaenau Gwent county borough council, at 39pc, was the highest in Wales after taking in £176.9m and spending £68.5m. A total of 60 local authorities have spent more than a fifth of the council tax they collected on pension contributions since 2020-21. Among the 24 that spent over a third, the average council tax increase for 2025-26 was 7.5pc. It ranged from 1.99pc in Newcastle-under-Lyme to 15pc on the Orkney Islands. Birmingham council, which effectively filed for bankruptcy and announced £300m in cuts over two years, spent more than £100m a year, equivalent to 29pc of its council tax. The figures come as homeowners and renters battle soaring council tax rates across the country. Almost half of properties in England now face bills of at least £2,000, while the number of households on the hook for a £5,000 bill has quadrupled. Six councils were also granted permission for exceptional increases by Angela Rayner, with Labour-run councils in Bradford and Newham hiking rates by 9.99pc and 8.99pc respectively. Increases in Scotland and Wales were even higher. Second home owners have also been hit after more than 200 local authorities brought in a 100pc council tax premium from April 1, enabled by rules introduced under the Conservatives. Telegraph analysis found that 2,000 second home owners in popular holiday hotspots could face bills of £10,000 or more across both their residences. The average second home owner will now see their tax bill rise 77pc to £3,672 in 2025-26. John O'Connell, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Local taxpayers are fed up with seeing more and more of their cash being used to prop up gold-plated pensions that most could only dream of. 'Households across the country are still reeling from the latest round of council tax rises and authorities are cutting back key services. All the while, those working in local councils are sitting pretty on defined benefit nest eggs that are all but non-existent in the private sector.' Despite the amounts paid in by councils, the Local Government Pension Scheme remained almost £6bn in deficit at its last valuation. Of 87 individual schemes, 26 still didn't have enough money to pay their retirees. There were hopes that councils would be able to cut their contributions following the next round of valuations, due later this year. However, experts fear this is now less likely after Donald Trump's announcement of global tariffs hit investment markets. Andy King, of wealth manager Evelyn Partners, said the 'huge divide' between public and private sector pensions raised questions over affordability and fairness for taxpayers. He said: 'A lot of council tax payers will be surprised at just how much of their continually rising bills go towards funding pensions, rather than into local services. The scheme is hugely more generous than private sector pensions, and local government staff may not know how good it actually is.' A Local Government Association spokesman said: 'The Local Government Pension Scheme [LGPS] can help encourage people to develop a career in local government. With pay often lower in local government than comparable private sector roles, the LGPS can mitigate that while occupational pensions, like the LGPS, can help public sector workers avoid needing welfare benefits in retirement. 'The LGPS is the most robust public sector pension scheme. Compared with other major public sector pension schemes, the employer contribution rates in the LGPS are also generally much lower.' A Hackney council spokesman said: 'Council tax income is just one of many funding sources that form our £1.9bn budget this year and help us deliver over 800 services that our residents rely on.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
