Democratic health report on EU states 'paints too rosy a picture'
The Guardian|October 14, 2024
The European Commission's annual audit of democratic standards across the bloc is overly positive and ultimately ineffective because it is not tied to any kind of enforcement mechanism, a leading civil liberties network has said.
Jon Henley

The yearly rule of law reports were launched five years ago and are presented by the commission as a key weapon in its armoury against democratic backsliding, including corruption and attacks on independent media and judiciary.

But Liberties, an EU-wide network of civil liberties organisations, has pointed to several “significant deficiencies”.

“The commission's annual rule of law report is certainly useful for detecting violations - it's effective as a monitoring exercise,” said Viktor Kazai, Liberties' rule of law expert. “It has country-specific recommendations; that's great.”

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Money hacks How to use your Christmas gift vouchers wisely
The Guardian

Money hacks How to use your Christmas gift vouchers wisely

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4 mins  |
January 04, 2025
'It's not job done' More change to come as M&S gets its spark back
The Guardian

'It's not job done' More change to come as M&S gets its spark back

M&S menswear, above, is starting to compete for style with specialist rivals while the company's menswear has successfully caught the attention of younger buyers

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4 mins  |
January 04, 2025
Taken to court ... as a victim of identity theft
The Guardian

Taken to court ... as a victim of identity theft

A fraudulent phone contract has been taken out in my husband's name and he is now threatened with court action.

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1 min  |
January 04, 2025
New start Is 2025 the right time to become your own boss?
The Guardian

New start Is 2025 the right time to become your own boss?

Going freelance is not without risk but if you want to shed the shackles of your 9-5, then Suzanne Bearne can help you plan it properly

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7 mins  |
January 04, 2025
Feeling the heat British Gas hit by 400,000 complaints
The Guardian

Feeling the heat British Gas hit by 400,000 complaints

It has been both astonishing and appalling in equal measure,\" says Jonathan Hattersley, 66, from Cambridgeshire.

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3 mins  |
January 04, 2025
The Guardian

Biden Blocks Japanese Firm's $15bn Bid for US Steel Over Security Fears

Joe Biden blocked a $14.9bn (£12bn) bid by Japan's Nippon Steel for US Steel yesterday, citing concerns the deal could hurt national security and following through on a pledge to keep the company domestically owned as he prepares to depart the White House.

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1 min  |
January 04, 2025
We're like snipers' Lethal and cheap, drones dominate the frontline now
The Guardian

We're like snipers' Lethal and cheap, drones dominate the frontline now

Denys, a soldier with Ukraine's Khyzhak brigade, describes a new kind of war. Standing in a barracks workshop with piles of basic Ukrainian first-person view (FPV) drones behind him, he says: \"There are fewer gunfights because there are more drone fights.\" Frontlines that were once a gunshot apart are now a killing zone several miles deep as Russian and Ukrainian drone squads hidden behind the frontlines target each other's forces with aerial attacks. \"Back in 2022, we were still running around with machine guns from the tree lines,\" Denys says, almost with nostalgia.

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4 mins  |
January 04, 2025
The Guardian

Profits at GB News owner's hedge fund plunge 64%

Profits at the hedge fund co-founded by the GB News and Spectator owner Sir Paul Marshall plunged by almost two-thirds last year, resulting in significantly reduced payouts for its partners.

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1 min  |
January 04, 2025
Call to stick to tougher green targets amid record EV sales
The Guardian

Call to stick to tougher green targets amid record EV sales

Carmakers sold a record number of electric cars in the UK last year, prompting environmental groups to urge the government to stick to tougher green targets even as the industry argues they are unsustainable.

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2 mins  |
January 04, 2025
Handbags and watches help take Thailand PM's declared worth to £322m
The Guardian

Handbags and watches help take Thailand PM's declared worth to £322m

Thailand's prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has declared £322m in assets, including a collection of 217 designer handbags and 75 luxury watches in submissions on her wealth to a government body.

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1 min  |
January 04, 2025