China helped broker Iran truce, but it’s wary of deeper involvement – The Washington Post
- China helped broker Iran truce, but it’s wary of deeper involvement The Washington Post
- China emerges as unexpected player in Trump’s Iran diplomacy push Fox Business
- China’s Role in Iran Ceasefire Is Overstated, CCTV Account Says Bloomberg.com
- China Gains Favor With Trump by Dipping Into Iran Diplomacy WSJ
- China Pressed Iran Toward Cease-Fire, Iranian Officials Say The New York Times
US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad face massive hurdles
Fears of UK and EU flight cancellations as airports warn of jet fuel shortages
Summer holidays could be hit unless oil flows through strait of Hormuz recommence within three weeks
Airports have warned that jet fuel could run short within three weeks in Europe if oil supplies do not start to flow through the strait of Hormuz, raising concerns over flight cancellations in the UK and EU going into the summer holiday season.
Jet fuel shortages will become so acute without the resumption of supplies from the Middle East that cancellations across Europe will be inevitable, disrupting travel plans for potentially millions of passengers.
Continue reading...In Peru’s presidential race, a pro-Trump frontrunner sinks in final stretch – Al Jazeera
- In Peru’s presidential race, a pro-Trump frontrunner sinks in final stretch Al Jazeera
- US pushes to renew ties with Peru ahead of uncertain election Reuters
- Peru's Dysfunctional Politics Are an Economic Time Bomb Bloomberg.com
- Peruvians to go to polls hoping to break cycle of instability The Guardian
- Peruvians choosing a president from 35-candidate pool in Sunday’s election AP News
Iran war: Rifts in regime bigger threat to ceasefire – DW.com
- Iran war: Rifts in regime bigger threat to ceasefire DW.com
- IDF tells Knesset panel new Iranian regime even more extreme The Times of Israel
- Revamped Iranian Leadership Wary Ahead of US Peace Talks Bloomberg.com
- Iran's new regime more hardline, under military control: Israel's big warning ahead of truce talks The Times of India
- The regime is unraveling: Iran’s military defeat is in plain sight New York Post
In Peru’s presidential race, a pro-Trump frontrunner sinks in final stretch
Ukraine didn’t just bring interceptor drone know-how to the Middle East. Zelenskyy says it shot down Iranian Shaheds. – Business Insider
- Ukraine didn't just bring interceptor drone know-how to the Middle East. Zelenskyy says it shot down Iranian Shaheds. Business Insider
- Zelenskyy says Ukrainian interceptors downed Iran drones in the Middle East Al Jazeera
- Ukraine in talks with Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain on security cooperation, Zelenskiy says Reuters
- Zelenskiy Says Gulf Offers Kyiv Fuel Aid for Anti-Drone Support Bloomberg.com
- Ukrainians shot down Iranian drones in the Gulf, Zelenskyy says Euronews.com
Potholes and progress: Mamdani reflects on 100 days as New York’s mayor
Estonia says detaining Russia’s tankers in Baltic Sea is too risky – Reuters
- Estonia says detaining Russia's tankers in Baltic Sea is too risky Reuters
- Estonia says risk of detaining Russian shadow fleet vessels 'too high' The Kyiv Independent
- NATO Nation Issues Warning To Border ‘Green Men’ Newsweek
- Estonia Can Support Population for About a Month in Event of Blockade Мілітарний
- Estonia Prepares Strategic Plan for 30-Day Autonomy and Deep Strikes into Enemy Territory UNITED24 Media
Peers vote to ban pornography depicting sex acts between stepfamily members
Amendment calling for step-incest to be included in ban on harmful content passes by just one vote
The government has agreed to ban the production of pornography depicting sex acts between stepfamily members following a vote in the House of Lords.
The government tabled an amendment calling for step-incest to be included in a ban on harmful content, with the support of the Conservative peer Gabby Bertin, who led a review into pornography regulation that was published last year.
Continue reading...Starmer implies he didn’t tell Trump he was ‘fed up’ about his impact on rising UK energy bills – as it happened
Prime minister says conversation with US president on Thursday night focused on need for ‘practical plan’ to open strait of Hormuz
Tony Blair, the former Labour prime minister, has joined those saying the government should allow drilling for oil and gas in the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields in the North Sea.
Both applications were approved by the last Conservative government, but then overturned by a court ruling. Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, has to make a decision about the revised applications operating in a quasi-judicial capacity, which means he has to follow due process and can’t take the decision purely on political ground.
The current debate [on energy policy] is deadlocked between two incomplete responses. The government argues the answer is to accelerate Clean Power 2030, focusing on decarbonising the electricity system as quickly as possible. The opposition argues that the answer is to expand domestic oil and gas production. Both positions contain elements of truth, but neither addresses the core strategic problem: outside the power sector the UK economy remains overwhelmingly dependent on fossil fuels, and electricity is still too expensive to support mass electrification.
The UK is caught in a self-reinforcing high-cost, low-electrification trap. High electricity costs suppress demand, slowing the uptake of electric vehicles, heat pumps and industrial electrification. Weak demand growth, in turn, means that the fixed costs of the system – from networks to long-term contracts – are spread across a smaller base, keeping prices high. The result is a system that is too expensive to electrify and therefore remains dependent on fossil fuels and exposed to global shocks …
The first of these vital measures will ban anyone from possessing or publishing harmful pornography that shows incest between family members, and sex between step or foster relations where one person is pretending to be under 18.
A further amendment will criminalise the publication and possession of pornography where an adult is roleplaying as a child.
This government is uncompromising in our mission to protect women and girls online, and we have taken action to stop tech firms from publishing this abusive content.
In February, we told platforms that they must remove reported non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours.
I greatly welcome the government’s plans to fully address harmful pornographic content such as incest, step-incest and the mimicking of child sexual abuse. This content that is freely and widely available online is deeply harmful, normalising child sexual abuse and abusive relationships within families …
Today the government has answered our calls for change, and I am delighted that once again the UK is leading the way on regulating this high harm industry.
Continue reading...Starbucks’s retail arm gets £13.7m tax credit even as sales increase
Credit can be used to offset future bills as full-year losses at UK division widen to £41.3m and it adds 92 stores
Starbucks’s UK retail arm received a £13.7m corporation tax credit last year, even as its sales increased 6% and it added more than 90 stores.
The credit, which can be used to offset future tax bills, comes after losses widened to £41.3m in the 12 months to the end of September – almost matching the £40m it paid in royalty and licence fees to its parent company.
Continue reading...Inflation rises in US amid Hormuz blockade, consumer sentiment plunges
Zelenskyy says Ukrainian interceptors downed Iran drones in the Middle East
How a Russian propaganda unit is targeting Hungary’s elections – Euronews.com
- How a Russian propaganda unit is targeting Hungary’s elections Euronews.com
- Final push for votes as challenger to Hungary's Orbán scents victory BBC
- Czech Prime Minister Babis Backs Hungary's Orban Ahead of Vote U.S. News & World Report
- Growing List of Orban Loyalists Defecting Before Critical Election The New York Times
- Viktor Orbán Could Actually Lose Sunday’s Hungarian Election The Atlantic
Man accused of coercing wife into sex with 120 men goes on trial in Sweden
Man accused of coercing wife into sex with 120 men goes on trial in Sweden
Man accused of coercing wife into sex with 120 men goes on trial in Sweden
Trump’s peace board faces cash crunch, stalling Gaza plan, sources say – Reuters
- Trump's peace board faces cash crunch, stalling Gaza plan, sources say Reuters
- Board of Peace has received only tiny fraction of $17 billion pledged for Gaza — sources The Times of Israel
- The Board of Peace is a disaster for Gaza Responsible Statecraft
- 'Everything is on hold': How the Gaza peace plan has stalled with attention elsewhere The National
- Trump’s Board of Peace Is Already a Mess The New Republic