MercoPress https://en.mercopress.com/ South Atlantic News Agency en Copyright 2026, MercoPress. https://en.mercopress.com/web/img/en/mercopress-logo.gif MercoPress http://en.mercopress.com/ <![CDATA[PM Burnham hands mayors share of income tax “to make lives better in every postcode”]]> Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “I said we’d take power out of Westminster and carry it into every postcode in the country. Today, we make good on that promise. The Prime Minister Andy Burnham has launched the biggest transfer of power from Westminster in a generation, giving communities greater control over the decisions that shape jobs, transport, housing and public services in their area.

]]> Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:29:00 GMT <![CDATA[What the New UK Chancellor Means for the UK Economy]]> John Healey, John Healey as chancellor of the exchequer By MOHAMED A. EL-ERIAN (*) By appointing John Healey as chancellor of the exchequer, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has taken a calculated risk. If Healey can leverage his insider knowledge of the Treasury, pursue a bold, pro-growth agenda, and manage his defense-spending instincts, he may be able to provide the structural shake-up the UK economy needs.

]]> Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:18:00 GMT <![CDATA[Six million UK household will access the £150 Warm Home Discount; register names in energy bills]]> Six million of British households are set to save £150 on energy bills this winter, as government urges eligible households to check they are named on their bill to get the Warm Home Discount automatically. Every household where the bill payer is on means-tested benefits is in line for the rebate, following the expansion of the scheme last year.

]]> Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Ceuta alerts security forces over social media calls for August 15]]> The posts circulate on WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and name the Moroccan town of Fnideq, next to the Tarajal border crossing, as a meeting point The government of Ceuta has referred to the competent authorities messages circulating on Moroccan social media that call for a fresh attempt at irregular entry into the Spanish enclave on August 15, five days after a migration crisis that left dozens dead.

]]> Tue, 04 Aug 2026 23:23:00 GMT <![CDATA[Milei: the alliance with Washington is the “key” to sovereignty over the Falklands]]> Milei described the claim as non-negotiable and said his government has achieved the greatest diplomatic progress since 1983 toward placing the archipelago under Argentine administration Argentine President Javier Milei said on Monday that his government's alignment with the United States will advance Argentina's sovereignty claim over the Falklands, in remarks to Radio Mitre.

]]> Mon, 03 Aug 2026 23:14:00 GMT <![CDATA[Infantino opponents threaten non-cooperation with FIFA unless he resigns]]> The scope of that non-cooperation has not been defined. One senior figure told the broadcaster a refusal to take part in FIFA meetings could be expected Officials opposed to FIFA president Gianni Infantino are considering withdrawing cooperation with the governing body for as long as he remains in office, according to UEFA sources cited by the BBC, as the fallout deepens over the plan to open a commercial subsidiary handling the rights to its tournaments to private investors.

]]> Mon, 03 Aug 2026 20:24:00 GMT <![CDATA[Rhine barges run at 20% of capacity as freight rates surge]]> At levels of 40 to 50 centimeters, vessels can carry around 20% of their normal volume Falling water levels on the Rhine are forcing barges to operate with a fraction of their usual load and have sharply raised the cost of river transport, as drought and extreme temperatures affect Europe's main inland waterways.

]]> Mon, 03 Aug 2026 18:47:00 GMT <![CDATA[Conflicting accounts over whether Spanish intelligence warned of mass entry into Ceuta]]> The newspaper The Objective reported that intelligence assessments had flagged a possible mass entry into Ceuta and Melilla coinciding with Morocco's Throne Day Spanish intelligence services concluded that Morocco did not plan last Thursday's mass entry of people into Ceuta, although it allowed the crossings and drew political benefit from the international attention, according to sources cited by El País. Other reporting contradicts that account on a key point: whether the government was warned in advance.

]]> Mon, 03 Aug 2026 07:20:00 GMT <![CDATA[Why Europe still buys Siberian larch? Properties, supply overview]]> Photo: Unsplash Russia holds roughly a fifth of the world's forest area, and for two decades one species from that vast resource dominated Europe's timber facades: Siberian larch. Dense, cheap for what it offered, and shipped west in enormous volumes, it became the default cladding board from Norway to the Netherlands. Then, in 2022, the trade stopped almost overnight — and the European market has been improvising ever since.

]]> Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:30:00 GMT <![CDATA[Prediction Markets Force US Courts to Decide Who Regulates a Bet]]> The question now before several United States appellate courts is not whether Americans may wager on sporting events. It is which government gets to say so.

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