Month: November 2022

“This means that if you receive the full new state pension, you will have £2,942.20 (£12,570 less £9,627.80) of your personal allowance remaining for other taxable income streams such as employment or a private or occupational pension.” With inflation continuing to rise, the state pension may eventually exceed the Personal Allowance. It would mean the 20 percent rate would be due on earnings above this particular threshold. Andrew Tully, technical director of Canada Life, warned: “The frozen personal allowance, and income tax thresholds, are a stealth tax. “This will potentially drag millions more pensioners into paying income tax for the ... Read more

People in the southern city and its wider region said they were beaten, given electric shocks, interrogated and threatened with death. Police say more than 460 war crimes were committed by Russian soldiers in the Black Sea port before they retreated more than two weeks ago. Dmytro Bilyi, 24, a police officer, said he was tortured for days after being seized by masked troops in August. He described his genitals and ears being given electric shocks as “like hell all over my body. It burns so bad it’s like the blood is boiling … I just wanted it to stop”. ... Read more

Anne’s jewellery stood out – she was wearing two symbolic brooches. One was a large, gold brooch, pinned just underneath her collar. The other brooch was in the shape of the Intelligence Corps’ symbol, which is a rose with a crown on top of it. The choice of the rose as the symbol for the Intelligence Corps derives from the practice in Roman times of placing a rose on a door behind which secret matters were being discussed, giving rise to the expression, “sub rosa”, under the rose, according to Britain’s Imperial War Museums website. Anne’s earrings were gold and ... Read more

As Meghan Markle closed out the final episode of her Archetypes podcast, she did not reveal whether she intends to continue the $18million show, leaving fans uncertain as to its future. The Duchess of Sussex signed off her 12th and last episode with a defiant piece of poetry about survival, adding that she had felt “seen” during the recording process. Meghan did not, however, specify whether she intended to return for a second series. The podcast explored “the labels and tropes that try to hold women back.” Meghan quoted Greek post-war poet Dinos Christianopoulos at the end of the last ... Read more

Rarely-seen unrest flared across the country in a critical test of President Xi Jinping’s rule and added to fears for the outlook for the second-largest economy. China’s stock market posted its biggest one-day plunge in a month and by midmorning, the price of Brent crude was down by more than three per cent, to below $81 a barrel. Mining giants on the FTSE 100 index were among other areas hit. Russ Mould, from investment firm AJ Bell, said: “China is a rapacious consumer of global commodities, and signs [that] economic activity is being disrupted by the mounting dissent in the ... Read more

The First Lady of Ukraine has reported Russian soldiers have committed acts of sexual violence in Ukraine with the “permission” of their military commanders. Olena Zelenska, wife of President Zelesnky, described rape as a “weapon” used by Russian forces against Ukrainian civilians. She revealed Ukrainian authorities had intercepted phone calls made by Russian troops which supported her allegations of a leadership “approval” of the brutal campaign sexual attacks. Speaking on Sky News, poltical editor Beth Rigby asked: “You believe that this is not just some men taking advantage of war to attack women sexually, that this is a concerted weapon of war.” ... Read more

Queen Letizia and her husband King Felipe VI attended the ceremony of the XXXIX Edition of the Francisco Cercedo Journalism Award at the Westin Palace Hotel in Madrid, Spain. Journalist Pilar Bonet was the winner of 24,000 euros and a medal designed by the sculptor Julio Lopez Hernandez this year. For the glamorous event, Queen Letizia wore a black lace dress featuring short sleeves and a bateau neck. The Spanish monarch combined the midi gown with a mini black clutch bag and a pair of black stilettos. For jewellery, Letizia opted for a pair of elegant black drop earrings which ... Read more

Rishi Sunak has been accused of “completely” underestimating the global threats facing the UK, as Britain embarks on “swathing” cuts to the army. Chair of the Defence Select Committee Tobias Ellwood told Express.co.uk that the world has “moved into a dangerous era”, warning that the British army is “overstretched”. Mr Ellwood has urged Mr Sunak to commit to spending three percent of GDP on defence, one percent more than the UK currently spends. When asked if the Government is underestimating the threats facing the UK, Mr Ellwood said: “Yes, completely. The army is overstretched. Our military is highly capable and ... Read more

House prices are at the highest they have ever been and most of the time they are the biggest, most expensive asset a person may have. Currently, a person will pay inheritance tax if the value of their estate, which is property, possessions and money, is over the nil rate band threshold which is £325,000. This has remained at this level since April 6, 2009 and will remain the same until at least 2028. If an estate is worth more than this threshold, it will be taxed at a rate of 40 percent, and if it’s below, then inheritance tax ... Read more

Holidaygoers heading to France for the festive season may face delays as workers at EasyJet’s French subsidiary threaten strikes. The National Union of Flight Attendants (SNPNC-FO) warned of a “very important risk” of a strike after negotiations over pay rises failed. EasyJet’s management stated yesterday that it was ready to continue talks to try and avoid needing to cancel flights. A formal strike notice had yet to be formally filed. However, SNPNC-FO delegate William Bourdon continued to call for pay rises in line with inflation, stating that the company’s current offer amounts to “below 6 percent” for total remuneration. He ... Read more