Russia offers China energy lifeline as the Iran war strangles global supply – CNBC

  1. Russia offers China energy lifeline as the Iran war strangles global supply  CNBC
  2. Russia ready to help China with energy ahead of Putin's visit, foreign minister says  Reuters
  3. China’s Xi Meets Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov in Beijing  Bloomberg.com
  4. Russia's Lavrov Visits Beijing As China Steps Up Iran War Diplomacy  Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
  5. China-Russia ties are 'precious' in the current international context, Xi Jinping says  AP News
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Hungary’s election winner Magyar to meet president, calls on him to resign – Reuters

  1. Hungary's election winner Magyar to meet president, calls on him to resign  Reuters
  2. How Peter Magyar Defeated Viktor Orban, a Former Ally, In Hungary’s Election  The New York Times
  3. How was Orbán defeated? With energetic campaigning and cunning exploitation of his weaknesses | Tibor Dessewffy  The Guardian
  4. Trump and Putin just lost their ‘poster boy’ in Europe. What now for Hungary?  CNN
  5. Magyar Tells Hungary State Media Its News Coverage to Go Off Air  Bloomberg.com
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Aegon offloads 200-year-old UK business to Standard Life for £2bn

Deal will create pensions and savings group with 16m customers and £480bn of assets, while Aegon focuses on US

The Dutch financial services group Aegon has struck a £2bn deal to sell off its almost 200-year-old UK arm to Standard Life, as part of a US push in which the group will be rebranded as Transamerica.

Standard Life, previously known as Phoenix Group, said the deal to buy Aegon UK would create a pensions and savings group with 16 million customers and £480bn of assets under administration.

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One million signatures call to suspend EU-Israel association agreement – Euronews.com

  1. One million signatures call to suspend EU-Israel association agreement  Euronews.com
  2. France, Spain push Israel-Europe tensions to a new low  The Jerusalem Post
  3. Israel is losing its last friends in Europe as diplomatic collapse deepens across the continent  ynetnews
  4. France urges Israel to respect international law, abandon 'endless wars'  Anadolu Ajansı
  5. EU to discuss sanctions on Israel, pending new Hungarian government position  EUobserver
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Balancing UK’s welfare and defence spending ‘not zero-sum game’, minister says

Treasury minister James Murray hits back at George Robertson’s criticism over military budget

A Treasury minister has said balancing welfare and defence spending “is not a zero-sum game”, amid stark warnings that the UK will have to increase its military budget to ensure national security during global volatility.

James Murray, the chancellor’s deputy, said the government was pushing ahead with the biggest sustained increase in defence investments since the cold war, but he would not say when it would publish its delayed defence investment plan.

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At least 250 people missing, including Rohingya and Bangladeshis, after boat sinks in Andaman Sea – NBC News

  1. At least 250 people missing, including Rohingya and Bangladeshis, after boat sinks in Andaman Sea  NBC News
  2. 250 missing as boat carrying Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants sinks in Indian Ocean  BBC
  3. Hundreds missing after Rohingya refugee boat capsizes in Andaman Sea: UN  Al Jazeera
  4. About 250 missing after boat carrying Rohingya refugees capsizes in Andaman Sea  The Guardian
  5. Rohingya survivor recounts ordeal as 250 missing in Andaman sea tragedy  Reuters
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Scottish ultrarunning champion dies during Highlands record attempt

David Parrish, who won Cape Wrath Ultra in 2023, had been attempting gruelling route again as fundraising challenge

A 35-year-old ultramarathon champion from Dumfries has died while attempting to beat the record for a race to the most north-westerly point on mainland Britain.

David Parrish, a former Royal Marine, was trying to become the fastest man to complete the Cape Wrath trail, one of Britain’s most gruelling race routes.

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Trump warns US-UK trade deal ‘can always be changed’ with relations in ‘sad state’

President says he gave Britain ‘better deal than I had to’ but ally was ‘not there when we needed them’ on Iran

Donald Trump has threatened to row back on the trade deal the US signed with the UK last year, in his latest salvo against the British government over sharp differences about the US’s approach to the Middle East.

The US president said the economic deal struck with the UK, which cut some of his tariffs on cars, aluminium and steel, was “better than I had to” and that it could “always be changed”.

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Israel’s Top Court Hears Petitions to Remove Ben-Gvir Over Alleged Police Politicization – Haaretz

  1. Israel's Top Court Hears Petitions to Remove Ben-Gvir Over Alleged Police Politicization  Haaretz
  2. With Iran War on Pause, Political Battle Resumes Over Israeli Democracy  The New York Times
  3. High Court weighs petitions urging Ben Gvir’s ouster, but seems hesitant to back them  The Times of Israel
  4. ‘Nation chose the Right’: Ben-Gvir defends role, blasts A-G at High Court hearing  The Jerusalem Post
  5. High Court Weighs Ben Gvir Dismissal Over Temple Mount Status Quo  i24NEWS
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