18 h. ago Musk and Doge’s USAid shutdown likely violated US constitution, judge rules

Judge halts efforts to fire USAid workers, a major setback in administration’s attempts to bulldoze federal governmentNever miss global breaking news. Download our free app to keep up with key stories in real time.A federal judge on Tuesday ruled that Elon Musk and the so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) likely violated the US constitution by shutting down USAid, ordering the Trump administration to reverse some of the actions it took to dismantle the agency.The decision by US district judge Theodore Chuang was sweeping in its scope and marked a major setback for the administration’s signature takedown in its effort to bulldoze through the federal government. Continue reading...

Events

20 h. ago PIP payment changes: What you will have to show to get money under new government rules

Wales could be disproportionately affected by the changes to PIP. According to the Bevan Foundation the number of people receiving PIP has increased in Wales by 60% and was up to 270,000 people in 2019

Politics

48 h. ago Shorter queues, drone deliveries and easier mortgages in red tape 'bonfire'

The Government is changing rules which could mean everything from faster shopping to more homes being built

Events

58 h. ago WASPI update after £150K legal bid to get compensation for women born in 1950s

The Women Against State Pension Inequality group is seeking a judicial review to force the Government to reconsider its decision to rule out a compensation package

Economics

58 h. ago Italy one of five ‘dismantlers’ causing ‘democratic recession’ in Europe, report says

Civil liberties report warns that Italy along with Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Slovakia intentionally undermining rule of law ‘in nearly all aspects’Italy’s government has profoundly undermined the rule of law with changes to the judiciary and showed “heavy intolerance to media criticism”, in an emblematic example of Europe’s deepening “democratic recession”, a coalition of civil liberties groups has said.A report by the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties) said Italy was one of five “dismantlers” – along with Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Slovakia – that “intentionally undermine the rule of law in nearly all aspects”. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago New call for changes to free bus travel scheme for people over 60

The national entitlement scheme operates UK-wide, but there are different eligibility rules under devolved governments.

Transport

6 d. ago Payment update for people on PIP set to transfer to Scottish benefit this Spring

Around 80,000 Scots on PIP will transfer from the DWP to Adult Disability Payment over the next few months.

Sport

7 d. ago Federal judge orders Doge to release internal records for transparency

Musk said social media posts were sufficient documentation for agency that is changing face of governmentUS politics live – latest updatesA federal judge has ruled that Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency” (Doge) must comply with transparency laws and release its internal documents, finding the secretive operation exercises “substantial independent authority” that cannot be shielded from public scrutiny.In a 37-page opinion issued on Monday, US district judge Christopher Cooper ordered Doge – which took over what used to be the White House’s US Digital Service (USDS) – to begin a “rolling” production of records within weeks, rejecting the Trump administration’s attempts to position it beyond the reach of the Freedom of Information Act. Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago New PIP and ADP payment rates from next month for people on standard, enhanced or mixed awards

Full list of new payment rates for all disability benefits and Carer's Allowance for the 2025/26 financial year.

Events

9 d. ago Germany's prospective new government struggles to win support for defense, infrastructure plans

Germany’s Greens say they won't support the prospective next government’s plans to loosen debt rules for defense spending and draw up a huge infrastructure investment fund

Politics

9 d. ago China's military says it will tighten the 'noose' around Taiwan if separatism on the island escalates

Beijing considers the self-governed island as part of its own territory and has not ruled out utilising military force to claim it.

Events

9 d. ago English and Welsh councils to have greater powers to seize land for affordable housing

Exclusive: Compulsory purchase orders will no longer need Whitehall permission under shake-up of planning rulesCouncils and mayors will be granted greater powers to seize land to build affordable housing under the Labour government’s shake-up of planning rules this week.Local authorities in England and Wales will no longer need permission from central government to make compulsory purchase orders (CPOs), in a change that ministers hope will unlock vacant and derelict land. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Death toll rises as Syrian security forces struggle to quell Assad loyalist attacks

Battle in Latakia is marked escalation by Bashar al-Assad loyalists against Syria’s new Islamist-led governmentSyrian security forces have battled Assad regime loyalists on Syria’s coast for a second day, as the country’s new government struggled to contain the biggest rebellion to its rule since it took power in December.Fighters loyal to the ousted Assad government ambushed Syrian security forces in a coordinated attack on Thursday afternoon in the countryside of Latakia province, a former stronghold of the deposed leader where many of Syria’s minority Alawite Islamic sect live. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago ‘There’s no other solution’: Polish abortion centre opens in challenge to strict laws

Frustrated by government’s failure to ease rules, an NGO is opening a centre a stone’s throw from parliament in WarsawThey poured on to streets across Poland in their hundreds of thousands, carrying placards reading “The revolution has a uterus” and “My body, my choice”. In late 2023 they helped vote in a prime minister who promised a swift overhaul of the country’s draconian abortion laws.Now, after more than a year of stalled promises, Polish abortion campaigners are taking matters into their own hands, setting up a pregnancy termination centre on one of the country’s corridors of power. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Germany’s future coalition partners to relax debt rules to boost defence budget

Conservative alliance and Social Democrats to propose exempting spending of more than 1% of GDP on defenceThe prospective partners in Germany’s next government have said they will seek to loosen rules on running up debt to allow for higher defence spending.They said they will also seek to set up a huge €500bn ($533bn ) fund to finance spending on Germany’s infrastructure over the next 10 years. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago Germany's likely next governing parties seek looser debt rules for more defense spending

The prospective partners in Germany’s next government say they will seek to loosen the nation’s rules on running up debt to allow for higher defense spending

Economics

2 w. ago Arab leaders endorse $53bn plan to rebuild Gaza as alternative to Trump idea

Proposal focuses on emergency relief and long-term economic development under Palestinian Authority administrationArab leaders have endorsed a $53bn (£42bn) plan to rebuild Gaza under the future administration of the Palestinian Authority (PA), in a rushed attempt to present an alternative to Donald Trump’s idea for a property development-style plan, which involved a relocation of the Palestinian population that has been widely criticised as effectively endorsing ethnic cleansing.The prospect of the PA governing Gaza remains far from certain, however, with Israel having ruled out any future role for the body, and Trump having closed the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) liaison office in Washington during his first term while stepping up support for Israel. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Fired federal watchdog must keep his job, judge rules, striking blow to Trump’s reshaping of government

A federal judge said President Donald Trump’s bid to remove the special counsel was unlawful

Events

2 w. ago JP Morgan’s ‘sustainable’ funds invested £200m in mining giant Glencore

Backing of Glencore angers campaigners who have highlighted firm’s environmental breaches in South AfricaOne of the world’s biggest banks, JP Morgan, has promoted ­environmental and “sustainable” funds to customers which have invested more than £200m in the mining giant Glencore, it can be revealed.Ethical investing has become big business for JP Morgan and other financial giants, with worldwide “sustainable” investing expected to surpass $40tn by 2030. But the industry now faces scrutiny over the rules around investments focusing on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago Sports highest court says Moroccan soccer shirt depicting map of disputed area was breach of rules

Soccer shirts depicting the disputed Western Sahara as part of Morocco violated rules against political messaging, a court governing soccer disputes has ruled

Sport