The United Kingdom

[phkrause]

Rishi Sunak, UK’s next PM, faces major economic problems

LONDON (AP) — Former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak is set to become Britain’s first prime minister of color after being chosen Monday to lead a governing Conservative Party desperate for a safe pair of hands to guide the country through economic and political turbulence.

https://apnews.com/article/british-politics-rishi-sunak-penny-mordaunt-europe-london-8e621dc1a9415eedc080cdfbd2d41754?

[phkrause]

Sunak takes over as UK prime minister amid economic crisis

LONDON (AP) — Rishi Sunak became Britain’s third prime minister this year on Tuesday, tasked with taming an economic crisis that has left the country’s finances in a precarious state and millions struggling to pay their food and energy bills.

https://apnews.com/article/british-politics-queen-elizabeth-ii-inflation-king-charles-iii-economy-70f7310ca20e10d4d2d51585f246f62a?

[phkrause]

UK’s Sunak is first PM of color, but equality fight not over

LONDON (AP) — Harmeet Singh Gill was excited to hear that Rishi Sunak would become Britain’s first prime minister of color — news that came as he celebrated the Diwali festival in a London neighborhood sometimes called Little India.

https://apnews.com/article/british-politics-king-charles-iii-asia-religion-c0ee879e094662743a53924b56fc71a2

[phkrause]

Ex-leader David Cameron makes shock return to UK government as Sunak rolls the dice with a shakeup

LONDON (AP) — With his country mired in economic doldrums and his party trailing in the polls as an election nears, U.K. leader Rishi Sunak rolled the dice and shook up his government on Monday, appointing former Prime Minister David Cameron to the post of foreign secretary.

https://apnews.com/article/uk-suella-braverman-fired-cabinet-shuffle-7ea6c89306a427cc70fba75bc386be79?

[phkrause]

Britain’s Conservative government pushes tax cuts in hopes of bolstering electoral chances

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Conservative government sought to regain the political initiative Wednesday with a series of tax cuts for businesses and individuals that it hopes will bolster its chances in a national election next year that opinion polls suggest it will lose.

https://apnews.com/article/britain-tax-cuts-economy-budget-statement-b5ae87b93a23539586ec2ccd872d9d74?

[phkrause]

Prince Harry challenges the decision to strip him of security in Britain after he moved to the US

LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry was unfairly stripped of his publicly funded security detail after giving up his status as a working member of the royal family and moving to the U.S., his lawyer said in court Tuesday.

https://apnews.com/article/prince-harry-challenges-uk-government-security-ff8146324be6c1674c26e05f433bb017?

[phkrause]

👑 Prince Harry's big win

Prince Harry leaves the High Court after giving evidence at the trial this summer. Photo: Kim Cheung/AP Prince Harry was a victim of "habitual" and illegal phone hacking by a British newspaper chain for over a decade, a court in London ruled today. Why it matters: The victory was a major win in his long-running fight against the British media's pursuit of his private life. Top editors — including Piers Morgan — knew about "widespread" unlawful behavior at its newspapers, the judge said. Morgan denied the allegations. Go deeper.

[phkrause]

British Post Office scandal: Inquiry resumes into one of ‘greatest miscarriages of justice’

LONDON (AP) — An inquiry into one of Britain’s gravest injustices resumed Thursday as momentum grew to compensate and clear the names of more than 900 Post Office branch managers wrongly convicted of theft or fraud because of a faulty computer system.

https://apnews.com/article/britain-post-office-scandal-conviction-exoneration-2fa70dd0c0b5ac1850e031e5534f7392?

[phkrause]

UK leader Rishi Sunak tries to quell Conservative revolt over his Rwanda plan for migrants

LONDON (AP) — U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faces a test of his authority and his nerve on Wednesday as he tries to subdue a Conservative Party rebellion and win parliamentary approval for his stalled plan to send some asylum-seekers on a one-way trip to Rwanda.

https://apnews.com/article/uk-sunak-rwanda-migrants-conservatives-vote-9faa7150708ab613bfa83822997d7981?

[phkrause]

Why the back-to-back health announcements from King Charles III and Kate were so unusual

LONDON (AP) — The double health announcements from the United Kingdom’s royal family — on Kate, the Princess of Wales’ abdominal surgery and King Charles III ‘s prostate treatment — have put a spotlight on the private lives of senior royals.

https://apnews.com/article/kate-hospitalized-prince-william-royal-health-wales-b2ea543cfaf7a52b71ac3fbdf4a19cfa?

[phkrause]

UK judge dismisses Trump’s lawsuit over dossier containing ‘shocking and scandalous claims’

LONDON (AP) — A judge in London on Thursday threw out a lawsuit by former U.S. President Donald Trump that accused a former British spy of making “shocking and scandalous claims” that were false and harmed his reputation.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-steele-dossier-uk-lawsuit-535099946dc49c15640dfb8838fe2749?

[phkrause]

King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer, will halt public duties as he undergoes treatment

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer and has begun treatment, Buckingham Palace said Monday. Less than 18 months into his reign, the 75-year-old monarch will suspend public engagements but will continue with state business, and won’t be handing over his constitutional roles as head of state.

https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-iii-cancer-britain-e0408a7c9bb86ad2af8754ce4b37d65e?

[phkrause]

By disclosing his cancer, King Charles breaks centuries of royal tradition In British history, the secrecy of the monarch’s health has always reigned supreme. The palace’s disclosure that King Charles III had been diagnosed with cancer shattered that longstanding tradition. Read more.

Why this matters: Whether the monarch owes the world more information about his health than other Britons do is a tense subject. Royals are private citizens but also, in a sense, part of the public trust given that they are subsidized by British taxpayers.   One reason for disclosing his illness, the palace statement said, was “in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.” Cancer patient advocates reported success on that front, with Cancer Research UK reporting a 42% rise in visits to its cancer information page.   Remaining relevant is part of what makes Charles’ legacy and succession so urgent. And though some polls show the public is friendly toward Charles, opposition and apathy to the monarchy are both growing.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ As King Charles III is treated for cancer, here is the order of succession to the British throne   What does King Charles III actually do as Britain’s head of state?   Prince Harry arrives in London after his father, King Charles III, is diagnosed with cancer

[phkrause]

Prince Harry’s visit to see King Charles III didn’t bring reconciliation with William

LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry flew more than 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers) to see his father after King Charles III was diagnosed with cancer. But Harry did not see his estranged brother, William, during a visit that lasted scarcely 24 hours.

https://apnews.com/article/britain-royal-family-william-harry-rift-6461f47580c14057e812b3d1ee985dda?

[phkrause]

UK fell into recession at the end of 2023 as economy takes center stage in runup to general election

LONDON (AP) — The British economy fell into recession at the end of 2023 for the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, as output shrank more than anticipated in the final three months of the year, official figures showed Thursday.

https://apnews.com/article/britain-economy-recession-interest-rate-720092b0e5ad65f48b10e656e22c6687?

[phkrause]

A World War II bomb prompted an evacuation in England before being taken to sea to be blown up

LONDON (AP) — An unexploded World War II bomb was safely transported Friday through the eerily empty streets of the southwestern English port city of Plymouth before being placed on a boat for its next and final journey to sea where it will be blown up by naval divers.

https://apnews.com/article/bomb-britain-unexploded-wwii-plymouth-f46b89a68adf7e716cec91bcf718bceb?

[phkrause]

King Charles’ cancer diagnosis highlights the long waiting times many people in the UK face

LONDON (AP) — For Anna Gittins, three months would have spelled the difference between life and death.

https://apnews.com/article/uk-cancer-waiting-times-king-charles-1d519afeb31d840ed084e356f968fdc7?

[phkrause]

Trump is ordered to pay legal fees after failed lawsuit over the Steele dossier

LONDON (AP) — Former U.S. President Donald Trump has been ordered to pay a six-figure legal bill to a company founded by a former British spy that he unsuccessfully sued for making what his lawyer called “shocking and scandalous” false claims that harmed his reputation.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-steele-dossier-uk-lawsuit-russia-55427915a83f33a8ead484109b8a89f6?

[phkrause]

Princess of Wales appears in first photo since surgery amid wild speculation of her whereabouts

LONDON (AP) — The first photo of Kate, the Princess of Wales, since her abdominal surgery nearly two months ago was issued Sunday along with a statement thanking the public for its support.

https://apnews.com/article/kate-princess-photo-surgery-ca91acf667c87c6c70a7838347d6d4fb?

[phkrause]

Kate, Princess of Wales, apologizes for altering family photo that fueled rumors about her health

LONDON (AP) — Kate, Princess of Wales, apologized Monday for “confusion” caused by her altering of a family photo released by the palace — an image of Kate and her children that was intended to calm concern and speculation about the British royal’s health, but had the opposite effect.

https://apnews.com/article/princess-kate-manipulated-photo-482fda64281b4a63ccf30364d96b2622?

[phkrause]

Wales’ first Black leader is a testament to Britain’s political diversity, but racism persists

LONDON (AP) — Vaughan Gething’s election as the next leader of Wales marks a milestone: For the first time, none of the U.K.’s four main governments is led by a white man.

https://apnews.com/article/uk-racism-wales-gething-sunak-a7b923519abf74b69cf53160341ee8eb?

[phkrause]

The first ‘cyberflasher’ is convicted under England’s new law and gets more than 5 years in prison

LONDON (AP) — England’s first convicted cyberflasher was sentenced Tuesday to 5 1/2 years in prison after sending unsolicited photos of his genitals to a teenage girl and a woman.

https://apnews.com/article/first-cyber-flasher-imprisoned-new-english-law-2cec412fa58c15223b3d4734413d1390?

[phkrause]

England is limiting gender transitions for young people. US legislators are watching Legislators in at least two U.S. states are citing a recent decision in England to restrict gender-affirming care for young people as support for their own related proposals. And they weren’t the first to turn to other countries for policy and research ideas. Read more.

Why this matters: At least 23 U.S. states have now tightened or removed access to transgender health care for minors, routinely citing non-U.S. research or policies as justification for their legislation. Most recently, Kansas state Sen. Beverly Gossage cited England’s new policy last week when discussing a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors, and Georgia state Sen. Ben Watson pointed to Europe as he pushed a ban on gender-affirming care for children.    Leading health organizations in the United States and Europe argue that restrictions on services like hormone therapy tend to single out transgender youths, even though other young people can also benefit from them. Transgender advocates and allies see a political attempt to erase them, cloaked as concern for children.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Things to know about developments impacting LGBTQ+ rights across the US   Georgia restricted transgender care for youths in 2023. Now Republicans are seeking an outright ban   Transgender recognition would be blocked under a Mississippi bill defining terms ‘man’ and ‘woman’

[phkrause]

Kate, Princess of Wales, reveals she has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy

LONDON (AP) — Kate, the Princess of Wales, has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy, she revealed Friday in a stunning announcement that followed weeks of speculation about her health and whereabouts.

https://apnews.com/article/kate-middleton-health-cancer-16a5eb5facb79fb1226def11931d41d8?

[phkrause]

Kate Middleton's cancer statement in full as Princess of Wales confirms diagnosis

Kate Middleton has cancer and is currently undergoing treatment , the royal family has confirmed. The Princess of Wales announced the news in a video today, where she thanked the public for their love and support.

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/3378032477325-kate-middletons-cancer-statement-in-full-as-princess-of-wales-confirms-diagnosis?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle respond to Princess Kate's cancer diagnosis

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are speaking up after Kate Middleton announced that she has cancer .

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/3378182691883-prince-harry-and-meghan-markle-respond-to-princess-kates-cancer-diagnosis?