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UK Economy Grows 0.7% In First Quarter

Published

2 months ago

May 15, 2025

Britain’s economy grew more than expected in the first quarter, official data showed Thursday, covering the period before business tax hikes and US President Donald Trump’s tariffs blitz took effect.

Gross domestic product rose 0.7 percent in the January-to-March period after only growing slightly in the final quarter of last year, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement.

The data comes as a boost for the Labour government, which struggled to kickstart stagnant growth since it came into power in July.

UK finance minister Rachel Reeves welcomed the news saying the figures “show the strength and potential of the UK economy.”

But analysts cautioned that the bumper growth may not be sustained.

Thursday’s data covers the period before April’s introduction of a hike to a business tax laid out in the Labour government’s maiden budget in October.

It also precedes a baseline 10-percent tariff imposed on the UK and other countries by US President Donald Trump last month.

The growth spurt is “set to be short lived as tariffs take effect” said Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG UK.

Despite the announcement of a UK-US trade agreement last week, “tariffs on UK exports to the US remain significantly higher than what they were prior to April,” she added.

The US deal reduces tariffs on British cars and removes those on steel and aluminium, while in return Britain will open up markets to US beef and other farm products.

“Additionally, the indirect impact of trade tensions between the US and the EU will further constrain demand for UK exports,” Selfin said.

The data comes after the Bank of England last week cut its key interest rate by a quarter point to 4.25 percent as the threat of US tariffs starts to weigh on economic growth.

“The economy grew strongly in the first quarter of the year, largely driven by services, though production also grew significantly, after a period of decline,” said Liz McKeown, ONS director of economic statistics.

AFP

Headline

‘Harry Potter’ Stars Banned From Driving

Published

2 hours ago

July 16, 2025

Editor

Two stars of the “Harry Potter” films, including actress Emma Watson, were each banned from driving for six months Wednesday after being caught speeding in separate incidents.

Watson, 35, who played Hermione Granger, the friend of boy wizard Potter in the hugely popular movie franchise, was banned for driving at 38 miles (61 km) an hour in a 30-mile zone in southeastern Banbury last July.

Zoe Wanamaker, 76, who played Quidditch teacher Madame Hooch in “Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone”, was banned for six months for her offence.

She had been caught driving at 46 miles an hour in a 40-mile zone of the M4 motorway in southeastern Berkshire last August.

The cases were dealt with separately by a lower magistrates court in the town of High Wycombe.

Neither of the stars attended the hearings, at which they were each fined £1,044 ($1,400).

Watson, who was stopped while driving her blue Audi, has been studying at Oxford University. Her lawyer told the court that although she was a student “she is in a position to pay the fine”.

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10 Countries That Give Visas To Entrepreneurs

Published

2 hours ago

July 16, 2025

Editor

Being an entrepreneur has its perks, and one of them includes the benefits of getting visas from top nations in the world. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reports that over 40 countries now offer special startup visas to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses and expand globally.

A Start-Up Visa gives entrepreneurs from other countries the chance to build and grow their businesses in a new place, often in fields like tech, health, or clean energy. The idea is to bring in fresh talent and innovative ideas that can boost the local economy, create jobs, and solve real-world problems.

These visas usually last between 2 and 3 years and can open the door to permanent residency or even citizenship if the business does well and meets certain goals.

Here are 10 countries that offer visas to entrepreneurs.

Canada

Canada’s Start-Up Visa Program targets innovative entrepreneurs who can create jobs and compete globally. To qualify, applicants must secure support from a designated organisation like a venture capital fund and meet language and financial requirements. Successful applicants receive permanent residency from the start.

United Kingdom

The UK offers the Innovator founder visa, which replaced the old Start-Up and Innovator visas. It is aimed at entrepreneurs with innovative, scalable business ideas endorsed by an approved body. Applicants do not need investment funds upfront but must prove their idea is new and viable. It can lead to permanent residency after 3 years.

United States

While the US does not have a formal startup visa, the International Entrepreneur Parole program allows foreign founders of high-growth startups to stay in the US temporarily. Founders must show substantial funding from investors or government grants and the potential for job creation. It is not a direct path to a green card but can be a stepping stone.

Portugal

Portugal offers the Startup Visa for non-EU tech entrepreneurs who want to build innovative companies in the country. Applicants must be accepted into a certified incubator and show they plan to create jobs and meet minimum income or profit potential. It leads to residency with a path to citizenship after 5 years.

Singapore

Singapore’s EntrePass targets foreign founders launching venture-backed or innovative startups in sectors like tech, biotech, or sustainability. Applicants must be backed by a government-recognised incubator or VC. It is a renewable visa with the potential to apply for permanent residency through various local schemes.

Australia

Australia’s Business Innovation and Investment Visa Subclass 188 includes a Business Innovation Stream for start-ups. Applicants must show a viable business plan and access to funding. This visa can lead to permanent residency under the Subclass 888 visa.

Germany

Germany does not have a specific start-up visa, but entrepreneurs can apply for a self-employment visa if they present a strong business plan with economic benefit to Germany. Berlin especially is a hub for start-ups. After 3 years of successful business activity, permanent residency is possible.

Spain

Spain offers a startup visa under its Entrepreneur Law for non-EU founders with innovative business ideas. Applicants must prove the idea is of high economic interest and submit it to Spain’s trade and investment office for approval. It grants a residence permit and can lead to long-term stay and citizenship.

Ireland

Ireland’s Start-Up Entrepreneur Programme is for non-EU founders with high-potential start-ups, particularly in areas like tech or life sciences. Applicants must have a minimum of 50000 euros in funding and a scalable business idea. It offers a 2-year residency that can be extended and eventually lead to permanent residency.

France

France runs the French Tech Visa for Founders, which is part of its broader French Tech program. It targets foreign entrepreneurs with an innovative start-up idea backed by a recognised incubator or accelerator in France. It is a 4-year renewable residence permit and includes a fast track to bring family members too.

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Meta Cracks Down On Fake Accounts, Deletes 10 Million Profiles

Published

4 hours ago

July 16, 2025

Editor

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has intensified its campaign against inauthentic behaviour on its platforms, announcing the removal of over 10 million fake profiles and about 500,000 spam accounts in the first six months of 2025.

The company said the move is part of a broader initiative to combat impersonation, fake engagement and content duplication — a strategy aimed at prioritising originality and ensuring that genuine creators are more visible across the platform.

Meta explained that accounts found to be reposting or recycling content without permission or meaningful edits will face consequences, including reduced reach and loss of access to monetisation tools.

“We’re making progress. In the first half of 2025, we took action on around 500,000 accounts engaged in spammy behaviour or fake engagement. We also removed about 10 million profiles impersonating large content producers,” Meta said in a blog post on Monday.

The company said repeated sharing of unoriginal content — including videos, photos, or text — diminishes the platform’s integrity by drowning out authentic voices and making it difficult for new creators to gain traction.

To support legitimate creators, Meta is rolling out new tools that automatically trace reposted content back to its original source. The company says this will help elevate authentic content and ensure credit goes to the rightful owners.

“Pages and profiles that post mostly original content tend to enjoy wider distribution across Facebook. Simply stitching clips together or adding a watermark will no longer count as meaningful editing. Content that provides real value and tells an authentic story is likely to perform better,” Meta stated.

The company also cautioned against uploading content that carries watermarks from other platforms, saying such posts could result in penalties like reduced distribution or removal of monetisation privileges.

As part of the latest update, Meta has introduced post-level insights on the Professional Dashboard, allowing creators to track the performance of individual posts. Creators can also check their Support Home screen to determine if their content or earnings face potential restrictions.

In a parallel move, Google’s YouTube has issued an update to its monetisation guidelines, announcing that content deemed mass-produced or excessively repetitive will no longer qualify for ad revenue.

The policy update initially caused confusion online, with some creators interpreting it as a clampdown on AI-generated content. However, YouTube later clarified that this is not the case.

“We welcome creators using AI tools to enhance their storytelling, and channels that use AI in their content remain eligible to monetise,” YouTube said in a statement.

Both tech giants say these changes are designed to raise content standards and strengthen protections for creators in an increasingly competitive digital ecosystem.