China unnerved by Russia’s growing ties with North Korea, claims US official

Islamic State is primed to be thorn in the side of incoming Trump administration

The terrorist group has been looking to be active this holiday season, with online chatter about attacks increasingAmid a presidential campaign with foreign policy discussions more focused on the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Lebanon, the Islamic State stayed under the radar while calling on supporters and operatives to attack Americans on election day.The FBI thwarted a serious plot in Oklahoma City only weeks before the vote, prompting a similar public reaction to news involving the terror group that has become customary of late: is the Islamic State a renewed threat? Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-23 12:00:44

As Band Aid marks 40th anniversary critics take aim at Africa stereotypes

Latest version of Do They Know It’s Christmas fundraiser reignites debate about ‘problematic’ lyrics and imagery Forty years ago this week, a group of pop stars gathered at a west London studio to record a single that would raise millions, inspire further starry projects, and ultimately change charity fundraising in the UK.Do They Know It’s Christmas, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure’s festive charity behemoth, would go on to raise almost £150m for famine relief and development in Ethiopia and elsewhere in Africa. To mark the anniversary, on Monday a new version of the single – its fifth – will be released under the name Band Aid 40. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-23 09:00:38

Hungary invites Netanyahu to visit as world leaders split over ICC arrest warrant

Viktor Orbán says he will not enforce ICC decision that requires court members to detain Israeli PM if he enters their countryMiddle East crisis – live updatesUK politics live – latest updatesHungary’s illiberal prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has said he will invite his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, to visit in defiance of an international criminal court arrest warrant, as world leaders split over the ICC’s momentous decision.The world’s highest criminal court issued warrants on Thursday for Netanyahu, his former defence minister Yoav Gallant and the Hamas commander Ibrahim al-Masri, commonly known as Mohammed Deif, who is believed to be dead, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-22 13:54:28

US moves to list giraffes under Endangered Species Act for first time

Climate crisis, habitat loss and poaching have reduced its numbers – but will Trump put the kibosh on protections?They are the tallest animal to roam the Earth and have become an icon of children’s books, toys and awed wildlife documentaries. But giraffes are in decline, which has prompted the US government to list them as endangered for the first time.Giraffes will be listed under the US Endangered Species Act, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed in a move that will cover five subspecies of the animal. The agency hopes the listing will crack down on the poaching of giraffes, as the US is a leading destination of rugs, pillowcases, boots, furniture and even Bible covers made from giraffe body parts. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-21 18:38:45

Malian singer Rokia Traoré to be extradited from Italy to Belgium

Italy’s highest court rejects musician’s appeal after she was arrested in Rome in June over child custody disputeMalian musician Rokia Traoré, who was arrested in Rome last June over an international child custody dispute, will be handed over to Belgium in the coming days after Italy’s highest court rejected her appeal, her lawyer said on Wednesday.Traoré, 50, a former goodwill ambassador for the United Nations’ refugee agency UNHCR, was arrested on 20 June at Rome’s Fiumicino airport under a European arrest warrant. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-21 16:29:12

British mining executives held in Mali freed after $160m deal to settle tax dispute

Resolute Mining chief executive Terence Holohan and two employees had been held since 9 NovemberBusiness live – latest updatesThree British mining executives who had been detained by the government of Mali have been released and are “safe and well”, days after agreeing to pay $160m to settle a tax dispute.Resolute Mining, an Australian company, said on Thursday its chief executive, Terence Holohan, and two other employees, who had been held in the country since 9 November, have been freed. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-21 12:35:28

Uruguay election: opposition centre-left figure Yamandu Orsi wins presidential runoff

Former history teacher says the ‘horizon is brightening’ as all political rivals pledged to work together to move the country forwardCentre-left opposition candidate Yamandu Orsi secured victory in Uruguay’s presidential election, official results showed on Sunday, with 97% of votes tallied, ousting the conservative governing coalition and making the South American nation the latest to rebuke the incumbent party in a year of landmark elections.Yamandu Orsi, the pre-election favourite by a few points, secured 49.77% of the vote to conservative Alvaro Delgado’s 45.94%, official results showed. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 03:19:34

Nicaragua: Ortega and wife to assume absolute power after changes approved

Loyalist lawmakers give green light to constitutional amendment as authoritarian president, 79, tightens gripNicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega and his wife are set to assume absolute power after loyalist lawmakers approved a constitutional amendment elevating her to the position of “co-president” and boosting the pair’s joint control over the state.Under sanctions for human rights abuses, Ortega himself had proposed the change, which also increases the president’s control over the media and extends the presidential term from five to six years. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-22 21:51:32

4,000-year-old canals used for fishing by Maya predecessors discovered in Belize

New research revealed canals used for about 1,000 years to channel and catch freshwater fish on the Yucatán peninsulaLong before the ancient Maya built temples, their predecessors were already altering the landscape of Central America’s Yucatán peninsula.Using drones and Google Earth imagery, archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old network of earthen canals in what’s now Belize. The findings were published on Friday in the journal Science Advances. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-22 21:29:53

Smugglers convicted after Indian family froze to death on US-Canada border

Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel and Steve Shand were part of operation bringing increasing numbers of Indians into USA jury has convicted two men of human smuggling charges after an Indian family froze to death attempting to cross the Canada-US border.After a brief deliberation on Friday, a jury in Fergus Falls, Minnesota delivered the verdict in the case against Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, an Indian national who used the alias “Dirty Harry”, and Steve Shand, 50, an American from Florida. Prosecutors say the pair were part of a broader criminal enterprise that helped migrants cross from Canada into the United States. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-22 19:45:16

Removing Toronto bike lanes will make traffic worse, official document shows

In preparation for plan, Ontario has indemnified itself from liability if cyclists are killed on streets that once had bike lanesRemoving bike lanes from busy city streets will increase traffic congestion, according to a Canadian government document leaked amid a furious row over urban infrastructure.The findings, which come as the province of Ontario goes to war over cycling infrastructure in Toronto, undercut claims that the dedicated routes contribute to urban gridlock. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-22 17:21:53

Haiti summons French ambassador after Macron called its leaders ‘morons’

Government protests ‘unfriendly and inappropriate’ comments by French president caught on cameraHaiti’s government has summoned the French ambassador to the country to protest about “unfriendly and inappropriate” comments from Emmanuel Macron, who was caught on camera calling the country’s leaders “morons”.The French president had on Wednesday described the decision of the Caribbean country’s transitional presidential council to oust the prime minister earlier this month amid an escalation in gang warfare as “completely dumb”. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-22 16:47:57

Beijing orders investigations into local disputes after spate of deadly attacks

Mass stabbings and car rammings have prompted soul-searching about the state of society Beijing is ramping up scrutiny of “common” disputes such as those involving marriages and property, the justice ministry said, as the public reels from a recent string of deadly attacks.China has witnessed a spate of violent incidents in recent months – from mass stabbings to car rammings – a rare development for a country with a proud reputation for public security. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 00:35:08

China unnerved by Russia’s growing ties with North Korea, claims US official

Comments part of debate over whether Beijing backs Kim Jong-un’s decision to send troops to fight in UkraineChina is increasingly uncomfortable about North Korea’s engagement with Russia and finds the growing cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow unnerving, Kurt Campbell, the US deputy secretary of state has said.He was leaning into a growing debate among the US’s security partners in Asia on whether China supports the decision of North Korea’s Kim Jong-un to send 10,000 troops to fight for Russia against Ukraine. It is said the North Korean troops are now inside Russia. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-24 20:04:46

Former Taiwan leader was due to visit UK for two days in October, leak shows

Exclusive: letter reveals dates for visit that was planned by Tsai Ing-wen before Foreign Office intervenedTaiwan’s former president Tsai Ing-wen had been due to visit the UK between 16 and 18 October before the Foreign Office intervened, the Guardian can disclose.Tsai was scheduled to visit London for two days as part of her first international tour since leaving office and was in discussions about addressing the UK parliament, according to a leaked letter. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-24 16:26:45

Laos government ‘profoundly saddened’ by deaths of tourists in Vang Vieng

Six foreign visitors died earlier this month after suspected methanol poisoning during night out in backpacker hotspotWhat went wrong in Laos?The Lao government has said it is “profoundly saddened” by the deaths of foreign tourists in Vang Vieng and has promised justice, as tributes were paid to victims of a suspected mass methanol poisoning which has claimed six lives.Two Danish citizens, two Australians, an American, and a Briton died after becoming ill following a night out in the small riverside town, a popular destination for backpackers. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-23 15:59:45

Huge election year worldwide sees weakening commitment to act on climate crisis

Among sweeping rightwing electoral victories across the globe, the ‘big loser of the elections has been climate’An unprecedented year of elections around the world has underscored a sobering trend – in many countries the commitment to act on the climate crisis has either stalled or is eroding, even as disasters and record temperatures continue to mount.So far 2024, called the “biggest election year in human history” by the United Nations with around half the world’s population heading to the polls, there have been major wins for Donald Trump, the US president-elect who calls the climate crisis “a big hoax”; the climate-skeptic right in European Union elections; and Vladimir Putin, who won another term and has endured sanctions to maintain Russia’s robust oil and gas exports. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-23 11:00:40

Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s deputy vows to have him assassinated if she is killed

Vice-president Sara Duterte tells press conference she has given an assassin the instructions, prompting referral from Marcos’s office over ‘active threat’The Philippines’ vice-president, Sara Duterte, said on Saturday she would have someone assassinate the president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, if she herself were killed, leading Marcos’s office to vow “immediate proper action”.In a dramatic sign of a widening rift between the country’s two most powerful political families, Duterte told a press conference that she had spoken to an assassin and instructed him to kill Marcos, his wife and the speaker of the Philippine house of representatives if she were to be killed. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-23 06:59:11

Greens and One Nation accuse Albanese of trying to ‘ram’ social media ban through parliament

Sarah Hanson-Young says online safety review ‘kept secret from public’ as Senate committee given just four hours to hear expert evidenceFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIn a rare moment of unity between the Greens and One Nation, the Albanese government is being accused of attempting to “ram” the legislation to ban under-16s from social media through the parliament, as the bill prompts a strong public response.As the government attempted to legislate the age ban in the final sitting week of parliament for 2024, a Senate committee hearing on the legislation was given four hours to hear from mental health experts, the privacy commissioner, the digital platform representatives and the communications department.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 05:11:46

Australia politics live: Greens expected to help Labor pass housing bill; Musk argues social media bill may not be lawful

Follow today’s news liveLabor’s three migration bills: what new powers are sought and will the Coalition vote them through?Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastDoes the delay on gambling ad restrictions have anything to do with the demands of lobbyists?Clare O’Neil said it wasn’t about lobbying, but “about making sure that we get this right”.And the minister has pointed to previous attempts to scale back gambling advertising that have actually resulted in more gambling advertising. This is a delicate area, and we’ve got to get the balance right, and that’s what the minister is seeking to do.These complicated matters, they just are. You know, if this was a really simple problem to fix, then it would have been fixed a long time ago.I would say our government deserves credit for stepping up and saying we’re going to take action on this, and the minister [Michelle Rowland] is doing what is appropriate, which is diligently working through what the proposals will look like.The minister is working with people, experts, stakeholders, others who will be affected by this legislation, and the government has said will come forward with … proposals early next year. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 05:11:38

Blackout risk warning as scorching temperatures forecast for parts of NSW

Power supplies will become tight in New South Wales and Queensland this week, with parts of western Sydney tipped to approach 40CFollow our Australia politics live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPower supplies will become “tight” in New South Wales and Queensland later this week as the season’s first major heatwave coincides with outages at big coal-fired power stations.Parts of western Sydney are forecast to approach 40C on Tuesday and Wednesday during a pre-summer hot spell spanning a week of 30C-plus days. Heatwave conditions in eastern parts of NSW will be in the low- to severe-intensity range, the Bureau of Meteorology said.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 05:11:16

Australian student injured in West Bank says life ‘flipped upside down’ as Palestinian community demands answers

Ranem Abu Izneid, injured by shrapnel in Israeli-occupied Abu Dis, says she was ‘at home minding my own business’Follow our Australia politics live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s Palestinian community is demanding answers after a dentistry student was struck by shrapnel in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.Ranem Abu Izneid, 20, was studying in her room on 15 November at Al Quds University in Abu Dis, east of Jerusalem, when she heard gunshots.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 04:36:29

Parents of Melbourne teenagers who died in Laos methanol poisoning raise money to repatriate bodies

Families of Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles are calling on the public to help cover mounting costs and fund awareness Follow our Australia politics live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe heartbroken families of Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles are calling on the public to help cover mounting costs to bring their daughters’ bodies home after their deaths from methanol poisoning in Laos.The 19-year-olds from Beaumaris, in Melbourne’s Bayside, are among six foreign tourists who died after a mass poisoning in the south-east Asian nation.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 04:00:02

NT government’s family violence response found lacking after inquest into ‘tragic’ deaths of four Indigenous women

Coroner Elisabeth Armitage says she hopes 35 recommendations will result in long-term change and ‘lives will be saved’Follow our Australia politics live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Northern Territory government has been told it must overhaul its response to family violence to stop women and children being killed.The NT coroner on Monday handed down inquest findings into the deaths of four Aboriginal women, making 35 recommendations. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 03:56:46

Singer claims Sweden ‘punishing’ her British husband by refusing him leave to remain

Tess Merkel Solomons bewails ‘disgusting’ treatment of husband after he missed post-Brexit application deadlineA singer with a Swedish disco band who performed at this year’s Eurovision has told of the “dehumanising” and “distressing” consequences of Brexit after her British husband’s application to remain in Sweden was rejected.Tess Merkel Solomons, a singer with the band Alcazar, said it felt as if her husband, Kenny Solomons, an actor and entrepreneur, was being “punished” because he was a British citizen in Sweden after Brexit. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 05:00:34

Carnival cruise line emitted more CO2 in 2023 than Scotland’s biggest city – report

World’s largest cruise line named Europe’s most climate-polluting, despite investing millions in cleaner technologiesThe world’s largest cruise line company is responsible for producing more carbon dioxide in Europe than the city of Glasgow, a report has found.Analysis by the Transport and Environment (T&E) campaign group, provided to the Guardian, found Carnival to be the most climate-polluting cruise company sailing in Europe in 2023. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 05:00:31

Shock in Romania as hard-right Nato critic Calin Georgescu takes lead in presidential election

Georgescu, who has called Nato’s ballistic missile defence shield a ‘shame of diplomacy’, will likely head into a run-off with leftist prime minister Marcel CiolacuA little-known, far-right populist took the lead in Romania’s presidential election on Sunday, electoral data showed, and will probably face leftist prime minister Marcel Ciolacu in a runoff in two weeks, an outcome that has rocked the country’s political landscape.Calin Georgescu, who ran independently, led the polls with about 22% of the vote after nearly 93% of votes were counted, while Ciolacu of the Social Democratic party, or PSD, trailed at 21%. Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party, or USR, stood at about 18%, and George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, took about 14%. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 02:55:55

Briton reportedly captured by Russian forces while fighting for Ukraine

Man in video identifies himself as James Scott Rhys Anderson, 22, and says he joined the International LegionA British national has reportedly been captured by Russia’s forces in the Kursk region while fighting for Ukraine.In a video posted on pro-war Russian Telegram channels on Sunday, a man wearing combat fatigues identifies himself as 22-year-old James Scott Rhys Anderson from the UK. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-24 21:41:35

Romania votes in presidential poll with nationalist and leftist vying for runoff

Sunday’s election could lead to a battle between far-right’s George Simion and Marcel Ciolacu of Social DemocratsRomanians are casting ballots on Sunday in the first round of a presidential election that could pit a far-right nationalist against the incumbent leftist prime minister in the runoff.Thirteen candidates are vying for the presidency in the EU and Nato member country and the vote is expected to go to a second round on 8 December. Polls opened at 7am local time (05.00 GMT) and will close at 9pm. Romanians abroad have been able to vote since Friday. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-24 17:20:26

Angela Merkel ‘tormented’ by Brexit vote and saw it as ‘humiliation’ for EU

Former German chancellor’s book tells how she tried to help David Cameron win over Britain’s EuroscepticsAngela Merkel has said she was “tormented” over the result of the Brexit referendum and viewed it as a “humiliation, a disgrace” for the EU that Britain was leaving.In her autobiography, Freedom, due to be published on Tuesday, the former German chancellor says she was dismayed by the notion that she might have done more to help the then British prime minister, David Cameron, who was keen for the UK to stay in the EU, but that ultimately, she concluded, he only had himself to blame. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-24 15:26:35

Israeli government orders officials to boycott left-leaning paper Haaretz

Ministers also ban government advertising from critical newspaper that is widely respected internationallyIsrael’s government is set to punish the country’s leading left-leaning newspaper, Haaretz, by ordering a boycott of the publication by government officials or anyone working for a government-funded body and halting all government advertising in its pages or website.In a statement on Sunday, the office of Shlomo Karhi, the communications minister, said that his proposal against Haaretz had been unanimously approved by other ministers. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-24 20:14:15

Hundreds flee north Gaza as IDF orders more evacuations amid intense airstrikes

Senior Israeli minister says the war is far from over and Israel will stay ‘for years’ in the territoryThe Israeli military has ordered the evacuation of new areas of northern Gaza, setting off a fresh wave of civilian displacements on Sunday as intense airstrikes continued across much of the territory.In Jerusalem, a senior minister said the war in Gaza was far from over and that Israel would stay “for years” in the territory. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-24 19:01:24

Rabbi in UAE killed in ‘antisemitic terror incident’, says Israel

UAE says it has arrested three people over the killing of Zvi Kogan, who worked for an Orthodox Jewish groupIsrael has said that an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates was killed in what it described as a “heinous antisemitic terror incident”.Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement about the death of Zvi Kogan, who worked in the UAE for an Orthodox Jewish group called Chabad and had not been seen since Thursday. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-24 18:58:56

Iranian minister to meet European counterparts after nuclear offer rejected

Meeting comes amid fears Middle East tensions will lead Iran to redouble its efforts to acquire a nuclear weaponIran’s deputy foreign minister, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, will meet his European counterparts in Geneva on Friday after the collapse of a deal last week under which Iran would have limited its uranium enrichment to 60% purity, just below the threshold to make nuclear weapons.The offer was regarded by Iran as a first step to rebuilding confidence between it and the west over what it insists is its civilian nuclear programme. There are growing fears that wider tensions in the Middle East could result in Tehran redoubling efforts to acquire a nuclear weapon and trying to declare it necessary for its national self-defence. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-24 14:58:36

Gunman dead, police injured in shooting near Israeli embassy in Jordan

Police shot a gunman who had fired at a police patrol in the Rabiah neighbourhood of Amman, officials and media reportA gunman was dead and three policemen injured after a shooting near the Israeli embassy in Jordan, a security source and state media said on Sunday.Police shot a gunman who had fired at a police patrol in the Rabiah neighbourhood of Amman, state news agency Petra reported, citing public security, adding investigations were ongoing. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-24 07:07:00

Hamas says Israeli female hostage killed in north Gaza combat zone

Group’s armed wing says unnamed woman’s death established after long break in contact with her captorsHamas’s armed wing said on Saturday that an Israeli woman taken hostage during the October 2023 attack had been killed in a combat zone in northern Gaza, as the Israeli military said it was investigating.The spokesperson for Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, said contact had been restored with the woman’s captors after a break of several weeks and it was established that the hostage had been killed in an area of north Gaza where the Israeli army has been operating. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-23 18:46:50

Hundreds flee deadly sectarian violence in north-west Pakistan

About 300 families relocate after fresh violence between Sunni and Shia Muslims kills 32 peopleAbout 300 families have fled sectarian violence in north-west Pakistan as fresh clashes killed 32 people.Sporadic fighting between Sunni and Shia Muslims in the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan has killed about 150 over the past months. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-23 14:50:30

Tributes paid to ‘kind and loving’ British tourist who died in Laos

Simone White was one of six people to die in suspected methanol poisoning incident in Vang ViengTributes have been paid to the “beautiful, kind and loving” British tourist Simone White, one of six people to die in a suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos.The six died after allegedly being served drinks laced with methanol in Vang Vieng, a town popular with backpackers. These include the Australian teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19, an American man and two Danish women aged 19 and 20. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-22 17:00:07

More than 40 killed in north-west Pakistan in gun attack on Shia convoy

Violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa follows killing of dozens of people in clashes between Sunnis and minority ShiasAt least 42 people have been killed and 20 wounded after gunmen opened fire on vehicles carrying Shia Muslims in Pakistan’s restive north-west, in one of the region’s deadliest such attacks in recent years, police said.The attack happened in Kurram, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where sectarian clashes between majority Sunni Muslims and minority Shias have killed dozens of people in recent months. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-21 21:39:19

Billionaire Gautam Adani charged in US over alleged $250m bribery plot

Indian chair of Adani Group, worth about $85bn, accused of agreeing to pay bribes to obtain solar energy contractsGautam Adani, one of the world’s richest men, has been indicted in New York over an alleged multibillion-dollar scheme to pay $250m in bribes and conceal it from US investors.Prosecutors charged the chair of the Indian conglomerate Adani Group and two other executives of a renewable energy company with securities fraud and conspiring to commit securities and wire fraud. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-21 10:57:04

Family of woman found dead in car in London accuses police of failing to protect her

Exclusive: Sister says Harshita Brella reported abuse but ‘police processes made her feel more scared and alone’The family of a woman found dead in a car boot in east London have accused police of not doing enough to protect her, saying she had filed a complaint alleging domestic abuse by her husband weeks before.The body of Harshita Brella, a 24-year-old Indian citizen who was living in Northamptonshire, was discovered last Thursday in a car in Ilford. Police have named her husband, Pankaj Lamba, as the main suspect for the killing. Officers believe he has fled the country. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-19 19:23:45

Keir Starmer to restart UK-India talks after previous negotiations stalled

Whisky and migration thwarted earlier deal but UK PM hopeful of reaching agreement with Narendra ModiKeir Starmer is to restart the aborted UK-India trade talks in the new year after an agreement stalled amid disagreements over whisky tariffs and migration.No progress has been made on the deal since early this year after the last round of talks concluded. As prime minister, Boris Johnson promised a swift deal, but Rishi Sunak was said to be deeply uneasy with some of the provisions that had been negotiated by his predecessor. Talks were put on hold in March while both countries prepared for general elections. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-18 22:00:19

Britain faces ‘talent drain’ of visual artists as earnings fall by 40% since 2010

Report says funding cuts, inflation and rise of AI contributing to median income dropping to £12,500Earnings for visual artists in Britain have plunged by 40% since 2010, with experts predicting a “talent drain” from the UK because EU countries offer more attractive working environments.A report commissioned by the Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS), found that visual artists had a median annual income of £12,500, with 80% of the 1,200 creatives surveyed saying their earnings were “unstable”, or “very unstable”. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 05:01:30

‘We had no alternative’: Reeves to defend her budget to the CBI

Chancellor is expected to tell business leaders she stands by tax rises and point to Labour’s pro-growth policiesA defiant Rachel Reeves will rebuke critics of her tax-raising budget on Monday, telling disgruntled business leaders that they have offered “no alternatives” to her plans.Since Labour’s first budget in 14 years last month, business groups have warned that the chancellor’s £25bn increase in employer national insurance contributions (NICs) will force them to cut jobs and raise prices. Thousands of farmers have also protested against changes to inheritance tax. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 05:00:35

Smoking could cause 300,000 cancer cases in UK by 2029, study finds

Cancer Research urges MPs to back tobacco and vapes bill, saying damage caused by cigarettes cannot be ignoredMPs are being urged to back plans to make the UK the first country to eradicate smoking, as new figures suggest tobacco will result in almost 300,000 Britons getting cancer within the next five years.The tobacco and vapes bill, which would prevent anyone born after 1 January 2009 from legally smoking by gradually raising the age at which tobacco can be bought, will have its second reading in the House of Commons on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 05:00:35

Ministers told to raise sick pay as report says 1.6m would be unable to pay bills

Low-paid workers unwell for four weeks would be in hardship despite changes in employment bill, charity findsMinisters are being urged to raise the basic rate of statutory sick pay from £3 an hour – one of the lowest in the developed world – after a report found the government’s changes would leave more than 1.6 million people unable to pay essential bills.Charities are warning that only a fraction of low-paid workers will be helped to avoid the “huge cliff-edge” of lost earnings despite improvements to statutory sick pay (SSP) in the employment rights bill, which will be scrutinised by MPs this week. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 05:00:30

One in seven A&E patients are repeat visitors with unmet needs, study finds

Some patients across UK turning to A&Es five or more times a year due to unresolved medical issues, charity saysOne in seven A&E patients are repeat visitors with unmet medical needs who feel they have nowhere else to go, according to research that found most are over 70 with multiple conditions or under 50 with mental ill health.Less than 2% of the population account for almost 14% of all A&E attendances, the British Red Cross study suggests. Across the UK, patients are turning to emergency departments five or more times a year due to “unresolved medical issues”, the charity said. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 00:01:25

At least five dead amid ‘devastating’ flooding as Storm Bert batters UK

Major incident declared in Wales and England and Scotland hit by power cuts due to rain, floods and windSeveral people have been killed as Storm Bert battered the UK and a major incident has been declared in south Wales.At least five deaths have been reported in England and Wales since the storm hit. Strong winds have been accompanied by flooding caused by heavy rain and thawing snow. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-24 23:11:21

Amazon workers in 20 countries to protest or strike on Black Friday

Workers and their representatives to press US retailer to respect their rights and take action on the climate crisisThousands of Amazon workers are expected to protest or strike in more than 20 countries during Black Friday to press for better workers’ rights and climate action from the US retailer..Workers and representatives from unions and workers’ groups intend to join protests against the Seattle-based company’s practices between Black Friday and Cyber Monday (29 November and 2 December), one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-25 05:00:32

Republican senator: ‘We’ll have lots of questions’ for Trump’s controversial picks

James Lankford of Oklahoma predicts lawmakers will have tough questions for president-elect’s nomineesA prominent Republican US senator pledged on Sunday that Congress would not give blanket approval to Donald Trump’s controversial cabinet picks ahead of the congressional confirmation process, as a leading Democrat challenged the qualifications of some of them to serve.Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma predicted lawmakers in the upper chamber will have tough questions in particular for the former Democratic congresswoman, Tulsi Gabbard, who was chosen by the president-elect as director of national security for his second administration. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-24 21:15:13

More rain and snow in US could affect Thanksgiving travel, forecasters warn

One person found dead in submerged vehicle in California as storm warning issued for Sierra Nevada through TuesdayForecasters through the US issued warnings that another round of winter weather could complicate travel leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, while California and Washington state continue to recover from storm damage and power outages.In California, where a person was found dead in a vehicle submerged in floodwaters on Saturday, authorities braced for more precipitation while grappling with flooding and small landslides from a previous storm. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-24 21:07:02

Hegseth’s views on women in combat ‘flat-out wrong’, Senator Duckworth says

Democratic combat veteran says Trump’s pick for defense secretary is ‘inordinately unqualified’ for the jobDemocratic US Senator Tammy Duckworth, who lost both her legs after the army Black Hawk attack helicopter she was piloting was shot down during the US war in Iraq, on Sunday ramped up criticism of Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary who argues women shouldn’t be on the front line.Pete Hegseth is the former Fox News host and soldier tapped by the president-elect to lead the Pentagon and oversee the largest military force in the world, but he is steeped in controversy. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-24 20:05:23

Chuck Woolery, host of Love Connection, dies aged 83

A musician, the original Wheel of Fortune host and later a rightwing podcaster, Woolery died at home in TexasChuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of Wheel of Fortune, Love Connection and Scrabble who later became a rightwing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about Covid-19, has died. He was 83.Mark Young, Woolery’s podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early on Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. “Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith, life will not be the same without him,” Young wrote. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-24 18:01:48

Trump’s eldest son emerges as key voice influencing cabinet picks – report

President-elect has become particularly reliant on Donald Jr for advice, sources tell ReutersDonald Trump Jr has emerged as the family’s most influential adviser of the moment as his father builds the most controversial cabinet in modern US history, sources close to Donald Trump’s eldest son say.Trump Jr has in some cases promoted inexperienced loyalists over more qualified candidates for top positions in president-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration. Continue reading...

Published: 2024-11-24 16:14:03

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