NIESR suggests a rise of 5p in the pound on basic and higher rate of income tax would fill the budget gapRachel Reeves will need to raise taxes to close a government spending gap that is on course to reach more than 40bn after a slowdown in economic growth and higher-than-expected inflation, according to a leading thinktank.In a blow to Labour's hopes of balancing the books without breaking manifesto commitments ruling out personal tax rises, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) said a number of factors would knock off course the chancellor's plans to stay within Whitehall spending limits. Continue reading...
Treaty can be ended by either side at a month's notice and France can refuse returns on certain groundsThe UK will pay the costs of transporting asylum seekers to and from France under Keir Starmer's one in, one out" deal with Emmanuel Macron, it has emerged.The deal will have to be renewed by 11 June next year, and can be ended at a month's notice by either side, documents made public by the government indicate. Continue reading...
Principle of medical neutrality threatened as doctors and hospitals deliberately attacked, particularly in GazaTargeting medics and hospitals in acts of war should be called healthocide", academics have urged, amid an increase in such attacks in recent years.Health services are increasingly deliberately under attack and medics are facing violence and abuse in conflict zones around the world - in particular in Gaza, but also in Lebanon, Ukraine, Sudan, Syria and El Salvador. Continue reading...
Joe Bennett says Lindsay Foreman sounded in good spirits despite her and husband being charged with espionageThe son of a British woman being held in Iran on espionage charges has said speaking to her on the phone for the first time in 213 days felt like five birthdays and 10 Christmases at once".Lindsay and Craig Foreman, both 52, were arrested on 3 January in Kerman, southern Iran, while travelling through the country from Armenia to Pakistan on a round-the-world motorbike trip. Continue reading...
Video of man lighting cigarette from Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris was widely shared on social mediaA French minister has said she is taking legal action against an unidentified man who was filmed lighting a cigarette from a memorial flame at a major Paris war monument.The video of a man stooping to light a cigarette from the fire at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe, before walking calmly away watched by tourists, caused indignation when it was widely shared on social media. Continue reading...
Launch to mark 30 years of Clubcard has 42% of an adult's recommended daily intake of saturated fat and 35% of sugarTesco has launched a birthday cake sandwich, complete with strawberry jam, soft cheese, vanilla frosting and sprinkles - but the candle isn't included.The limited-edition sandwich, between slices of brioche-style white bread, contains 31.g of sugar - 35% of an adult's recommended daily intake - and will be on sale for 3 at 1,000 stores for four weeks. Continue reading...
Regulator is set for abolition after a government decision last month and overhaul of the heavily criticised industryThe chief executive of Ofwat is to step down at the end of the month, after the government announced the abolition of the water regulator for England and Wales.David Black has been in the role for four years, and will leave amid intense scrutiny of water companies and their regulators. Continue reading...
House oversight committee also issued subpoenas to several former attorneys general and FBI directorsThe House oversight committee on Tuesday issued subpoenas to Bill and Hillary Clinton as well as several former attorneys general and directors of the FBI, demanding testimony related to horrific crimes perpetrated by Jeffrey Epstein".The investigative committee's Republican chair, James Comer, sent the subpoenas in response to two motions lawmakers approved on a bipartisan basis last month, as Congress navigated outrage among Donald Trump's supporters over the justice department's announcement that it would not release further details about Epstein, a disgraced financier who died in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking. Continue reading...
Hundreds of fires across Canada and parts of the US prompt alerts in 14 states from Great Lakes region to the northeastHundreds of wildfires continued to burn across Canada and parts of the US on Tuesday sending smoke from the blazes across the region and reducing air quality in both countries.US air quality tanked from the Great Lakes region to the northeast, making skies hazy from Minneapolis to New York City and even prompting a ground stop at Boston's Logan international airport due to low visibility" on Monday. Detroit, New York City and Chicago continued to record some of the worst air quality in the world on Tuesday, according to IQAir, ranking fourth, 10th and 11th respectively. Continue reading...
Lithuanian foreign minister Kstutis Budrys says drone, which authorities say was carrying explosives, shows incidents crossing onto Nato territory'On Ukraine, the EU spokespeople were asked about the bloc's expectations as to Donald Trump's deadline for Russia to end its invasion on Ukraine by Friday.The commission's foreign policy spokesperson, Anitta Hipper, said:Russia is not interested in peace. Ukraine is, the EU is. Nobody wants peace more than Ukraine and the EU. ...We welcome any pressure, and in particular US pressure on Russia to accept a ceasefire through any means necessary."I believe that for what we have been able to verify ... there has been some improvement compared to the situation before this agreement was reached.Is this sufficient? Absolutely not. Continue reading...
Almost half of voters either strongly or somewhat support admitting no more new migrants and requiring large numbers who came in recent years to leave', says YouGovPlaid Cymru, the Welsh nationalist party, is celebrating its centenary today. In a statement to mark the occasion, Rhun ap Iorwerth, the party leader, says Plaid has remained true to its values whilst other parties have compromised on theirs in the pursuit of power" - in which could be seen as a reference to the fact that, while Plaid has held power at local government level, it has never led a government in Cardiff.As Bethan McKernan, the Guardian's Wales correspondent, explains in an interview with ap Iorwerth, that could change in next year's Senedd elections. Ap Iorwerth tells her:Wales gave Keir Starmer his big majority but I don't think [voters] expected this barrage of bad policy, passing on the cost of the failures of successive governments to the most vulnerable.There is an appetite for breaking that cycle like never before and Plaid Cymru is ready to deliver.Next year's Senedd election offers an opportunity to bring about real change. That change of leadership for Wales is essential if we are to safeguard our nation's future from years of failure under Labour or self-serving chaos with Reform.Plaid Cymru is focused on offering the people of Wales the kind of leadership they need and deserve. An ambitious government with fresh ideas on how to cut waiting lists, help households with the cost-of-living, support businesses and ensure that Wales's voice is not ignored by Westminster. Continue reading...
Large crowds gather in city of Jiangyou in Sichuan province after case causes outrage onlineA large protest erupted in the south-western Chinese city of Jiangyou, videos on social media have shown, after the beating of a young girl by three other teenagers caused public outrage.Protests are rare in China, where opposition to the ruling Communist party and anything seen as a threat to civil order is swiftly quashed. Continue reading...
State department condemns judge's decision to place former Brazil president under house arrest as trial proceedsThe United States has intensified its campaign to help Jair Bolsonaro avoid punishment for allegedly masterminding a failed coup, with the state department denouncing the decision to place Brazil's former president under house arrest.Let Bolsonaro speak!" the department's bureau of western hemisphere affairs tweeted on Monday night after the far-right populist was confined to his mansion in the capital, Brasilia, and had his mobile phone seized by police. Continue reading...
Attainment gap between pupils from wealthy and deprived areas only closes slightly, despite being SNP's core missionMinisters in Scotland are facing intense criticism over the sluggish increase in exam passes by teenagers from deprived areas despite repeated promises to greatly improve performance.Opposition parties and Scotland's largest teaching union said progress in closing the attainment gap - the difference between exam passes for pupils from the wealthiest areas with the most deprived - was too slow and too patchy. Continue reading...
Genie 3 world model's ability to simulate real environments means it can be used to train robotsGoogle has outlined its latest step towards artificial general intelligence (AGI) with a new model that allows AI systems to interact with a convincing simulation of the real world.The Genie 3 world model" could be used to train robots and autonomous vehicles as they engage with realistic recreations of environments such as warehouses, according to Google. Continue reading...
Boy, 15, became separated from his family, who were due to fly back to London Stansted, at island's Mahon airportA British teenager separated from his family at a busy Spanish airport on Monday boarded a flight to Italy instead of his return flight to London.The 15-year-old was supposed to fly with Tui from Menorca to Stansted but disappeared in the island's Mahon airport. Continue reading...
Former presenter of BBC's The Repair Shop will appear in court in connection with charges next weekThe TV presenter Jay Blades has been charged with two counts of rape, police have said, and will appear in court next week.West Mercia police said in a statement: Jason Blades, 55, of Claverley in Shropshire, has been charged with two counts of rape. He is due to appear at Telford magistrates court on 13 August 2025." Continue reading...
James Vlassakis, the youngest of four men convicted over the serial killings, was found guilty of being involved in four of 11 murders between 1992 and 1999
Seedy Fofana sought 500,000 compensation over graffito that colleague in Gloucester did not mean as racial slurA Black warehouse worker has won a race harassment claim after a disgruntled colleague wrote the word slave" on a piece of machinery.The colleague had meant it not as a racial slur but as an expression of his anger at, as he saw it, being overworked and underpaid, an employment tribunal heard. Continue reading...
Erika McEntarfer's exit could push US into category of countries found to have massaged economic dataDonald Trump's firing of the head of the main agency for producing jobs figures risks propelling the US into the same category as countries notorious for cooking the books" such as Argentina and Greece, experts have warned.Donald Trump fired Erika McEntarfer, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) commissioner last Friday, after accusing her agency of faking" the latest employment figures for political purposes," which showed the US economy adding a lower-than-expected 73,000 jobs in July. Continue reading...
British drinks firm, which is searching for new CEO, expands cost-cutting planThe world's biggest spirits company, Diageo, has revealed a slump in annual profits and expanded its cost-cutting plan as it searches for a new boss after the resignation of the chief executive, Debra Crew.The FTSE 100 company, which owns brands including Guinness, Johnnie Walker whisky, Gordon's gin and Smirnoff vodka, reported a nearly 28% fall in operating profit in the 12 months to the end of June compared with a year earlier. Continue reading...
Police officer was concerned ex-army chief, a Teledyne adviser, sought to have input' into factory attack investigationA member of the House of Lords urged ministers to crack down on Palestine Action at the request of a US defence company that employs him as an adviser.Richard Dannatt, a former head of the British army, wrote privately to two separate Home Office ministers asking them to address the threat" posed by the group after its activists targeted a factory in 2022. Continue reading...
Charities urge government to move quickly after it announced scheme to help critically ill and injured childrenMore than 100 critically ill and injured children in Gaza hope to come to the UK as soon as possible after the government announced a scheme to provide those in severe need with NHS care.The government announced on Sunday that it would evacuate children from Gaza to the UK for treatment under a scheme to be announced within weeks. Continue reading...
Scotland says there have been 119 incidents on the rail network caused by Storm Floris, including 75 tree-related onesThe Scottish government has held emergency meetings in response to the significant disruption" caused by Storm Floris across the country, with warnings of further travel chaos on Tuesday as poor weather continues.On Monday night, the Scottish government's Resilience Room held a meeting to help decide an appropriate response to the storm, which has included power outages and almost 120 rail incidents. Representatives from the Met Office, Police Scotland, Transport Scotland and transport and utilities companies were in attendance. Continue reading...
Application lodged for permanent legal protection of Victoria Park, where state and federal governments plan to spend billions on sports infrastructure
Combs was acquitted last month of most serious charges in sex-trafficking trial but convicted on two lesser countsSean Diddy" Combs cannot go home from jail to await sentencing on his prostitution-related conviction, a judge said on Monday, denying the mogul's latest bid for bail.Combs has been behind bars since his September arrest. He faced federal charges of coercing girlfriends into having drug-fueled sex marathons with male sex workers while he watched and filmed them. Continue reading...
by Agence France-Press in Port-au-Prince on (#6Z3K3)
Victims, also including Irish missionary and seven workers, were taken outside of Port-au-Prince in planned act'An Irish missionary and a three-year-old child are among nine people missing in Haiti after a mass kidnapping from an orphanage in the country's capital, Port-au-Prince.The victims were seized from the Sainte-Helene orphanage in the commune of Kenscoff, about 6.2 miles (10km) south-east of the capital on Sunday, officials said. Continue reading...
by Nadeem Badshah (now); Tom Ambrose, Yohannes Lowe a on (#6Z32E)
Air and ferry services also affected in Scotland with the Military Tattoo in Edinburgh cancelled; around 2,700 homes in Ireland still without powerAmber wind warnings are now in place for Scotland as we are past 10:00 BST. It is expected to be in place until 10pm and could bring injuries and danger to life in areas along the coast.Some roads and bridges will likely close, and there is a greater chance of power cuts and a greater risk of falling trees. Continue reading...
Lindsay and Craig Foreman were detained seven months ago on espionage charges while on global motorbike tripA British couple detained in Iran for seven months on espionage charges have been moved to separate prisons in and near Tehran, heightening fears for their welfare, their son said on Monday.Lindsay and Craig Foreman, both 52 and who previously split their time between south-east England and Spain, were seized in Kerman, in central Iran, in early January while on a round-the-world motorbike trip. Continue reading...
Girl died in hospital after initial treatment at scene, police say, as water park announces a day's closureA four-year-old girl has died following an incident at a swimming pool at Waterworld in Staffordshire, police have said.Officers were called to the water park in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent at about 4.20pm on Monday to reports of a child in a critical condition. She was treated at the scene and then taken to hospital for further treatment but later died. Continue reading...
by Dan Sabbagh Defence and security editor on (#6Z3D3)
Former director general died on Sunday night surrounded by her beloved family and dogs'Stella Rimington, the first female director of MI5 and the first head of the domestic spy agency to be publicly named, has died aged 90.She died on Sunday night surrounded by her beloved family and dogs and determinedly held on to the life she loved until her last breath", her family said in a statement. Continue reading...
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#6Z3FG)
Video posted online showed the far-right activist near a man lying on the ground at St Pancras stationThe far-right activist known as Tommy Robinson has been arrested by British police on suspicion of grievous bodily harm after a man was allegedly assaulted at a London railway station.Robinson was arrested on Monday evening at Luton airport as he stepped off a flight from Faro, Portugal. Continue reading...
Coastguard and police continue to scour land and sea for Michele Bourda, who was last seen on a sunbedA mammoth search-and-rescue operation for a British woman last seen lounging on a sunbed in Greece has intensified days after her mysterious" disappearance.The Hellenic coastguard, backed by a flotilla of pleasure craft and fishing boats, has fanned across the waters off Ofrynio beach near the northern town of Kavala, where Michele Bourda, 59, went missing on 1 August. Continue reading...
Wolves need to know humans are bad,' says US department of agriculture representative, explaining unusual strategy to save cattleMarriage Story, Noah Baumbach's drama starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver as a divorcing couple engaged in a raging custody battle, won universal acclaim from critics and numerous awards, including six Oscar nominations and one win, for Laura Dern's barnstorming attorney.But perhaps the highest honour has just been revealed by the Wall Street Journal, which reports that audio of the central couple screaming at one another has been judged so upsetting it is now being used to deter wolves from attacking livestock. Continue reading...
by Miranda Bryant Nordic correspondent on (#6Z3D1)
Danish agency for palaces and culture requests removal of 14-ton sculpture from Dragor Fort in CopenhagenA debate has erupted in Denmark over the fate of a mermaid statue that is to be removed from public view after being decried as ugly and pornographic" and a man's hot dream of what a woman should look like".The Danish agency for palaces and culture is reportedly removing the 4x6 metre Den Store Havfrue (the Big Mermaid) from Dragor Fort, part of Copenhagen's former sea fortifications, because it does not align with the cultural heritage of the 1910 landmark. Continue reading...
Prime minister faces a choice between high tariffs or giving up cheap oil, putting New Delhi's non-alignment policy under severe strainThe relationship between India and the US is facing one of its most significant challenges in decades, as the Trump administration doubles down on its demands that India stop buying Russian oil or face punitive tariffs.The US president, Donald Trump, has refused to cut tariffs on Indian exports to the US, as he has for other countries, and on Monday said he would significantly raise them over its purchases of cheap Russian oil, which now account for one-third of its imported oil. Continue reading...
Witkoff expected to visit Russia as latest deadline set by Donald Trump exires on Friday, requiring Putin to agree to a ceasefire or face sanctionsUS special envoy Steve Witkoff's visit to Moscow is now expected to take place on Wednesday, Tass news agency reported citing sources.The latest deadline, set by US president Donald Trump, requiring Russia to agree to a ceasefire or face sanctions is set to expire on Friday. Continue reading...
Shipwreck in Gulf of Aden leaves only 32 survivors so far, with the rest missing and presumed dead, says UN agencyA boat has capsized off Yemen's coast leaving 76 people dead and 74 others missing, the UN's migration agency said.Yemeni security officials said 76 bodies had been recovered and 32 people rescued from the shipwreck in the Gulf of Aden in what a senior official from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) described as one of the deadliest" shipwrecks off Yemen this year. The UN migration agency said 157 people were onboard. Continue reading...
Mass accommodation site in Kent, marred by controversy since opening, had been due to close in SeptemberNapier barracks, one of the first mass accommodation sites opened to house asylum seekers, will not be closing as planned in the coming weeks, as the government attempts to deal with an influx of small boats arrivals.Officials informed parliament in a Home Office document uploaded to parliament's cross-party home affairs committee in March 2025 that the Home Office intend to occupy and deliver services at Napier until September 2025, at which point the site will be handed back to the Ministry of Defence". Continue reading...
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