Markus Andrews

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreLib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has revealed that caring for his dying mother as a teenager convinced him against assisted suicide, as MPs prepare for a historic vote on the issue. In a moving interview, the former minister spoke of his fears that the terminally ill, those with disabilities and others “could feel under a real pressure psychologically to end their lives”.His mother had been in a lot of pain towards the end of her life, he said, revealing that she had a had a “very, very painful disease”. But he said it was being with her in those final days that “I came to the conclusion we should not have this … we should focus on better palliative care”. Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey (Ben Birchall/PA) More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreSir Keir Starmer has piled further pressure on Justin Welby amid growing calls for him to resign as the Archbishop of Canterbury, saying the victims of a Church of England-linked abuser had been “failed very, very badly”.A petition, started by three members of the General Synod – the church’s parliament – calling for Justin Welby to quit has received more than 11,500 signatures.While Sir Keir would not comment directly on Mr Welby’s position, saying it was a “matter, in the end, for the church”, he made clear that the victims had been let down.The independent Makin Review concluded that barrister John Smyth, who is thought to have been the most prolific abuser associated with the church, might have been brought to justice had the archbishop formally alerted authorities in 2013.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaking at the Cop29 talks in Baku (Carl Court/PA) More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreOil and gas are a “gift of god”, Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev has told the Cop29 climate conference – which is country is hosting. Speaking to delegates at the United Nations summit, held in the capital city of Baku, Mr Aliyev defended his nation’s oil and gas resources. He added that “countries should not be blamed for having [oil and gas] and should not be blamed for bringing the resources to the market, because the market needs them”.“Azerbaijan’s share in global gas emissions is only 0.1 per cent” he told the conference.The declaration stunned many at the summit, where global leaders, thousands of delegates and campaigners have assembled to push for a transition away from fossil fuel. Azerbaijan’s role as the host was already under scanner. Before the start of the summit, recordings highlighted in a report by the BBC allegedly showed the chief executive of Azerbaijan’s Cop29 team, Elnur Soltanov, discussing “investment opportunities” in the state oil and gas company with a man posing as a potential investor.”We have a lot of gas fields that are to be developed,” he appears to say. Azerbaijan’s Cop29 team have not commented on the allegations.However, Mr Aliyev said “western fake news media” was unfairly targeting the country. Participating world leaders and delegates pose for a family photo during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (Cop29) in Baku More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreA terminally ill teacher has urged MPs to back Kim Leadbeater’s assisted dying bill, saying the legislation would offer people choice “at their darkest hour”.Nathaniel Dye, who is suffering from terminal cancer, said the bill is a chance to “act with kindness”.It comes as the Labour MP behind the legislation said she expects assisted dying to be used by just hundreds of people each year. Ms Leadbeater said that evidence from around the world suggests between 0.5 per cent and 3 per cent of deaths would be covered by the legislation.MPs are preparing for a historic vote on the issue at the end of this month. Speaking at a press conference in Westminster, Mr Dye said: “I see this as a chance just to act with kindness and a choice for people at their darkest hour.Kim Leadbeater addresses a press conference in Westminster More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseFrustrated rail passengers will be able to check up on how well their local train company is performing through data available at each station across the country.Transport secretary Louise Haigh has announced the measure in a bid to open up transparency over delays and cancellations on the rail network in England.In a Commons statement, she told MPs: “We have to be clear-eyed about the problems. But we are committed to full transparency.“And I can announce today that we will be fully transparent with passengers by displaying performance data at stations to show demonstrate how the railway is working and allow the public to hold us to account as we deliver change.”Transport Secretary Louise Haigh (Danny Lawson/PA) More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseWinter surfers and swimmers are set to be the big winners in plans to crackdown on the pollution of official water bathing spots and provide year round protection.Ministers have today launched a consultation into England and Wales’s more than 550 official water bathing sites with a plan to increase the number to include areas popular for surfing.Currently, the sites on the coast and on British rivers and lakes are only protected for the summer months and there are longstanding concerns that they are becoming poluted at other times of the year.The consultation follows a crackdown on the water industry after a series of high profile cases of sewage being dumped into Britain’s waterways around the country including iconic sites like Lake Windermere.Britain’s official bathing water sites mapped More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreA new law has been proposed to legalise assisted dying for some terminally ill adults in England and Wales.Mentally competent adults with a life expectancy of six months or less who have a settled wish to die that has been approved by two doctors and the High Court would be able to do so under the proposed legislation for England and Wales.Ahead of its publication on Tuesday, Labour MP Kim Leadbeater insisted her private member’s bill would offer the “safest choice” for mentally competent adults at the end of their lives.She said the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would make it illegal for someone to persuade a person through dishonesty, coercion or pressure to declare they wanted to end their life or to induce someone to self-administer drugs to die. Anyone found guilty of doing so would face a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.Critics argue the controversial legislation, which is likely to run to more than 40 pages, is being “rushed with indecent haste” and that MPs will not have adequate time to scrutinise it before the 29 November debate.Labour MP Kim Leadbeater (centre) previously joining Dignity in Dying campaigners in Parliament Square outside the Houses of Parliament More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseWinter surfers are set to be the big winners in plans to crackdown on the polution of official water bathing spots and provide year round protection.Ministers have today launched a consultation into England and Wales’s more than 550 official water bathing sites with a plan to increase the number to include areas popular for surfing.Currently, the sites on the coast and on British rivers and lakes are only protected for the summer months and there are longstanding concerns that they are becoming poluted at other times of the year.The consultation follows a crackdown on the water industry after a series of high profile cases of sewage being dumped into Britain’s waterways around the country including iconic sites like Lake Windermere.Britain’s official bathing water sites mapped More