Russia does not want peace with Europe, says Danish prime minister – Europe live pred 2 urama in 37 minutami Mette Frederiksen says ‘world order as we know it is over’ as she prepares for talks with Emmanuel Macron and Greenland’s PM in ParisElsewhere, Hungarian prosecutors have brought charges against Budapest’s liberal mayor, Gergely Karácsony, over his role in arranging an LGBTQ+ rights rally, and are seeking to impose a fine without holding a trial, Reuters reported.Tens of thousands of protesters marched through Budapest last June despite a police ban, turning the Pride march into one of the biggest anti-government demonstrations in years against nationalist prime minister Viktor Orbán. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Approving super-embassy before China trip makes Starmer look weak, says Badenoch, as PM arrives in Beijing – UK politics live pred 2 urama in 39 minutami Tory leader says Starmer ‘gives way every time things get difficult’, and should focus on countries aligned with UK interestsBadenoch is now taking questions.Asked if she agreed with Reform UK that Britain is broken, Badneoch said she believed that it can be fixed.I was not elected to reheat the party with 1990s policies, and I was not elected to dismantle the party so that Nigel Farage can finally have a go.I was elected by Conservative party members to renew and rebuild. That is exactly what I am doing. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Maine’s ‘Lobster Lady’ who fished for nearly a century dies aged 105 pred 2 urama in 42 minutami Virginia ‘Ginny’ Oliver, had entered the business when she was eight and liked ‘being along the water’Maine’s governor has hailed the life of a woman who spent nearly 100 years fishing for lobsters as “amazing” and expressed hopes that her memory inspires “the next century of hardworking” fishers in the state.The subject of Governor Janet Mills’ tribute, Virginia “Ginny” Oliver, died on 21 January at age 105, according to an obituary published on Monday by her family. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US dollar sinks to its lowest level in four years pred 3 urami in 18 minutami Dollar drops against basket of currencies after Donald Trump brushed off concerns over slideBusiness live – latest updatesThe US dollar has fallen to its lowest level in four years after Donald Trump brushed off concerns over the currency’s fall, sending investors fleeing to traditional havens including gold and the Swiss franc.The dollar dropped by 1.3% against a basket of currencies after the president’s comments on Tuesday, marking its fourth day of declines, then slipped by a further 0.2% on Wednesday morning. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
SpaceX mulls $1.5tn IPO timed to ‘align with Musk’s birthday and the planets’ pred 3 urami in 24 minutami World’s richest person targeting symbolic date in June for flotation of rocket companyElon Musk’s SpaceX is considering a flotation valuing the rocket company at $1.5tn (£1.1tn) that will reportedly be timed for early summer to coincide with a planetary alignment and the multibillionaire’s birthday.The world’s richest person is targeting a symbolic date of mid-June for the initial public offering, according to the Financial Times. This would be around the same time as Jupiter and Venus appear in close proximity to each other and shortly before Musk turns 55 on 28 June. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘You’d be ashamed to bring someone here’: The struggling billionaire-owned high street that shows Reform’s road to No 10 pred 3 urami in 40 minutami Newton Aycliffe was meant to be a model town for a fairer postwar Britain. But unaffordable rents on a high street amounting to 0.12% of its property tycoon owner’s holdings have made it a symbol of decline – and a warning for LabourHow has your local high street changed since 2019? Check your postcodeLabour risks election wipeout unless it improves Britain’s high streetsUnder blue skies and bunting, the whole of County Durham seemed to turn out for the young Queen Elizabeth II. They lined the streets in their thousands, waving flags and marvelling at the grand royal procession weaving past their newly built homes.It was 27 May 1960 and the recently crowned queen was officially opening the town of Newton Aycliffe on her first provincial tour after the birth of her third child, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, three months earlier. A 16-page commemorative pamphlet, priced at two shillings and sixpence, records the local Light Infantry buglers playing to the giddy crowd. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Labour risks election wipeout unless it improves Britain’s high streets, study finds pred 3 urami in 41 minutami Decay of town centres a top issue among voters especially Reform UK supporters and is fuelling resentment against WestminsterHow has your local high street changed since 2019? Check your postcodeThe struggling billionaire-owned high street that shows Reform’s road to No 10Labour will be “washed away in a tide of discontent” at the next general election unless it tackles the decline of Britain’s high streets, a study has warned, as Guardian analysis lays bare the changing face of town centres.Research by the University of Southampton found people feel high streets have declined more than any other part of their local area over the past decade, as household brands collapsed and shoplifting rose. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Amazon reveals fresh round of global job cuts in email sent in error to workers pred 4 urami in 19 minutami Message erroneously said affected employees in the US, Canada and Costa Rica had already been informedBusiness live – latest updatesAmazon has told workers of a fresh round of global job cuts in an email that appears to have been sent in error.Workers at Amazon Web Services (AWS) received a meeting invitation from a top executive on Tuesday for the following day – subsequently cancelled – that also contained a draft email. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Sussan Ley says David Littleproud rejected offer of talks this week after Coalition break-up pred 6 urami in 6 minutami Liberal leader proposed meeting ‘without any preconditions’ to discuss two parties’ relationship after last week’s splitDavid Littleproud rebuffed Sussan Ley’s offer for last-minute peace talks ahead of parliament’s return next week as the Nationals leader prepares for a leadership contest.In a message to Liberal MPs on Wednesday, Ley said she had written to Littleproud on Tuesday night proposing a meeting “without any preconditions” to discuss the two parties’ relationship following last week’s spectacular break-up. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Starmer vows to raise issues ‘that need to be raised’ with Xi amid push to free Jimmy Lai pred 6 urami in 42 minutami The prime minister may also discuss the fate of the Uyghurs with the Chinese leader‘Very low bar’: analysts say Starmer faces slim pickings in ChinaKeir Starmer has said he will “raise the issues that need to be raised” on human rights with China’s leader, Xi Jinping, as he arrived in Beijing for the first trip to the country by a UK leader in eight years.The prime minister has come under pressure from rights groups to try to secure the release of Jimmy Lai, the jailed former media tycoon and one of Hong Kong’s most significant pro-democracy voices. Continue reading...(The Guardian)