Labour MPs to demand more concessions on workers’ rights after government climbdown 28. November 2025 (19:13) Unhappy MPs will push for stronger protections in other areas, such as bogus self-employment arrangementsLabour MPs are preparing to demand further concessions on workers’ rights as the price of accepting ministers’ decision to ditch plans for day-one protection against unfair dismissal.MPs who are unhappy about the move will push for stronger protections in other areas, such as bogus self-employment arrangements, as part of Labour’s “make work pay” agenda. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Death toll reaches 69 as Sri Lanka is hit by rising flood waters 28. November 2025 (18:20) Heavy rain from Cyclone Ditwah has left people stranded, with more than 18,000 evacuated to temporary sheltersTroops in Sri Lanka were racing to rescue hundreds of people marooned by rising flood waters on Friday as weather-related deaths rose to 69, with another 34 people declared missing.Helicopters and navy boats carried out rescue operations, plucking people from treetops, roofs and villages cut off by flood waters. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Quebec to ban public prayer in sweeping new secularism law 28. November 2025 (18:01) Bill 9 would outlaw prayer and face coverings in public institutions, sparking fears it targets Muslims in CanadaQuebec says it will intensify its crackdown on public displays of religion in a sweeping new law that critics say pushes Canadian provinces into private spaces and disproportionately affects Muslims.Bill 9, introduced by the governing Coalition Avenir Québec on Thursday, bans prayer in public institutions, including in colleges and universities. It also bans communal prayer on public roads and in parks, with the threat of fines of C$1,125 for groups in contravention of the prohibition. Short public events with prior approval are exempt. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Londoners told to be vigilant with messages after cyber-attack on council 28. November 2025 (17:47) Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea says it is checking whether data taken contained residents’s detailsA London council has urged thousands of residents to be “extra vigilant” when receiving calls, emails or text messages after confirming that data had been taken in a cyber-attack.The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC), which has 147,500 residents, said some data had been copied from its systems in an attack this week. The council said it believed the theft related to “historical data” but it was checking whether it contained any personal or financial details of residents, customers or service users. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Sadiq Khan says Farage’s denial of teenage racism allegations ‘desperate’ 28. November 2025 (17:46) Exclusive: London mayor says allegations about Reform leader had summoned memories of his own pastSadiq Khan has spoken of his dismay at Nigel Farage’s “desperate” denials of allegations of teenage racism as he described how his experience as a child had shaped his life.The mayor of London said testimony from more than 20 individuals who made allegations about the Reform leader had summoned memories of his own past. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Rape charges that triggered Ballymena race riots dropped 28. November 2025 (17:41) Prosecutors cite ‘significant evidential developments’ in decision to end criminal case against Romanian boysProsecutors have dropped charges against two Romanian teenagers who were accused of raping a schoolgirl in Ballymena – an allegation that triggered race riots in Northern Ireland.The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) on Friday cited “significant evidential developments” in its decision to end criminal proceedings against the boys, aged 14 and 15. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Virginia Giuffre’s sons deny unsigned document is their mother’s will 28. November 2025 (17:14) After Jeffrey Epstein abuse victim died intestate, sons reject claim that documents presented by her lawyer and carer represent her final intentionsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAn unsigned will has emerged as the crux of the battle over the estate of Virginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent victims of disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein.Details of the document surfaced on Friday as hearings began in Western Australia’s supreme court, where her sons, her longtime lawyer and her former carer are all vying for control of the assets. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Rebel nuns who busted out of Austrian care home win reprieve – if they stay off social media 28. November 2025 (17:01) Trio given leave to stay in their abandoned convent near Salzburg until further notice, church officials sayThree octogenarian nuns who gained a global following after breaking out of their care home and moving back to their abandoned convent near Salzburg have been given leave to stay in the nunnery “until further notice” – on condition they stay off social media, church officials have said.The rebel sisters – Bernadette, 88, Regina, 86, and Rita, 82, all former teachers at the school adjacent to their convent – broke back into their old home of Goldenstein Castle in Elsbethen in September in defiance of their spiritual superiors. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Leaked files show far-right influences among Project 2025 applicants 28. November 2025 (16:47) Applicants reportedly cited Nazi theorists and other extremists as inspiration for Trump administration rolesHacked materials from the powerful rightwing thinktank the Heritage Foundation show that applicants to a Project 2025-branded effort to create a talent pool for the Trump administration cited the influence of Nazi political theorists and other far-right thinkers on their political views.Not all applicants revealed in the hack ended up with Trump administration jobs, but some current appointees did make applications. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Talks for UK to join EU defence fund collapse in blow to Starmer’s bid to reset relations 28. November 2025 (16:42) UK had been pushing to join €150bn Safe fund, a loan scheme that is part of bloc’s drive to rearm EuropeKeir Starmer’s attempt to reset relations with the EU have suffered a major blow, after negotiations for the UK to join the EU’s flagship €150bn (£131bn) defence fund collapsed.The UK had been pushing to join the EU’s Security Action for Europe (Safe) fund, a low-interest loan scheme that is part of the EU’s drive to boost defence spending by €800bn and rearm the continent, in response to the growing threat from Russia and cooling relations between Donald Trump’s US and the EU. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
