Stories

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has refused to commit British forces to a potential Iran war despite pressure from Donald Trump, citing lessons from the Iraq War and prioritizing British interests over U.S. demands.

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has formally told the UK in two written objections and a December 2025 phone call with Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy that it does not recognize the UK's deal to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, threatening international legal action to assert its own historical claims to the archipelago.

Official figures show UK spirits duty receipts have slumped by £102 million compared with last year, with total alcohol duty income in 2025/26 projected to be £1.1 billion below Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts made in November 2023, following a 10.1% rise under the Conservatives and two further increases since Labour took office.

A journalist's investigation into the 'minor-attracted person' (MAP) movement revealed disturbing online communities advocating for child sex dolls, AI-generated child sexual abuse material, and MAP merchandise, while therapist Nadav Antebi-Gruszka argues for destigmatizing language to help non-offenders seek therapy, despite a 380% increase in AI-generated CSAM reported by the Internet Watch Foundation in 2024.

The Federal Aviation Administration halted flights to Reagan National, Dulles, Baltimore/Washington International, Charlottesville, and Richmond airports on Friday after Potomac TRACON, the key radar facility serving the Washington, D.C. region, was suddenly evacuated due to suspected smoke, according to CNN aviation correspondent Pete Muntean.