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1. UK aims to halve time asylum seekers stay in hotels
The United Kingdom's Home Office plans to reduce by half the number of days an asylum seeker can stay in government-provided stays, the BBC reports. The U.K. government had previously doubled the grace period in December from 28 to 56 days.
The government intends to work with other groups to provide "necessary assistance" for newly recognized refugees, according to the article. It will also continue to provide 56 days for families, pregnant women and those over 65 through December, when the Home Office will review the police again.
2. Wealthy Americans plan trips to Europe to avoid tariffs
To avoid paying tariffs on imported luxury goods, wealthy Americans are going to Europe, CNBC reports. Switzerland, Paris and Italy are among the more popular destinations for these shopping-focused trips.
FlavorCloud, a cross-border logistics firm, found that for a type of Rolex watch that sells for $11,300 before taxes would cost $15,700 after tariffs on Swiss imports, according to the article. Some luxury Swiss watches can sell for more than $500,000.
“Every dollar counts when you’re getting these kinds of tariffs,” said Jack Ezon, a luxury travel adviser based in New York.
Even so, travelers buying luxury items abroad would still be required to declare them to pay the appropriate taxes. However, it may be difficult for U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents to know whether these luxury items were already owned by travelers or recently bought overseas.
3. Langham Hotels returns to Europe
The Langham Hotels brand is making its return to Europe 160 years after the opening of the Langham London in 1865, reports CoStar News Hotels' Terence Baker. The Langham, Venice is scheduled to open in 2027 in a 16th century building on the island of Murano.
Langham Hospitality Group, parent of Langham Hotels, has wanted to open a second location in Europe for years, but it's been a challenging process, said Kevin Robinson, chief operating officer at Langham. Venice has been on the company's radar for quite a while.
“We always knew that entering such an iconic destination would call for strategic foresight and restraint. That considered, our approach ultimately led to securing a remarkable 16th-century property on Murano island with direct lagoon frontage and an equally compelling backstory,” he said.
4. Eurozone economic outlook dims
The European Commission reported its economic sentiment indicator for its currency dipped to 95.2 this month from 95.7 in July, according to the Wall Street Journal. The commission found consumer confidence fell along with sentiments in industry and construction.
“Managers’ uncertainty about their future business situation declined notably in the services sector, and to a lesser extent also in industry and the retail trade,” the commission said.
5. US weekly jobless claims decrease by 5,000
The U.S. Department of Labor reported that initial jobless claims for the week ending Aug. 23 decreased by 5,000 to 229,000, according to a news release. The four-week moving average increased by 2,500 to 228,500.
While there were fewer people filing for unemployment benefits that week, the slow hiring environment could result in the unemployment rate increasing to 4.3% in August, Reuters reports.
"The labor market is stuck in a no-hire, no-fire mode amid President Donald Trump's protectionist trade policy, which has raised the nation's average import duty to its highest in a century," the news agency reports. "Employment gains averaged 35,000 jobs per month over the last three months compared to 123,000 during the same period in 2024, the government reported in early August."