16 h. ago Digested week: Trump’s weird ‘piggy’ jibe expands his cutesy

Plus Vanity Fair’s plucky decision to feature only men in its Hollywood Issue and the reporter fired after RFK Jr ‘sexting scandal’We’ve all said things that didn’t come out right, and it’s my instinct – stand by for some counter-intuition! – that Donald Trump’s “quiet, piggy” admonishment of a female reporter on Air Force One this week, was a very weird attempt at affection, or possibly, flirtation. As with everything the man does, the effect was disastrous and totally inappropriate. But rewatching the video, I saw from the president less an example of his usual bigotry and more an attempt at what looked like “OK, kiddo” cuteness that, catastrophically, and before I could nip it in the bud, had triggered a tiny sprig of sympathy. Continue reading...

Politics

39 h. ago Expert's Black Friday tip that could save you hundreds over the next decade

Dimitrios Stefanoglou, a sustainable innovation analyst, said many of us were 'misguided'

Politics

40 h. ago ICA to screen Independent documentary amid unprecedented cuts to global HIV/AIDs response

To mark World AIDS Day, the Institute for Contemporary Arts will screen our film tackling the collapse of USAID funding

Politics

3 d. ago Expert's top tips to save hundreds on energy bill as Brits baffled by utility tariffs

Half of Brits did not know what tariff they were on and nearly of fifth of us are unaware that solar panels could help reduce our energy bills

Economics

3 d. ago How US evangelicals are using Trump’s aid cuts to attack human rights in Africa

As Donald Trump's aid cuts leave African health programmes scrambling, The Independent pieces together events at a number of conferences where American religious organisations are looking to move in to shape the future. Rachel Schraer reports

Politics

3 d. ago Expert's top tips to save hundreds on your energy bill as Brits baffled by utility tariffs

An expert has shared their top tips for saving money on energy bills as new research showed almost half of all people in Britain did not understand what tariff they were on

Economics

3 d. ago Save up to '£200 a year' on energy bills by turning 1 switch on boiler

As temperatures plummet and Brits crank up their heating, one expert has shared a simple trick that could save you hundreds of pounds on your energy bills every year

Economics

3 d. ago Inside the US evangelical push into Africa in vacuum left by Trump’s aid cuts – as activists fear for human rights

As Donald Trump's aid cuts leave African health programmes scrambling, The Independent pieces together events at a number of conferences where American religious organisations are looking to move in to shape the future. Rachel Schraer reports

Politics

4 d. ago Larry Ellison scales back £10bn Oxford science institute in leadership rift

Trump-supporting billionaire narrows EIT’s ambitions by cutting initiatives and tightening control

Politics

5 d. ago Trump trade negotiator hits out at EU delays in cutting tariffs and rules

Jamieson Greer warns bloc that trade remains a ‘flashpoint’ in advance of talks next week

Politics

6 d. ago Taylor Swift’s silence on the Trump administration using her music speaks volumes | Alim Kheraj

Official Trump social media accounts have been The Life of a Showgirl snippets to promote his agenda. Why has Swift, who once wanted ‘to be on the right side of history’, said nothing?In the last two weeks, the Trump administration has used music from Taylor Swift’s latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, in three posts on social media. The first, shared by the official White House account on TikTok, was a patriotic slide show of images set to lead single The Fate of Ophelia. As Swift sings “pledge allegiance to your hands, your team, your vibes”, the video cuts to pictures of the US flag, President Trump, the vice-president, JD Vance, and the first and second ladies. The second and third were posted by Team Trump, the official account for the Trump Campaign. One, set to Father Figure, riffs on the lyric “this empire belongs to me” with the caption “this empire belongs to @President Donald J Trump”, while the other, celebrating Melania Trump winning something called the Patriot of the...

Politics

6 d. ago Tiger Woods' message to Donald Trump's granddaughter as Kai suffers disastrous LPGA debut

Kai Trump missed the cut on her LPGA Tour debut at The Annika after receiving the same advice from her grandfather, Donald Trump, and Tiger Woods, who is dating her mother, Vanessa

Politics

7 d. ago Judge bars Trump from immediately cutting funding to the University of California

A federal judge in San Francisco has blocked the Trump administration from immediately cutting funding to the University of California over claims the school system allows antisemitism and other forms of discrimination

Politics

7 d. ago Trump accused of caving to big business after deal to cut Swiss tariffs to 15%

Rolex denies ‘any negotiation’ with US although luxury watchmaker entertained Trump and gave him gold clockUS politics live – latest updatesDonald Trump agreed to cut US tariffs on Switzerland from 39% to 15% as part of a new trade pact, lowering duties that strained economic ties and hit Swiss exporters.The two countries have signed a “non-binding memorandum of understanding”, the Swiss government announced, following bilateral talks in Washington and intense lobbying by Swiss firms. Continue reading...

Economics

7 d. ago US tariffs on Swiss goods cut to 15% in deal struck with Trump administration

In exchange, Swiss officials committed to series of quotas for imports from the US on a duty-free basisUS politics live – latest updatesDonald Trump agreed to cut US tariffs on Switzerland from 39% to 15% as part of a new trade pact, lowering duties that strained economic ties and hit Swiss exporters.The two countries have signed a “non-binding memorandum of understanding”, the Swiss government announced, following bilateral talks in Washington and intense lobbying by Swiss firms. Continue reading...

Economics

8 d. ago Poorer nations call on rich countries to open their wallets at Cop30: ‘Clean up the mess you are making’

After a year of aid cuts from the US, UK and around Europe, Nick Ferris speaks to African nations about the help they desperately need to fight the climate crisis. But there are few signs that richer countries are willing to step up

Politics

8 d. ago The real Reform voters have been revealed – it’s a slapdash coalition Farage will struggle to hold together | Aditya Chakrabortty

This is no single bloc marching under one ideology, or even a mass of ‘red-wall’ voters. What unites them is a desire for something differentWho are Nigel Farage’s army, the voters who want him as our next prime minister? Few questions are as important in British politics. Were an election called tomorrow, the favourite for No 10 would be Farage, whose immigration policies are in some ways more extreme than those of the BNP were. His party’s role model for government would be Donald Trump’s US: Elon Musk-style cuts to our public services and masked agents snatching families off the streets.A few months ago, many in Westminster and across the country would have considered this a cautionary nightmare, a catastrophe that would unfold if Keir Starmer failed. But in the week of another red-on-red assault and after 150 opinion polls in a row topped by Farage’s Reform UK, it’s no longer a scare story. It’s the most likely prospect. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago African HIV services face double blow of cuts from both Trump and UK

Britain has significantly slashed its contribution to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria – compounding aid cuts announced by Donald Trump earlier this year

Politics

1 week ago David Squires on Fifa’s peace prize and Donald Trump’s eligibility

Our cartoonist on how the US president’s actions in office may have put him in line for an awardBuy a Squires cartoon in our Print ShopDavid’s latest book, Chaos in the Box: get it now Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Trump booed at Commanders NFL game before calling plays from Fox broadcast booth

President greeted with jeers by many fans at gameTrump has appeared at several sports events this yearDonald Trump became the first sitting US president in nearly 50 years to attend a regular-season NFL game when he dropped in on the Detroit Lions’ win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday.There were boos from large sections of fans, as well as scattered cheers, at the Commanders’ Northwest Stadium when Trump was shown on the screens late in the first half – and again when the president was introduced by the stadium announcer at halftime. The Washington DC area has strong Democratic support, while Trump’s cuts to the government have affected many workers in the vicinity of the Commanders’ stadium. Sunday was not the first time Trump has received a hostile reception from a Washington sports crowd: he was greeted with ‘lock him up’ chants at the Washington Nationals’ home stadium during the 2019 World Series. Continue reading...

Politics