Author: LoveWorld UK

British house prices fell for a fourth month in a row in June as COVID-19 continued to depress the market, the longest run of monthly declines since 2010, mortgage lender Halifax said on Tuesday. Halifax said average house prices dropped by 0.1% in June after a 0.2% fall in May, and were 0.9% lower than in the first quarter of 2020. Compared with a year earlier, prices were up by 2.5%, though this was the slowest rate of growth since November 2019. “The near-term outlook points to a continuation of the recent modest downward trend in prices through the third…

Hong Kong’s national security law does not spell “doom and gloom”, its leader said on Tuesday, as she tried to calm unease over legislation that critics say could quash freedoms that have underpinned the city’s success as a financial hub. In an illustration of worries about the law, the video app TikTok said it was preparing to leave the Hong Kong market, and other tech firms said they have suspended processing Hong Kong government requests for user data. The sweeping legislation that Beijing imposed on the former British colony punishes what China defines as secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with…

British finance minister Rishi Sunak earmarked 3 billion pounds ($3.75 billion) to improve the energy efficiency of homes and public buildings as part of broader plans to kickstart the economy and support jobs. Ahead of an announcement on Wednesday of its next moves to soften the hit from the coronavirus lockdown, the finance ministry said households would be given 2 billion pounds in grants — worth up to 5,000 pounds each — to cover two thirds of the costs of insulation and double-glazing of windows. The poorest families will receive up to 10,000 pounds without having to pay anything, the…

Foreign students must leave the United States if their school’s classes this fall will be taught completely online or transfer to another school with in-person instruction, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency announced on Monday. It was not immediately clear how many student visa holders would be affected by the move, but foreign students are a key source of revenue for many U.S. universities as they often pay full tuition. ICE said it would not allow holders of student visas to remain in the country if their school was fully online for the fall. Those students must transfer…

God is going to bless the works of your hands and you are going to be so productive — Pastor Chris Oyakhilome. Great rejoicing by the global congregation, followed the declaration of July to be ‘the Month of Productivity’ by Pastor Chris at the just concluded Global Communion Service. “This month, God is going to bless the works of your hands and you are going to be so productive,” Pastor Chris prophesied to all participants. During the service, Pastor Chris also took out time to specially pray for the sick. Calling out specific cases as led by God’s Spirit, he…

British finance minister Rishi Sunak will try to restart the country’s economy by giving homebuyers a tax break and cutting value-added tax for pubs, restaurants and other hospitality firms, The Times newspaper reported. Sunak is due to announce on Wednesday the next stage of his attempt to steer the world’s fifth-biggest economy away from its 25% collapse in March and April, when the government’s coronavirus lockdown shut entire sectors. Sunak’s plan is expected to focus on measures to limit a rise in unemployment — including help for job-seekers and trainees — but the measures reported by The Times suggest he…

Growth returned to British construction companies in June for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown began, albeit from low levels, a business survey showed on Monday. The IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rebounded to 55.3 from 28.9 in May, its highest since July 2018 and well above the 50 threshold for growth. Data company IHS Markit said growth was driven mostly by housebuilders, but commercial and civil engineering construction companies also reported an increase in activity. “As the first major part of the UK economy to begin a phased return to work, the strong rebound in…

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he is struggling to understand why his team score so many goals and limit the opposition to so few chances but have still lost nine Premier League matches this season. City, who relinquished the league title to Liverpool, lost 1-0 at Southampton on Sunday despite dominating possession (73%) and peppering the Saints goal with more than 20 shots. Striker Che Adams sealed victory for 13th-placed Southampton and condemned City, who beat Liverpool 4-0 in their last game, to a third successive league defeat away from home. Champions Liverpool have lost twice in the league…

British new car registrations fell by a third on an annual basis in June when many dealerships reopened after COVID-19 lockdown measures were lifted, according to preliminary data from an industry body, a smaller drop than in March, April and May. Around 145,000 units were registered in June, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. In March, demand fell 44%, in April by 97% and in May registrations were down 89%. The SMMT added that year-to-date, the market was almost 50% behind where it was at the same time in 2019. Not all British car factories have reopened…

Britain will list on Monday the first foreign nationals to face asset freezes and visa bans for alleged human rights abuses under a new post-Brexit sanctions scheme that follows the 2012 U.S. Magnitsky Act. Foreign minister Dominic Raab has pressed for a tough sanctions regime, and the first names to be set out in parliament will be followed by further sanctions in the coming months under a “UK-only regime” after Britain left the European Union in January. “From today, the UK will have new powers to stop those involved in serious human rights abuses and violations from entering the UK,…