What the budget means for the NHS
The NHS didn’t receive a great deal of specific attention in Rachel Reeves’ budget. She mentioned it, but in fairly general terms around plans to invest and cut waiting lists.
The Conversation
Ukraine’s peace talks reveal the risks of replacing diplomats with dealmakers
Recent reports about the role of Donald Trump’s special envoy, American businessman Steve Witkoff, in the Ukraine peace negotiations have raised wider questions about why political leaders turn to business figures in high-stakes diplomacy – and whether this can ever work.
What five years of evidence on hybrid working tells us about the future of employment
insta_photos/ShutterstockThe COVID pandemic accelerated remote and hybrid working practices across the world. It also provided evidence that these approaches could work for a wide variety of jobs.
Three reasons why China wants global green leadership after Cop30 – and two reasons it doesn’t
Ahead of the UN’s Cop30 summit, China appeared keen to take on the mantle of new global leader on climate change, stepping into the gap left by the US’s withdrawal from the top spot under Donald Trump.
In trying to understand what China wants from this role, it’s worth examining three areas motivating Beijing to take over leadership, and two others which it is trying to avoid.
The two-child limit failed – all it did was increase poverty
UK chancellor Rachel Reeves has taken decisive action in getting rid of the two-child limit – a policy that has held a totemic place in the UK for more than a decade. Since 2017, this policy has limited the means-tested support that families can receive from the state to the first two children in a household, with some specific exceptions.
How the financial markets reacted to the UK budget (and why they matter)
Who is Danny/ShutterstockRachel Reeves’s second budget landed in an unusual fashion. Before she delivered it, most of the key details had already been revealed accidentally by the Office for Budget Responsibility.
How ‘digital twins’ could help prevent cyber-attacks on the food industry
Earlier this year, a cyberattack on British retailer Marks & Spencer caused widespread disruption across its operations. Stock shortages, delayed deliveries, and logistical chaos rippled through the retailer’s network.
Men earn nearly $10,000 more than women in bonuses and overtime pay, fuelling the gender pay gap: new data
Men are earning on average A$9,753 more than women each year in the form of performance bonuses, allowances and overtime pay.
That’s according to the latest gender pay gap data released on Thursday by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency. It covers more than 8,000 private companies for 2024–25, employing more than 5.4 million workers across Australia.
Eight ways to resist spending too much on Black Friday bargains
But how will she feel about it later? Dean Drobot/ShutterstockIt is that time of the year again – Black Friday is almost upon us. What used to be just an American event has now taken over the calendar in many other countries as one of the key shopping events of the year.
What will the budget mean for economic growth? Experts give their view
Pixels Hunter/ShutterstokSince the election last year, the UK government has said economic growth is its top priority, as a way to improve living standards, cut NHS waiting lists and ease pressure on household finances. But with the Office for Budget Responsibility predicting growth this year to be a below-average 1.5%, it seems things haven’t gone entirely to plan.
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