UK Politics
— Former Tory minister Rees-Mogg calls voter ID law “gerrymandering”, saying it hurt elderly Conservative voters in the recent local elections. Government ministers have denied partisan motives.
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Turkey
— Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has been in power for two decades, is set to face a runoff on May 28. This is an unprecedented situation in Turkish politics.
Accountability
— What if Rishi Sunak has invested his wealth in Oil and Gas shares? This is worth considering because if he has, his reluctance to impose a substantial windfall tax on Oil companies’ excessive profits would have a new significance.
UK Politics
— Rishi Sunak’s use of a taxpayer-funded helicopter to Southampton on Tuesday, costing around £6,000 to the taxpayers, has been criticised as wasteful and environmentally damaging. Number 10 defends it as necessary for effective time management.
Stats
— Russia’s support base is slowly growing while countries condemning it have decreased, particularly from emerging economies.
UK Media
— GB News violated the broadcasting code by letting Naomi Wolf make unfounded claims comparing the COVID-19 vaccine to mass murder. Concerned, Ofcom has requested a meeting with the controversial channel.
Right to Protest
— Scotland Yard is accused of violating the right to protest after arresting the head of a republican movement and other organisers of a peaceful demonstration before the coronation.
COVID-19
— COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency, according to the WHO. However, it still poses a threat and countries are urged to remain vigilant and not let their guard down against the virus.
Education
— Labour is ready to abandon its long-held pledge to scrap university tuition fees in England.
NHS Strike
— The NHS Staff Council, representing over a million NHS staff in England, has accepted the government’s revised pay offer for 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Voting Rights
— The Good Law Project has expressed concern over the new voting rules, which they fear may lead to the disenfranchisement of certain groups, especially young people.
Geopolitics
— The index on nuclear weapons shows that Russia and the US have the most nuclear weapons in the world, while China and other countries have much fewer. Worrying at a time when the world is currently facing multiple geopolitical tensions.
COVID-19
— A campaign group of bereaved families who lost relatives to COVID-19 and want the government to account for its errors during the pandemic are dissatisfied with the COVID Inquiry and feel they are being sidelined.
COVID-19
— Experts are warning Britons to wear masks on public transport as the COVID variant Arcturus spreads. Despite milder symptoms and eased restrictions, COVID-19 remains a threat.
Demography
— According to recent UN population estimates, India has overtaken China as the world’s most populous country.
UK Strikes
— The train drivers’ union, Aslef, has declared three 24-hour strikes on 12 May, 31 May, and 3 June.
