UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has issued an ultimatum that the Western world must take action against China to prevent war, as she embarks on a trip to Taiwan. In a speech, Truss will echo her successor Rishi Sunak’s sentiment that China poses a “threat” to the UK and its allies and urge Western leaders not to repeat the mistake of appeasing Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Truss will call for Sunak to close down Confucius Institutes in the UK, which promote Chinese culture, and will say that the UK’s integrated review on foreign and defence policy should state clearly that China is a threat.
The UK’s Conservative Party has been told its MPs who are nominated for a peerage will be able to serve in the House of Lords only if they stand down before the next election. Scotland Secretary Alister Jack, former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, former Cabinet Minister Nigel Adams and President for COP26 Alok Sharma were listed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson for inclusion in the House of Lords in his resignation honours list. They had planned to continue as MPs before retiring at the next election. However, the House of Lords Appointments Commission has argued that such a move would be “constitutionally improper”.
President Biden is engaging with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to resolve the ongoing stand-off over the US' debt ceiling. The current limit of $31.4tn has been reached, and the Treasury Department is currently suspending investments in some federal pension funds while borrowing from investors to maintain the limit. The Treasury has warned it might stop borrowing altogether and rely entirely on tax receipts to pay its bills from 1 June. Global financial markets would be affected should the US default, potentially leading to a recession and job losses, while there are calls to eliminate the limit.
The UK's Labour Party has said local authorities and residents should have more power to build on green belt land to meet local housing needs. The party's leader, Keir Starmer, said the Conservative party had "killed the dream of home-owning for a whole generation". He said a discussion was needed over whether green belt land could be used, but this could not be "reduced to a simple discussion of will you or will you not build on the green belt". The Conservative government agreed in December 2020 to drop mandatory housebuilding targets.
US President Joe Biden has cancelled his trip to Australia and Papua New Guinea as his team attempts to reach an agreement on the debt ceiling crisis. Although the president will still travel to Japan for the G7 summit, he has shortened his visit in order to return to the US on Sunday. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has argued that a default on the country's debt would trigger a global economic downturn. The US government could run out of money as soon as June if no resolution is found.
Critics have given their first reviews of Johnny Depp's new French-language film Jeanne du Barry, following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this week. Depp plays King Louis XV in the biographical movie, which tells the story of Madame du Barry, a working-class woman who becomes a key player in 18th century French court life. The film has been described as "middling" by some, with other reviewers complimenting Depp's French accent and personal performance but criticising the drama itself as lacklustre.
World Rugby will trial the use of a smart ball, which incorporates a ball-tracking system developed by Sportable and Gilbert, during the World Rugby Under-20 Championship this summer. Officials will be given real-time support areas to aid faster and more accurate decisions, including identifying forward passes, whether a ball has been touched in flight and if it has reached the try-line. There will be no visual display for fans in this tournament, although World Rugby are "excited about its potential and look forward to seeing it in action at the World Rugby U20 Championship".
The Albanian Riviera has been described by some as the Caribbean of Europe, featuring palm trees, white beaches, azure seas and parasols similar to the Caribbean. The region can be reached for less time and money than the Caribbean by flying to the closest Greek island of Corfu before taking a 40-minute ferry to Sarandë. Ksamil is a small coastal town to the south of Sarandë which was established by Enver Hoxha's communist regime in the 1960s. In early summer, the towns' hotels, restaurants and bars line the beach which is partitioned for their private use and the prices are expected to be slightly cheaper than the Mediterranean.
A recent study in Japan found that men who expressed a strong sexual interest had a lower mortality risk than those who reported a lack of sexual interest. Sexual activity has been linked to a number of other health benefits, such as an enhanced immune system and memory, a reduction of migraines and arthritis pain, a lower likelihood of heart problems, and potentially even a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Intimacy in general can also have positive effects on hormone levels, such as increased production of oxytocin and decreased levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Manchester City face Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final on 4 May, with manager Pep Guardiola seeking to make history by becoming the first coach to win the treble with two different clubs. The Citizens are still chasing an unprecedented quadruple, with the Premier League title almost secured. However, defensive concerns have left Guardiola considering formation changes, with the possibility of a midfield control set-up, moving João Cancelo into midfield and Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden in the attack. Guardiola has been praised for recent tactical changes, which have seen the club become more unpredictable and dynamic. The manager said he is confident his team can perform to the best of its abilities as the squad prepares to face off against the 13-time winners.
Companies are turning to more aggressive tactics to ensure their employees return to the office, as average office occupancy is still only at 34%, despite the lifting of most Covid restrictions. A leaked Labour document suggests flexible working, including working from home, will be the default setting for all workers if the party wins the next UK election. Companies such as JP Morgan are demanding their employees return to the office for five full days a week, and some are also monitoring senior staff to ensure they attend the office at least three times a week. A study has shown that workers’ resistance to returning to the office is significant, and only 80% comply when asked to return for three days or fewer.
UK Housing Secretary Michael Gove has come under criticism for pushing ahead with measures that could see landlords and tenants locked in “confrontational” court processes that are unduly burdensome for the legal system. Under Gove’s Renters Reform Bill, landlords will lose their legal right to “no-fault” evictions, meaning they will have to prove tenants are guilty of wrongdoing in court. Concerns have been raised that new rules may hinder tenants seeking new accommodation and lead to increased court pressures. Landlords may frequently need to involve police if tenants are accused of antisocial behaviour.
Protesters from environmental group Just Stop Oil interrupted a hearing of the UK’s Home Affairs Select Committee discussing the policing of demonstrations during the recent Royal Coronation. The demonstrators, who were wearing branded t-shirts, were removed from the proceedings, with live broadcasting temporarily suspended. The Metropolitan police arrested Just Stop Oil and anti-monarchy protesters for hours before and during the Coronation. Last week, as part of its campaign against fossil fuels, Just Stop Oil joined forces with residents of Horsham in West Sussex to blockade the UK headquarters of fracking company Cuadrilla.
Qatar is in the running to host the Rugby League World Cup in 2025 after France pulled out due to financial reasons. The International Rugby League (IRL) is considering options for hosting the tournament, with New Zealand, South Africa and Fiji expressing an interest. But IRL Chair Troy Grant said the wealth of Qatar made it an attractive option to host the event. He added, however, that human rights issues, especially regarding women’s rights, would be a “consideration” before any decision is made.
The Duchess of Sussex has worn a gold silk jacquard dress designed by Johanna Ortiz to a ceremony at which she collected an award from her friend Gloria Steinem. Meghan's outfit for the Women of Vision awards in New York follows a string of A-list events and appearances, alongside rumours that she will soon relaunch her lifestyle platform The Tig. Industry observers have pointed out that her inclusion of J Crew earrings, with the dress, suggests that Meghan may be trying to appear more relatable.
Global temperatures of 1.5C above pre-industrial levels have a greater than 50% chance of occurring within the next five years, according to the annual update from the World Meteorological Organisation. This agreement on climate change aims to limit long-term temperature increases below 1.5C to avoid irreversible tipping points. However, breaching 1.5C threshold would not indicate an overall failure to stabilise temperature rises but would increase the likelihood of the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, leading to significant sea level rises. The 1.5C level had a close to zero chance of being breached in 2015, when the Paris Agreement was signed.
A 29-year-old has been arrested for stalking outside the Montecito home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the former Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Kevin Garcia Valdovinos triggered the arrest when he was spotted by security staff. The couple were not at home at the time of the incident, which occurred at around 2am on 27 September, TMZ reported. This is the second attempt intruders have made to infiltrate the security of the former royals since they moved to California, where their neighbours include Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres.
UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has told competition chiefs they "must understand their wider responsibilities" following the regulator's move to block Microsoft's gaming mega-merger with Activision. Hunt spoke at the British Chambers of Commerce annual conference on Wednesday, saying the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) should focus on encouraging investment, while maintaining independence from politicians. Microsoft and Activision have accused the UK of discouraging investment, while the CMA has defended its decision, pointing to an independent panel. Microsoft is appealing the decision.
Russia's hypersonic missile programme risks collapse due to the detention of multiple researchers as treason suspects, several senior scientists have warned in a public open letter. The head of the Novosibirks’ hypersonic missile technology lab, Alexander Shiplyuk, and aerodynamics specialist 76-year-old Anatoly Maslov, have been detained since last summer. In a warning to the Kremlin and to the public, scientists from Novosibirsk-based Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics urged Russian authorities to cease the detention of their colleagues, arguing that it risked damaging national research into hypersonic weapons.
Thrustmaster has released a bundle consisting of a PC-only T818 base and Ferrari's 2021 SF1000 steering wheel for £999.99 ($1, 360). The base offers 10Nm of torque, while the wheel has a carbon fibre faceplate, over 25 functional buttons, a range of LEDS and an LCD telemetry display. The package is ideal for "the more serious casual player, rather than properly competitive players," according to the Guardian's review. Thrustmaster's T818 base and Ferrari's SF1000 steering wheel each cost £600 and £350, respectively. The bundle has a Ferrari livery and comes with a desktop clamp.
