UK-US trade could suffer as a result of sanctions for illegal Israeli settlements, American ambassador warns – UK politics live

• Host Chris Williamson led a debate on August 31, 2026, featuring Robert Pape, Jiang Xueqin, and George Friedman regarding the decline of American global power. • The discussion focused on specific geopolitical flashpoints including the wars in Ukraine and Israel, as well as tensions involving Iran, China, and NATO.

Backers seek support for second attempt to get law through House of Lords after ‘undemocratic’ rejection last yearMPs on both sides of the assisted dying debate have voiced fears about turnout affecting the vote on Friday, when the bill returns to the Commons for its second attempt to become law.Those who back the change in the law have been emphasising the “undemocratic” nature of the bill’s rejection by the House of Lords after it was talked out by a handful of peers after passing the House of Commons. The bill fell despite multiple days of debate from peers because of the number of amendments tabled in the Lords. Continue reading...

Saudi authorities said operations at some energy facilities have been attacked ‌by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis UK government borrowing costs are a little higher this morning.The yield, or interest rate, on 10-year UK bonds has risen by 2 basis points (0.02 of a percentage point) to 5.19%. Thirty-year gilt yields are also up around 2bps at 5.83%. Continue reading...

OECD test sees results dip in almost all member nations and warns of ‘digital distractions’ eroding academic skills England’s teenagers are outperforming their peers in most countries in maths, reading and science, according to an international survey that warns of “digital distractions” eroding academic skills around the world.The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) programme for international student assessment (Pisa), which last year tested 760,000 15-year-olds in 91 countries and regions, found that results dipped in almost all of its members compared with previous years, with the exception of England and a handful of others. Continue reading...

Hedge fund tycoon is latest financier to exit amid fears among super-rich over tax risesBusiness live – latest updatesThe hedge fund billionaire Chris Rokos is poised to leave the UK, the latest in a string of high-profile exits among Britain’s super-rich.The founder of Rokos Capital Management is preparing to move his residency to Greece, and will open an office in Athens as part of the move, according to Bloomberg. Continue reading...

Public school students are the equivalent of two and a half years behind their independent peers, as global report shows decline in reading and mathsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPublic school students are more than two years behind their independent counterparts and Australia’s classroom disruption remains among the worst in the world, a global report has found.The 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) results, released on Tuesday by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), tested the literacy of 15-year-olds in 91 countries, including Australia. The tests have run every three years since 2000. Continue reading...

Thieves took four artworks but dropped one as they fled, says mayor of southern town of Cagnes-sur-MerTwo thieves have broken into a museum dedicated to the French impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, stealing four artworks and dropping one as they fled, the local mayor has said.“Spotted thanks to the town’s video surveillance cameras, the two individuals fled, abandoning one of the stolen paintings as they ran,” said Bryan Masson, the mayor of the southern town of Cagnes-sur-Mer. His office estimated the value of the stolen works at €9m (£7.7m). Continue reading...

Ruslan Kravchenko leaves post after his offices were searched at the weekend, as Moscow renews attacks after pause for peace talksSeparately, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has condemned the presence of senior Serbian officials at yesterday’s funeral of Bosnian Serb war criminal Ratko Mladić, saying it showed “a failure to confront a dark chapter in Europe’s recent history” and questioned Serbia’s alignment with the EU.Mladić, who died last week, was buried with military honours in after a memorial service attended by tens of thousands of people and led by Porfirije, the patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox church. Continue reading...

Victorian One Nation leader tells media he has used methamphetamine, speed and marijuana Victorian One Nation leader, Warren Pickering, has admitted he “made mistakes” in his 20s, including using ecstasy, methamphetamines and marijuana, losing his license multiple times for drink driving and hurting people he loved.But he has denied claims by his ex-partner, published by The Australian, that he smoked ice in front of children and said he was considering legal action against the publication at a press conference on Tuesday. Guardian Australia and the ABC were barred from attending the press conference. Continue reading...

Package of military equipment includes Patriot missiles, supplies of which have dwindled amid Russian attacksThe UK has committed £100m to boost Ukraine’s air defences over winter with a package of military equipment including Patriot missiles.Defence interceptors, large-calibre artillery rounds and drones will be supplied to Ukraine through the contribution to Nato’s prioritised Ukraine requirements list. Continue reading...

India’s statistical system once commanded respect, and its data on economic and social indicators was considered rigorous – that appears to have erodedThere isn’t much that we Indians agree on these days. GDP numbers are no exception. Last week, India released glowing GDP numbers for the latest quarter – 7.8% growth – higher than the forecast 7%. It sparked a furore.Subhash Garg, a former finance secretary under Narendra Modi’s government and now a critic, reframed what Modi called a “herculean feat” as mere smoke and mirrors. According to Garg, the government revised last year’s current-price GDP downwards to inflate this year’s number – he believes the real growth is only 2.6%. Continue reading...