- How serious is Labour backlash over asylum plans? BBC
- U.K. Follows Europe and U.S. in Crackdown on Asylum Seekers The Wall Street Journal
- Why Britain Is Embracing ‘Negative Nation Branding’ The New York Times
- 'New asylum rules would make me feel unwelcome' BBC
- Defence of Labour asylum policy reveals backsliding on racism Financial Times
Eight firms under investigation in crackdown on additional online fees
Competition watchdog examines StubHub, Viagogo, AA Driving School and BSM Driving School and others
Britain’s competition watchdog has begun investigations into eight companies about their online pricing practices, expressing concern over additional fees and sales tactics such as “drip pricing” and “pressure selling”.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it was looking into the ticket sellers StubHub and Viagogo; AA Driving School and BSM Driving School; the US gym chain Gold’s Gym; and the retailers Wayfair, Appliances Direct and Marks Electrical.
Continue reading...Chinese travellers cancel hundreds of thousands of trips to Japan amid rising tensions
Chinese airlines offer free cancellations and film releases postponed after Japanese PM’s comments on Taiwan
Chinese travellers are estimated to have cancelled hundreds of thousands of tickets to fly to Japan amid reports of suspended visa processing and cultural exchanges as a diplomatic dispute over Japan’s stance on Taiwan continues.
Under pressure from business groups, Japan has sent a senior diplomat to Beijing in an attempt to calm tensions after Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, said her country could get involved militarily if China attempted to invade Taiwan. Her comments prompted fury from China’s government, which issued warnings against Chinese travellers and students going to Japan.
Continue reading...Philippine President Marcos rejects sister’s accusation of chronic drug use
Philippine president faces accusation of chronic drug use amid a major corruption scandal over flood-control projects.
UN Security Council approves US resolution backing Trump’s Gaza plan
UNSC backs US plan, approving a stabilisation force and ‘board of peace’ to oversee Gaza’s governance and rebuilding.
Australian murderer sues for right to eat Vegemite behind bars
Andre McKechnie argues the Vegemite ban in Victoria's jails denies him the right to "enjoy his culture".
Drone strikes Turkish tanker in Ukraine’s Odesa, where US natural gas will go – AP News
- Drone strikes Turkish tanker in Ukraine’s Odesa, where US natural gas will go AP News
- Russian drone strikes tanker in Ukraine’s Odesa after Zelenskyy closes US gas deal Fox News
- Video shows gas tanker ship on fire after attack on Ukrainian Danube port BBC
- Russian Danube strike ignites gas tanker blaze on NATO’s border politico.eu
- Did Russia just attack Nato? Villages on Danube evacuated after tanker strike The Independent
Tuesday briefing: What Labour hopes to learn from Denmark’s hardline asylum stance
In today’s newsletter: Shabana Mahmood is pitching radical new limits on whether asylum seekers can ever gain settled status – but it may come with political consequences
Good morning. In September, Nigel Farage floated a Reform UK policy of ending indefinite leave to remain that critics said would eject hundreds of thousands of people from the country. In October, the Conservatives began talking about deporting large numbers of people previously considered legally settled. Now, the Labour government is preparing to impose radical new limits on whether asylum seekers can ever gain settled status. The Overton window on immigration keeps marching implacably rightwards.
In a document published by the government yesterday afternoon, the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, described the plans as “the most sweeping asylum reforms in modern times”. The prime minister, Keir Starmer, said that having an asylum system at all depends on “social confidence” that it is “fair, effective and humane”. A lot of Labour MPs look set to disagree with the approach, causing yet another political headache for No 10.
Society | More than two in five sexually active under-18s in the UK have either been strangled or strangled someone during sex, research has found, despite the serious dangers of the practice.
Jeffrey Epstein | The Harvard professor and economist Larry Summers said he would step back from public life after documents released by the House oversight committee revealed email exchanges between him and Jeffrey Epstein, who called himself Summers’ “wing man”.
Cop30 | Jamaica has led calls from vulnerable nations at the Cop30 climate summit to urge immediate action on climate breakdown as the conference entered its second week.
Gaza | The UN security council has endorsed proposals put forward by Donald Trump for a lasting peace in Gaza, including the deployment of an international stabilisation force and a possible path to a sovereign Palestinian state.
Poland | Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk has described an explosion along a section of railway line used for deliveries to Ukraine as an “unprecedented act of sabotage” that could have led to disaster.
Continue reading...Chinese travellers cancel hundreds of thousands of trips to Japan amid rising tensions – The Guardian
- Chinese travellers cancel hundreds of thousands of trips to Japan amid rising tensions The Guardian
- Japan warns citizens in China about safety as diplomatic crisis deepens Reuters
- Diplomatic spat between Tokyo and Beijing threatens Japan's already fragile economy CNBC
- Japan’s Takaichi Has Few Good Options to End China’s Backlash Yahoo Finance
- What to Know About Japan and China’s Spat Over Taiwan Time Magazine
What we learned from Ursula von der Leyen’s options paper to support Ukraine – Euronews.com
- What we learned from Ursula von der Leyen's options paper to support Ukraine Euronews.com
- Ukraine pushes for political decision from EU on frozen assets next month Reuters
- Ukraine’s Cash Is Running Low, and Europe Has No Good Plan B The New York Times
- Ukraine’s $200 Billion Lifeline From Europe Stumbles on Pushback in Belgium The Wall Street Journal
- EU Pitches €90 Billion Ukraine Grant if Russian Asset Loan Fails Bloomberg.com
Ex-Harvard president Larry Summers steps back from public role after Epstein email release
The former US treasury secretary says he is "ashamed" of his emails to the late sex offender.
One of the oddest UN resolutions in history seeks to solidify shaky Gaza ceasefire into an enduring peace
The hazy UN resolution dictates that Trump’s ‘board of peace’ will supervise an International Stabilisation Force, whose membership is as yet undetermined
The resolution passed by the UN security council on Tuesday evening, aimed at turning the precarious Gaza ceasefire into a real peace plan, is one of the oddest in United Nations history.
It puts Donald Trump in supreme control of Gaza, perhaps with Tony Blair as his immediate subordinate in a “board of peace”, which will oversee multinational peacekeeping troops, a committee of Palestinian technocrats and a local police force, for a period of two years.
Continue reading...Ex-Harvard president Larry Summers apologises over Epstein emails
Summers says he will be taking a step back from engagements after questionable emails with Epstein made public.
China suspends Japanese film releases amid diplomatic row over Taiwan
Chinese state media says distributors made 'prudent' decision to postpone releases due to audience sentiment.
Israel’s war on Gaza live: Hamas says UN resolution does not meet demands
Hamas says UN Security Council resolution fails to meet the political and humanitarian demands.
Germany, Netherlands qualify for World Cup 2026 on last day
Germany and Netherlands went on goal sprees as they wrapped up FIFA World Cup qualification on the final matchday.
Trump says US may strike Mexican drug cartels next, after boat attacks
US President Donald Trump says he has been speaking with Mexico about a potential military intervention.
Why India likely won’t return Hasina to face Bangladesh death penalty – Al Jazeera
- Why India likely won’t return Hasina to face Bangladesh death penalty Al Jazeera
- Bangladesh’s test: After Hasina conviction, will it repeat her mistakes? Al Jazeera
- What former leader Sheikh Hasina's death sentence means for Bangladesh abcnews.go.com
- BBC in Dhaka: 'The trial may be over... anger very much remains' BBC
- Biden Government Spent Millions On Regime Change In Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina's Son NDTV
‘They have total impunity’: West Bank settler violence surges after Gaza ceasefire
UN logs 260 attacks in October alone, its highest monthly tally, as settlers attack farmers and burn olive trees
Violence has increased across the occupied West Bank as Palestinian farmers try to harvest their olive trees before the end of the season, in the face of a concerted campaign of harassment by groups of armed and aggressive Israeli settlers.
Dozens of new incidents have occurred in recent days across much of the occupied territory as settlers step up a broader effort to intimidate and harm Palestinian communities.
Continue reading...Canadian PM Mark Carney clears budget vote, averting snap elections
A handful of opposition abstentions allowed Carney to advance a deficit-boosting budget aimed at countering US tariffs.