Author: News Desk

Croatian voters have re-elected Zoran Milanovic as president, with nearly 75% of the vote in a decisive victory. His opponent, Dragan Primorac, backed by the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party, managed only 25%—the HDZ’s worst-ever result.

California weather forecasters warn that strong Santa Ana winds, which fueled wildfires around Los Angeles, will pick up again this week. The winds, reaching speeds of up to 60 mph, are expected from Sunday night through Wednesday.

Monday’s front pages feature a variety of domestic and international stories. Several newspapers lead with the prime minister’s AI strategy – set to be revealed today. Keir Starmer will set out plans to use AI across the country to boost growth and deliver public services more efficiently.

The AI Opportunities Action Plan being announced on Monday will be backed by leading tech firms, which are said to have committed £14bn towards various projects, creating 13,250 jobs.

Away from the AI story, many of the papers are made up of a mixture of news. Several papers continue their coverage of the LA wildfires, whilst images of the UK’s frosty weather make some of the newspapers.

The back pages report on Manchester United knocking Arsenal out of the FA Cup yesterday – as well as news Man City and England player Kyle Walker wants to leave the Premier League and play abroad.

Prolific opener makes a comeback from injury but spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman misses out as he recovers from hand sprain.Afghanistan have recalled fit-again batter Ibrahim Zadran to their ICC Champions Trophy squad, amid ongoing calls for teams to boycott matches against them due to the Taliban government’s crackdown on women’s rights since returning to power in 2021. Opener Zadran has recovered from ankle surgery to make the 15-man squad named by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Sunday. Right-arm spin bowler Mujeeb Ur Rehman was not included in the lineup as the team management decided against rushing him back into…

Body of missing man found after 45-day landfill search  Cumali Turhan was last seen in The Globe pub in Rainsford Road, Chelmsford The body of a missing man has been found by police at a landfill site in Essex. Cumali Turhan, 46, was last seen in The Globe pub in Rainsford Road, Chelmsford, in the early hours of November 19 and was feared murdered. Officers discovered Mr Turhan’s body on Saturday after 45 days of scouring the landfill site and his family have been informed. Detective Chief Inspector Louise Metcalfe, of Essex Police, said the investigation has been “extremely challenging”.…

Thomas Taylor: Three teenagers charged with murder after boy, 17, stabbed near bus station Three teenagers charged as detectives make further arrests in connection with Thomas Taylor’s death Three teenagers have been charged with murder after a 17-year-old boy was stabbed near a bus station in Bedford. Thomas Taylor died after being attacked in Greenhill Street at about 5.50pm on Wednesday, Bedfordshire Police said. He died as a result of his injuries after being taken to hospital. Ahmed Adam, 18, of Mardale Close, Kempston, and two other males aged 16 and 17 who cannot be named for legal reasons were…

British troops should join post-war peacekeeping force in Ukraine, former defence ministers say Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to raise the issue during Keir Starmer’s upcoming trip to Kyiv Two former UK defence secretaries have joined calls for British troops to form part of a peacekeeping force in a post-war Ukraine. Boris Johnson, who was prime minister when Vladimir Putin launched Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, is among those to have recently suggested that British troops should form part of a European force sent to guard Ukraine’s border under any future ceasefire with Russia. France’s Emmanuel Macron reportedly travelled to…

Reeves returns from China to new crisis in top UK business confidence amid economic woes  A survey by Deloitte of the chief finance officers of major companies has revealed that business confidence is at one of its lowest points since the Covid-19 pandemic Rachel Reeves is flying back from China to London facing a new serious warning as Deloitte reported that business bosses’ confidence is at one of its lowest points since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. After suffering a barrage of criticism for going ahead with her controversial trip to China, the chancellor is being told that her management…

UK to go ‘all-in’ on AI as Starmer throws weight of Whitehall behind technology Sir Keir Starmer will throw the weight of Whitehall fully behind AI in a bid to boost growth. The Prime Minister is set to unveil his Government’s AI Opportunity Action Plan on Monday as he seeks to make Britain a world leader in the sector. He said: “The AI industry needs a Government that is on their side, one that won’t sit back and let opportunities slip through its fingers. “And in a world of fierce competition, we cannot stand by. We must move fast and…

How Farage lost the Brexit Party and why it means Reform is not inevitable Nigel Farage has lost the rights to the Brexit Party name in an apparent admin slip – the party he led to victory in the last ever European elections in the UK, effectively took out Theresa May’s premiership and ensured Britain would leave the EU. He may not care now that he leads its successor party Reform UK but it is a rare symbolic loss for a man whose ascendancy currently appears to be inevitable. The story of how he snatched the Brexit Party name from…