UK politics live: Labour under pressure over housing and waiting list targets

Health bosses reportedly concerned about government’s focus while council leaders are said to believe building targets are unrealistic

Keir Starmer’s “plan for change” being unveiled later this week (see 9.26am) will involve sidelining the mission pledge to deliver the highest sustained growth in the G7, Ben Riley-Smith from the Telegraph reports.

New targets on living standards will be unveiled by Keir Starmer on Thursday

Is being seen as a sidelining of his big economic pledge - getting the highest growth in the G7

The problem with the ‘highest sustained growth in G7’ target is Starmer of course doesn’t control the economies of US, Aus, Canada, Germany, France, Japan

US growing way faster now: 2.8% estimate for 2024 vs 1.1% for UK

For the new living standards target real household disposable income and GDP per capita have been considered.

The new promise will likely have the benefit of not being a pledge to beat other countries.

Note the nuance. The G7 target remains. It will likely be mentioned in the ‘Plan For Change’ document unveiled on Thurs and Starmer’s speech

But a new major economic pledge will now be unveiled which in the coming years is likely to be talked about much more than the G7 ambition

Councils are committed to keeping tenants and residents safe, and are keen to work with government to drive the pace of remediation.

However, for local government to carry out enforcement and addressing cladding issues as effectively and quickly as possible, multi-year funding arrangements are needed.

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Centre-right Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael set to retain power in Ireland

Parties expected to hold talks as election results show incumbents closing in on majority needed to govern

The two main centre-right parties in Ireland are expected to start talks on returning to government as the general election put the incumbents within touching distance of forming the 34th Dáil.

With all Teachta Dála (TD) seats filled by 10pm on Monday evening, Fianna Fáil – led by Micheál Martin – and Fine Gael – led by the taoiseach, Simon Harris – won 86 seats, just two shy of the 88 needed for a majority.

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Middle East crisis: Two killed as Lebanon accuses Israel of multiple ceasefire violations – as it happened

The speaker of the Lebanese parliament accuses Israel of more than 50 violations of deal

Israeli media reports that prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will give testimony in his corruption trial not in Jerusalem as originally planned, but in a fortified bunker in Tel Aviv.

Netanyahu’s lawyers have sought to delay him giving testimony, arguing that conducting the war has deprived him of the opportunity to prepare his defence, and the security implications of having him appear at a known time and public location.

We all have come to the conclusion that any sort of insecurity in Syria won’t be limited to Syria alone. We are all aware of the fact that terrorism would not be concentrated in a single place and spreads to other areas.

Our Turkish friends are as much concerned as we are about the course of developments in Syria. It is clear that one of the reasons for … terrorism in Syria has been the occupation by the American military forces.

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Typhoo Tea bought out of administration for £10m

Vapes and batteries maker Supreme acquires collapsed 121-year-old tea company

The historic tea brand Typhoo has been bought out of administration by the vapes and batteries maker Supreme in a £10m rescue deal.

The company filed to appoint administrators last Wednesday, risking the future of the 121-year-old brand.

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Countries call for binding targets to cut plastic production after talks fail

Group of 85 countries and blocs press for ambition in plastic waste treaty after no agreement was reached in Busan

Binding global targets to cut plastic production must be at the centre of any continuing negotiations to secure the world’s first treaty to tackle plastic waste, a group of 85 countries has said.

Talks in Busan, South Korea, attempting to secure agreement between more than 200 countries on the details of a plastic pollution treaty ended in failure over the weekend.

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Russia races ahead of NATO in weapons production for Ukraine war: SIPRI – Al Jazeera English

  1. Russia races ahead of NATO in weapons production for Ukraine war: SIPRI  Al Jazeera English
  2. Wars, Regional Tensions Boost Arms Sales: Report  Barron's
  3. SIPRI: Weapons trade booming worldwide, especially in Russia  DW (English)
  4. World's top 100 defence groups boost arms sales by 4% in 2023, think tank SIPRI says  Reuters
  5. Why China’s defence companies aren’t cashing in on a global arms sale surge  South China Morning Post
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How Ukraine uses cheap AI-guided drones to deadly effect against Russia – The Economist

  1. How Ukraine uses cheap AI-guided drones to deadly effect against Russia  The Economist
  2. Ukraine sees use of uncrewed ground vehicles, AI-targeting drones surging next year  Reuters
  3. Ukraine is relying on drones to hold back Russian advances. Troops on the frontline are fearing the worst  CNN
  4. Ukraine's Angry Birds  Tablet Magazine
  5. In Ukraine, Drones Play A Deadly Game Of ‘Tag’ With The Russians  Forbes
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Romania’s Social Democrats on course to win parliamentary majority despite far-right surge

Centre-left PSD looks to have held off far-right challenge, with 70% of Romanians voting for mainstream parties

Romania’s ruling Social Democrat party (PSD) was on course to win the most votes in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, holding off a strong far-right surge that could yet deliver the country’s presidency to a Moscow-friendly ultranationalist.

Amid uncertainty as to whether the constitutional court would on Monday order the first round of the presidential ballot to be rerun, officials said that with 99.5% of votes counted, the centre-left PSD was credited with 22.6% of the vote.

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Russia’s Economy Is Slowing, Opening Fissures Over Policy – The New York Times

  1. Russia’s Economy Is Slowing, Opening Fissures Over Policy  The New York Times
  2. Russia’s plunging currency spells trouble for its war effort  The Economist
  3. Russian central bank intervenes as rouble tumbles past 110 to the dollar  Reuters
  4. Russia’s ruble is still worth less than a penny, and the Kremlin’s piggy bank for propping it up is running low  Yahoo Finance
  5. Russia May Soon Have to Choose Between Guns and Butter  Bloomberg
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Israel Builds Bases in Central Gaza, a Sign It May Be There to Stay – The New York Times

  1. Israel Builds Bases in Central Gaza, a Sign It May Be There to Stay  The New York Times
  2. Digging in, IDF builds dozens of bases in and around expanded Netzarim Corridor – NYT  The Times of Israel
  3. Israeli military to remain in Gaza for years, food minister says  The Guardian
  4. Satellite images reveal expanding IDF fortifications in Gaza amid buffer zone construction  Ynetnews
  5. Gaza Strip Military Zones Explained: IDF's New Three-Division Strategy | War Day 423 Analysis  All Israel News
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Georgian opposition leader arrested after fourth night of protests

Police detained Zurab Japaridze as he was leaving rally outside parliament against suspension of EU accession talks

Georgian police have arrested a prominent opposition leader after using water cannon and teargas to scatter anti-government protesters who rallied outside parliament for a fourth consecutive night.

The protests were sparked by the government’s announcement last week that it was suspending talks on joining the EU. Critics saw that as confirmation of a Russian-influenced shift away from pro-western policies, something the ruling party denies.

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German chancellor Olaf Scholz pledges €650m in military aid to Ukraine on Kyiv visit

Scholz said Germany was ‘strongest supporter of Ukraine in Europe’ and promised speedy arms deliveries

Olaf Scholz has met the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an unannounced visit to Kyiv that was his first since the early months of full-scale war as he sought to reassure Ukraine of German support.

The German chancellor announced a military aid package worth €650m (£540m) during the trip amid doubts over his Ukraine policy at home and uncertainty over the upcoming presidency of Donald Trump and what it may mean for the war in Ukraine.

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NHS bosses reportedly worried about Starmer’s pledge to cut waiting lists

PM expected to set target to carry out 92% of routine operations and appointments within 18 weeks

NHS bosses are said to be privately concerned about Keir Starmer’s ambitious targets to cut waiting lists for routine operations, set to be announced later this week, which will also include specific targets on living standards and housebuilding.

The prime minister is expected on Thursday to set a target for 92% of routine operations and appointments to be carried out within 18 weeks, one that has not been achieved in almost a decade, the Times has reported.

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Weather tracker: lake-effect snow blankets parts of north-east US

There was significant snowfall in five states downwind of the Great Lakes, including 4ft in western New York state

As meteorological autumn drew to a close at the end of last week, parts of the north-east of the US saw substantial snowfall thanks to a phenomenon known as “lake-effect snow”.

This occurs when cold air passes over relatively warm lake waters, causing the layer of air near to the surface to absorb heat and moisture. Warmer than the air above it, this layer of air then starts to rise, cooling and condensing into clouds that deposit snow on the windward side of the lakes in extremely localised bands.

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French government faces no-confidence vote on Wednesday

PM Michel Barnier tells MPs they face ‘moment of truth’ after left and right lodge motions censuring government

The French government appears likely to fall this week after leftwing and far-right parties lodged motions of no confidence in response to the prime minister’s decision to push through a belt-tightening budget without a vote.

If passed by MPs, the motions, which will be put to a vote in the national assembly on Wednesday, will bring down the government and force Michel Barnier’s resignation after only two and a half months.

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