Good evening. Foreign state control of British news organisations is to be outlawed, in a move by Rishi Sunak to block the attempted UAE-takeover of The Telegraph.
Elsewhere, Halifax is imposing a new 70-year age limit on thousands of homebuyers as banks seek to rein in risky mortgage lending.
Foreign state ownership of UK newspapers to be banned amid UAE Telegraph takeover bid
Ministers are expected to reveal an amendment to the Digital Markets Bill to rule out UK newspaper and periodical news magazine mergers involving ownership, influence or control by foreign states. The bid by RedBird IMI, a fund 75 per cent backed by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE vice president, would not be allowed by law.
Halifax to impose new age limit on thousands of older mortgage borrowers
The lender is reducing the maximum age at which it will allow many borrowers to say they intend to retire from 75 to 70 – meaning that in many cases it will not lend to someone older than this limit. It risks forcing thousands of borrowers to reduce the length of their terms in future, increasing their monthly mortgage payments as a result.
Rishi Sunak urged to ‘go long’ and call an autumn general election
Rishi Sunak “should go long” and call an autumn general election, members of the 1922 Committee executive have urged. Eighteen Conservative MPs on the ruling body of the backbench group held their termly meeting with the Prime Minister on Monday night, when some reportedly warned him against a snap poll in May.
Evening Briefing: Today’s essential headlines
Pret A Manger | The coffee and sandwich chain has launched an apparent crackdown on its coffee subscribers sharing free drinks with friends and colleagues.
Comment and analysis
Madeline Grant | The great university racket is a national scandal
Tom Harris | Labour has become the pro-abortion, pro-assisted dying party
Iain Duncan Smith | The Vatican needs a new strategy for dealing with dictators
Ambrose Evans-Pritchard | Nuclear fusion for the grid is coming much sooner than you think
Allison Pearson | It’s infuriating to watch the Covid Inquiry ignore damage caused by draconian lockdowns
The Live to 100 Exercise Plan
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Feature of the day
Kristen Stewart proves the no trousers look is here to stay
The Chanel ambassador is no stranger to shock fashion tactics – and she’s not the only one going knickers-only right now.
Business news: Metro Bank to end seven-day operation as it cuts 1,000 jobs
The high street lender, which was rescued in an emergency fundraising last October, will no longer open on Sundays as part of a £80m cost-cutting drive. Some stores will also shut on Saturdays, while early morning and late opening times will also be ditched.
Live markets news: Elon Musk’s Tesla is ‘growth company with no growth’
Editor’s choice
Food | Seven snacks that are healthier than you think
The King’s farming adviser | ‘Attenborough is wrong about livestock – it’s not the cow but the how’
Your view | Why Telegraph readers support Lee Anderson’s move to Reform UK