More than 100 House Republicans are demanding increased oversight of Syria as the U.S. prepares to repeal longstanding sanctions against the country. Reps. Josh Brecheen, R-Okla., and Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., are leading 134 fellow GOP lawmakers in calling for guarantees that the Syrian government will adhere to terms in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that set the stage for repealing those sanctions, while warning the U.S. needs to be prepared to reverse that if...
UK government borrowing has climbed to its second-highest level on record for the first eight months of the financial year, underlining the scale of the challenge facing Rachel Reeves despite stronger tax receipts. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the government borrowed £132.3 billion between April and November, £10 billion more than over the same period last year. The only higher total for that stretch of the year was recorded in...
A deadly insider attack that killed two U.S. service members in Syria is prompting fresh scrutiny of the Trump administration’s counter-ISIS approach and its rapid embrace of Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa. While Republican lawmakers largely urge a stronger campaign to contain ISIS, the shooting has exposed vulnerabilities inside Syria’s fledgling security institutions and raised new questions about whether the U.S. can rely on Syrian forces as the administration seeks to stabilize the country. The...
The strategy behind goZeal’s movement to transform talent and the future of work In 2025, when “flexibility” is marketed as a perk and “diversity” is measured as a KPI, goZeal is taking a different approach. Founded by Sanghamithra (Sangha) Penesetti, the company is not following the traditional rules of recruitment and workforce development. Instead, it is rewriting them. goZeal’s mission is simple: “You employ us. We employ change.” This phrase reflects more than a tagline....
Tom Pellereau, the first winner of The Apprentice to secure an equity investment from Lord Sugar, has regained full ownership of his business after buying out Lord Sugar’s 50 per cent stake. The deal, agreed 14 years after the original investment, returns Styl Pro to 100 per cent founder ownership and marks the end of one of the show’s longest-running business partnerships. Financial terms of the buyout have not been disclosed. Pellereau founded Styl Pro...
Those worried about shuttering the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were wrong, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who touted the agency’s record in delivering support in the wake of Hurricane Melissa that ravaged the Caribbean in October. Although USAID historically functioned as an independent agency to deliver aid to impoverished countries and development assistance, the State Department announced in March that it would absorb remaining operations and functions in an effort to...
Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind President Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform, is set to merge with fusion energy company TAE Technologies in a deal valuing the combined business at more than $6bn (£4.4bn). The tie-up, announced by the two companies on Thursday, marks a striking strategic pivot for Trump Media, taking it beyond social media and financial products into the fast-developing world of next-generation energy. The firms said the transaction would create...
Millions of people could soon be able to spend more than £100 with a single tap of their bank card, after the financial regulator confirmed plans to lift the current contactless payment limit. From March, banks and card providers will be allowed to set their own maximum limits for contactless payments, including the option of removing the cap altogether, without requiring customers to enter their PIN. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has also encouraged firms...
TikTok has taken a decisive step towards securing its future in the United States after its Chinese owner, ByteDance, signed binding agreements with a group of US and international investors to operate the app’s American business. In a memo to staff on Thursday, TikTok’s chief executive, Shou Zi Chew, confirmed that the deal will see a new joint venture take control of the platform’s US operations, bringing to an end years of political uncertainty and...
The UK has named veteran diplomat Christian Turner as its new ambassador to the United States, replacing Lord Peter Mandelson, Downing Street has confirmed. Turner, a career Foreign Office official with nearly three decades of experience across Whitehall and overseas postings, will take up one of Britain’s most senior diplomatic roles at a pivotal moment in the transatlantic relationship. His appointment follows the departure of Mandelson, who was removed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer...
