Venezuela accuses US of using ‘narco-terrorism’ allegations to justify ‘regime change’ pred 1 dnevom, 18 urami in 1 minuto Venezuelan group known as Cartel of the Suns designated as terrorist organization despite doubts over its existenceDeadly airstrikes and a military buildup: how the US pressure campaign against Venezuela has unfolded in the CaribbeanVenezuela’s government has accused the US of peddling “ridiculous hogwash” about its supposed role in sponsoring “narco-terrorism” as Washington continued to turn up the heat on Nicolás Maduro’s regime and leftwing European politicians warned South America faced being plunged into “a torrent of bloodshed”.On Monday, the Trump administration officially designated a Venezuelan group known as the “Cartel de los Soles” (the Cartel of the Suns) a terrorist organization – despite widespread doubts over its actual existence. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Reeves expected to reveal cut in growth forecasts for next five years in budget pred 1 dnevom, 18 urami in 9 minutami OBR has reportedly downgraded predictions after review that blames lack of investment under ToriesCould you do better than Reeves as chancellor? Play our interactive budget gameBusiness live – latest updatesRachel Reeves is expected to reveal in this week’s budget that the UK’s economic growth forecasts have been downgraded in each of the next five years despite her efforts to boost output.The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has reportedly downgraded its forecast for UK growth in each year to 2030-31 as part of a review undertaken before the budget that will argue a lack of investment under Tory administrations undermined the UK’s potential economic expansion. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK rejects Nigerian request to deport former politican jailed for organ trafficking pred 1 dnevom, 18 urami in 23 minutami Ike Ekweremadu serving prison sentence after being found guilty of conspiring to exploit a man for his kidneyThe UK government has rejected a request by Nigeria to deport a former senior Nigerian politician convicted of organ trafficking.Ike Ekweremadu, 63, a former deputy president of the Nigerian senate and ally of the former president Goodluck Jonathan, is serving a sentence of nine years and eight months after being found guilty in 2023 of conspiring to exploit a man for his kidney. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Not-for-profit disability services are closing due to untenably low price caps, NDIS architect warns pred 1 dnevom, 20 urami in 9 minutami Providers report a median operating loss of nearly 4% in the last financial year – with losses totalling about 12% over five yearsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNot-for-profit disability services that support some of the most vulnerable Australians are being forced to close and exit the national disability insurance scheme because of untenably low price caps for NDIS services, one of the architects of the scheme has warned.“For some years, many of us in the sector have been telling the National Disability Insurance Agency that flaws in their pricing are contributing to not-for-profit registered providers of disability services going broke,” warned Martin Laverty, who is now the CEO of not-for-profit disability provider Aruma. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Church employee in Texas allegedly posed as ICE agent to extort woman pred 1 dnevom, 20 urami in 13 minutami Man arrested in Houston is alleged to have used fake ID to demand $400 from woman who had given him massageA church employee is under arrest in Houston, Texas, after being accused of posing as an ICE agent to extort money from a woman he had booked to give him a massage.Donald Doolittle, 58, a safety director at the Gateway Community church in Webster, south-east of Houston, has been charged with impersonating a public servant. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Wicked: For Good beats box office records previously held by Wicked pred 1 dnevom, 20 urami in 21 minutami Jon M Chu’s sequel, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, is the second biggest US opening of the year and the biggest international opening for a stage musical adaptationThe extraordinary promotional juggernaut for Wicked: For Good, Jon M Chu’s sequel to the 2024 first instalment of his Broadway adaptation, appears to have paid off, with the film this weekend smashing box office records held by its predecessor.Its global total at the end of the weekend stands at $226m, considerably up on the $164.2m earned by its predecessor. The major change was in the domestic takings: while last year’s film took more than double its initial take in the US – $114m to $50.2m overseas – this concluding instalment has corrected that overindexing, with $76m banked from international territories. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US reportedly ready for next phase of Venezuela military operations – live pred 1 dnevom, 20 urami in 24 minutami Trump administration labels Maduro as member of foreign terrorist organization and could impose fresh sanctions on countryThe president was online early today, and fired off a Truth Social post at 5:38am touting the economic impact that his sweeping tariffs will soon have on the country. He also noted that countries’ efforts to stockpile US goods ahead of the levies kicking in was “wearing thin”.“These payments will be RECORD SETTING, and put our Nation on a new and unprecedented course,” he wrote. “This Tariff POWER will bring America National Security and Wealth the likes of which has never been seen before.”Those opposing us are serving hostile foreign interests that are not aligned with the success, safety and prosperity of the USA. They couldn’t care less about us. I look so much forward to the United States Supreme Court’s decision on this urgent and time sensitive matter,” he added. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US woman behind Slender Man stabbing caught after escaping from group home pred 1 dnevom, 20 urami in 26 minutami Police had issued alert after Morgan Geyser cut off monitoring bracelet, and was reportedly located at a truck stopThe Wisconsin woman who admitted to repeatedly stabbing a sixth-grade classmate to delight the fictional online horror character Slender Man in 2014 has been caught after authorities said she cut off a monitoring bracelet and left her group home.Morgan Geyser, 23, was found in Posen, Illinois, on Sunday evening, authorities said. Police in Madison, Wisconsin, had issued an alert for Geyser earlier in the day, saying she had last been seen with an adult acquaintance on Saturday evening.The Associated Press contributed reporting Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Badenoch says growth being held up because ‘the state is too big’ and claims she is getting better at being Tory leader – UK politics live pred 1 dnevom, 20 urami in 31 minutami Kemi Badenoch tells CBI conference that fewer people are working to support more people out of workBadenoch says the government should be cutting regulation.And she claims she can do this because, when she was business secretary, she was able to cut regulation. As an example, she says she ruled about mandatory ethnicity pay reporting.Fewer and fewer people are working to support more and more people out of work and living on welfare. The rider is getting heavier than the horse. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Novo Nordisk shares slide after Ozempic pill fails in Alzheimer’s trials pred 1 dnevom, 20 urami in 31 minutami Report dashes hopes for new use for blockbuster weight-loss drugBusiness live – latest updatesNovo Nordisk shares slumped on Monday after the drugmaker said the pill version of its weight-loss drug Ozempic had failed to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in two large studies.The Danish company said patients who took the drug did not see their disease progress more slowly, dashing hopes for a new use for the blockbuster diabetes drug. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
