BMA chair denies using junior doctors’ strikes to progress political career 02. December 2025 (11:07) Tom Dolphin, who applied to be Labour candidate in 2024, says political career not relevant as he defends strikes The head of the doctors’ union has denied he is pursuing further strike action to progress his own political career after the Labour party overlooked him as a prospective candidate for parliament.The British Medical Association has announced that resident doctors – formerly known as junior doctors – in England will stage another five-day strike from 7am on 17 December until 7am on 22 December. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
OECD warns Reeves higher taxes and spending restraint will limit consumer expenditure 02. December 2025 (11:00) UK economy will grow faster than France, Germany and Italy but slower than US next year, report predictsBusiness live – latest updatesRachel Reeves has been warned by a leading thinktank that tight government spending and higher taxes will restrict consumer expenditure, despite predicting the UK economy will grow at a faster pace than France, Germany and Italy next year.Analysts at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said the government’s ongoing “fiscal consolidation” – meaning higher taxes and reduced government spending – will act as a “headwind” to the UK economy, with “past tax and spending adjustments weighing on household disposable income and slowing consumption”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Radar revelation stokes fears Caribbean could be drawn into US-Venezuela crisis 02. December 2025 (11:00) Trinidad PM rejects claims installation is in support of US campaign but opposition says ‘they have sold soul of nation’How the US pressure campaign against Venezuela unfolded in the CaribbeanThe revelation that Trinidad and Tobago has approved the installation of a US military radar installation has stoked fears that the Caribbean could be drawn into the escalating crisis between the US and Venezuela.Trinidad and Tobago’s prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, had attempted to allay concerns about a US C-17 aircraft that had landed in the country, claiming it was carrying marines to assist with a road construction project. She also claimed she was told that no marines remained in the country. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Twelve more prisoners in England and Wales released in error in last month 02. December 2025 (10:49) Justice secretary David Lammy says two are still at large and overall ‘trend is downwards’Prisoners continue to be released mistakenly with a further 12 inmates let out of jail in error since November, the UK justice secretary has revealed.David Lammy told BBC Breakfast that despite the latest figures the “trend is downwards” after improvements to the system were put in place. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Hong Kong responds to disaster differently from Beijing – but the gulf is narrowing 02. December 2025 (09:36) Independent inquiry into fire and media questions to leader would not happen in mainland China, but crackdown on dissent has begunAs Hong Kong mourns the victims of its worst fire in decades, the response to the disaster reveals the ways in which the semi-autonomous city retains differences from mainland China – and how some of those differences are being eroded.Hong Kong’s leader, John Lee, announced on Tuesday the creation of an “independent committee” to investigate the blaze, which killed 151 people at the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in Hong Kong’s New Territories. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Problematic precedent’: expert says Australia could be next as UK agrees to pay 25% more for new US medicines 02. December 2025 (09:26) US has said it hopes other countries will follow as health policy experts say the agreement signals a shift away from value-for-money assessment Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe federal health minister, Mark Butler, said the government is trying to understand a “dynamic shift that’s happening in the global pharmaceutical market” following a new agreement that will see the UK pay 25% more for new US medicines, as drugs policy experts warn the deal sets a “problematic precedent”.Under the deal, the UK will double the percentage of GDP it allocates to buying innovative therapies from the US. The deal has led to UK experts expressing concern that the National Health Service will pay more money for new treatments, with less money left to pay for health staff and proven existing treatments. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Racial discrimination claim part of ‘deliberate campaign to discredit’ Mary Kostakidis, court documents allege 02. December 2025 (09:17) Former SBS newsreader defends sharing two X posts about a speech by the late Hezbollah leader as fair comment on a matter of public interestGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastRacial discrimination proceedings brought by the head of the Zionist Federation of Australia were “part of a deliberate campaign to undermine and discredit” Mary Kostakidis, court documents claim.The former SBS newsreader has been accused by the ZFA of breaching the Racial Discrimination Act by sharing two X posts about a speech by the late Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah in January 2024. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
BoE plans to loosen capital rules on banks in latest easing of post-2008 controls 02. December 2025 (08:50) Bank of England says stress tests show seven biggest lenders can weather financial hit in severe downturnBusiness live – latest updatesThe Bank of England is planning to ease capital rules for high street banks for the first time in a decade, marking the latest attempt to loosen regulations designed to protect the UK economy in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.The central bank has proposed lowering capital requirements related to risk weighted assets, by one percentage point to about 13%, reducing the amount lenders must hold in reserve. The move is designed to make it easier to lend to households and businesses. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ukraine war live: Trump envoy Steve Witkoff set to meet Vladimir Putin in Moscow amid US push for peace deal 02. December 2025 (08:36) Talks come after Witkoff led US discussions with Ukraine at weekend amid European concerns that Kyiv will be pressured to make concessions to MoscowUS-Russia talks may pile pressure on Kyiv to make concessions, says EU foreign policy chief See all our Ukraine war coverageVolodymyr Zelenskyy said that after revisions the plan to end the war – that has been circulating between Ukraine, Russia and the US - “looks better” and the work will continue.But he maintains that the “territorial issue is the most difficult” element of the deal as Russia wants Ukraine to give up territory in the east it still controls, something the Zelenskyy says he won’t agree to. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘I kept smelling a horrible nasty smell’: the risks of England’s old dumping grounds 02. December 2025 (08:00) For some, the smell brings on nausea and headaches. Others fear ‘forever chemicals’ seeping into the waterUK and Europe’s hidden landfills at risk of leaking toxic waste into water supplies“I just kept smelling this horrible, nasty smell … like animal excrement, and I was wondering what it was,” says Jess Brown, from Fleetwood, Lancashire.Brown’s mother suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and she believes the smells make it worse. She also worries for her eight-year-old daughter, whose asthma worsens when the odour seeps indoors. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
