India’s capital chokes as air pollution levels hit 50 times the safe limit – The Associated Press

  1. India’s capital chokes as air pollution levels hit 50 times the safe limit  The Associated Press
  2. Delhi air pollution reaches 'severe plus' levels  BBC.com
  3. 'Severe' toxic smog blankets Delhi, shuttering schools  ABC News
  4. Why GRAP stage IV has been announced now, what is allowed under it  The Indian Express
  5. Air pollution: LG VK Saxena announces staggered timings for Delhi govt, MCD employees  Hindustan Times
Posted in Uncategorized

Ukraine updates: Germany still a ‘no’ on long-range missiles – DW (English)

  1. Ukraine updates: Germany still a 'no' on long-range missiles  DW (English)
  2. Olaf Scholz on German missiles for Ukraine: It’s still a no  POLITICO Europe
  3. Scholz refuses to approve long-range missile strikes  The Telegraph
  4. Germany will not alter decision on providing Taurus missiles to Ukraine despite Biden's announcement  The Associated Press
  5. Olaf Scholz under growing pressure to send long-range missiles to Ukraine  Financial Times
Posted in Uncategorized

Alan Jones, Australian Former Radio Host, Arrested on Sexual Abuse Charges – The New York Times

  1. Alan Jones, Australian Former Radio Host, Arrested on Sexual Abuse Charges  The New York Times
  2. Alan Jones’ dark charisma cast spell over audiences  The Age
  3. Alan Jones: Top radio host charged with sexually abusing 8 people  BBC.com
  4. Fear rather than respect: the secret behind Alan Jones’s decades-long grip on power  The Guardian
  5. Broadcaster Alan Jones charged with additional assault with act of indecency offences relating to ninth alleged victim  ABC News
Posted in Uncategorized

Higher employment costs and interest rates to push UK firms into financial trouble; Trump tariffs would ‘hit growth’ – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news

Begbies Traynor also reveals that their employment costs are expected to rise by £1.25m due to the increase in employers’ national insurance contributions.

The company is “reviewing options to mitigate the impact where possible”.

“Additional headwinds for UK business from increased employment costs and the prospect of higher for longer interest rates are likely to extend the period of elevated insolvency levels, increasing the need for advice and support from our insolvency and business recovery professionals.”

“We have made a very good start to the year with double digit growth in revenue and profits driven by positive momentum across the group. This gives us confidence that we will deliver market expectations for the year as a whole.

Continue reading...

Keir Starmer says he wants ‘serious and pragmatic’ relationship with China – as it happened

Prime minister says he wants to ‘be clear about issues we do not agree on’ after meeting Chinese president Xi Jinping at G20

Keir Starmer has held his bilateral with Xi Jinping in Rio at the G20, offering to meet his counterpart, the Chinese premier Li Qiang, in Beijing or London at the earliest opportunity.

But the PM also raised human rights issues with Xi, including the sanctions on parliamentarians and the persecution of Hong Kong and British citizen Jimmy Lai.

A strong UK China relationship is important for both of our countries and for the broader international community.

The UK will be a predictable, consistent, sovereign actor committed to the rule of law.

Continue reading...

Bridget Phillipson says she is likely to vote against assisted dying bill

Education secretary urges ministers to limit discussion on policy to behind the scenes after vocal opposition to bill by Wes Streeting

Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, has said she is likely to vote against the bill to legalise assisted dying, as she urged ministerial colleagues to restrict their discussions about the policy to behind the scenes.

Under a policy of government neutrality towards the private member’s bill by the Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, which will get its first Commons vote this month, ministers are permitted to set a previously-known stance if asked but otherwise to keep out of the debate.

Continue reading...

Britons warned to expect ‘disappointing’ rise in energy bills in January

Price cap for Great Britain forecast to rise to £1,736 a year for average dual-fuel bill, according to Cornwall Insights

Britons have been warned to expect a “disappointing” rise in energy bills in January, adding pressure to household finances, despite earlier hopes that prices may ease early next year.

The price cap for Great Britain is forecast to rise to £1,736 a year for the average dual-fuel bill, according to Cornwall Insights, a well-respected energy consultancy. This is a rise of 1% from the current price cap, which increased last month to £1,717 a year for a typical consumer.

Continue reading...

Manipur: Fresh ethnic clashes in India state after six bodies found – BBC.com

  1. Manipur: Fresh ethnic clashes in India state after six bodies found  BBC.com
  2. Central Police Force Rushed To Manipur Amid Jiribam Violence, Deaths  NDTV
  3. Union home minister Amit Shah chairs high-level meeting on Manipur as crisis intensifies  Hindustan Times
  4. Twenty-three arrested in India's Manipur after violent protests  Reuters India
  5. Declare those who killed women, children in Jiribam as terrorists, Manipur JD(U) MLA urges PM Narendra Modi  The Indian Express
Posted in Uncategorized

Weather tracker: Tropical Storm Sara and Super Typhoon Man-yi wreak havoc

Powerful storm systems bring heavy rainfall, widespread flooding and landslides to Central America and Asia

Tropical Storm Sara has caused significant disruption across Central America in recent days after forming in the Caribbean Sea on Thursday afternoon. It is the 18th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season and the third this month. The large number of tropical storm and hurricane formations this season can be attributed to the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico being warmer than average, thus providing more energy for the development and intensification of these systems.

Since its formation, Sara has affected Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Belize and Guatemala, bringing heavy rainfall, widespread flooding and landslides. The slow-moving nature of the storm has exacerbated the damage, prolonging the duration of its impact. However, Sara is losing strength; initially it had sustained winds of 45mph on Thursday but weakened slightly after moving inland, with winds dropping to 40mph by Sunday. According to the National Hurricane Centre, Sara is expected to dissipate into an area of low pressure as it moves north-west toward the southern region of the Yucatan peninsula on Monday.

Continue reading...

ATACMS: How long-range missiles striking Russia could affect Ukraine war – BBC.com

  1. ATACMS: How long-range missiles striking Russia could affect Ukraine war  BBC.com
  2. Live updates: US allows Ukraine to make long-range missile strikes into Russia  CNN
  3. Biden reversal on strikes in Russia boosts Ukraine, infuriates Kremlin  NBC News
  4. Moscow warns US over allowing Ukraine to hit Russian soil with long-range weapons  The Associated Press
  5. What Are ATACMS, the U.S. Missiles That May Be Used Against Russia?  The New York Times
Posted in Uncategorized

How 1,000 days of conflict evolved into robot war between Russia and Ukraine – Reuters

  1. How 1,000 days of conflict evolved into robot war between Russia and Ukraine  Reuters
  2. Above Ukraine, a Sky Full of Drones Is Changing the War  Bloomberg
  3. Ukraine Rolling Out Robots On The Battlefield  Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
  4. Ukraine orders thousands of Skynode modules for drone machine vision  Militarnyi
  5. How weapons have changed since Russia invaded Ukraine – and what’s coming next  inews
Posted in Uncategorized

Wise told Morecambe he wanted to split up comedy act in 1950, letter reveals

Items up for auction from Eric Morecambe’s family home show Ernie Wise had doubts about pair’s future

They became arguably the greatest comedy duo Britain has ever produced but if Eric Morecambe had listened to a young and despondent Ernie Wise they would have split up before ever getting properly started.

A poignant 1950 letter from Wise to Morecambe is part of a remarkable treasure trove of memorabilia to be auctioned in the new year.

Continue reading...