UK launches critical minerals strategy to reduce dependency on China 23. November 2025 (14:18) Standoff between China and EU over supply of chips for car industry underlines value of sector requiring huge financial investmentKeir Starmer has announced a critical minerals and rare earths strategy to build resilience against China, which has a stranglehold on supplies of materials including magnets critical to everything from car doors to fridges.“For too long, Britain has been dependent on a handful of overseas suppliers, leaving our economy and national security exposed to global shocks,” the prime minister said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Bereaved parents face ‘harrowing’ delays for NHS postmorterms 23. November 2025 (14:03) Shortage of specialist doctors means service is in crisis, says chair of Royal College of Pathologists committeeBereaved parents are enduring “harrowing” delays of more than a year to find out why their child died because the NHS has too few specialist doctors to perform postmortems.The shortage of paediatric and perinatal pathologists is revealed in a report by the Royal College of Pathologists published on Sunday. It warns that the situation is “dire”, services in some parts of the UK have “totally collapsed” and families are paying the price.37% of consultant posts in the UK are lying vacant.The UK has just 52 paediatric and perinatal consultants and 13 are due to retire in the next five years.Just 3% of consultants think current staffing levels are enough to sustain their service.Only 13 resident doctors are in training to become consultants in the specialty. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
French winemakers ‘battle for survival’ as minister prepares for crisis talks 23. November 2025 (14:02) Vineyard owners say sales slump, Trump tariffs and worst harvest in 70 years have put producers in danger of closureFrench winemakers are often accused of viewing the glass as half empty. Dire warnings about the state of the sector – one of the three pillars of the country’s economy – are a hardy perennial blamed on everything from geopolitics to a drop in the number of drinkers.Before a crisis meeting with the agriculture minister on Monday, vineyard owners say an unprecedented series of setbacks, including some of the worst harvests in 70 years, has left many of them on their last legs. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump’s former ‘drone guy’ Dan Driscoll is the unlikely point man for the Ukraine peace deal 23. November 2025 (14:00) The army secretary has little in his résumé to suggest he can end the war between Russia and UkraineLittle in Dan Driscoll’s résumé – past or present – suggests he has the qualifications to understand the often-tortured and bloody history of relations between Russia and Ukraine.A former investment banker with a degree in business administration, the current US army secretary’s main calling card for a prominent role in the Trump administration may be a friendship with JD Vance dating from when they were at Yale Law School together. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Epstein survivor condemns Trump for calling file release fight a ‘hoax’ 23. November 2025 (13:00) Danielle Bensky, who was abused by Jeffrey Epstein, says president was ‘incredibly disrespectful’ in recent commentsA survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse has condemned Donald Trump for dismissing the victims’ fight for transparency as a “hoax”.Shortly after signing a bill to release the Epstein files, the US president posted a lengthy social media rant accusing Democrats of weaponising the scandal against him. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Titanic passenger’s pocket watch sold for record £1.78m at auction 23. November 2025 (12:57) The 18-carat Jules Jurgensen gold watch belonged to Isidor Straus, who along with his wife lost his life when ship sankA gold pocket watch that belonged to a man who died onboard the Titanic when it sank has sold for a record sum.The watch, which belonged to 67-year-old Isidor Straus, went for £1.78m at auction, the highest amount ever paid for Titanic memorabilia. He was given the watch – an engraved 18-carat Jules Jurgensen – as a gift on his 43rd birthday in 1888. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Rachel Reeves promises to ‘grip the cost of living’ in autumn budget 23. November 2025 (12:42) Chancellor admits economy ‘feels stuck’ for many as she signals intention to freeze income tax thresholdsYou be the chancellor: play our budget gameRachel Reeves has promised to “grip the cost of living” in the budget as she prepares to scrap the two-child welfare limit and freeze rail fares, while putting forward a multibillion-pound tax-raising package.The chancellor is preparing to give her second budget on Wednesday after weeks of uncertainty about the scale of the tax rises she will need to impose to plug a financial hole of about £20bn.Freezing income tax thresholds for an extra two years to 2030, bringing more people into higher tax bands as wages rise.Making salary sacrifice schemes less generous, including those for pension contributions.Bringing in higher tax on the most expensive properties, including a surcharge on the highest-value houses.A pay-per-mile scheme on electric cars to help fill the tax gap from petrol duty as more people opt for green vehicles. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Gaza hospitals running out of supplies as airstrikes continue, medics say 23. November 2025 (12:11) ‘Severe lack’ in territory where Israeli strikes have killed more than 50 people and injured over 100 in recent daysHospitals in Gaza are running out of essential supplies, with new waves of Israeli airstrikes killing more than 50 people and injuring more than 100 in recent days, medical and aid workers in the devastated Palestinian territory have said.Medics told the Guardian on Sunday that stocks of gauze, antiseptics, thermometers and antibiotics were running low. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
China has brought millions out of poverty. The US has not – by choice 23. November 2025 (12:00) Despite the US’s economic success, income inequality remains breathtaking. But this is no glitch – it’s the systemThe Chinese did rather well in the age of globalization. In 1990, 943 million people there lived on less than $3 a day measured in 2021 dollars – 83% of the population, according to the World Bank. By 2019, the number was brought down to zero. Unfortunately, the United States was not as successful. More than 4 million Americans – 1.25% of the population – must make ends meet with less than $3 a day, more than three times as many as 35 years ago.The data is not super consistent with the narrative of the US’s inexorable success. Sure, American productivity has zoomed ahead of that of its European peers. Only a handful of countries manage to produce more stuff per hour of work. And artificial intelligence now promises to put the United States that much further ahead. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Zelenskyy says ‘we must do everything’ against ‘wicked Russian attacks’ as Ukraine and US meet for emergency talks – live 23. November 2025 (11:43) Officials will discuss 28-point draft plan widely seen as favourable to Moscow, despite Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022Amid the diplomatic flurry, the war continues. According to Russian Telegram media channels, Ukraine struck a heat and power station in the Moscow region on Sunday with drones, triggering a major fire and cutting off heating for thousands of people.Ukrainian drones struck the Shatura Power Station about 120 km (75 miles) east of the Kremlin, Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyov said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
