2 h. ago New report on world’s billionaires reveals a startling stat about women

‘The billionaire community is more diverse, mobile, and forward-thinking than ever before,’ says UBS report

Politics

31 h. ago US and EU critical minerals project could displace thousands in DRC– report

Global Witness says plan to upgrade railway line to Angola puts up to 1,200 buildings at risk of demolitionUp to 6,500 people are at risk of being displaced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure project funded by the EU and the US, amid a global race to secure supplies of copper, cobalt and other “critical minerals”, according to a report by campaign group Global Witness.The project, labelled the Lobito Corridor, aims to upgrade the colonial-era Benguela railway from the DRC to Lobito on Angola’s coast and improve port infrastructure, as well as building a railway line to Zambia and supporting agriculture and solar power installations along the route. Angola has said it needs $4.5bn (£3.4bn) for its stretch of the line. Continue reading...

Politics

31 h. ago Report takes aim at Fifa and IOC over policies for athletes convicted of sexual assault

The collaborative report said a lack of clear standards across borders creates confusion for big events like the World Cup and OlympicsWith the draw for the 2026 Fifa World Cup set to take place on Friday, a report examining the participation of athletes convicted of sexual offences at major sporting events has highlighted significant distrust of international sports governing bodies in how they deal with these situations.The report, titled No One Wants to Talk About It, is the result of interviews with elite athletes directly affected by sexual abuse and is intended to gauge attitudes around the eligibility and accreditation criteria for athletes with prior criminal sexual convictions and their participation at mega sporting events. Continue reading...

Events

32 h. ago US unemployment claims fall to lowest level since September 2022

The U.S. job market appears stuck in a ‘low-hire, low-fire’ state that has left those out of work struggling to find a new job

Politics

38 h. ago US and EU critical minerals project could displace thousands in DR Congo – report

Global Witness says plan to upgrade railway line from DRC to Angola puts up to 1,200 buildings at risk of demolitionUp to 6,500 people are at risk of being displaced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure project funded by the EU and the US, amid a global race to secure supplies of copper, cobalt and other “critical minerals”, according to a report by campaign group Global Witness.The project, labelled the Lobito Corridor, aims to upgrade the colonial-era Benguela railway from the DRC to Lobito on Angola’s coast and improve port infrastructure, as well as building a railway line to Zambia and supporting agriculture and solar power installations along the route. Angola has said it needs $4.5bn (£3.4bn) for its stretch of the line. Continue reading...

Politics

48 h. ago Jeffrey Epstein: 150 MORE photos of inside paedo's Caribbean island released

Dozens more photos from Jeffrey Epstein's Caribbean island have been released, revealing more about the late billionaire's secretive life on Little St James

Culture

51 h. ago US private employers unexpectedly shed 32,000 jobs in November in biggest drop since 2023

Small establishments lost 120,000 jobs last month, which economists attributed to tariffs on imports that have raised costs for businesses

Society

60 h. ago BBC insists it WILL have commentators at the 2026 World Cup through whole tournament despite 'work from home' report

Spokesperson tells the Standard the BBC will be commentating on site throughout next summer’s tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico

Society

64 h. ago Surge in Myanmar opium poppy farming as conflict pushes farmers into illicit trade

The UN office on drugs and crime said in a report the growth underscores Myanmar’s position as the world’s main known source of illicit opiumOpium poppy cultivation in war-torn Myanmar has surged to its highest level in a decade, according to the UN, rising 17% in the past year as conflict and economic hardship push more farmers into the illicit trade.Poppy cultivation climbed to 53,100 hectares this year from 45,200 hectares in 2024, the UN office on drugs and crime (UNODC) said in a report, underlining Myanmar’s position as the world’s main known source of illicit opium amid declining production in Afghanistan. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago FBI ‘is rudderless ship’ with director Kash Patel ‘in over his head’, damning report by agents claims

Agents have shared a scathing assessment on Patel’s first six months in office, after the president denied claims he is thinking of replacing him

Events

4 d. ago Report says world's biggest arms producers increased revenue by 5.9% last year to record level

A new report says that the world’s biggest weapons-producing companies saw a 5.9% increase in revenue from sales of arms and military services last year as demand was fed by the wars in Ukraine and Gaza as well as countries’ rising military spending

Politics

7 d. ago National guard shooting suspect to be charged with murder as Trump steps up immigration crackdown – US politics live

US attorney for DC says charges upgraded to murder in first degree after national guard member dies; US president says he will ‘permanently pause’ migration from ‘third world countries’ Full report: Trump says he will ‘permanently pause’ migration from ‘third world countries’Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, this morning announced that charges against the suspected shooter were being upgraded.Pirro told Fox News on Friday morning: “There are certainly many more charges to come, but we are upgrading the initial charges of assault to murder in the first degree.“Washington DC is considered a safe zone,” Donald Trump declared on Tuesday, veering off topic at the national Thanksgiving turkey pardoning ceremony at the White House. “This was one of the most unsafe places anywhere in the United States. It is now considered a totally safe city.”A day later, two national guardsmen from West Virginia were shot in a busy area a few blocks from the White House in downt...

Politics

8 d. ago The Guardian view on city living: an urban species is still adapting to our new environment | Editorial

UN figures show that four-fifths of the global population now live in major settlements. We’re still figuring out how to copeCities have existed for millennia, but their triumph is remarkably recent. As recently as 1950, only 30% of the world’s population were urban dwellers. This week, a United Nations report suggested that more than 80% of people are now urbanites, with most of those living in cities. London became the first city to reach a million inhabitants in the early 19th century. Now, almost 500 have done so.Jakarta, with 42 million residents, has just overtaken Tokyo as the most populous of the lot; nine of the 10 largest megacities are in Asia. The UN report revealed the scale of the recent population shift to towns and cities thanks to a new, standardised measure in place of the widely varying national criteria previously used. The urbanisation rate in its 2018 report was just 55%.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a ...

Politics

8 d. ago Jakarta overtakes Tokyo as world’s most populous city, according to UN

The rankings were changed after the UN used new criteria to give a more accurate picture of the rapid urbanisation driving the growth of megacitiesJakarta has overtaken Tokyo as the world’s most populous city, according to a UN study that uses new criteria to give a more accurate picture of the rapid urbanisation driving the growth of megacities.The Indonesian capital is home to 42 million people, according to an estimate by the population division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs in its World Urbanisation Prospects 2025 report published this month. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Amazon attack warning ahead of Black Friday as 300 million customers at risk

An urgent warning follows a recent report confirming that hackers and cybercriminals are targeting some of the world's biggest brands

Events

2 w. ago US economy added a surprising 119,000 jobs in September, two

The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases the report after the longest government shutdown in history

Politics

2 w. ago Israel accused of war crimes over expulsion of 32,000 refugees from West Bank camps

A report by Human Rights Watch claims the IDF carried out war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing

Events

2 w. ago World Cup 2026 playoffs draw: Wales v Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czechia v Republic of Ireland, Italy v Northern Ireland – live

Live updates as the draw is made in SwitzerlandWho has qualified | European tables | Mail BillyTell us: have you bought tickets for the World Cup?Here is some reading on how Republic of Ireland, Wales and Northern Ireland made it into the playoffs. Plus a bonus Scotland match report after they sealed the place at the World Cup in dramatic style.“As an ROI supporter, I hope we get a home match against a theoretically weaker side,” writes Martin. “I dream of beating Spain in the final. I fear it’s all going to end in tears, starting about an hour from now.” Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Japan government report expresses alarm at ‘new world order’ of these three ally nations

Japan warns of emerging security environment in ways not seen since the Cold War

Politics

2 w. ago The death of the author: More than HALF of British novelists believe AI will replace their work entirely, study finds

Britain boasts some of the best authors in the world - but they could soon be replaced by AI, a disturbing report reveals.

Culture