Author: CorruptionLedger

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced plans to ease British mortgage lending rules, aiming to help more people buy homes. The regulator is preparing to review and potentially relax stress-testing requirements that assess borrowers’ ability to handle higher interest rates. Additionally, the FCA will launch a public debate in June on the mortgage market, focusing on risk appetite, affordability testing, product innovation, lending to older borrowers, and consumer information needs. A consultation in May will explore ways to simplify remortgaging,…

The Trump administration plans to reduce the Department of Veterans Affairs workforce by around 72,000 employees, from approximately 470,000 to 398,000. Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins stated that the cuts would not impact veterans’ healthcare or benefits, and the department would continue hiring for essential roles. Collins emphasized that this move was part of efforts to make the department more efficient and transparent. The cuts are expected to take place in August. The American Federation of Government Employees, representing over…

Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) criticized the General Services Administration’s (GSA) plan to sell hundreds of federal properties, though a U.S. News article mistakenly attributed his comments to Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.). The GSA initially listed about 440 federal buildings, totaling nearly 80 million square feet, for sale as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce government size and spending. However, following backlash from workers, officials, and others, the GSA paused the sales and removed the listings from its website….

Beijing’s 7.2% increase in its military budget this week follows tense rhetoric from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, who responded to the US’s new 10% tariffs by stating China was ready to fight any kind of war the US provoked. Though Lin later softened the language, the message remained clear: China is prepared for conflict if its interests are harmed. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also indicated the US was ready for war. This exchange is happening during China’s “Two…

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that the bravery of British soldiers who died in Iraq and Afghanistan will never be forgotten, responding to US Vice-President JD Vance’s controversial remark suggesting Britain hadn’t fought a war in 40 years. Vance’s comments, made during a Fox News interview, sparked outrage when he implied that countries like Britain and France lacked recent wartime experience and questioned their ability to provide meaningful security guarantees for Ukraine. British media and commentators criticized Vance, with…

The following article is from a Russian news source, Tass, which is controlled by the Russian Government. China’s DeepSeek has transformed the global market of artificial intelligence (AI) and has put the leadership of the US in this sphere at jeopardy, the Foreign Affairs magazine said. According to its estimates, DeepSeek is paving the way for China to dominate in the global AI market. The technology of artificial intelligence may create an edge in the military sector, which further emphasizes…

The following article is from a Russian news source, Tass, which is controlled by the Russian Government. /TASS/. A car rammed into pedestrians in Israel, leaving 14 people injured, the Ynet news website reported. The incident happened at a bus stop outside the city of Pardes Hanna. One of the casualties, a 17-year-old girl, is in critical condition. Two more people are in serious condition and another person in medium-severity condition. The others suffered light injuries. The police classified the…

The following article is from a Russian news source, Tass, which is controlled by the Russian Government. CAIRO, February 27. /TASS/. Israel’s unwillingness to leave a section on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt – the so-called Philadelphia Corridor – violates the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, said the Palestinian movement Hamas demanding that the mediators force Israel “to fulfill all the terms of the deal.” “The statements that Israel plans to turn the border between Gaza and Egypt…

The following article is from a Russian news source, Tass, which is controlled by the Russian Government. MOSCOW, February 21. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Deputy CEO of Gazprombank Dmitry Zauers that the company should partner with billionaire entrepreneur and the current head of the Department of Government Efficiency Elon Musk to develop technology. Zauers told the Russian President about domestically-produced batteries used in aerospace applications and neurochips. They are “our answer to Elon Musk,” the banker said,…

The following article is from a Russian news source, Tass, which is controlled by the Russian Government. BUDAPEST, February 21. /TASS/. Hungary suggests that European liberals stand down and let Russia and the United States negotiate a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine, said Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. “We consider any proposal that could interfere with the upcoming US-Russian agreement to be extremely harmful. We consider any proposal that goes against peace efforts to be harmful and dangerous,…

The following article is from a Russian news source, Tass, which is controlled by the Russian Government. MOSCOW, February 19. /TASS/. Russia addressed the issue of its diplomatic property located in the US during negotiations with the American delegation in Riyadh, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated. “We handed over a list of issues which should be resolved with regard to the work of our diplomatic representatives. Among these problems is, of course, the property issue,” Russia’s top diplomat said…

The following article is from a Russian news source, Tass, which is controlled by the Russian Government. MOSCOW, February 19. /TASS/. Guccio Gucci, an Italian company, filed the Gucci trademark with the Russian Federal Intellectual Property Service, according to the authority’s data. The application was submitted on June 2, 2023, and the state registration was completed on February 18, 2025. The trademark holder is Guccio Gucci, based in Florence. The trademark was approved under the International Classification of Goods and…

The following article is from a Russian news source, Tass, which is controlled by the Russian Government. RIYADH, February 18. /TASS/. Moscow and Washington have agreed to appoint their ambassadors as soon as possible, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after a meeting with senior US officials in Riyadh. He expanded on the agreements that were reached during the talks. “The first one, and probably the most pressing and difficult one, is to ensure the soonest appointment of the Russian…

The following article is from a Russian news source, Tass, which is controlled by the Russian Government. ROME, February 18. /TASS/. The United States made it clear at the Munich Conference that America no longer wants to play big brother to Europe, distancing itself from any kind of leadership role on the continent, Tiberio Graziani, the president of the International Institute for Global Analyses Vision & Global Trends, told TASS. In his view, the Munich forum highlighted the inherent contradictions…

The following article is from a Russian news source, Tass, which is controlled by the Russian Government. MOSCOW, February 15. /TASS/. Europe will “forgive and swallow with disgust” the criticism from US Vice President JD Vance, according to Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council. Medvedev noted that Vance is “a brave guy, though still an inexperienced vice president.” The previous day, Vance, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, criticized EU commissioners for censorship, stating that Europe was…