In the headlines
The Chancellor has announced the biggest shake-up of banking rules for three decades. Jeremy Hunt says his 30-point growth plan will “review, repeal and replace” legislation imposed after the 2008 financial crash, including laws forcing firms to separate retail banking from riskier investment operations. American basketball star Brittney Griner has been freed in a prisoner swap between Russia and the US. The 32-year-old, who was serving a nine-and-a-half-year sentence in a penal colony for possession of cannabis oil, was exchanged for Viktor Bout, the notorious arms dealer who inspired Nicolas Cage’s character in Lord of War. A third of Brits are planning a booze-free Christmas this year, says the Daily Star, while nearly 40% will aim to welcome in the New Year sober. “Ding dong merrily on dry.”