‘Japanese First’ party shakes up election with alarm over foreigners – Reuters

  1. 'Japanese First' party shakes up election with alarm over foreigners  Reuters
  2. A weak yen is the root of Japan’s lurch to the right  Financial Times
  3. Japan’s Right-Wing Fringe Is No MAGA or Reform  Bloomberg
  4. Japan launches government body to address concerns over foreigners  朝日新聞
  5. CDP leader criticizes ‘Japanese First’ policy and calls for inclusive society  The Japan Times
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Fire destroys main stage at Belgium’s Tomorrowland festival on eve of opening

Blaze came a day before thousands of electronic dance music fans were set to descend on the Belgian event

The main stage of the Tomorrowland music festival near Antwerp was totally destroyed by fire on Wednesday, a day before thousands of electronic dance music lovers were due to arrive at the Belgian event.

There were no injuries, organisers said, insisting they would still go ahead with the festival over the next two weekends.

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Berlin Says ‘Nein’ to EU Budget Proposal That Would Send €100B to Kyiv – Kyiv Post

  1. Berlin Says ‘Nein’ to EU Budget Proposal That Would Send €100B to Kyiv  Kyiv Post
  2. Von der Leyen’s €2tn EU budget proposal hit by chaotic infighting  Financial Times
  3. VDL to Europe’s cities: You’re on your own  politico.eu
  4. Reactions to the European Commission's new EU budget proposal  Reuters
  5. An ambitious budget for a stronger Europe: 2028-2034  European Commission
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Mexico City plans to tackle gentrification after protests against mass tourism – AP News

  1. Mexico City plans to tackle gentrification after protests against mass tourism  AP News
  2. Mexico City Vows To Tackle Gentrification After Protests  Barron's
  3. Backlash against Mexico City gentrification echoes global anger at overtourism and rising rents  The Guardian
  4. Critics slam Mexico’s gentrification protests as xenophobic. Activists say they’re fighting for their human rights  CNN
  5. Another side of the story: A Mexican perspective on gentrification  Mexico News Daily
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Israel Steps Up Strikes on Syria, Hitting Military Headquarters – Bloomberg

  1. Israel Steps Up Strikes on Syria, Hitting Military Headquarters  Bloomberg
  2. After powerful Israeli strikes on Damascus, Syria withdraws troops from Suwayda city  CNN
  3. After IDF strikes, Syria’s Sharaa accuses Israel of seeking ‘chaos and destruction’  The Times of Israel
  4. Syrian government and Druze minority leaders announce a new ceasefire as Israel continues strikes  AP News
  5. Crisis Spirals in Syria With Israeli Strikes on Damascus  The Wall Street Journal
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In the latest massacre, 15 Palestinians seeking food at GHF site die from suffocation after Israeli forces fire gas at aid seekers – Mondoweiss

  1. In the latest massacre, 15 Palestinians seeking food at GHF site die from suffocation after Israeli forces fire gas at aid seekers  Mondoweiss
  2. A first-hand look at Gaza’s controversial food-distribution sites  The Economist
  3. Six people said killed, others wounded in shootings near Gaza aid sites  The Times of Israel
  4. Suffocation, stampede, death: Tragedy at Gaza’s aid centre  Al Jazeera
  5. Syria’s Druze reach new ceasefire deal with government in Sweida, religious leader says – as it happened  The Guardian
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Nicotine pouches sold to children mimic sweets, says UK trading standards body

Children can buy pouches legally as they are not regulated as a specific tobacco or nicotine product

Nicotine pouches are being legally sold to children and are being made appealing to them with special flavours and packaging mimicking sweets, a trading standards body has said.

In June, it became illegal for single-use vapes to be sold in England to tackle their widespread use by children. However, there is currently no legislation that restricts the age at which you can buy nicotine pouches.

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Ministers urged to overhaul and raise carer’s allowance

Resolution Foundation says unpaid carers on low incomes pay ‘very heavy price’ for looking after loved ones

The carer’s allowance benefit should be overhauled and the basic rate of payment increased to lift more unpaid carers and disabled people out of financial hardship, according to a living standards thinktank.

The Resolution Foundation said unpaid carers on low incomes were paying a “very heavy price” – a typical penalty of 10% or as much as £7,000 a year compared with non-carers – for looking after loved ones full-time.

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MPs to tighten laws allowing foreign donations to influence UK elections

Exclusive: changes will end illegitimate funding via shell firms and subject donors to enhanced tests, backed by stronger fines

Ministers are planning to close loopholes that could allow foreign money to influence UK elections, with a crackdown on illegitimate donations through shell companies and new tests on political donors.

As part of a push to tighten up electoral law, the government will on Thursday announce a series of measures to ensure donations come from allowable UK sources.

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Exclusive | New Details in Air India Crash Probe Shift Focus to Senior Pilot – The Wall Street Journal

  1. Exclusive | New Details in Air India Crash Probe Shift Focus to Senior Pilot  The Wall Street Journal
  2. Air India Junior Pilot Asked Captain Why He Turned Off Fuel Switches  Bloomberg
  3. Air India crash report raises questions about mental health care for pilots  PBS
  4. Doomed Air India pilot’s medical records probed amid reports of depression, other mental health struggles  New York Post
  5. Air India crash probe focuses on actions of plane's captain, Wall Street Journal reports  Reuters
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France’s premier wants to ax two holidays to boost growth. Non, people say. – The Washington Post

  1. France’s premier wants to ax two holidays to boost growth. Non, people say.  The Washington Post
  2. Could axing two national holidays save France from its mountain of debt?  BBC
  3. The method to François Bayrou’s madness  politico.eu
  4. France Proposes Cutting Two Public Holidays to Avert Budget Crisis  The New York Times
  5. French PM's plan to scrap two holidays stirs outcry, and memories of a toppled predecessor  NBC News
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Starmer and Merz find their happy place: War – politico.eu

  1. Starmer and Merz find their happy place: War  politico.eu
  2. Germany to tighten people-smuggling law by end of year  BBC
  3. Merz visits UK as Europe closes ranks in face of threats  Reuters
  4. Starmer and Merz to sign UK–Germany treaty targeting smuggling gangs and boosting defence ties  The Guardian
  5. UK and Germany join forces in push for lucrative sales of military jets and hardware  Financial Times
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