Business
Milkshakes and lattes to be included in UK sugar tax in bid to tackle obesity
Pre-packaged milkshakes and lattes are set to be included in the existing sugar tax, the Health Secretary has confirmed.
Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday, Wes Streeting announced the government’s intention to remove the current exemption for milk-based beverages from the levy on sugary drinks.
This expansion will target pre-packaged milkshakes and coffees, though drinks prepared fresh in cafes and restaurants will remain unaffected.
Mr Streeting emphasised the public health imperative to MPs, stating: “Obesity robs children of the best possible start in life, hits the poorest hardest, sets them up for a lifetime of health problems and costs the NHS billions.”
“So I can announce to the House, we’re expanding the soft drinks industry levy to include bottles and cartons of milkshakes, flavoured milk and milk substitute drinks.”
Mr Streeting told MPs the Government would reduce the maximum amount of sugar allowed in drinks to 4.5g of sugar per 100ml.
“Mr Speaker, this Government will not look away as children get unhealthier, and our political opponents urge us to leave them behind,” he said.
Plain, unsweetened milk and milk-alternative drinks are not included in the levy. Companies have until January 1 2028 to remove sugar or face the new charge.
It follows a Government consultation on the issue looking at removing the exemption for milk-based drinks.
The exemption for milk substitute drinks with “added sugars” beyond those sugars derived from the principal ingredient, such as oats or rice, was also examined.
The sugar tax, also known as the soft drinks industry levy (SDIL), is a tax on pre-packaged drinks such as those sold in cans and cartons in supermarkets.
It applies to manufacturers and was introduced by the Conservative government in 2018 to help drive down obesity, including among children.
According to the Treasury, children’s sugar intake in the UK is more than double the recommended maximum of no more than 5% energy from free sugar.
The existing levy has led to a 46% average reduction in sugar between 2015 and 2020 for those soft drinks that were to be brought under the rules.
Health minister Karin Smyth told Times Radio on Tuesday that “obesity is the major challenge of our health service for this generation”.
Asked whether tackling obesity was more important than raising revenue, she said any tax measures would be set out in the Budget but “the wider point is about tackling obesity, which we know is one of the biggest causes of ill health, and therefore demand on the health service”.
She added: “Measures we’ve already announced as part of the manifesto, to reduce junk food advertising, particularly to protect young people from becoming obese, because if you become obese at a young age, it does limit your life chances…
“Obesity is the major challenge of our health service for this generation, and it is important that we make sure that we create the healthiest young generation of children coming forward.”
According to the Department of Health, the change could cut 17 million calories a day from the nation’s daily intake, helping to prevent cancer, heart disease and stroke, and take pressure off the NHS.
Mr Streeting said in a statement: “An unhealthy start to life holds kids back from day one, especially those from poor backgrounds like mine.
“We’re on a mission to raise the healthiest generation of children ever, and that means taking on the biggest drivers of poor health.”
The Government said businesses have consistently experienced increased sales of drinks over the time period of the existing sugar tax.
These products recorded a 13.5% rise in volume sales (litres) between 2015 and 2024, it said.
The new plans are expected to reduce daily calorie intake by around four million in children and 13 million in adults across England.
The Government said this could prevent almost 14,000 cases of adult obesity and nearly 1,000 cases of childhood obesity.
Katharine Jenner, executive director at Obesity Health Alliance, said: “Ending the exemption for sugary milkshakes and bringing more sugary soft drinks into the levy is a sensible and long-overdue step to protect children’s health – especially their teeth.
“The soft drinks industry levy has already removed billions of teaspoons of sugar from the nation’s diet without harming industry growth, proving that clear, consistent rules are effective.
“We now urge the Government to press on with implementing the rest of its NHS 10-year plan for health – helping to rebuild a food environment that supports children’s health rather than undermines it.”
Dr Kawther Hashem, head of research and impact at Action on Salt and Sugar, said: “Lowering the threshold from 5g to 4.5g per 100ml is a positive step, and expanding the levy to include milk-based drinks is particularly important.
“Some milkshakes still contain more sugar than a can of full-sugar cola, yet they have been allowed to sit outside a levy specifically designed to reduce high sugar content.
“Closing this loophole finally ensures that all high-sugar drinks are treated consistently, regardless of their ingredients.
“However, we had hoped the Government would go further. The consultation explored reducing the minimum sugar threshold to 4g, so it’s unclear why this has now risen to 4.5g.
“Our own submission showed a median sugar content of 4.2g/100ml in soft drinks. We found nearly three-quarters of drinks already fall below 4g/100ml, so today’s decision misses an opportunity to drive further meaningful reformulation.”
Business
High-Skilled Immigration: US tightens screws on high-skilled immigration: Denial rates surge across key visa categories – The Times of India
For Indian tech and medical professionals, researchers and even global achievers eyeing to work in the US, the path is becoming increasingly uncertain. New data shows that even the most elite immigration routes, once seen as relatively stable, are now facing sharply higher rejection rates, signalling a broader tightening of legal migration pathways.The US has significantly increased denial rates for high-skilled immigration categories in fiscal 2025 (year ending Sept 30, 2025), reflecting a policy-driven shift to restrict legal migration even for highly qualified professionals according to a new analysis by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP).“The latest data show that Trump administration officials intend to make it difficult for even the most highly skilled individuals from around the world to work in the US,” said Stuart Anderson, executive director of NFAP.A change of this magnitude indicates a crackdown on approvals, the analysis noted, pointing to a sharp rise in rejection rates despite no formal regulatory changes.
Green card routes for top talent see sharpest rise
The steepest increases are in employment-based green card categories used by highly accomplished professionals. The increase in denials occurred within a single year, despite no new regulations indicating a shift in adjudication standards.
- EB-1 (extraordinary ability): Denial rates nearly doubled from 25.6% in Q4 FY2024 to 46.6% in Q4 FY2025
- EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW): Denials rose from 38.8% in Q4 FY2024 to 64.3% in Q4 FY2025
Over a longer period, the trend is even sharper: NIW denial rates rose from 4.3% in FY2022 to 44.8% in FY2025, states the report.
Temporary work visas also tightening
Denial rates have also increased across key temporary work visa categories, particularly toward the end of FY2025:
- O-1 visas: Denial rates rose from 5.0% in Q4 FY2024 to 7.3% in Q4 FY2025 . These visas are meant for individuals with extraordinary ability in fields such as science, technology, arts, education, business or sports. It is typically used by top researchers, startup founders, artists and senior professionals with a strong record of achievement.
- L-1A visas: Denial rates increased from 8.0% in Q4 FY2024 to 9.6% in Q4 FY2025. These visas are used by multinational companies to transfer senior executives or managers from an overseas office to a US office. It is a key route for leadership mobility within global firms.
- L-1B visas: Denial rates rose from 8.1% in Q4 FY2024 to 9.2% in Q4 FY2025. These visas are also for intracompany transfers, but specifically for employees with specialised knowledge and are often used for technical experts and niche-skilled staff.
H-1B remains stable—but pressure persists
The H-1B visa, widely used by Indian IT professionals, has not seen a comparable increase in denial rates, the denial rates remained stable at around 2.0%–2.1% in FY2025. This is attributed to a 2020 legal settlement, which limits changes to adjudication standards without formal rulemaking.However, policy pressure continues through other measures. President Trump has signed an executive order mandating a $100,000 fee to petition for an H‑1B worker outside the US. Further, selection in the lottery for H-1B cap visas is linked to wages and there is a proposal to increase wages across all levels.
Backlogs and delays worsen the squeeze
For the Indian diaspora, these statistics are worrying. Between Q4 FY2024 and Q4 FY2025, backlogs rose across key immigration filings. Pending I-129 petitions—used by employers to sponsor non-immigrant workers such as H-1B, L-1 and O-1 visa holders — increased by more than 54,000. The backlog for I-140 petitions, which are employer-sponsored applications for employment-based green cards, rose by 58,400.At the final stage, delays also deepened: the backlog for I-485 applications—filed by individuals to adjust status to permanent residence (green card) within the US—continued to grow.
Bottom line
The data signals a clear shift: legal immigration pathways are narrowing over FY2025, particularly in the latter half of the fiscal year, driven by stricter adjudication rather than new laws.
UK inflation lifted to its highest since December after a sharp jump in diesel and petrol prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East, according to official figures.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the Iran crisis was “not our war, but it is pushing up bills for families and businesses” as a result.
The rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation increased to 3.3% in March from 3% in February, the Office for National Statistics said.
The increase was in line with predictions from economists.
Higher motor fuel was the main driver of the acceleration in inflation, increasing by 8.7% month-on-month – the largest increase since June 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The ONS found that the average price of petrol rose by 8.6p per litre between February and March to 140.2p per litre. This marked the highest price since August 2024.
Diesel prices meanwhile increased by 17.6p per litre in March to an average of 158.7p per litre, the highest price since November 2023.
Office for National Statistics chief economist Grant Fitzner said: “Inflation climbed in March, largely due to increased fuel prices, which saw their largest increase for over three years.
“Air fares were another upward driver this month, alongside rising food prices.
“The only significant offset came from clothing costs, where prices rose by less than this time last year.”
The data revealed that the cost of air travel also increased significantly, with inflation of 14.5% compared with the same month last year.
The rise in air fares, which analysts have partly linked to the early timing of the Easter holidays, was the highest since July last year.
Meanwhile, food and non-alcoholic drink prices were up 3.7% year-on-year in March, accelerating from 3.3% inflation in the previous month.
This included another acceleration in the price of sweets and chocolates, which were up 10.6% year-on-year.
Elsewhere, clothing and footwear had a downward pressure on inflation, as prices dipped 0.8% for the month.
Sales and discounting activity pulled inflation in the category to its lowest level since March 2021.
The rise in the overall rate of inflation drives the UK further away from the 2% inflation target set by the Government and the Bank of England.
Ms Reeves said: “We’re acting to protect people from unfair price rises if they occur to bring down food prices at the till, and are boosting long-term energy security — building a stronger, more secure economy.”
James Smith, developed markets economist at ING, said: “The latest rise in UK headline CPI tells us virtually nothing about the scale and duration of the inflation wave to come.
“The Bank of England is still flying blind, with the conflict unresolved, but the limited amount of survey data available so far suggests little cause for alarm on inflation.”
Anna Leach, chief economist at the Institute of Directors, said: “As inflation has come in in line with revised expectations, and given yesterday’s labour market data which showed a fall in vacancies and further downward progress in wage growth, interest rates should hold at next week’s MPC (Monetary Policy Committee) meeting.
“But there remains tremendous uncertainty over the outlook for energy supply and prices.”
The Manx treasury says plans are in place to protect essential services in the wake of the Iran war.
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High-Skilled Immigration: US tightens screws on high-skilled immigration: Denial rates surge across key visa categories – The Times of India
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