Posts by Kim browne
Which global leader has visited Oval Office most? The answer might surprise you
Which global leader has been the most frequent visitor to the Oval Office during Donald Trump’s first year back in power? Not a head of state. But Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA. The boss of world football’s governing body was back in the White House this week, and sport wasn’t even on the agenda.…
Read MorePolice recover Bond-inspired Fabergé pendant… six days after it was swallowed by a suspect
A Fabergé pendant has been recovered – after police spent six days closely monitoring the man accused of swallowing it. The limited-edition jewellery was inspired by the 1983 film Octopussy, where a smuggling operation involves a fake Fabergé egg. Detectives say the pendant exited the suspect’s gastrointestinal tract naturally without medical intervention – after all,…
Read MoreThe countdown to ‘day zero’: Major city may have to evacuate as water supplies run low
Iran’s capital Tehran is counting down to “day zero” – the day the water runs out and the taps run dry. Reservoirs that supply Tehran’s 15 million residents are almost empty. The Karaj dam, which supplies a quarter of the city’s drinking water, is just 8% full. Water rationing has begun in some areas, with…
Read MoreOil prices are down, but petrol prices are clearly not: What’s going on – and will it get better?
It’s a debate that has raged since the end of the COVID pandemic but, despite regulatory scrutiny, it’s fair to say there’s been no clear answer to accusations that UK drivers pay over the odds for fuel. What was once a promotional loss leader for supermarkets desperate for drivers to fill their car boots with…
Read MoreStarmer wants to lift half a million children out of poverty – but does his plan go far enough?
A new long-awaited child poverty strategy is promising to lift half a million children out of poverty by the end of this parliament – but critics have branded it unambitious. The headline announcement in the government’s plan is the pledge to lift the two-child benefit cap, announced in Rachel Reeves’s budget last week. It also…
Read More‘Drop and cover’ earthquake alert turns out to be false alarm
An earthquake alert preparing people to “drop, cover, hold on” buzzed on phones in the US on Thursday – but turned out to be completely false. The US Geological Survey (USGS) warned a 5.9-magnitude quake had struck near Dayton, Nevada, with people in the San Francisco area, about 180 miles away, also getting the message.…
Read MoreNigel Farage launches tirade at BBC over allegations he was racist at school
Nigel Farage has launched a tirade against the BBC after he was asked about claims he used racist and antisemitic language when he was at school, which he denied. The Reform UK leader accused the broadcaster of “double standards”, pointing to its past television shows when he claimed the BBC “were very happy to use…
Read More‘No discussion’ about banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans at Stuttgart Europa League match
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans will be allowed into next week’s Europa League match at Stuttgart as banning them was not considered, the German club has confirmed to Sky News. It contrasts with the Israeli club’s fans being excluded from Aston Villa last month after police in Birmingham cited safety threats – a decision now condemned…
Read MoreGaza longs for normality, but quasi-anarchy reigns and Hamas is once again exerting control
There is a desperate desire for normality in Gaza – for full shops, functioning hospitals, open schools, habitable homes and usable roads. For electricity that comes on reliably, skies that don’t hum with drones and days that don’t crackle with gunfire. In Khan Younis, 54 couples got married at one enormous shared ceremony. The event…
Read MoreFresh sanctions on Russia seem futile – Putin is more belligerent than ever
There is a sense of impotent futility to the latest sanctions imposed by the UK on Russia in the wake of the Dawn Sturgess public inquiry report released today. And it’s not just the UK. For all Europe’s handwringing, rhetoric and sanctions, Vladimir Putin remains unmoved. This week, he was more belligerent than ever, warning…
Read MoreIsrael allowed to take part in Eurovision 2026 – as several countries withdraw
Israel will be allowed to compete in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest – with several broadcasters saying they will now boycott the event. Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS, Spain’s RTVE and Ireland’s RTE immediately issued statements saying they will not participate in the 2026 contest following the European Broadcasting Union’s general assembly meeting on Thursday. Sky News…
Read MoreBrother-in-law of Scotland’s former leader, Humza Yousaf, facing extortion and drug charges
The brother-in-law of Scotland’s former first minister Humza Yousaf has gone on trial accused of extortion and dealing class A drugs. The case follows the death of a man who fell from a window in Dundee after allegedly being threatened. Ramsay El-Nakla, 37, is on trial at the High Court in Edinburgh and is the…
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