Action

Without urgent intervention England faces water shortages of 5bn litres a day by 2055, peers tell governmentRainwater harvesting, the use of grey water in homes and an urgent campaign to reduce water usage across society are vital to prevent water shortages of 5bn litres a day by 2055, the government has been told.Without intervention, England will face severe water shortages in the coming decades, as climate change-induced weather patterns, population growth and the expansion of industries such as water-intensive datacentres put excessive demand on supplies and endanger life, according to a House of Lords report published on Thursday.Changes to building regulations to require new homes to achieve a maximum water usage of 105 litres a person a day and accelerated grey water reuse.Nature-based solutions such as restoring peat bogs and reconnecting rivers to their natural flood plains to enhance water retention.An urgent awareness campaign for the whole of society to reduce water usage.A full environmental and economic assessment of drought to weigh the cost of inaction against the value of resilience.The rolling out of nature-based solutions more widely in urban and rural settings. Continue reading...

Cuba’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, says any US strike would be catastrophic after reports of 300+ dronesCuba’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, has warned that any US military action against his country would lead to a “bloodbath” with incalculable consequences for regional peace and stability.“Cuba does not represent a threat,” Díaz-Canel said in a post on X. Continue reading...

Two campaign groups claim that change to how NHS treatments are approved amounts to ‘unlawful power grab’Campaigners against the UK’s controversial drug pricing deal with Donald Trump are threatening the government with legal action unless it scraps a key element of the plan.They claim that a change to how drug treatments are approved for use by the NHS, which could lead to it paying even higher prices for them, amounts to an “unlawful power grab”. Continue reading...

Body says, on average, British women approaching retirement have half private pension savings of men – £81,000 versus £156,000A shake-up of pensions in Britain must involve measures to close the gap in retirement savings between men and women, the revived Pensions Commission is to tell ministers.According to the government-backed body, women approaching retirement have on average half the private pension savings of men, with a median pension wealth of £81,000 versus £156,000. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Then-home secretary justified proscription of group in newspaper column despite advice it might unfairly impact trial of six activistsYvette Cooper wrote a newspaper column about Palestine Action despite prosecutors warning it could prejudice criminal proceedings against six activists from the group, it can be revealed.The then-home secretary wrote the column justifying Palestine Action’s proscription even though the Crown Prosecution Service advised it might unfairly impact a trial concerning a 2024 break-in at an Israeli arms manufacturer’s factory. Continue reading...

• President Trump is in Beijing for a high-stakes summit with Chinese leaders, and reaction across Asia has ranged from cautious optimism to concern about regional stability. • The NPR report notes that governments and observers are watching how the talks could affect trade, security, and diplomatic alignment in the region, especially amid tensions involving China and the United States. • The summit matters because decisions made in Beijing can ripple through Asian markets, alliances, and policy planning, particularly for countries balancing ties with both Washington and Beijing.

Judge’s ruling was not disclosed to jurors in two trials and can only now be revealed after reporting restrictions liftedFour Palestine Action activists convicted​ after a retrial over a violent protest at an Israeli arms manufacturer’s UK site face being sentenced as terrorists despite the jury not being told this.In an unprecedented move in a criminal damage case, the judge, Mr Justice Johnson, ruled before the first trial that there appeared to be a “terrorist connection” to the offences – even though the protest took place before Palestine Action was proscribed – but this could not be told to the jury. The finding and the restriction on telling the jury continued for the retrial. Continue reading...