Plus, can UK election meddling be linked to the Kremlin?
| | | | Boris Johnson's government will deliver its first Budget later - an update on the financial state of the nation and an outline of plans for taxation and spending going forward. The red box and House of Commons rowdiness come as standard, but this Budget is anything but normal. For one, the man actually doing the delivering is a rookie - Rishi Sunak has been chancellor for just four weeks after his predecessor quit. Here's a bit more about him. Secondly, this Budget is taking place during a global health crisis. As our economics editor Faisal Islam explains, the likely impact of coronavirus means economic forecasts written just a few weeks ago are already out of date. It also means Mr Sunak will spend plenty of his speech explaining how he hopes to mitigate that impact. That includes giving the NHS "whatever resources it needs" and offering help to individuals and businesses hit financially. The third thing to note, as BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg does, is that this Budget will bring a significant shift in levels of public spending. Indeed, it'll set out the highest sustained capital investment since the 1970s. The chancellor will also confirm plans to change the way he calculates the benefit of public spending to include how it spreads wealth around the country. Remember hearing the phrase "levelling up" a lot during the election? Well, this is the moment when the government hopes to show what that means. To prove that the Conservatives really do want to do more for those people in the North and Midlands who voted for them for the first time. Read our essential guide to the Budget or watch a run-down on Johnson-omics. | |
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| Incorrect use of menstrual cups could be resulting in some women suffering pelvic organ prolapse, the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme has been told. Menstrual cups fit into the vagina and collect period blood. Their popularity has grown recently, but they're not currently regulated in the UK and there's no safety testing. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy wants some manufacturers to include better safety advice to reduce risk. | |
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| | | | | Call it Mini Super Tuesday, or Super Tuesday: The Sequel. No matter the name, a week after Joe Biden surged into the front-runner position, he has consolidated his lead. The bottom line is the race for the Democratic nomination now appears to be firmly in his control. Four years ago, Michigan gave Bernie Sanders a surprise win - albeit a narrow, 49-48 one - breathing new life into a campaign that was struggling after Hillary Clinton dominated Super Tuesday. This time around, the Midwestern state could mark the beginning of the end for his campaign. | |
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| | Anthony Zurcher | BBC North America reporter | |
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| | | | The Budget and coronavirus collide on Wednesday's front pages. In the Daily Mail's words, this was to be the Budget which marked the end of austerity, but while that's still vital, the overriding imperative for now is to beat the disease. As the i puts it, Rishi Sunak has a simple task - "break glass, retrieve emergency measures". For the Daily Telegraph too, this is an emergency and requires an emergency response. In the Sun's view, the chancellor's priority must be to prevent firms going bust and the self-employed suffering hardships while off sick. Payment holidays, a VAT cut - whatever it takes, the paper says. Elsewhere, there are many pictures of deserted streets and tourist attractions in Italy. The Times says the decision on whether and when to introduce similar measures in the UK is inevitably one of political judgement and the choices Boris Johnson makes in the coming days will be critical. | |
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| | | Pell: Court hears cardinal's final bid for freedom |
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| If you listen to one thing today |
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| If you read one thing today |
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| | | Today: Decision due on a posthumous appeal seeking to overturn the conviction of Abdelbaset ali al-Megrahi over the Lockerbie bombing |
| | | | 21:00: Holders England play Spain in their final group game at the SheBelieves Cup |
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| | | | 1990 Lithuania becomes the first republic to declare independence from the Soviet Union - watch the celebrations. |
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| | | | . | | Please note that some features and content in this newsletter are only available to people in the UK. You can update your personal details including your postcode and email address in your account settings. Find out everything you need to know about using your BBC account, all in one place. BBC Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London W1A 1AA Copyright © 2019 BBC | |
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