Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to scrap regulations holding back UK growth, as he seeks to soothe concerns among international investors after a rocky first 100 days in power. Starmer pitched his vision to at the International Investment Summit in London, which was attended by top business leaders from companies including Alphabet, Brookfield Asset Management and BlackRock. The summit is a key part of Starmer’s promise to boost annual GDP growth to an ambitious 2.5 per cent. He was spared the embarrassment of holding the summit without an investment minister. “Banks are among the highest taxed entities in the UK, we’re an important part of the economy,” Venkatakrishnan said.

Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inboxManchester United legend Peter Schmeichel believes Thomas Tuchel has the grit to succeed at Old Trafford. Ten Hag appears to have been granted a stay of execution for the time-being after United executives met in London last Tuesday for a crunch meeting. Sign up to our United newsletter so you never miss an update from Old Trafford this season. I just think he's got such a great aura around him that he fits a bill." I don't want Manchester United to be that football club that changes the manager all the time.

What's the most important news going on right now? Subscribe to get all your breaking news from one place.

What's the most important news going on right now? Subscribe to get all your breaking news from one place.

An Israeli airstrike hit near the grounds of al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza, causing a fire that engulfed several tents housing displaced Palestinians. Footage from Deir al-Balah showed people desperately trying to extinguish the flames as explosions could be heard within the camp. According to reports, the strike hit while emergency services were receiving scores of injured people from an earlier bombardment in nearby Nuseirat

(Alliance News) - Shares in UK betting firms plunged on Monday following a report that the Labour government is considering an up to GBP3 billion tax hit on the sector. In response, shares in Entain PLC, which owns bookmakers Ladbrokes and Coral, fell 13% to 663.60 pence each in London on Monday morning. One of the tax plans that Treasury officials are looking at comes from the Institute for Public Policy Research. Last year, the taxes raised GBP3.3 billion, or about GBP2.2 billion excluding lottery duty, the report said. By Jeremy Cutler, Alliance News reporterComments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.comCopyright 2024 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

While the investment pledges signal a boost for the government, many business leaders are closely watching what taxes will be hiked on 30 October. Reeves reiterated her Budget would be "tough", but stressed difficult decisions would not put off business investment in the UK because she would offer firms long-term certainty about the levels of taxation they will face. The government has ruled out increasing VAT, National Insurance or income tax, speculation has grown around the rate of National Insurance paid by employers. The chancellor did hint that she might change the government's borrowing rules to free up billions of pounds more in spending for big projects. "We do want to free up investment in those long-term responsible investments that we need to make, to unlock the private investment into our economy," she said.

England’s pace attack is an all-Durham affair, with Potts lining up alongside Brydon Carse, who impressed on debut. Stokes was relishing his first England appearance since July but admitted he would exert some caution over his bowling loads. “I’ve worked really hard at the back end of my rehab period at home and throughout the last Test match as well. I’ve put myself through a fitness test over the last couple of days and come through that pretty well. “I’m not slowly eking all of the Durham team in, don’t worry worry about that!” he joked.

They argue that our universities, legal expertise and financial services have provided what they call the 'bedrock of a strong investment proposition'. The 14 signatories include five of the world's richest banks, private equity firms, leading insurers and tech giants. The Daily Telegraph, though, highlights a warning from business leaders that any government raid on National Insurance contributions could damage investment in the UK, external. Meanwhile China — says the Financial Times — is under increasing pressure to deliver more measures to stimulate its economy, external. The pro-royal Australian Monarchists League told the paper the 'snubs' were a slap in the face for the Royal Family, external.

Luxury handbag maker Mulberry has rejected a takeover offer from Frasers (Mulberry/PA)Mulberry said its largest shareholder has rejected a fresh takeover approach from Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group for the luxury handbag maker. On Friday, Sports Direct owner Frasers Group tabled a sweetened £111 million approach to buy Mulberry. The group is majority shareholder with a roughly 56% stake in the company and would need to vote in favour for any takeover deal to be approved. Mulberry said that Challice “has no interest in either selling its Mulberry Shares to Frasers or providing Frasers with any irrevocable or other undertaking”. Mulberry shares were 20% higher on Monday morning.

Spread the loveFrom the Editors of E – The Environmental MagazineDear EarthTalk : What’s Vice-Presidential candidate Tim Walz’s track record on climate and environment? Climate change has emerged as a key issue, especially with Walz’s running mate Kamala Harris, a strong proponent of environmental justice. Both Walz and Harris share similar eco-priorities, particularly in reducing carbon emissions, advancing renewable energy and addressing climate change. Senator and Vice President, has pushed for international agreements and federal-level legislation on climate change. Walz’s stance on climate was front and center in recent debates, where he argued how climate change is exacerbating extreme weather like hurricanes.

Taylor Swift’s police escort during her Wembley Stadium concerts in London this summer was approved after pressure from the UK government’s top lawyer, The Times of London reports. Following a furor over government figures receiving free tickets to see Swift perform on her record-breaking Eras tour, the newspaper reports that Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and London mayor Sadiq Khan both urged the Metropolitan Police to give Swift taxpayer-funded heightened protection during her visit to the capital. The Times reports that the Metropolitian Police warned that such VVIP protection would breach long-standing protocols: such a service is normally available only to senior cabinet ministers and members of the royal family. It reports that the government’s senior lawyer, attorney-general Lord Harmer KC, was recruited to put extra pressure on the police force. Swift played 15 dates in June and August with claims the tour boosted UK spending by almost £1 billion ($1.3B).

From Keir Starmer to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, every European leader seems keen to have their picture taken with Italy’s Giorgia Meloni. Yet she is the country’s first far right prime minister since the second world war and when she was elected she was talked of as a danger to Europe. He looks at the influences that have shaped her – from her romance novelist mother to her time in the government of a previous controversial Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi. Michael Safi hears how Meloni’s support for Ukraine and Nato, and her pragmatic approach to politics, seem to have won over European leaders. But what does she really want, and if the rise of the far right in Europe continues, could she be more extreme than she seems?

The Government is expected to unveil investment deals worth billions in AI, life sciences and infrastructure at its first International Investment Summit. Rachel Reeves (Stefan Rousseau/PA)“We are focusing on investment because the mission of growth, in this country especially, demands it. Labour has warned of “tough choices” to come in the budget and sparked fears of further cuts after it cut back winter fuel payments to pensioners. Ms Reeves must also choose whether to amend fiscal rules to allow more borrowing to fund public spending. Consumer health firm Haleon has announced a £130 million investment in a new Global Oral Health Innovation centre in Weybridge, Surrey to coincide with the summit.

Police said a man, driving in a car containing loaded firearms and holding false press and VIP passes, was intercepted at a checkpoint near the entrance to a campaign rally for Donald Trump in Coachella Valley, California, on Saturday. Riverside county sheriff Chad Bianco said the suspect was believed to be a member of a rightwing anti-government movement known as 'sovereign citizens'. Police said the firearms included a loaded handgun and a shotgun