Pope Leo to travel to Turkiye, Lebanon on first foreign trip
Pope Leo XIV spoke about his upcoming first foreign trip as pontiff to Turkiye and Lebanon. [Continue Reading]
US ranchers whiplashed by Trump’s beef policies
Ranchers find themselves caught between the president's desires to appease both them and the US consumer. [Continue Reading]
A Moderate From Manhattan Claims Enough Support to Lead City Council
Julie Menin, a councilwoman from the Upper East Side, was seen by some supporters as a necessary check on Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist with an ambitious policy agenda. [Continue Reading]
‘Imperial Israel’ in the New Middle East
Despite a cease-fire with Hezbollah, almost daily strikes demonstrate an emboldened Israel’s strategy to eliminate its enemies any time, anywhere. [Continue Reading]
Judge Dismisses Georgia Election Interference Case Against Trump
The president has now seen three criminal cases against him dissolve since he was re-elected last year. [Continue Reading]
Salary sacrifice pension contributions above £2,000 will be taxed
Some pension savers face a hit to the amount of money they can put into their pension without paying national insurance. [Continue Reading]
US hikes national park fees for foreigners to put 'American families first'
Non-residents will soon have to $100 per person to enter 11 of the United States' most popular parks. [Continue Reading]
Bid to let drug users smoke cocaine in Glasgow consumption room
The Thistle currently lets people inject heroin or cocaine while under medical supervision without being prosecuted, but does not have a smoking room. [Continue Reading]
Georgia prosecutor drops 2020 election interference case against Trump
The state charges were part of the last remaining criminal case against the US president stemming from the 2020 election. [Continue Reading]
Army halts use of Ajax armoured vehicles after vibrations make soldiers vomit
The UK government previously said they were ready for deployment with interest from Nato allies. [Continue Reading]
Key measures from this year's Budget at-a-glance
Rachel Reeves is delivering her second Budget since Labour’s return to power – here’s what you need to know. [Continue Reading]
OBR apologises over pre-Budget leak
Details of the Budget are supposed to be kept under wraps until the chancellor announces them to MPs. [Continue Reading]
EU states still falling short on waste recycling targets, auditors find
A new EU auditors' report finds the core problems of recycling domestic rubbish across the bloc are inadequate infrastructure, struggling recycling businesses, and delayed enforcement of long-standing EU targets. [Continue Reading]
EU's week of African summitry ends with slim pickings in Luanda
Having made a series of major financial commitments ahead of last weekend's G20 summit in Johannesburg, there was little left for the EU-AU summit days later. [Continue Reading]
WSL clubs angered as TikTok star GK Barry makes sexual innuendos during farcical League Cup draw
Tuesday night's draw has received criticism. [Continue Reading]
‘Tacky’ paradise named one of the UK’s coolest coastal towns to rent
'Is it tacky? Yes. And that's just the way I like it.' [Continue Reading]
How Russian spooks played dirty tricks on a British diplomat during Princess Diana visit
Russia rolled out red carpet for Diana while playing 'grey zone' tricks on British officials. [Continue Reading]
42 UK cities where middle-income households can’t afford to buy property
London, Reading and Cambridge are among the least affordable. [Continue Reading]
Starting a new-year health kick? This Garmin smartwatch is over £400 off for Black Friday, and packed with fitness perks
This does far more than just tell the time... [Continue Reading]
HSE apology over 'failings' which led to girl's death
The HSE has apologised unreservedly to a family of a 16-year-old girl for what was described as "failings" that should not have happened, which led to her death at University Hospital Limerick. [Continue Reading]
Rachel Reeves says budget will cut living costs after shock OBR leak
Chancellor unveils action on energy bills, rail fares and two-child benefit cap as she reveals £26bn tax risesBudget 2025 – follow liveHow freezing tax thresholds affects your tax bill?Budget 2025: key points at a glanceRachel Reeves has declared her budget will slash living costs for millions after a highly embarrassing leak revealed she would increase taxes by £26bn to plug a gaping shortfall in the public finances.In a shock release triggering an instant bond market reaction, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) published the full details of the chancellor’s plans an hour before her make-or-break speech to the Commons. Continue... [Continue Reading]
Departing Marjorie Taylor Greene ‘the canary in the coal mine’ for Republicans, says former House speaker – US politics live
Kevin McCarthy says exit of the Trump loyalist turned critic is a sign of broader trouble for RepublicansBloomberg’s scoop showing how Trump aide, Steve Witkoff, coached the Kremlin on the best way to get into Trump’s good graces is extraordinary for what it tells us about Witkoff’s dubious loyalties, and the Kremlin’s potential influence over US negotiation efforts. But equally interesting is the leaked material itself and where it may have come from.The story covers two intercepted phone calls: one between Witkoff and top Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, and another between Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev, who has been deeply involved... [Continue Reading]
Trump’s EPA moves to abandon rule that sets tough standards for deadly soot pollution
EPA had previously said rule reducing fine particle matter from vehicles and industrial sources could prevent thousands of premature deaths a yearThe Trump administration is seeking to abandon a rule that sets tough standards for deadly soot pollution, arguing that the Biden administration did not have authority to set the tighter standard on pollution from tailpipes, smokestacks and other industrial sources.The action follows moves by the administration last week to weaken federal rules protecting millions of acres of wetlands and streams and roll back protections for imperiled species and the places they live. In a separate action, the interior department... [Continue Reading]
North Sea plan permits new drilling on existing fields and no big shifts to clean energy
‘Tie backs’ will permit small amount of new fossil fuel extraction, but campaigners want bolder strategy to ensure job creationBudget 2025 – live updatesThe energy secretary, Ed Miliband, has returned from the Cop30 climate conference in Brazil, where he championed the UK’s world-leading promise to ban all new oil and gas licences and backed the call for a blueprint to “transition away from fossil fuels”.Back at home, the government says it is sticking to its manifesto pledge but plans to allow some new drilling in oil and gas fields that have existing licenses. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
Nicolas Sarkozy convicted of illegal campaign financing in failed 2012 re-election bid
Verdict is fresh blow for former French president who was released from prison only this month in connection with separate convictionThe former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been convicted of illegal campaign financing in his failed 2012 re-election bid, after the country’s highest court rejected his final appeal.Sarkozy, who was the country’s rightwing president between 2007 and 2012, was convicted of hiding illegal overspending for his unsuccessful re-election campaign that was shaped by vast American-style rallies. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
Can Europe prevent an unjust ‘peace’ in Ukraine – and what is at stake if it fails?
Seizing Moscow’s money to bail out Kyiv may be all that stands between a fair outcome and a ‘deal’ that brings war in the rest of Europe a step closer• Don’t get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereWith Ukraine’s future back on the geopolitical carving block, Europe is facing its own moment of truth. Is it ready to defend Kyiv against the imposition of a lopsided “peace” that rewards Vladimir Putin and undermines the entire continent’s security?Not for the first time, European governments were left in the dark about secret US-backed proposals to end Russia’s war.... [Continue Reading]
US justice department memo about boat strikes diverges from Trump narrative
Exclusive: Officials frame strikes as self-defense against violence, without naming aggressor, while Trump claims they are to stop US overdose deathsThe Trump administration is framing its boat strikes against drug cartels in the Caribbean in part as a collective self-defense effort on behalf of US allies in the region, according to three people directly familiar with the administration’s internal legal argument.The legal analysis rests on a premise – for which there is no immediate public evidence – that the cartels are waging armed violence against the security forces of allies such as Mexico, and that the violence is financed by... [Continue Reading]
Trump threatens Venezuela’s Maduro with ‘the easy way … or the hard way’
Venezuela president vows to defend ‘every inch’ of the country amid military buildup in CaribbeanA visual guide to the US military presence in the CaribbeanDonald Trump has warned Nicolás Maduro he can “do things the easy way … or the hard way” as Venezuela’s authoritarian leader responded to the growing US pressure campaign by urging followers to prepare to defend “every inch” of the South American country.Clad in woodland camouflage fatigues, Maduro told a rally in the capital, Caracas, it was their historic duty to fight foreign aggressors, just as the Venezuelan liberation hero Simón Bolívar did two centuries ago.... [Continue Reading]
Berlin shutdown of pro-Palestine conference was unlawful, court rules
Last April, police used a heavy hand to stop the Palestine Congress, pulling the plug soon after the forum started. [Continue Reading]
Guinea-Bissau army officers claim ‘total control’ as gunshots rock capital
Officers order suspension of electoral process, border closures a day before presidential vote results expected. [Continue Reading]
Was South Africa’s G20 success real change or a symbolic win?
G20 summit in Johannesburg was seen as a diplomatic success for South Africa and a renewed commitment to multilaterism. [Continue Reading]
How Ukraine gamifies war
How Ukraine has been adapting to war by blending gamification with military strategy. [Continue Reading]
UK unveils significant tax rises in budget after ‘shambolic’ forecast leak
UK chancellor announces 26.1bn pounds ($34.4bn) in tax hikes amid furore over embarrassing leak of forecast data. [Continue Reading]
Sudanese family says racist graffiti will not force them to leave home
The words 'local only' were daubed on Hala Ahmed's family home in Londonderry's Fountain estate. [Continue Reading]
Two-child benefit cap to be scrapped from next year
The policy, introduced under the Tories, means parents can only claim universal credit for their first two children. [Continue Reading]
UK growth forecasts lowered from 2026
Downgrades to productivity means the economy is set to grow at an annual rate of 1.5% on average over the next five years. [Continue Reading]
Salary sacrifice pension contributions above £2000 will be taxed
Some pension savers face a hit to the amount of money they can put into their pension without paying national insurance. [Continue Reading]
Former Royal Marine pleads guilty to Liverpool parade crash that injured more than 130
Paul Doyle broke down in tears as he admitted seriously injuring fans at Liverpool's victory parade. [Continue Reading]
Where peace stands in Ukraine after frantic diplomacy
The Trump administration seems serious about reaching a deal despite all the apparent chaos around its efforts. [Continue Reading]
How the chancellor just took a chunk out of your future pay
The point at which you start to pay tax, and the point where you tip into paying a higher rate of tax have been frozen for three more years. [Continue Reading]
Best Nintendo Switch 2 Black Friday deal is £50 off but it won’t last long
The Nintendo Switch 2 might be brand new but there are still some Black Friday deals for it, including one that could run out at any moment. [Continue Reading]
Rob Rinder: Slashing jury trials is an attack on British values
Remove juries, and justice becomes something done to the public rather than by the public. [Continue Reading]
Katie Price reveals she’s ‘so broody’ with JJ Slater romance still going strong
The mother-of-five has previously revealed she is keen to expand her family. [Continue Reading]
Cork rail project among priorities in Govt transport plan
The Government has published its €24bn plan for roads, rail, aviation, maritime and active travel projects it intends to begin over the next four years. [Continue Reading]
HSE apology at inquest over 'failings' in girl's death
The HSE has apologised unreservedly to a family of a 16-year-old girl for what was described as "failings" that should not have happened, which led to her death at University Hospital Limerick. [Continue Reading]