UK inflation jumps to 3%, reducing chance of early interest rate cut

Posted on by

Annual CPI inflation rate hit 10-month high in January in blow to ministers amid rise in food bills and fuel costs

UK inflation accelerated faster than expected at the start of this year, eating into workers’ wages and reducing the chance of an interest rate cut next month.

The consumer prices index (CPI) measure rose to 3% in January, the Office for National Statistics reported, up from 2.5% in December.

Continue reading...

Alarmed by Trump’s Gaza Plan, Arab Leaders Brainstorm on Their Own – The New York Times

Posted on by
  1. Alarmed by Trump’s Gaza Plan, Arab Leaders Brainstorm on Their Own  The New York Times
  2. Arab leaders to meet Friday, discuss Egyptian alternative to Trump’s Gaza plan  The Times of Israel
  3. Trump backs Egypt's plan for Gaza after meeting with Jordan's king, source says  Middle East Eye
  4. Arabs start to see sense on Gaza, Nike’s fake feminism and other commentary  New York Post
  5. To Their Dismay, Arab States Are Being Called Upon to Shape Gaza's 'Day After'  Haaretz
Posted in Uncategorized

Miner Glencore considers ditching London Stock Exchange listing

Posted on by

Group may move primary listing to New York or elsewhere – to get ‘optimal valuation’ – in fresh blow to UK market

Glencore is considering moving its primary share listing away from London, in what would be a fresh blow to the UK’s blue-chip stock exchange following a series of departures.

The chief executive of the mining group said it was studying whether a move would boost its shares – with New York top of the list of potential destinations.

Continue reading...

Planned change in British citizenship rules faces first legal challenge

Posted on by

Young Afghan refugee brings case after move to prevent those who arrived on ‘dangerous journey’ from citizenship

Plans to prevent refugees who arrive in the UK on a small boat, lorry or via other “irregular” means from becoming a British citizen are facing their first legal challenge.

The challenge is being brought by a 21-year-old Afghan refugee who arrived in the UK aged 14, after fleeing the Taliban and being smuggled to Britain in the back of a lorry. He was granted refugee status and after five years was granted indefinite leave to remain. He was due to apply for British citizenship on 1 March.

Continue reading...

Trump calls Zelenskyy a dictator amid fears of irreconcilable rift

Posted on by

Remark follows Ukrainian leader’s claim US president living in a Russian ‘disinformation bubble’

The US and Ukraine appeared to be heading towards an irreconcilable rift after Donald Trump escalated his attacks on Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling the Ukrainian president “a dictator” and warning that he “better move fast” or he “won’t have a country left”.

The US leader’s comments on Wednesday, which were rife with falsehoods, came after Zelenskyy said Trump was “trapped” in a Russian “disinformation bubble,” following Trump’s claims that Ukraine was to blame for Russia’s 2022 invasion, remarks that echoed the Kremlin’s narrative.

Continue reading...

EU’s Top Envoy Says Common Bonds for Defense Are on the Table – Bloomberg

Posted on by
  1. EU’s Top Envoy Says Common Bonds for Defense Are on the Table  Bloomberg
  2. EU floats plan to boost arms supplies to Ukraine  Reuters
  3. EU targets €6B Ukraine military aid package  POLITICO Europe
  4. Europe races to strengthen Ukraine as negotiations between US and Russia push on  Semafor
  5. Europe announces 700 billion euro package aimed at boosting collective security  Telegrafi
Posted in Uncategorized

The Ugandan arts centre bringing harmony to Africa’s biggest refugee camp

Posted on by

The Bidi Bidi performing arts venue offers more than 250,000 refugees the chance to sing, play, dance – and dream of a peaceful future

The sound of a flute floats towards five young men in the 1,000-seat Bidi Bidi Performing Arts Centre theatre in Uganda – the country that hosts the highest number of refugees in Africa. The music carries past them to the shrubs that surround the circular majestic building and the neighbours going about their lives, the more than 250,000 refugees who live in the 250 sq km Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, the largest refugee camp in Africa.

The young men – gathered for a chance to play a musical instrument or record music – welcome visitors with the awkward smile of youth. They are seated under the oldest fig tree, where the dream of building a place for the creative young people of Bidi Bidi to commune and nurture their talents was born.

Continue reading...

How Trump’s Gaza Plan Is Backfiring: True Arab Unity Has Never Been Closer – Worldcrunch

Posted on by
  1. How Trump's Gaza Plan Is Backfiring: True Arab Unity Has Never Been Closer  Worldcrunch
  2. The Weird, Fraudulent and Immoral 'Justifications' for Trump's Gaza Takeover Plan  Haaretz
  3. Israeli military experts weigh in on Trump's ‘all hell’ threat to Hamas and what it could look like  Fox News
  4. Netanyahu vows to "open the gates of hell" if all hostages in Gaza not returned  CBS News
  5. How does Netanyahu measure up to history?  The Jerusalem Post
Posted in Uncategorized

Putin thinks he’s ‘on the brink’ of victory and Zelensky is ‘cornered rat’ – Daily Express US

Posted on by
  1. Putin thinks he's 'on the brink' of victory and Zelensky is 'cornered rat'  Daily Express US
  2. Give Us Zelenskyy’s Head: Excitement Grows Among Russia’s Propagandists  Center for European Policy Analysis
  3. Vladimir Putin looks set for a colossal propaganda win in Ukraine — while Europe faces ten years of guerrilla warfare  Evening Standard
  4. Putin's confident he's 'on brink' of winning war with Europe 'division' fears  MSN
  5. Zelensky's Alleged Plans for a Bomb Attack in Ukraine to Shift Blame onto Russia Amid Ongoing Conflict  Oneindia
Posted in Uncategorized

Federal judge refuses to block Musk team’s access to US government data

Posted on by

Fourteen Democratic-led states had sought temporary restraining order against body involved in worker layoffs

A federal judge refused on Tuesday to immediately block Elon Musk and the so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) from accessing government data systems or participating in worker layoffs.

The US district judge Tanya Chutkan found that there were legitimate questions about the billionaire’s authority but said there was not enough evidence of grave legal harm to justify a temporary restraining order.

Continue reading...

Reagan-era Republicans aghast as Trump turns Russia policy on its head

Posted on by

Officials who served in 1980s say Trump is opposing friends and supporting enemies: ‘It makes me sick what’s going on’

Republicans who served under President Ronald Reagan during the cold war have condemned Donald Trump’s move to soften relations with Russia and undermine the 75-year-old transatlantic alliance.

European leaders were left reeling last week when the US vice-president, JD Vance, told the Munich Security Conference that the greatest danger facing Europe was “the threat from within” and the “retreat from fundamental values”.

Continue reading...

UAE tells Rubio it rejects displacement of Palestinians from Gaza – The Times of Israel

Posted on by
  1. UAE tells Rubio it rejects displacement of Palestinians from Gaza  The Times of Israel
  2. US top diplomat Rubio visits the UAE after landmark talks with Russia over Ukraine war  The Associated Press
  3. Trump’s Top Diplomat Rubio Faces Humiliation In US’ Arab Ally UAE Over Gaza Plan: ‘Rejecting Any…’  Hindustan Times
  4. Middle East: Trump's Gaza plan rejected by UAE  DW (English)
  5. UAE rejects Trump's plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza  Middle East Eye
Posted in Uncategorized

Record orders at BAE Systems as European defence spending rises

Posted on by

Weapons maker’s full-year pre-tax profits top £3bn and it expects sales of more than £30bn next year

Britain’s biggest weapons manufacturer, BAE Systems, has reported record orders as the European defence industry gears up for increased spending sparked by the Ukraine war.

The company, a member of the FTSE 100, said it expected sales next year to top £30bn, as it reported annual profits before interest and tax of more than £3bn for the first time in 2024.

Continue reading...