UK house prices fall for first time in nearly three years, says Lloyds

UK house prices fall for first time in nearly three years, says Lloyds

The Guardian •

Average property cost £298,468 in August, down by 0.4% year on year owing to interest rates and uncertaintyBusiness live – latest updatesUK house prices have fallen for the first time in almost three years, as prospective buyers were squeezed by higher mortgage rates, geopolitical uncertainty and stretched affordability.Prices have dropped by 0.4% compared with a year ago, the first year-on-year d...

Live: Germany’s Merz 'deeply shocked' by far-right AfD's historic electoral victory

Live: Germany’s Merz 'deeply shocked' by far-right AfD's historic electoral victory

France 24 •

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the press on Monday that he was "deeply shocked" by the far-right AfD's historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt's state election a day earlier. The AfD is labelled a "right-wing extremist" group by Germany's domestic intelligence agency, and some of its staff are former members of a since-banned neo-Nazi organisation. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.

Live: Germany’s Merz is 'deeply shocked' by far-right AfD's historic electoral victory

Live: Germany’s Merz is 'deeply shocked' by far-right AfD's historic electoral victory

France 24 •

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the press on Monday that he was "deeply shocked" by the far-right AfD's historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt's state election a day earlier. The AfD is labelled a "right-wing extremist" group by Germany's domestic intelligence agency, and some of its staff are former members of a since-banned neo-Nazi organisation. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.

Live: Germany’s Merz speaks to the media after far-right AfD's historic win

Live: Germany’s Merz speaks to the media after far-right AfD's historic win

France 24 •

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz addresses the press on Monday after the far-right AfD won a historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt's state election a day earlier. The AfD is labelled a "right-wing extremist" group by Germany's domestic intelligence agency, and some of its staff are former members of a since-banned neo-Nazi organisation. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.

Live: Germany’s far-right AfD starts talks to form absolute majority

Live: Germany’s far-right AfD starts talks to form absolute majority

France 24 •

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on Monday said it had started talks with “individual parliamentary groups or individual MPs” to form an absolute majority in Saxony-Anhalt's parliament following yesterday's election victory. Germany's domestic intelligence agency classifies the AfD as an extremist group, and other parties have previously refused to work with it. Follow our liveblog for ...

Live: Victory of Germany's far-right AfD in state election 'very worrying', says Polish FM

Live: Victory of Germany's far-right AfD in state election 'very worrying', says Polish FM

France 24 •

​Poland's foreign minister ‌on Monday called Germany's far-right AfD party's victory "a very worrying sign" after the anti-migration party surged into first place in the Saxony-Anhalt state ‌elections. However, it was not immediately clear whether the Russia-friendly party would be able to form the country’s first far-right state government since World War II, as it fell just short of an absolute ...

Make home ownership a 5-year plan goal, Legco president says

Make home ownership a 5-year plan goal, Legco president says

SCMP •

Hong Kong authorities should make raising home ownership a goal in the city’s first five-year plan, Legislative Council president Starry Lee Wai-king has said, following a visit to a public housing estate with the housing minister. Lee said on Monday that it can be achieved by reviving a scheme that allows public housing tenants to buy their units and reserving subsidised homes for youth and middl...

Australia politics live: Coalition targets Labor over ‘plummeting’ Sydney house prices; two die in Queensland light plane crash

Australia politics live: Coalition targets Labor over ‘plummeting’ Sydney house prices; two die in Queensland light plane crash

The Guardian •

Follow the day’s news liveSign up for Guardian Australia’s Politics, really newsletter hereOne Nation has come up with a plan to give people their superannuation earlier, reducing the amount they’ll have at retirement in exchange for a current cash boost.Pauline Hanson says under their plan anyone paying rent or a mortgage can take up to a quarter of their super as a “pay boost” for up to three ye...

Australia politics live: Coalition targets Labor over ‘plummeting’ Sydney house prices; Two die in Queensland light plane crash

Australia politics live: Coalition targets Labor over ‘plummeting’ Sydney house prices; Two die in Queensland light plane crash

The Guardian •

Follow the day’s news liveSign up for Guardian Australia’s Politics, really newsletter hereOne Nation has come up with a plan to give people their superannuation earlier, reducing the amount they’ll have at retirement in exchange for a current cash boost.Pauline Hanson says under their plan anyone paying rent or a mortgage can take up to a quarter of their super as a “pay boost” for up to three ye...

Hong Kong a ‘trusted partner’ to drive Central Asia growth, city leader says

Hong Kong a ‘trusted partner’ to drive Central Asia growth, city leader says

SCMP •

Hong Kong is committed to being a “trusted partner” in driving Central Asia’s emergence as a global growth engine, according to the city’s leader, who hailed the substantial outcomes achieved since his landmark mission to the region. In a virtual appearance at the South China Morning Post’s China Conference: Central Asia 2026 held in Astana on Monday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said that a b...