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Former civil servant denies fraud over undeclared overlapping jobs
Kashim Chowdhury told Southwark Crown Court he failed to disclose overlapping civil service jobs because he was experiencing stress and a recurrence of PTSD, but denied intending to defraud anyone. He accepts giving inaccurate information on employment forms, while disputing former managers’ criticisms of his work. The prosecution alleges Chowdhury held eight positions between February…
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French borrowing costs touch 5% amid political unrest and budget deadlock
France’s 10-year government bond yield briefly reached 5% for the first time in 24 years, as investors reacted to political uncertainty, civil unrest and the failure to pass next year’s budget. Higher borrowing costs add pressure to public finances, while concern about France has also weighed on the euro. The yield rose by more than…
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JD Vance’s face turns bright red as Trump delivers telling response when asked for his 2028 endorsement in embarrassing Oval Office moment
Donald Trump declined to endorse JD Vance for the 2028 presidential race when asked about it in the Oval Office, saying the two had not discussed the possibility and that it was too early to decide. Vance, standing behind him, agreed and laughed as attention turned to him; his face appeared to redden. Trump has…
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Public services ‘to be worse than before Covid by 2030’ despite Labour’s huge spending splurge
A report by the Institute for Government says most of Britain’s public services are likely to remain below their pre-pandemic performance by the next general election, despite Labour’s increased spending. It warns that Andy Burnham has limited time, money and capacity to make substantial improvements before the expected 2029 poll. The report says performance may…
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Pension delays could saddle bereaved families with tax bills on death benefits
MPs have warned that delays in the Capita-run civil service pension scheme could leave bereaved families facing tax bills on lump-sum death benefits. Payments are tax-free only if made within two years of the scheme being told of the member’s death, so administrative delays could make families pay tax through no fault of their own.…
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Italian Content Investment Dropped 7.4% in 2025 Largely Due to Uncertainty Over Domestic Tax Credits, Rome MIA Market Report Says
Investment in content for Italy’s film, television and streaming industries fell 7.4% in 2025 to €2 billion, with scripted production particularly affected. A report by Italian TV producers’ association APA attributed the decline largely to uncertainty over domestic tax credit rules and changes in viewing habits, which made it harder for producers to plan and…
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IAMDDB hits back at Israeli government “stealing her identity” by using AI-generated version of her likeness
IAMDDB has accused the Israeli government of using an AI-generated likeness of her in a political video without her permission. The video, which has since been deleted, appeared on official Israeli social media and showed a woman reciting lyrics about Jewish identity and colonisation; the incident has raised concerns about using AI to imply an…
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Zelensky urges summit with Trump and Putin as US envoy meets Russian leader
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for a meeting with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin after talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff, raising hopes of renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war. Witkoff travelled to St Petersburg to meet Putin and discuss proposals, but there was no indication of an imminent breakthrough. The Oslo meeting, hosted…
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Nothing better to do, Andy? Catholic PM Burnham rushing through ‘anti-discrimination’ law in a day so he can advise King on Church of England bishops
Andy Burnham’s government plans to pass a bill through all its Commons stages in one day, removing a legal bar that prevents Catholic and Jewish prime ministers from advising the King on Church of England appointments. Burnham says the restriction is an outdated anomaly that stops people of any faith carrying out the full duties…
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Usha Vance is a closed book – but her Goodreads account is surprisingly revealing | Arwa Mahdawi
Arwa Mahdawi uses Usha Vance’s Goodreads activity to speculate, tongue in cheek, about what her reading might suggest about her husband’s political ambitions and his approach to Catholicism. The piece acknowledges that Usha is private and presents the interpretations as playful conjecture rather than evidence of her views. Mahdawi links *Death Comes for the Archbishop*,…