Young Republicans cheer Trump on from Texas watch party
"He's already surpassed all expectations", Republicans say as they watch Trump's address to Congress.
Rachel Reeves earmarks billions in welfare cuts ahead of Spring Statement – BBC.com
- Rachel Reeves earmarks billions in welfare cuts ahead of Spring Statement BBC.com
- Minister says welfare budget ‘unsustainable’ amid reports Reeves has earmarked billions in cuts – UK politics live The Guardian
- Rachel Reeves to propose spending cuts to fix UK’s worsening public finances Financial Times
- Reeves plans billions in benefits and other spending cuts The Independent
- The plan to save Rachel Reeves POLITICO Europe
‘Rare’ cyclone Alfred swirls off Australia’s east coast, residents urged to evacuate – Reuters
- ‘Rare’ cyclone Alfred swirls off Australia’s east coast, residents urged to evacuate Reuters
- Rare cyclone threatens millions on Australia’s east coast CNN
- Cyclone Alfred latest: Rare Category 2 storm nears Australian coast as millions face ‘worst-case scenario’ The Independent
- Cyclone Alfred LIVE updates: BoM warn storm could become category 3 as south-east Queensland, northern NSW residents continue to brace for direct hit Brisbane Times
- Tropical Cyclone Alfred to lash Queensland and New South Wales, Australia The Washington Post
Foxtons boss says firm has ‘more to do’ on workplace culture
Comments follow report alleging that estate agency company’s junior staff faced inappropriate behaviour
The chief executive of Foxtons has admitted that the company has “more to do” on workplace culture, after a report alleging that junior employees at the real estate agent had faced unwanted touching and other forms of harassment.
Guy Gittins, who started his career at Foxtons in 2002 and returned as chief executive three years ago, said that the company remained “steadfast in our commitment to an inclusive, professional and respectful culture”, as it reported its full-year results for 2024.
Continue reading...Indian court orders release of Briton held without trial for years
Christian Michel has been held for six years in the high-profile AgustaWestland corruption case.
Former Gabon youth coach banned for life by Fifa over sexual abuse of players
- Patrick Assoumou Eyi found guilty by Fifa
- Eyi banned for life and fined 1m Swiss francs
Fifa has banned the former Gabon youth-team coach Patrick Assoumou Eyi, known as “Capello”, for life after its adjudicatory chamber found him guilty of committing repeated acts of sexual abuse against multiple players.
Eyi – who left his post as head coach of Gabon’s under-17 team in 2017 – admitted charges of raping, grooming and exploiting young players after allegations first reported by the Guardian in 2021. One former player who was coached by Eyi claimed he would lure alleged victims to his home, which he called the “Garden of Eden”.
Continue reading...Is there a shared psychology behind car attacks in Germany? – DW (English)
- Is there a shared psychology behind car attacks in Germany? DW (English)
- Vehicle rams into crowd in Mannheim, Germany, killing at least 2 and leaving others wounded CBS News
- 2 dead, 25 injured after vehicle drives into crowd ABC News
- Suspect in deadly German car-ramming gives no information on motive and is ordered held in custody The Associated Press
- 2 killed and several injured in suspected car ramming in Mannheim, Germany NBC News
Exclusive: Canada and US offered Uyghurs in Thailand asylum before deportation to China, sources say – Reuters
- Exclusive: Canada and US offered Uyghurs in Thailand asylum before deportation to China, sources say Reuters
- Thailand deports dozens of Uyghurs to China BBC.com
- Thailand’s secret deportation of Uyghurs to China a win for Beijing, snub to US CNN International
- Uyghur deportation from Thailand prompts US warning to troops, visitors Stars and Stripes
- Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian’s Regular Press Conference on February 28, 2025 MFA China
Children evacuated from Gaza for medical treatment
The first of an estimated 2,000 Gazan children needing medical treatment arrive in Jordan.
Mannheim: Mayor praises taxi driver who blocked attack – DW (English)
- Mannheim: Mayor praises taxi driver who blocked attack DW (English)
- 2 dead, 25 injured after vehicle drives into crowd ABC News
- At Least Two Killed After Car Rams Crowd in Mannheim, Germany The New York Times
- Suspect in deadly German car-ramming gives no information on motive and is ordered held in custody The Associated Press
- 2 killed and several injured in suspected car ramming in Mannheim, Germany NBC News
Wednesday briefing: The view from Russia as Trump upends the world order
In today’s newsletter: Pjotr Sauer explains Russia’s response to the new Trump administration following a fraught week in global relations
Good morning. In his address to Congress last night, Donald Trump recited a letter from Volodymyr Zelenskyy offering to return to the negotiating table – and warmly welcomed the tone of discussions his administration has held with Russia. “We’ve received strong signals that they are ready for peace,” he said. “Wouldn’t that be beautiful?”
That was not the first sign of Trump’s faith in Vladimir Putin’s promises – but it served to underline what is surely the most radical US foreign policy shift in a generation. Whether parroting Kremlin talking points on Zelenskyy’s democratic credentials, making false claims that Ukraine started the war or cutting off vital military aid to Kyiv, the US president has created a dynamic that would have scarcely been believable six months ago.
Killed women count | Nearly one in 10 of all women who died at the hands of men in the UK over the past 15 years were mothers killed by their sons, a report reveals. The statistics have led to calls for the government to take specific action to tackle matricide.
Tariffs | Justin Trudeau has claimed the aim of a “dumb” trade war launched by Donald Trump is to usher in the “complete collapse” of the Canadian economy and make it easier for the US to annex Canada. Leading stock market indices fell sharply, with the US benchmark S&P 500 losing all its post-election gains, as the US slapped 25% taxes on Canadian and Mexican goods and hiked tariffs on China.
Scams | An organised network operating from the former Soviet state of Georgia has scammed thousands of savers from the UK, Europe and Canada out of $35m (£27m) after they fell for fake celebrity adverts on Facebook and Google. The scheme was revealed in a leak of call centre data covering more than 1m recordings.
Gaza | Arab leaders have endorsed a $53bn (£42bn) plan to rebuild Gaza under the future administration of the Palestinian Authority (PA), in a rushed attempt to present an alternative to Donald Trump’s idea for a property development-style plan. The Arab League presented the plans at a summit in Cairo.
Media | Failings in the making of a documentary on Gaza are a “dagger to the heart” of the BBC’s claims of trustworthiness and impartiality, the corporation’s chair has said, as he indicated that figures inside the corporation had fallen short in their handling of the film.
Continue reading...Trump softens tone on Zelenskyy but repeats threat to take over Greenland
President praises letter from Ukraine’s leader backing peace talks and says US will get Greenland ‘one way or another’
Donald Trump has said he appreciated Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s willingness to sign a minerals deal with the United States and come to the negotiating table to bring a lasting peace in Ukraine closer.
“Earlier today, I received an important letter from President Zelenskyy of Ukraine,” the US president said in a speech to Congress after last week’s disastrous meeting at the White House. Quoting from the letter, Trump said Zelenskyy told him that “Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians.”
Continue reading...‘Two sessions’ 2025: Beijing to boost future tech, foreign investment, support Hong Kong – as it happened – South China Morning Post
- ‘Two sessions’ 2025: Beijing to boost future tech, foreign investment, support Hong Kong – as it happened South China Morning Post
- China doubles down on AI and tech innovation as Trump ratchets up trade pressure CNBC
- Beijing Ramps Up Efforts For Tech Independence - WSJ The Wall Street Journal
- China says it will increase support for AI, science and tech innovation Reuters
- In an innovation arms race, China blitzes as the US retreats South China Morning Post
Australia’s Steve Smith retires from one-day international cricket
- Champions Trophy defeat sparks news for cricket great
- ‘Test cricket remains a priority,’ says the 35-year-old
Australian great Steve Smith has quit one-day international cricket, but says prolonging his stellar Test career is a priority.
Smith told his teammates of his ODI retirement after captaining Australia to a Champions Trophy semi-final loss against India in Dubai. The 35-year-old signalled his intent to continue his Test career until at least the Ashes series against England in the next Australian summer. Smith will also continue to play Twenty20 internationals.
Continue reading...Some British firms ‘stuck in neutral’ over AI, says Microsoft UK boss
Survey of bosses and staff finds that more than half of executives feel their organisation has no official AI plan
Some companies are “stuck in neutral” in their approach to artificial intelligence, according to Microsoft’s UK boss, who said a significant number of private and public sector organisations lack any formal AI strategy.
A Microsoft survey of nearly 1,500 UK senior leaders across public and private sectors, as well as 1,440 employees, found that more than half of executives feel their organisation has no official AI plan. Roughly the same proportion report a growing gap in productivity – a measure of economic efficiency – between employees who use AI and those who do not.
Continue reading...London exhibition explores design based on needs of nature and animals
Curator of Design Museum show says ‘human-centric’ approach to design needs overhaul amid climate crisis
Designers need to “fundamentally rethink our relationship with the natural world”, according to the curator of a new exhibition which argues the needs of nature and animals should be considered when creating homes, buildings and products.
Justin McGuirk, the curator of the upcoming More Than Human exhibition at the Design Museum in London, said our current “human-centric” approach to design needs to be radically overhauled as the world adapts to the climate crisis.
Continue reading...Who is Elissa Slotkin, the Democrat who responded to Trump’s speech?
The newly elected Michigan senator accused the president of bringing chaos while failing to tackle the high prices Americans care about.
The region with more ‘terror deaths’ than rest of world combined
Africa's Sahel region accounts for more than half of terror-related killings, a new reports says.
Rescuers find Philippine fighter jet’s wreckage and the bodies of 2 pilots deployed to fight rebels – The Associated Press
- Rescuers find Philippine fighter jet's wreckage and the bodies of 2 pilots deployed to fight rebels The Associated Press
- Philippine fighter jet carrying 2 pilots goes missing during mission against insurgents in southern province Fox News
- Fighter pilots and their jet lose contact during mission against insurgents ABC News
- Philippine fighter jet goes missing during mission against rebels Hindustan Times
- Philippine fighter jet and two pilots missing after rebel mission Euronews
U.S. designates Houthis a terrorist organization, reversing Biden move – The Washington Post
- U.S. designates Houthis a terrorist organization, reversing Biden move The Washington Post
- Designation of Ansarallah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization Department of State
- US designates Yemen’s Houthis as ‘foreign terrorist’ organisation Al Jazeera English
- US implements designation of Yemen's Houthis as 'terrorist organization' Reuters
- The fate awaiting the Houthi group after being redesignated as terrorists by US - opinion The Jerusalem Post