Finance

Santander has announced it will buy British bank TSB for £2.65 billion, raising fresh concerns about job losses and branch closures across the UK. Santander is expected to close the deal in early 2026. TSB will be absorbed into Santander UK’s current operations and become the third largest provider in the UK of personal accounts. TSB employs around 5,000 people …

FROM the palaces of Spain to the cathedrals of colonial Mexico and the revivalist flair of early 20th-century California, the Churrigueresque style dazzled with theatrical excess and sculptural extravagance – a brief but unforgettable flourish in architectural history. It doesn’t matter if you find the style to be beautiful or hideous. From about 1680 until 1750, this extremely intricate design …

Handshake close up with flags of Ukraine and the European Union in background. Ukraine will join the EU roaming zone in 2026. Credit: Ground Picture, Shutterstock From January 2026, Ukraine is set to make history as the first non-EU country to join the European Union’s ‘Roam Like at Home’ (RLAH) area, allowing Ukrainians to call, text, and browse the internet …

To stay competitive, small businesses and independent contractors need the best tools. For this reason, the Spanish Government has created the Kit Digital programme. This initiative offers financial support to small companies and autónomos (self-employed workers) so they can invest in digital tools and equipment that improve their business operations. Kit Digital – What is it and who can apply …

He’s a real painter!’: AI lovers and their boyfriends implode during a bizarre couples getaway. Credit: Kiselev Andrey Valerevich, Shutterstock In what is quite possibly the maddest news of 2025, a group of humans took their chatbots on a cosy couples’ weekend — only to end up trapped in an emotional horror show. It was even more Black Mirror More …

Silhouette showing a hand with a smartphone holding it in front of the European Union flag (EU). Credit: James Lovering, Shutterstock Are you planning a European vacation? Travellers may be hit with unexpected roaming fees that can ruin your budget. Learn which networks charge and who still offers free EU-wide roaming. UK tourists face surprise phone bills in Europe — …

Image of a black mobile phone box. The IMEI is visible on a white sticker. Credit: Shutterstock You’re exposing your Phone to crooks if you keep this sticker on — experts explain why! That cryptic string of numbers on your phone’s sticker isn’t random gibberish — it’s the IMEI, or International Mobile Equipment Identity, the unique code that makes your …

The British couple’s dream to transform a slice of sun-drenched paradise in Spain into a feline sanctuary has been put off after squatters refused the leave the property which they bought with local government approval. Chris Hicks, 47, a removal company surveyor from the UK, snapped up a three-bedroom house with 6,000 square metres of land in Inca, Mallorca, for …

Frontex unveils ‘passport in your pocket’ app to dodge border queues – but will it fly? Credit: Zephyr_p, Shutterstock Europe’s EES ‘passport in your pocket’ starts, letting non-EU travellers upload passport details and selfies before even landing. Frontex is bringing digital to Europe Travel to Europe App lets non-EU travelers upload selfies and passport details before landing. What is the …

Scammers use AI technology and unidentified numbers in Spain to impersonate loved ones. Credit : tete_escape, Shutterstock Why family codewords are your best defence against phone scams… This story is becoming more and more common: Your phone buzzes with a WhatsApp message or an SMS from someone you “love” asking urgently for money. Or, you get a call that sounds …