Chinese manufacturing surges despite threat of higher Trump tariffs

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Fastest expansion in three months as Chinese factories return to growth as new orders rise

China’s manufacturing activity expanded at the fastest pace in three months in February, despite the looming threat that Donald Trump will impose tariffs this week.

Production at China’s factories returned to growth last month, an official survey showed, thanks to higher new orders and purchase volumes.

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Pay soars at Barclays and HSBC after end of UK banker bonus cap

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One HSBC banker was paid up to £16.6m in 2024 while figure at Barclays was £14.8m after loosening of pay rules

The demise of the UK banker bonus cap has sent pay soaring at Barclays and HSBC where the highest paid bankers have received their biggest payouts since at least 2014.

Analysis of pay documents released this month shows payouts for their most expensive staff surged more than 50% to nearly €20m (£16.6m) last year, after the banks took advantage of looser pay rules and allowed staff to be paid bonuses worth 10 times their salary.

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Egypt says Gaza reconstruction plan ready, will intensify efforts for phase two – The Times of Israel

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  1. Egypt says Gaza reconstruction plan ready, will intensify efforts for phase two  The Times of Israel
  2. Egypt says Gaza reconstruction plan ready, pushes efforts for ceasefire's second phase  Reuters
  3. Arab League to try to counter Trump's 'Gaza Riviera' plan  DW (English)
  4. Feeling heat from Trump to ‘solve’ Gaza, Arab states losing patience with PA’s Abbas  The Times of Israel
  5. Egypt to train Palestinian police for deployment in Gaza - report  The Jerusalem Post
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‘Worse than the Tories’: cultural figures question Labour plans for arts in schools

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Government must scrap English baccalaureate to make arts more accessible to working-class children, critics say

Leading cultural figures have expressed doubts about the government’s commitment to restoring the creative arts in English schools, with one warning that Labour has “lost the plot” and “the current signs are they are worse than the Tories”.

When Labour won the election, it promised to expand opportunities for working-class children by broadening the school curriculum to include more drama, art, music and sport alongside the core academic subjects.

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Uncertainty over Trump’s plans for U.S. troops in Europe fuels anxiety – The Washington Post

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  1. Uncertainty over Trump’s plans for U.S. troops in Europe fuels anxiety  The Washington Post
  2. European leaders on edge as prospect looms of Trump pulling 20K troops from continent  Fox News
  3. EU expects US to withdraw 20,000 troops from Europe  Militarnyi
  4. ‘Tell them to pack up and go.’ Letter to the editor  West Country Voices
  5. US senator calls for NATO withdrawal as Trump weighs troop reduction  AzerNews.Az
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‘We’re taking it seriously’: how police in Manchester cut burglaries by third

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Officers in Operation Castle attend every reported break-in and no longer treat such crimes as ‘low level’

When Sean Edwards found his car and his neighbours’ houses had been broken into in Longsight, Greater Manchester, in 2022, he was not expecting much from the police based on previous experiences.

“I expected them to dust for prints and take statements, then give us a crime reference number and nothing else happen,” he said.

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Multiple wildfires in North and South Carolina force evacuations

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Emergency unfolds amid warnings throughout south-east over dry and windy conditions that exacerbate wildfires

Several wildfires were reported on Saturday in North and South Carolina, forcing evacuations.

The emergency unfolded amid warnings throughout the south-east over dry and windy conditions that exacerbate wildfires.

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Kremlin says US foreign policy pivot ‘largely coincides with our vision’

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Russia’s foreign minister also praises Donald Trump for his ‘commonsense’ aim to end the war in Ukraine

The Kremlin said on Sunday that the dramatic pivot in the foreign policy of the US “largely” coincides with its own vision, with Donald Trump described as having “common sense”.

The US president, who has often said he respects his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, has worked to build ties with Moscow since taking office in January, including twice siding with Russia in UN votes.

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Premier claims WA a ‘renewable energy powerhouse’ but leaked document shows wind and solar projects have ‘stalled’

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Exclusive: Government document confirms electricity from large-scale renewables has flatlined, with one campaigner saying pipeline has ‘little sign of life’

Officials have warned the Western Australian Labor government that work to build wind and solar farms for the state’s main electricity grid has stalled under its leadership, a leaked document shows.

A confidential state government document reveals state bureaucrats advised the government that the “decarbonisation work program” in Perth’s electricity grid had “stalled to date”. It said there were “few new wind developments” advanced enough to be added to the grid before the promised closure of a coal power station in 2027.

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Social media platforms could face $50m fines if Australian children access adult content on their sites

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Under proposed new codes submitted to eSafety commissioner, tech companies would have six months to implement new measures

Social media and technology companies would have six months to implement a suite of new measures to restrict Australian children from accessing adult content online, or face fines up to $50m, under proposed new codes developed by the industry.

The draft codes, submitted to the eSafety commissioner last week for approval, would require social media platforms that allow pornography to prevent access to minors, and implement age assurance measures for users.

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AFL admits it has lost control of online gambling oversight amid spike in ‘integrity risks’

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Exclusive: Leaked documents reveal the AFL struggles to detect if players are using inside information to manipulate betting markets, despite close ties to industry

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The AFL has admitted its integrity system for online gambling is seriously deficient and struggles to identity whether players, coaches and staff are using inside information to manipulate betting markets, in breach of their contracts.

Leaked documents seen by Guardian Australia reveal executives have expressed alarm about an “unprecedented” increase in “integrity risks” posed by the wagering industry, which has exploded in popularity since the pandemic with more than 80 bookmakers now taking bets on its games.

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TV nostalgia continues with new gameshow based on musical chairs

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Game of Chairs will have 10 contestants move around a circle who try to land on a seat when the music stops

A new TV show based on the children’s party game musical chairs is set to hit screens, tapping into viewers’ cravings for nostalgia and happy childhood memories.

The company behind Big Brother, Masterchef and Peaky Blinders is launching the elimination gameshow Game of Chairs – a series in which 10 contestants move around a circle of nine coloured chairs and aim to land on a seat when the music stops.

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