Latest news with #10
Spectator
2 days ago
- Business
- Spectator
Keir Starmer climbs down on welfare cuts
At last, Keir Starmer has bowed to the inevitable. Having first adopted a posture of defiance, then conciliation, the Prime Minister has tonight admitted capitulation on the great welfare revolt. The Guardian reports that the ringleaders of the 126 rebels who signed a wrecking amendment to the Welfare Bill are now claiming 'massive concessions.' It follows a tense afternoon of talks between Starmer and his MPs. It means another big U-turn for Starmer – and another hole in the Treasury's finances The rebels say that they have been promised significant changes to planned cuts. These include moderating the Bill to make it easier for people with multiple impairments to claim disability benefits. Starmer also offered to protect Personal Independent Payments (PIP) for all existing claimants forever. This was to ensure there would be no detriment from the reforms for existing claimants – a key concern of the welfare rebels. But new claimants will be affected, as ministers desperately try to stop ever-spiralling disability and sickness welfare spending climb to £100 billion by 2030. It means another big U-turn for Starmer – and another hole in the Treasury's finances. Early estimates suggest that the Welfare Bill climb down could cost £2 billion: money which Rachel Reeves will now have to find elsewhere. Coming so soon after the winter fuel reversal, the whole debacle will raise further questions about the political judgment of those in Numbers 10 and 11 Downing Street. A U-turn looked inevitable from the moment that the initial list of 108 names on the amendment was published on Monday night. So why did Starmer persist with the plans for a further three days and completely overshadow his big Nato 5 per cent commitment? No government has been defeated on the Second Reading of its own legislation since 1986. Tonight's climbdown means that Starmer looks to have avoided that fate next Tuesday. But the damage from such a public humiliation is obvious. Rebellion is a habit; the concessions show that it can be a fruitful one too. As for the Treasury, now forced to plug the gap in its finances, the lesson by now ought to be obvious: Labour MPs will not wear major welfare cuts unless they are handled with the upmost care.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
CRPF jawan gets 5-yr jail for assault of minor in Silchar
Silchar: A special Pocso court in Silchar has sentenced 59-year-old CRPF personnel Pradip Kumar Dutta to five years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a minor. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 21,000, with additional jail time in case of non-payment. Additional district and sessions judge (Pocso) Narayan Kuri delivered the verdict on Monday, in connection with a case reported on Feb 8, 2023, from the Balighat area under Arunachal police station in Cachar district. According to police reports, Dutta entered the minor's house around 10am while her parents were away. He allegedly assaulted the girl when she was alone. Upon hearing her screams, the girl's mother, who was nearby, rushed back home. Seeing her, Dutta fled the scene, reportedly threatening the girl with severe consequences if she spoke about the incident. You Can Also Check: Guwahati AQI | Weather in Guwahati | Bank Holidays in Guwahati | Public Holidays in Guwahati The girl's family filed a complaint at the local police station, prompting a detailed investigation. A chargesheet was later submitted under sections 376 (rape) and 448 (house trespass) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 6 and 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Brass Krishna Idols For Prosperity & Protection In Life Luxeartisanship Shop Now Undo After multiple hearings and witness testimonies, the court convicted Dutta under Pocso Section 10 and sentenced him to five years in prison and a Rs 20,000 fine. In case of default, he will serve an additional six months. Under BNS Section 448, he received a six-month sentence and a Rs 1,000 fine, with an extra month of jail time in case of non-payment. Silchar: A special Pocso court in Silchar has sentenced 59-year-old CRPF personnel Pradip Kumar Dutta to five years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a minor. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 21,000, with additional jail time in case of non-payment. Additional district and sessions judge (Pocso) Narayan Kuri delivered the verdict on Monday, in connection with a case reported on Feb 8, 2023, from the Balighat area under Arunachal police station in Cachar district. According to police reports, Dutta entered the minor's house around 10am while her parents were away. He allegedly assaulted the girl when she was alone. Upon hearing her screams, the girl's mother, who was nearby, rushed back home. Seeing her, Dutta fled the scene, reportedly threatening the girl with severe consequences if she spoke about the incident. The girl's family filed a complaint at the local police station, prompting a detailed investigation. A chargesheet was later submitted under sections 376 (rape) and 448 (house trespass) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 6 and 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. After multiple hearings and witness testimonies, the court convicted Dutta under Pocso Section 10 and sentenced him to five years in prison and a Rs 20,000 fine. In case of default, he will serve an additional six months. Under BNS Section 448, he received a six-month sentence and a Rs 1,000 fine, with an extra month of jail time in case of non-payment.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Move over, Magnificent 7: Goldman Sachs proposes the ‘Prom 10,' China's top stocks including Tencent, Alibaba and BYD
Investors are flocking to Chinese markets in a search for alternatives to U.S. equities. DeepSeek's AI breakthrough earlier this year proved that China could compete on the technological frontier. Economists are betting that Beijing might finally unleash more stimulus to revive flagging domestic consumption. And policy volatility in Washington, thanks to U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war, is pushing investors to start diversifying their portfolios away from the U.S. It's a big shift from earlier arguments that Chinese companies were 'uninvestable' due to concerns about policy uncertainty and China's sluggish economy. Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng Index is up by over 20% so far this year, even as Trump threatened steep tariffs on imports from China. By comparison, the S&P 500 is up by around 2%. Investors have used the 'Magnificent 7'—Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Nvidia, and Tesla—as shorthand for the top-performing stocks on U.S. markets. These seven companies both reflect U.S. strength in Big Tech and tap into major trends like AI. But what about China? Investment bank Goldman Sachs, in a report released last week, highlighted 10 stocks that are best poised for growth in the Chinese market. Together, they make up what the bank calls the 'Prominent 10', or 'Prom 10' for short. Unlike the Magnificent 7, these stocks cover more than just tech and AI, extending into retail and other consumer services. Together, the stocks amount to $1.6 trillion in market value, according to Goldman Sachs, compared to $19 trillion for the Mag 7. The bank predicts that the Prom 10's earnings will grow by an average of 13% annually over the next two years. The Prom 10 'collectively embody the theme of AI/Tech development, self-sufficiency, 'Going Global', services and new forms of consumption, and China's improving shareholder returns,' Goldman Sachs wrote in its report. The bank also suggests that its chosen companies have more opportunities to expand and consolidate their positions in the more fragmented Chinese economy. The most valuable company on the Prom 10 is Tencent, one of the world's largest video game publishers and operator of the ubiquitous WeChat messaging app. Tencent's superapp is one of a handful of platforms that boasts over a billion users. Valued at around $585 billion, Tencent is Asia's second-most valuable company, behind chipmaker TSMC. E-commerce giant Alibaba is also on the Prom 10. Shares in the company are up more than 35% so far this year, thanks to optimism around AI. Developers both inside and outside of China are embracing the company's open-source Qwen model, making Alibaba the AI leader among the country's big tech companies. Meituan, China's food delivery giant, is another Prom 10 stock. The company holds a 70% market share in the delivery space, and is expanding to new markets like Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil. Yet the stock has taken a beating in recent weeks due to fierce competition from another e-commerce giant. BYD, the world's largest producer of electric vehicles, and Xiaomi, a major Chinese smartphone brand that's recently expanded to cars, also hold spots in Goldman Sachs' 'Prom 10.' Chinese EVs are quickly winning over customers both in China and overseas, due to the affordable price points and appealing designs. That's helped boost the shares of both companies: BYD and Xiaomi are up by around 45% and 60% respectively. Midea Group is one of China's leading manufacturers of home appliances and another Prom 10 stock. The company debuted on Hong Kong's stock exchange last year, raising almost $4 billion. Tencent, Alibaba, Meituan, Xiaomi, BYD, and Midea are all on Fortune's Global 500, which ranks the world's largest companies by revenue. Rounding out the Prom 10 are NetEase Games, the second-highest grossing gaming company in China; Hengrui, a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer; a travel booking platform; and ANTA, the world's third-largest sportswear company, behind Nike and Adidas. This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Time Magazine
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Time Magazine
Trump Maintains Control of National Guard in L.A.: What the Appeals Court Said About His Authority
President Donald Trump can maintain control of the California National Guard, a federal appeals court has ruled, overturning an earlier decision that found the President's mobilization of the troops was 'illegal.' The ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is temporary, but allows the President to continue directing the thousands of National Guard members he has deployed to Los Angeles to quell multi-day protests over the Administration's immigration policy. Their deployment was subject to a lawsuit filed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who argued the President violated the Tenth Amendment, which lays out the powers of state and the federal government. Seven hundred Marines have also been sent to L.A. The unanimous opinion, delivered by a three-panel judge panel made up of two Trump appointees and another appointed by President Joe Biden, reversed a lower court decision that found Trump did not satisfy the requirements necessary for the President to call in the National Guard under the law he invoked. Trump celebrated the appeals court's ruling on his social media platform, Truth Social. 'The Judges obviously realized that Gavin Newscum is incompetent and ill prepared, but this is much bigger than Gavin, because all over the United States, if our Cities, and our people, need protection, we are the ones to give it to them should State and Local Police be unable, for whatever reason, to get the job done,' Trump wrote late Thursday. Though it ruled in Trump's favor, the court also rejected an argument from the Administration that the National Guard deployment could not be reviewed, however. Newsom applauded that part of the decision, and noted that litigation regarding the matter will continue. 'The court rightly rejected Trump's claim that he can do whatever he wants with the National Guard and not have to explain himself to a court,' Newsom said in a post on X. 'We will press forward with our challenge to President Trump's authoritarian use of U.S. military soldiers against citizens.' Here's what the appeals court said about Trump's power to deploy the National Guard. Trump "likely acted within his authority" The Ninth Circuit's ruling found that the President likely 'lawfully exercised his statutory authority' in invoking Title 10, Section 12406 of the U.S. Code. Under that statute, the President has the power to invoke the National Guard if he cannot execute laws with 'regular forces,' or if an invasion or rebellion is underway or at risk. The Trump Administration claimed in court filings that there was 'a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the United States.' The judges, however, said that the 'protests in Los Angeles fall short of rebellion,' though they pointed to the unrest in Los Angeles and risk to federal officials and property. They called Newsom's concerns about how the presence of the National Guard could escalate tensions between protesters and law enforcement 'too speculative.' The judges also responded to Newsom's assertion that his lack of involvement in the deployment of the troops made Trump's actions illegal. The court found that the Secretary of Defense's 'transmittal of the order' to the Adjutant General of the California National Guard, who can issue orders in name of the Governor, satisfied the procedural requirements necessary to send in the National Guard. The President's decisions to deploy the National Guard are not above review The federal government argued that Trump's decision to deploy the National Guard was 'unreviewable' by the court system because the statute the President used empowered him to mobilize it in 'such numbers as he considers necessary.' In the ruling, the judges said that they should be 'highly deferential' to the President, but also denied the assertion that the federalization of the National Guard is 'completely insulated from judicial review.'
Powys County Times
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Powys County Times
UK readies charter flights out of Tel Aviv as Middle East crisis spirals
British authorities are scrambling to provide charter flights to evacuate UK citizens from Israel amid spiralling conflict in the Middle East. Downing Street urged Britons in the region to register their presence with the Foreign Office as the crisis deepens and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called on all sides to reach a diplomatic outcome. Number 10 on Friday morning said that the situation remains 'fast-moving' and would continue to be monitored closely as the Government works with Israeli authorities to ready flights out of Tel Aviv. The situation in the Middle East remains perilous. We are determined that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon. Meeting with @SecRubio and @SteveWitkoff in the White House today, we discussed how a deal could avoid a deepening conflict. A window now exists within the next two… — David Lammy (@DavidLammy) June 19, 2025 A spokesman added: 'We are advising British nationals to continue to register their presence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, to be contactable with further guidance on these flights. 'The Foreign Secretary will shortly announce that the Government is working with the Israeli authorities to provide charter flights from Tel Aviv airport once airspace reopens.' Foreign Secretary David Lammy said work was under way to provide the flights 'based on levels of demand' from UK citizens when airspace reopens. Land routes out of Israel remain open and British staff are on hand to support UK nationals who have crossed the border, he added. Sir Keir has also urged Donald Trump to step back from military action against Iran after a series of sabre-rattling posts from the US President on his Truth Social platform. The Prime Minister said there is a 'real risk of escalation' in the conflict, adding that there had previously been 'several rounds of discussions with the US' and 'that, to me, is the way to resolve this issue'. Israeli air strikes reached into the city of Rasht on the Caspian Sea early on Friday, Iranian media reported. Since the conflict erupted last week, at least 657 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 2,000 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group. Meanwhile, at least 24 people in Israel have been killed and hundreds wounded. It remains unclear whether the UK would join any military action, although there has been speculation that US involvement could require using the British-controlled base on Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands. The B-2 stealth bombers based there are capable of carrying specialised 'bunker buster' bombs, which could be used against Iran's underground nuclear facility at Fordo. Attorney General Lord Hermer is reported to have raised legal concerns about any British involvement in the conflict beyond defending its allies, which could limit the extent of any support for the US if Mr Trump decides to act militarily. Mr Lammy arrived in Geneva for talks with the Iranian foreign minister and European allies as the UK presses for a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Foreign Secretary is meeting Abbas Araghchi on Friday alongside his counterparts from France, Germany and the EU as he seeks to negotiate a settlement before Mr Trump decides on whether to take military action against Tehran. In a statement read by his press secretary on Thursday, Mr Trump said there was still 'a substantial chance of negotiations' and said he would make a decision on deploying US forces 'within the next two weeks'. Mr Trump had previously said he 'may' join Israeli strikes against Iran and its nuclear programme, but added: 'I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.'
