81 m. ago Forget the 'vegan hippie' stereotype! People who follow plant

You might think that vegetarians and vegans are a bunch of peace-loving hippies, but a new study shows that the stereotype of the tofu-eating pacifist couldn't be further from the truth.

Politics

8 h. ago Brits back cuts to foreign aid, benefits and Net Zero to fund the NHS and police

YouGov research has given an insight into the public's priorities as Rachel Reeves prepares to unveil departmental budgets for the next three years.

Events

19 h. ago Cuts to UK’s global vaccination funding would risk avoidable child deaths, experts warn

Exclusive: Scientists also say any reduction in Foreign Office funding for vaccine alliance Gavi would harm UK’s soft powerAny cut in UK funding to a global vaccination group would damage soft power and could make British less resilient to infectious diseases, as well as causing avoidable deaths among children, leading vaccine and aid experts have warned.Scientists including Sir Andrew Pollard, who led the development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine, said a major cut in money for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (Gavi) could also make the UK less able to respond to a future pandemic. Continue reading...

Events

21 h. ago Newsom is warned of ‘criminal tax evasion’ if he withholds federal taxes

California governor made threat amid reports Trump is weighing huge federal funding cuts targeting stateThe US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, has warned California governor Gavin Newsom that he would be guilty of “criminal tax evasion” if he withholds his state’s tax payments to the federal government amid threats of a funding cut by Donald Trump.Newsom had threatened to cut tax payments to the federal government two days ago after reports that Trump was preparing huge federal funding cuts targeting Democrat-dominated California, including its state university system. Continue reading...

Events

25 h. ago Corporations are ditching rainbow flags and cutting funding for Pride. LGBT+ people say they won’t forget it

After years of showy tributes and accusations of ‘rainbow-washing’, US companies are shrinking back for fear of Donald Trump, Io Dodds reports

Politics

45 h. ago ‘We are disappearing’: Britain’s first trans judge on Supreme Court defeat – and why she’s challenging it

Victoria McCloud was publicly promoted as a symbol of diversity in the justice system, but this year it changed her legal sex overnight. The Independent Pride List 2025 winner tells Emma Henderson how vulnerable trans people are leaving Britain and why she’s taking on the Supreme Court ruling in an even higher court

Events

45 h. ago The Independent Pride List 2025: the LGBT+ people making change happen

The Independent’s Pride List is back again, celebrating the LGBT+ community’s biggest pioneers over the past 12 months

Politics

46 h. ago Cynthia Erivo and The Vivienne among ‘LGBT+ changemakers’ in 2025 Pride List

The Independent’s Pride List for 2025 also includes Tom Daley, Joe Lycett and Bella Ramsey.

Politics

51 h. ago Pensions report cuts Reeves’ planned growth funds from £160bn to £11bn

Chancellor had anticipated surpluses from final salary schemes would boost investment in UK economyPlans to invest £160bn of surplus funds from final salary pension schemes to boost the UK economy over the next 10 years have been dealt a blow by a Whitehall assessment that found there was likely to be little more than £11bn available to spend.In a knock to Rachel Reeves’s growth agenda, a report by civil servants at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) found that the expected surpluses in occupational schemes would be used by businesses to offload their pension liabilities to insurance companies. Continue reading...

Economics

3 d. ago If Trump cuts funding to NPR and PBS, rural America will pay a devastating price

Much of the country has little access to local news, with public media filling the void – and serving as a lifelineWhen Hurricane Helene walloped North Carolina last fall, residents were hit by a second threat at the same time: the dire need for accurate information.The loss of electric power amid the widespread flooding meant that people – especially those in isolated areas – were deprived of basic news. They needed to know about everything from road closures to the whereabouts of their family and friends to sources of drinkable water.Margaret Sullivan is a Guardian US columnist writing on media, politics and culture Continue reading...

Economics

3 d. ago New York won't rescind Native American mascot ban, despite Trump's threat of cutting federal funds

New York education officials have refused to rescind the state’s ban on Native American mascots and team names, despite threats from the Trump administration that it risks losing federal funding

Politics

4 d. ago Cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania would see funding cut under bill passed by the state House

A bill to reduce how much Pennsylvania school districts have to pay for cyber charter students is advancing in the state Legislature

Economics

5 d. ago Pennsylvania is suing the USDA over cutting funding to a $1 billion food aid program for states

Pennsylvania has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture, saying the agency, under President Donald Trump, illegally cut off funding through a program designed to distribute more than $1 billion to states

Economics

5 d. ago Surge in Brits paying for private surgeries as NHS cuts back on 'limited value' operations

Private surgeries have seen a surge in operations that are considered 'low value' by the NHS as new figures reveal that funding has been cut for common procedures

Economics

5 d. ago Police chiefs and Government watchdogs write to PM in warning over funding cuts

In a letter to Sir Keir Starmer, Sir Mark Rowley warned that cuts to police budgets will have ‘far-reaching consequences’, it has been reported.

Events

6 d. ago The best LGBT+ friendly hotels in New York City for Pride month and beyond

From lively rooftop bars, luxury suites complete with butlers or centrally-located spaces, these are the places to stay in New York that also happen to be the best LGBT+ friendly hotels in the city

Politics

6 d. ago Community groups helped shield youth from gun crimes. US funding cuts have put them at risk again

Mississippi’s Operation Good engaged teens in a range of programs, protecting them from violence – but that work is now in jeopardyMost days, Fredrick Womack and his team can be found scattered throughout Jackson, Mississippi, talking to groups of young Black men and teens – whether they’re working, which bills need to be paid at home and if any brewing conflicts are at risk of turning violent. Through these conversations with young men, who are both perpetrators and victims of much of the city’s violence, Womack hopes he can help steer them in a different direction.Womack, 51, is the co-founder of the non-profit Operation Good, which, in addition to this work on the streets, hosts a youth summer program and trash cleanups, and helps teen boys find odd jobs, like cutting lawns, so they can earn a few dollars instead of resorting to crime for income. It also offers critical resources for the community, like buying school clothes for kids and paying utility bills for families that can...

Events

6 d. ago ‘Gonna have to hear mothers and sisters cry’: Trump’s funding cuts leave at

Mississippi’s Operation Good engaged teens in a range of programs, protecting them from crimes – but that work is now in jeopardyMost days, Fredrick Womack and his team can be found scattered throughout Jackson, Mississippi, talking to groups of young Black men and teens – whether they’re working, which bills need to be paid at home and if any brewing conflicts are at risk of turning violent. Through these conversations with young men, who are both perpetrators and victims of much of the city’s violence, Womack hopes he can help steer them in a different direction.Womack, 51, is the co-founder of the non-profit Operation Good, which, in addition to this work on the streets, hosts a youth summer program and trash cleanups, and helps teen boys find odd jobs, like cutting lawns, so they can earn a few dollars instead of resorting to crime for income. It also offers critical resources for the community, like buying school clothes for kids and paying utility bills for families that can’t...

Politics

6 d. ago New defence plans could lead to ‘significant cuts’ in other areas, MPs warn

John Healey said the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) is ‘not about cuts’, amid concerns the plans will be funded at the expense of existing programmes.

Events

7 d. ago Parks, libraries, museums: here’s why Trump is attacking America’s best

The president’s funding cuts and bullying are about dividing Americans and tightening his grip on powerThe author and environmentalist Wallace Stegner called our national parks “America’s best idea”.Certainly, these jewels – 85m acres of parkland throughout all the 50 states – are beloved by the public. So are America’s public libraries, arts organizations and museums.Margaret Sullivan is a Guardian US columnist writing on media, politics and culture Continue reading...

Politics