UK accused of caving-in to British Virgin Islands over access to companies register 25. November 2025 (18:42) Parliamentary group urges government to clamp down on overseas territories before flagship anti-corruption summitThe UK government has been accused of caving-in to pressure from the British Virgin Islands by allowing it to limit access to a register of company share ownership to only those deemed to have a legitimate interest.The restriction, to be discussed at talks starting on Tuesday between Foreign Office ministers and leaders of the British overseas territories (BOTs) in London, is in defiance of legislation passed by the UK government as long ago as 2008 that would make the register available to all. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Protests erupt in China’s Guizhou province over cremation mandate 25. November 2025 (18:41) Villagers demonstrate against drive for alternative funeral practices instead of burial to preserve land resourcesProtests have erupted in China’s southern Guizhou province, the latest in a string of rural demonstrations that have seen incidents of unrest increase by 70% compared with last year.The protests in Shidong town started over the weekend in response to a directive from local authorities that people should be cremated rather than buried after their death. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK gambling firms make extra £1bn from punters amid calls for tax rises 25. November 2025 (18:23) Betting companies made £12.6bn in 12 months to March, with 15% rise in takings from online casino playersThe UK gambling sector made an extra £1bn from punters in the year to March, according to new data expected to buoy calls for the chancellor to raise betting taxes in Wednesday’s budget.Betting companies made £12.6bn from services excluding lotteries in the latest 12-month reporting period, the Gambling Commission revealed on Tuesday, a 9.3% rise on the £11.5bn the industry made during the previous year. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Mark Kelly: call for troops to disobey illegal orders is ‘non-controversial’ 25. November 2025 (17:50) Senator hits back at Trump administration after Pentagon launches investigation for possible breaches of military lawUS senator Mark Kelly said it was “non-controversial” for him and other Democrats to implore military personnel to disobey “illegal orders” from the Trump administration – hitting back at accusations of “serious allegations of misconduct” leveled against him by the Pentagon.“I said something that was pretty simple and non-controversial – and that was that members of the military should follow the law,” the Arizona Democrat senator, a former US Navy officer and astronaut who flew on four separate space shuttle missions between 2001 and 2011, told MS Now on Monday night. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Reeves’s plan to cut cash Isa limit could raise mortgage rates, say finance bosses 25. November 2025 (17:31) Building societies fear consumers will be put off from saving if chancellor’s budget announces a 40% reductionBusiness live – latest updatesRachel Reeves’s plan to slash the annual cash Isa limit by 40% could lead to higher mortgage rates and deter consumers from saving, finance bosses have said.The chancellor is expected to cut the maximum amount people can put into tax-efficient cash individual savings accounts from £20,000 a year to £12,000 in Wednesday’s budget. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
CPS to train staff on ‘spectrum of abuse’ in violence against women and girls 25. November 2025 (17:25) Five-year strategy aims to improve casework after analysis finds domestic abuse in more than third of rape casesThe Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will train its staff to recognise the “wide spectrum of abuse” in cases of violence against women, after new data found that domestic abuse was present in more than a third of rape cases, and in more than eight out of 10 cases of stalking and image-based abuse.Launching its five-year Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy, the body said its main aims were to increase casework quality and increase trust in the CPS. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Queen of the Zoo’: Gramma, tortoise who lived through two world wars, dies aged 141 25. November 2025 (17:00) Gramma came to San Diego Zoo from Bronx Zoo in 1928 or 1931 and lived through 20 US presidentsAfter more than a century of munching on her favorite foods of romaine lettuce and cactus fruit, beloved Galapagos tortoise Gramma, the oldest resident of the San Diego Zoo, has died.Gramma was born in her native habitat and was estimated to be about 141 years old, zoo officials said. She died on 20 November. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nato scrambles jets as Russian drones make deepest incursion into Romania 25. November 2025 (16:40) Fighter jets track two uncrewed aircraft in first daytime breach of Romanian airspace since full-scale Ukraine warNato jets were scrambled to track two Russian drones that crossed into Romania on Tuesday in the deepest and first daytime incursion into the country’s airspace since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine.German Typhoon and Romanian F-16 fighter jets took off in pairs to follow the uncrewed aircraft. The first flew back into Ukrainian airspace, but the second was later found downed in Puieşti, about 70 miles from Ukraine. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Major incident declared as fireworks suspected to be inside burning west London warehouse 25. November 2025 (16:24) School and block of flats evacuated and 150 firefighters withdraw to safe distance from blaze in SouthallFireworks may be stored inside a west London warehouse engulfed in flames, emergency services have warned as a major incident has been declared.About 150 firefighters and 25 fire engines were battling the fire in a two-storey structure consisting of a warehouse and retail space on Bridge Road in Southall, the London fire brigade (LFB) said on Tuesday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Jacob Zuma’s daughter accused of tricking men into fighting for Russia in Ukraine 25. November 2025 (16:13) South African police investigate allegations made against Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla by another of ex-president’s daughtersEurope live – latest updatesSouth African police are investigating allegations that a daughter of the former president Jacob Zuma tricked men into fighting for Russia in Ukraine by telling them they were travelling to Russia for a paramilitary training course.Another of Zuma’s daughters, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, filed a police report on Saturday alleging that her sister Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla and two others, Siphokazi Xuma and Blessing Khoza, had recruited 17 men who are now trapped on the frontlines of the war in Ukraine. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
