Author: News Desk

​Britain is no longer the key humanitarian player and ‘great ally’ it once was, says envoy trying to get support for Somalia’s droughtThe UK has lost its leadership role in the world and is letting down its allies, a senior official in the Somali government has said.Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, the presidential envoy for Somalia’s drought response, said Britain used to be second only to the US as a key player in international forums and advocacy, but has since slipped, saying that countries such as Somalia were being left without support to face “the new climate reality”. Continue reading… 

​Exclusive: Environment minister seeks to expand definition of prime farmland in drive for productivityMinisters are planning to ban solar farms from most of England’s farmland, the Guardian can reveal.The new environment secretary, Ranil Jayawardena, is understood to oppose solar panels being placed on agricultural land, arguing that it impedes his programme of growth and boosting food production. Continue reading… 

‘Debt is a suffocating feeling’ (Picture: Getty Images) It is no shock to learn that the cost of living crisis is affecting people’s mental health, but a recent report from the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) has shed light on just how bad it is. In a survey of 2,983 therapists, three-quarters (75%) agreed that the public’s mental health has declined since 2021.  Of those, 88% list the cost-of-living crisis as a key cause. A majority (seven in 10) of therapists report increases in clients presenting with depression in the past year. They’ve also noticed more patients dealing…

It can be tricky to know what to say (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto) There’s no denying that conversations about cancer can be difficult. But, considering one in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime, it’s vital that we get them right. Often, there are the right things to say and the wrong things to say. However, with cancer being such a highly emotional and life-altering topic, it can be hard to know which is which.  To help us progress in the dialogue around cancer, we’ve asked people who have lived with, or are currently living with cancer, about what…

Ordinary community members who helped emergency services remove rubble and search for survivors have been praised.  Ordinary community members who helped emergency services remove rubble and search for survivors have been praised. 

Danish Crown Prince Frederik was absent from talks between his mother Queen Margrethe II and his brother Prince Joachim about the stripping of titles, according to the royal household. 

Lizzo appears to have responded to Kanye West (Picture: Getty / REX) Lizzo is pretty much fed up with everyone talking about her body. The About Damn Time singer appeared to fire back at Kanye West – and other critics – during her latest tour show just days after the rapper made comments about her weight.  In his recent interview with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, Kanye, 45, said the media’s apparent promotion of obesity was ‘demonic’ and believed that it was part of a plan for ‘genocide of the Black race’.  During her show in Toronto, Canada on Friday, Lizzo…

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been criticised for saying Scottish independence will be the best way for the UK to strengthen its partnership. 

​Exclusive: Simon Clarke hopes to win over blue wall Tories by ending new-home targets as well as green and affordability rulesSimon Clarke, the levelling up secretary, threatens to reignite the feud over housebuilding within the Conservative party with a significant “planning reset” that could water down environmental protections and affordable home requirements across England.The latest in Liz Truss’s string of supply side reforms – nicknamed “Operation Rolling Thunder” in Whitehall – is slated to be launched by Clarke within weeks, and is expected to see him argue for a flurry of housing development as part of the government’s “dash for…

​Legitimacy of court-appointed ‘experts’ to come under review after mother loses custody appealOne of Britain’s most senior judges is to examine issues relating to the regulation of court-appointed experts who provide evidence about child welfare in private custody hearings – and, in particular, where “parental alienation” is a feature.Sir Andrew McFarlane, the president of the family division of the high court, will oversee an appeal later this month brought by a mother who challenged the qualifications of a court-appointed expert who found she had “alienated” her children from their father. Continue reading…