His friendship with the president dates back to a late-night encounter in a deli. Now he is a loyal envoy brokering the Gaza ceasefire and peace talks on UkraineWith the first phase of the ceasefire nearing its end, an American property developer has emerged as a key figure in determining whether Gaza attains a more enduring peace or slips back into war.Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s typically idiosyncratic pick as special Middle East envoy, has also found his way into the midst of talks with Russia over Ukraine’s future, sitting opposite Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, instead of the official special envoy for the region, Keith Kellogg. Continue reading...

Politics

PM to claim if US rejects Mauritius’s claim to own the islands, Beijing will be drawn into the regional disputeKeir Starmer is to urge Donald Trump to recognise that a US rejection of Mauritius’s legal claim to own the Chagos Islands, including the strategic US military base at Diego Garcia, may stoke tensions similar to those in the South China Sea.Starmer is due to meet Trump next Friday mainly to discuss the future of Ukraine, but also a UK plan for Gaza’s reconstruction under international protection with no need for Palestinians to be required to quit the Gaza Strip. The paper is similar but not identical to proposals being discussed by Arab foreign ministers in Riyadh, which has a strong international component and would prevent Hamas ruling in Gaza. Continue reading...

Politics

Nitya Dintakurti, who lives in London and is from India, went on the BBC show in the hopes of securing £100,000 for her menopausal cooling device.

Events

Government and opposition need to adapt approach to tackle a grave situation wrought by Donald Trump’s administration

Events

If the country holds out against the Trump-assisted AfD, it shows rightwing populism can be resisted in Europe’s heartlandEven in less stressed times, Britain always pays too much attention to the US and too little to Germany. In today’s torrid circumstances, that imbalance is perhaps excusable. After all, Donald Trump, it now turns out, really means it. He is more interested in US plunder and profit from places like Gaza, Ukraine and Greenland than in upholding a just peace or good order.Even so, the inattention towards Germany needs to end. Britain’s politicians, like German politicians, are rewiring their worldviews amid a political gale. But Germany, though no longer a great power, is nevertheless a great nation. Indeed, it may be more than ever the essential European nation now, after the Trump administration’s very public trashing of the entire Atlantic alliance seemed to leave Europe to its own devices. Continue reading...

Politics

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky have engaged in a war of words since the US began talks with Russia on ending the war without Ukraine.

Politics

The signs aren’t good so far, but playing on Trump’s desperation to be seen as a great dealmaker would pay dividendsKenneth Roth is a former executive director of Human Rights Watch. His book, Righting Wrongs, is published on 25 FebruaryThe common wisdom is that Donald Trump’s foreign policy will be a disaster for human rights. Certainly his penchant for embracing autocrats and breaching norms bodes poorly, such as his outrageous proposal to force two million Palestinians out of Gaza – which would be a blatant war crime – or his suggestion that Ukraine is to blame for Russia’s invasion. But Trump also likes to cut a deal, as shown by his paradoxically positive role in securing the current (precarious) Gaza ceasefire. If Trump the dealmaker can be nudged in the right direction, he might, against all odds, be brought to play a productive role for human rights.As executive director of Human Rights Watch, I spent more than three decades devising strategies to pressure or cajole leaders ...

Politics

In decades spent convincing world leaders to protect human rights, I’ve learned a thing or two about working with his typeKenneth Roth is a former executive director of Human Rights Watch and author of Righting WrongsThe common wisdom is that Donald Trump’s foreign policy will be a disaster for human rights. Certainly his penchant for embracing autocrats and breaching norms bodes poorly, such as his outrageous proposal to force two million Palestinians out of Gaza – which would be a blatant war crime – or his suggestion that Ukraine is to blame for Russia’s invasion. But Trump also likes to cut a deal, as shown by his paradoxically positive role in securing the current (precarious) Gaza ceasefire. If Trump the dealmaker can be nudged in the right direction, he might, against all odds, be brought to play a productive role for human rights.As executive director of Human Rights Watch, I spent more than three decades devising strategies to pressure or cajole leaders to better respect ri...

Politics

The PM doubled down on his previous suggestion that it was ‘for Parliament to make laws and for the government to decide policy’

Events

US talks with Russia over Ukraine’s future, like the president’s prescription for Gaza, highlights how business and foreign policy mergeThe Trump administration did not take red lines on Ukraine to its talks with Russia in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday: it cares about the bottom line. The secretary of state, Marco Rubio, underscored that when he said the two sides would create a team, not only to support Ukraine peace talks but also to explore the “incredible opportunities” to partner with Moscow geopolitically “and, frankly, economically” that might result.Kyiv and other European capitals are still reeling at the full extent of Donald Trump’s cynicism when it comes to world affairs, and callous disregard for the people caught up in them. But it should be no surprise that business dealings were high on the agenda. Vladimir Putin would dearly love to end his country’s economic isolation. Russia is making the case that American energy firms and others could profit handsomely by doing busine...

Politics

The Home Secretary said Labour would press ahead with its plan to close ‘loopholes’ in the system.

Politics

The backlash came after Baroness Carr, the Lady Chief Justice, revealed she had written to Sir Keir Starmer over his exchanges in the House of Commons last week.

Events

Baroness Carr said she was ‘deeply troubled’ to learn of Starmer and Badenoch’s comments

Events

Baroness Carr said she was ‘deeply troubled’ to learn of Starmer and Badenoch’s comments

Events

Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr said she was ‘deeply troubled to learn of the exchanges’ between Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch.

Events

Badenoch claimed Western civilisation was in crisis as she spoke to global right-wing leaders on Monday

Events

The Tory leader, who said she was speaking up for ‘classic liberal values’, also criticised ‘loopholes’ in liberalism which have been ‘hacked’.

Events

Badenoch claimed Western civilisation was in crisis as she spoke to global right-wing leaders on Monday

Politics

When another Palestinian family was allowed to stay here, I saw a glimmer of hope. Now the prime minister wants to put it outAs the devastation in Gaza continues, Palestinian families in Britain are racing against the clock to try to bring our loved ones to safety. News finally came of a successful family reunification – but instead of being able to feel a moment of relief for this one family, we’ve had to face a vicious political and media backlash.The UK media, government and even the prime minister have fixated on a “loophole” that allowed a mother, father and four children from Gaza to be granted the right to live in the UK via the Ukraine family scheme. It obscures the reality that there is no Gaza family reunification scheme, forcing Palestinians to navigate an immigration system that offers no clear pathway to safety.Ghassan Ghaben is a member of the Gaza Families Reunited campaignDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a respo...

Politics