Europe scrambles to respond to US plan for Ukraine and ‘aggressive timeline’ – Europe live 21. November 2025 (11:35) American diplomats said Donald Trump was trying to achieve peace ‘with an incredible sense of momentum’German Bild tabloid is also reporting that Merz is expected to hold a phone call not only with Zelenskyy, but also with the US president, Donald Trump.Mind you: there’s been no official confirmation yet. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Asos turns to AI stylists to win back shoppers after sales slide 12% 21. November 2025 (11:25) Online fashion retailer says action to cut discounts and deter ‘serial returners’ contributed to fall in salesBusiness live – latest updatesAsos has turned to online stylists powered by artificial intelligence as it attempts to win back customers and reverse a fall in sales.The online fashion retailer said sales had fallen 12% in the year to 31 August, and City analysts predicted another year of declining sales ahead. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK retail sales drop unexpectedly as shoppers await Black Friday and budget 21. November 2025 (11:00) Supermarkets, clothing stores and online mail order firms suffer sales declines as consumers delay purchasesBusiness live – latest updatesSales at UK retailers slumped unexpectedly last month as shoppers waited for Black Friday deals, and uncertainty over the upcoming budget dampened consumer confidence.Retail sales fell 1.1% month on month in October, the first fall since May, according to official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Economists had been expecting sales growth to be flat on the previous month. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
A lot of axolotls: the amphibian-themed banknote Mexicans don’t want to spend 21. November 2025 (11:00) Nearly 13m people are hoarding millions of dollars’ worth of the stylish 50 peso note, featuring Mexico’s cutest critterFor most of her life, Gorda was just an axolotl who lived in a museum in Mexico City – that is, until she became the star of the country’s favourite banknote.The note, which features a depiction of Gorda as the model for Mexico’s iconic species of salamander, went into circulation in 2021, dazzling the judges of the International Bank Notes Society, who declared it the Note of the Year. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Three-metre giant oarfish, ‘palace messenger’ of doom, washes up on Tasmanian beach 21. November 2025 (08:48) The enormous, serpentine fish, regarded in Japanese folklore as a herald of disaster, usually live deep below the surface and are only sighted when sick or dyingGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIt was a beautiful warm day in north-west Tasmania when a fish with a reputation as a harbinger of doom washed ashore.Tony Cheesman, who lives in the seaside town of Penguin, was walking his two dogs, Ronan and Custard, along the beach at Preservation Bay on Friday morning when something silvery and surrounded by gulls grabbed his attention. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Strictly Come Dancing star reportedly arrested on suspicion of rape 21. November 2025 (08:39) Sun reports man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested in October over alleged incident last yearA Strictly Come Dancing star has reportedly been arrested on suspicion of rape.The Sun reported that a man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested in October over an alleged incident last year. The alleged victim was not a contestant or professional dancer, the paper said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Energy price cap for Great Britain to get surprise increase from January 21. November 2025 (08:32) Quarterly cap for a dual fuel energy bill will increase to £1,758, from £1,755 in the current quarterBusiness live – latest updatesEnergy bills will rise for millions of households in Great Britain from January, after the industry regulator announced a surprise increase in gas and electricity costs.The energy regulator, Ofgem, said on Friday that the quarterly price cap covering January to March will rise by 0.2% for the average annual dual fuel energy bill to £1,758, from £1,755 in the current quarter. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK government borrows more than expected in setback before budget 21. November 2025 (08:13) October figures represent final snapshot of public finances before Rachel Reeves’s tax and spending statementBusiness live – latest updatesThe UK government borrowed more than expected in October, official figures show, in the final snapshot of the public finances before Rachel Reeves’s crunch budget.The Office for National Statistics said the government borrowed £17.4bn last month. That was lower than the same month last year, but still marked the third highest October deficit in the public finances on record. It is also higher than the £15bn City economists had forecast. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Labour MPs urge Reeves to drop private finance plans for NHS buildings 21. November 2025 (07:00) Chancellor told PFI-style schemes familiar from New Labour era are ‘fiscal illusion’ offering no value for moneyRachel Reeves has been urged by 40 Labour MPs to drop plans to fund NHS buildings with private finance initiatives (PFI) that would saddle the health service with debt.The Labour MPs, including Cat Eccles, Clive Lewis and Rebecca Long-Bailey, pressed the chancellor to commit to investment in the NHS without the use of private capital and warned that a return to the New Labour era of private funding for public projects would be damaging for trust in the government. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Neo-Nazi member refused bail after allegedly sending ‘menacing message’ about federal MP Allegra Spender 21. November 2025 (06:30) Magistrate refuses Davis’s application for bail because of risk he could commit a ‘dangerous’ offenceFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA member of an active neo-Nazi group who allegedly harassed a politician who condemned a recent neo-Nazi protest has been refused bail and will remain in custody due to risks he could commit a “dangerous” offence.Joel Davis, a 30-year-old from the Sydney suburb of Bondi who is a member of the National Socialist Network, was arrested by the Australian federal police on Thursday after he was accused of sending a “menacing message”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
