just now (1748+ words) Rachel Reeves has told Labour backbenchers not to treat tomorrow's budget as a "pick 'n' mix", but accept it as a package made up of "fair" measures. The chancellor also told them to back it as politics is a "team sport". Follow the latest. Tuesday 25 November 2025 11:03, UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves has promised to "grip the cost of living" in the budget - while also saving millions of pounds by raising taxes. She and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer spent weeks laying the groundwork to break their manifesto promise not to raise income tax at the budget, but they will no longer do so. Sky News understands ministers were working up a plan to lift the basic rate of income tax - perhaps by 2p - and then to simultaneously cut national insurance contributions for those on the basic rate of income tax. But fearing…...

just now (329+ words) SEOUL " A 33-year-old South Korean man was sentenced to life in prison on Monday for a wide array of charges that included rape, sexual assault and illegal distribution of sexually explicit content, in what prosecutors described as the country's biggest cyber sex crime to date. Some of the 261 victims were minors. "The methods that the defendant employed throughout his criminal process are cruel and heinous," the court said in a news release. "It is impossible to avoid a sentence that permanently removes the defendant from society." Ten accomplices were sentenced to terms of two to four years. Kim's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Telegram, which is based in Dubai, could not be immediately reached for comment, but South Korean authorities said that the company had cooperated in the investigation. South Korea has sought to strengthen…...

just now (126+ words) Bridgepoint, one of the world's leading mid-market investors, today announced that it has agreed to acquire a majority stake in ht.digital, a leading, London-headquartered provider of digital asset assurance and technology solutions. News and resources on digital currencies, crypto assets and crypto exchanges worldwide. Bridgepoint acquires majority stake in ht.digital Bridgepoint, one of the world's leading mid-market investors, today announced that it has agreed to acquire a majority stake in ht.digital, a leading, London-headquartered provider of digital asset assurance and technology solutions. The investment will be made by Bridgepoint Development Capital V - Bridgepoint's lower middle-market fund focused on supporting fast-growing businesses across Europe. See more in the Finextra Pro app for Android or Apple...

just now (408+ words) Former TD Colm Keaveney is due to be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty to driving under the influence of cocaine. Keaveney (54), with an address at Kilcreevanty, Tuam, Co Galway, pleaded guilty at Tuam District Court on September 9th to the charge, along with two counts of driving with no insurance. Judge James Faughnan, who ordered a probation report to be prepared ahead of sentencing, observed that the former TD had experienced "a significant fall from grace. The case had been adjourned 10 times before Keaveney entered guilty pleas. Keaveney had been arrested after being stopped at a checkpoint at Cummer near Tuam on June 12th, 2023. In September, Garda Sergeant Christy Browne told Tuam District Court that after Keaveney failed a roadside drug test he was brought to Tuam Garda station where a blood sample tested positive for cocaine. The court was told…...

just now (950+ words) South Africa led the G20 to a consensus declaration amid US resistance. Initiatives launched: Ubuntu Legacy, Africa G20 engagement, AI, debt. Declaration's impact depends on follow-up by states and non-state actors. The G20 has been a great diplomatic success for South Africa in at least three ways. First, it succeeded in leading all the other G20 countries and organisations to adopt by consensus a leaders" declaration despite a boycott and bullying tactics by Washington. The 120 paragraph Leaders" Declaration covered all the issues embodied in the "Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability" theme that South Africa'chose for the G20. They included: debt and access to affordable, sustainable finance financing for a just energy transition a second phase for the'Compact with Africa'The first phase was launched in'2017 during Germany"s G20 presidency'and provided a framework for Africa"s engagement with its development partners. Second, South Africa succeeded in launching a…...

just now (370+ words) Finnish pulp and packaging group Stora Enso will introduce a new financial reporting model and revised financial targets from 1 January 2026, in a move to support its emphasis on renewable materials and packaging. The restructuring of its reporting lines comes after the company decided to separate its Swedish forest holdings into a listed public entity and launched a review of its Central European sawmilling and building solutions activities. From the start of 2026, Stora Enso will incorporate a new four-segment reporting model: consumer packaging, integrated packaging, biomaterials and other. Consumer packaging will cover the cartonboard, foodservice and liquid board business areas. The biomaterials segment under the current structure will remain in place, while the "other" category will house the wood and energy business area. Wood products operations in Northern Europe that are not part of the review announced on 14 November 2025 will be…...

1+ min ago (576+ words) Australia's senate on Tuesday suspended a right-wing lawmaker for wearing a burqa in Parliament, a political stunt she staged for a second time to push for a national law banning the garment from public spaces. Pauline Hanson, the leader of the anti-immigration One Nation party, was suspended for seven sitting days of the legislative body after she appeared in the chamber Monday in the full-body and full-face covering, repeating a gambit she waged in 2017 to widespread criticism and outrage. The senator, who represents the state of Queensland, is not Muslim. Ms. Hanson's appearance Monday afternoon was met with angry responses from other lawmakers, with audible cries of "shame on you." Another senator said her attire was a "middle finger to people of faith." The senate was suspended after Ms. Hanson appeared to refuse to leave the room or take off…...

1+ min ago (663+ words) We are definitely seeing more young people coming in with strokes," says Dr. Joshua Willey, a stroke neurologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center (who didn't treat Glover). But they often come delayed to the hospital because the last thing on their mind is that they're having a stroke." Here's what to know about Glover's health incident and the rising risk of stroke in younger people. The first thing I thought was like, "Oh, here I am still copying Jamie Foxx," Glover joked, referring to the stroke that Foxx, a fellow actor and musician, suffered in 2023. Foxx was 55 at the time. He also told fans that doctors had found a hole" in his heart and that he had undergone two surgeries. He didn't provide further medical details. Glover hasn't specified if he had a PFO. His agent hasn't responded…...

1+ min ago (398+ words) Conflicting claims come before the release of official results by the country's electoral commission. The two leading candidates in Guinea-Bissau's presidential election " incumbent Umaro Sissoco Embalo and main challenger Fernando Dias " have both declared victory before the release of official results. Both campaigns had claimed on Monday that their contender exceeded the 50 percent threshold needed to win outright, eliminating the need for a run-off. "We have won the presidential race. We will not have a second round," Dias told supporters in the capital, Bissau, adding that people were "tired" and wanted change. Hours later, Embalo's campaign spokesperson Oscar Barbosa also claimed the president had won outright, insisting there would be no run-off and calling on rivals to avoid making claims that undermine the electoral process. There was no immediate comment by the National Electoral Commission, which is expected to announce…...

1+ min ago (160+ words) According to Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin understands that Washington and Kiev are now engaged in talks, and that now the initial text "is being amended" MOSCOW, November 25. /TASS/. Russia has not yet received the amended version of the US plan on Ukraine, which, according to a media report, was reduced from 28 points to 19, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "No," he replied when asked if Russia had received the updated plan at least unofficially. "We have no idea what is there," the spokesman pointed out. According to the spokesman, the Kremlin understands that Washington and Kiev are now engaged in talks, and that now the initial text "is being amended. " We understand that the text published earlier is being amended. The text that we unofficially obtained earlier has undergone changes by now," he added. "At some point, when the time…...