All posts tagged: members

WHO Members Reject Proposal to Invite Taiwan to Participate in Annual Assembly

WHO Members Reject Proposal to Invite Taiwan to Participate in Annual Assembly

Published by Sam Flores

GENEVA, May 18 (Reuters) – Member states of ⁠the ⁠World Health Organization ⁠on Monday rejected a proposal to invite Taiwan ​to its annual assembly in Geneva after China said it would ‌block its participation. During the meeting, ‌which started on Monday, China took to the ⁠floor, alongside ⁠Pakistan, to oppose the motion. The assembly accepted Taiwan’s ​exclusion. “China does not agree to the participation of China’s Taiwan region in the World Health Assembly in any form,” a Chinese delegate ​told member states. Palau, which was among a number of countries ⁠supporting a ⁠proposal to include ⁠Taiwan ​as an observer in the WHA, told delegates Taiwan’s exclusion was unjustified ​and risked weakening ⁠global disease surveillance and information sharing. “Global health governance cannot afford gaps, excluding any capable and responsible partner, including Taiwan, creates precisely such a gap,” the delegate from Palau said.  Taiwan ⁠is excluded from most international organisations because of objections from Beijing, ⁠which considers the democratically governed island its territory. Taiwan’s foreign minister announced his arrival on Sunday in Switzerland for events on the …

Four crew members ejected after military jets crash during US air show

Four crew members ejected after military jets crash during US air show

Published by Sam Flores

All four crew members were safely ejected after two navy jets crashed during an air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. The collision involved two US Navy EA18-G Growlers from the Electronic Attack Squadron 129 in Whidbey Island, Washington, said commander Amelia Umayam, spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, US Pacific Fleet. The jets were performing an aerial demonstration when the crash occurred, Ms Umayam said in a statement. She said the four crew members were being evaluated by medical personnel and the crash was under investigation. Read more from Sky News:Funding for Trump’s White House ballroom in jeopardyFinnish divers arrive in Maldives – as search for bodies continues Videos posted online showed four parachutes opening as the aircraft plummeted to the ground near the base around 50 miles (80km) south of Boise. No one at the military base was hurt, said Kim Sykes, marketing director with Silver Wings of Idaho, which helped to plan the air show. Mountain Home said in a social media post that it was locked down following the …

Who is on the Eurovision 2026 UK jury? Members revealed

Who is on the Eurovision 2026 UK jury? Members revealed

Published by Daniella Wilson

Tongiht’s Eurovision Song Contest 2026 final sees 25 countries all trying their absolutely hardest to secure themselves this year’s crown. As is custom, the winner will be decided by a combination of the public votes and the votes from each country’s jury. The jury members watch a separate show the day before the Grand Final and have their say on who impressed them the most, with their scores revealed via the traditional calls around Europe from each country’s spokesperson. This year the UK’s vote will be delivered by La Voix. But who makes up this year’s UK jury? Read on for the list of the famous names who will have a big say in who takes home the Eurovision trophy. Who is on the UK jury for Eurovision 2026? UK jury member Tilly Lockey. Tim P. Whitby/Variety/Getty Images This year’s UK Eurovision jury is made up of Anu Omideyi, Tilly Lockey, Raya, Nathan Powell, Dr Ava Peterson and Harry Hornsby. Anu Omideyi is a festival and choir director whilst Tilly Lockey is an influencer known for …

Surprising amount of rent Prince William pays following family members’ ‘peppercorn’ deals

Surprising amount of rent Prince William pays following family members’ ‘peppercorn’ deals

Published by Daniella Wilson

The Prince of Wales and his family call Forest Lodge in Windsor their primary residence, and a new report in The Times has revealed how much the family are paying in rent. Although documentation filed this week shows that the family are now the owners of the Georgian mansion’s lease, they have been paying £307,500 a year in rent. It had previously been revealed that William and his family signed a 20-year lease on the property, but the rental details had been kept out of the public realm. The move to go public with their rental agreements comes in the wake of revelations that several members of the royal family had secured ‘peppercorn’ agreements for their properties. Peppercorn rent is a legal term describing the symbolic payment of rent paid by someone to the Crown Estate. It is a nominal or token amount that satisfies the legal requirements of the contract, but it is so low an amount that its function is more symbolic than anything else. Among those who benefitted from these agreements were …

Born Again (Plus a Bonus for All Access Members)

Born Again (Plus a Bonus for All Access Members)

Published by Jenni Sidey

Note: This contains spoilers for both seasons of Daredevil: Born Again On the first day of spring 2026, my now-former boss asked if we could talk. This being the digital age, the meeting occurred via Slack huddle, where the poor man had to stare at the avatar of my wide-eyed lapdog while informing me that the company, with great reluctance and an extremely flattering letter of recommendation, had no choice but to let me go. Finding myself with a lot of unexpected time on my hands, I decided to indulge the mild curiosity about Daredevil: Born Again that I acquired after reading an Entertainment Weekly piece about Matthew Lillard’s role in the series. You might think that all this makes it sound like I only watched the show because I was unemployed. This is correct. I don’t care about Daredevil. I didn’t watch the original Netflix series and, aside from that time I roasted all of his ’60s-era villains, I haven’t read the comics. (No, I don’t want recommendations, but if you do, Jess Plummer …

Cabinet Members 'Preparing To Tell Keir Starmer He Can't Go On' As Leadership Crisis Deepens

Cabinet Members 'Preparing To Tell Keir Starmer He Can't Go On' As Leadership Crisis Deepens

Published by Sam Flores

Keir Starmer walks through the House of Commons to attend the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday. Cabinet members are preparing to tell Keir Starmer later today that he must announce a timetable for his departure from Downing Street, HuffPost UK has been told. Senior ministers will personally confront the prime minister within hours to say that he has got to go. One Labour source said two-thirds of the cabinet are now opposed to him continuing as PM. Some MPs who signed a so-called “loyalty letter” backing Starmer earlier this week are also now telling colleagues he has to stand down, it is claimed. It comes amid confusion over whether or not health secretary Wes Streeting – who held showdown talks with Starmer yesterday – will announce his own leadership campaign. Two members of his team told HuffPost UK that he does not currently have the support of the 81 MPs he needs to formally mount a challenge. One ally said he did have more than the number required at one point, but that some …

US House Members Defy Leadership, to Force Vote on Ukraine Aid

US House Members Defy Leadership, to Force Vote on Ukraine Aid

Published by Sam Flores

WASHINGTON, May 13 (Reuters) – A U.S. House of Representatives petition to ⁠force ⁠a floor vote on providing security aid to ⁠Ukraine and imposing new sanctions on Russia reached the 218-signature threshold to move ahead on Wednesday, the ​latest successful bid by lawmakers to defy the chamber’s Republican leadership. California Representative Kevin Kiley, who switched his party affiliation to independent from Republican in March, signed ‌the “discharge petition” on Wednesday, giving it enough ‌signatures to force a vote in the House, likely in early June. While many members of Congress from both parties have strongly supported Ukraine since ⁠Russia launched its full-scale ⁠invasion in February 2022, some of President Donald Trump’s closest Republican allies – including House and ​Senate leadership – have grown cooler since he returned to the White House in January 2025. U.S. aid to the Kyiv government has slowed sharply even as Russia and Ukraine have been pummelling each other with missiles, drones and artillery, with no end to the war in sight. Peace talks are stalled, with Ukraine rejecting Putin’s ​demand …

ICE puts new restrictions on members of Congress inspecting detention centers

ICE puts new restrictions on members of Congress inspecting detention centers

Published by Sam Flores

WASHINGTON — A new Immigration and Customs Enforcement policy requires members of Congress to seek advance approval in order to speak with detainees during oversight inspections at detention facilities. It’s the latest twist in a months-long effort by ICE to restrict such visits by lawmakers, which have skyrocketed amid the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign. California Reps. Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano) and Sara Jacobs (D-San Diego) learned about the new policy when they made a surprise visit on Monday to the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego. ICE allowed them to enter, Levin said, but when the members asked to speak with detainees, local personnel handed them a memo outlining the new policy — dated the same day and signed by acting ICE Director Todd Lyons. In it, Lyons calls the visits disruptive and resource-intensive because they pull staff away from law enforcement duties. Lawmakers sometimes request to speak with a particular kind of detainee — for example, people held longer than 90 days — and Lyons said meeting such requests takes up too much …

Congress members push Chinese auto parts ban before Trump China trip

Congress members push Chinese auto parts ban before Trump China trip

Published by Sam Flores

Aerial view of an electric vehicle parking lot. Koiguo | Moment | Getty Images Bipartisan lawmakers from Michigan on Tuesday announced legislation that would ban Chinese-made “connected vehicles,” software and hardware from the U.S. market, ahead of President Donald Trump’s meeting this week with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., chairman of the House Select Committee on China, and Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., rolled out the “Connected Vehicle Security Act,” closely mirroring bipartisan Senate legislation from Sens. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, that would codify Biden-era connected vehicle restrictions over national security and data collection concerns. Connected vehicles have internet access and wireless connectivity with other cars or trucks, technology that supporters say can enhance roadway safety. “We are not competing on a level playing field when Chinese subsidizes its manufacturers, it manipulates its currency [and] it uses slave labor. That’s not a level playing field,” Dingell said in a press conference Tuesday announcing the bill. “What [China is] trying to do is to get inside our country and fight us …