6:24 am, May 14, 2023
G7 finance leaders vow to contain inflation
The Group of Seven’s (G7) top financial leaders united on Saturday in their support for Ukraine and their determination to enforce sanctions against Russia for its aggression but stopped short of any overt mention of China.
The finance ministers and central bank chiefs ended three days of talks in Niigata, Japan, with a joint statement pledging to bring inflation under control while aiding those suffering the most from surging prices.
They also committed to collaborating to build more stable, diversified supply chains for developing clean energy sources and to “enhance economic resilience globally against various shocks”.
Swedish Eurovision entry wins for second time
Loreen of Sweden has won the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, while the UK’s Mae Muller finished second from last.
The singer, who previously triumphed in 2012, made history as the first woman, and only the second person, to win the contest twice.
She scored a total of 583 points after the public and jury votes were combined, narrowly beating Finland’s Kaarija who scored 526.
Union presses Government for summit to end rail strikes ‘chaos’
The leader of the biggest rail workers’ union has called for a special summit to tackle the “chaos” in the industry amid escalating strikes.
Passengers suffered fresh travel misery on Saturday as members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) walked out in a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.
The strike, on the day of the final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, followed a stoppage by train drivers on Friday which crippled services across England.
Renault Austral to start from £34,695
Renault has announced that its new Austral crossover will start from £34,695.
The Austral is the long-awaited replacement for the Kadjar, and though going on sale in other European countries last year, it was delayed in the transition to right-hand-drive for the UK market.
Renault has now opened orders for the Nissan Qashqai rival, which comes exclusively with a new hybrid powertrain that pairs a 1.2-litre petrol engine with an electric motor for a combined 197bhp.
Friday Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Scammers set up new fake car auction Silantlea Limited after previous website is shut down
- Swansway Motor Group completes refurbishment of Cupra Crewe dealership
European city break costs surge 50% in a year
Hotel prices for UK holidaymakers in three-quarters of popular European cities have soared by more than 50 per cent since last summer, according to new research.
Madrid was found to have the largest percentage rise out of 35 destinations analysed by Post Office Travel Money, which attributed the overall increase to high demand.
A two-night stay in the Spanish capital will cost an average of £385 this summer, up from £161 last year, the study shows.
Visitors to Berlin face the second highest increase, from £168 to £372.
Nursing union leader calls for double-digit pay offer
Nursing union leader Pat Cullen has called on Health Secretary Stephen Barclay to restart pay negotiations with a proposed rise in double digits.
Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members will begin a new ballot for strike action on May 23 after the existing six-month mandate ran out at the start of the month.
And the general secretary, who described striking as one of the “hardest decisions”, told The Sunday Times fresh negotiations were needed to prevent six more months of action.
Rain in northwest
This morning low cloud will begin to clear from most of England and Wales, according to the Met Office, the later this will become warmer with showers in some places.
There will be sunshine and showers in the northwest but a band of rain will move towards the southeast in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Northern England and Wales.
Tonight, a band of rain will move across the rest of England followed but clear and showery spells.
