Tag: costs
The costs of Israel’s longest war, for Israelis
By Daniel Estrin , Itay Stern This story is part of NPR’s coverage of two years since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and the ongoing war in Gaza. For more reporting, analysis and different views of the conflict, go to npr.org/mideastupdates. JERUSALEM — On a street named Gaza lives Israeli Prime…
‘A donkey cart out of El Fasher costs more than a new car’: how 500 days under siege is tearing the city apart
The ongoing attacks on North Darfur’s capital has left its people facing starvation, blockade and bombardment, with scant hope of relief Special report: ‘We will never, ever escape’: inside the ever-tightening siege of the Sudanese city of El Fasher For 17 months, since May 2024, El Fasher, North Darfur’s capital, has been trapped in one…
Urgent review ordered into asylum seeker taxi costs after BBC investigation
The home secretary has ordered an urgent review into the use and cost of taxis to transfer asylum seekers from their hotels to appointments. The move by Shabana Mahmood follows a BBC investigation that found some migrants having to travel long distances on journeys costing hundreds of pounds. One asylum seeker told the BBC he…
UK borrowing costs hit 27-year high adding to pressure on Reeves
UK government long-term borrowing costs have reached their highest level since 1998, adding to the pressure on the chancellor ahead of the Budget. The interest rate on 30-year government bonds, known as the yield, jumped to 5.698%, making it more expensive for the government to borrow money. There are rising expectations that Chancellor Rachel Reeves…
Walmart says tariff costs are rising ‘each week’ and will continue
Alina Selyukh Walmart says it’s been able to mitigate many of the tariff costs so far, but they are rising “each week” and will continue to do so through the rest of the year. The world’s largest retailer — like many others, including Home Depot and Target — has had to raise prices on some…
The hidden costs of cutting Medicaid
By Emily Crawford With the passage of the big Republican tax and spending bill, the federal government is poised to reduce support for Medicaid and the insurance marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that these cuts could cause 10 million Americans to lose health insurance by 2034. Lawmakers have…
UN holds emergency talks over sky-high accommodation costs at Cop30 in Brazil
Concerns poorer countries could be priced out of negotiations in Belém as room rates soar amid shortage The UN climate bureau has held an urgent meeting about concerns that sky-high rates for accommodation at this year’s Cop30 summit in Brazil could price poorer countries out of the negotiations. Brazil is preparing to host Cop30 this…
How Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act Will Raise Energy Costs, Carbon Emissions
Higher Bills, Hotter Planet: What Trump’s Megabill Means for You Household energy expenses will rise, as will greenhouse gas emissions, as a result of the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act By Benjamin Storrow & E&E News Join Our Community of Science Lovers! CLIMATEWIRE | The sweeping budget bill signed by President Donald Trump…
Kenya tells tea factories to cut ties with Rainforest Alliance due to costs
Government says ethical certification is adding financial strain on smallholders rather than being paid by customers The Kenyan government has told its tea factories to stop working with the Rainforest Alliance because it says the costs involved in securing the ethical label don’t add up for farmers. The non-profit organisation is one of the world’s…
Reeves confirms 15% cut to Civil Service running costs
Government running costs will be cut by 15% by the end of the decade, the chancellor has promised. Rachel Reeves told the BBC savings would be made from back office and administrative roles rather than front-line services. But unions warned the impact of cuts would still be felt by the public. It comes ahead of…
Kylie Jenner Paying Funeral Costs of Hairstylist Jesus Guerrero
Kylie Jenner will pay for funeral costs and other expenses for her late friend and hairstylist Jesus Guerrero after his unexpected death at 34, according to multiple outlets. Kylie Jenner is stepping in to support the family of her late hairstylist. After Jesus Guerrero died unexpectedly at the age of 34, the Kardashians star plans…
The Hidden Costs of Men’s Social Isolation
Opinion The Hidden Costs of Men’s Social Isolation When men suffer social isolation, women may pay the price, too By Angelica Puzio Ferrara & Dylan Vergara edited by Daisy Yuhas Men are struggling—at least, that’s what many headlines suggest. Compared with women, they report having fewer and less supportive friendships. Men lag behind dramatically in…
Trump Spending Freeze on Rural Electric Co-ops Could Raise Energy Costs
Trump Spending Freeze on Rural Electric Co-ops Could Raise Energy Costs Billions of dollars for rural electric cooperatives are stuck in limbo as the Department of Agriculture continues the Trump administration’s funding freeze, despite federal court orders By Adam Aton & E&E News Electric co-ops have seen their funding frozen as the Trump administration halts…
Reeves vows action on growth amid rising debt costs
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has pledged to go “further and faster” to improve economic growth after market turbulence saw the cost of servicing UK debt rise. The last few days have seen pressures on the public finances increase, after government borrowing costs hit their highest level for several years. Conservative shadow chancellor Mel Stride called it…
Fears over UK borrowing costs as US jobs figures prompt stock market volatility
Pound falls against the dollar and bond yields rise amid concerns over high UK inflation and interest rates Concerns over the UK government’s borrowing costs were revived on Friday after stronger-than expected US jobs figures triggered volatile conditions in global financial markets. In an accelerating global bond market sell-off, investors warned that the UK was…
Reeves mulls deeper cuts to public services as borrowing costs soar
Chancellor could slash departmental spending in spring after ruling out tax increase, officials reveal Rachel Reeves is considering imposing steeper cuts to public services to repair the government’s finances after a bruising week in which investors drove up the cost of UK borrowing and pushed the pound to a 14-month low. Government officials have told…
Guantánamo Bay Explained: The Costs, the Captives and Why It’s Still Open
Trump Investigations Just 15 men remain at the prison, down from hundreds when it opened 23 years ago. But the costly operation could go on for years. By Carol Rosenberg Carol Rosenberg has been covering the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, since the first detainees were brought there on Jan. 11, 2002. She first reported…
What rising borrowing costs could mean for Labour’s economic plan
Nothing has been more important to the Labour Party under Sir Keir Starmer than economic credibility. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has set out clear fiscal rules, such as getting debt falling as a share of national income by the end of this parliament, and she has made sticking to these rules a crucial test of the…
Why are UK borrowing costs rising and what does it mean for me?
Government borrowing costs have been steadily rising in recent months, and have now hit their highest levels for several years. Why is this happening and how does it affect you? A bond is a bit like an IOU that can be traded in the financial markets. Governments generally spend more than they raise in tax…
Pound falls as borrowing costs rise to highest since 2008
The pound has fallen to its lowest level for nine months after UK government borrowing costs continued to rise. The drop came as UK 10-year borrowing costs surged to their highest level since the 2008 financial crisis when bank borrowing almost ground to a halt. Economists have warned the rising costs could lead to further…
Rising costs force ‘difficult choices’ on schools
Head teachers say they face “difficult choices” over what their schools can afford, as a new report says they could be forced into further cuts next year. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) says costs will outpace funding for schools in 2025-26. Schools say that means they will struggle to fund the government’s proposed pay…
Faisal Islam: Soaring UK borrowing costs are a problem for Rachel Reeves
Economists have warned that the government is “on course” to miss its own Budget borrowing targets after interest rates for UK long-term borrowing rose to their highest levels this century. The official forecaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility will start the process of updating its forecast next month, to be presented to parliament in late…
UK long-term borrowing costs at highest since 1998 amid fears over weak growth
Yield rises above peak reached when Liz Truss’s mini-budget in 2022 caused turmoil in markets The UK government’s long-term borrowing costs have reached the highest level since 1998 amid investor concerns over Britain’s sluggish growth prospects and stubbornly high inflation. The yield – in effect the interest rate – on UK 30-year government debt rose…
Give working parents help with childcare and commuting costs, UK thinktank says
Child poverty plan must address the 70% of families with at least one parent in work, Resolution Foundation says Labour must offer extra support to working parents, including with childcare and commuting, if it is to fulfil its promise of cutting child poverty, the Resolution Foundation thinktank has argued. The government’s manifesto promised an “ambitious…