10 h. ago ‘Vladimir, stop!’: Trump criticises Putin as Starmer and von der Leyen warn over Russian energy ‘blackmail’ – Europe live

US president says he is ‘not happy’ over Kyiv attack as death toll rises to 12 with 90 people injuredWe understand that while the visit will be cut short after Zelenskyy’s meeting with Ramaphosa, their media activities will still proceed, meaning we should hear from the Ukrainian president in the next few hours.Rachel and I will keep an eye on this development to see if Zelenskyy takes part in a scheduled press conference in Pretoria in case he wants to say more about the attacks overnight. Continue reading...

Events

10 h. ago Starmer pushes for his Brexit 'reset' but at what price? PM hosts EU's von der Leyen in No10 amid fears he will cave on 'youth free movement', fishing rights and Brussels rules

Keir Starmer has welcomed Ursula von der Leyen to Downing Street amid intense negotiations over a new package.

Politics

15 h. ago UK deal with EU will not return to ‘arguments of the past’, minister says

Exclusive: Nick Thomas-Symonds says growth is highest priority of talks as Keir Starmer prepares to meet EU chiefNick Thomas-Symonds: A new deal with the EU is exactly what Britain needs. Here’s how Labour will achieve itUK politics live – latest updatesThe UK’s new deal with the EU will be a break from “debates and arguments of the past,” the UK’s chief negotiator, Nick Thomas-Symonds, has said, pledging that growth would be the highest priority of the talks.It comes as Keir Starmer prepares to meet the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, in London, as momentum builds towards a crucial EU-UK summit in May. Continue reading...

Politics

16 h. ago Starmer pushes for his Brexit 'reset' but at what price? PM meeting EU's von der Leyen in No10 TODAY amid fears he will cave on 'youth free movement', fishing rights and Brussels rules

Keir Starmer is meeting Ursula von der Leyen in Downing Street later amid intense negotiations over a new package.

Politics

21 h. ago Energy, defence and fish on the menu for von der Leyen in London

Energy, defence and fish on the menu for von der Leyen in London  Financial Times

Politics

22 h. ago The EU fined Apple and Meta – but failed to really hold them to account. Was that to appease Trump? | Alexander Hurst

Instead of bazooka-level fines on global turnover, this €700m was no more than a slap on the wrist. It’s a missed opportunityThe European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, had some tough words for big tech this week, but it seems that at the last minute, the EU lost its nerve. Under the Digital Markets Act, companies that the EU has designated as “gatekeepers” – that is, digital platforms that provide core services such as search engines, app stores and messenger services – have special obligations and constraints that are meant to ensure a fair playing field for other companies.Apple, which takes a significant cut of purchases (including subscriptions) made through its App Store, violated the act by preventing developers from directing customers to their own websites to get around the “Apple tax”. In Meta’s case, the company was fined for forcing Facebook and Instagram users to either consent to letting Meta use their personal data, or pay a monthly fee to remove ads.Alex...

Politics

33 h. ago Xi contrasts China’s clean energy promises with Trump turmoil

Virtual meeting of leaders also hears UN’s António Guterres proclaim ‘no group or government’ can stop green revolutionChina will continue to push forward on the climate crisis, Xi Jinping has said while appearing to criticise the “protectionism” of Donald Trump’s tariff policies.The Chinese president was attending a closed-door virtual meeting with the UN secretary general, António Guterres, Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and about a dozen other heads of state and government to discuss the climate crisis. Continue reading...

Politics

35 h. ago UN chief: no group or government can stop clean energy future

Remarks by António Guterres follow virtual meeting with world leaders including China’s Xi JinpingNo government or fossil fuel interest can hold the world back from pursuing a clean energy future, the the UN secretary general has said, after a key meeting with the president of China.António Guterres held a closed-door virtual meeting with Xi Jinping of China on Wednesday, along with Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva; the EU commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and about a dozen other heads of state and government, to discuss the climate crisis. Continue reading...

Politics

37 h. ago Keir Starmer urges MPs to ‘lower the temperature’ in debate on gender ruling

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch pushes PM on what she says is a change of stance over definition of a womanUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer has urged MPs to “lower the temperature” in debating last week’s supreme court ruling on gender, as he was challenged repeatedly on the subject by Kemi Badenoch during prime minister’s questions.The Conservative leader, who took the place of her shadow equalities minister, Mims Davies, to respond to a Commons statement about the ruling on Tuesday, used all her allocation of questions to push Starmer over what she said was his change of stance. Continue reading...

Politics

65 h. ago Brexit 'reset' or Brexit surrender? Keir Starmer 'bows to French demands on fishing and food standards to get defence and security deal with EU'

The Prime Minister is said to be ready cut a deal allowing companies like BAE Systems and Babcock to bid for contracts under the €150billion scheme.

Economics

3 d. ago Readers' Letters: £75 to meet you? Sorry Nicola, we've already paid the price

A reader is snubbing the chance to pay for Nicola Sturgeon in close-up

Economics

5 d. ago Orbán’s stance on Ukraine pushes Hungary to brink in EU relations

Member states are considering removing the country’s voting rights after its attempts to stymie support for KyivThe posters are going up all over Hungary. “Let’s not allow them to decide for us,” runs the slogan alongside three classic villains of Hungarian government propaganda.They are: Ukraine’s wartime leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy; the European Commission’s president, Ursula von der Leyen; and Manfred Weber, the German politician who leads the centre-right European People’s party in the European parliament, which counts Hungary’s most potent opposition politician among its ranks. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Starmer will not be able to have his cake and eat it with a Trump trade deal and a Brexit reset

As two hard deadlines come up in the next three months over a Trump trade deal and a Brexit reset, The Independent’s political editor David Maddox looks at why Keir Starmer may be forced to make a choice he does not want to acknowledge

Politics

6 d. ago British food and drink industry call on EU to ‘reset’ trade ties

Retailers and food producers offer to help efforts reduce ‘unnecessary red tape’ costing industry billions of poundsMore than a dozen of Britain’s biggest retailers and food producers, including Marks & Spencer, J Sainsbury and Asda, have called on the EU to reduce checks on food and drink crossing the Channel and Irish Sea, which they say are costing billions of pounds.Ahead of a summit on 19 May that is hoped to “reset” trade ties five years on from Brexit, they are urging politicians to hammer out a deal on sanitary and phytosanitary checks. They hope this would include a veterinary agreement and would harmonise food safety rules or recognise them as equivalent. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago EU chief Ursula von der Leyen delivers crippling warning to the West as she condemns Trump's inner circle of 'bros' and 'oligarchs'

The President of the EU, painted a grim picture of transatlantic relations to Die Zeit, contrasting Washington's tariffs and unpredictable behaviour to the EU's commitment to global trade.

Events

7 d. ago Trump's inner circle of 'bros' and 'oligarchs' are condemned by EU chief von der Leyen as she declares 'the West as we knew it no longer exists'

The President of the EU, painted a grim picture of transatlantic relations to Die Zeit, contrasting Washington's tariffs and unpredictable behaviour to the EU's commitment to global trade.

Politics

7 d. ago Britain could sign a trade deal with Donald Trump 'within three weeks'

Sir Keir Starmer has been pushing for an agreement with America in a bid to lower the 10 per cent tariffs on British goods imposed by the US President.

Politics

8 d. ago ‘West as we knew it no longer exists,’ warns von der Leyen – Europe live

Wide-ranging interview addresses how Trump presidency has upended certainties over EU-US relationsThe United States has removed sanctions on a close aide of the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, the state department said, adding that the punitive measures had been “inconsistent with US foreign policy interests”.Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, spoke on Tuesday with his Hungarian counterpart, the foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, and informed him of the move, state department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago ‘West as we knew it no longer exists,’ warns Von der Leyen – Europe live

Wide-ranging interview addresses how Trump presidency has upended certainties over EU-US relationsUkraine’s parliament voted to extend martial law until 6 August, a senior lawmaker said, as Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country continues.Reuters reported that an overwhelming majority of 357 deputies supported the extension, which allows the country to continue mobilizing troops and suspends the election cycle. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago UK scrambles for deal to stop Trump imposing 25% tariff on medicine imports amid jobs fears

Donald Trump has said he is drawing up levies on foreign drugs, suggesting they could be 25 per cent and take effect in the 'not too distant future'.

Economics