From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
Keir Starmer had been desperate to squeeze in a trip to China for some time. Another country to tick off his list and he always feels a lot better about himself when he's abroad. Less noise from his unhappy MPs. Plus he loved the pomp and ceremony that came with it. The large flags. The military bands. A country that treated him with respect. Almost.
In a little over 100 days three and a half months time voters in Wales will elect a new devolved government. Opinion polls suggest the prospect of a groundbreaking result: Labour being rejected for the first time ever. The valleys of South Wales are steeped in Labour's storied past. Hardie, Bevan, Kinnock and Foot -- the giants of this movement have walked these streets. But the mood within Welsh Labour as it contemplates elections across this nation is bleak, even black.
For an inveterate liar, Donald Trump is remarkably honest. The best guide to what he thinks is what he says. When forecasting his likely course of action, start with his declared intentions removing the president of Venezuela, for example and assume he means it. When he says the US must take possession of Greenland, he is not kidding. The motives are sometimes muddled but rarely hidden.
In a social media post, he talked about "a transition of power" in Venezuela being something the UK had long supported. But what about how it was brought about? His answers, or lack of them, are the latest case study in No 10's handling strategy of a maverick US president: don't commentate, act in what they believe is a pragmatic, sober way and have discussions in private.
Sir Keir Starmer has backed the transition of power in Venezuela saying the UK shed no tears about the end of Nicolas Maduro's regime. His comments, which will be seen as effective support for Donald Trump, came after the US President stunned the world by announcing it had captured President Maduro and was taking over the running of the South American country.
Dodds is one of Starmer's oldest parliamentary allies. He made her the shadow chancellor when he was elected as Labour leader in April 2020, but replaced her with Rachel Reeves in May 2021 during a reshuffle after a crushing by-election defeat in Hartlepool. In government Dodds served as development and equalities minister, but resigned in February over plans to cut international aid to fund an increase in defence spending. She has been the MP for Oxford East since 2017.
Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
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