Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper challenged for refusing to criticise Trump's raid despite widespread doubts about legalityMPs have attacked UK ministers over their refusal to criticise Donald Trump's attack on Venezuela, as Keir Starmer attempts to walk a fine line between defending international law and keeping the US president on side.Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs rounded on the foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, on Monday night as frustration grew over the government's cautious response to the US capture of the Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro. Continue reading...
Prime minister assures colleagues he may one day stand up to Donald Trump - but not yetKeir Starmer has got used to walking a diplomatic tightrope with Donald Trump. But the US president's Venezuelan adventure, whisking its leader out of the country after a late-night raid, has pushed that cautious approach to its limits.The clues were all there. Ever since Trump confirmed that he had authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela against drug traffickers - and blockaded oil tankers - the military campaign had been mounting. Continue reading...
by Amelia Gentleman, Helena Horton and Dan Milmo on (#72KJ3)
The degrading pictures are being posted to X despite the platform pledging to suspend people who generate themDegrading images of children and women with their clothes digitally removed by Grok AI continue to be shared on Elon Musk's X, despite the platform's commitment to suspend users who generate them.After days of concern over use of the chatbot to alter photographs to create sexualised pictures of real women and children stripped to their underwear without their consent, the UK's communication's watchdog, Ofcom, said on Monday that it had made urgent contact with X and xAI to understand what steps they have taken to comply with their legal duties to protect users in the UK". Ofcom added that it would assess whether an investigation is necessary based on the company's response. Continue reading...
PM's spokesperson did not contest report claiming that the UK will abstain on a possible UN voteSpeaking to reporters this morning, Keir Starmer said Nicolas Maduro, who was president of Venezuela until he was arrested by the Americans on Saturday and taken to a US jail, was not a legitimate ruler. He said:What's happened here in Venezuela is obviously really important. We have long championed a peaceful transition to democracy, because the president was illegitimate.International law is really important. It's the framework, and it's for the US to set out its justifications for the actions that it's taken. But it is a complicated situation. It remains a complicated situation. The most important thing is stability and that peaceful transition to democracy ...I think the vast majority of Labour MPs would say that they want to see democracy in Venezuela. That is hugely important. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#72KG1)
Exclusive: Chronic lack of consultants across UK health service means patients do not get drugs or surgery in timeThousands of people who have had a stroke are ending up severely disabled or dying because the NHS has too few specialists to treat them quickly enough, senior doctors are warning.A chronic shortage of stroke consultants across the NHS means that patients are suffering horrendous consequences because of delays in getting clot-busting drugs and surgery, they said.70% of stroke units are short of at least one consultant in stroke care, and many are two down.53 of 84 hospitals that responded had vacancies for a total of 96 consultants.The NHS relies heavily on locum doctors to fill holes in the workforce caused by the difficulty in recruiting new consultants.10% of the NHS's 423 substantive (permanent) consultants are due to retire in the next five years, exacerbating the existing shortage. Continue reading...
Vasyl Malyuk reportedly unwilling to leave post as head of the Security Service but will now lead special operationsThe spy chief who led Ukraine's most audacious behind-the-lines operations in its war with Russia has been forced to resign by Volodymyr Zelenskyy.Vasyl Malyuk, who was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine last year, reportedly fought to stay in post as head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) but relented on Monday at a meeting with the president. Continue reading...
Four Reform-led councils want to raise tax by maximum allowed amount with more areas not being ruled outA Reform-led local authority has confirmed it is planning to increase council tax by the maximum allowed amount, despite promises during the local election to reduce taxes.Derbyshire county council confirmed the rise after predicting a 38m gap in its budget, with overspends in children's social care and adult social care. Continue reading...
by Libby Brooks Scotland correspondent on (#72KEP)
First minister announces plan for bank holiday on Monday 15 June after opening game against HaitiFootball fans needn't worry about the hangover when they celebrate, or otherwise, into the wee hours after Scotland's first match in the 2026 World Cup - because the day after the 2am UK time fixture looks likely to be a national bank holiday there.The first minister, John Swinney, announced that Monday 15 June will be designated a national bank holiday to mark Scotland's participation in the tournament for the first time since 1998. Continue reading...
Mette Frederiksen says Denmark and Greenland have made it clear they reject US president's statementsin ParisLate last year, Brigitte Macron's daughter has told a Paris court that false claims online that the French first lady was born a man had damaged her mother's quality of life, leaving her worrying every day about the clothes she wears and how she stands. Continue reading...
by Yohannes Lowe (now) and Frances Mao (earlier) on (#72K5F)
Snowfall will be increasingly confined to far north of Scotland but ice risk to linger across many areasThe full list of train disruptions and timetable changes can be viewed on the National Rail site here.Timeframes for the delays are being amended all the time - and on some routes, bus alternatives are also being offered, so it's worth checking back in regularly. Continue reading...
Jonathan Carley, 65, ordered to pay nearly 800 after pleading guilty to attending ceremony in Royal Navy uniform without permissionA man has been fined after he admitted dressing as an admiral without permission at a Remembrance Sunday event.Jonathan Carley, 65, pleaded guilty to wearing uniform bearing the mark of his majesty's forces without permission and was fined 500, and ordered to pay 85 costs and a 200 surcharge, at Llandudno magistrates court on Monday. Continue reading...
Aristocrat, 70, gives address as Blenheim Palace and indicates he will plead not guilty to three charges of intentional strangulationThe Duke of Marlborough has appeared in court and indicated not guilty pleas to charges of strangling his estranged wife.Charles James Spencer-Churchill, a distant relative of Winston Churchill and Diana, Princess of Wales, is accused of three charges of intentional strangulation against Edla Marlborough between November 2022 and April 2024. Continue reading...
by Peter Walker Senior political correspondent on (#72K4H)
Failure to condemn US intervention risks encouraging others to take similar action, warns senior Labour MPThe lack of western condemnation of the US military intervention in Venezuela could embolden China and Russia to take similar action against other countries, a senior Labour MP has warned.Emily Thornberry, who chairs the Commons foreign affairs committee, said that without a coherent and strong response to Donald Trump's move at the weekend to remove the Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro, and bring him to the US, the norms of international law could break down. Continue reading...
by Faye Hulton and Ed Walton for MetDesk on (#72K4J)
Subzero temperatures, heavy snowfall and powerful gusts mark a harsh start to 2026 for manyIt has been a cold start to the year across much of Europe, particularly in central regions, where temperatures dropped to double-digit negatives. Heavy snowfall hit parts of eastern and central Europe on New Year's Eve, notably in Poland and Ukraine, with similar conditions across the Alps on the first few days of the year.The cold is likely to continue this week as an Arctic air mass sinks south across Europe, pulling temperatures well below the seasonal average outside south-east Europe. Temperatures are expected to fall widely by about 5C (41F) below average, with some areas - such as parts of central and north-eastern Europe - up to 10C lower than the norm. When wind chill is taken into account, it will feel even colder. Continue reading...
US class action alleges Stake's anonymised design enabled rapper to fund automated streams on music platformsDrake and American livestreamer Adin Ross have been accused in a US civil case of using online casino money to pay for automated streams in a bid to artificially inflate the singer's royalties and popularity on music streaming platforms. No one has been charged criminally with regard to the allegations in the lawsuit.Two women in the US state Virginia have filed a class action seeking US$5m from e-casino Stake.com, the celebrities and another Australian internet personality for alleged breaches of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (Rico) and consumer protection laws. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: Saturday's capture of Nicolas Maduro by the US was as unexpected as it was swift - but what led Trump to topple the South American regime?Good morning. Over the weekend, the US attacked Venezuela with a series of airstrikes and captured the country's leader, Nicolas Maduro, along with his wife, Cilia Flores, seizing them from their bedrooms and flying them to New York on Saturday evening. Donald Trump announced that the US would run" Venezuela for an unspecified period.Perhaps most striking was how explicit Trump was about the reasoning behind the military action. He said the aim was for US companies to take control of Venezuela's oil infrastructure for their own benefit. We have the greatest oil companies in the world, the biggest, the greatest, and we're going to be very much involved in it," Trump said.Venezuela | The prospect of the United States seizing direct control of Venezuela appeared to recede on Sunday after the shocking seizure of President Nicolas Maduro - but US officials said Washington was keeping a 15,000-strong force in the Caribbean and might make a fresh military intervention if Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, did not accommodate their demands.EU | Keir Starmer has said closer ties with the EU single market are preferable to a customs union in his clearest sign yet that the UK government is seeking to further deepen links with Brussels.Weather | Transport delays, treacherous driving conditions and school closures will greet many people as they return to work and study after the Christmas break, with winter weather warnings in place across the UK.Crans-Montana fire | Investigators have identified the last 16 people who died in the New Year's Eve bar fire at the Swiss mountain resort of Crans-Montana, police said on Sunday.Germany | German leftwing militants protesting over the climate crisis and AI have claimed responsibility for an arson attack that cut power to tens of thousands of households in Berlin. Continue reading...
Coalition gearing up to intensify campaign for royal commission into antisemitism but may be split on tighter gun controlsThe federal parliament will be recalled early as the Albanese government seeks to rush through laws to crack down on hate preachers" and fund a national gun buyback scheme in the wake of the Bondi beach alleged terrorist attack.But the government is resisting calls for a royal commission into antisemitism, as the Coalition prepares to use parliament's return to intensify the campaign for an inquiry. Continue reading...
Exclusive: union facing claim for unfair dismissal from one of two women who complained of bullying and harassmentThe GMB trade union is facing fresh turmoil over claims made by two of its female senior leadership team, as it heads towards a crucial general secretary election this year.The infighting at a senior level comes as Gary Smith, the union's general secretary, faces a potential battle to retain his job in May. Continue reading...
Nationals leader David Littleproud warns against prolonged Iraq-style operation in Venezuela as Greens senator David Shoebridge raises concern about Trump's intervention
by Presented by Annie Kelly with Julian Borger; produ on (#72K08)
The president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, was captured, flown to the US and is facing trial in New York. What does it mean for the country - and the world?In the early hours of Saturday morning, scenes unfolded on the streets of the Venezuelan capital Caracas that could have come from a blockbuster movie. The power was cut, explosions ripped through the city and the US military swept in. The country's president, Nicolas Maduro, was snatched from his home ... and from power.For months Trump has been waging a maximum pressure campaign against Maduro. He accused him of being responsible for drug trafficking and illegal immigration into the US. A huge naval armada was moved to the Caribbean and fishing boats were attacked. Continue reading...
Flights cancelled and travel warnings issued with 30cm of snow expected on high ground in northern ScotlandTransport delays, treacherous driving conditions and school closures will greet many people as they return to work and study after the Christmas break, with winter weather warnings in place across the UK.Four amber warnings for heavy snow in northern Scotland are in place until Monday morning, while yellow snow and ice warnings cover all of Northern Ireland, Wales and much of England. Continue reading...
by Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor on (#72JM2)
Prime minister gives clearest sign yet that government is seeking to further deepen Britain's links with BrusselsCloser ties with the EU single market are preferable to a customs union, Keir Starmer has said, in his clearest sign yet that the government is seeking to further deepen links with Brussels.The prime minister said the UK should consider even closer alignment" with the single market. If it's in our national interest ... then we should consider that, we should go that far," he told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg. Continue reading...
The 34-year-old posts emotional video saying the girls will fight all the odds' after spinal muscular atrophy diagnosisThe former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson has said her twin babies will fight all the odds" after being diagnosed with a rare genetic condition that means it is unlikely they will ever be able to walk.The 34-year-old singer and her fiance, Zion Foster, welcomed their twins Ocean Jade and Story Monroe Nelson-Foster in May, after they were born prematurely. In an emotional Instagram video posted on Sunday, Nelson revealed the girls had been diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy type 1 (SMA1). Continue reading...
Maximus Textoris Pulcher, an official resident at Rue de la Loi 16, shows a warmer side of Bart De WeverFor nearly 15 years, Britain's Larry the Cat has charmed visitors to 10 Downing Street. Now another prime ministerial pet is proving a social media hit in Belgium.Maximus Textoris Pulcher was announced in August as an official resident at the Belgian prime minister's office, Rue de la Loi 16 in central Brussels. Continue reading...
Security Service was able to compile detailed files on members of legitimate protest groups infiltrated by undercover police officersThousands of surveillance reports compiled by undercover police officers who spied on political campaigners were routinely passed to MI5, documents obtained by the spycops inquiry have revealed.Police sent undercover officers on long-term deployments to infiltrate mainly leftwing protest groups and gather enormous quantities of information about their political and personal activities. Continue reading...
Dystopian warnings once reserved for the far right have found a wider audience - but there are good reasons for scepticismIt is a darkly dystopian vision of Britain's future, in which tens of thousands die in a bitter civil war in just a few years time.Yet such forecasts are no longer limited to niche corners of the internet or the X feed of Elon Musk, condemned by Downing Street for claiming that war in Britain was inevitable after the post-Southport rioting. Continue reading...
A fantasy figure for men and women, a victim of press intrusion, a defender of animals ... the French actor was also a mouthpiece for racial hatred whose views grew uglier over timeBrigitte Bardot inspired many fantasies, from the wanton, panting reveries of assorted French auteurs in the 1950s and 60s, to the perky-nippled bust created in 1969 as a model for Marianne, the embodiment of the French Republic itself.With her death on 28 December, another more contemporary Bardot illusion was shattered. The singer Chappell Roan, responding to Bardot's passing at 91, posted a photo of the actor in her beehived prime on Instagram, saying she had inspired her song Red Wine Supernova and writing": Rest in peace Ms Bardot." Continue reading...
Zia Yusuf announces plans for mandatory sentences with no parole, as party targets grooming gangsChild rapists would be jailed for life if Reform UK wins the next election, its head of policy has said.Under plans announced by Zia Yusuf on Saturday, the party would introduce mandatory whole-life orders for offenders convicted of the crime, making them ineligible for parole, as part of a crackdown on grooming gangs. Continue reading...
New documents reveal numerous missed opportunities as experts and victims condemn US authorities' failuresOver the course of two decades, Jeffrey Epstein repeatedly appeared on law enforcement's radar for sexual misconduct involving teen girls and young women. And over this same period of time, Epstein avoided serious and meaningful punishment for his crimes.The US justice department's recent disclosure of long-secret investigative files related to Epstein has once again raised the question of why he wasn't interdicted sooner, despite numerous reports of misconduct. The issue has been the subject of many conspiracy theories, often focusing on the idea that Epstein - who lived at the center of a network of powerful people - enjoyed some form of protection. Continue reading...
The US may be making positive noises, but exhausted Ukrainians remain wary after nearly four years of warI would give anything in the world if, in this address, I could say that peace will also come in just a few minutes," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a message to the Ukrainian people released just before midnight on New Year's Eve. Unfortunately, I cannot say that yet."Zelenskyy said a peace agreement was 90% ready", but added something that subverted Donald Trump's constant claims that a deal is just around the corner. Those 10% contain, in fact, everything," he said. Continue reading...
Humberside police say body retrieved off East Yorkshire on Friday evening amid rescue operation in horrendous conditions'A second body has been recovered from the sea off the coast of Withernsea, East Yorkshire, as the search resumes for a third missing person.Humberside police said the body of a second person was retrieved on Friday evening. Earlier, a 67-year-old man had been pulled unconscious from the water, but he died later. Continue reading...
Southern Transitional Council wants to form a breakaway state, which would split the Arabian Peninsula's poorest state in twoSaudi Arabia's foreign ministry has called for Yemen's southern factions to attend a dialogue" in Riyadh, after a surprise independence bid and the United Arab Emirates declaring it had withdrawn all troops from Yemen.In a statement on Saturday, the Saudi ministry urged a comprehensive conference in Riyadh to bring together all southern factions to discuss just solutions to the southern cause". Riyadh said the Yemeni government had issued the invitation for talks. Continue reading...
Minutes obtained under freedom of information laws show West Midlands police flagged concerns over decision ahead of Aston Villa matchJewish communities warned West Midlands police that a ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attending a match against Aston Villa could be perceived as antisemitic", documents show.Supporters of the Israeli team were banned from attending the Europa League fixture at Villa Park in Birmingham on 6 November, causing outrage, with the prime minister, Keir Starmer, condemning it as wrong" and suggesting it amounted to antisemitism. Continue reading...
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