Starmer urged to introduce wealth tax instead of cutting disability benefits – UK politics live | Politics

Peter Walker has more from Diane Abbott’s interview on the Today programme this morning. Share Good morning. “You want me to cut £1bn. Shall I take £100 each off 10 million people, or £1,000 each off 1 million people?” The former Tory chancellor Ken Clarke is credited with coming up with this explanation of what … Read more

Tamil Nadu budget 2025, Pakistan train hijack, Ranya Rao gold smuggling case, and more: The week in 5 charts

(1) Key takeaways Tamil Nadu budget 2025 In its final full budget before the 2026 Assembly elections, the M.K. Stalin-led government sought to strike a balance by catering to its core voter base—women and government employees—while addressing key sectors of the economy. The budget has a total disbursement outlay of ₹4,39,293 crores, excluding public debt, … Read more

Houthis and US both vow escalation after wave of deadly American airstrikes in Yemen – Middle East crisis live | World news

Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature US and Iran-backed Houthis vow escalation after deadly American airstrikes on Yemen Welcome to our live coverage of the latest developments in the Middle East. The US and Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen are both vowing escalation after the US launched a … Read more

European leaders question whether Russia wants peace before Trump-Putin talks on Ukraine – Europe live | Ukraine

Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Morning opening: The lull before the storm US President Donald Trump said he plans to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin about next steps in the peace process on Ukraine on Tuesday, after “a lot has been done over the weekend.” … Read more

Labor rubbishes ‘reckless’ Coalition plan to crack down on CFMEU after latest allegations | Australian trade unions

The Labor government has rubbished Peter Dutton’s demands to immediately deregister the construction division of the CFMEU when parliament resumes next week, claiming the Coalition’s proposed policy would jeopardise ongoing investigations and hand back control of the union to criminal elements. The opposition leader said a Coalition government would re-establish the building industry watchdog and … Read more

Weather tracker: deadly storms in US and rain hits Australian Grand Prix | US weather

At least 34 people have died across six states in the US in the past week as a powerful storm system swept through the midwest and south, impacting states such as Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Mississippi. The storms brought a devastating combination of dust storms, tornadoes, wildfires, flash flooding and large hailstones, and … Read more

Recruitment report reveals rise in UK demand for construction workers | Construction industry

Vacancies have increased in the construction industry as well as for gardeners, teachers and maintenance workers, according to a new report. Research by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and data firm Lightcast showed a recent fall in demand for veterinary nurses, delivery drivers and train and tram drivers. The number of jobs advertised last … Read more