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- Seven Months of Reform UK: Infighting, Unkept Promises, and Anthem Disputes
- Government states no intention to require drivers to report cat collisions.
- ‘Who’s it going to be next time?’: ECHR rethink is ‘moral retreat’, say ECHR rights experts
- New Epstein Photos Released by House Democrats Feature Trump and Clinton
- U.S. Lifts Sanctions on Brazilian Judge Alexandre de Moraes
- House GOP Reveals Health Care Proposal, Vote Scheduled for Next Week
- Trump responds to Marjorie Taylor Greene
- Government Can Withhold Funds From Planned Parenthood, Appeals Court Rules
British Airways flights in chaos as another IT failure strikes Tens of thousands of British Airways passengers encountered long delays and possible missed connections after another major IT failure. On Monday evening passengers at London Heathrow Terminal 5, as well as airports abroad, say they have been told communications systems have failed. In one example, flight BA365 from Lyon to Heathrow remained on the ground in France for two hours 40 minutes, rather than the expected one hour. The three evening departures from Manchester to Heathrow all arrived at least two hours late, jeopardising connections to destinations such as
British Airways flights in chaos as another IT failure strikes
Tens of thousands of British Airways passengers encountered long delays and possible missed connections after another major IT failure.
On Monday evening passengers at London Heathrow Terminal 5, as well as airports abroad, say they have been told communications systems have failed.
In one example, flight BA365 from Lyon to Heathrow remained on the ground in France for two hours 40 minutes, rather than the expected one hour.
The three evening departures from Manchester to Heathrow all arrived at least two hours late, jeopardising connections to destinations such as Abu Dhabi, Cape Town and Rio.
Starmer criticised for meeting China’s Xi as Hong Kong freedom protesters were being jailed
Sir Keir Starmer has been criticised for meeting China’s President Xi Jinping just hours before 45 Hong Kong pro-democracy activists were sentenced for attempting to field opposition candidates in an election.
Among those sentenced were Benny Tai, who was jailed for 10 years and Joshua Wong, sentenced to four years, for “subversion” after being involved in the “Hong Kong 47” group of activists and lawmakers.
The imprisonments were the largest use of the authoritarian National Security Law brought in to clamp down on democracy in Hong Kong in 2019.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, former chair of the Democratic Party in Hong Kong, Emily Lau, suggested Sir Keir’s meeting with Xi at the G20 a mere hours before the sentencing meant the UK’s agreements with China over the governance of the territory before its handover in 1997 were “evaporating”.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/starmer-xi-jinping-hong-kong-b2649559.html
Putin increases nuclear weapon threat as UK expected to sign off missile strikes
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a revised nuclear doctrine to lower the bar for future nuclear weapon use.
The updated doctrine, first announced in September but signed by Putin this week, declares that an attack using conventional weapons by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power will now be considered a joint attack on Russia. It does not specify whether a joint attack will trigger a nuclear response.
But the doctrine does declare that a massive aerial attack against Russia could trigger a nuclear response.
It comes as the UK is expected to allow Ukraine to fire Storm Shadow missiles into Russian territory, as prime minister Keir Starmer says it is time to “double down” on support for Ukraine
US President Joe Biden previously agreed to permit the American long range Atacms missiles to be fired into Russia, finally relaxing its stance after months of lobbying by Kyiv and other western countries.
The Kremlin has accused the US of adding “fuel to the fire”, and said the move “will mean Nato countries – the US and European countries – are at war with Russia”.
Jeremy Clarkson warns inheritance tax ‘the end’ for farmers as thousands march in fury
Jeremy Clarkson has urged the Labour government to “please back down” as he warned that the proposed inheritance tax hikes could be “the end” for farmers.
He has joined farmers for a large-scale protest in London on Tuesday to urge the government to change course over its plans, which have been described as a “stab in the back”.
First unveiled in chancellor Rachel Reeves’s Budget, the plans to impose inheritance tax on farms worth more than £1m have sparked fury among rural communities, who have contested the government’s assertion that small family farms will not be impacted by the changes.
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has organised an event in which 1,800 of its members will meet with local MPs at Westminster to voice their anger on Tuesday, as thousands are also separately expected to stage a demonstration in Whitehall.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw said an estimated 75 per cent of commercial farm businesses “were caught in the eye of this storm” of a policy which will “rip the heart of family farms”.
The government argues that tax exemptions have led to wealthy non-farmers seizing agricultural land and pricing out genuine young farmers, and point to Budget funding of £5bn to help farmers produce food.
https://www.independent.co.uk/weather/uk-weather-forecast-snow-met-office-warning-live-b2649471.html
Hunt for Tube hero who gave blind man his shoes after he lost one through the gap The hunt is on find an ‘absolute hero’
TL:DR
- Reform UK gains majority with 53 councillors in Lancashire’s local elections.
- Councillor Joel Tetlow faces backlash for controversial social media history.
- Party’s vague policies raise questions about their competency in managing council.
- Reform promises budget cuts but faces backlash over proposed closures of elder care facilities.
- Tensions arise over perceived conflicts of interest amid councillors’ actions.
- Critics express disillusionment as community welfare is prioritized against austerity measures.
Infighting, broken promises and insisting on the national anthem: what seven months of Reform UK in charge actually looks like Reform UK ( Brexit party)
Reform UK’s New Beginning in Lancashire Faces Struggles
On 22 May 2025, Reform UK kicked off its reign in Lancashire as 53 councillors donned turquoise ties, but they face fierce opposition and internal confusion over policies. The new council, under the leadership of former Tory Stephen Atkinson, aims to implement a cost-cutting agenda amid a £1.2 billion debt crisis.
What Happened
The council’s inaugural meeting included demonstrations against its ‘far-right’ recognition by protesters. Joel Tetlow, a new councillor embroiled in controversy for past social media posts, indicated that their challenges only elevate the party’s profile.
Reform’s platform includes promises to freeze council tax and cut ‘bloated salaries’, but their vague policy outlines raise questions about feasibility.
Where It Happened
Lancashire, a diverse region comprising urban areas like Blackburn and rural landscapes, provides a vital testing ground for Reform’s anti-woke and fascist agenda.
With significant issues such as social care and educational needs at stake, the council must navigate complex community expectations.
Stakeholders – Who’s Involved
Key players include Stephen Atkinson and Tetlow, who have made headlines for their provocative statements and approach to governance. Critics, including Labour councillor Samara Barnes, argue that the new administration’s lack of diverse representation undermines inclusive decision-making.
Reaction and Fallout
Public sentiment reveals deep discontent, particularly concerning proposed closures of elderly care homes, sparking outrage from residents like Dorothy Devereux. For many, the council’s actions threaten not only local welfare but also the credibility of Reform UK’s governance ambitions.
Going forward, the council must confront the challenge of delivering on its promises while managing public outrage and complicated bureaucratic realities.
As Reform UK’s strategies unfold, their approach will be scrutinised in upcoming elections, where their handling of social services could define their future.
October 12, 2024
6:18 am
‘Cheer up, you caught the bad guy,’ says killer Virginia McCullough as she is arrested for murdering her parents
A woman who murdered her parents “in cold blood” before hiding them in makeshift tombs for four years told officers to “cheer up, you caught the bad guy” as she was arrested in her home.
Virginia McCullough, 36, poisoned her father John McCullough, 70, with prescription medication and fatally stabbed her mother Lois McCullough, 71, shortly afterwards in 2019.
She ran up large debts on credit cards in her parents’ names and after their deaths, she continued to spend their pensions until she was finally caught in 2023.
In body-worn video footage released by police, a handcuffed – and eerily calm – McCullough told officers: “I did know that this would kind of come eventually.
“It’s proper that I serve my punishment.”
She said she had slipped something into her father’s drink then put his body under a bed on the ground floor, and put her mother’s body in an upstairs wardrobe.
McCullough, having been arrested on suspicion of double murder, told an officer: “Cheer up, at least you’ve caught the bad guy.”
She added: “I know I don’t seem 100% evil.”
At the police station, she told officers where a kitchen knife was, which she described as a “murder weapon”, and a hammer which she said “will still have blood on it”.
McCullough, of Pump Hill, Chelmsford, Essex, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Friday with a minimum term of 36 years at Chelmsford Crown Court, after she admitted to their murders between 17 and 20 June 2019 at an earlier hearing at the same court.
Chelmsford Crown Court heard how she hid their bodies in makeshift tombs at the family home in Great Baddow in Essex, then told persistent lies to cover her tracks.
The court heard she cancelled family arrangements and frequently told doctors and relatives her parents were unwell, on holiday or away on lengthy trips.
But concerns over Mr and Mrs McCullough’s welfare were raised in September 2023 by a GP at their registered practice, and Essex County Council’s safeguarding team referred these to police.
The GP had not seen the couple for some time and said Mr McCullough had failed to collect medication and attend scheduled appointments. It was found McCullough had frequently cancelled appointments, using a range of excuses to explain her father’s absence.
Police said a missing persons investigation was initially launched and McCullough lied to officers, claiming her parents were travelling and would be returning in October.
It became a murder investigation, and when officers forced entry to the house in Pump Hill on September 15 2023, McCullough confessed that her parents’ bodies were in the house and that she had killed them.
Nicola Rice, a specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “McCullough callously and viciously killed both of her parents before concealing their bodies in makeshift tombs within their home address.
“She spent the next four years manipulating and lying to family members, medical staff, financial institutions, and the police, spending her parents’ money and accruing large debts in their name.”
She added: “This was a truly disturbing case, which has left behind it a trail of devastation, and I can only hope that the sentence passed today will help those who loved and cared for Lois and John begin to heal.”
To downplay the genocide, the israelis claim there’s only 20,000 people left in north Gaza, says
@MahaGaza
: the real number exceeds 400,000
Man of the right wing Nigel Farage taking more second jobs and freebie helicopter rides
Gosh he’ll soon be a true blue Tory at this rate
Or far far worse
The cost-of-living crisis is far from over, yet the government’s 50% increase to the bus fare cap is a political choice, adding hundreds to annual costs.
To address hardship & the climate crisis, the government must keep the £2 cap & make public transport accessible for all.
G20 waters down support for Ukraine amid pressure for peace talks
The Tech Titan Who Led His Company From a 68-Square-Foot Jail Cell
November 23, 2024
8:25 am
Defense alliance NATO chief Mark Rutte has met US President-elect Donald Trump to discuss global security issues, according to a NATO spokesperson.
The meeting took place in Palm Beach, Florida.
During his first term as US president, 2017-2020, Trump pushed for European NATO countries to spend more on defense and described the alliance’s cost-sharing as unfair to the US.
Rutte took over as NATO chief from Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg in November.
Before taking office in January, Trump has nominated Pete Hegseth for the post of defense secretary, which has raised eyebrows among many allies.
Hegseth, 44, has served as an infantry captain in Iraq and Afghanistan, but has no senior military or government officer experience.
November 23, 2024
8:25 am
November 23, 2024
8:17 am
Multiple missiles were fired in an airstrike towards a densely populated part of Lebanon’s capital early on Saturday.
The huge airstrike targeted Beirut’s Basta neighbourhood, and no prior warnings were given by the Israeli military. The largely residential area was struck last month.
At least one violent explosion was heard across the city, Reuters witnesses said, and plumes of smoke could be seen. Scenes of massive destruction at the site were shared online, including a massive crater in the ground.
“Beirut, the capital, woke up to a horrific massacre, as the Israeli enemy’s air force completely destroyed an eight-story residential building with five missiles on Al-Mamoun Street in Basta,” the state-run National News Agency reported.
The health ministry put the initial death toll at four, with 23 wounded. The number is expected to climb in the coming hours as search and rescue efforts continue.
It came after a long day of Israeli airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, which have been non-stop since last week.
The cross-border fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group escalated into a full-blown war in mid-September.
Israel has bombed southern Lebanon, Beirut’s southern suburbs and the eastern Beqaa region, and has sent ground troops across the border. Hezbollah has continued to fire rockets deeper into Israel.
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We give you the best picks to binge on this week.
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Get your pizza ordered with the latest Live Sports schedule.
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November 19, 2024
10:48 am
Rain, sleet and snow will linger across central parts of England and Wales this morning. Gradually turning drier this afternoon with some brightness and feeling cold. Snow showers continuing in northern Scotland. Windy around coasts. Tonight, wintry showers continuing in the north tonight, and around some coasts. Largely dry elsewhere with largely clear skies. Widespread frost and some icy stretches where showers fall.
October 12, 2024
6:18 am
‘Cheer up, you caught the bad guy,’ says killer Virginia McCullough as she is arrested for murdering her parents
A woman who murdered her parents “in cold blood” before hiding them in makeshift tombs for four years told officers to “cheer up, you caught the bad guy” as she was arrested in her home.
Virginia McCullough, 36, poisoned her father John McCullough, 70, with prescription medication and fatally stabbed her mother Lois McCullough, 71, shortly afterwards in 2019.
She ran up large debts on credit cards in her parents’ names and after their deaths, she continued to spend their pensions until she was finally caught in 2023.
In body-worn video footage released by police, a handcuffed – and eerily calm – McCullough told officers: “I did know that this would kind of come eventually.
“It’s proper that I serve my punishment.”
She said she had slipped something into her father’s drink then put his body under a bed on the ground floor, and put her mother’s body in an upstairs wardrobe.
McCullough, having been arrested on suspicion of double murder, told an officer: “Cheer up, at least you’ve caught the bad guy.”
She added: “I know I don’t seem 100% evil.”
At the police station, she told officers where a kitchen knife was, which she described as a “murder weapon”, and a hammer which she said “will still have blood on it”.
McCullough, of Pump Hill, Chelmsford, Essex, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Friday with a minimum term of 36 years at Chelmsford Crown Court, after she admitted to their murders between 17 and 20 June 2019 at an earlier hearing at the same court.
Chelmsford Crown Court heard how she hid their bodies in makeshift tombs at the family home in Great Baddow in Essex, then told persistent lies to cover her tracks.
The court heard she cancelled family arrangements and frequently told doctors and relatives her parents were unwell, on holiday or away on lengthy trips.
But concerns over Mr and Mrs McCullough’s welfare were raised in September 2023 by a GP at their registered practice, and Essex County Council’s safeguarding team referred these to police.
The GP had not seen the couple for some time and said Mr McCullough had failed to collect medication and attend scheduled appointments. It was found McCullough had frequently cancelled appointments, using a range of excuses to explain her father’s absence.
Police said a missing persons investigation was initially launched and McCullough lied to officers, claiming her parents were travelling and would be returning in October.
It became a murder investigation, and when officers forced entry to the house in Pump Hill on September 15 2023, McCullough confessed that her parents’ bodies were in the house and that she had killed them.
Nicola Rice, a specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “McCullough callously and viciously killed both of her parents before concealing their bodies in makeshift tombs within their home address.
“She spent the next four years manipulating and lying to family members, medical staff, financial institutions, and the police, spending her parents’ money and accruing large debts in their name.”
She added: “This was a truly disturbing case, which has left behind it a trail of devastation, and I can only hope that the sentence passed today will help those who loved and cared for Lois and John begin to heal.”
Did #Biden just start World War III before leaving office?
Authorizing long-range attacks deep into Russia could mean #NATO is now in a direct war.
#Russia #POTUS #UkraineRussiaWar #WW3 #WWIII #Ukraine #LongRange #ATACMS #NuclearWar
Surely Hannibal Lecter now for Department of Health and Human Services
How long before Sky’s editorial team takes this video down — or is that just for fascist football thugs?
Do not look away. This is genocide, and the UK government is an active participant.
The move by the US president comes in response to the deployment of thousands of North Korean troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine, and after a barrage of new strikes by Moscow on Ukrainian cities at the weekend. https://on.ft.com/3YWWPwq
The average price tag on a newly marketed home dropped by over £5,000 in November as buyer demand revived in the wake of the Bank of England’s recent interest rate cut.
November 23, 2024
8:25 am
Defense alliance NATO chief Mark Rutte has met US President-elect Donald Trump to discuss global security issues, according to a NATO spokesperson.
The meeting took place in Palm Beach, Florida.
During his first term as US president, 2017-2020, Trump pushed for European NATO countries to spend more on defense and described the alliance’s cost-sharing as unfair to the US.
Rutte took over as NATO chief from Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg in November.
Before taking office in January, Trump has nominated Pete Hegseth for the post of defense secretary, which has raised eyebrows among many allies.
Hegseth, 44, has served as an infantry captain in Iraq and Afghanistan, but has no senior military or government officer experience.
November 23, 2024
8:25 am
November 23, 2024
8:17 am
Multiple missiles were fired in an airstrike towards a densely populated part of Lebanon’s capital early on Saturday.
The huge airstrike targeted Beirut’s Basta neighbourhood, and no prior warnings were given by the Israeli military. The largely residential area was struck last month.
At least one violent explosion was heard across the city, Reuters witnesses said, and plumes of smoke could be seen. Scenes of massive destruction at the site were shared online, including a massive crater in the ground.
“Beirut, the capital, woke up to a horrific massacre, as the Israeli enemy’s air force completely destroyed an eight-story residential building with five missiles on Al-Mamoun Street in Basta,” the state-run National News Agency reported.
The health ministry put the initial death toll at four, with 23 wounded. The number is expected to climb in the coming hours as search and rescue efforts continue.
It came after a long day of Israeli airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, which have been non-stop since last week.
The cross-border fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group escalated into a full-blown war in mid-September.
Israel has bombed southern Lebanon, Beirut’s southern suburbs and the eastern Beqaa region, and has sent ground troops across the border. Hezbollah has continued to fire rockets deeper into Israel.
What to Watch
Amazon prime - TV & Netflix
We give you the best picks to binge on this week.
What to Watch
Love Sports
Get your pizza ordered with the latest Live Sports schedule.
- Good News
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