A thinktank linked to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is preparing a report that may propose large tax cuts for wealthy people by removing inheritance and capital gains taxes. The report is also expected to suggest deregulation in the financial sector and changing the Treasury’s responsibilities. The thinktank denied some reported details and said the final report would not include unfunded tax cuts.
Key Facts
The Centre for a Better Britain (CFABB) is connected to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.
CFABB plans to release a 200-page document outlining economic policies before the next UK election.
The report reportedly suggests abolishing inheritance tax and gradually removing capital gains tax.
UK inheritance tax raised £8.5 billion and capital gains tax £24 billion in recent years.
CFABB may also suggest deregulating financial services, similar to the 1980s "Big Bang" reforms.
The thinktank denies the current draft is final and says there will be no unfunded tax cuts.
Reform UK recently received two large donations (£72 million total) from crypto billionaires, raising concerns about outside influence.
Former Reform UK policy head James Orr was suspended due to allegations about breaking electoral laws on donations.
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Ukraine has launched a counteroffensive called “Operation Vivaldi” in the eastern Donbas region, making significant advances against Russian forces near the city of Lyman. Ukrainian commanders confirmed they have cleared large areas of territory, disrupting Russian supply lines and weakening Russia’s position in the area.
Key Facts
Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps Commander Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi confirmed details of Operation Vivaldi.
Ukrainian forces have cleared about 32 square miles of territory northwest of Lyman and more than 77 square miles overall.
The operation has targeted Russian 20th and 25th Combined Arms Armies, causing heavy damage.
Ukrainian drone strikes have disrupted Russian supply hubs and pipelines supplying occupied areas.
The Lyman salient, a strategic area, has been cleared, easing pressure on Ukraine’s heavily fortified defensive line.
Russian forces are struggling to hold and recapture positions near Lyman as a result of Ukraine’s offense.
The counteroffensive may delay Russian plans to attack the city of Slovyansk.
Analysts note Ukrainian advances have slowed recently but still represent important progress.
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A large search is happening in a Suffolk village for a missing 3-year-old boy named Noah Woods, who has autism and is non-verbal. Police and volunteers are working together, using videos, dogs, and helicopters to find him, while asking people to avoid dangerous areas like railways and water.
Key Facts
Noah Woods is a 3-year-old boy with autism, who cannot speak and is partially deaf.
He went missing on Tuesday afternoon after being separated from a relative in Brantham village.
Police say there is no sign of anything criminal or harmful but are keeping an open mind.
CCTV shows Noah running near a playground and into an alley toward a new housing estate.
The search involves police, fire, coastguard, rescue teams, sniffer dogs, and a helicopter.
Volunteers are asked to report to a coordination center and avoid dangerous places like railways and open water.
The police advise not to approach Noah directly if found, but to call emergency services with his location.
Noah’s father asked volunteers on social media to widen their search beyond the village area.
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Ed Sheeran explained that he did not decide to remove rapper Macklemore from his tour. The decision to drop Macklemore happened because of the tour promoters. This came after Macklemore made statements supporting Palestine during a show.
Key Facts
Macklemore showed support for Palestine in a statement during a concert.
After these statements, Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour.
Ed Sheeran said he was not the one who made the decision to remove Macklemore.
The tour promoters were responsible for the choice to drop Macklemore.
Ed Sheeran addressed the situation publicly on Tuesday.
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A magazine from 1894, checked out from a New Hampshire library over 130 years ago, was recently returned by an 84-year-old man using a fine amnesty program. The magazine is a historic issue of The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine, which covered history, literature, and current events in the late 19th century.
Key Facts
The magazine was borrowed from Concord Public Library in 1894 and returned more than 130 years later.
An 84-year-old man named John Hanson brought the magazine back during a library fine amnesty, avoiding a potential late fee of $12,055.
Hanson inherited the magazine during a house move in 1966 and does not know who originally borrowed it.
The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine was published from 1881 to 1930 and included history, literature, poetry, and news.
The returned copy contained a library bookplate and noted it could be kept for only one week.
The September 1894 issue included articles about the need for outdoor playgrounds for city schoolchildren and product advertisements from that time.
The library staff were surprised and curious about why the magazine was never returned earlier.
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Four copies of Earl Spencer’s new book about his sister, Princess Diana, were stolen from a truck in the Netherlands. The book, which tells Diana’s life story from Earl Spencer’s point of view, is set to be officially released soon, and Dutch police are investigating the theft.
Key Facts
The stolen books are the Dutch editions of Earl Spencer’s unreleased book about Princess Diana.
The books were taken from a truck while it was parked during a driver’s mandatory break.
The theft happened somewhere in the Dutch countryside, but the exact location is not confirmed.
The Dutch police know about the incident and are looking into it.
The book is called “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister” and will be released globally and in the UK soon.
Earl Spencer wrote the book to share his own memories and truth about Diana, especially ahead of the 30th anniversary of her death.
Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 at age 36.
Earl Spencer previously spoke about Diana in a famous funeral speech, praising her and criticizing the media treatment she received.
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Colonel Samantha Shepherd was found not guilty of mishandling abuse allegations made by a teenage soldier who later died by suicide. The soldier, Gunner Jaysley Beck, had reported being sexually assaulted by a sergeant before her death in 2021.
Key Facts
Colonel Shepherd and Major James Hook faced charges over their handling of soldier Beck’s abuse complaint.
A military panel cleared Colonel Shepherd due to insufficient evidence of wrongdoing.
Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, reported sexual assault by Battery Sgt Michael Webber in 2021.
Beck took her own life later that year while stationed at Larkhill Camp.
Michael Webber was sentenced to six months in jail for the assault.
Officials said the military failed to properly listen to and support Beck after her report.
The Army has expressed regret and aims to prevent similar failures in the future.
The trial for Major Hook is still ongoing.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is ready to pause attacks on energy infrastructure as part of a ceasefire with Russia. He spoke about the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia in an interview with CBS News.
Key Facts
President Zelenskyy spoke exclusively to CBS News about the war with Russia.
He mentioned Ukraine's readiness for an energy ceasefire, meaning stopping attacks on power and energy facilities temporarily.
The goal is to reduce damage to critical infrastructure during the conflict.
This statement comes amid ongoing fighting between Ukraine and Russia.
The interview was conducted by CBS News correspondent Aidan Stretch.
No specific details about when or how the ceasefire might happen were given.
Energy infrastructure includes power plants, electric grids, and other systems vital for electricity supply.
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Patricio Guzmán, a Chilean filmmaker known for documenting Chile’s political struggles in the 1970s, has died at age 85. He made famous films like The Battle of Chile that show the impact of Augusto Pinochet’s coup and Chile’s later social issues.
Key Facts
Guzmán died in Paris from cardiorespiratory arrest.
He focused his films on Chile’s political conflict after Pinochet’s 1973 coup against President Salvador Allende.
The Battle of Chile is a documentary in three parts showing the coup and its effects.
Guzmán was supported by French filmmaker Chris Marker during the making of The Battle of Chile.
Guzmán was arrested but released, while his cinematographer Jorge Müller was tortured and disappeared.
After years in exile, Guzmán returned to Chile to continue making political and poetic documentaries.
Later films like Nostalgia for the Light explored Chile’s history using natural landscapes.
His last film, My Imaginary Country, covered Chile’s 2019 protests.
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Hashim Thaçi, former president of Kosovo, was sentenced to 25 years in prison by a tribunal in The Hague for war crimes committed during the Kosovo war in the late 1990s. Thaçi and three other former Kosovo Liberation Army leaders were found guilty of murder, torture, and illegal detention of civilians and political opponents.
Key Facts
Thaçi was convicted by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, a court based in The Hague supported by Europe.
He was sentenced to 25 years for war crimes including 96 murders, torture, and cruel treatment.
Three other former KLA leaders were also sentenced: Jakup Krasniqi (25 years), Kadri Veseli (18 years), and Rexhep Selimi (13 years).
The crimes happened during the Kosovo war for independence from Serbia in 1998-99.
Thaçi resigned as president nearly six years ago to face these charges.
The court said Thaçi used his leadership position to encourage the crimes.
The trial focused on criminal acts, not the legitimacy of Kosovo’s fight for independence.
Thaçi faces a separate trial for allegedly intimidating witnesses.
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New photos show the damage caused by Iranian attacks at several U.S. military sites in the Middle East. These images reveal the extent of destruction from recent conflicts involving Iran and U.S. forces.
Key Facts
CBS News obtained exclusive photos of damage at U.S. positions due to Iranian attacks.
The attacks happened at multiple U.S. military bases in the Middle East.
The images highlight how widespread the damage is.
Aaron MacLean, a national security analyst, discussed the photos and the situation.
The information shows ongoing tensions between Iran and U.S. forces in the region.
The photos provide visual evidence of the scale of the attacks.
The report is focused on security and military impacts from the attacks.
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Bonnie Greer, a British-American author, playwright, and cultural commentator, died at age 77 after a short illness. She was known for her work on culture, race, and public institutions and held several important roles in the UK arts scene.
Key Facts
Bonnie Greer was 77 years old when she passed away.
She was an author, playwright, critic, and cultural commentator.
Greer worked on topics related to culture, race, and public life.
Born in Chicago in 1948, she studied theatre and trained at the Actors Studio in New York.
She moved to the UK in 1986 and served on boards of major arts institutions like the British Museum and Royal Opera House.
Greer appeared frequently on UK TV programs such as Newsnight Review and Question Time.
She was awarded an OBE in 2010 for her service to the arts.
In 2022, she became a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
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Rachida Dati, a former French minister, is on trial in Paris for allegedly taking money from car company Renault-Nissan in exchange for political favors. She denies the claims, but prosecutors say payments for legal work were actually for lobbying.
Key Facts
Rachida Dati was justice minister under President Nicolas Sarkozy and culture minister under President Emmanuel Macron.
She received about €900,000 from Renault-Nissan between 2009 and 2013.
A 2009 contract said the money was for legal services, but prosecutors claim it was for lobbying.
Renault-Nissan’s former CEO Carlos Ghosn is also on trial and denies wrongdoing; he is not in court because he fled to Lebanon in 2019.
If found guilty, Dati could face up to 10 years in prison, a large fine, and a ban from holding public office.
Dati has been mayor of Paris’s 7th district since 2008 but lost a recent mayoral race for all of Paris amid this controversy.
Anti-corruption groups say the case shows the need for stronger rules on political lobbying in France.
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Saudi air defenses stopped a Houthi drone near Mecca, protecting the holy city from entering restricted airspace. In the US, the House of Representatives voted again to end military actions in Iran, following concerns about high costs and depleted missile supplies.
Key Facts
Saudi Arabia intercepted a Houthi drone south of Mecca, a sacred city for Muslims.
Saudi officials said protecting Mecca and pilgrims is a strict priority.
The US House voted to end conflict-related military powers involving Iran for the third time.
A report shows the Iran conflict cost at least $38 billion and reduced US missile reserves.
A US Congressman proposed impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over war decisions and civilian deaths.
The US plans to send large bombs to Israel, but past concerns delayed this due to risks to civilians in Gaza.
Several music acts left Ed Sheeran’s tour in support of Macklemore, who was removed for statements supporting Palestinians.
Three people died in a helicopter crash covering a bus accident in Los Angeles.
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The article suggests that peace with North Korea can happen if the country is treated as a real diplomatic partner instead of only as a threat. It also says that President Donald Trump should meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to help end the Korean War.
Key Facts
The article talks about reaching lasting peace with North Korea.
It says North Korea needs to be seen as a legitimate partner in talks.
Seeing North Korea only as a threat could block peace efforts.
President Donald Trump is encouraged to meet Kim Jong Un.
The goal is to make a deal to officially end the Korean War.
The suggestion is about using diplomacy to solve the conflict.
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The US Department of Justice has accused five men linked to Russian intelligence of plotting to kill Ukrainian allies in the US and Europe. Three of the accused are high-ranking Russian intelligence officers, and the group allegedly tried to hire people in the US to spy on and kill targets seen as threats to Russia.
Key Facts
Five men connected to Russian intelligence are charged with trying to murder people allied with Ukraine in the US and Europe.
Three accused are high-ranking members of the Russian Intelligence Services (RIS), including a father and son.
The group tried to recruit people in the US to spy on and kill a Russian dissident living there.
Offers included payments between $1,000 and $40,000 to carry out surveillance and murder.
These men face charges including conspiracy to finance terrorism and murder for hire, carrying prison sentences of up to 20 and 10 years.
Kremlin says it will not comment without credible evidence.
Similar attempts linked to Russia were reported in Poland and Lithuania in recent years.
The alleged plots are part of Russia’s broader campaign against those seen as threats to its interests.
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New photos from active U.S. military members show damage to U.S. bases in the Middle East caused by Iranian attacks. A recent Pentagon report estimates the conflict has cost over $33 billion so far.
Key Facts
The photos were shared by active U.S. service members.
They show damage to U.S. military bases in the Middle East.
The bases were targeted by strikes from Iran.
A Pentagon report estimates the ongoing war has cost more than $33 billion.
The images provide a rare look at the damage on the ground.
The article was reported by Jonah Kaplan for CBS News.
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A senior army officer, Colonel Samantha Shepherd, was found not guilty by a military court of mishandling allegations made by a young soldier, Gunner Jaysley Beck, who later died by suicide. The court said there was not enough evidence to convict Shepherd, but the trial of another officer, Major James Hook, is still ongoing.
Key Facts
Colonel Samantha Shepherd faced charges over her handling of a teenage soldier’s complaint.
Gunner Jaysley Beck took her own life in December 2021 after reporting possible misconduct.
The military court found there was not enough evidence to convict Shepherd.
The case involved events during a training exercise on Thorney Island in July 2021.
Beck reported unwanted behavior by Warrant Officer Michael Webber at a social event.
Major James Hook is also on trial related to the case; his trial is still in progress.
Hook said Beck told him Webber “made a pass” at her but did not force himself on her.
The court is hearing details on whether officers took appropriate actions after Beck’s report.
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A passenger plane in Iran experienced a problem during takeoff that caused the cabin ceiling to collapse and shake violently. The plane returned safely to the airport, all passengers left without injuries, and a replacement flight was arranged.
Key Facts
The incident happened on a Sepehran Airlines flight within Iran, from Mashhad to Kermanshah.
A landing-gear tire outer layer separated during takeoff, causing the problem.
The pilot reported an engine emergency and decided to return to Mashhad airport.
Video shows ceiling panels inside the cabin falling and passengers reacting with fear.
All passengers exited the plane safely with no reported injuries.
Passengers were later sent to their destination on another flight.
The airport runway reopened after the plane landed safely.
Newsweek has not independently verified the video or received official comments from the airline.
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