South Africa beat Bangladesh by an innings and 273 runs for 2-0 series win
The hosts crumbled for 159 and 143 all out in Chittagong to hand South Africa their biggest Test win by margin.
Fact check: Would Trump slash social security and Medicare?
Kamala Harris claims Donald Trump would allow medical insurance companies to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions.
Jennifer Lopez campaigns with Harris in Las Vegas – as it happened
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A lot of money has been spent on this year’s elections.
Only 150 billionaire families have contributed $1.9bn in support of presidential and congressional candidates, according to a new report from Americans for Tax Fairness.
Of this giant figure 72% went to support Republicans compared with the 22% spent on Democrats.
Continue reading...Sweden abolishes tax on plastic bags despite warnings usage could rise
Levy that reduced usage by more than three-quarters in four years fell victim to rightwing culture wars, say critics
A tax that has reduced plastic bag consumption in Sweden by more than three-quarters in four years is being abolished on Friday, despite warnings that the move could lead to usage rising back towards previous levels.
Since the introduction of the 3 kroner (£0.21) tax in May 2020, plastic bag usage in the country has slumped. In 2019, before the levy was introduced, people in Sweden used an average of 74 plastic bags (15-50 micrometres thick) per person each year each. In 2023 that number had dropped to 17.
Continue reading...Political violence in US could potentially surge after elections, experts warn
Trends in online chatter mirror patterns observed in the lead-up to 2020 elections and January 6 Capitol attack
There could be a potential surge in political violence following the upcoming US election, and pro-Trump rightwing vigilante “poll watchers” might surveil ballot drop boxes as Americans cast their votes, experts warned this week.
A new report from the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) highlighted alarming trends in online chatter, mirroring patterns observed in the lead-up to the 2020 election and the January 6 Capitol insurrection.
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Continue reading...“Genocide as Colonial Erasure”: U.N. Expert Francesca Albanese on Israel’s “Intent to Destroy” Gaza – Democracy Now!
- “Genocide as Colonial Erasure”: U.N. Expert Francesca Albanese on Israel’s “Intent to Destroy” Gaza Democracy Now!
- UN should consider suspending Israel over ‘genocide’ against Palestinians, says special rapporteur The Guardian
- At Columbia’s Barnard, UN expert with history of antisemitic remarks justifies Oct. 7 The Times of Israel
- International legal responsibilities for preventing… Welcome to the United Nations
- Opinion | Antisemitism Goes on a College Tour The Wall Street Journal
Stellantis reports slump in car sales as European demand falls
Owner of Fiat, Chrysler and Peugeot brands pushes back against rules that force sale of more electric vehicles
The owner of car brands including Fiat, Chrysler and Peugeot has reported a steep fall in sales, blaming production delays and flagging European demand.
Stellantis reported revenues on Thursday of €33bn (£27.6bn) for the July to September quarter, a drop of 27% compared with the same period a year earlier.
Continue reading...EU launches action against shopping website Temu over illegal products
Formal investigation opens amid concerns Chinese shopping website is breaching Digital Services Act
The EU has launched formal proceedings against the Chinese shopping website Temu amid concerns it is failing to halt the sale of illegal products online.
A formal investigation was opened on Thursday with the European Commission citing concerns over the platform, which is a cut-price rival to Amazon.
Continue reading...Scientists rebuild the face of 400-year-old Polish ‘vampire’ Zosia – NBC News
- Scientists rebuild the face of 400-year-old Polish ‘vampire’ Zosia NBC News
- Archaeologists reconstruct face of 400-year-old "vampire" buried with iron sickle across her neck CBS News
- Exhuming Dracula’s Ancestors: What Vampires Reveal About Our Latent Fears Literary Hub
- ‘Real-life vampire’ considered so dangerous she was padlocked inside grave with a sickle at her neck: archaeologists Yahoo! Voices
- 'Vampire' returns from the dead: Scientists in Poland rebuild the face of 400-year-old woman Sky News
Hamas rejects proposal for 30-day Gaza ceasefire – Semafor
- Hamas rejects proposal for 30-day Gaza ceasefire Semafor
- Israeli Strike in Iran Should Mark End of Tit For Tat Between Two Nations Department of Defense
- U.S. Officials Try to Advance Israel’s Cease-Fire Talks With Hezbollah and Hamas The New York Times
- Hamas rejects any hostage deal that doesn’t end war, despite mediators’ efforts The Times of Israel
- Hamas rejects ceasefire proposal that would keep Israeli troops in Gaza Middle East Eye
Rachel Reeves may have to find more money to fix public services, says IFS
Institute for Fiscal Studies says budget allows for rise in public service spending this year and next, but not thereafter
Rachel Reeves could be forced to find more money to fix public services after her budget made a start at reversing the “unrealistic” and irresponsible spending plans of the Conservatives, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said.
Britain’s leading experts on the government’s finances said the chancellor’s tax measures on Wednesday had allowed for a substantial short-term increase in public service spending this year and next, but not thereafter.
Continue reading...Final recount confirms Georgia ruling party victory, says electoral commission
EU and US demand investigation as opposition and pro-European president cry foul
Officials in Georgia said a partial recount confirmed the ruling party had won its disputed election, while a global research and data firm called the official results reported by the electoral commission “statistically impossible”.
The pro-western opposition on Thursday repeated its earlier assertions that the parliamentary vote had been “stolen” by the ruling Georgian Dream party and it refused to recognise the results, plunging the Caucasus country into uncertainty.
Continue reading...Lloyds shareholders could take £1bn hit over car finance crisis
Analysts forecast bank will have to halve £2bn buyback plan, as ex-boss of City regulator blames watchdog for crisis
Lloyds Banking Group could give almost £1bn less to shareholders this year as a result of the car finance crisis, analysts have said, as the City regulator’s former boss blamed the watchdog for the chaos.
The estimated size of a multibillion-pound compensation bill for motor lenders has grown after a shock court of appeal ruling last Friday, which said customers could not consent to motor loans that involved “secret commission” payments to brokers and car dealerships.
Continue reading...Trail of destruction after Spanish floods
At least 158 people were killed following flash floods in southern Spain.
Ed Davey: care sector will be ‘pushed to brink’ by national insurance hike and should be exempt
Lib Dem leader says rise in employer’s contribution risks worsening NHS crisis
The Liberal Democrats have called on the government to exempt the social care sector from the increase in national insurance in Labour’s budget, as an organisation representing many smaller care providers warned that the impact would be substantial.
In the biggest fiscal measures of Wednesday’s budget, raising an additional £25bn a year by the end of the parliament, Rachel Reeves announced an increase of 1.2 percentage points on the national insurance paid by employers, with the salary threshold at which this begins falling from £9,100 a year to £5,000.
Continue reading...Gaza paramedic realises woman killed in air attack is his mother
‘This is my mother!’ A paramedic responding to an Israeli strike on a Camp in Gaza realises his mom was killed.
Why were the floods in Spain so bad? A visual guide
Scores of people have died as country is hit by deadliest floods in decades
At least 150 people have died in Spain after torrential rains triggered the country’s deadliest floods in decades, unleashing a deluge of muddy water that turned village streets into rivers, destroyed homes and swept away bridges, railways tracks and cars.
An unknown number of people remain missing, while thousands of others are without electricity or phone service. The majority of those killed were in the coastal region of Valencia, where the state-run agency said that nearly a year’s worth of rain had fallen in just eight hours.
Continue reading...Budget 2024: what the UK papers said about Rachel Reeves’ statement
Headlines featured numerous ‘nightmare’ allusions for budget delivered the day before Halloween
After Rachel Reeves‘ first budget as chancellor, which included £40bn in tax rises, newspaper headlines in the UK featured “nightmare” and “horror show” allusions as it came a day before Halloween.
The Financial Times’ front page featured a picture of smiling Reeves headlined “Reeves unveils £40bn budget tax rise”. The paper reported the chancellor’s aims of fixing public services, and the “broken” finances, saying businesses and the wealthy would “bear bulk” of the “heaviest fiscal burden” in a generation.
Continue reading...Business leaders keep quiet on Trump – what are they saying in private?
Experts say top chief executives are treading a fine line to avoid any backlash in the event of a Trump victory
After the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, America’s business leaders came out strongly in their criticism of Donald Trump. Now – as the Harris campaign brands Trump a “fascist” and Trump threatens retribution against “the enemy within” – there appears to be a conspiracy of silence.
In fact, as the nation heads to the polls in an election that is too close to call, some of America’s most powerful chief executive appear to be cozying up to Trump again.
Continue reading...The Wildly Entertaining Tale of How Día de los Muertos Got Its Iconic Sugar Skulls – Fodor’s Travel
- The Wildly Entertaining Tale of How Día de los Muertos Got Its Iconic Sugar Skulls Fodor's Travel
- Pets join Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebrations, as Fido and Tiger get their own altars The Associated Press
- 12 ‘megaofrendas’ to visit during Day of the Dead weekend in Mexico Mexico News Daily
- Political protest is deeply embedded in Day of the Dead, a crossover U.S. tradition USA TODAY
- US residents travel to Mexico to visit their dead WWLP.com