All posts tagged: United Kingdom

Macron and Starmer to discuss Ukraine as Trump looms – POLITICO

Macron and Starmer to discuss Ukraine as Trump looms – POLITICO

LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will host French President Emmanuel Macron for talks Thursday as the two leaders await the inauguration of Donald Trump as U.S. president. No. 10 Downing Street announced Wednesday that the pair would meet at Chequers, the prime minister’s country retreat, and discuss Ukraine — a hot-button topic in the incoming U.S. administration — as well as artificial intelligence, economic growth and legal migration. Both Macron and Starmer have been vocal supporters of Ukraine’s pushback against Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion, and stressed the need for continued backing since the far more sceptical Trump’s November win. Trump has vowed to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours, an idea given short shrift in European capitals. Source link

Brighton vs Arsenal preview; kickoff time, team news, how to follow, stream | Football News

Brighton vs Arsenal preview; kickoff time, team news, how to follow, stream | Football News

Who: Brighton vs ArsenalWhat: English Premier LeagueWhere: AMEX Stadium, Brighton, United KingdomWhen: 12:30pm (12:30 GMT) on SaturdayFollow Al Jazeera’s live photo build-up and text commentary stream. Mikel Arteta says Arsenal must “flip that coin” in their quest to be crowned champions of England following two agonising near-misses. The second-placed Gunners, runners-up to Manchester City over the past two seasons, are six points behind Arne Slot’s rampaging Liverpool, who have a game in hand, having played half their league fixtures. Arsenal beat Brentford 3-1 in their last match on Wednesday but stumbles in October and early November mean the Gunners are playing catch-up and Arteta on Friday pleaded for consistency from his men, who travel to face mid-table Brighton on Saturday. “We have to show the same level of consistency and a bit more because the last year, we have been the best team in the league, broken various records and still haven’t won a major trophy, so something is missing,” said the Spaniard. “It’s going to be very thin, small details, you can pick up …

How Kat Donovan Is Different in Netflix Harlan Coben Series

How Kat Donovan Is Different in Netflix Harlan Coben Series

Believe it or not, Rosalind Eleazar is used to playing wilder characters than Detective Kat Donovan in Netflix‘s Missing You. But it didn’t stop the shoot from getting pretty intense. The latest in the streamer’s slate of Harlan Coben adaptations, Missing You follows the story of Slow Horses star Eleazar as a detective specializing in Missing Persons. Eleven years ago, her fiancé Josh (played by Ashley Walters), the love of her life, vanished without a trace. Now, swiping profiles on a dating app, she sees his face, and her world threatens to explode all over again. The experience forces her to dive back into the mystery surrounding the murder of her father (Lenny Henry) and uncover long-buried secrets from her past. Coben said on a London panel the show has “the most emotional ending that I’ve experienced,” adding that he “actually cried.” With twists and turns at every possible point, the new show, adapted by Victoria Asare-Archer, is a ride for both its characters and viewers. The five-part series (which hit Netflix globally on Jan. …

James Corden on Why Brits Are Mourning the End of ‘Gavin & Stacey’

James Corden on Why Brits Are Mourning the End of ‘Gavin & Stacey’

What started as an inconspicuous boy-meets-girl tale swiftly became a cult classic in the U.K. On Wednesday night, Gavin & Stacey aired its final episode on the BBC. James Corden and co-creator Ruth Jones began this journey years ago, long before Corden had made any impact in the U.S. with appearances in Ocean’s Eight (2018), Cats (2019) and, of course, on The Late Late Show. The Wales and Essex-set sitcom became a career springboard for the pair, solidifying their status as comedy greats in a competitive industry as Gavin & Stacey went on to enjoy a healthy 17-year lifespan. In every U.K. household, Gavin & Stacey is a staple of British television. It began with a man from Billericay in Essex, Gavin Shipman (Mathew Horne), and a young woman, Stacey West (Joanna Page), from Barry in Wales. They fall in love talking over the phone while working for the same company at miles-apart branches and when they first meet in episode one, they hit it off. As the show follows their blossoming relationship (and eventual …

Ex-Starmer aide Sue Gray gets House of Lords consolation prize – POLITICO

Ex-Starmer aide Sue Gray gets House of Lords consolation prize – POLITICO

In her old life, she led the investigation into lockdown-busting parties in Tory Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Downing Street at the height of the Covid pandemic. But Gray became a lightning rod for internal criticism in the wake of Labour’s victory, with colleagues blaming her for a myriad of issues including communications failures, the slow appointment of ministers and low pay for special advisers. She quit the job in October and was replaced by Morgan McSweeney, a close political aide of Starmer seen as helping propel him to power. A promised job of envoy to the nations and regions was not taken up. As a member of the House of Lords, Gray — who gained a reputation as a fear-inducing Whitehall ethics investigator before taking on the Labour job — will be entitled to claim a daily attendance allowance, shape legislation and grill ministers. Under the U.K.’s political system, prime ministers can appoint life peers to the House of Lords. Labour is in the process of thinning the thinning the ranks of peers eligible to …

EU sues UK for violating free movement in Brexit treaty – POLITICO

EU sues UK for violating free movement in Brexit treaty – POLITICO

The Commission is taking the U.K. to the Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ). Although Britain ceased to be bound by EU law post-Brexit, certain matters contained in its withdrawal deal fall under the European court’s jurisdiction ― much to the annoyance of Britain’s pro-Brexit politicians. In a statement, the Commission blasted the U.K.’s “shortcomings” in implementing the terms of the treaty, “which continue to affect EU citizens.” “After carefully assessing the replies of the United Kingdom, the Commission maintains that several elements of the grievances remain unaddressed, including on the rights of workers and the rights of extended family members,” the Commission added. The violations happened at the end of 2020, the Commission said. A U.K. government spokesperson said the cases related to “issues from when the U.K. was an EU member state and during the transition period,” which was in 2020 before the signing of a trade deal between the two sides. “We remain focused on working to reset our relationship with the EU and to make Brexit work for the British …

UK insists Parthenon sculptures not on the agenda as Greek PM visits – POLITICO

UK insists Parthenon sculptures not on the agenda as Greek PM visits – POLITICO

Mitsotakis arrives in London Tuesday amid reports that members of his government have held, per Sky News, “private meetings” with top brass at the museum, which has been involved in long-running talks over a potential loan arrangement of the treasures. Any change in their status — which led to a furious row between the Greek and then- Conservative U.K. government last year — would need to involve the British government. The 1963 British Museum act currently prevents the removal of objects from its collection. During last year’s Greek dust-up with the Tories, Keir Starmer — now prime minister but at the time leader of the opposition — made a point of sitting down with Mitsotakis after Tory leader Rishi Sunak cancelled a meeting with him in a row over the marbles. But a British government spokesperson said Monday: “We have no plans to change existing government policy on restitution. Further decisions relating to the care and management of a museum’s collections, including loaning objects, are a matter for the Trustees of the museum.” Ahead of …

Paramount+ U.K. Releases First Look at Thriller ‘The Crow Girl’

Paramount+ U.K. Releases First Look at Thriller ‘The Crow Girl’

Paramount+ has released first-look images of the upcoming U.K. original series The Crow Girl with Eve Myles, Katherine Kelly, Dougray Scott and Elliot Edusah. The six-part thriller, an adaptation of Erik Axl Sund’s bestselling novel of the same name, is produced by Emmy-winning creative team Buccaneer (Irvine Welsh’s Crime, Marcella). When the bodies of unidentified young men start to show up around the city, beaten and full of the anaesthetic lidocaine, DCI Jeanette Kilburn (Myles) and partner DI Lou Stanley (Scott) are on the hunt for the killer. With a lack of evidence and pressure to solve the case mounting, Jeanette enlists the help of prime suspect Carl Lowry’s psychotherapist Dr Sophia Craven (Kelly) who offers a fresh but troubling perspective on the case. But with the killer inching ever closer to home, Jeanette and the team are in a race against time to untangle the web of secrets. Eve Myles in ‘The Crow Girl’. THE CROW GIRL © Buccaneer Media/Paramount + / Photographer: Joss Barratt Rounding out the cast for the series is Clara Rugaard …

Molly-Mae Amazon Series Will Follow Aftermath of Tommy Fury Split

Molly-Mae Amazon Series Will Follow Aftermath of Tommy Fury Split

Amazon Prime Video has confirmed a new series on Love Island U.K. star Molly-Mae Hague will premiere in January 2025. The new, exclusive access docuseries will follow the content creator and influencer who, after pairing up with boxer Tommy Fury in the 2019 series of the ITV show, has become one of the most successful islanders ever, accruing over eight million followers on Instagram. The program will follow the recent launch of her own clothing brand, Maebe, and the highly-publicized split between her and fiancé Fury, which shocked fans across the country in August. The pair share a child, Bambi, born in January last year. “We’ll see Molly-Mae adapt to the challenges of motherhood, all while preparing to launch her biggest business venture to date: ‘Maebe’,” a synopsis read. “In this intimate look, we uncover how these experiences have shaped her into the powerhouse entrepreneur she is today.” “This is Molly-Mae as you’ve never seen her before — raw, real and redefining what it means to be successful under intense public scrutiny.” The first three …

Trump’s power plays overshadow global climate summit – POLITICO

Trump’s power plays overshadow global climate summit – POLITICO

“I think there’s a common understanding and agreement that he’s going to start with Paris and then look at other ideas,” said the official, who was granted anonymity to discuss evolving policy considerations. Mandy Gunasekara, who was chief of staff at the EPA during the last Trump administration, has advocated that Trump follow through this time on leaving the climate framework. “I think people have a clear picture of how the U.N. process is misused to tie the hands of domestic policy,” she said, inaccurately characterizing the non-binding commitments that countries make under the Paris climate agreement. “And that … creates the type of policy motivation necessary to consider withdrawing from the UNFCCC versus just a derivative issue like the Paris Agreement.” The U.S. under Trump may still find ways to participate in global climate conversations, particularly with regard to deploying new technology such as advanced nuclear power or carbon capture, said U.S. Energy Association CEO Mark Menezes, who was No. 2 in Trump’s previous Energy Department. But contributing new sums of money to developing …