BUSINESS

I went into Lux primed not to like it. Not because I doubt Rosalía’s virtuosic talents or her intense intellectual curiosity, but because the album’s promotional campaign had already done too much work on my nerves. The rollout was relentless: thirsty reels teasing the album on social media, fashion-forward mysticism, even bringing Madrid’s city centre … Read more

Keir Starmer is set to face fresh battles over his EU “reset” as the government plans to lay a bill which could hand ministers significant powers to forge closer ties with Brussels The legislation aims to introduce an alignment mechanism for the agrifoods and electricity trading deals agreed with EU leaders but still under negotiation. … Read more

The idea that one Nato country could attack another – a US invasion of Greenland – is so alien that the most famous article in Nato’s founding treaty does not distinguish clearly what would happen if two of its members were at war. Article 5, the cornerstone of mutual protection, dictates that “an armed attack … Read more

The semi-official genre of “slow cinema” has been around for decades: glacial pacing, unhurried and unbroken takes, static shooting positions, characters who appear to be looking – often wordlessly and unsmilingly – at people or things off camera or into the lens itself, mimicking the camera’s own calmly relentless gaze, the immobile silence accumulating into … Read more

Last year, speaking at the Venice film festival premiere of The Wizard of the Kremlin, based on a book about the rise of Vladimir Putin, actor Jude Law said he “didn’t fear any repercussions” over his portrayal of the Russian president. Law may be right, but not for the reason he thinks he is. The … Read more

Government loses four votes in Lords on Chagos Islands bill Peers inflicted four defeats on the government last night as they debated the bill to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, PA Media reports. PA says: The government signed a treaty back in May to return sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, … Read more

There is no two without a three, as we say in Italian. After their complicit silence on Israel’s war crimes in Gaza and their tacit acceptance of the US/Israel attack on Iran, Europeans now hesitate to condemn the US’s audacious military operation to bring about regime change in Venezuela. With few notable exceptions – such … Read more

No 10 suggests UK would not vote for UN security council resolution condemning US arrest of Maduro The Downing Street lobby briefing was mostly taken up with questions about Venezuela. Here are the main points. The PM’s spokesperson did not contest the Times report claiming that, if the UN security council votes on a resolution … Read more

Closer ties with the EU single market are preferable to a customs union, Keir Starmer has said, in his clearest sign yet that the government is seeking to further deepen links with Brussels. The prime minister said the UK should consider “even closer alignment” with the single market. “If it’s in our national interest … … Read more

European leaders emerged divided and torn as they tried to welcome the ejection of Venezuela’s authoritarian president, but still uphold the principles of international law that did not appear to allow Donald Trump to seize Nicolás Maduro, let alone declare that the US will run Venezuela and control its oil industry. Europe tried to focus … Read more