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Everyone the Tories are blaming for Britain’s mortgage crisis — except themselves

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:23 GMT

LONDON — The “Tory mortgage penalty,” a high-profile banker or Vladimir Putin — take your pick of who is to blame for Britain’s mounting economic crisis. The U.K.’s ruling Conservative Party is growing jittery in the face of stubbornly high inflation, which Thursday pushed the Bank of England to raise interest rates for the 13th consecutive time — a move which will hit U.K. mortgage-holders hard. Hiking rates to 5 percent — a level not seen in 15 years — will result in an immediate sharp rise in monthly payments for some mortgage-holders, and the prospect of higher payments in the near future for others. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank, some 1.4 million mortgage holders will see their disposable incomes fall by more than 20 percent.“People are very concerned about what is being described as the mortgage bomb about to go off,” the senior Tory MP Jake Berry told Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in the Commons Tuesday. A former Tory Ca...

Restaurant review: Be Bo Bun

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:23 GMT

Avenue des Arts 24What’s good? This place is a (well) hidden gem in the food desert that is Rue de la Loi. The lunch menu offers delicious Vietnamese cuisine classics ranging from Bánh mì, a Vietnamese-French fusion sandwich born out of colonialism, comprising a baguette, a meaty or plant-based protein, minced carrots, cucumbers and coriander, to Bò bún, a cold dish with rice vermicelli, the same vegetable-protein mix and tasty nems topped with sweet and sour sauce. Otherwise, when the Brussels weather inevitably takes a turn for the cold and wet again, Phô — the traditional Vietnamese noodle soup with a flavorful broth — was recently added to the menu.The friendly staff are happy to accommodate dietary requests. Want the cucumbers or coriander removed from certain dishes? That’ll be no problem. What’s not? The lemongrass sausage proved to be slightly too odd a flavor for my palate.Vibe: Bit peculiar. The restaurant’s entrance is h...

Jesus vs. Big Oil: Church of England divests

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:23 GMT

The Church of England is selling all its remaining oil and gas investments, saying that “not nearly enough” progress had been made by fossil fuel companies in transitioning to net zero.The decision by the Church Commissioners for England, which manages the Anglican church’s £10.3 billion endowment fund, cuts off investments in oil majors including Shell, BP and Total.It will also see the church divest from all other companies involved in oil and gas production unless they are in “genuine alignment” with Paris Agreement goals to limit global heating to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, the Commissioners said.Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said the climate crisis “threatens the planet we live on, and people around the world who Jesus Christ calls us to love as our neighbors.”“It is our duty to protect God’s creation, and energy companies have a special responsibility to help us achieve the just transition to the low carbon economy we need,” he added.The Church of England Pensio...

Furby, the bug-eyed, gibberish-talking ’90s toy phenomenon, has been revived — again

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:23 GMT

New York (CNN) — Loveable or creepy? Depends on who you ask.Furby, the ’90s toy phenomenon that divided kids and parents into opposing camps when it first hit stores and quickly became a craze, is making yet another comeback.Furby-maker Hasbro said Thursday it is reintroducing the bug-eyed, gibberish-talking furball. The latest iteration of the animatronic toy launched on Amazon Thursday and rolls into stores nationwide on July 15 after a nearly 10-year gap.The new Furby — which is priced at $70 and comes in purple and coral — is much like the original but somewhat cuter. It is interactive and responds to hugs, pats on the head and tickles. You can also pretend to feed it a tiny pizza.It’s still noisy, speaks gibberish and dances. The toy has five voice activated modes, more than 600 phrases, jokes and songs and built-in lights and sounds.Hasbro said Furby’s comeback marks the iconic toy’s milestone anniversary.“For the brand’s 25th anniversary, we wanted to ignite the same exc...

This rotating house in San Diego is a spinning spectacle

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:23 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Why wake up to the same view every morning when you can keep things interesting? That question may have swept the mind of the architect who imagined what's become known as San Diego's famous rotating house. Views from the Coronado Bridge, downtown San Diego, the Pacific Ocean north to La Jolla, Mission Trails Park and even the Laguna Mountains -- that's what can be seen from inside this home that twirls atop of Mt. Helix in La Mesa. These San Diego areas are among most expensive metros for renters: study This luxurious cylinder home rotates in either direction and can make a full spin at varying speeds that range from a few hours to less than an hour, the realtor of the home, Melvina Selfani, explained. Everything is connected to standard utilities like any other home, which means the view can be be enjoyed from any room in the house without having to sacrifice convenience. Even the Space Needle in Seattle and other famous rotating bars aren't considered as fully func...

Jewish Federation of San Diego hires new community security director

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:23 GMT

DEL MAR, Calif. — The Jewish Federation of San Diego is introducing its newest member to the community, a security director, in response to the rise of anti-Jewish hate crimes.The federation is arming congregants with knowledge to keep themselves safe.At the entrance of Beth Am synagogue, congregants see an armed guard and a high security gate. Not what you may first think of when you think of a place of worship, but for many congregants this is a sign of the times. Division over Carlsbad Unified School District plan for diversity, inclusion Armed security checks names at the gate before allowing congregants into the Jewish Security Townhall launched by the Jewish Federation of San Diego in response to the rise of anti-Semitic hate crimes.“If you’re going to send your kids to a Jewish preschool, many parents will first check if there’s armed security there,” says Jewish Federation of San Diego President Heidi Gantwerk. “If you’re walking into services, you’re looking where the exi...

Subsea search for missing Titanic submersible expands with remotely operated vehicles

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:23 GMT

The search intensified Thursday for a small submersible lost in the depths of the North Atlantic Ocean as the oxygen supply for the five people trapped inside the vessel was believed to be in its final hours.Two more remotely operated vehicles dived into the water Thursday morning to join the search for the Titan submersible, according to tweets from the United States Coast Guard. An ROV deployed by the Canadian vessel Horizon Arctic had reached the ocean floor at the site of the Titanic shipwreck to look for the Titan, and another from the French vessel L’Atalante was en route.The Titan lost contact with surface vessels on Sunday as it was diving to reach the famous wreck. There were five people on board including Stockton Rush, chief executive officer of OceanGate Expeditions, the company that owns and operates the Titan.Officials have said the minivan-size submersible has an air supply that can last four days, which means the supply could run out on Thursday. But Dr. Ken Le...

Kenya’s new tax package angers some backers of president who once vowed to reduce cost of living

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:23 GMT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenyans are preparing for tough times after lawmakers approved tax increases that are even unpopular with supporters of the president who once vowed to reduce the cost of living.The doubling of the tax on petroleum products, from 8% to 16%, is expected to have a ripple effect on East Africa’s economic hub, with the prices of goods and services expected to increase.The administration of President William Ruto, who was elected last year, has only made things harder, one supporter said.“He said he was going to make life easier for us hustlers. We are now unable to afford food. Prices are higher than they were before elections,” hairdresser Evelyne Adhiambo said.People earning above 500,000 shillings ($3,500) now will pay 32.5% in taxes, and those making above 800,000 shillings will pay 35%. Combined with a new housing tax of 1.5% and a medical insurance tax of 2.5%, the new burden will see some Kenyans part with about 40% of their income.Teresia Kathina, a c...

Widow of slain Haitian president files lawsuit against suspects seeking trial and damages

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:23 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Attorneys for the widow of slain Haitian President Jovenel Moïse filed a lawsuit Thursday in Florida against those accused in his assassination, which is still under investigation.The lawsuit, which was first shared with The Associated Press, seeks unspecified damages for Moïse’s family and a trial by jury in a push to hold the defendants responsible for the president’s death.“Whatever assets are out there, we will make sure these people will pay,” attorney Paul Turner told the AP.The lawsuit was filed nearly two years after the July 7, 2021 assassination of Moïse, who was shot a dozen times at his private home in an attack that also seriously injured his wife, Martine Moïse. More than 40 people have been arrested in the case, including a former Haitian senator, an ex-government official who worked at an anti-corruption agency and 18 former soldiers from Colombia.Turner said he believes there are more people involved in the presidential assassination who...

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva’s long-running doping case finally has dates for a hearing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:23 GMT

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The long-running doping case involving Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva could finally be decided after dates were set Thursday for a hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.CAS will hear the case, which overshadowed last year’s Beijing Olympics, from Sept. 26-29. It won’t be open to the public.The hearing could finally provide clarity about who won the team figure skating competition in Beijing. Russia placed first with Valieva on its team, ahead of the United States, but no medals have been awarded.Valieva’s positive test for a banned heart medication in December 2021 was revealed at the Beijing Olympics several weeks later.Valieva was 15 at the time and her case prompted concern about the coaching and treatment of teenage skaters in Russia. She was allowed to skate in the women’s competition but placed fourth after an error-strewn routine. She is now 17.The World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Skating Union appealed to C...