Newsletter Dec 12, 2023

UK's Sunak Faces Key Test Over Rwanda Migrant Policy Vote

UK leader Rishi Sunak faces the riskiest week of his premiership, with lawmakers gathering Monday to decide whether to back his flagship policy to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

UK PM Sunak Defends Pandemic Hospitality Scheme At Covid Inquiry

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday defended his scheme to encourage people to eat out following the first coronavirus wave, saying it was not responsible for a second wave of infections.

Refugee Charities Call Sunak's Emergency Rwanda Treaty 'Cruel And Nasty'

After ignoring two unlawful rulings, the UK Government implemented an emergency Rwanda Treaty "to ensure our plan cannot be stopped".

New Migration Requirements Are Pushing Women And Small Businesses Out Of The UK

Women, children and small businesses are bearing the brunt of the government's new anti-immigration strategies, according to experts.

Part-time and Shift Workers Face Holiday Pay Cut of £248 Million Due to UK Rule Change

The UK rule change, which comes into effect next month, has raised concerns among workers and labour advocates, prompting reconsideration of the decision.

Scotland's Gender Reform Bill Faces Setback as Court Rules UK Government's Block Lawful

Scotland's highest civil court has ruled that the UK government's decision to block Holyrood's controversial gender reform bill was lawful.

Decline in UK Mortgage Rates Spurs Optimism for Homebuyers and Remortgagors

The United Kingdom has witnessed a notable drop in the average cost of a two-year fixed-rate mortgage, falling below six per cent for the first time in nearly six months.

Hostages Were Drugged, Abused In Gaza: Israeli Doctor

Hostages hauled into Gaza during Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel were drugged to keep them docile in captivity and subjected to psychological and sexual abuse, a specialist said Monday.

French Parliament Rejects Macron's Immigration Bill

The French parliament on Monday voted down a flagship immigration bill of President Emmanuel Macron's government, prompting his high-profile interior minister to offer to resign over the "failure".

Supreme Court Asked To Decide If Trump Has Immunity From Prosecution

Federal prosecutors asked the US Supreme Court on Monday to rule quickly on whether former president Donald Trump has immunity from prosecution so his trial on charges of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election can go ahead as scheduled.

US Stocks Extend Rally, Yen Retreats Against Dollar

Wall Street stocks rose Monday ahead of a deluge of key economic news, extending a rally while the yen retreated from a recent advance.

Elon Musk Calls for Immediate Dismissal of Disney CEO Amidst X Ad Boycott

The unexpected commentary from Musk has stirred an ad boycott from Disney and a discussion on the intersection of business and public responsibility.

Sam Altman Opens Up About His Painful Firing From OpenAI

After being sacked by OpenAI's board, Sam Altman says he was flooded with messages from people who wanted to come and work with him.

xAI Accused Of Using OpenAI Code For Training Its Grok AI, Elon Musk Claps Back

Currently, Grok AI is rolling out to US-based X Premium Plus subscribers and it is unclear when the AI bot will be made available to users in other regions.

UKHSA Highlights Disparities in Flu and COVID-19 Hospital Admissions

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a strong call to action, urging eligible individuals, especially those from ethnic minority groups, to book their flu and COVID-19 vaccines.

Africa Trials for HIV Vaccine Discontinued as Initial Results Disappoint

The African-led trial was initiated in December 2020 but came to an early halt last month. Its conclusive findings are to be released in 2024.