Average life satisfaction still below pre-pandemic peak despite improving economic outlook, reports ONS

The proportion of people in the UK who feel dissatisfied with life has failed to improve since the pandemic despite the economic outlook improving, official figures show.

The Office for National Statistics said a survey of personal wellbeing in the UK showed average life satisfaction remained below its pre-pandemic peak, despite the rate of gross domestic product per person rising since 2021.

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Analysts suspect that regulators, such as California Attorney General Rob Bonta, could attempt to challenge Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros Discovery.

Bonta, a Democrat, said late on Thursday that his office would take a ‘vigorous’ approach to the deal.

“Paramount/Warner Bros is not a done deal. These two Hollywood titans have not cleared regulatory scrutiny — the California Department of Justice has an open investigation, and we intend to be vigorous in our review.”

“We’ve always been disciplined, and at the price required to match Paramount Skydance’s latest offer, the deal is no longer financially attractive, so we are declining to match the Paramount Skydance bid.”