Teletubbies creator warns parents over ‘empty’ YouTube programmes for children

Anne Wood says algorithms bypass ‘the responsibility of art’ and have failed to support high-quality children’s content

Lots of programmes for children on YouTube are “empty” and do “nothing to encourage the imaginative life of children”, the Teletubbies creator has cautioned parents.

Anne Wood, the veteran children’s producer who devised the popular TV show for preschool children, said children’s television had long been undervalued and she feared “we’re losing a tremendous amount and nobody can see it because it’s not considered important”.

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ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 14, 2025 – Kyiv Post

  1. ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 14, 2025  Kyiv Post
  2. What Our Photographer Saw as a Safe City Became a Blood Bath  The New York Times
  3. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 14, 2025  Institute for the Study of War
  4. Pokrovsk: Russian forces use fog cover to push further into key Ukraine town  BBC
  5. Diplomacy Watch: Ukraine faces failure — and fate — in Pokrovsk  Responsible Statecraft
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Avanti accused of ‘virtue signalling without virtue’ over wheelchair user art

Campaigners say train image of two wheelchair users does not reflect reality of single wheelchair space in standard class

Campaigners have accused one of the UK’s leading train companies of “virtue signalling without the virtue” after it used images of wheelchair users that they say do not reflect the reality of travelling with a disability.

Baraka Carberry, a digital artist, created a new livery for Avanti West Coast, which provides rail links between London and Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Scotland, that shows “scenes of people, culture, colours and joy”. Titled Together We Roll, the images stretch across all seven carriages of the new Evero train, which the company says reduces carbon compared with the old fleet of trains.

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About 1m Ford diesel cars sold in UK with defective emissions controls, court told

Ford denies having created ‘defeat devices’ in legal action on behalf of 1.6 million owners against five carmakers

About a million Ford diesel cars were sold in the UK with serious defects in components supposed to curb toxic exhaust emissions, the high court has been told.

The highly polluting vehicles were produced and sold between 2016 and 2018 after Ford’s engineers became aware of the issues, and many were never formally recalled or fixed, lawyers said.

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UK warned that 15% cut to health fund will force ‘impossible choices’ on Africa

Advocates fear that other donors will follow Britain’s reduction to the Global Fund for Aids, TB and malaria

The UK is undermining its legacy in fighting infectious diseases including Aids and malaria by cutting money pledged to a leading global health fund, campaigners claim.

The 15% reduction in the contribution to the Global Fund for Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced this week – in a year when the UK, alongside South Africa, is co-host of the fund’s replenishment drive – risks encouraging other countries to cut back commitments as well, advocates fear.

The Gates Foundation is a major private contributor to the Global Fund. The foundation also contributes to theguardian.org, which funds independent journalism at the Guardian

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Ukraine’s $200 Billion Lifeline From Europe Stumbles on Pushback in Belgium – The Wall Street Journal

  1. Ukraine’s $200 Billion Lifeline From Europe Stumbles on Pushback in Belgium  The Wall Street Journal
  2. EU finance ministers agree using frozen Russian assets most effective way to fund Ukraine  Reuters
  3. Zelenskiy Says Ukraine’s Survival Rests on New Funds From Allies  Bloomberg.com
  4. Von der Leyen meets Belgium’s De Wever to discuss €140B Ukraine loan  politico.eu
  5. Political pressure mounts on Belgium to back reparations loan for Ukraine  Euronews.com
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China advises against travel to Japan amid escalating row over PM’s Taiwan comments

Sanae Takaichi says the use of force against Taiwan could warrant a military response from Tokyo

China has advised its citizens to avoid travelling to Japan, escalating a diplomatic feud sparked by comments from Tokyo’s new prime minister about a hypothetical attack on Taiwan.

Sanae Takaichi told Japan’s parliament on 7 November that the use of force against the self-ruled island claimed by China could warrant a military response from Tokyo. Japan has since said its position on Taiwan – just 100km from the nearest Japanese island – is unchanged.

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Trump ends support for Marjorie Taylor Greene amid growing Epstein feud

President turns on ‘Wacky Marjorie’ after congresswoman criticizes effort to block release of key Epstein documents

Donald Trump announced Friday that he is withdrawing his support and endorsement of Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene, a longtime ally and previously fierce defender of the president and the Maga movement.

Trump’s move away from Greene came just hours after she said in an interview she thought the president’s attempts to stop the release of the files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein is “insanely the wrong direction to go”.

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South Africa investigates mystery of a plane that arrived with more than 150 Palestinians from Gaza – NBC News

  1. South Africa investigates mystery of a plane that arrived with more than 150 Palestinians from Gaza  NBC News
  2. LIVE: Israel closely coordinated Gaza families’ mystery transit to S Africa  Al Jazeera
  3. South Africa to investigate 'mystery' of planeload of Palestinians, Cyril Ramaphosa says  BBC
  4. South Africa to investigate ‘mysterious’ arrival of 153 Palestinians on plane  The Guardian
  5. South Africa to probe unexpected arrival of Palestinian group  Reuters
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Epstein was texting US House member during 2019 hearing with Michael Cohen

Newly revealed documents show sex offender messaging lawmaker, and may have influenced their questioning

Newly released documents from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate show the convicted sex offender appeared to be texting with a member of Congress during a 2019 House hearing with Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former fixer and personal attorney, and that those messages may have influenced the lawmaker’s questioning.

The documents provided to Congress this week include transcripts suggesting Epstein was in direct contact with the lawmaker as the hearing unfolded, the Washington Post reports.

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