3 h. ago Government signs deal with Iraq to return illegal migrants in latest bid to deter small boats

It comes after an £800,000 deal last year with Baghdad to help the country crack down on smuggling networks

Events

3 h. ago Government strikes returns deal with Iraq in latest bid to deter small boats

The agreement signed during a visit to the UK by Iraq’s deputy prime minister will allow for the ‘swift’ return of failed asylum seekers.

Politics

12 h. ago What security guarantees might Ukraine get in return for a peace deal?

As western leaders meet, questions remain about the steps they could take to prevent any future Russian aggressionRussia-Ukraine war – latest news updatesEuropean leaders have been holding a virtual conference call to discuss what security guarantees they could give to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal with Russia. The discussion follows Monday’s unprecedented get-together in the White House hosted by Donald Trump. The US president met Volodymyr Zelenskyy and held talks with Britain’s Keir Starmer, as well as the leaders of Germany, France, Italy, Finland, the European Union and Nato. The main topic was how to end the war in Ukraine, the continent’s biggest since 1945, and how Europe might stop Russia from attacking again. Continue reading...

Economics

25 h. ago Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy entices Trump with $100bn arms deal in return for security

Ukrainian president ready for bilateral meeting with Putin; Russian attacks continue with Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia among targets. What we know on day 1,273 Continue reading...

Economics

25 h. ago Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy entices Trump with $90bn arms buy in return for security

Ukrainian president ready for bilateral meeting with Putin; Russian attacks continue with Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia among targets. What we know on day 1,273 Continue reading...

Events

51 h. ago Tens of thousands of protesters gather in Tel Aviv to demand end to Gaza war

One of largest rallies in Israel since start of conflict follows general strike to press government to stop military actionTens of thousands of demonstrators have gathered in Tel Aviv to call for an end to the war in Gaza and the release of hostages, one of the largest demonstrations in Israel since the start of the fighting in October 2023.The rally on Sunday evening was the culmination of a day of nationwide protests and a general strike to pressure the government to halt the military campaign. “Bring them all home! Stop the war!” shouted the vast crowd, which had converged on the so-called Hostage Square in Tel Aviv plaza – a focal point for protesters throughout the war. Continue reading...

Events

51 h. ago Hundreds of thousands of protesters gather in Tel Aviv to demand end to Gaza war

One of largest rallies in Israel since start of conflict follows general strike to press government to stop military actionHundreds of thousands of demonstrators have gathered in Tel Aviv to call for an end to the war in Gaza and the release of hostages, one of the largest demonstrations in Israel since the start of the fighting in October 2023.The rally on Sunday evening was the culmination of a day of nationwide protests and a general strike to pressure the government to halt the military campaign. “Bring them all home! Stop the war!” shouted the vast crowd, which had converged on the so-called Hostage Square in Tel Aviv plaza – a focal point for protesters throughout the war. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Philippe Clement 'offered' management return but ex Rangers boss puts mega money deal on hold

Clement has been out of work since being axed by the Ibrox side in February

Economics

6 d. ago More migrants arrested under new returns deal with France, confirms Home Secretary

Yvette Cooper said that the first referrals for people who came to Britain in small boats to be sent back across the English Channel have already been made

Economics

8 d. ago Nvidia and AMD agree to pay 15% of China chip export revenues to US

Unprecedented deal, an apparent reversal of security restrictions, is in return for licences to sell to ChinaThe chipmakers Nvidia and AMD have agreed to give the US government 15% of their revenue from advanced chips sold to China in return for export licences to the key market.The unprecedented move, an apparent reversal of US national security restrictions on the chip sales, signalled an easing in the US-China trade war. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Chelsea target Xavi Simons in possible Christopher Nkunku swap deal with RB Leipzig

Nkunku is for sale and could return to Bundesliga clubBlues remain in Garnacho talks and look to sell JacksonChelsea are in talks with RB Leipzig over a potential swap deal for Xavi Simons that could lead to Christopher Nkunku returning to the German club.It is understood Leipzig would like to re-sign the France striker, who moved to Stamford Bridge on a six-year deal in 2023 for £52m but has failed to settle in west London, as a replacement for Benjamin Sesko after his £73.7m move to Manchester United. Chelsea have been in negotiations with the Bundesliga club over a fee for Xavi Simons, with the Netherlands forward having already agreed personal terms despite interest from Bayern Munich. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago So much for a deterrent! Hundreds more Channel crossings pushes total migrant arrivals since Labour's 'one in one out' deal with France past 400

More than 400 small boat migrants have arrived in the first two days of Labour's returns deal, dashing claims it would be a 'new deterrent'.

Economics

1 week ago First people detained under ‘one in, one out’ deal before being sent back to France – UK politics live

Home secretary says the move ‘sends a message to every migrant currently thinking of paying organised crime gangs to go to the UK’Keir Starmer has also issued a statement about the detention of small boat arrivals (see 9.58am) on his social media feed. He says:We have detained the first illegal migrants under our new deal before returning them to France. No gimmicks, just results.If you break the law to enter this country, you will face being sent back.The transfers to immigration removal centres are under way as we speak, so we won’t provide operational details at this point that criminal gangs can simply use and exploit.But no-one should be in any doubt: anyone who arrives from now on is eligible for immediate detention and return.The pilot has now begun, so the first migrants who have arrived on the small boats are now in detention. We will then swiftly make the referrals to France and that process will now start to be able to return people to France.It’s the beginning of the pil...

Politics

1 week ago First people to be returned to France under UK’s ‘one in, one out’ asylum deal

People detained after arriving in small boat expected to be returned within three weeks, says Home OfficePeople who arrived in the UK on a small boat have been detained under Keir Starmer’s “one in, one out” deal for the first time and are expected to be returned to France within three weeks, the Home Office has said.Detentions began on Wednesday lunchtime, with those identified in the Channel boat being held in immigration removal centres pending their removal. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago First small boat migrants detained for return to France under new deal

Detentions began for those who arrived on a small boat on Wednesday - with those being held expected to be sent back within a fortnight

Economics

1 week ago Moment former Tory justice minister Chris Philp finds huge boat of illegal migrants crossing the Channel

Former Tory justice minister Chris Philp poked holes at Labour's new migrant returns deal after witnessing two 'massively packed' small boats entering UK waters on Wednesday.

Politics

1 week ago Labour's migrant returns deal with France descends into farce as Cabinet minister appears to contradict terms of treaty

Labour's migrant returns deal with France has descended into farce as a minister appeared to contradict the terms of a new treaty.

Politics

1 week ago First Channel crossing migrants arrive in UK as returns deal comes into force

Pictures taken on Wednesday afternoon show a UK Border Force boat ferrying migrants including children into the Port of Dover.

Economics

1 week ago ‘Worrying’ levels of screen time means young people losing confidence to socialise in person, minister warns – UK politics live

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy says ‘majority of young people spend all, or almost all, of their free time alone in their bedrooms, online’Rachel Reeves will need to raise taxes to close a government spending gap that is on course to reach more than £40bn after a slowdown in economic growth and higher-than-expected inflation, according to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), a thinktank. Phillip Inman has the story.Good morning. Keir Starmer is out on a visit today and he will be doing broadcast interviews. It may be the only time we hear from him this week, and there is no shortage of topics that journalists will want to ask him about. By the end of the day we may get new, or newish, lines on Gaza, the “one in, one out” returns deal with France, tax rises and the black hole in the government’s finances (priced at more than £40bn, according to a report from a well-respected thinktank today), Ukraine, the case for and against disclosing suspects’ immigration ...

Politics

1 week ago Confusion over whether migrants can use human rights ‘loophole’ to avoid return to France

The treaty contains a clause that says in order for people to be returned to France, the UK must confirm they do not have an ‘outstanding human rights claim’

Events