Moscow may be behind Azerbaijan plane crash, US says – POLITICO

Italy’s parliament approved the government’s 2025 budget of 30 billion euros, with over half allocated to tax cuts and social security benefits for low-income citizens, despite criticism from the center-left opposition. Premier Giorgia Meloni's far-right cabinet defended the measures, emphasizing support for low and medium-income earners, families with children, and the health system. The budget includes a 1,000-euro bonus for new parents, funded in part by 3.5 billion euros from banks to bolster the national...

Jazwell Brown, 49, of Santa Cruz Avenue, Bletchley, appeared in court and was remanded in custody for the murder of Joanne Pearson, 38, and Teohna Grant, 24, on Christmas Day. He was also charged with the attempted murder of a teenage boy and Bradley Latter, possession of a knife, and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal. Brown, dressed in a grey tracksuit, confirmed his name, age, and address before being remanded in custody. Full...

Sir Keir Starmer's VAT raid on private schools will begin on Wednesday, with the Treasury projecting a £1.7bn yearly boost for state schools by the end of the decade. Despite objections from private school leaders, the prime minister will implement a 20% VAT charge on independent school fees starting in 2025, generating additional funding for state schools and the hiring of new teachers. However, concerns have been raised about the potential negative impact on the...

UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the life-saving impact of contributions to the Fund, urging Member States to increase support to meet the $1 billion annual target. Established in 2005, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has provided over $9 billion in humanitarian funding to assist people in over 100 countries, including Lebanon. The Fund, praised as a UN success story, plays a critical role in responding to crises by providing fast, flexible, and innovative...

A new poll indicates that Labour would lose its majority and nearly 200 seats in an election held today, with significant losses to the Conservatives, Reform UK, and the SNP. Sir Keir Starmer faces a political blow as his party's gains are reversed in regions like the West Country, where MPs are criticized for changes to inheritance tax rules. Nigel Farage's Reform UK could become the third-largest parliamentary party, according to the analysis, following a...

Tech billionaire Elon Musk's support for Germany's AfD in a guest opinion article for Welt am Sonntag led to the resignation of the commentary editor, Eva Marie Kogel. Musk argued that the AfD is not right-wing extremist, citing the party's leader Alice Weidel's personal life. Following Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition collapse, Germany is set for a snap election on February 23, 2025, with the AfD nominating Alice Weidel as their chancellor candidate for the first...