Mortgage rates cut below 4% as competition picks up
Major lenders Santander and Barclays have introduced mortgage deals below 4%, signalling increased competition in the sector. These offers follow expectations that the Bank of England will continue to cut interest rates, allowing lenders to lower borrowing costs. Currently, the average two-year fixed mortgage rate is 5.48%, and the five-year average is 5.29%, but further declines are expected as lenders adjust to market trends. 800,000 fixed-rate mortgages under 3% are set to expire annually until 2027, meaning many homeowners will still face higher monthly payments. However, with the Bank of England expected to cut rates further, experts predict continued mortgage rate reductions, offering relief to borrowers. Financial experts are advising homeowners to review their options and switch to better deals where possible. The Bank of England reports that the UK economy grew slightly, by 0.1% in the last quarter of 2024. See
Victims furious after CofE rejects full independent safeguarding
Sexual abuse survivors have reacted with anger and disappointment after the Church of England's General Synod rejected a move to full independent safeguarding, instead opting for a partially independent model. Survivors had urged the Church to transfer all safeguarding officers to an external independent body, removing bishop oversight, but Synod members delayed full independence, promising only 'further work' on the issue. Advocates condemned the decision, calling it a failure to restore trust and accusing the Church of 'marking their own homework'. Survivor advocate Andrew Graystone called the decision 'shocking arrogance'. The Church has faced multiple safeguarding scandals, leading to former Archbishop Justin Welby’s resignation. His temporary replacement, Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, admitted to past failures but defended the new model, calling it a step toward greater independence. Critics, however, see it as delaying much-needed reform and a betrayal of abuse victims.
Ukraine: Hegseth defends Trump’s phone call to Putin
US secretary of state Pete Hegseth has defended Donald Trump’s push for peace talks on Russia’s war in Ukraine, insisting it was not a betrayal of Kyiv. Speaking before a NATO meeting in Brussels, Hegseth emphasised the need for a negotiated peace but called Ukraine’s demands - restoring pre-2014 borders and NATO membership - ‘unrealistic’. Trump later confirmed he had spoken with Vladimir Putin, agreeing to initiate negotiations without prioritising territorial concerns or Ukraine’s NATO bid. European leaders voiced concern, fearing premature concessions could embolden Russia. Hegseth asked NATO allies to ramp up defence spending to 5%, a target the US itself does not reach. Volodymyr Zelensky, after speaking with Trump, reiterated his commitment to securing peace while ensuring Ukraine’s security. Questions remain over whether Moscow will accept a deal that meets Kyiv’s conditions. Trump’s advisers are set to meet Zelensky at the Munich security conference to discuss next steps.
Sweden: woman sentenced for war crimes against Yazidis
Lina Ishaq, a 52-year-old Swedish woman, has been sentenced to twelve years in prison for genocide and war crimes against Yazidis in Syria. She enslaved three Yazidi women and six children in Raqqa between 2014 and 2016, forcing them to wear veils, practise Islam, and endure physical abuse. This is Sweden’s first conviction related to IS crimes against Yazidis, a religious minority targeted for extermination. In 2014, IS launched a brutal campaign against them, killing 5,000 and enslaving thousands more. Ishaq, originally from Iraq, moved to Sweden as a child but later converted to Islam and joined IS in 2013. She fled to Turkey after IS collapsed and was extradited to Sweden in 2020. Sweden’s Yazidi community (numbering about 6,000) sees the conviction as a step toward justice, though Ishaq denies the charges and may appeal.
