Author: Justin M. Larson

Vaping products are already subject to 20% VAT but, unlike tobacco, they do not attract a separate additional tax.As part of the Autumn Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that a vaping products duty will start on 1 October 2026.It will be charged at a flat rate of £2.20 per 10ml vaping liquid. At the same time, tobacco duty will be increased to preserve the financial incentive to switch to vaping. Source link

Iran’s foreign minister has threatened to end all talks with European officials over its nuclear programme after Peter Mandelson, the UK ambassador to Washington, appeared to side with US calls to eliminate Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities.It was not clear if Lord Mandelson’s remarks during a question and answer session at the Atlantic Council in Washington revealed an unannounced change in UK policy or if, in seeking to side with Donald Trump, he had spoken in a way to allow misinterpretation.After five rounds of talks between Iran and the US mediated by Oman, the two sides remain at loggerheads over Iran’s…

Google Photos is being overhauled with more AI features that help users quickly edit their images without requiring advanced skills or professional apps. The redesigned Photos editor puts several AI editing tools — including two generative AI Magic Editor features that were only available on Pixel devices — in one place, alongside helpful suggestions on which tool to use.With this update, Google Photos is expanding the availability of AI-powered automatic framing and text-to-image Reimagine features that debuted on the Pixel 9. The Auto Frame tool, located in the top left of the redesigned editor, suggests different compositions that crop or…

NEW DELHI: Civil defence mock drills scheduled on Thursday in the states bordering Pakistan were postponed by the authorities citing “administrative reasons.”This comes hours after mock drills under the name of Operation Shield were scheduled for states including Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir.“It is hereby intimated that the civil defence exercise ‘Operation Shield’, which was planned to be held on 29.05.2025, is hereby postponed due to administrative reasons,” Gujarat, Haryana, and Rajasthan information departments said in a circular.”It is requested that necessary directions to all the controllers of civil defence and other stakeholders may be issued accordingly.…

A charismatic figure in the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, he opened a synagogue in South Florida, unifying the Jewish community there, and founded the Aleph Institute. Source link

A bumper wheat harvest in India is replenishing government stockpiles at a rapid pace, easing fears that the country would need to import wheat for the first time since 2017. This turnaround could weigh on global wheat prices, which have already seen a sharp decline from 2022 peaks.India, the world’s second-largest wheat producer, had banned exports in 2022 and extended the curb through 2023 and 2024 after extreme heat damaged crops and depleted reserves. This sparked speculation of impending imports. However, early signs from this year’s procurement season suggest India is on track to meet domestic needs comfortably.”After barely scraping…

Rekha’s journey into Indian cinema began due to financial struggles, not passion, after her father, Gemini Ganesan, left the family. Growing up without his presence, she entered acting to support her siblings. Despite a challenging childhood, Rekha found solace in her mother’s stories and later found a father figure in filmmaker Mohan Sehgal, shaping her iconic career. Rekha, now a celebrated icon of Indian cinema with over 180 films to her credit, had a difficult start. She entered acting not out of passion, but due to financial struggles after her father left the family.A Shy Child with a Complex Family…

Covid inquiryProf Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director at NHS England, was giving evidence to the Covid inquiry in west London.The most senior doctor in NHS England has said he was “personally terrified” that hospitals could have been overwhelmed in the early stages of the pandemic.Prof Sir Stephen Powis told the Covid inquiry officials had drawn up a draft document advising whose care should be prioritised if the NHS found itself unable to cope with the surge in patients.The ‘Covid-19 decision tool’ assigned points based on a patient’s age, frailty and underlying conditions. A high score meant they might not…

Riot police in the Polish city of Wroclaw deployed a water cannon on Chelsea and Real Betis supporters after trouble broke out before the Uefa Conference League final.The two sets of supporters were involved in clashes on Tuesday night, leading to some Spaniards being detained, and on Wednesday afternoon. The atmosphere in the city centre was tense in the hours before the game, with police and officers in military clothing deployed to restore order after clashes in bars near the market square. There were 28 arrests made.Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, warned supporters that police would be “even more…

The current incarnation of Google Photos was not Google’s first image management platform, but it’s been a big success. Ten years on, Google Photos remains one of Google’s most popular products, and it’s getting a couple of new features to celebrate its 10th year in operation. You’ll be able to share albums a bit more easily, and editing tools are getting a boost with, you guessed it, AI. Google Photos made a splash in 2015 when it broke free of the spiraling Google+ social network, offering people supposedly unlimited free storage for compressed images. Of course, that was too good…

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed he asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay any military action against Iran amid ongoing nuclear negotiations.”Well, I’d like to be honest, yes I did,” Trump said when asked if he had told Netanyahu in a call last week not to take any action that could disrupt Washington’s talks with Tehran.Pressed on what he told the Israeli Prime Minister, Trump replied: “I just said I don’t think it’s appropriate, we’re having very good discussions with them.”He added: “I told him this would be inappropriate to do right now because we’re very close…

India’s power demand is projected to grow by 6.0–6.5 per cent annually over the next five years, driven by accelerating electric vehicle (EV) adoption, rapid expansion of data centres, and the development of green hydrogen projects, according to ICRA.“These three segments are expected to contribute to 20–25 per cent of the incremental demand over the next five-year period from FY2026 to FY2030,” said Vikram V, Vice President & Co-Group Head – Corporate Ratings, ICRA, quoted by ANI. However, he also claimed that this rising demand for grid capacity could be partially offset by the increasing uptake of rooftop solar and…

Sooraj Pancholi opened up about his parents’ marriage, while Triptii Dimri celebrated her new film role with a luxury car purchase. Dino Morea faced scrutiny in the Mithi River case, and Tamannaah Bhatia seemingly backed Deepika Padukone amidst film industry controversy. Nana Patekar declined a significant role in SS Rajamouli’s upcoming epic film due to character unsuitability. Lights, camera, headlines! Today’s entertainment scene served up a mix of glitz, gossip, and big reveals. From Sooraj Pancholi talking about mom Zarina Wahab not divorcing dad Aditya Pancholi despite his affairs, Triptii Dimri flexing her new Porsche worth Rs 2 crore to…

Covid inquiryBoris Johnson’s government blocked a request to fund another 10,000 hospital beds at the height of the Covid pandemic, the chief executive of NHS England has said.Amanda Pritchard told the UK Covid-19 Inquiry the decision, made by the Treasury in July 2020, had been “very disappointing”.Extra beds and staff would have been used to cut waiting lists for planned care and “build resilience” going into a second winter wave of the pandemic, she said.The government has said it cannot comment while the inquiry is in progress.Health ministers from the time are expected to give evidence later this month, to…

Vitamin F is a term used to refer to two essential fatty acids: Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and Linoleic acid (LA). These belong to the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid families, respectively. They are not actually vitamins but micronutrients. These are not produced in the body and need to be obtained from diet sources.Why vitamin F is important for skin healthThey are helpful in body functioning. In skin, it improves barrier function and prevents dryness of hair and skin. Skin barrier is broken in almost all skin diseases, therefore, they are an important adjuvant to treatment. They also have anti-inflammatory properties…

A dominant first half secured victory for New South Wales in the State of Origin opener 18-6, leaving the Maroons with a huge task to claim the shield as the series shifts away from Queensland.The Maroons have now lost two games in a row at Suncorp Stadium for the first time since 1997, having also lost last year’s decider. Indeed, the margin of victory for the favourites should have been greater were it not for struggles by Blues’ kickers Nathan Cleary and Zac Lomax, who went one from five.NSW captain Isaah Yeo said team “handled well” uncertainty in the lead-up…

A standalone spin-off from FromSoftware’s incredibly successful yet mostly single-player dark role-playing game Elden Ring, the multiplayer-oriented Elden Ring Nightreign is a curious beast, often feeling like an amalgamation of several different experiences all at once.Each session begins with players, either solo or in teams of three, dropping into a small but dense world, working to urgently gain as much strength as possible as a rapidly closing ring tightens around them – a very Fortnite experience. Rather than other players, they fight a variety of monsters and explore locations lifted directly from the Elden Ring universe. After each match, they…

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called Ghulam Nabi Azad to check on his health after the senior leader was admitted to a hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during the ongoing all-party MP delegation tour.PM Modi wished Azad a speedy recovery, as he recuperates in Kuwait a day after he was hospitalised due to extreme heat.Earlier on Tuesday, Azad shared an update on his condition:”Blessed to share that despite the extreme heat in Kuwait affecting my health, by God’s grace I’m doing fine and recovering well. All test results are normal. Thank you all for your concern and…

Jeanine Pirro was officially sworn in as interim U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., during a high-profile Oval Office ceremony on Wednesday. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi administered the oath of office, with President Donald Trump in attendance.

PayPal Payments Pvt Ltd, the Indian arm of global fintech major PayPal Holdings Inc, has received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to function as a Payment Aggregator for Cross-Border Exports (PA-CB-E), the company announced on Tuesday.The regulatory approval marks a significant development in PayPal’s India operations and reinforces its role in enabling secure cross-border payment solutions for Indian exporters. With this move, PayPal aims to support Indian small businesses and freelancers in accessing approximately 200 international markets more efficiently, PTI reported.”The in-principle PA-CB-E approval by RBI is a significant milestone for PayPal. It reflects the strength…

Anushka Sharma was seen supporting Virat Kohli during the RCB vs LSG match, celebrating RCB’s victory with flying kisses. A photo circulating online shows the couple posing with RCB’s Mohit Rathee. RCB achieved a historic away record, winning all seven away games. Recently, Virat and Anushka visited Ayodhya’s Hanuman Garhi temple and Vrindavan, seeking blessings. Anushka Sharma was spotted cheering for husband Virat Kohli during the RCB vs LSG match. After RCB’s victory, the couple shared a sweet moment, blowing flying kisses at each other. A new photo now doing the rounds on social media shows Anushka and Virat posing…

The NHS in England came within “six or seven hours” of running out of gowns and other protective equipment during the Covid pandemic, Matt Hancock has said.The former health secretary was giving evidence for the third time at the Covid inquiry, about the impact on healthcare systems.He stated there was never a “national shortage” of PPE for healthcare workers but “in some places, they did run out – and it was awful”.Asked about reports that some nurses had to wear binbags early in the Covid crisis, he said the NHS needed to “learn the lessons of what went wrong” and…

Amidst rumors of her departure from a film project, Deepika Padukone captivated attention at a Cartier event in Stockholm. She showcased a striking red Ashi Studio gown, complemented by Cartier’s Pavocelle necklace featuring a stunning 58.08 carat sapphire. While rumours swirled around her departure from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit, Deepika Padukone was busy making waves thousands of miles away in Stockholm. The global icon jetted off to Sweden to attend a glamorous soirée hosted by Cartier, where the luxury maison unveiled its latest high jewellery collection, En Équilibre. Amid a sea of international stars, it was Deepika who stole the…

Mark Nebel, who took early retirement after Doge cuts made his job ‘impossible’, at the San Francisco Peaks, which contain Arizona’s tallest mountains. Photograph: John Burcham/The GuardianThrowing up his hands in disgust and abruptly resigning was not how Mark Nebel envisioned he would end his long career with the National Park Service. He loved his job at the Grand Canyon, where he had worked for 15 years.As manager of the park’s geosciences program, Nebel, 68, oversaw efforts to protect its geology and paleontology as well as monitoring water sources, air quality and the effects of climate change. He had planned…