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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 pledged to make spiking a drink a specific criminal offence as he demanded joint action from police and hospitality chiefs to crack down on violence against women and girls (VAWG).With Labour promising to halve VAWG in the next decade, the prime minister is calling chief constables, transport bosses and industry executives to Downing Street on Monday to urge a coordinated response to “bring the vile perpetrators to justice”.Under government plans, by spring thousands of workers in the night-time economy will be trained on how to prevent spiking incidents, support victims and help collect evidence.Labour pledged in its manifesto to introduce a new offence for spiking, but there was no detail in the King’s Speech this year about a specific crime – however, Sir Keir reaffirmed his commitment on Monday, saying: “I made a promise that, if elected, I would make spiking a new criminal offence. Today, I am proud to have come good on that pledge.”It is unclear when the legislation will be introduced, but ministers and officials are understood to be working to bring it forward as soon as possible – with Sir Keir promising “to take back our streets” from criminals.The prime minister summons chief constables, transport bosses and industry executives to Downing Street on Monday to urge a coordinated response to ‘bring the vile perpetrators to justice’ 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 moreTax rises in the autumn Budget will “hit growth” as they undermine investment among UK companies, the head of one of Britain’s most prominent business groups is set to warn.Rain Newton-Smith, chief executive of the Confederation of British Industry, will say in a speech on Monday that the measures announced by the government last month have made it harder for businesses to “take a chance” on hiring new people.She will tell the group’s annual conference in London: “Across the board, in so many sectors, margins are being squeezed and profits are being hit by a tough trading environment that just got tougher.“And here’s the rub, profits aren’t just extra money for companies to stuff in a pillowcase. Profits are investment… When you hit profits, you hit competitiveness, you hit investment, you hit growth.”Ms Newton-Smith will add: “What really defines growth is the decisions made in boardrooms up and down the country.In the October Budget, chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a nearly £70 billion uplift in public spending, partly funded by sharp increases in business taxes such as employer national insurance contributions 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 moreKeir Starmer has promised “zero tolerance” for benefits cheats as Labour seeks to tackle Britain’s ballooning welfare bill. The prime minister warned those who try to “take advantage of state generosity will feel the force of the law” and that ministers would even “take cash straight from the banks of fraudsters”. His vow came as ministers prepare to unveil “tough” changes to the welfare system later this week.Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall said on Sunday that young people who repeatedly refuse to take up jobs or training would lose their benefits.Sir Keir Starmer has pledged ‘zero tolerance’ over benefits cheats 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 moreLeading academic experts in the fields of health, end-of-life care and the legal system have joined together to sign an open letter opposing the assisted dying bill which MPs are due to debate on Friday.The bill tabled by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater would for the first time allow for the NHS to assist people to take their own lives.Ms Leadbeater and supporters of the legislation claim the bill would provide the “strictest safeguards anywhere in the world” to prevent the system being abused and ensure it only applied to terminally ill patients. Among these are that any requests to end life would need to be signed off by two doctors and a judge.However, in an open letter to MPs the 73 academics have fuelled concerns that the safeguards are not strong enough and could open the doors for coercion of the vulnerable to end their own lives.Kim Leadbeater says the bill will help give autonomy to terminally ill patients 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 moreCampaigners have hit out at a “woefully inadequate” financial package for developing nations agreed at Cop29 – with one charity condemning it as a “death sentence for millions”.A $300bn (£239.5bn) deal to help combat the impact of global warming was announced at the summit in Baku, Azerbaijan.It falls far short of the $1.3 trillion that developing countries were asking for, but is three times the $100bn a year deal from 2009 that is expiring.UN climate chief Simon Stiell hailed it as an “insurance policy” for humanity, while energy secretary Ed Miliband described it as a “critical 11th-hour deal at the 11th hour for the climate”.But Christian Aid said people who needed a life raft had been given a plank of wood instead. And the charity WaterAid said it was a “death sentence for millions” and a “mere fraction” of what was needed.COP29 Climate Summit 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 moreThe Jewish Leadership Council has hit out at the so-called “charity tax” measures in the Budget and has warned the chancellor that the tax hikes will damage the fight against antisemitism.Extra costs from a shock rise in employers’ national insurance contributions will hit Jewish charities “fighting bravely” against a rise in antisemitism in Britain, they warn.While ministers have spared the NHS and the public sector from the tax rise, they have refused to extend the exemption to charities and others.Reports of antisemitic incidents in the UK reached a record high in the first half of this year. Between January and June, the Community Security Trust (CST) charity recorded 1,978 anti-Jewish hate incidents, up from 964 in the first half of 2023.Rachel Reeves has been warned Jewish charities will be hit 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 moreDiane Abbott has accused Keir Starmer of “peddling benefit scrounger mythology” as Labour said young people who won’t take jobs will lose payments. Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall said on Sunday that “if people repeatedly refuse to take up the training or work responsibilities, there will be sanctions on their benefits”.Asked if this meant losing those benefits, she told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “Yes.”Labour has said it will stick by a Tory commitment to slash the cost of the welfare bill by £3 billion over five years.Ms Kendall is to set out her plans in detail on Tuesday, but on Sunday talked of “tough” action ahead while Sir Keir warned of the “bulging benefits bill blighting our society”.In response, the veteran Labour MP Ms Abbott tweeted that it was: “Sad that Starmer is peddling the benefit scrounger mythology.”Ms Abbott said it was: “Sad that Starmer is peddling the benefit scrounger mythology.” (Ian West/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 moreWork and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has said Nato countries are involved in a “hidden cyber war” with Russia.Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden will warn in a major speech next week that Russia is prepared to launch a series of cyber attacks on Britain and other Nato members as it seeks to weaken support for Ukraine.Mr McFadden will say Moscow will “not think twice” about exploiting defence gaps to target UK businesses and allies must “not underestimate” the threat it poses.Speaking to Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips programme, Ms Kendall said her colleague was right to say “there is not only the open military war with Russia as the aggressor, but there is also a hidden cyber war and that Russia will do everything in its power to destabilise not only within Ukraine but amongst the Nato allies”.We have for many months … really focused on making sure we have all the protections we need including cyber protections because there is a threat from Russia, this hidden warfare, as well as the open military aggressionWork and Pensions Secretary Liz KendallShe added: “So, we have to be absolutely vigilant in that as a Government, but also in businesses and wider society to protect against those cyber hacktivists.“We have for many months … really focused on making sure we have all the protections we need including cyber protections because there is a threat from Russia, this hidden warfare, as well as the open military aggression.”In a speech to the Nato cyber defence conference at Lancaster House, Mr McFadden is expected to warn that cyber interference enables Russia to “turn the lights off for millions of people” and represents the “hidden war” it is waging against Kyiv, as first reported by the Sunday Telegraph.He will say: “Military hard-power is one thing. But cyber war can be destabilising and debilitating. With a cyber attack, Russia can turn the lights off for millions of people. It can shut down the power grids. This is the hidden war Russia is waging with Ukraine.“Given the scale of that hostility, my message to members today is clear: no-one should underestimate the Russian cyber threat to Nato. The threat is real. Russia is exceptionally aggressive and reckless in the cyber realm.”Mr McFadden is expected to specifically call out Unit 29155, a Russian military unit the Government says was previously found to have carried out a number of attacks in the UK and Europe.There are gangs of “unofficial hacktivists” and mercenaries not directly under the Kremlin’s control “but who are allowed to act with impunity so long as they’re not working against Putin’s interests”, he will say.It comes after South Korea, a Nato Indo-Pacific partner, was targeted in response to its monitoring of the deployment of North Korean troops to Kursk, where Russia is fighting against Ukraine.The attack has been widely attributed to a pro-Kremlin cyber gang, with Mr McFadden warning that such groups act with “disregard” for geopolitics and “with just one miscalculation could wreak havoc on our networks”.The Cabinet Office minister is expected to set out details of how the UK will seek to boost its protections against emerging cyber threats in a speech on Monday, as well as how the country is stepping up work with Nato allies.He and senior national security officials will also meet business leaders next week to discuss how they can protect themselves. More