Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners, including priests

Dr Alice Jill Edwards, the UN special rapporteur on torture, has criticized the UK government for detaining prisoners on indefinite jail terms, stating that they are likely being held arbitrarily and subjected to psychological torture. Amnesty International has joined in calling for the resentencing of over 2,600 prisoners serving inhumane IPP sentences, some for minor crimes, such as James Lawrence, Thomas White, and Abdullahi Suleman, who have been incarcerated for years. The situation has led...

Former culture secretary Sir John Whittingdale believes the BBC licence fee is no longer sustainable and needs to be replaced by an alternative form of funding due to the rise of streaming services like Netflix and Amazon. As the Labour government prepares for the next charter renewal, options such as advertising or a modified licence fee are being considered, including potentially requiring non-BBC viewers of streaming services to pay the fee. A report from Defund...

The Independent relies on reader support to cover stories ranging from reproductive rights to Big Tech, producing impactful documentaries like 'The A Word'. Donations enable them to send reporters to cover critical issues and maintain access to quality journalism for all. Despite denials, talks on reparations for the slave trade were rumored, sparking debate over acknowledging colonialist harm and the UK's stance on reparations. Bell Ribeiro-Addy emphasized the importance of discussing historic crimes and working...

Health minister Andrew Gwynne has been sacked for alleged "antisemitic" and "racist" comments made in a WhatsApp group, including remarks about a pensioner constituent and Labour MP Dianne Abbot, as well as sexist comments about deputy prime minister Angela Rayner. The prime minister is committed to upholding high standards of conduct in public office and has taken action against Mr Gwynne, who has also been suspended from the Labour Party pending investigation into the comments...

In Madrid, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and other right-wing leaders celebrated Trump's influence on Europe, vowing to "reconquer" governments from Socialist and liberal forces. Leaders like Marine Le Pen and Herbert Kickl emphasized national sovereignty and criticized the EU's role in social and economic issues, promising a new model of European cooperation. The event marked a shift towards right-wing ideologies in Europe, with a focus on challenging EU centralists and left-wing policies. Full Article

Polling expert professor Sir John Curtice has confirmed the legitimacy and potential sustainability of Reform's surge in popularity, attributing it to Labour's significant decline in support. Questions are arising within the Conservative party regarding Kemi Badenoch's leadership and Rachel Reeves' handling of economic issues. Nigel Farage's Reform UK has been leading in recent polls, with Techne UK's tracker showing a tie between Labour and Reform at 25 percent, while FindOutNow placed Reform at 29 percent,...