Your Local Information Microportal

1. How to handle a colleague you dislike. Handling a colleague you dislike can be tricky, but it's important to approach the situation with professionalism, emotional intelligence, and a focus on the work environment. Here are some strategies to help you manage the relationship: READ MORE

2. Europe’s most congested city. According to the INRIX 2024 Global Traffic Scorecard, drivers in London endured an average of 101 hours in traffic last year, making it Europe’s most congested city ahead of Paris (97 hours) and Dublin (81 hours). Globally, Istanbul, New York City and Chicago topped the list, while Brussels, Rome, Warsaw, Ljubljana and Galway also featured in Europe's 10 cities impacted by traffic delays. Delays in the UK capital have risen steadily in the last few years driven by roadworks and increasing population density. The resulting congestion costs the city £3.85bn (€4.63bn) annually. The Independent

3. Politics in focus. If an election were held tomorrow, Reform UK would win 120 seats, according to a mega poll of 17,000 voters by Stonehaven, with Labour taking 278, the Conservatives 157, the Liberal Democrats 47, and the SNP 24. The further poll by More in Common, also revealed that British adults view three of Labour’s decisions as worse for the party than Partygate was for the Tories: winter fuel allowance cuts (51% versus 16%), changing inheritance tax on farms (36% versus 24%), and not compensating Waspi women for pension changes (31% versus 22%). Moreover, just 52% of eligible adults voted in the general election in 2024, the lowest proportion since universal suffrage was introduced. Editor

4. Companies will increase prices to compensate for rising costs and taxes. More than half of companies are planning to raise prices over the next three months as they face pressure from rising costs and taxes, according to the British Chambers of Commerce. A survey of nearly 5,000 firms found that confidence had fallen to its lowest level for two years. Two-thirds of companies said they were worried about taxes following the Budget, which included a rise in national insurance contributions paid by firms from April. Official data shows that the economy flatlined between July and September last year and contracted during October. Daily Mail

5. It's never too late to reach a goal. Demi Moore's acceptance speech at this year's Golden Globes – where the 62-year-old collected her first acting award for her comeback performance in the body horror film The Substance – is being hailed as a reminder that success can come at any age: "Just know you will never be enough, but you can know the value of your worth if you just put down the measuring stick." Columnists have been discussing Moore's win, many sharing their own experiences of achieving goals later on in their careers, from starting new businesses to completing further studies. What have you achieved later in life that you're proud of? Please share your thoughts in our latest poll. VOTE HERE

6. The Great Resignation 2.0. The coming months could see the emergence of a "Great Resignation 2.0" in Europe, as factors such as return to office orders drive more employees – particularly younger ones – to leave their jobs. Millennials, often seen as "consumers of the workplace", are more likely to job hop and less engaged in work than previous generations, according to a Gallup survey. This is attributed, in part, to the fact that millennial workers graduated into the financial crisis and 10 years later Covid happened. A shift from long-term to short-term capitalism has also exacerbated the situation, leading to increased tension and dissatisfaction. The Guardian

7. Morning coffee could help the heart. Drinking coffee in the morning is more beneficial than having a cup later in the day, research has found. In a study of 40,000 people over 10 years, those who drank coffee in the morning were 16% less likely to die of any cause and a third less likely to die from heart disease than participants who didn't consume coffee at all. However the risk reduction for heart disease was not evident in people who drank coffee throughout the day. Coffee drinkers who had a cup in the morning, along with two to three cups later in the day saw the biggest impact. There was a lesser impact for participants who only had one cup in the morning. BBC

8. Amazon eyes UK satellite broadband. Amazon plans to launch a satellite broadband service in the UK in the next two years through its Project Kuiper subsidiary. The initiative involves launching 3,000 small satellites into low-Earth orbit, positioning Amazon to compete with SpaceX's Starlink service. Low-Earth orbit satellites, operating less than 1,000km from the planet's surface, can provide continuous coverage without the delays associated with traditional geostationary satellites at 35,000km. Starlink currently leads the market with 6,000 satellites in orbit and 4 million customers globally, including significant usage in Ukraine. Sunday Telegraph

9. UK electricity cleanest ever in 2024. The UK’s electricity was the cleanest it has ever been in 2024, an analysis by the climate and energy website Carbon Brief has found. Its assessment showed that in the past decade, the UK has more than halved electricity generated from coal and gas and doubled its output from renewables. Carbon dioxide pollution for each unit of electricity has fallen to 124kg per kilowatt hour, down more than two-thirds since 2014, the report said, while the total electricity generated from clean energy sources reached a record 58% last year. The Guardian

10. The bottom line. The pound has sunk to its lowest level against the dollar since November 2023. The slide comes as UK long-term borrowing costs surged to their highest level since the 2008 financial crisis, amid fears from investors about the government’s heavy borrowing needs. Financial Times